After Allen

Starring Shelley Long as Debbie Conner, a newly-widowed mother of two and grandmother of one, living in her Buffalo hometown. Debbie's late husband, Allen Conner (played by Craig T. Nelson, in flashbacks only) had been married for close to 32 years and have two grown children to prove it: 30-year-old son, Jake Conner (Joseph Lawrence) and 27-year-old daughter, Allison Conner (Christine Lakin). Also, Jake's 8-year-old illegimate daughter, Olivia Conner (Abigail Breslin) is a part of the family. Allen's death was caused by a severe heart attack during the night. Debbie works as a loan officer. Debbie now has sold their former house and moved into a condomium across town a month before Allen's sudden death. Debbie's life is about to get complex, as its been a few months since Allen has passed, and she is uncomfortably semi-smitten with the new bank executive at work--Joe Phelps (Patrick Duffy), a well-educated and cultural gentleman who makes all the female co-workers get weak in the knees. Jake lives across town with his daughter, Olivia of whom he shares split custody with with his ex-girlfriend/her mother, Sherrie Bishop(Elisa Donavon). Jake and Sherrie (both were 22, when had Olivia) were high school sweethearts up until they found out Sherrie was pregnant, then things got hestitant and Jake wanted out (until he had a talk with his parents and Allison)---however, it was too late, Sherrie wanted nothing to do with him after he already told her he wanted out and nothing to do with her or Olivia. Currently, Jake and Sherrie are on speaking terms and civil towards each other for Olivia's sake--and for the matter, they are co-parents of Olivia for rest of her life. Jake works as a handyman for a local "Mr. Fix-It" company in Buffalo. Olivia is currently in the 2nd grade and is very precocious and intelligent for her own age. Allison works as a dental hygenist and lives in her own apartment downtown Buffalo with her best friend/roommate, Kim Davenport (Anne Hathaway). Allison and Kim have been best friends since childhood. Kim just recently has gotten engaged to longtime boyfriend-turned-fiance, Jeff Hallenberg (Chris Masterson), who is too sweet and sensitive for Allison to tolerate for a long period of time (yet treats Kim very well)-- which is causing some slight tension between Allison and Kim due to Allison's slight jealousy of her best friend getting married and moving out soon with her new husband, leaving her all alone and lonely. Watch how the Conner clan must deal and cope with change and life itself after the family patriarch has passed.

CAST:
Shelley Long as Deborah "Debbie" Conner
Joseph Lawrence as Jacob "Jake" Conner
Christine Lakin as Allison "Allison" Conner
Abigail Breslin as Olivia "Olivia" Conner
Patrick Duffy as Joseph "Joe" Phelps
Elisa Donavon as Sherrie "Sherrie" Bishop
Anne Hathaway as Kimberly "Kim" Davenport
Chris Masterson as Jeffrey "Jeff" Hallenberg
Craig T Nelson as Allen "Allen" Conner (only in flashbacks)

Episodes

Ep1: Pilot Episode:
Debbie, Jake, Olivia, and Allison are going out to eat to celebrate the late patriarch (Allen)'s birthday. While in the restaurant, Debbie tries to avoid the new bank executive at her work, Joe (Patrick Duffy) who happens to be at the same supper club with a few of his buddies. Also, Jake becomes smitten with the cocktail waitress, Brenda (Amy Smart)-who misinterprets Jake and Allison's bickering as a married couple.

Ep2: Mother, May I:
Debbie's overbearing and longtime-widowed mother, Denise (Florence Henderson) pays a surprise visit with intentions of moving in with Debbie to help her through her "hard time". However, Debbie is anything but pleased when Denise moved her things in and starts taking charge when unneeded. Also, Jake and Sherrie attend Parent-Teacher Conferences at Olivia's school, yet turns out that Jake has had an one night stand with Olivia's 2nd grade teacher a month ago and hasn't returned any of her calls.

Ep3: Movers And Shakers:
Denise decides to move back into her retirement village in Vermont. As Allison becomes jealous of Kim's wedding preparations and annoyed by Jeff's constant presence. Allison becomes jealous and hurt when Kim backs out of their plans to go out clubbing to stay back and spend "some quality time" with Jeff. Allison storms over to Jake's apartment and interrupts Jake's date with a gorgeous flight attendant.

Ep4: Bosses And Other Losses:
Jake becomes uncomfortable when he learns his boss' ex-wife, Judy (Wendie Malick) begins to seduce him as he tries to fix a leaky bathroom faucet. Meanwhile, Joe and Debbie are stuck working overtime together after the bank realizes they are losing money in the loan department. To make matters worse, Joe accidently questions Debbie's ethics and "accuses" her of fraudelent numbers--which insults and angers Debbie.

Ep5: The Soccer Game:
It's the morning before Olivia's soccer game. Jake oversleeps and gets his car parked in by a delivery truck where the driver is nowhere to be found, causing Jake and Olivia to worry they will be late for the game. Elsewhere, Debbie is about to head out for her granddaughter's game until Joe shows up at her door with a huge bouquet of flowers and an apology that make tears fall... Joe and Debbie share a passionate liplock, leaving Debbie confused and Joe supportive--which makes Debbie fall in for another kiss with Joe. Meanwhile, Allison is the only Conner family member to arrive at the game and at first is mad no one else showed up and ditched her--yet that all changes after she lays her eyes on Olivia's very single, very hunky coach: Coach Matt (Matthew Lawrence).