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Private Notes
Roc plans a day of suprises for Eleanor's birthday but the night is ruined when Roc's suprise gifts arrives: a large painted portrait of Eleanor, but the artist has mistakenly painted a white woman instead of Eleanor. Then Roc loses all patience with Joey's irresponsibility and evicts him because he has taken advantage of his rent-free stay at Roc's home.
When Joey is given free use of his friend's luxury car, Elanor insists that Roc withdraw some of their savings from the bank so they can buy a car of their own.
Attempting to prove her confidence in their marriage, Eleanor invites Roc's former girlfriend Janet over for dinner. When Janet reveals that she rejected Roc's marriage proposal only three months before he married Eleanor, Roc realizes that he never told that secret to Eleanor. Eleanor is furious with Roc because she now feels he married her before he had time to forget about Janet.
When Joey hires Roc to paint his friend's luxury condominium provided Roc allows him to act as ""the Boss"". Roc is mistaken for a burglar and arrested for what he sees as being a black man standing in a white neighborhood. Rather than try to change the prejudiced ways of the police, after being released, Roc pretends the incident never happened.
To help her win a promotion at the hospital, Eleanor asks Andrew to romance the head nurse, Matty. Andrew reports that his date with Matty was one of the worst evenings he's ever shared with a woman. Eleanor gets a conflicting report from Matty who said that Andrew was the best lover she's ever had and anxiously awaits their next date. Eleanor confronts Andrew with this report, learning that Matty reminds Andrew of his dead wife. No longer thinking of herself, Eleanor convinces Andrew to explain his true feelings to Matty.
While Joey tricks two famous jazz musicians into playing with him. Eleanor worries that Roc is getting too friendly with neighborhood vigilante Ronnie Paxton who's forceful methods 'took care' of the thief that robbed Andrew. Roc defends his right to choose his own friends, but when Eleanor threatens to stop having sex, Roc reconsiders.
When tests confirm his low sperm count, Roc asks Joey to donate his sperm . Roc does not want another man's sperm impregnating his wife, but Roc also realizes how passionately Eleanor wants to have a child. When they arrive at the hospital and begin the procedure, Roc suddenly changes his mind. He confesses that he wants to be genetically connected to his son and will continue more tests.
When Joey learns that his new girlfriend just ended her affair with Miles Taylor, the piano player in his jazz band, he tries to prevent the jealous pianist from learning the truth by convincing his brother, Roc, to pose as her new lover. Miles confronts Roc, suspecting that Joey is lying to him. When Roc confessess the truth, Miles vents his anger at Joey and quits the band along with Curtis, the bass player.
On the eve of the election, Eleanor, Andrew and Matty try to convince Roc and Joey to cast their ballots before the polls close. Andrew, Matty, and Eleanor each are pulling for a different candadiate and stage a mock debate to help Roc choose who to vote for. However, Eleanor tries not to antagonize Matty because she doesn't want to ruin her chances of getting the promotion at the hospital. Roc and Joey finally realize every vote is important and run out to the polls to vote just before closing time.
Ruben Stiles, a popular actor, uses Roc as the model for his role in a new movie. He quickly perfects an imitation of Roc's voice and movements, Roc becomes upset. Ruben apologizes for embarrassing Roc but Roc criticizes him for not caring about his character's inside feelings. Several months later, the Emersons watch the movie on television and admire Ruben's accurate characterization of Roc. But when the character talks about his low sperm count, Roc chases Joey out of the house for revelaing his most private secret to Ruben.
When Joey escapes serious injury in a car accident, Andrew forsees his own death and buys cemetery plots for himself and Joey, but not for Roc. Roc gets jealous and accuses his father of always favoring his selfish brother. Andrew explains that Roc has Eleanor to love him and bury him and Joey will always be a roving playboy with no one to care for his needs.
When Roc loses seven hundred dollars in a poker game, he stubbornly refuses Joey's offer to pay the debt for him. Reluctantly, Roc takes Joey's money and Eleanor announces that instead of a loan, they'll accept it as a repayment for all the years that Joey lived with them without paying rent or expenses.
Joey proudly encourages his musical protege, Devon Brown, until he learns that the young man is involved with Andre Thompson, the local drug dealer. Joey learns that Devon is earning tuition money by delivering drugs for Andre. Pleading with his prized student to stay away from Andre, Joey learns that Devon is addicted to the drugs as well.
When the Emerson's landlord wants to sell all of his rental properties, Roc and Eleanor invest their life savings to become the new landlords. Roc allows Joey to move back in with them if he'll work as Roc's new superintendent. Roc and Joey promise to forget their past disagreements.
On the day that the Emersons are to renew their wedding vows, Eleanor gets upset when she learns that Roc is coaching her brother David on how to be more sexually aggressive. Meanwhile, Joey brings two dates to the wedding and attempts to let neither know that the other exists.
When the Emerson brothers get a bit drunk, Joey confesses that years ago when young Roc was blamed for wrecking his father's car, it was he that accidentally released the brake causing the car to roll down the hill. For his entire life, Roc has felt guilty over this disastrous accident. He believes that Andrew never truly forgave him for it. Roc realizes that Joey's mischief damaged his relationship with his father, and Roc demands that Joey tell Andrew the truth.
Roc is offered a deal by a rich, white businessman to become partners in a waste management company. Roc later learns, however, that he is about to go into business with a racist who only wants to use Roc for PR purposes. Roc is forced to choose between money and pride.
As Roc is giving boxing lessons to his friend's son, the boy confesses that his father is forcing him to be a boxer when he actually wants to be a ventriloquist. Roc advises his friend that a good father shouldn't force his child to satisfy his own unfulfilled dreams.
Joey is in love with an attractive singer in a local musical group, but selfishly insists that she quit the group when they're contracted for a six-month European tour. Roc explains to Joey that if he and Kim truly love each other, a temporary separation will only make their commitment stronger. In a rare unselfish act, Joey insists that Kim not disappoint her friends and supporters by quitting the group.
The Emerson family worries that Joey is being unfaithful to his girlfriend when they discover that he's dating a white woman and a black woman at the same time. His father thinks that Joey should respect his own race and only date black woman. Joey admits he's using the women's friendship to soothe his loneliness for his girlfriend Kim.
After an evening with the girls, Eleanor realizes that her marriage doesn't have much romantic fun. After a failed attempt by Roc of a night of romance, Joey reminds Eleanor how Roc shows his affection with all of the helpful things he does for her around the house. The couple agree to be more aware of each other's feelings and stroll outside for their moonlit walk.
Roc and Eleanor invite their homeless friend, Linda, to the house for dinner and she immediately develops a mutual attraction with their neighbor, ""Crazy"" George. Roc and Eleanor help George and Linda to overcome their shyness and arrange for them to meet again. They are pleased they could help two lonely people meet each other.
The Emerson family is shocked to learn that Andrew is dating a young woman who looks exactly like his deceased wife. The brothers accuse their father of risking his health by going to dance clubs and wild parties with the young woman. Andrew eventually realizes that he doesn't have any common interests with her nor the energy of her lifestyle. He goes back to his girlfriend Matty who forgives him.
When ""The Downtown Divas"" return from a European singing tour, one of the ""Divas"" asks Roc to help prevent a local drug dealer from murdering her brother. Moments after Roc confronts the drug dealer, an unseen gunman shoots the dealer. (Part 1 of 2)
After arresting him for the shooting of a local drug dealer named Andre, Detective Rush tries to force a confession out of Roc. Insisting his innocence until he is released, Roc learns that Andre's gang may be out for revenge. Roc goes to a local night club to warn his goddaughter of the danger. He learns that it was his garbage truck partner Calvin who shot Andre to save the neighborhood from his influence. Though he doesn't approve of Calvin's actions, Roc takes up a collection for Calvin's legal defense. (Part 2 of 2)
