Chris is a teenager growing up as the eldest of three children in Brooklyn, New York during the early 1980s. Uprooted to a new neighborhood and bused to a predominantly white middle school two-hours away by his strict, hard-working parents, Chris struggles to find his place while keeping his siblings in line at home and surmounting the challenges of junior high.
Writer: Andrew Orenstein
Air date: 2006-10-01
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: After Julius' truck is stolen Rochelle decides to get involved with a neighborhood watch group, but instead ends up in a competition with new neighbor Louise (Whoopi Goldberg). Chris asks out a new girl in the neighborhood hoping not to get rejected again. Drew has the girls all over him when he volunteers to be a crossing guard.
Writer: Ali LeRoi
Air date: 2006-10-08
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: Chris runs for class president, with his friend Greg as running mate. When a poll reveals that Chris has no chance of winning, he drops Greg for someone more popular. Julius is diagnosed with high blood pressure, and Rochelle decides he must reduce the stress in his life.
Writer: Ali LeRoi
Air date: 2006-10-16
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: Chris knows the only way to win the election is by giving the best speech ever but when his speech is stolen by Caruso, he knows he has to do something drastic. Rochelle rents the upstairs apartment to Mr. Omar, the local funeral director. Drew finds and spends the ten dollars that Rochelle lost.
Writer: Adrienne Carter
Air date: 2006-10-23
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: Chris gets the everyone in the neighborhood to believe that he is dating Tasha. That doesn't set well with Tasha's grandmother Louise and she makes sure that Rochelle knows about it. Julius must redeem all of the trading stamps he's been saving. Drew thinks that Rochelle is paying more attention to Chris and Tonya than to him.
Air date: 2006-10-30
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: Chris loses his job when he refuses to tell Doc who robbed the store while Chris was in charge of the cash register. Julius brings home an old Betamax machine.
Writer: Ali LeRoi
Air date: 2006-11-06
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: The new principal, Mr. Edwards, decides that the best way to solve the issues between Chris and Caruso is to have them become buddies on a school field trip. When Rochelle's favorite earrings are missing Tanya is the prime suspect. Julius tries to find a Wayne Gretzky jersey for Drew.
Air date: 2006-11-13
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: Chris faces an impeachment hearing. Rochelle's brother moves in after being kicked out by their mother, but it's more than Julius can take. Tonya asks Drew to show her how to "Double Dutch."
Writer: Alyson Fouse
Air date: 2006-11-20
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: Guest star Wayne Brady play Julius' succesful younger brother. Julius tries to impress him with the perfect Thanksgiving dinner, but things don't go smoothly.
Writer: Adam Lorenzo
Air date: 2006-11-27
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: Everything goes right for Chris when Julius loans him his lucky socks. Drew and Tonya play Julius and Rochelle against each other to get what they want. Drew enters the talent show at school, but nobody wants to tell him he can't sing.
Writer: Adrienne Carter
Air date: 2006-12-11
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: In order to make some extra money, Julius and Chris take a job at a department store as Santa and an elf. Things don't go well when Julius is fired and Chris ends up in the hospital.
Air date: 2007-01-22
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: For a lesson on parenting skills Chris is given an egg to take care of as if it were his child. When the electricity bill is over budget, Julius decides to figure out why. Drew a werewolf? That's what Tanya thinks so she's afraid to sleep.
Air date: 2007-01-29
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: Chris gets no respect when he has hall monitor duty. Greg tells him to "step up his game" but the power goes to Chris' head and he could lose Greg as his friend. Tonya finds out her popularity is because the girls want to get close to Drew.
Air date: 2007-02-05
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: When school is closed for a snow day, Chris is the only one that shows up, so he has to spend the day with Principal Edwards until they get get in touch with his parents. When Julius realizes that Chris isn't around he goes to find him, and Rochelle is a robbed on the subway.
Writer: Andrew Orenstein
Air date: 2007-02-12
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: The substitute teacher expects more from Chris which is making things very hard for him. Tanya figures out if she accuses Drew of hitting her things go her way.
Air date: 2007-02-19
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: When Ms. Morello is off of school for the day, Chris and Greg cut school to go see Ghostbusters. Drew and Tonya aren't happy that Rochelle is going to help out at their school. Julius renews his license at DMV.
Air date: 2007-02-26
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: When Chris ruins Malvo's plans to steal Vanessa's gold chain, he must figure out a way to replace it or pay the price to Malvo. Rochelle finds out that Julius has kept a credit card secret from her for over 15 years. Tonya tries to win Billy Ocean concert tickets from a radio station.
Writer: Rodney Barnes
Air date: 2007-03-19
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: Chris is a hit as a DJ after the neighborhood DJ gets arrested during a party. Chris has a problem when he scratches Rochelle's James Brown album. Julius passes out when he sees a rabbit at a magic show he takes Drew to.
Writer: Chuck Sklar
Air date: 2007-03-26
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: Chris must decide between going to a baseball game with his Dad and brother, or going to the movies with Tasha. Rochelle forgets to mail Tonya's letter to the Billy Ocean fan club. Rochelle's brother asks her hairdresser out on a date.
Air date: 2007-04-23
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: Doc discovers that Chris is a natural at picking the game winners, making Chris everyone's favorite odds-maker. Things change when Paulie the local bookie shows up to see Chris. Tonya tries to beat Drew at checkers.
Air date: 2007-04-30
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: When Chris secretly listens to his parents' comedy albums, he discovers that telling dirty jokes to his classmates is the key to popularity. Drew has to deal with an unwanted admirer in the neighborhood; and Rochelle decides to find her mother a man.
Air date: 2007-05-07
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: Rochelle decides to help tutor Chris for a math competition in algebra, when Chris doesn't think she's helping he turns to his grandmother Maxine for help. Tonya blackmails Drew when she takes the blame for breaking Julius' favorite chair for Drew.
Air date: 2007-05-15
Runtime: 21 min
Overview: Chris plays a prank on Caruso on the last day of school.
