Beth's plan to surprise Dave in the shower backfires.

An enigmatic answering machine message from a lovelorn sailor sends Beth scurrying to find the man and reunite him with his girl; Dave hunts his stolen laptop, which contains several of his columns.

The IRS informs Dave and Beth that their marriage isn't legally valid, an occasion that calls for a visit to the hippie ""minister"" who married them -- but who never filed their marriage license.

Teacher Beth regrets lecturing to her loved ones when her advice sends Duke weightlifting, Shel and Mia skydiving, and promps Kenny to turn down a great job opportunity.

Dave finds he's alienated both his friends after he wins an award that Shel coveted, then decides to make his own recording of his book rather than let Kenny do it.

Mia's new obsession with astrology has Eric wishing she'd be more down-to-earth; Kenny turns snoop to discover wh at plastic surgery Shel performed on his new girlfriend; and Tommy confesses a minor crime to Willie.

""Is it me, or did people used to be nicer to each other?"" Dave wonders, after Beth's insulted on the road and Shel has several run-ins with an obnoxious waiter who's out to get him.

The Barrys and their friends get caught up in the past as they try to relive their best childhood Halloween memories. Dave, determined that his boys will be able to pick a jack-o-lantern from a real pumpkin patch, the way he did when he was growing up in the Midwest, hovers over his pumpkin patch like a mother hen over an egg. Meanwhile, Mia tricks Kenny into helping her bake by convincing him that kneading dough is the ultimate sensual experience. And, when an elderly neighbor says she will give Shel a dilapidated player piano, his memories of a Halloween long ago make him determined to restore the instrument no matter what the cost.

After Dave volunteers to take care of the family by himself so Beth can study without interruptions, he has to fly solo and deal with a variety of problems including Kenny's request for a loan of $2,000, Tommy's radical new hairdo and a pony in the backyard. Dave struggles to keep each ""event"" from Beth so she can focus on studying for an important exam. Meanwhile, Kenny's friendship with Shel is strained when Shel refuses to lend him the money to try his hand as a concert promoter.

Kenny auditions for a job as a weatherman. Meanwhile, Shel's investments bring him a substantial windfall; then he learns the truth about his shady accountant.