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Private Notes
When two families - one black, one white - share the same house, they discover that their differences are definitely more than skin deep. Tanya (Peete), Ed and their teen kids are a middle-class African-American family who open their doors for an old friend who is down on her luck. Newly single Maddie (Farr) and her 16 year-old son Keith just need a place to stay until they can get back on their feet. What sounds like a perfect arrangement soon becomes non-stop tension (and laughs) as the two families argue about everything but skin color!
Tanya lectures Ed about getting along with Keith, but she fails to heed her own advice when she butts heads with Maddie over the single mom's sisterly relationship with Danika. Meanwhile, Pop offers Bobby tips on dealing with women.
When Danika learns that Keith doesn't have a curfew, she takes the rules into her own hands -- and both teenagers end up grounded as a result. The adults try to find a happy medium between Maddie's loose hold on Keith and Tanya's strict rules for Danika. Meanwhile, Keith learns the importance of rules while babysitting Bobby when getting a taste of his own medicine.
Feeling jealous of the friendship between Tanya and Maddie and fed up with the lack of privacy in his own home, Ed takes Pop's advice and plans a romantic evening for Tanya, but getting everyone out of the house proves much easier said than done. Meanwhile, when Keith's friends leave on a trip without him, Ed helps him see the importance of his new family.
Maddie clashes with Keith over his decision to join a band when his schedule conflicts with his college-prep class. Keith then announces he is skipping college to pursue his musical dream. With that he goes to Ed for guidance. Lastly, Pop trains Bobby to be a pro golfer when he grows up.
After a girl rejects Keith because he is white, he gets Pop to coach him on ""being black."" Also, Danika gets up the courage to bring her new white boyfriend home.
Concerned that Keith isn't adjusting to his new school, Maddie and Tanya convince Keith to take heartbroken Danika to the homecoming dance after her date cancels and leaves her devestated. Meanwhile, Ed reveals the truth to Tanya about why he stood her up at their own school dance years ago.
Keith makes Ed realize that he and Tanya have unequal parental authority in their home. Meanwhile, when Danika and Bobby discover their parent's decision-making dispute, they manipulate the situation to get their own way with a nose piercing and a new dog in the house causing the family to go into chaos.
After using the emergency credit card Maddie gave him to pay for dinner, Keith goes to work for Ed at the car wash to learn the value of a dollar. Although, things turn rocky after Keith sees a working man don't make that much and wants a raise. Keith therefore tries to create his own buisness to see if he can make more money faster.
Maddie and Tanya run into keith's father Roger (guest star David Lee Smith). Roger says he wants to see Keith sometime and Maddie decides to allow him to after telling Keith. Keith really likes Roger and he then goes to a rock concert with him. Meanwhile Ed and Keith were supposed to bowl in a tournament the night of the concert. Keith goes to the concert and Bobby fills in at the tournament. Keith realizes that his real family is at the bowling alley and shows up to compete with Ed.
When Bobby suddenly stops turning in school assignments, Tanya and Ed are quick to blame Maddie for raising Keith to be a bad influence. Bobby confides in Keith that his irresponsible behavior is actually being caused by a bully at school, but feels betrayed when Keith reveals Bobby's secret under pressure.
When Keith can't decide between two girls (Tammy and Mary), Tanya and Maddie compete over which one he should choose and to take to a school '70s party. Each mom tries to convince Keith to choose the girl most like herself. Meanwhile, Ed helps Danika smooth things over with her boyfriend after they get in a fight.
Tanya and Keith encourage Maddie to start dating as they feel she is lonely---and Tanya takes Maddie to a singles gathering one night. Although, Keith realizes that he has a bigger problem over this than expected when Maddie brings home a man that he doesn't approve of. Lastly, Ed makes it hard for Danica to date as she wants to go out with a guy.
When Tanya's dad Bill (guest-star George Wallace) visits the family without his wife, Tanya jumps to the conclusion her parents are having marital problems. Ed discovers that Bill is having medical problems and convinces him to be honest with Tanya. Meanwhile, Pop brings home his new girlfriend Ethel (guest-star Tembi Locke).
After failing his driver's test, Keith takes the blame for crashing Tanya and Maddie's new convertible, even though Danika was the driver. When Danika comes clean, Ed realizes his expectations may have been too high for her and too low for Keith.
Maddie gets a prized promotion at work, but her new responsibilities give her less time to spend at home with Keith, who then turns to Tanya for help with a school problem. Meanwhile, Bobby frets over a project that he and his mother are working on together. Lastly, Tanya considers of returning back to being an attorney.
Danika competes with her arch nemesis Lauren (guest star Ashleigh Ann Wood) for a spot on the debate team. When Keith starts to date Lauren, Danika is convinced that Lauren is only seeing him to upset Danika. Meanwhile, Bobby takes his new girlfriend (guest star Camille Lache Smith) on a double date with Pop and Ethel (guest star Tembi Locke).
Keith's loyalty to his girlfriend (guest star Ashleigh Ann Wood) is tested when the ""ultimate"" girl, Anna (guest star Tamara Feldman), propositions him at Danika's slumber party. Meanwhile, Danika is embarrassed by Tanya and Maddie's behavior at her party.
Keith and Lauren (guest-star Ashleigh Ann Wood) decide to take their relationship to the next level, but Keith is uncomfortable talking to Maddie about sex, so Ed tries to give Keith advice. Tanya decides it's also time to have a serious talk with Danika about sex. Meanwhile, Bobby thinks the family is throwing him a surprise ""eleven and a quarter"" birthday party because the adults immediately stop talking whenever he enters a room.
Tanya tries to force her brother Dave (guest-star Kent Faulcon) to get along with Maddie. Sparks finally fly between Maddie and Tanya's brother Dave when the serviceman visits the Ward home during a furlough. Although, Tanya has trouble staying out of their business. Meanwhile Keith and Danika get ""married"" for a school project, but Keith doesn't take the assignment as seriously as his faux bride does and Danika wants a divorce to salvage her grades.
Keith's 17th birthday, are disrupted when Keith's estranged father, Roger (guest-star David Lee Smith) suddenly arrives in town. Maddie worries that Roger will disappoint Keith again and Tanya is upset when she finds out that Ed has been helping Roger get back on his feet. Meanwhile, Bobby tries to get Danika and Lauren (guest-star Ashleigh Ann Wood) to settle their differences. Lila Jon performs at Keith's birthday party.
Tanya and Maddie have a huge blowout after Tanya catches Maddie and her ex-husband Roger (guest-star David Lee Smith) in bed together. The two women soon reconcile, however, and Maddie confesses an unsettling secret to Tanya. Meanwhile, Keith breaks up with Lauren (guest-star Ashleigh Ann Wood) when he realizes that she and Danika will never get along.
