Mel tries to convince Joe of his importance to her and the family after she learns that he has been looking for another job.
Melissa and Joe are both happy in their new relationships, until they discover they are dating a divorced couple. Soon, they are fighting over custody of the ex-couple's son.
Meanwhile, Lennox decides to get a tattoo after her boyfriend Zander forbids her. And Ryder is surprised to find he actually misses school.
Joe paints Mel into a corner, forcing her to get him a job at City Hall with fellow City Council member Paul. Once there, Joe gets wrapped up in another potential financial scandal, leading to all sorts of headaches for Mel. Meanwhile, Lennox is torn between her boyfriend Zander and her hot co-star in the school play, Archer.
Joe dates his chiropractor following a back injury, and he doesn't want to rush their new romance. Elsewhere, Ryder and Zander team up to work on a graphic novel, but the project hits a sour note when Lennox becomes their editor.
Mel's childhood friend, Austin, moves back to Toledo, and he and Mel quickly take their old friendship to a new level. But Joe starts to think that Mel and Austin may in fact be related, and schemes to break them up. Meanwhile, enterprising Lennox sells ads on her blog to earn extra money, but is horrified to discover her first sponsor may participate in unfair labor practices.
Joe accidentally injures Mel's boyfriend, Austin (guest star Trevor Donovan), during a competitive game of pool. Mel accuses Joe of doing it on purpose to ruin her romantic weekend getaway.
Meanwhile, Joe invites a nerdy kid to join Ryder in his home school studies, and Lennox takes to psychoanalyzing everyone in the house.
Mel is taken aback when she finds out that Austin may not share her vision of their future and is resolute in his belief he never wants children. Trying to convince Mel not to give up on her dream of a family, Joe introduces her to the neighbor's baby. Meanwhile, Joe's new girlfriend is only interested in a physical connection, which leaves him confused and wanting more in the relationship. And, Lennox can't motivate herself to write her college entrance paper, so she hires Ryder to be her full time babysitter until she does.
After Joe convinces Mel to dump her needy friend Anita, he secretly starts dating her.
Meanwhile, Lennox gets super competitive and becomes determined to beat Zander's test scores. And Ryder is bummed when all of his friends delete him from their social media sites.
Mel desperately wants to be the cool aunt after she discovers that Lennox has taken her relationship with Zander to the next level, but Joe just wants tohug Zander.
Meanwhile, Ryder's naïve girlfriend Keira is impressed with his undeserved bad boy reputation, but he discovers her parents are not.
Mel and Joe are invited to co-host a week of "Good Morning Toledo" which Mel thinks will help her earn voters. Their constant bickering on air garners rave reviews with the audience and they're an instant hit. But when the secret to their popularity turns out to be talking a little too personally about Lennox and Ryder, they have to decide if fame or family is more important.
When his apartment needs to undergo emergency renovations, Mel invites her new boyfriend, Noah, to temporarily move in with her, accelerating their relationship. When she starts to change her personality, Joe questions whether Mel is allowing Noah to know the "real" Mel Burke. Meanwhile, Lennox gets her dream internship at the local newspaper, but has a hard time actually waking up to get to work.
When Joe and Ryder sell Mel's old belongings, they inadvertently sell a very personal item of hers. Desperate to reclaim her property, Mel and Joe turn to crime to get it back.
Meanwhile, Lennox's new pen pal is eager to meet her in person, after his release from prison.
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.
In failing health, Joe's grandmother Sofia begs him to come visit her one last time for her birthday, and to bring his beautiful wife Tiffany along. Since Joe never got around to telling "Nona" he and Tiffany got divorced, he's forced to beg Mel to pretend to be his trampy ex. Soon, Joe and Mel are on the road to Jersey with Lennox and Ryder tagging along.
Once there, they meet Joe's colorful mother Gloria, his sister Theresa and the formidable Sofia. Sensing something is amiss with her grandson and his "wife", Sofia resorts to trickery to see them repair their marriage by any means necessary. What started out as a silly ruse soon makes a wrong turn, and leaves Joe and Mel confused as to where they stand with each other.
Meanwhile, Joe's nephew Marco makes the moves on Lennox. And Ryder enjoys being treated like a king until he's asked to perform a favor for the family.
In failing health, Joe's grandmother Sofia begs him to come visit her one last time for her birthday, and to bring his beautiful wife Tiffany along. Since Joe never got around to telling "Nona" he and Tiffany got divorced, he's forced to beg Mel to pretend to be his trampy ex. Soon, Joe and Mel are on the road to Jersey with Lennox and Ryder tagging along.
Once there, they meet Joe's colorful mother Gloria, his sister Theresa and the formidable Sofia. Sensing something is amiss with her grandson and his "wife", Sofia resorts to trickery to see them repair their marriage by any means necessary. What started out as a silly ruse soon makes a wrong turn, and leaves Joe and Mel confused as to where they stand with each other.
Meanwhile, Joe's nephew Marco makes the moves on Lennox. And Ryder enjoys being treated like a king until he's asked to perform a favor for the family.
Jaime Pressly drops by as Mel's sister Meredith, who comes home from prison on furlough to celebrate Christmas with the kids and Mel, and seems unruffled by Joe's obvious animosity towards her.
In picking up where the summer cliff-hanger left off, Joe rushes home to tell Mel that he has feelings for her after their romantic night together in New Jersey. When he arrives, he's shocked to find Austin (guest star Trevor Donovan) has shown up and wants to give his relationship with Mel another try. Deciding he can't stay and watch them fall in love all over again, Joe quits. Meanwhile, Lennox plots to get Joe and Mel together and Ryder gets sick from his own cooking.
Mel feels that it's a good idea for her and Joe to take things slow. Taking her literally, Joe finds another job, working so hard that they never have time to see each other. Meanwhile, Lennox is conflicted about putting her relationship with Zander on "Pause" when he asks her to collaborate with him on a comic book.
Mel insists on Joe "courting" her, but soon becomes frustrated at their lack of time together. Desperate to spend time with him, Mel sneaks over to his new digs, where he works as a live-in nanny, risking getting him fired for a second time in as many weeks.
Meanwhile, after witnessing a robbery, Ryder expects a hero's welcome, but is horrified to discover that his interview with the local news has been turned into a viral video called "I Peed My Pants".
After winning an 8-course dining experience in a raffle, Mel decides to preemptively join an exercise boot camp to lose weight before she gorges on the gourmet meal. She talks Joe into teaching the class, but his harsh tactics get her booted out. Still fighting, they head to the restaurant to meet celebrity chef Malcolm Sunderland, who immediately butts heads with Joe over cooking styles.
Meanwhile, Lennox and Zander attempt to sell their "Cassandra" web series.
Mel takes Joe to a work dinner. Upon meeting the press, Joe starts to spout his-and Mel's-opinions on issues, which garners Mel bad press.
Meanwhile, Ryder musters up the courage to ask his new Chem partner Stella out on a date.
Mel tries to talk Joe into letting her get a dog, but he argues that he'll be the one stuck taking care of it. She adopts the mutt anyway - much to Joe's chagrin. But soon, "father and son" are inseparable, leaving Mel feeling left out. Meanwhile, Ryder finds himself spending more and more time with Stella's daughter, instead of Stella.
Mel gets a reluctant Joe to agree to couple's therapy to work on their constant arguing. But she's completely caught off guard when the therapist turns out to be Joe's ex-girlfriend.
Meanwhile, Lennox is conflicted about dating her Teaching Assistant after Zander shows up on her porch.
Mel and Joe have a fun game night with married couple Nate and Gillian, whom they hope to remain good friends with. But then Nate tells Joey a big secret... that Joe in turn tells Mel... who then tells Gillian...
Meanwhile, after flunking out of art school, Zander shows up begging Ryder to let him secretly hide out in the basement without Lennox knowing.
When Mel and Joe discover Lennox is secretly dating her teaching assistant, Emerson, Joe talks Mel into putting her foot down and forbidding the relationship. But things don't go as planned, and Lennox ends up moving out... and into Emerson's apartment.
Meanwhile, Ryder is stuck at the Canadian border after leaving his passport somewhere in the house.
Mel and Joe are forced to chaperone Ryder's school dance, getting themselves kicked out by the Vice Principal for bad behavior.
Meanwhile, Ryder contemplates breaking up with Stella but does an about-face after helping her nurse a sick Isabel.
Mel is completely on Joe's side when he's involved in a hit and run, until she discovers the other driver is her beloved hairdresser, Calista.
Meanwhile, Ryder tries to win Stella back with a grand romantic gesture during class much to the frustration of her teacher.
Against Mel's better judgment, Joe agrees to act as a wingman to his recently divorced friend Charlie when they go out to a bar. There, Joe meets Darcy who doesn't know he has a girlfriend.
Meanwhile, Zander decides to move in with two female co-eds at his college, much to Lennox's chagrin.
Mel's wild father comes to town to help Mel announce her state senate run. But when Joe teaches him about "selfies", he accidentally sends a racy photo to everyone involved in Mel's campaign, hurting her chances at winning.
Meanwhile, Ryder tries to come up with a winning idea for his Entrepreneur's Club.
Joe inherits his Nona Sophia's ugly chair - the one she died in - and can't wait to finally add a piece of his life into Mel's home. Mel, unfortunately, doesn't feel the same way and tries to find ways to get rid of the chair without hurting Joe's feelings.
Meanwhile, Ryder pretends he's a college student to hook up with one of Zander's roommates, and Lennox and Zander dance around their hidden feelings for each other.
Mel finds out some unexpected news from her doctor and has to choose the right time when to tell Joe. Ryder forms a study group with a huge mix of people. Lennox and Lander get their wires crossed.
Mel plans the perfect wedding day for her friend Carrie. But when Carrie calls it off, Mel wonders if she should keep all the flowers, catering and venue for her and Joe.
Meanwhile, Lennox helps Ryder lie on his resume to help him get a job.
In a special clip episode, Mel and Joe meet with a counselor to discuss their relationship. As they look back on their years together, they quickly decide that honesty is not the best policy.
Mel is less than thrilled when Joe's mom drops by, but it's Joe who hits the roof when his estranged brother Tony turns up unannounced. Meanwhile, Lennox insists on helping Ryder get into college even though he has plans of his own.
It's Mel and Joe's wedding weekend, but things aren't running as smoothly as they'd hoped. Before they can even make it down the aisle, Joe sees her in her dress, prompting Mel to trash it and get a new one. Plus, someone is injured during Joe's bachelor party, Mel's father is MIA, Marco's making the moves on Lennox in front of Zander and someone accidentally confesses a hidden secret.
Mel gives Joe shocking news during their wedding, and he must quickly make a decision as a result. Meanwhile, Lennox feels torn between Zander and Marco and Ryder looks for the perfect opportunity to reveal that he won't be attending college.
Joe doesn't ask Mel, before asking his family to move in with them. Marco and Zander both try and win over Lennox. Ryder earns a credential from an online course.