How To Cope

Starring Markie Post as Linda Burke, a 50-something recent widow who has just adjusted to life after her beloved husband's death. However, it's not until recently that her life becomes a whirlwind of more stressful situations when her grown daughter, Elizabeth (Melissa Joan Hart) and her husband, Michael Hartley (Mark Paul Gosselaar) move in with her, along with their new foster baby (adopted child to be). Linda, Elizabeth, and Michael share their day-to-day lives with Linda's older also-widowed sister, Susan Miller (Candice Bergen), as well as Michael's longtime childhood best friend, Steven Garcia (Mario Lopez) and his new ex-model wife, Jenna Jackson-Garcia (Charisma Carpenter), Linda and the Hartley's new bachelor neighbor (who moved from Texas), Gary Richman (Christopher Rich), and Michael's clingy yet good-hearted ex-wife, Stacy Hartley (Amanda Detmer). Also, added in the Burke-Hartleys' lives is a mysterios woman named Katherine Grayson (Anne Archer) who may or may not be the former mistress of Linda's late husband, Walter. Watch how Linda, Elizabeth, and Michael --as well as their friends-- handle the everyday trials and tribulations.



Cast of Characters:
Markie Post as Linda Burke
Melissa Joan Hart as Elizabeth Burke-Hartley
Mark Paul Gosselaar as Michael Hartley
Christopher Rich as Gary Richman
Amanda Detmer as Stacy Hartley
Mario Lopez as Steven Garcia
Charisma Carpenter as Jenna Jackson-Garcia
Candice Bergen as Susan Miller
Anne Archer as Katherine Grayson

Recurring Guest Stars:
Christina Ricci as Kim Hayden [Baby Jonah's biological mother]
Chace Crawford as Kevin Grayson [Katherine and Walter's biological son]
Zac Efron as Marshall Grayson [Katherine and Walter's biological son]
Wilmer Valderamma as Erick Garcia [Steven's brother/Stacy's ex-boyfriend]

EPISODES

Ep1: Pilot Episode:
Elizabeth and Michael, along with their foster baby Jonah, move into the guest bedroom at Linda's house after a house fire due to faulty wiring. Linda begins to readjust to having three new people in her house after just getting adjusted to living by herself (after her late husband, Walter's death a little over a year prior). Linda turns to Susan for advice when Linda discovers an unfamiliar name (Katherine Grayson) appearing on some of Walter's financial papers.

Ep2: The Dinner Party:
Elizabeth and Michael are invited to Steven and Jenna's celebatory dinner party to celebrate their six-month wedding anniversary. During the dinner, Elizabeth can't help but feel guilty for leaving baby Jonah at home with Linda, while Michael and Steven deal with Steven's younger brother, Erick (Wilmer Valderrama) who becomes a bit intoxicated and mentions a few private topics of conversations (including Steven having doubts before marrying Jenna, and Jenna's failed attempt at a modeling career past age 30). Also, Erick brings Michael's ex-wife, Stacy to the dinner party as his date to get a rise out of the Hartleys. Meanwhile, Linda spends some quality time with her grandson to be, while still bothered by not knowing who that Katherine Grayson is and why she is linked to Walter's finances.

Ep3: New On The Block:
Elizabeth and Michael urge Linda to meet the new neighbor, Gary from across the street. Linda becomes hestitant and apprehensive about meeting a new man. Linda's true feelings of guilt of meeting another man so soon after Walter's death is bothering her and eating her up inside. Meanwhile, Steven and Jenna discuss the topic of having children and when. Also, Stacy turns to Michael in hopes of guidance of her sad-attempt at a relationship with Erick (Steven's brother).

Ep4: Detectives and the Privates:
Linda and Susan hire a private investigator to find out who this Katherine is, which leads to an address and nervous Linda. Meanwhile, Michael and Steven have a battle of the sexes with their wives, when the guys refuse to shave down below leading to their wives' refusal to have sex until they give in. Elsewhere, Stacy and Erick call it quits to their relationship when Erick decides to prioritize his buddies over his relationship with her, resulting in Erick breaking Stacy's heart.

Ep5: Return of Jonah's Mom:
The Hartleys become irate and extremely aware of their uncertainties in their situation when their foster baby Jonah's missing-in-action biological mother, Kim (Christina Ricci) who has made a return and intentions of getting back custody of Jonah, which does not fly with Michael and Elizabeth. After being denied the opportunity to see and hold her son by the Hartleys at their home, Kim makes it known to them that this was not the last they have seen and heard from her, and she will stop at nothing to get Jonah back. Meanwhile, Linda arranges a face-to-face meeting Katherine for the first time, which does anything but end up in her favor. Especially after learning, Katherine was Walter's mistress for the past 20 years (as well as the mother of Walter's two illegimate sons). Linda remains stunned and speechless to be sitting across the "other woman" who is calm and nonchalant about her relationship to and with Walter.