Season 1

2001 · 16 episodes

Episodes

1PilotThe three Bernstein-Flynn sisters are reunited when Nora returns to Los Angeles after two years in Africa and Annie graduates from college. Big sister Bess, who is expecting her first child any moment, is thrilled to have her two sisters back in the nest, but husband Steven is less enthusiastic as he realizes that when he married Bess, he got more than he bargained for. Instead of getting one woman, he ended up with three: his wife and her two sisters. Meanwhile, Nora makes a discomfiting discovery of her own when she learns the truth about her ex-husband's sexual preferences.
2My Birth and Welcome to ItWhen Steven puts his foot down and insists that only he and Bess will be present in the delivery room during the birth of their baby, the Bernstein-Flynn family, crushed by Steven's edict, plays a waiting game of their own.
3Masters of InventionWhen Annie's latest income-generating schemes prove to be predictable disasters, Bess and Nora decide it's time for a sisterly intervention. But Steven has a simpler solution -- and offers Annie a job working for him and Jake. Everything seems to be going so well, Bess and Nora begin to question their female perspective on the situation -- until fate intervenes. Meanwhile, George blindsides Nora with some unsolicited fatherly advice.
4The Dry SpellNora realizes it has been nearly four years since she went out on a date. Little sister Annie offers to help her get back in the game, but the two couldn't be more different in their approach when they visit a singles bar. Meanwhile, Bess has trouble telling if the pangs she's feeling are labor pains or twinges of jealousy at being left out while her single sisters cruise for men.
5The In-LawsWhen Steven's well-appointed and domineering mother and counterculture dropout father arrive together from Chicago to visit their son and daughter-in-law, Steven's coping strategy is to stay under the radar until the visit is over, but Bess encourages him to renew his bonds with his parents and invites them to extend their visit. It isn't long, however, before Steven's mother's controlling nature tries even Honey's patience. Meanwhile, his father's inappropriate behavior annoys George and grosses out Nora and Annie.
6Summer of ChocolateThe girls plan a surprise anniversary party for their parents, but the celebration nearly turns into psychodrama when Bess learns that her parents' idyllic marriage isn't completely perfect.
7The Faculty PartyWhen George throws a faculty party for one of his oldest friends, Frederick, in an effort to woo him to USC as a visiting professor, Frederick ends up wooing Nora instead -- much to the dismay of Bess and Annie. While the girls plot to put an end to Nora's romance by telling their father about the affair, Honey tries to throw George off-track, using Jake as a decoy.
8The RoosterWhile the siblings argue over who should inherit their parents' stuffed rooster, Frederick reveals his affair with Nora.
9The New GuyNora and Steven have differing opinions about Annie's new boyfriend, Kevin. Steven, thrilled to have another guy at the Bernstein-Flynn brunches, tries to talk Annie into keeping Kevin around, while Nora, who finds Kevin incredibly annoying, does everything in her power to convince Annie to dump him. That is, until Annie catches on, and pulls a fast one on both of them.
10Sisters: UndressedAfter much agonizing, Bess and Steven ask Nora to be Charlie's guardian. Nora agrees, but her cavalier attitude towards this sacred trust unnerves Bess. Meanwhile, Nora asks Bess to tell Annie to get her own apartment, but the plan backfires. Quote: Nora: If this was the last dress on Earth, I'd burn it and walk around naked.
11Blame the MessengerBess decides to end her maternity leave early when she learns of a possible promotion at work. But when Annie overhears Bess' co-workers saying she's not getting the promotion, she doesn't know whether or not to tell Bess. Meanwhile, Nora can't stand the idea that Jake put in the good word that got her an I-Max movie deal.
12Work-RelatedAnnie becomes a personal assistant to Andy Dick; Bess and Steven interview nannies.
13My Best Friend's GirlNora is trying to quit smoking, but has a hard time doing so. Bess, Annie and Nora plan to go on a Macy Gray concert, but Bess has to cancel it suddenly when she has a work related problem. So Annie invites Jake to go in Bess's place. So Nora, Annie and Jake are driving back from the concert in Jake's car, when Nora, who is feeling totally left out of the conversation, asks Jake to stop by a 7-Eleven. While she is out, Annie tries to roll down the window but can't, and Jake helps her. As he leans on her, they sort of kiss. Annie is thrilled and makes a big deal of it, while Jake doesn't talk much about it. They set a date, but Annie gets stood up. Steven talks to Jake about it and Jake confesses that he did the best thing: end things before the sex, because he knows it would be weird since she's Steven's sister-in-law. After realizing that he likes Annie more than he'd like to, he goes over Steven and Bess's to apologize, only to find Annie going on a date with a guy she met at the bar
14It's a Wonderful WifeSteven's plan to re-create the carefree ""Pre-Bess"" weekend of his bachelor days backfires when Bess gets hip to his selfish reason for sending her and her sisters to a spa for her birthday. Meanwhile, Honey and George have a chance to relive their youth when they babysit their grandson.
15Mother's DayWhen Honey tries to share her Mother's Day tradition of running naked into the ocean at dawn with Bess, mother and daughter discover how different they really are. The schism threatens to turn into the Great Divide when Honey is invited to a Playboy bunny reunion on Mother's Day -- and Bess and Nora express their post-feminist disapproval of Honey's ""bunny-dipping"" days. Feeling guilty, the girls and Annie crash the reunion, while Steven and Jake spend the entire night trying to get past the doorman. (NBC)
16Sister Break(From TV Guide) After attending a cooking class in which all that managed to rise were their tempers, Bess, Nora and Annie decide to take a break from one another. At first, the news delights Steven, who thinks he'll finally see what it's like to be married to just one woman. Then, his sisters-in-law start confiding in him. Meanwhile, Nora visits her ex, who turns out to have some surprising news for her. And Annie moves in with Honey, who says she loves having her around---but wonders exactly when she will leave.