Family Winters

Starring John Schneider and Fran Drescher as the patriarch and matriarch of an average upper middle class Pennsylvania family who are faced with the everyday trials and tribulations of daily life. Rick Winters (John Schneider) is an EMT/paramedic/firefighter for the Pittsburgh Fire Department. Fran Winters (Fran Drescher) is a bridal shop entrepreneur who has a knack for wedding planning on the side. Rick and Fran have three growing children: Amanda Winters (Blake Lively), Ryan Winters (Scotty Leavenworth), and Josh Winters (Logan Lerman). Amanda is a gorgeous and bright 21-year-old college student who has decided to put her plans of going off to medical school on hold and enroll into a local beauty school. Ryan is a misunderstood, dark 19-year-old college student who had dropped out of college after his first year after realizing college isn't for him (and the fact that he is failing every class he is taking). Josh is a smart and mature 17-year-old high school junior who is collegebound and wise beyond his years, although he wants to believe there is more to life than just education and having goals. Also, the show centers on the people who are also in the Winters family's lives. Eric Suarez (Ricardo Antonio Chavira) is a colleague and fellow EMT of Rick's, who started at the PFD at the same time as Rick. Eric and his wife, Nicole Suarez (Constance Marie) are close friends with Rick and Fran, and the two couples do a lot of "couple things" together. Eric and Nicole have no children, yet have been trying unsuccessfuly for the past 5 years. Also, adding love and support (as well as the occasional headache) is Fran's cousin and business partner, Barb Peterson (Laurie Metcalf) who has been more like a sister to Fran than a cousin (due to their closeness). Barb has never been married and just recently gave up on finding Mr. Right and just wants to enjoy her life (with or without a man in it). Josh's long-time childhood best friend, Britney Reynolds (Ashley Rickards) is often hanging out around the Winters family home with Josh. For years, Josh and Britney have been strictly platonic best friends but until recently, Josh has been developing feelings for Britney more than just a friendship (yet is keeping it a secret so far). As well as Fran's younger "kid" sister, Laura Briggs-Delaney (Jennifer Jason Leigh) has moved back to the area after spending years in Colorado before settling her third divorce and finally wiseing up and moving back to her hometown. Just recently, Laura has moved out of Fran and Rick's basement "apartment" and into an apartment duplex across town and is working as a bartender as a gentleman's club (much to her sister's dismay). Last but not least is the newbie at the PFD, the new EMT/paramedic, Molly Kohlman (Elizabeth Shue) who gives Rick and Eric, as well as the rest of the guys, a run for their money and jobs. Molly is relocating from Chicago with a bunch of contraversy around why she left her former job (she was having an affair with her married boss, the Fire Chief who went public about them, thus running her out of town).


Cast Members:
John Schneider as Rick Winters
Fran Drescher as Fran Winters
Blake Lively as Amanda Winters
Scotty Leavenworth as Ryan Winters
Logan Lerman as Josh Winters
Ricardo Antonio Chavira as Eric Suarez
Constance Marie as Nicole Suarez
Laurie Metcalf as Barb Peterson
Ashley Rickards as Britney Reynolds
with Jennifer Jason Leigh as Laura Briggs-Delaney
and Elizabeth Shue as Molly Kohlman

Episodes

Ep1: Pilot Episode:
Rick and Fran are surprised to hear Amanda's news of wanting to go to beauty school, which at first Rick doesn't even want to hear and flips out. Yet after a chat with Fran, Rick comes to terms and accepts Amanda's decision. However, a few hours later when Ryan comes clean about his own news of dropping out of college and his search to find himself, Rick and Fran aren't so understanding and are royally upset with Ryan. Meanwhile, Josh and Britney's first day of junior year gets off to a bad start when Josh and Britney get a detention after being accused of giving the vice principal "lip" about why they were late for their afternoon class.

Ep2: Relocations:
At work, Rick and Eric meet the newbie, Molly, who comes along with a series of rumors of why she is here and why she left her old job. The truth eventually comes out after Molly speaks up and makes a public confusion about her affair with her former boss/fire chief who went public with their affair, after being sick and tired of hearing all the whispering and gossiping herself during her first week at her new job--thus shutting up the entire crew. At home, Fran deals with news of Laura moving out of their basement into an apartment across town. At first, Fran is happy for her sister getting back on her feet until she finds out what Laura's new job is (working as bartender at a gentleman's club). Therefore causing more bitter feelings toward each other after Laura finally tells Fran to butt out of her life and let her alone. Elsewhere, Josh comes to terms with his feelings for Britney in private, and then coming to Amanda for advice--- who just thinks his crush on Britney is just "so cute".

Ep3: Troubles In Paradise:
While out to eat with Eric and Nicole, Rick and Fran sit awkwardly while Eric and Nicole spat over their latest troubles when it comes to conceiving their potential child. After dinner, Nicole finds herself truely embarrassed and is later consoled by Fran who shares a story that Rick doesn't even know. Fran had gotten pregnant a month before her wedding to Rick but miscarried a week before their nupitals. Eric and Nicole make up shortly after her heart-to-heart with Fran. Elsewhere, Ryan's collegebound girlfriend, Liz (Brie Larson) breaks up with him after he tells her about his plans to drop out of college. Liz tells him she needs a guy with goals and a plan to life, thus causing Ryan to become upset. Ryan, in turn, goes out with his buddies and plans to get the drunkest he has ever been to drown his sorrows. Luckily, Amanda is at the same party and comes to his rescue when Ryan needs to be taken to the hospital to get his stomach pumped after having too much to drink. Ryan makes Amanda promise him not to say a word to their parents (and the fact he has a fake ID).

Ep4: Acceptance And Failures:
While Amanda becomes estatic to find out she is accepting into the local beauty school academy, Josh makes a series of failed attempts of trying to confess his feelings towards Britney to her, but keeps getting interrupted by different things/people. Josh takes that as a sign that it's not the right time to tell her. Meanwhile, Fran and Barb must put up with a bridezilla, Jessica (Audrina Patridge) who happens to be marrying Amanda's former high school boyfriend, Patrick (Jared Padalecki). Fran pulls Patrick to the side and questions why he is marrying a girl like Jessica, then gets the surprise answer "because Amanda turned me down". Fran is shocked to learn Patrick proposed to Amanda who later turned his proposal down.

Ep5: Baby Oh Baby:
Nicole and Eric seek a fertility specialist (Mary McDonnell) where the couple discovers that Eric's sperm is decreasing and must switch to boxers (which becomes a nuisance for Eric in the end), as well as finding out Nicole only has one functioning ovary. Meanwhile, Molly receives word that her former boss is about to contact her current boss and convince him not to hire/keep her on staff, which worries Molly. Molly enlists Rick's help to talk to the Chief and have him become determined to keep her on staff no matter what her former Chief says. Elsewhere, Britney learns her mom is getting remarried to her ex-fiance whom she can't stand. Josh steps up and tries to comfort her and comes as Britney's date to the nupitals where the friends share a slow dance which feels like complete heaven to Josh.

Ep6: Life's Little Wonders:
Fran and Barb are shocked by how well Amanda is at styling hair after she offers to give the two of them a "free hair makeover". Meanwhile, Eric invites Rick, Ryan, and Josh along for a "men only" weekend of camping outdoors at his cabin up north. Rick and Josh accept and excited, yet Ryan declines and remains feeling bitter towards his father still (weeks after Rick calls Ryan "a disgrace to the family"). Elsewhere, Laura finds herself attracted a married patron at her gentleman's club yet has made a personal vow to herself about never being the "other woman" again.

Ep7: Turning Down Options:
Fran turns down the opportunity to plan a wedding after learning the bride's father was her old high school best friend who cheated with Fran's boyfriend back in the day. Meanwhile, Rick, Amanda, and Josh find out that Ryan had been accepted to a prestigous culinary school yet turned it down to focus on his search to find himself. Rick blows up and adds more tension between Rick and Ryan, who finds himself getting ganged up on by his parents and siblings. Elsewhere, Molly weasels her way into getting to be a part of the special assignment that Eric has had his eye on for months now.

Ep8: Money Troubles:
Fran and Rick realize the family is spending too much money too often, so they decide to be more frugal as a family. Amanda and Josh aren't overly keen to the idea, but eventually give a try. As where Ryan refuses to live a "life beneath him". This time, Fran has a "chat" with Ryan, which leads to Fran deciding to charge him rent since he's not going to school anymore. Amanda agrees to help Ryan pay his rent after learning Ryan agreed to paying it just to get his parents off his back yet he doesn't have the money to pay it entirely. In return, Amanda gets to drive his prized Mustang whenever she wants to go out with her friends. Meanwhile, Josh tries again to confess his feelings to Britney, but again are interrupted.