New couple Mel and Joe have a disagreement over whose family ornament gets to adorn the top of their Christmas tree.

Former wild child Mel Burke has just been elected as city council person for Toledo, Ohio. However, in addition to her new job, she is also forced into raising her niece, Lennox, and her nephew, Ryder. Lennox and Ryder's father, Louis Scanlon, was part of a ponzi scheme and fled the country. Their mother was sent to prison, leaving Mel as the only option. Joe Longo, a former employee of Louis and lost all of his money. His wife kicked him out and left him with nothing. Joe tracks down Mel for information on Louis. Their paths continue to cross until Mel accidentally offers Joe a job to help her take care of the kids. Lennox got suspended from school and Joe saves the day getting Lennox to talk to the principal and accept her punishment.

Lennox starts dating a bad boy that Mel disapproves of, while Mel is also dating a bad boy of her own. Joe takes it upon himself to reorganize Mel‘s closet.

Mel dates a guy with ulterior motives. Joe deals with getting his stuff back from his ex-wife, most importantly his flat screen TV. Lennox tries to make friends in her new school.

Mel catches Joe having secret meetings with a girl named Tessa in the basement. When Mel begins to spy, she learns that Joe & Tessa are on a manhunt for her brother-in-law Lewis Scanlon. Mel & Joe think Ryder is getting bullied at school because he keeps losing his stuff. Joe & Mel come to his rescue by getting his stuff back, but proceed to make everything worse.

Lennox dates the Mayor's son, who may not be the good influence Mel thinks he is.

Lennox has a crush on her tutor. Joe creates a web site where he gives financial advice.

Mel's dad comes back to town to support a bill Mel opposes. Meanwhile, Lennox's poetry proves popular with a classmate who's an aspiring singer.

Mel and Joe arrange blind dates for each other, leading to an uncomfortable double date for the group. Meanwhile, Lennox decides to start her own blog after being kicked off the school website, but it consumes all of her time, leaving her boyfriend Haskal feeling ignored.

Joe works out an alternative payment plan when he begins dating the mom of one of his students, which unintentionally earns him a reputation among the other mothers in the neighborhood as a tutor-prostitute. Meanwhile, Zander and Lennox decide to skip college and drive around the country in a motor home – which doesn't sit well with "cool" aunt Mel. And Ryder introduces his vegan girlfriend to the joys of meat.

Mel learns the true reason why Joe is unsupportive of Dani's musical talents.

After being frozen in an avalanche on a ski trip, Mel and Joe thaw out 100 years in the future.

Joe fears that being a nanny will prevent him from having a love life. Mel is worried that a depressed Joe means no more gourmet food so she lies to help him get a date with her former sorority sister. Joe needs to keep the lie going to help out Mel in her job.

Mel grounds Lennox because she is failing chemistry and needs to study. However, when Senator Russell Burke, Mel‘s father, shows up unexpected, he undermines her authority. Senator Burke sweet talks Joe and takes the kids out for a night of fun against Mel‘s wishes. Seeing the conflict between Mel and Lennox, Senator Burke invites Lennox to move in with him and her grandmother in Washington, D.C.

Mel is working on her public image and invites a TV reporter to do a story on her and the kids. Celeste Vega (Valery Ortiz) finds out that Mel has a male nanny working for her and shifts the story to Joe. Stephanie alerts Joe that the piece is not flattering for Mel. Joe goes down to Celeste‘s office to defend Mel.

Due to a recent scandal at the city council, Mel is asked to prove Joe’s legal working status in the United States. Much to her surprise, Joe was born in Korea while his family was stationed abroad, and he can’t find his legal documents. Meanwhile, when Lennox decides to go to a school dance with one of her girlfriends, rumors start circulating about her sexuality.

Joe's ex, Tiffany, tries to rekindle their relationship

Melissa's trainer, "Lindsay Gates" (Jessalyn Wanlim) has a physical thing for Joey.

Lennox is asked to be a model but she must get permission from Mel. Joe helps Ryder ask a girl out.

Mel recruits Joe to play on her office softball team, as she is determined to beat her rival's team (Tom Wilson). Meanwhile, Ryder wants Lennox to feature Holly's short story in the school blog.

Mel and Joe get into a property dispute with their neighbor; Ryder films a PSA starring Lennox.

During her first visit in a few years, Joe gives Mel's mother, Monica some advice that upsets Mel. Meanwhile, Lennox gets into some hot water when her gym teacher assumes that she is pregnant.

Joe works as a financial consultant over the internet.

Dani wants to go on a date with a boy at school, but Joe tells her she’s too young. So she tricks Mel into taking her anyway, putting Mel in the awkward situation of wanting to be the cool stepmom but having to lie to Joe. Meanwhile, Lennox and Marco run into Zander and are outed as a couple.

It's Ryder's 18th birthday, and the family gathers to video chat with him, but the computer crashes before they get a chance to talk. Joe insists he can fix it, but Mel is afraid they'll run out of time, so she secretly hires a Jiffy Nerd computer technician behind Joe's back.