Newlyweds Mel and Malena Ellis cross the threshold of their new suburban love nest -- next door to their best friends, childhood sweethearts Dean and Sheri Winston -- and before the last box is unpacked, Malena confides news of her possible pregnancy to Sheri. While Malena ponders the perfect way to tell Mel, word spreads quickly, and he is the last to know. The whole notion of commitment and domesticity sends shivers down the spine of Mel's brother, Reggie, whose girlfriend, Bobbi, now holds the key to his apartment and his heart, but isn't so eager to settle down either.

When the couples get together on game night, a few ""skeletons"" pop out of Mel and Dean's respective closets: Malena is dismayed to find that Naomi Campbell is Mel's ex-girlfriend -- and the supermodel is back in town. Sheri is miffed to learn of Dean's secret 20-year collection of ""Playboy"" magazines. Meanwhile, Reggie aims to strike a balance between maintaining his macho facade and keeping Bobbi satisfied.

Dean and Sheri brace themselves for his caustic, overbearing mother's annual visit, and as an aggravator Mary Winston knows no peer, but Dean finally throws his mom for a loop when he unleashes his true feelings about her behavior -- and he sets their relationship on a smoother course. Meanwhile, Bobbi tells Malena about Reggie's sexy moves, and the secret gets back to him.

Bobbie's reverse psychology seems to backfire when she encourages Reggie to accept an astonishing invitation to be a sperm donor for an anonymous female acquaintance. Also, Dean introduces Mel to the joys of bulk shopping with disastrous results, after Malena insists the household duties be split evenly.

Dean sets out to surprise Sheri with the birthday gift of her dreams, but he's flabbergasted when Malena reveals what Sheri really wants -- the fulfillment of a particular sexual fantasy. Meanwhile, Bobbi and Reggie shudder to think that their adorable adopted mutt, Chi-Chi/Thor, represents a degree of commitment.

When a famous pop psychologist comes to town, Malena coaxes a skeptical Mel into attending her couples seminar and the shrill shrink promptly causes a rift between the newlyweds by siding with Mel. Meanwhile, Bobby sees through tightwad Reggie's ""romantic"" dinners by candlelight -- which includes a shared shower for the two of them.

Dean panics as he and Sheri prepare to renew marriage vows on their fifth anniversary, and he must pen promises as poetic as those he paid someone to write for the original ceremony. Panic grips Mel too, when he loses his wedding ring after telling Malena of his preference to go ringless. Meanwhile, Bobbi and Reggie seek a suitable mate for Thor/Chi-Chi, and a parade of canine hopefuls prance though the apartment.

A brotherly tiff between Mel and Reggie threatens to ruin Malena's first Mother's Day dinner for her mother-in-law -- a feast for which the clueless cook has enlisted Reggie and Sheri's culinary skills. When the guys argue about ownership of a prized Reggie Jackson baseball, Reggie bails on the dinner, leaving Malena to fend for herself. Meanwhile, anxiety also consumes Bobby, who is convinced that Mrs. Ellis disapproves of her, and Dean's special Mother's Day gift goes up in ashes with Sheri's flaming dessert.

When Mel feels like he is losing his identity because of his marriage, he and Malena act on volatile advice from the marriage veterans, Dean and Sheri. Meanwhile, Reggie panics when he realizes that his relationship with Bobbi has progressed to the stage at which she feels comfortable answering his telephone.

Bobbi is all set to celebrate the one-year anniversary of her divorce -- until she learns that she's still legally married; Sheri and Dean work out with a personal trainer.

Dean takes a liking to the men-only barbershop frequented by Mel, where Dean's NFL experience makes him more popular than Mel; Malena gives a test.

Sheri and Dean cause sleep disorders in each other; Mel gets wild at an office party; Reggie reluctantly stays over at Bobbi's place.

Sheri secretly arranges for Dean to appear on a football talk show, where he's humiliated by a replay from his inglorious gridiron career. Cameo by NFL great Walter Payton.

Bobbi is suspicious when her sister shows no interest in Reggie; Sheri blames Mel for the ill fate of a migratory bird.

Malena is given the ""Shining Star"" award by an association of psychiatrists, but Mel is worried that she's so busy she's going to burn out.

Mel invites Malena to the Bears game to score some ""goodwill"" points, throwing Reggie for a loss when she actually agrees to go. Meanwhile, Sheri and Dean have a sexy tradition of their own, but this year they end up freezing in Mel and Malena's hot tub.

When Sheri's friend Tom comes for a visit, Sheri expects Dean to be very jealous, as usual. However, he trusts Sheri--until her complicated series of lies is exposed. Meanwhile, Mel and Dean plan to beat Tom in a poker game, but Bobbi and Malena end up being the big winners when they join the game.

When Sheri asks Malena to run with her in a local footrace, Malena only agrees after Sheri promises not to be overly competitive. However, as usual, Sheri's competitive personality emerges, and the friendly race turns into all-out war. Malena cheats in order to teach Sheri a lesson. Meanwhile, Mel refuses to hire a plumber to stop the sink from dripping incessantly, prompting Dean to teach him the rules of the suburbs.

Bobbi wants to have sex with Reggie without using a condom, but Reggie is reticent, even though Bobbi uses birth-control pills and both partners have been tested for disease. Meanwhile, Mel has trouble getting his mail delivered until Dean teaches him more rules of the suburbs--this time regarding how to treat civil servants.

Mel invites Reggie to stay with him and Malena because the heat's out at his place, but Mel's left cold when Reggie and Malena warm up to each other.

When Dean invites Mel to go away for a golfing weekend with him, Mel and Malena become anxious about surviving their first weekend apart since getting married. Sheri comforts Malena with an old-fashioned slumber party, while Dean and Mel have a bad time. Meanwhile, waiting for Reggie outside a ""men only"" barbershop, Bobbi gets mugged.

Dean makes a major advance in his career when his boss names him team leader of a project to design a shopping mall. However, his job is jeopardized when Sheri stages a protest at the groundbreaking ceremony over the planned destruction of a rare tree. Meanwhile, when Mel gets sick, he pretends that he wants his mother to come and take care of him. Determined to prove that he doesn't need his mommy, Malena nurses her man back to health. But Mel tricked Malena: his mother never pampered him when he was ill.

Reggie participates in a bachelor auction for a youth charity, along with Tavis Smiley, commentator for the Black Entertainment Television network. Bobbi tries to remain calm, but she gets upset when the bidding for Reggie becomes competitive. eanwhile, Mel and Dean's macho competitiveness intrudes on their marriages when they gamble over the outcome of a miniature golf game between Malena and Sheri.

As Mel and Malena's first wedding anniversary approaches, Mel wants to plan something truly memorable for the occasion. Dean warns him not to do anything that he cannot easily outdo next year. Malena's obsession with re-creating the night Mel proposed marriage--complete with the most insignificant details--threatens to disrupt the celebration. Meanwhile, after accidentally snacking on the ceremonial leftover piece of Mel and Malena's wedding cake, Reggie tries to atone by helping Sheri bake a new cake to match it.

During high school, Sheri became enamored with Dean when she saw ""Dean loves Sheri"" painted on the town water tower. Now, she learns of Dean's fear of heights and finds out that he paid someone to make the graffito. Sheri is so upset that Dean confronts his fear and climbs the water tower himself to leave another love message, since the tower has since been repainted. He finds Sheri up there preparing to paint a message for him, and they reconcile. Meanwhile, Malena is frustrated that Mel has never done anything romantic enough to warrant eternal gratitude. Also, Bobbi rejects an offer to put Thor-Chi-Chi, her and Reggie's dog, in a movie. However, Reggie cannot resist the temptation of stardom for the animal.