List of Step by Step episodes

Steve Urkel crash-lands in the Foster-Lamberts' yard as they are picnicking. He turns out to be Mark's science-fair partner. After the science fair, he talks to Al, who has been dumped by a boy she likes for the school dance. Frank had told Al that everyone gets dumped at some point in their life, and to move on. Steve reinforces that point, and convinces Al to ask him to the dance, where she tells off her originally-planned date and learns to "Do the Urkel".

Note: In its original airing on ABC, this episode was part of a crossover with the Family Matters episode "Brains Over Brawn".

Frank's nephew, Cody, comes to live with the family. Cody's oddball ways infuriate Dana, something that delights J.T. So J.T. decides to make a bet with Cody - successfully ask Dana out, and earn $20. Dana finds out, and agrees to shun her pride and go out with Cody. Meanwhile, Al and Brendan try to trap Mark with baseball questions and Frank has trouble with Carol because of their first month's anniversary.

J.T. goes to work for Frank's company, but things don't work out very well. Still in need of extra cash, J.T. turns to Carol, who makes him her "shampoo boy", a job J.T. really enjoys since he gets to be around pretty girls. Meanwhile, Dana and Al each become frustrated with their school assignments; Dana needs to build a birdhouse for shop class, while Al needs to write a book report on Tom Sawyer. The two agree to switch assignments, but Brendan prods their consciences.

Frank and Carol decide to enter the new blended family into the "Port Washington Games". But J.T., Al, and Brendan object since their new step-siblings aren't very athletic. Meanwhile, the more civilized Dana, Karen, and Mark see the games as too barbaric. Eventually, the Fosters decide to participate, with predictable results, but even so, they keep the Lamberts close, and Karen ties things up in the pie-eating contest because her competition cannot eat around her. Eventually, Cody provides the family some much-needed help in the final tug-of-war event making the Fosters and the Lamberts victorious.

A crew from the TV series America Up Close does a documentary on the new Foster-Lambert blended family. However, all the camera crew can capture is the usual friction between the Foster and Lambert children. While Frank and Carol struggle to salvage the documentary, Dana decides her siblings and step-siblings need to put aside their hostility for once until the crew finishes taping. They attempt to get along during a game of Monopoly, but it doesn't take long until the hostilities are unleashed again, and paper money is flying everywhere. Also, Cody and Penny both try to become superstars.

Frank reluctantly enlists Carol's help in organizing his messy office. Carol decides to transfer some of Frank's files to a computer database, which is fine until she accidentally erases the information on the computer. She failed to make a back-up copy, and what's worse, she told Frank to throw away the hard copies of his files. Frank and Carol scramble to retrieve the information from the dumpster before the garbage men come for it. They find the files, but not in time. They are loaded into the back of the truck, and come home covered in Chinese food (a Chinese family had gotten rid of their trash right on top of Carol and Frank), and laughing. Meanwhile, J.T. and Cody become obsessed with UFOs, which annoys Dana and Karen. Eventually, the two Foster sisters decide to play a trick on the gullible Lambert duo, but Cody and J.T. get the last laugh.

Frank and Carol leave for a lover's retreat. Dana is in charge, with a "no guests allowed" rule in effect. However Dana says since she invited two friends over, the rest of the kids (even Mark whose only guest is Cody) can invite two friends each , and eventually a huge party breaks out. Frank throws out his back at the hotel (which turns out to be a dump), so they cut their trip short and head home, just in time to find the party going on and J.T. trapped in the chimney flue.

Carol goes back to school because she feels embarrassed about leaving school four classes short of earning a degree. She soon realizes as well as a student she's also a committed mother, wife, and beautician, and soon everyone's ready to be committed when Frank takes over the housework. Nobody can seem to remember to pick up Brendan either. All the kids decide to chip in so Carol can realize her dream, and the house can run smoothly. Also, Cody tries to scare Brendan and Mark with horror stories.

Carol is invited to a country club with the family. At the beginning, Frank is reluctant to go, until developer John Patterson invites him to join his golf team for a tournament, with the promise of a job as contractor for a large office complex Patterson is building. Dana, who is trying to win the eye of Patterson's handsome teen-aged son, Greg (David Lascher), becomes frustrated with Frank's oafish ways and tells Frank in no uncertain terms how she feels. Meanwhile, Frank is instrumental in helping Patterson's team win the golf tournament. Later, Dana overhears Patterson talking to his friends saying that he had no intention of giving Frank the job, he was just using him to get him to help with the tournament. Dana defends Frank, and then blows off Greg Patterson, thinking he is just like his father. Greg later comes to Dana's house to apologize for his father, and to give Frank the trophy. Also, Mark, Brendan, Al , Karen and JT have fun in the club while Cody enjoys his own visit club.

Grandpa comes to visit with his younger fiancé (Sherry Hursey). Frank recognizes her as a stripper from a bachelor party he went to a year ago. When Frank tells his father, he storms off and does not believe Frank. He finds out later that she is an ex-stripper, and they postpone the wedding. J.T. wants Dana to set up a date for him with a pretty friend of hers played by (Tiffani-Amber Thiessen), so she makes him run errands for her all week. J.T does not get along with her, but to show Dana there are no hard feelings, he buys her spaghetti and meatballs. Amazingly, she does not enjoy it that much. Also, Cody celebrates his 19th birthday.

Carol and Karen enter a mother-daughter beauty contest. They are both improperly hit on by judges, and Karen learns that it is more important to have pride and self-worth than to win. Also, Cody tries to join a hunt club in which Frank is by making a duck-cheese work but Al's pig eats the duck's head.

When Dana goes to take her SATs, Cody joins her. He explains that every month he does something new and this week he is taking the SATs. Dana does very well - 91st percentile, but Cody does better. Dana cannot accept this and insists that they both take it again. Dana improves her score, but Cody still beats her - she is infuriated. Cody is not happy with his impressive results because he worries he will be expected to become a brain surgeon. Cody and Dana later decide that their lives may take them on unexpected paths. Meanwhile, the other kids borrow Frank 's clothes, forcing him to find a solution in order to prevent this.

Al and Brendan agree to take care of a neighbor's oversized St. Bernard for the weekend, but the job quickly becomes more than they can handle. They get further annoyed when they learn the neighbors have decided to move away and no longer want the dog; however, Carol is overjoyed because she has fallen in love with the dog. Eventually, Frank puts his foot down and tells Carol to take it to a kennel.

Dana learns a humbling lesson about being the boss and overseeing a group of employees when she is given a managerial job at a 1950s style restaurant owned by Mr. Passarelli (Al Molinaro). She was too bossy and controlling, so Karen and J.T. quit; and, so do the two cooks, who only wanted the job so they could see Karen. Frank and Carol decide to take over their jobs, but Dana quickly resumes her condescending demeanor. The parents set her straight, and Dana corrects her attitude. Also, Mark invents a machine which can detect if you lie or not.

A modeling job in Chicago may be Karen's dream come true — and the worst possible news for overbearing mother Carol. So, Carol tags along on Karen's photo shoot and meddles at every possible turn. Karen makes many new friends during her new job, which is cut short after one of the other models Cindy (Paula Trickey) (who had also taken a modeling job as a teenager but never got to enjoy the other things in life) convinces her to stay in school and be a teen. At home, Dana — then all the other kids — come down with the flu, and they quickly make Frank their butler. At the end, Frank is the only one who suffers from flu.

Annoyed that only dorks and geeks — in particular, Dana — are running for class president, J.T. announces he is running for class president. The campaign divides the Foster-Lambert home, and things are made worse when J.T. (having run on a campaign where it is suggested that regular students' needs aren't met) actually wins. J.T. at first puts up his bravado, but eventually wilts under the pressure and, having a new appreciation for the responsibilities that being class president brings, decides to turn over responsibilities to Dana. Meanwhile Brendan tries to do magic?

Frank's old high school friend named Scooter (Philip Charles MacKenzie), who still hasn't grown up after nearly 25 years after graduation, comes to visit and causes problems for Frank after keeping him out till 3am one night and then proceeds to take J.T. to the Boom Boom room even though J.T. is only 16. Meanwhile, Cody wins a turkey in a supermarket raffle which is delivered alive (delivery man, Ron Karabatsos), and deals with his conscience when he is asked to have it butchered.

Cody learns that a recently deceased elderly friend Walter of the local nursing home had bequeathed to him $250,000. When the Lambert and Foster children begin pestering Cody for a share of the inheritance (to spend extravagantly), Cody decides to give all but $500 of it to the nursing home. Cody spends the other $500 on a new video camera for the family (after the cheap one Frank purchased breaks down in spectacular fashion).

Frank is looking for a replacement on his contracting crew and may have to hire a woman, which he does. Frank then has a job where he and Aggie get snowed in at a hotel. Carol proceeds to drive thru the blizzard to confront Frank about what she thinks is going on? Meanwhile, Mark, J.T., Karen, Al and Brendan play the stock market after getting Cody's help or so they think?

Dana gets in a foul mood after her boyfriend dumps her right before Valentine's Day. So, she works a double shift at the 50s cafe and soon meets up with a boy that is the spitting image of her. In the meantime J.T. tries to impress a girl (Kelly Packard) with Cody's help. Meanwhile, Carol recruits Frank to be a hair stylist during a busy stretch. Which leads to a fight.

J.T. publishes an unflattering baby photo of Karen in the high school yearbook. Hell hath no fury like a Foster scorned, and she takes full advantage of J.T.'s worry that a brunette will stab him to death at the stroke of midnight. J.T. hadn't believed the news when the psychic warned him, but Cody reinforces it by pointing out that everything the psychic said would happen before he died was happening. Meanwhile, Frank and Carol's new massaging bed provides them anything but a good night's sleep.

Carol sets up Karen with Freddie, who is new to town and also just (a 142) on Karen's grading scale. Karen, however, prefers Jeffrey a jock. Karen accepts a date with Jeffrey and dumps Freddy by lying to him on the phone, which Carol catches her doing. She sneaks out of the house to go with Jeff and they win Perfect Couple right after Freddie confronts Karen. She refuses the award and finishes the evening with Freddie. Meanwhile, Carol does not like the way Frank organizes his money. She tries to make him use a male purse, but he refuses. He concentrates his efforts on putting an alarm in Cody's van (Lucille) because Cody had his stereo stolen out of it. The alarm was so good Frank got stuck in the van demonstrating it.

Dana really likes the director (Shawn Levy) of a local play so she decides to sign-up where as fate would have it, Cody knows him. So Cody and Dana end up being cast as Romeo and Juliet in the play. Also, Frank believes he has lost his wedding ring while playing golf after telling Carol he wouldn't play for awhile.

Carol invites the new pastor and his wife for lunch after church one Sunday. Frank worries because he feels like he is being watched by a messenger to God. He nervously promises the pastor that he will go to church next Sunday; the Lambert children are upset because there is a big Packer game on that Sunday. Frank drags them all to church, but J.T. sneaks up to the attic to watch the game with the Pastor's son (Eric Balfour) after the sermon starts. When Al and Brendan attempt to follow J.T.'s lead, Frank realizes something is wrong, and makes them tell him where J.T. is. Frank goes upstairs to find his son, but gets into the game, and ends up falling through the old floorboards, landing right behind the Pastor. Also, Cody and his friends Slasher (Donald Gibb) and Death go to church as well.

Carol and Frank discuss having a baby; J.T. sells essays to the football team, Dana finds out and tells Mark, and the two of them come up with an idea. Also, Cody cares for Slasher's (Donald Gibb) son which gives Carol a strange idea : have another child.

Frank and Carol go crazy in searching for anniversary gifts. J.T creates an motorcycle enterprise for Cody who tries to get a loan from the bank's loan officer (Michael Milhoan) with no luck until one of his biker pals helps out, but Cody doesn't like what J.T. has changed.

Frank and Carol wind up in jail on Christmas Eve when they are caught inside a toy store by a know-it-all deputy sheriff (Don Knotts). Frank had recently remodeled the store and was given a discount on the store's merchandise. They had gone there after hours because he and Carol had forgot to purchase a toy train set for Brendan, and stocking stuffers for the kids. Meanwhile, the kids do not know that their parents are in jail, and rip through all of their presents. Cody sets them straight, and when they learn that Frank and Carol are in jail, they all go down there to celebrate Christmas with them. Also Cody gets ready for a Christmas decoration contest.

Frank's hesitant after Carol purchases a marriage-improvement book, Carol has a secret she has been keeping from Frank and she comes to find out Frank has one as well. With all of them now drivers, Dana, J.T., and Karen ask Frank and Carol to buy them a car which they don't, leaving them to scrounge up money to buy an old Volkswagen Bug, which is so dangerous it has to be sold for parts to get their money back. Meanwhile the guys from Frank's company find something meant just for Frank.

When Frank learns that Carol makes more money than he does, he gets a job at a chicken restaurant. He ends up passing out fliers dressed as a chicken. Cody gets a temporary job as a storyteller in the children's section of the public library. He learns that one of Brendan's friends Ryan (Phillip Van Dyke) can't read, so he teaches him how to read for the next storytime session.

Karen loses out on a coveted modeling job for a jeans advertising campaign, but her disappointment is nothing compared to learning who does get the job: Al, whom the nationally renowned photographer says has the look they were searching for. A vengeful Karen bitterly tries to upstage her stepsister by destroying her self-assurance, but in the end realizes that Al deserves support. Meanwhile, Cody struggles with his good luck "curse". He also shows Dana, Brendan and JT the true values of karate.

Carol is worried when J.T. gets a job at a used-car lot, and says he is going to do that rather than go to college. However, when she shows up at the lot, and sees him in action, she concedes that maybe he is doing what is best for him, after all. The owner (Steve Vinovich) is very impressed with J.T. Dana uses Cody as a subject for an essay in her psychology class, he starts to talk about his 1st memories.

Cody gets some inspiration for a class writing project when Karen can't find her diary. He uses her plight to spin a 1940s-style detective yarn about who took it; Dana, Al, Carol, or was it one of the guys? The Fosters and Lamberts filling the roles of Cody's characters.

Cody's father (Edward Winter) pressures him into a job as executive vice president of his real estate company. On his first day he is typical Cody talking with Jackson (Beau Billingslea) one of his co-workers. With a little help from Frank, Cody tells his father he's simply not interested and would rather continue working in demolition. Meanwhile, Carol (as a favor for a customer) sets up Dana and Karen on blind dates, against their expressed wishes. The guys turn out to be living images of Beavis and Butt-head. After Frank gets rid of them, he helps his stepdaughters set up a "get even" prank on Carol.

Guest star: John Stamos makes a cameo.

Cody brings Dana home from school because she is sneezing all the time. Mark finds out she is only sneezing when Cody is around, so they think she is allergic to him. Cody gets very upset and wants to leave he even starts to pack up his van, but Dana doesn't want him to do that and begs him to stay. Finally Dana finds out that she is allergic to his shampoo and not to him. Also, Frank does not like Al's new boyfriend Zack (Michael Sullivan) he thinks he's a "freak", but turns out he really does like him.

Frank takes Carol away for a romantic weekend where he tells Carol he feels like he lost his best friend in her her, while Karen, Al and Dana have a girls' night talking about guys. Meanwhile, Mark dates a genius, who at first is a disappointment but as the night goes on he starts to like her more and more.

J.T. decides he has grown out of celebrating Christmas with the family and decides to go on a skiing trip with his friends. He eventually misses Frank when he realises that his friends do not have any Christmas spirit. Also, the family welcomes Carol's aunt Edna (Doris Roberts), but she is actually very angry and grumpy. Mark misses his girlfriend.

While borrowing his boss' luxury car, J.T. meets a pretty girl named Shelly (Rebecca Herbst) at a diner owned by her father, and decides to impress her by claiming the car is his. He later claims that he is rich by flashing large bills at Shelly, but J.T. realizes the money might belong to her father, he later tells her the truth about everything. Also, Frank and Carol go to the gynecologist (Francesca P. Roberts).

Al pressures J.T. to teach her how to drive. The two borrow Frank's new truck for the driving lesson, but in the process, Al is involved in a minor accident. They try to plaster the truck side to cover up their activities, but Frank soon learns that the truck was damaged. After Dana takes painkillers after the removal of her wisdom teeth, she gets loopy (allegedly, medicine has this effect on her) to the point of driving Cody crazy. She keeps annoying Cody with eating his ice cream, singing blues with his guitar and dancing the limbo. Also, Frank and Carol take parental class.

Note: This is the first episode where the families garage is shown.

Cody and Dana have conflicting teaching styles when they are recruited to teach a remedial history class. Their unlikely efforts result in their students upsetting a team of academic intellectuals on a TV quiz bowl. Also, Carol makes everybody crazy with her obsessions, so Brendan does it by himself to make Carol happy.

Cody takes Brendan to a baseball game, featuring his favorite player, Kenny Barton. After the game, Cody distracts the security guard (Tommy Lister) so Brendan can meet his hero and ask him to autograph his baseball; however, Barton is nothing sort of rude to Brendan and demands a $50 fee for an autograph. Cody, after consoling Brendan, then confronts the egotistical Barton during a TV interview and exposes his demeanor. The interviewer, Hall of Fame player and broadcaster Harmon Killebrew, is equally outraged and offers to sign Brendan's baseball at no charge. Brendan gladly accepts the offer. Also: Carol and Dana make a bet with Frank and J.T. that they can't handle how it feels to be pregnant for one weekend. So they wear pregnancy suits to make them look like pregnant women!

J.T. and Rich (Jason Marsden) go on a double date Rich with Al and J.T. with Pepper (Jennifer Aspen) to the drive-in. But J.T. thinks twice after he finds out who Rich wants to take, Al. After a while it's clear J.T. can't handle it, so he and Al have a talk. Where she tells J.T. she no longer needs him to protect her. Cody sets up Dana with Brad Pitt from Legends of the Fall, but it turns out to be the Brad Pit that played dead body #3. Mark and his friends are depressed about their controlling mothers. They try to prove their manhood by smoking stogies, and Mark gets sick. So Frank offers to take him and his friends camping to do some manly things.

Note: This is the first appearance of Jason Marsden as Rich Halke, who would become a regular starting with season six.

Frank and Carol become frustrated with their children constantly asking them to run their errands and small favors. Eventually, they lose their patience and implement a rule where the children must do everything for themselves and not to bother them. The rule is put to the test when Brendan — wanting to go on a trip with his soccer team to watch a Green Bay Packers game — decides not to "bother" his parents to have them sign a permission slip allowing him to go. Meanwhile, aspiring country singer Karen is approached by a man claiming to be a record producer, who promises to take her demo tape to a major studio in exchange for a $500 fee. However, the naïve Karen later realizes she was ripped off and that she will probably never recover her money ... much less, become a big star. Dana gives her sister some solace by getting her song played on a local radio station. Also, Cody orders a kalashnikov but ends with a Russian bride Ludmilla (Mary-Pat Green) instead however things work out in the end.

Note: Angela Watson covers the Patty Loveless song "Blame It on Your Heart".

Al has just lost another job and Frank encourages her to be a "team player." Karen tells Al of a job at the mall. Al gets the job at a cookie store called Mr. Chips run by Mr. Sloan (Richard Kline), named for a monkey. She ends up having to take Mr. Chips home, creating some interesting situations. Carol wants Frank to play Tarzan for a little show but Frank makes up an excuse not too, so Carol finds another guy Troy (Jerry Penacoli), while J.T. and Rich bet that Mark can beat a great pool hustler (Peter Spellos).

Dana admires an abstract, feminist artist, Jayne McNeil (Melanie Wilson) and is honored to be chosen to pose for her. Knowing she will be a part of what will be great work, she agrees to pose nude. Since Dana is convinced that the work will be abstract, and she will not be recognizable, she proudly invites Frank, Carol, Karen and Al to a charity auction where it will be unveiled. Unfortunately, the painter decided to change styles to Photo-realism, and the painting is obviously Dana. Carol is determined to outbid the "perverts," but Frank does not allow her to top $100,000. Also, Frank tries to kill a rat (but Cody's advice doesn't help him) while J.T. dates a mafia man's daughter Casey (Robyn Bliley).

J.T. has a huge test coming up in one of his classes, and Rich is able to get a copy of the test. J.T. decides not to cheat on the test, but rather to study for it. J.T. ends up getting a B on the test, and when he and Rich get their books mixed up, Dana finds the cheat sheet and than so does Frank and tells J.T. he is pulling him out of school. Later, Frank overhears J.T.'s friend returning for the book and he apologizes and they make up. Carol tries to prevent Al from doing something crazy with her friend Tina (Bonnie Morgan). Also, Cody buys some cookies from girl scouts.

Dana, Karen, and Al go to a ski lodge for a weekend and meet 3 good looking guys one of whom is the prince of Calderone. The prince (Karen's) wants people to like him for who he is, and henceforth makes his bodyguard (Dana's) claim to be the prince. Also, Rich gives the family a good luck chain letter while Carol gives shampoo to everybody. At the end, Rich and Brendan were the only one who respected the chain and didn't use the shampoo while the rest of the family end up with orange hair.

Note: Beginning with this episode, Sasha Mitchell is no longer on the show, although his picture continues to appear in the opening credits.

Dana cannot determine what to do in college and J.T. and Rich are not able to major in "Nude Volleyball," therefore they all end up taking a career placement test together where the test giver (Billy Stevenson) has no idea what he is doing. The results of the placement test say J.T. and Rich should become doctors and Dana should become a guard at a women's prison. Dana, livid from the results, demands a re-test and ends up discovering the testing center run by Mr. Newton (Rick Scarry) is a fraud. Also, Frank hires a new worker who has never worked in construction before and whose name is Flash, but he is too hyperactive.

Note: This episode marks the first of four appearances of Jeff Juday as Flash. The character was intended to be a replacement for Sasha Mitchell as Cody Lambert.

Frank's mother (June Lockhart) offers the entire family a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort on the weekend of Frank and Carol's anniversary. Flash shows up to return Frank's hammer and ends up staying the weekend, and over the weekend he sets out to visit all of the rides and more to break the record held by a Russian. J.T. and Rich dip into their apartment fund to get Rich to come. J.T. poses as J.T. Disney (Walt Disney's nephew) and ends up spending the whole fund trying to attract two beautiful girls for him and Rich. Karen thinks of entering a country music contest with Dana and Al as backup singers.

After her argument with her sisters, Karen tries to sing alone but finally realizes she has stage fright, but Dana and Al help her overcome it. Frank and Carol can finally have their private moment thanks to Frank's mother. Flash wins his challenge with Mark and Brendan's help (even if instead to break his record as quick as possible he decides to play Indiana Jones in order to make a little boy's day). J.T. and Rich want to stop their friendship but realize they are acting dumb and finally reconcile.

J.T. and Rich eagerly apply and are hired at a restaurant run by Mr. Packwood (Perry Anzilotti) (which Dana and her feminist friends had planned to protest against) with sexy waitresses. They learn how bad harassment really is in those places. Dana is proud of both J.T. and Rich. Frank converts part of the basement into a lounge using items he bought from a closed tavern. While the men love it, Carol has a accident with one of the lounge's "toys". Flash stays with the Lambert's while his apartment is being fumigated.

Note: This is the last appearance of Jeff Juday as Flash, even though Carol and Frank invited him to move into their house to avoid driving eight hours back and forth from Kansas City to Washington Point. This was also Flash's first time seeing the Lambert-Foster house.

Dana is told she must tutor another student. As she goes on about what "moron jock" she will to tutor this time, she discovers it's Rich, whom she loathes. But the first thing they learn is that opposites attract, and soon, to everyone's shock, sparks begin to fly, and they start to date. Meanwhile, Carol and Frank, eager to be alone and away from the ever-present Jean-Luc, escape for a much needed romantic weekend, but find an unwelcome surprise awaiting them: Jean-Luc. It's his birthday, and he ends up spending it alone after Carol and Frank explain to him they need some time alone themselves, but Jean-Luc had a planned surprise for Frank and Carol.

J.T. accepts a hasty marriage proposal made by Michelle (Francoise Robertson), a sexy French woman ten years his senior, but Jean-Luc discovers that there are some serious hidden strings attached. Michelle, as it turns out, is about to lose her visa, and must return to France. So she tries to get J.T. to marry her so she can stay in America. Meanwhile, after Frank refuses to let him go and see Showgirls, Mark and his friends go the video store and discover Naughty Nurses in a video case of The Little Mermaid. After they get caught watching it in the garage, Frank has a long talk with Mark.

The kids all head off to Rockfest '97, causing Carol (as usual) to worry they might misbehave. Just as she had feared, they are tested when Al's morals are put to the test when she's tempted to try marijuana by her friend Will (Josh Keaton). Meanwhile, when Patti (Karen Austin), Carol's friend from high school, finds herself being ignored by her husband Dave (David Graf), she develops a crush on Jean-Luc.

Frank and Jean-Luc go camping to do a little "male-bonding". Frank tells Jean-Luc not to tell anyone he's a contractor because he doesn't want everyone asking him to fix everything that breaks down. So Jean-Luc tells the couple next door that "we're certainly not hairstylists, but brain surgeons". Turns out the lady is pregnant, and she goes into labor, just as her husband goes fishing. So Frank and Jean-Luc have to deliver the baby. Meanwhile, back at home, Dana begins to question her relationship with Rich when an old friend of hers from high school, now attending Harvard University, tries to woo her away. Rich gets jealous and forbids her to see him, which only makes Dana laugh. She then accepts an invitation to go with her friend for the weekend to visit the Harvard campus. Rich unexpectedly (to Dana) shows up, and things go crazy.

Note: Sam (Alexandra Adi) makes her first appearance at the end of this episode even though she won't be introduced until the next episode "She's the One". This episode, like several in this season, is aired out of order.

J.T. finally meets the girl of his dreams in Sam (Alexandra Adi), a tow-truck driver. They have everything in common, and after some urging from his brothers and sisters, J.T. asks her out. They end up going to a Green Bay Packers game, and from then on its love. J.T. is initially confused about his feelings for Sam until he has a conversation with Jean-Luc, and it all becomes clear. He is in love with Sam. Also, Karen's big music break finally comes when she is selected to appear in a video with one of country music's biggest stars, Jimmy Ray Johnston. So Frank, Carol, and Karen all travel to Chicago for the big shoot. But it turns out that Jimmy Ray only wants Karen to look good, and not actually sing. So she quits.

When J.T. and Rich squander their money and can't pay the rent on their new apartment, they are evicted by their landlord, Frank a.k.a. Mr. Lambert, Sir. Meanwhile, because his daughter, Danielle, is in France and her birthday is drawing near, Jean-Luc spoils Lilly with an abundance of gifts to ease his pain over not being able to be with his own daughter. In the end, Carol works it out so Danielle can come state-side and see him.

A clueless Rich gives Dana a piece of recycled jewelry for her birthday, even after J.T. warns him it's a bad idea, he then finds the party's over when the gift turns out be a locket—with a picture of him and his ex-flame inside. He then shows up to surprise Dana while she's out with Al and Karen. Meanwhile, Carol and the kids must endure the rite of passage that all men face when Frank goes through a mid-life crisis. After being called grandpa by the ice cream man, he also hurts his back while getting a drink.

Jean-Luc keeps the kids in suspense when he tells them he's cutting the hair of a famous celebrity: Fabio. Meanwhile, Rich and Dana try to control Lilly's birthday party after Dana and Carol make a bet, while watching the kids Dana realizes just how hard it is after losing something or someone?

When Mark's date overhears him bragging to his friends about the so-called "special moment" they shared, she calls his bluff in front of his schoolmates, branding him a wimp. Meanwhile, after being dumped by her own date, Karen feels that her "imperfect" body is the culprit, and takes drastic measures to improve it. Also Frank has a surprise for J.T. and Rich who keep stealing food.

Al's in for a disappointment when she discovers that her blind date is overweight and carrying an even heavier chip on his shoulder. Meanwhile, Carol's "worry-meter" jumps off the scale when Dana, Rich, J.T., and Sam check into a Chicago Hotel unsupervised. J.T. thinks it's his lucky night as does Rich, but the ladies have other plans.

Rich and Dana go to a wedding with J.T. and Sam. They are teased and told that someday soon, they will be married. Dana, furthermore, does not even go up to try to catch the bouquet, but it lands on her lap anyway. She and Rich each have terrible visions about what that might entail, and become very scared. They agree, no more weddings for a while. Meanwhile, Frank and Jean-Luc work to build Lilly's new jungle-gym, despite Frank's terrible cold. Jean-Luc suggests some homemade cold medicine made by a customer "from all-natural juniper berries". The two men overdose on it... and end up completely intoxicated.

When J.T. and Rich take a job as sports agents for an up-and-coming college hockey player Eric Barnes (Scott Gurney), they find themselves becoming his personal servants—and dating service—with Karen serving as the main course. Meanwhile, the battle between the hairdressers and the contractors begins when Carol and Jean-Luc challenge an overly-macho Frank and his pal, Moose (Donald Gibb), to a game of bowling, with the losers having do something the winning team picks.

Note: Moose (Donald Gibb) was previously Slasher in season 3.

Frank orders a new sports channel, and he and Rich spend so much time watching it that they ignore Carol and Dana. Jean-Luc gives the girls makeovers, and helps the guys plan a romantic evening. A guy named Kyle, the school hunk, goes on a date with Al, and the date goes well. They seal it with a kiss... but Kyle wants to take things one step further, and tries to sexually assault Al. The petite Al fights him off, and tells him it is over. The next morning, Karen is complaining when Al keeps getting calls from guys, but Al finds out she has a new reputation she doesn't want. Al is harassed at school by guys, who begin overtly suggesting they get romantic afterward, but when Karen refuses to stick up for her step-sister, she runs off in tears. Karen then realizes she owes it to Al to ask some questions, find out what happened and expose Kyle as a liar.

Sam's hours and wages are cut at work, and she loses her roommate. She, much to J.T.'s dismay, chooses a male co-worker Jamie, to be her new roommate. J.T. is hesitant to trust them leading to a break-up between him and Sam. He returns to say he's sorry to Sam but get's the wrong idea about what is going on. Also, Jean-Luc borrows some money from Carol (even after Frank objects) to pay his taxes but refuses to can't return it.

Lilly sees Dana and Rich kissing, and proudly announces to Frank and Carol that Rich and Dana are going to have a baby. It becomes necessary that Lilly's parents tell her "The Facts of Life". Lilly then shares her new wisdom during "show and tell" at school, which causes a conflict between Frank, Carol, and the parents Devon (David Kaufman) and Tiffany (Lisa Picotte) (who are married in real life) of Lilly's best friend Joey. They agree to overlook their differences for their children. After Jean-Luc tutors Al in French, he notices that J.T. and Rich are into horse-racing, and helps them win some money. But when J.T. and Rich want to empty their college fund, Jean-Luc is forced to teach them an invaluable lesson about gambling and introduces them to a bookie Tony (Tony Longo).

Frank buys Carol a birthday present that stresses security, rather than romance. J.T. warns him, but he doesn't listen. Carol does not appear to be all that thrilled about it after getting jewelry and cashmere from Jean-Luc and the kids, respectively. Frank tries to make it up to her, but Carol believes the fact that he loves her and gave her the gift with that love was enough. Dana chooses a "brain" to team up with for the recycling contest, rather than Rich. Rich, in order to get her back, picked a "bimbo" cheerleader as his teammate. Rich really wants to show Dana he is not a "flyweight intellectual." He proves to Dana that creativity is just as important as book smarts (and wins!!).

With Carol's and Jean-Luc's new salon about to open. Jean-Luc is asked to cut Hillary Clinton's hair, and is so nervous he wants to decline the opportunity. He is finally able to decipher (through a conversation with Carol) that it all stems from his depression from his divorce. Frank disapproves of yet another of Al's dates. He then meets a guy just like him, who he goes shopping with, and sets up with Al. Al goes on a date with him, but then makes Frank agree to not interfere with her dates. She does, however, let him chase off a particularly bad date.

J.T., Al, and Dana are having problems finding some privacy when J.T. comes up with the idea to use Carol's new salon as a place for privacy. He also sells the key to some friends for the same purpose. They all want the salon at once though, so they end up just having a party. Carol tries to set up Jean-Luc with her friend, Julie, but the date doesn't go as planned or hoped.

Carol comes back from Hair Spectacular '96 with Jean-Luc, who is to become her new business partner. As they start a new business, Frank has to do all the chores. He is happy to do them, but becomes very picky about his cookies. Jean-Luc does help J.T. by teaching him how to dance, but J.T.'s date is a disaster anyway. Jean-Luc tells Karen, Al, and Dana (on separate occasions) that he thinks they are beautiful. Also, Lilly learns to write her name, and Cody calls from his new job—in Russia, but Frank has no time to talk to him.

It is the first day of school for all the kids, and Karen is off to college. Carol, on the other hand, is feeling like she has nothing to do, so she registers for college signing up for all of Karen's classes, and following her around and embarrassing her. Carol then tells a story in class about when Karen was a baby. Carol finally realizes that she is ruining Karen's life. Meanwhile, Rich is happy about getting a "C" on his pop quiz, and Dana tells Rich that if he doesn't start taking something seriously, they don't have much of a future together. So, after talking to J.T., Rich stays up all night studying (instead of watching Xena: Warrior Princess with J.T.), and gets an "A", while Dana only gets a "B".

Note: This was the first episode to air on CBS. A new opening sequence is used starting with this episode, featuring photo booth-style photos of the individual cast members as each one is introduced. The chorus of the theme song is used.

After explaining to the guys the various virtues of getting the role in the next 'Jeremy Beck' (Scott Foley) movie; Karen, Dana, and Al audition for the part. Karen and Dana are not quite what the producer (Ray Abruzzo) wants, but Al is just what they are looking for. Al also has great acting talent, and does a fantastic job. She does so well that they re-write the script to include her in another scene. Al loves it, and decides she wants to quit school and move to Hollywood. She and Frank agree that she can join the drama club and, if necessary, move to Hollywood after she finishes school.

Note: Jaleel White makes his second appearance as Steve Urkel. He has only a cameo, and his previous appearance in season 1, was not mentioned in this episode.

J.T. loses his fourth job of the month, and cannot even afford a date with Sam. J.T. convinces Sam to get her boss Mr. Evans (Ellis Williams) to hire him as an apprentice mechanic at the garage where she works. J.T. is terrible, and Sam is forced to fire him on the second day, after he nearly kills the boss - twice. J.T. is frustrated and angry, but the only sympathy he gets is from the people who lost the pool (of how many days he would last at the job). After a talk with Carol he decides to talk to Sam and say he's sorry, but Sam doesn't want to hear it. He ends up with another job this time in the food industry. Frank becomes obsessed with a boat and Carol just doesn't see why.

Karen has a professor (actually a teaching assistant) try to date her by influencing her with good grades. Karen tells Dana about her predicament. Dana has the perfect plan to catch him in his own deceitful web which doesn't seem to go to well at first. Also, Mark dates a thrash girl while also changing his own look.

Note: It seems that Mark now has his own room, as J.T. and Rich have their apartment while Brendan has mysteriously left the show at the beginning of the season.

Frank, who is seeking work, because his company is struggling, is hired by one of Carol's old high school classmates as contractor for a new hotel complex. However, the contractor crosses the line when he tries to make unwanted advances on Carol, forcing Frank to decide between his job or his family. Meanwhile, Karen and Dana are invited to pledge a sorority known for its vanity and airheadedness, attributes that describe Karen perfectly. However, the sorority leader really wants Dana instead ... and Dana is less than interested in joining an organization that Karen pines to be part of.

Note: This is the second episode in the series entitled "Can't Buy Me Love". The first with this title is from season 4. (Shannon Elizabeth) appears as Cindi a sorority girl.

On Halloween, after the big town party is cancelled, J.T. and his sisters host a costume party at a decrepit old mansion. During the party, it becomes obvious that J.T. and Sam aren't getting along, and, after a mix-up involving their costumes (they are forced to go tandem as a horse), she decides to dance with someone else. J.T. fumes about his predicament, and he later meets Abby, the ghostly 19-year-old inhabitant of the mansion, who committed suicide after a bad break-up many years back. Abby convinces J.T. that his relationship with Sam may have reached its end, and that it is nobody's fault. In the end, he and Sam decide that it is best if they went their separate ways. Lilly organizes her first Halloween fest.

When Rich's old friend, Cassie Evans (Linda Cardellini), moves back to town, they start hanging out which makes Dana jealous. Rich enjoys playing billiards and video games with Cassie. So Dana asks J.T. to teach her how she can have fun like that with Rich. Meanwhile, Frank's con-man cousin, Bert (Fred Willard), shows up and ends up giving the family a gift.

Karen's boyfriend, Chip, takes Carol's advice and stands up to Karen, but he surprises everyone by breaking up with her. Karen is furious with her mother for interfering and giving Chip advice. She than wants to talk to Chip about their break-up. In the meantime, Dana has better luck helping J.T. and Rich who are fighting about everything, with the use of her "A" in psychology - and sock puppets.

Dana wants to take her relationship with Rich one step further, and gets into a big argument with Carol when she fears that Dana is planning to have sex. Carol forbids Dana from having sexual intercourse. So she asks Rich if they can elope. Meanwhile, J.T. hopes to catch the eye of an aerobics instructor named Monica (Portia Dawson), so he pretends to be a fitness fanatic to impress her. However, he later learns that being himself is a much better idea. Dana and Rich later cancel their plans to elope and Carol and Dana have a heart to heart where Carol admits that she needs to accept that Dana is no longer a little girl but a young woman and that she should be able to make her own decisions when it comes to sex or any other issues in her life.

Rich and Dana enroll in a pottery class, but Dana has no talent and Rich does, so in the end Dana and Rich decide to?. Meanwhile, Carol and Frank's sexual role-playing makes J.T. and Karen think Carol is dating another man and cheating on Frank. Which leads J.T. and Karen to follow them.

Frank worries about going to his upcoming 25th class reunion, which he knows old nemesis, Roy Tucker Edward Edwards, will be attending. Sure enough, Roy brags about his own successes in owning a chain of tire stores, shows off his date for the evening and...of course, humiliates Frank. However, Carol eventually learns that Roy's bravado is the cover for his lack of success — he's the assistant manager at one of the stores, and that he paid an attractive cashier to be his date. Meanwhile, J.T. is focused on watching a pay-per-view bikini contest (with Rich and a bunch of their friends) on a night that he is supposed to be babysitting Lilly. When he grows tired of her whining, J.T. tells his sister to go outside and play, which she does...and doesn't come home.

J.T. and Rich want to go on a skiing trip with Sam and Dana, but the guys are broke. So they decide to take jobs as male strippers at a local nightclub. Meanwhile, Frank and Carol counsel young couples by sharing their secrets, but may need counseling themselves when they reveal too much.

Note: With this episode, CBS decided to cancel Step by Step. The series was then put on a three-month hiatus, returning to burn off episodes beginning June 5, 1998.

Frank and J.T. attend a Milwaukee Bucks-Chicago Bulls game. When the two switch seats (a man, who had sat in front of J.T., had refused to remove his tall cowboy hat), a drawing is held for a new truck ... and J.T. wins. J.T.'s good fortune sparks a father-son feud that grows bitter ... until Carol invites a judge over to settle matters. Just before the judge makes his ruling, Carol makes an impassioned speech about father-son relationships; Frank and J.T. realize they need to settle matters, so they decide to sell the truck and split the profits evenly. Meanwhile, Al and Karen have little interest in Dana's self-defense class ... until they see their handsome instructor.

When a yuppie couple, The Adlers (Dan Gilvezan and Melanie Wilson) tour the house, they make an offer that Frank and Carol can't pass up. Everyone is excited, particularly since they'll finally be able to move from their undersized home. But Lilly likes her house, and makes it clear to her folks that she is not moving. Frank and Carol's attempts to reason with Lilly fail. Later, the yuppies return, and show their true colors, disgusting the Lamberts so much that they decide to cancel the sale, much to the relief of Lilly (and everyone else).