In the premiere of this series it introduces Eric Camden (Stephen Collins) who's a minister and father of five children and is happily married and soon-to-be dog owner. His wife, Annie Camden (Catherine Hicks) is a stay-at-home mom raising their children. Matt Camden (Barry Watson) is the oldest child who has picked up a habit of smoking and not being able to keep a job. Mary Camden (Jessica Biel) is the oldest daughter who likes to play basketball a lot and is having a craving for wanting to kiss a boy. Lucy Camden (Beverley Mitchell) is the middle child and is hoping to become a woman and getting her period very soon. Simon Camden (David Gallagher) is the youngest son and is hoping to get a dog very soon, even though his parents already told him that he's too young. Ruthie Camden (Mackenzie Rosman) is the youngest child and is a happy and adorable 5 year-old. Also, Annie learns some devastating news when her parents come for a visit as her mother has leukemia.

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. Lucy gets a surprise with her secret crush on a classmate Jimmy Moon. Also, Eric gets a surprise of his own when he discovers his shoes keep on disappearing while Matt's friend Renee finds some help from an unusual ally- Eric. Finally, Annie reveals the shocking truth to Matt about his grandmother having leukemia.

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. Meanwhile, Eric volunteers for a charity work, but he's unable to do it at the last minute. Matt then volunteers to do it, but his dating habits get him into trouble with the organization he is doing charity for. Also, Mary decides to call it a quits with Jeff while Lucy has her first real date with her classmate Jimmy Moon. Lastly, when Annie returns home with her parents, they decide to stay with her and the rest of the family so that they could spend some more time with them---which unfortunately will be the last for Annie's mom, Jenny.

Following her mother's funeral, Annie's sunny demeanor turns to sadness, particularly after her father abruptly leaves to go back home in Arizona. Eric tries to counsel a young couple whose marital problems escalate during the post-funeral reception at the Camden home. Matt helps with the delivery of Renee's baby and after Mary breaks up with Jeff she discovers she was better off with Jeff.

When the Camden family learns that their friend, Reverend Morgan Hamilton's church was burned down by a racist group, they invite the Hamilton's to stay at their home. Meanwhile, Simon has his own problems when defending his friend Nigel after a racist comment is made to him at the playground. Also, Matt, Mary and Lucy have a hard time when trying to develop a good relationship with the older Hamilton children, Keesha and John. Lastly, Eric and Annie do their best to help Morgan and his wife Patricia get through their marital problems while Ruthie and Lynn are having fun as 5-year-olds.

With Halloween just around the corner, Lucy attempts to learn the truth about ""The Mutant"" Mike--- a mysterious recluse who's been accused of murder. Meanwhile, Simon prepares for the 'Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest' at the church and badly wants to be in first place. Also, Mary schemes to have the house all to herself when tricking all of her friends and family at where she is going to be. While the family prepares for the church's Annual Halloween Carnival, chaired by Annie, Eric has a bad attitude towards the whole holiday and discovers the real reason behind his hatred of Halloween when remembering a dramatic experience he had as an 11-year-old boy.

After Mary unexpectedly un-invites her family to watch her play basketball at an important basketball game, the Camden's begin to make other plans for themselves. Lucy is angry at Mary because she invited Ashley--- a popular girl in Lucy's school to her game. Meanwhile, Simon, Ruthie and Happy get lost in town when pretending to be spies and following their mailman all over town. Lucy was supposed to to be babysitting them, but was instead entertaining herself and Ashley by talking on the phone with her boyfriend Jimmy Moon. Also, Eric is faced with counseling a young boy who is once again on his drug habit that is affecting his family.

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. He tries to con his way out of going to school, but learns from his family that embarrassment will be drawn away from him and on to someone else soon. Also, Matt tries to keep things moving slow between Mary and her new boyfriend.

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. Meanwhile, Lucy fears that her relationship with Jimmy Moon will suffer when they both decide to run for class president. Also, in order for Mary to fit in with her basketball team friends, Mary thinks about getting a tattoo since the rest of the team is doing it.

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. After the family finds out about Julie's dangerous secret: her drinking problem- everyone decides it would be better to stay home. Eric decides to help his little sister overcome her problem at home rather than seek professional help- whether she wants it or not. Although, Annie is not comfortable with the situation and is only concerned that the children stay safe after an unfortunate altercation between Julie and Simon earlier.

The Camden's become suspicious when Matt's new girlfriend, Tia, wants to spend more time with the family than being alone with Matt. Meanwhile, Lucy enlists the help of Matt to overcome her clumsiness in order to try out for the Cheerleading squad. Also, Annie yearns for more romance in her marriage with Eric as she has become bored with the every day routines. Lastly, Simon tries to make himself invisible and tries to convince the whole family that can be invisible.

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. Eric becomes very concerned when Matt begins to miss church and is skipping school with Mary to help Mrs. Bink when he won't tell Eric and Annie about his secret. Although, Annie is calm about everything and knows that there is nothing bad happening and that there is a good reason behind all of this. Meanwhile, Eric tries to help a homeless family by breaking things in his church so that they can work to make the money and keep them off the streets. Also, Lucy is a little depressed over the lack of enthusiasm over her 13th birthday and that her father won't let her have a boy/girl party. Although, Lucy gets her wish by the end, and a little surprise when she finds out that her boyfriend's friend likes her. Lastly, Happy finally delivers her puppies as the Camdens begin to sell them.

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. Meanwhile, Lucy has a paper due and hasn't started it, so she takes one of Mary's old papers and puts her name on it. Eventually, she starts to feel guilty and admits to cheating. Lastly, Simon and Ruthie overhear their father talking about how it bothers him when people in America don't know the National Anthem. Ruhtie then is afraid because she doesn't know it and ask Simon for help.

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. George had ran away from the orphanage he was staying at and was hiding inside Eric's church. Eric openly voices his disdain over his parent's nurturing skills. Meanwhile, Annie discovers the fate of her lost wedding rings when seeing them on a woman at the store.

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. His preoccupation with his date and Mary's party allows the dog Happy to slip out of the house in search of her puppies. When a car hits Happy the family holds a vigil, aided by a caring veterinarian. Simon blames Matt for the whole entire accident. Meanwhile, Lucy is enjoying her first Valentine's Day with her boyfriend Jimmy Moon.

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. Meanwhile, Matt intervenes when a bully harasses Mary at school. Also, Simon is jealous of Ruthie's new friend from her pre-kindergarten class as she's more fascinated with him now than Simon. Lastly, Ruthie's first day at school brings melancholy feelings for Annie.

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. Meanwhile, Eric and Annie counsel a former associate pastor of Eric's who is burdened with a secret of his own. Also, Simon and Ruthie secretly buy ferrets and sneak them into the house.

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. Meanwhile, Lucy becomes jealous after she makes Mary tutor her boyfriend Jimmy Moon. Simon does his best at trying to get Matt into letting him get a tetanus shot at the doctor's office. Lastly, Ruthie feels empowered by her new class phone list and decides to test the emergency phone numbers.

When Eric's parent's 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 buidling a row boat in the backyard. Meanwhile, Eric's sister Julie gets out of rehab and his having hard time with reconnecting with her parents and family at the Camden home. Also, with a little help from Matt and Mary, Lucy tries to prepare her boyfriend Jimmy for meeting her formidable grandparents, ""The Colonel"" and Grandma Ruth.

Matt is uneasy when Annie's oldest friend Rachel, a boy-crazy divorcee makes a pass at him during a night out in the twon with Mary. Meanwhile, Mary makes a public singing debut at a coffee house. Also, Ruthie decides to say goodbye to her imaginary friend Hoowie. Lastly, Lucy is inconsolable when her best friend, Suzanne moves away from her.

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. Matt meets a girl at the airport, Heather. He later asks her on a date and learns she is deaf. Lucy takes Simon's advice and dyes her hair blond. While at the park, Mary meets a guy, Wilson and his SUPPOSED little brother, Billy. They go on a date later that evening. The next day at church, Annie storms out. Mary decides to follow her mother, but is hit by a speeding car when she chases her across the street.

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. Matt also tries to mend his relationship with Heather. Wilson soon confesses to Eric and Annie on his status as a teen father to Billy and are surprised. Lucy and Jimmy break up after Jimmy sees that Lucy has dyed her hair blonde and he's turned off by it. Meanwhile, Annie mends her relationship with her father and his new girlfriend Ginger with helpful advice from Mrs. Bink (guest-star Eileen Brennan). Lastly, Eric and Annie get the news fom Mary's surgeon that it might be a long recovery for her--especially with playing basketball again.