Newlyweds Mel and Malena Ellis cross the threshold of their new suburban love nest -- next door to their best friends, childhood sweethearts Dean and Sheri Winston -- and before the last box is unpacked, Malena confides news of her possible pregnancy to Sheri. While Malena ponders the perfect way to tell Mel, word spreads quickly, and he is the last to know. The whole notion of commitment and domesticity sends shivers down the spine of Mel's brother, Reggie, whose girlfriend, Bobbi, now holds the key to his apartment and his heart, but isn't so eager to settle down either.
When the couples get together on game night, a few ""skeletons"" pop out of Mel and Dean's respective closets: Malena is dismayed to find that Naomi Campbell is Mel's ex-girlfriend -- and the supermodel is back in town. Sheri is miffed to learn of Dean's secret 20-year collection of ""Playboy"" magazines. Meanwhile, Reggie aims to strike a balance between maintaining his macho facade and keeping Bobbi satisfied.
Dean and Sheri brace themselves for his caustic, overbearing mother's annual visit, and as an aggravator Mary Winston knows no peer, but Dean finally throws his mom for a loop when he unleashes his true feelings about her behavior -- and he sets their relationship on a smoother course. Meanwhile, Bobbi tells Malena about Reggie's sexy moves, and the secret gets back to him.
Bobbie's reverse psychology seems to backfire when she encourages Reggie to accept an astonishing invitation to be a sperm donor for an anonymous female acquaintance. Also, Dean introduces Mel to the joys of bulk shopping with disastrous results, after Malena insists the household duties be split evenly.
Dean sets out to surprise Sheri with the birthday gift of her dreams, but he's flabbergasted when Malena reveals what Sheri really wants -- the fulfillment of a particular sexual fantasy. Meanwhile, Bobbi and Reggie shudder to think that their adorable adopted mutt, Chi-Chi/Thor, represents a degree of commitment.
When a famous pop psychologist comes to town, Malena coaxes a skeptical Mel into attending her couples seminar and the shrill shrink promptly causes a rift between the newlyweds by siding with Mel. Meanwhile, Bobby sees through tightwad Reggie's ""romantic"" dinners by candlelight -- which includes a shared shower for the two of them.
Dean panics as he and Sheri prepare to renew marriage vows on their fifth anniversary, and he must pen promises as poetic as those he paid someone to write for the original ceremony. Panic grips Mel too, when he loses his wedding ring after telling Malena of his preference to go ringless. Meanwhile, Bobbi and Reggie seek a suitable mate for Thor/Chi-Chi, and a parade of canine hopefuls prance though the apartment.
A brotherly tiff between Mel and Reggie threatens to ruin Malena's first Mother's Day dinner for her mother-in-law -- a feast for which the clueless cook has enlisted Reggie and Sheri's culinary skills. When the guys argue about ownership of a prized Reggie Jackson baseball, Reggie bails on the dinner, leaving Malena to fend for herself. Meanwhile, anxiety also consumes Bobby, who is convinced that Mrs. Ellis disapproves of her, and Dean's special Mother's Day gift goes up in ashes with Sheri's flaming dessert.
When Reggie demands the option to date other women, Bobbi teaches him a lesson. Dean's fib to a prospective employer creates problems.
The women want more time with their preoccupied men.
Dean's sexy former girlfriend wants to reunite. Bobbi has a secret admirer.
When Mel feels like he is losing his identity because of his marriage, he and Malena act on volatile advice from the marriage veterans, Dean and Sheri. Meanwhile, Reggie panics when he realizes that his relationship with Bobbi has progressed to the stage at which she feels comfortable answering his telephone.
Bobbi is all set to celebrate the one-year anniversary of her divorce -- until she learns that she's still legally married; Sheri and Dean work out with a personal trainer.
Dean takes a liking to the men-only barbershop frequented by Mel, where Dean's NFL experience makes him more popular than Mel; Malena gives a test.
Sheri and Dean cause sleep disorders in each other; Mel gets wild at an office party; Reggie reluctantly stays over at Bobbi's place.
Sheri secretly arranges for Dean to appear on a football talk show, where he's humiliated by a replay from his inglorious gridiron career. Cameo by NFL great Walter Payton.
Bobbi is suspicious when her sister shows no interest in Reggie; Sheri blames Mel for the ill fate of a migratory bird.
Malena is given the ""Shining Star"" award by an association of psychiatrists, but Mel is worried that she's so busy she's going to burn out.
Mel invites Malena to the Bears game to score some ""goodwill"" points, throwing Reggie for a loss when she actually agrees to go. Meanwhile, Sheri and Dean have a sexy tradition of their own, but this year they end up freezing in Mel and Malena's hot tub.
When Sheri's friend Tom comes for a visit, Sheri expects Dean to be very jealous, as usual. However, he trusts Sheri--until her complicated series of lies is exposed. Meanwhile, Mel and Dean plan to beat Tom in a poker game, but Bobbi and Malena end up being the big winners when they join the game.
When Sheri asks Malena to run with her in a local footrace, Malena only agrees after Sheri promises not to be overly competitive. However, as usual, Sheri's competitive personality emerges, and the friendly race turns into all-out war. Malena cheats in order to teach Sheri a lesson. Meanwhile, Mel refuses to hire a plumber to stop the sink from dripping incessantly, prompting Dean to teach him the rules of the suburbs.
Bobbi wants to have sex with Reggie without using a condom, but Reggie is reticent, even though Bobbi uses birth-control pills and both partners have been tested for disease. Meanwhile, Mel has trouble getting his mail delivered until Dean teaches him more rules of the suburbs--this time regarding how to treat civil servants.
Mel invites Reggie to stay with him and Malena because the heat's out at his place, but Mel's left cold when Reggie and Malena warm up to each other.
When Dean invites Mel to go away for a golfing weekend with him, Mel and Malena become anxious about surviving their first weekend apart since getting married. Sheri comforts Malena with an old-fashioned slumber party, while Dean and Mel have a bad time. Meanwhile, waiting for Reggie outside a ""men only"" barbershop, Bobbi gets mugged.
Dean makes a major advance in his career when his boss names him team leader of a project to design a shopping mall. However, his job is jeopardized when Sheri stages a protest at the groundbreaking ceremony over the planned destruction of a rare tree. Meanwhile, when Mel gets sick, he pretends that he wants his mother to come and take care of him. Determined to prove that he doesn't need his mommy, Malena nurses her man back to health. But Mel tricked Malena: his mother never pampered him when he was ill.
Reggie participates in a bachelor auction for a youth charity, along with Tavis Smiley, commentator for the Black Entertainment Television network. Bobbi tries to remain calm, but she gets upset when the bidding for Reggie becomes competitive. eanwhile, Mel and Dean's macho competitiveness intrudes on their marriages when they gamble over the outcome of a miniature golf game between Malena and Sheri.
As Mel and Malena's first wedding anniversary approaches, Mel wants to plan something truly memorable for the occasion. Dean warns him not to do anything that he cannot easily outdo next year. Malena's obsession with re-creating the night Mel proposed marriage--complete with the most insignificant details--threatens to disrupt the celebration. Meanwhile, after accidentally snacking on the ceremonial leftover piece of Mel and Malena's wedding cake, Reggie tries to atone by helping Sheri bake a new cake to match it.
During high school, Sheri became enamored with Dean when she saw ""Dean loves Sheri"" painted on the town water tower. Now, she learns of Dean's fear of heights and finds out that he paid someone to make the graffito. Sheri is so upset that Dean confronts his fear and climbs the water tower himself to leave another love message, since the tower has since been repainted. He finds Sheri up there preparing to paint a message for him, and they reconcile. Meanwhile, Malena is frustrated that Mel has never done anything romantic enough to warrant eternal gratitude. Also, Bobbi rejects an offer to put Thor-Chi-Chi, her and Reggie's dog, in a movie. However, Reggie cannot resist the temptation of stardom for the animal.
Exasperated by Mel's beat-up Porsche sports car, Malena urges him to buy a more family-oriented vehicle. Unfortunately, when Sheri meddles, the result is an impractical minivan that neither Mel nor Malena really wants. Sheri helps rectify the situation, and Mel ends up with his old Porsche again. Meanwhile, Reggie resents that Bobbi is distracted by her new business of selling gift baskets in addition to her teaching career. Hoping to overwhelm her and cause her to stop making the baskets, Reggie pretends to be a wealthy customer and makes a huge order. Eventually, a disappointed Bobbi learns the truth but admits that she is exhausted from the extra work.
When Malena's overbearing mother Mona visits, Mel begs Malena to be conciliatory to avoid a family fight. It doesn't work. Mona rearranges Malena's life and causes tension in her daughter's marriage. When Malena confronts Mona about her domineering attitude, Mona becomes indignant. But Mel reminds Malena that while Malena has her husband to love, Mona is alone. Meanwhile, Reggie carries around a $1,000 bill he received as a tip at the restaurant in order to show it to his friends. After he mistakenly places the bill in the church's collection plate, Reggie tries to get it back but soon enjoys being the church hero. Later, he publicly admits that he did not intend to be so generous. Pastor Hicks appreciates Reggie's honesty--but keeps the money for the church. Also, Dean becomes exasperated while trying to teach German to an overeager Sheri.
Insecurity causes problems in all three couples' relationships: Malena resents Mel's wearing a sexy shirt given to him by a former girlfriend; Sheri thinks Dean prefers looking at stars through his telescope to making love with her; and Bobbi becomes furious after witnessing Reggie apparently giving jewelry to a beautiful woman.
Malena teaches Mel the art of avoiding a pick-up when she finds phone numbers in his pocket after his boys' night out. But the morning after getting drunk in the bar, Reggie wakes up naked and tied to the bed of his lascivious employee Eunetta.
Mel and Malena's neighbor Mark announces that Deborah is pregnant. With the overly ambitious help of her assistant, Lana, Malena plans a celebration and forces the guys to come too. To Sheri's surprise, Dean has a great time looking at the cute gifts of children's clothing and choosing baby names with Deborah. Meanwhile, no longer dating Bobbi, Reggie brings a sexy date to the baby party, trying to make Bobbi jealous; but Bobbi has a handsome date of her own.
Reggie learns that Bobbi still wants him when his phone's star-69 feature reveals that she tried to contact him. Meanwhile, Sheri and Dean discover the advantages of being expectant parents when Sheri dons a fake pregnancy tummy; and Malena fumes when she finds out that Mel never mailed the thank-you notes from their wedding.
Sheri's wayward teen-age sister Amber shows up and promptly steals Dean's company car. Meanwhile, things get heared as Bobbi prepares to begin her single life and Reggie tries to talk her out of moving.
Malena intends to upstage her old class nemesis at her 15-year high-school reunion; Mel meets Malena's old flame, now an astronaut on the cover of a cereal box.
Dean fears his wife and his ex-girlfriend will realize he was seeing both of them at the same time during his bachelor days. Meanwhile, Reggie tries to get Bobbi to rescind her celibacy rule by feigning a love for poetry, and Mel and Mr. Gerard declare war against the drivers who speed down their street.
After hearing Malena rave about her sexy gynecologist, an insecure Mel tells the doctor his wife has another GYN. Meanwhile, Bobbi confronts her own insecurity when Reggie starts dating another woman who has connections in high places.
Dean flips when Sheri decides to take up mountain climbing to sow her oats before becoming a mom, and Reggie regrets hiring Bobbi as a hostess for his club when her diva-like attitude starts riling his customers.
Bobbi's long-lost mother Brenda returns and asks Reggie to help her reconcile with her daughter. Meanwhile, Sheri enters Dean in a contest to appear in an underwear ad and he makes the final round. But when the ad is published, Dean cringes when he sees he's exposed a lot more than he expected.
Reggie and Dean smell tokenism when Mel gets into a country club Dean's been trying to join for three years. Meanwhile, Bobbi badgers Reggie into buying her a wide-screen TV, and Sheri and Malena can't face each other after unexpectedly having to bare all together during a ritzy spa mud bath.
The Ellis marriage hits a rock when Malena's expert testimony for Mel erodes his case. Meanwhile, Bobbi clashes with the principal, Mr. Sato, when she wants her students to come in dressed as their heroes -- regardless of gender. He declares boys must choose male role models and girls must choose females.
Malena must choose between her friend or family member when she learns Bobbi has a new beau behind Reggie's back: musician Jamal. Meanwhile, Sheri tapes over Dean's prized video of his favorite college football triumph and is forced to call his old friends, including Eric Dickerson, to get another copy before Dean finds out.
Mel blames Malena for his parents' possible split because his mother followed Malena's advice to visit a therapist. Meanwhile, Sheri and Dean go for fertility tests, which have Dean spinning with anxiety over his virility.
Deborah breaks up Dean's guys-only weekend when her water breaks and the men must rush her to the hospital. But a blizzard forces them to take the train, where they become trapped during a power outage. Meanwhile, Malena, Bobbi and Sheri's girls-only weekend also disintegrates as they spar over who was invited.
When baby-making efforts put Dean and Sheri's lovemaking on a strict schedule, a frustrated Dean withdraws from his wife, scaring Sheri into doubting the stability of their marriage. Meanwhile, Bobbi and Reggie impulsively decide to live together, leading Mel and Malena to give the couple some questionable advice.
Mel's boss invites himself to dinner -- and brings his mistress. Meanwhile, Eunetta paints a portrait of Reggie -- nude.
Mel feels left out and fears his marriage may have met its Waterloo when Malena's French club consumes more of her time. Meanwhile, Dean and Sheri clash over how to handle Amber's wild ways when Dean catches Amber having a beer-soaked party after ditching school.
Bobbi learns she's living with Malena's leftovers when Sheri spills the beans and reveals that Malena and Reggie once dated. We find out the truth of the matter in flashbacks.
When he tells off Malena's patient Dexter for calling her at home, Mel unwittingly gets Malena fired and himself hired as Dexter's new therapist. In other plotlines, Dean and Sheri unknowingly steal a gift meant for charity when they confiscate a recliner the Gerards left out on the curb; and Bobbi is upset when the groomer gives her dog a bad haircut.
Reggie feels crowded when he has to share the apartment with Bobbi's best friend Felice, who has always hated him; Sheri fears Dean has lost the will to work after he is laid off and takes his time finding another job.
Malena's stomach flu turns out to be something else entirely. Meanwhile, Bobbi and Reggie decide to do a little remodeling.
Malena learns that Mel has prepared a prenuptial agreement. Meanwhile, Sheri serves as a wedding coordinator for Malena's assistant, Lana, who is marrying a truck driver.
Malena is rattled when a new psychiatrist conducting an annual evaluation has doubts about her performance because she believes Malena has a problem with rigidity. Meanwhile, Reggie becomes obsessed with Dean's motorcycle after Dean and Mel claim he's not very masculine because he's not good with tools.
When Dean's brother Andy claims he needs one of Dean's kidneys, Sheri smells a scam and tells Dean to refuse. Meanwhile, Malena is jealous when she learns Mel corresponds regularly with an old flame. When Mel refuses to understand her discomfort, Malena turns to Sheri's mom Ronnie for advice.
Pregnant Malena is furious when Mel refuses to become a partner at his law firm because of the mandatory 10-year contract. Mel almost goes back and signs the contract, but he finally persuades Malena to let him pursue his dream: to open his own law practice. She sets aside some office space for Mel at home. After Dean and Sheri videotape themselves making love, Dean believes that he is unattractive. Sheri misinterprets his resulting shyness and fears that he thinks she is slutty. Finally, Dean admits the truth, and Sheri reassures him. Bobbi and Reggie must learn new habits now that they live together in Reggie's apartment. Their first mission is to find a mattress that they both agree is comfortable.
Malena and Sheri are upset because Mel's visiting friends Brian and Samantha Hunt are wild: Brian encourages Mel and Dean to stay out late partying, and Samantha mocks the women's staid lifestyle. Malena and Sheri try to be like Samantha and let their husbands do whatever they want, but the wives fail to make their men jealous by acting outrageously themselves. Finally, Malena tells Mel about her concerns. Unfortunately, Brian and Samantha buy a house across the street and plan to stay. Meanwhile, Reggie finds out that Bobbi secretly didn't give up her apartment when she moved in with him. He wants a total commitment, but she worries that she will be stranded like she was when her marriage ended. Reggie painfully agrees to get rid of his address book of women he has dated if Bobbi terminates her lease.
Unable to convince anyone to speak to her second-grade class on Career Day, Bobbi must allow Reggie to brag to the kids about his restaurant. Reggie also reveals that he and Bobbi are living together without being married, causing many parents to become indignant. Bobbi eventually lies to the children, saying she got married to Reggie, which he objects to until he realizes they might get wedding gifts from the parents. Meanwhile, Malena doubts her maternal skills when she fails to befriend 3-year-old Nicholas, the son of troublesome new neighbors Brian and Samantha. She finally succeeds by feigning disinterest, but Nicholas still calls her ""the scary lady."" Feeling unfulfilled, Sheri enrolls in college. Neglected Dean expects her to quit, but she vows to find enough time for her studies and her husband.
When hypochondriac Mel feels very sick, Malena assumes that he only wants attention and is having sympathetic pain corresponding to her pregnancy discomfort. Despite his friends mocking him, Mel continues to suffer until he must rush to the hospital for a real case of appendicitis. Malena guiltily waits on Mel while he recovers. Meanwhile, Bobbi ignores her friends' advice to trust Reggie when she sees him talking to his sexy former girlfriend, April Jamison. Reggie rebuffs April, even after she disrobes in his office, but Bobbi misinterprets when she bursts in. Reggie convinces her that he was faithful.
Reggie tells Dean and Mel that he plans to propose to Bobbi after seeing her in an unflattering way that didn't repulse him. Meanwhile, Dean repaints the kitchen in a shade of pink and Sheri doesn't have the heart to tell him she hates it.
Malena feels left out after Sheri spends her free time with another friend, which leads to an embarrassing public outburst. Meanwhile, Mel abuses Dean's generosity at work.
Dean unwittingly annoys Sheri by not paying close enough attention to her. Meanwhile, the wedding march might not be played after all when an argument between Reggie and Bobbi jeopardizes their nuptials. The off-again, on-again couple's trip down the aisle is put on hold after they each heed contradictory advice on how to celebrate the festive occasion. Malena persuades Bobbi to change the venue from the hotel reception room they had already booked to another building's terrace overlooking the city. Mel tells Reggie to scrap their original plans for a cash bar. The final clash comes when the bride and groom have a contentious war of words over their wedding song.
Bachelor and bachelorette parties are planned for Reggie and Bobbi, and everyone agrees not to hire any strippers. But both celebrations feature scantily clad dancers, one of whom suffers an injury.
Mel is hot to sign L.A. Lakers basketball star Shaquille O'Neal as a new client, but is side-tracked by a supermodel who is working for much more than just legal representation. While Mel tries to keep the relationhip strictly business, Shamira, the supermodel, is not interested in hearing about Malena. Meanwhile, Bobbi pesters Sheri about her relationship with Dean.
As her due date nears, Malena grows increasingly frustrated by Mel's lack of help preparing for the new baby and she has to turn to Dean for help, while Mel tries to shield her from their money problems and spends all his time wooing a new client. Meanwhile, Sheri spends much of her free time with Bobbi, who finds their outings less than exciting.
Sheri wants Malena to hire her as a nanny, but the mother-to-be would prefer to employ a professional caretaker instead. However, she does allow Sheri to sit in during the interviews, until her friend chases away a qualified candidate. Meanwhile, Mel employs Bobbi as a silent counselor when he takes on a large law firm during a divorce proceeding, and Dean pays Reggie to prepare meals for him.
Sheri is invited to a night of salsa dancing with her friends, but she doesn't know that their husbands have asked Dean to join them. Meanwhile, Reggie throws out his back during his honeymoon trip to Hawaii.
The fourth season concludes as Dean takes Malena and Mel to the hospital when the mother-to-be goes into labor. Once there, Malena tells her husband to keep his video camera rolling, no matter what happens. Meanwhile, Sheri arrives at the hospital and aggravates Dean.
Malena and Mel's newborn baby is home from the hospital but its constantly crying keeps them in a panic. Meanwhile, Dean and Sheri's moments of passion in the hospital make him think his wife is coming back to him, but she dismisses it as a mistake.
Without discussing it with Bobbi, Reggie decides to take a job running a restaurant in the Caribbean. Meanwhile, despite her need to have some time for herself, Malena is reluctant to leave the injured Mel alone to look after the baby.
Malena and Mel will be visiting her mother in Minnesota for Evan's christening and Malena wants to look her best. After an unsuccessful battle with the bulge, Sheri and Bobbi step in with some tough love to help Malena get her figure back.
Mel's young uncle arrives to take over running the restaurant, but clashes with temporary manager Bobbi. Meanwhile, Dean is reluctant to give the lost dog he found back to its rightful owner.
Sheri considers a reconciliation with Dean as he considers what to get her for her birthday. Meanwhile, conflict between her job as a mother and as a therapist may cause Maleena to lose a longtime client.
When Mel and Malena's baby is picked to appear in a calendar, they argue about letting the child be photographed. Bobbi is evicted from her apartment after letting Omar have wild party there.
Malena and Mel kick Bobbi and Omar out of the house so they can have some intimate time together, but the result is disappointing for both. Sheri brings home a cute rabbit only to find that Dean is allergic to it.
Sheri is shocked when her mom announces that she is getting a divorce for the third time. When Sheri and Dean attempt to help her get through this difficult time, they find out that Ronnie happens to be coping quite well, since she hooked up with Fred the butcher.
Mel is jealous of the attention that Malena is giving their son; Sheri is concerned about Dean's attractive co-worker; Bobbi receives divorce papers from Reggie and misinterprets advice from Omar.
Mel has a horrible track record for hiring beautiful but incompetent assistants, so when his new girl Rhondaturns out to be a nightmare, he keeps it from Malena. When she finally discovers his bad hire, Malena finds the perfect candidate in her friend Leslie, who adds a little flavor to the office.
When the Ellises hire Mel's childhood babysitter to help care for Evan, the bossy woman undermines Malena's maternal authority and still treats Mel like a child. Meanwhile, Sheri finds a Web site dedicated to Dean's former football career, but discovers that its purpose is to make fun of him.
A silly misunderstanding between Malena and Sheri escalates after Mel and Dean start exchanging insults while trying to get their wives to make up. Bobbie reluctantly makes a date with a bartender because she is afraid that another rejection will devastate him.
Dean tries to land an important account by setting his boss up with Mel's gay assistant, but his own enthusiasm trips him up. Meanwhile, Bobbi joins a dating service but her first experience goes badly.
The gang competes against each other to be contestants on a TV reality game show, with Bobbi asking Omar to pretend to be her boyfriend because only couples are eligible.
Dean promises to take Sheri on vacation, but their road trip is cut short. Meanwhile, Mel argues with Malena over having a second child.
On a night when both Mel and Malena have professional obligations, their babsitter is unavailable so one of them will have to stay home with Evan. Bobbie dates the father of a student, but the girl tries everything she can to sabotage their romance. When Sheri announces she is pregnant, Dean tries to prepare himself for fatherhood.
Dean uses the Internet to locate Sheri's estranged father and invites him to their home. Bobbi walks in on her visitng cousin in a compromising position with Omar. Malena becomes obsessed with collecting all nine toys being promoted by a fast-food restaurant chain.
After the Winstons' garage burns down, the gang reminisces about the times they had there, both good and bad.
Malena and Mel plan a trip to New York at Christmastime, but they cannot find an available hotel room anywhere in the City. Meanwhile, Sheri asks Dean to pretend that their marriage is still intact for the sake of her visiting mother Ronnie. Dean attempts to do so but finally admits the truth, to Ronnie's disappointment. And Bobby and Reggie buy a live Christmas tree, even though it violates the policy of their building's management.