In the premiere of this series it introduces the Camden family consisting of Eric Camden his wife Annie, and their children Matt, Lucy, Mary, Simon, and Ruthie

episode 2 of season 1.Matt shocks his family when he reveals his secret--that he is very close friends with a teenage pregnant girl, Renee. Right away Matt tells them that he is not the father of her baby, but just trying to help her out. Meanwhile, Mary is keeping her new boyfriend a secret from Matt.

Annie continues to suffer through her mother's recent leukemia diagnosis. Annie then decides to go to Arizona to visit them and see what is going on with them.

Following her mother's funeral, Annie's sunny demeanor turns to sadness.

When the Camden family learns that their friend, Reverend Morgan Hamilton’s church was burned down by a racist group.

With Halloween just around the corner, Lucy attempts to learn the truth about The Mutant Mike.

After Mary unexpectedly un-invites her family to watch her play basketball at an important basketball game, the Camdens begin to make other plans for themselves.

The possibility of Eric having an extramarital affair is what the Camden children are assuming when they catch Eric escorting a woman to a hotel alone. Nevertheless, Annie struggles to give him the benefit of the doubt about his confidential church business. The whole entire Glen Oak Community buzzes with this gossip. Meanwhile, Simon endures the wrath of his classmates when his secret crush is discovered.

After Annie and Matt are car-jacked, Matt fears of leaving the house while Annie appears unusually normal after being car-jacked. Eventually it hits Annie--- especially after losing her wedding ring and that her son could've been killed instantly.

Matt, Mary and Lucy make plans to get away from the family for Thanksgiving, but when Eric’s sister Julie comes to spend the holiday’s with them, plans are changed.

The Camdens become suspicious when Matt's new girlfriend, Tia, wants to spend more time with the family than being alone with Matt.

To help preserve a woman's pride, Matt lies to his family and secretly helps an old Mrs. Bink (guest-star Eileen Brennan) around her house.

Mary tries to impress her basketball team by stealing a glass from their teen hangout The Varsity---which is a school ritual. An upset Eric finds the glass and makes Matt return it but gets arrested when the store manager doesn’t accept his apology for stealing it---which makes Mary feel guilty.

All three Camden generations dread the annual visit of Eric’s parent’s, The Colonel (John Camden) and Grandma Ruth Camden. The tension between father and son is heightened when both Eric and The Colonel want to adopt a homeless and orphaned 10-year old boy, George.

While both couples, Annie and Eric---Patricia and Morgan Hamilton spend a romantic Valentine's Day camping, Matt is left in charge of the rest of the family and allows chaos to reign in the Camden household.

Lucy asks Eric to investigate her new best friend's white lies as to where she and her family really live and their financial situation.

Mary meets a wild girl, Camille (guest-star Keri Russell, Felicity) in detention who convinces her to sneak out of her house to attend a fraternity party with her. Although, the party turns out to be an intimate double date with a driver who's been drinking all night. Lucy, now at age thirteen, must officially choose her religion and faith---to the pressure of Eric on her back.

Eric wants to hire an ex-convict to be the new organist as the church vestry's the opposition. Acting church treasurer, Annie must determine whether there is enough money in the church's budget to hire a new organist.

When Eric's parents return for a visit with their newly adopted ten-year-old son George in tow, they are shocked to meet the boy's real father, who desperately wants to be a part of his life again. Annie tries to get the family excited as she is building a row boat in the backyard.

Matt is uneasy when Annie's oldest friend Rachel, a boy-crazy divorcee makes a pass at him during a night out in the town with Mary.

Annie’s father, Charles is visiting the Camden family but he has a new girlfriend, Ginger. Annie is really upset that her father is already seeing someone since her mother died only a few months ago.

In the first season finale, Eric and Annie await for Mary to come out of surgery after her car accident. The culprit who ran Mary over comes out as it is Michael Towner, which enrages Matt and gets into a fight with him.