The Thin Love Between Love And Hate

This new sitcom stars Christina Applegate and Jon Hamm as a thirtysomething divorced couple who are raising their two teenage children together. Assistant district attorney and floral shop entrepreneur, Greg and Trish Keaton (Jon Hamm, Christina Applegate), respectively, were once-high school sweethearts who married shortly after graduating from high school and after learning Trish was pregnant. Greg and Trish's two teenage kids are the 19-year-old slightly rebellious, Holly (Jessica Stroup), and the 16-year-old bright yet naive, Sam (Logan Lerman). Greg and Trish divorced when their kids were in elementary school, due to Greg's affair with a former friend of Trish's.

Currently, Trish is happily remarried to Michael Anderson (Paul Rudd), a hardworking defense attorney, for the past eight years. Greg is currently living with his new much-younger girlfriend, Michelle Lange (Lisa Goldstein), who's a struggling artist. Greg and Trish have split custody of Sam, who alternates weeks at both his parents' houses; whereas, a now legally-of-age Holly still spends half her time at her mom's and half at her dad's. Holly is currently attending the local community college while trying to figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Sam is currently a high school sophomore who is just trying to survive high school while trying to figure out why certain things are they way they are, while trying to live up to his lifelong dream of attending Harvard.

Sam's best friends/posse includes his two childhood best friends, Matt Logan (Max Thieriot) and Brandon Cross (Scotty Leavensworth), his ex-girlfriend-turned-now Matt's girlfriend, Lauren Smith (Emma Roberts), and his new girlfriend/longtime neighbor, Caitlin Baines (Shailene Woodley). As for Holly, she spends most of her spare time with her new (and secret) girlfriend, Becca Morgan (Kristen Stewart). Becca has helped Holly come to terms with her confusion towards her sexuality; however, Holly hasn't came out to her family yet (in fear of how they will take it) despite her feelings for Becca and their budding relationship.

In the show's pilot episode, Trish and family gets a surprise guest on their doorstop early one morning -- Trish's slightly older three-months-pregnant sister, Karen Mitchell (Leslie Mann) who's husband just passed away. Trish and Michael (and kids) welcome an upset Karen to move in and stay with them in their spare bedroom. Throughout the series, the Keaton-Anderson clan will get numerous visits from Greg's divorced sister, Debbie (Nicolette Sheridan), who shares a bitter rivalry with Trish since day one, and Greg's meddlesome and longtime widowed mother, Grace (Anne Archer), who likes to have her nose in everybody else's business; as well as Trish and Karen's semi-snobby and busybody longtime divorcee mother, Kathryn McBride (Mariette Hartley), who loves her daughters dearly but can't help but notice their flaws and shortcomings.



Cast Of Characters:
Christina Applegate -as- Trish Keaton-Anderson
Jon Hamm -as- Greg Keaton
Jessica Stroup -as- Holly Keaton
Logan Lerman -as- Sam Keaton
Paul Rudd -as- Michael Anderson
Leslie Mann -as- Karen Mitchell
Lisa Goldstein -as- Michelle Lange

Recurring Guest Stars:
Max Thieriot -as- Matt Logan
Kristen Stewart -as- Becca Morgan
Emma Roberts -as- Lauren Smith
Shailene Woodley -as- Caitlin Baines
Scotty Leavensworth -as- Brandon Cross

Special Guest Stars:
Nicolette Sheridan -as- Debbie Keaton-McCallister
Anne Archer -as- Grace Keaton
Mariette Hartley -as- Kathryn McBride

Episodes

Ep1: Pilot Episode:
Trish and family gets a surprise guest on their doorstop early one morning -- Trish's slightly older three-months-pregnant sister, Karen, who's husband just passed away. Trish and Michael (and kids) welcome an upset Karen to move in and stay with them in their spare bedroom. Meanwhile, Greg goes out clubbing with Michelle and her friends for Michelle's 27th birthday, but ends up feeling a bit "too old" to go clubbing, much to his dismay after being mistaken for Michelle's dad. Later, while Karen, Trish, Michael, Holly, and Sam attend Karen's late husband (Alan)'s funeral, where they are met by Karen (and Trish)'s mom, Kathryn. Yet Kathryn becomes the barrer of bad news, when Kathryn learns the body in the casket is not Alan's.

Ep2: Funeral Disaster:
Kathryn informs Karen that Alan is not the body in the casket. Karen flips out on the funeral home director about the mix-up, and hauls him off in the coatroom, along with Kathryn and Trish. While the McBride women are busy with the funeral home director, Michael, Sam, and Holly are to keep the guests occupied and unaware of the body mix-up. Elsewhere, Greg tries to prove to Michelle that being 38 isn't "too old" to have fun, even though Michelle informs him she doesn't think he's old and is a perfect fit for her (which ends up calming Greg's insecurities of dating a younger woman).

Ep3: Exes and Ohhhhs:
Sam becomes perplexed when he can't help but be a little jealous of his best friend Matt dating his ex Lauren, even though he is happily dating Caitlin. Meanwhile, Trish and Michael try to spice up their sex life by roleplaying, which only leads to disasters. Holly begins to feel pressure from Becca in regards to coming out to her family about her being a lesbian and in a relationship with Becca.

Ep4: Meeting The Second Mrs. Baines:
Sam gets invited to a dinner with Caitlin, her father (Tim Daly), and her stepmother (Tara Reid). Unbeknownst to Caitlin, her father has a secretive yet stern chat with Sam which leads Sam to become unsure of how to act with Caitlin around her father. Also, during the dinner, Sam can't help but become heavily attracted to Caitlin's hot stepmom. Elsewhere, Michelle accidently oversees Holly kissing Becca, which leads to Holly dreadging up the nerve to come clean and out to her dad's girlfriend, who ends up shocking Holly and putting her at ease when she herself admits to experiencing in college with a few girlfriends.

Ep5: The Feminist In A Man's World Seminar:
Holly and Becca head to Pittsburgh for a feminist seminar, where the couple encounters many well-known, powerful feminists; such as a successful writer (Sandra Oh), a popular anchorwoman (Courteney Cox), and a famous athlete (Elizabeth Reaser). Each of these successful and influential feministic women's speeches have given Holly the confidence and rightiness to confront her family about her and Becca--who is also thrilled to death. Back in Philly, Michael and Greg are forced to take part in a court battle involving a wrongful death accusation, despite their connection towards each other, they have to put their personal dislikes for each other aside and fight opposite sides of the case. (Note: Michael is defending the accused doctor as Greg is representing the upset family.)

Ep6: A Talk To Remember:
Holly, along with Becca by her side, comes out to her parents, Sam, Michael, Karen, and (for the second time) Michelle during a family dinner at a fancy restaurant. The family is shocked by Holly's news: Karen, Sam, and Michael are taken back a little, but accepting, as is Michelle still. As for Trish and Greg, it is unknown of their true feelings. Trish remains speechless and downs her mixed drink as she tries her best to grasp her daughter's coming out, whereas Greg is in denial and downplays Holly's "feelings" of being a lesbian and considers it just a "phase", which makes for several awkward moments and an increasing layer of tension to overlap the table. After ending up feeling belittled and looked down-upon, Holly becomes upset and storming out of the restuarant with Becca and Sam closely following behind her; leaving the adults to discuss what just happened there.

Ep7: How Could You:
After seeing how hurt Holly is by her father completely dismissing her new announcement, Trish comes to terms with her daughter's newfound sexuality and relationship with longtime best friend. Trish has a mom-to-daughter talk with Holly, where Holly becomes thrilled that Trish has accepted Holly for who she is and is willing to stand by her during "one of the hardest times" of her life. Meanwhile, Michelle becomes upset with Greg for his refusal to face his daughter's news and accept it. Elsewhere, Sam tries to get to know Becca better, which gets off to a bad start but ends up a success.

Ep8: Return Of A Former Friend:
Trish's former high school best friend, Nicole (Jennifer Westfeldt) makes a surprise visit to Trish with hope of starting over and mending a broken friendship. Nicole was the reason for Trish and Greg's divorce, he and Nicole conducted a secret affair with each other for few years before Trish found out. Now, Trish at first resents Nicole for trying to make amends, but ends up trying her best to be the bigger person and forgive Nicole. However, that all changes when Nicole inadvertently blames Trish for Greg's straying from their marriage, which does not settle with Trish for one second. Meanwhile, Michelle and Sam team up to arrange a sit-down meeting between Greg and Holly to discuss their now-bruised relationship.