The Carter-Alden Family

This dramatic sitcom is about a family living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jim Belushi and Bonnie Hunt play Jim and Kate Alden, who have been married for almost 20 years now. Jim Alden is a supervisor at a factory, Kate Alden is a homemaker. Jim and Kate have three children: Josh Alden, 19 (Will Estes), Rachel Alden, 16 (Danielle Panabaker), and Nicole Alden, 14 (Kay Panabaker). Josh is out of high school and overseas in the military fighting in Iraq. Rachel is in the 10th grade, Nicole is in the 8th grade. Jim, Kate, and his sisters really miss Josh, who is in the Armed Forces and saving lives. Josh's high school sweetheart, Jenna Wilcox (Kimberly J. Brown) is also saddened that he left her and his family behind. Jenna also is out of high school and is a college freshman at the local community college. Kate's recently divorced, older sister, Terri Carter-Kinnley (Katey Sagal) lives across the street with her daughter, McKenzie Kinnley, 21 (Ashley Johnson). In high school, Terri use to date Jim, until Terri dumped him for her now-ex-husband and Kate began to date Jim. Terri's ex-husband left her and the kids 6 months ago. McKenzie is out of high school and has taken 2 years off "to find herself" and is going to the local community college as a freshman. McKenzie and Jenna are in the same college classes, and are close friends, who have two things in common: Josh, and same dream of making it big in Hollywood someday.


CAST:
Jim Belushi as Jim Alden
Bonnie Hunt as Kate Carter-Alden
Katey Sagal as Terri Carter-Kinnley
Will Estes as Josh Alden
Ashley Johnson as McKenzie Kinnley
Danielle Panabaker as Rachel Alden
Kay Panabaker as Nicole Alden
Kimberly J. Brown as Jenna Wilcox

episodes

Ep1: Pilot Episode:
Jim and Kate celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary. Terri takes McKenzie, Rachel, and Nicole to the mall to buy Jim and Kate gifts. Nicole wants to buy them some new silverware, yet problems occur when Rachel claims she thought of silverware first of all.

Ep2: Letters From Josh:
Josh has sent everyone their own letter. Everyone including: Jim, Kate, Rachel, Nicole, Jenna, Terri, and McKenzie. All seven of them read their letters in private and then gather together and talk about their letters and how much they miss Josh.

Ep3: Exes and Ohs:
Terri's longtime missing-in-action ex-husband returns to town with news of him being engaged to his new fiancee, Cheryl (Elle McPherson). McKenzie declines her father and Cheryl's invitation to their Vegas wedding, seeing how much seeing her dad and Cheryl together is hurting her mom, Terri.

Ep4: Dining Out:
Jim and Kate are invited to have dinner with Jenna's rich parents, Joel and Mary Beth Wilcox (Alan Thicke, Shelley Long). Jim and Joel get along great, Mary Beth is a little hostile towards the Aldens. After Kate has had enough of Mary Beth's antics, she blows up and her blowing up made Mary Beth crack from her prude shell and speak her mind freely. After dinner, the couples realizes they should get together more often. Rachel and her not-so-secretive boyfriend are caught kissing by Nicole and her friend.

Ep5: Mother-Daughter Bonding:
Kate, Rachel, Nicole, Terri, and McKenzie go to Pittsburgh to visit Kate and Terri's mother, Sharon Carter (Dixie Carter) who has been widowed 18 months ago, and is starting to begin dating. Kate and Terri are not fond of Sharon's new boyfriend, Ted (Bob Saget) who could be their brother instead of stepfather. Ted becomes attracted to Terri, resulting in Sharon and Ted's relationship becoming less and less. Terri takes a liking to Ted, yet isn't ready to start dating. Yet Ted and Terri exchange numbers and make plans for next weekend to go out.

Ep6: Friends And Lovers:
Rachel and her longtime friend, Michelle (Brenda Song) begin to develop crushs on the new mysterious cute boy at school. Rachel and Michelle realize they both have feelings for Luke, causing a fight, which is easily and quickly resolved due to the fact Luke has been arrested for arsonery (he burnt an abandoned gas station down three days after moving into town). Terri confides in Kate that she is sick and tired of Ted's constant calls, Kate talks Jim into persuading Ted to ease up on the calls to Terri.

Ep7: Exciting, Isn't It:
Jim and Kate learn about Rachel's former crush, Luke burning down an abandoned gas station. Rachel and Michelle decide never to act upon feelings towards a boy that both share feelings for, yet both are intrigued by Luke's rebellious ways. McKenzie and Jenna learn Josh may be coming home to visit for 6 weeks.

Ep8: Times Of Hate:
Nicole is horrified due to the fact that Jim went to her school with his fly of his jeans down (on the day, he decides to go without undies). Nicole refuses to speak or associate with Jim. Jim is hurt when Nicole mentions over the phone to her friend that she hates her dad and wishes he would just die. An upset Jim's moping around is caught on by Kate, who finds out the reason why he is acting this way. Kate marches up to Nicole's room and speaks her mind-resulting in Nicole apologizing to Jim, who apologizes also.

Ep9: Our Beloved Son:
Josh is home from the military after being in Iraq for the past 6 months. Jim and Kate treat the family and Jenna to dinner to celebrate Josh's homecoming. Josh talks about what it is like over there. Josh also informs the family that Josh's buddy, Max (whom went over there with Josh) had died in the line of fire. The family comforts him, who is "okay" with Max's death.

Ep10: Alone Time:
Jim and Kate learn Josh wants to spend some alone time with girlfriend Jenna. Jenna and Josh spend a romantic day together, ending the night in a dumpy motel room. The two lovebirds engage in sex for the first time. Josh also proposes to Jenna, in order to keep their relationship intact while they are miles upon miles apart.

Ep11/Ep12: Live And Learn: Part One/Part Two
Jenna finds out she may be pregnant. Jenna is scared, knowing Josh will return to Iraq in the remaining 4 weeks. Jenna tells Josh the pregnancy news, who is stunned and speechless. Josh decides that Jenna and him should elope before he heads back. Josh and Jenna tell their parents, Terri, McKenzie, and Josh's sisters. Sending everyone into a major uproar. Deciding they should elope tonight, Jenna and Josh sneak out and go get eloped. One problem-they are being followed by Terri and McKenzie, who are heading to Pittsburgh to see Terri's mom, yet they decide to follow them and witness the two eloping.

Ep13: Newlyweds:
Newlyweds Josh and Jenna come home to their oh-so-furious parents. Jim, Kate, Joel, and Mary Beth has a long, drawn-out, sit-down talk with Josh and Jenna about (1) their elopement, (2) their pregnancy, (3) Josh going back or not, etc. Josh is dead-strong that he is going back to Iraq, as Jenna, her parents, and his parents are dead-strong against him leaving his young, pregnant wife behind.

MORE EPISODES LATER....