Still Standing - Episode Guide

Judy and Bill (Jami Gertz, Mark Addy) play a "truth" game that ends with her feelings hurt and his chronic neck pain cured. Also, Bill gives his son a few tips on ways to impress a girl.

Judy joins a book club to exercise her mind, but after Bill intrudes on a discussion, she competes with him to see who can be the smarter reader. Linda, meanwhile, sets her sights on winning a date with the book club's leader (Sean Masterson).

Judy gets bent out of shape at her 20th class reunion over a classmate that's far more accomplished than she is, till Bill tells her this classmate's marriage is in trouble.

Lauren likes classmate Alex, and Bill, against Judy's advice, interferes in the "romance". Lauren is humiliated. Judy gets tickets for all involved to see Blink 182 in concert. Inadvertently, Lauren gets even more humiliated, this time by her mother on the jumbotron.

After they're caught sleeping during Tina's solo number at a school recital, Bill and Judy volunteer in her classroom to make amends, but their good intentions immediately backfire when Bill and another father enter into a shoving match and Judy accidentally puts the kindergarten hamster in harm's way.

Brian joins the high-school football team as a placekicker after some persuasion from Bill, who points out it's a surefire way to meet girls. Subsequently, the teen becomes friendly with a cheerleader (Karina Tregub), but Bill's displeased because she's helping Brian try out for the pep squad.

Bill's bond with Linda's latest beau (Mitch Rouse) is so strong that when Linda catches the guy cheating, Bill secretly continues the friendship. Judy, meanwhile, tells a small white lie in order to stay home and watch a hockey game on TV, instead of attending a pottery class with her sister.

Judy's idea to share in an evening of fun family activities once a week is met with ridicule from Bill and the kids, who, because of their constant complaining, drive Judy to walk out on their first attempt at spending some quality time together.

Tensions run high in the Miller household as Judy's steadily bickering parents (Janet Carroll, Steven Gilborn) visit for Thanksgiving, and things only get worse when the couple announce they're extending their already unwelcome stay by a week. Linda, meanwhile, tackles cooking the traditional turkey dinner in hopes of winning some praise. Brian: Taylor Ball. Lauren: Renee Olstead.

Judy takes Bill's advice to feign a shared interest with her boss to get a promotion. What she receives, though, are opera tickets for the same night as a big hockey game. Linda, meanwhile, happily volunteers to chaperone Lauren's sleepover party.

Bill loans a co-worker (Chris Elliott) $300 to buy a big-screen TV without realizing the guy has a reputation for not repaying debts, which is worrisome considering Judy needs money to replace a broken hot-water heater. Carl: David Koechner.

Lauren's forbidden from attending her first school dance as a punishment for bullying, which Judy recalls falling victim to as a teen. Lauren, though, has evidence of a double standard after Bill lets it slip that Judy used to tease a girl by calling her "Gina-so-smelly."

Judy is sick and tired of being regarded as the family disciplinarian, while Bill gets to be the fun parent by letting the kids break the rules. To remedy the situation, she adopts a rather carefree attitude, which throws everyone for a loop.

Bill feels inadequate in the company of Linda's physically fit boyfriend (Greg Vaughan), so he attempts to prove his own athleticism by joining a beginner hockey league, but overexerts himself just trying to keep up with the other players. Meanwhile, Judy is pressured into joining a health club and taking spinning classes.

The humorous Valentine's Day card that Judy receives from Bill leaves her feeling as if the romance in their marriage is dead. To reignite the old spark, Judy shows up at Bill's job wearing nothing but a trench coat and high heels, but her surprising visit doesn't go exactly as planned. Elsewhere, Brian seeks his parents' advice when trying to impress a girl at school. Bonnie: Ashley Michelle Tisdale. Miss Bodin: Patricia Belcher.

Bill has to crawl back into Judy's favor by apologizing to her hairdresser (David Hasselhoff) for calling him a rip-off artist.

Bill and Judy press Lauren (Renee Olstead) into handing in an elaborate tornado machine they constructed as her science project. The teacher is so impressed with Lauren's assignment that she promotes the 13-year-old to an honors science class, meaning more homework for Bill and Judy.

Judy warns Linda against moving too fast in her love life after she gets dumped by one guy, then immediately jumps into another relationship with a handsome restaurateur (Jeffrey Nordling). When Judy's advice falls on deaf ears, a feud breaks out between the sisters.

Bill gets together with an old buddy whose wild and crazy ways he idolized in high school, but is disappointed to find his pal leading a straightlaced life with a boring wife. After realizing he too has changed since getting married, Bill attempts to relive his 1980s youth. Meanwhile, Lauren dreads her first clarinet recital.

As a favor to her beleaguered boss, Dr. Gerber (Richard Kind), Judy offers temporary shelter for his prized pet pooch. Bill goes a step further, showing the dog and his lonely owner how to kick up their heels and have fun. Mr. Conway: Maz Jobrani.

Bill proves himself too eager to please when his master-of-the-guilt-trip mother (Sally Struthers) pays a surprise visit. That is, until Judy suggests he stop placating the woman and start ignoring her, a strategy that ends up backfiring on Bill when he hurts his mom's feelings and she runs away.

The first-season finale finds Bill and Judy abandoning their floor seats at an AC/DC concert to search for a missing Lauren, who they presume has sneaked out of the house to attend a forbidden beer party thrown by one of Brian's cheerleader friends. Meanwhile, Brian, who didn't make the guest list, follows his dad's example by crashing the bash and acting like he belongs with the rest of the party-goers.

After Judy and Bill order Lauren to drop basic math and take a more difficult algebra class, her bad attitude about schoolwork multiplies and the conflict between Lauren and her parents increases exponentially. Judy and Bill then try to solve the problem using the art of negotiation.

Bill is extremely excited to teach nearly 16-year-old Brian how to drive. So excited, in fact, that after their first lesson, Bill takes the money he and Judy have saved for a new family car and buys a used 1981 "party van." In other happenings, Judy decides to pass along some of her old threads from the '70s to Lauren, who keeps bugging her parents for money so that she can buy vintage clothing. Lauren: Renee Olstead.

Judy's role as PTA committee chairperson nets her a pool-party invite. But her newfound popularity may be sunk when she suggests the hosts' son borrowed a condom from Brian (Taylor Ball), who obtained it from Bill.

Bill and Judy's elation over Brian and Lauren entering the workforce for the first time quickly turns into frustration when both the teens go out of the way to bond with their new bosses. Bill and Judy can't stand the sudden interest the kids are taking in things they've tried (and failed) for years to convince their offspring to enjoy, like Led Zeppelin and baking brownies.

Bill assumes Lauren was chosen to perform a monologue in a theater production at school because the drama instructor, with whom Bill once had a summer fling, is still harboring unresolved romantic feelings. To Bill's surprise, Judy encourages her hubby to milk the teacher's crush for all it's worth.

Judy's motherly instincts tell her that Lauren's new trio of friends are a bad influence, a suspicion that seems to be confirmed when Lauren's caught shoplifting a bracelet at the mall. Although Bill is first inclined to believe his daughter's claims of innocence, he has a change of heart when a brand-new MP3 player shows up in his little girl's bedroom.

Bill's turning 40, which should be a time of celebration in the Miller home, but for the fact that Brian is upset at his dad for disclosing to Judy the embarrassing details of a private father-son discussion they had about the body changes of puberty.

Eager to relive their glory days, chaperones Bill and Judy are excited about a teen dance with an '80s theme. The same can't be said of Brian, who's dateless after following his mom's relationship advice. Meanwhile, Bill gives a few pointers on the birds and bees to a football player (Aaron Hill), who then makes a move on Lauren.

Bill gets the bright idea to have Lauren (Renee Olstead) profile her Aunt Linda for a school report on role models, which leads to Lauren helping Linda fulfill her dream of designing and selling fashions for goose lawn ornaments. Meanwhile, Judy becomes jealous of the time that her little sis and eldest daughter are spending together and spitefully dismisses their business venture, predicting it will lay an egg.

The Millers meet Lauren's new boyfriend's parents, whom they find unbelievably dorky and weird, and make up a lie to get out of spending anymore time together. But they later regret it when they realize they're setting a bad example for the kids. Ted Halverson: Kevin Nealon. Kathy: Marin Mazzie. Matthew: Sean Kelly Magner.

The Millers want to spend Christmas Eve at home feasting on the holiday dinner Judy's always dreamed of preparing, but Bill's mother (Sally Struthers) isn't happy with those plans and gives them a guilt trip about visiting her tiny new apartment instead. Elsewhere, Linda decides to make life merrier for someone who's less fortunate when it comes to personal style.

Judy's parents arrive from Indiana to take the kids on a three-day trip, but cancel it when they think Judy is coming down with a cold and needs lots of TLC. While Judy enjoys being coddled back to health, Bill, Brian and Lauren must pick up the slack and perform all of the household chores.

Being the statistician for the school basketball team gives Brian an in with some of the more popular kids, until Bill finds out they're being nice because his son runs their errands. So he evens the score with them by getting them in trouble with their parents after a night of partying.

While visiting from Florida, Bill's macho father, Al (Paul Sorvino), decides he wants to spend some quality time with his son so he makes plans to re-create a past bow hunting trip he took Bill on as a child to toughen the boy up. Brian, meanwhile, sharpens his math skills as he prepares to compete in the Math Olympics.

Judy accompanies Bill to the restaurant he enjoys frequenting with his buddies and discovers the attraction isn't the food but the attractive, flirtatious waitresses. Although Judy says she isn't jealous, she would like Bill to admit his true motives for dining there.

Bill and Judy are afraid that Louise (Sally Struthers) may be bilked out of her life savings by her new gentleman friend, who works as an investment counselor to senior citizens. So, the Miller twosome arrange to have dinner with the guy, during which they start to put aside their worries about him---until he squeezes Judy's rear end. Johnny: Clyde Kusatsu. Linda: Jennifer Irwin.

Bill tries to pry Brian away from his nerdy friends and get him to become closer companions with Fitz's athletic son, Scotty (Benjamin Knapple). However, this match-up doesn't work out quite as planned when Scotty reveals that he is gay and interested in going out on a date with Brian. Meanwhile, Lauren wants to prevent Judy from making a fool of herself during a step-dance performance at the St. Patrick's Day parade.

Brian takes a part-time job where Bill works to earn money for a tutor, but he soon adopts his dad's bad ethics and drops the notion of needing study help at all. Meanwhile, Linda persuades Lauren to double-date with her so she can spend more time with a divorced father who insists on bringing along his son on their dates. Danny: Joel Murray. Mack: John Marshall Jones. Customer: Steve Seagren.

Bill defends his masculinity when he accidentally smashes Tina's dollhouse. He vows to repair it himself even though Judy doesn't believe he can do it on his own without her help.

Bill and Judy are jealous when they learn that a neighbor's house is the cool hang-out for teens, so they turn their garage into a fun center to coax the kids over to their home. Ted: Kevin Nealon. Kathy: Marin Mazzie. Matt: Shawn Pyfrom. Becca: Lauren Schaffel. Neal: Timothy Bumatay. Eric: Vinnie Pergola.

Bill and Judy spy on Brian and Lauren after they become suspicious that the two are making secret plans and covering up for each other. When they search the kids' bedrooms, they discover fake IDs, a box filled with money and a receipt from a tattoo parlor. Tattoo Artist: Vince Neil.

Tina is invited to a birthday party at the home of former NFL star Willie Gault, but she doesn't want to attend so Bill and Judy go without her, and accidentally leave with Gault's Super Bowl ring. Himself: Mike Tomczak. Himself: Tim Wrightman. Karen: Nicole Randall Johnson.

Brian moves out of the house and into the garage following an argument with his parents over how late he can stay out. Meanwhile, Lauren dreams of becoming a professional singer.

Bill and Judy are worried that Lauren may be depressed after a doctor tells them she needs to see a therapist.

A lesbian couple (Justine Bateman, Julia Campbell) move in next door to the Millers and become upset when their 16-year-old son's grades drop after he starts dating Lauren. Ed: Rodney Dangerfield. Chris: Sean Marquette.

Linda starts treating her latest loser boyfriend (James Patrick Stuart) more like a feline than a man after her cat dies, much to Bill and Judy's dismay.

Bill gets caught up in a fantasy card game in which players pretend to be wizards and warlocks after he learns that Brian is a champion player; Judy starts spending time with Fitz now that Linda is engaged and doesn't have much time for her.

Bill and Judy are determined to come up with an item to auction off at a school fund-raiser that will bring in more money than the one from their wealthy neighbors.

Judy learns that Bill is secretly a great cook, but he tries to hide it so he won't have to make meals for the family.

Judy fears that she'll die before Bill does after learning that she has high cholesterol, so she pours out her heart to him in a letter and wants him to do the same, much to his dismay.

Louise (Sally Struthers) is lonely with her boyfriend out of town, so she tries to coax Bill into spending some quality mother-son time together. Bill's left off the hook, though, after Judy unwittingly agrees to accompany Louise on a weeklong cruise. Waiter: Jonathan Williams. Betty: Lucy Lee Flippin.

Bill and Judy offer conflicting dating advice to Brian, who is considering breaking up with his current girlfriend to make a move on her best friend. Also, Tina retaliates against Linda for scaring her.

Bill lies to Judy about who's to blame for messing up a video of Tina's ballet recital with close-up footage of Tina's good-looking dance instructor (Andrea De Oliveira). Meanwhile, Linda and Brian spend their free time together going to the theater.

Bill and Judy are concerned that the neighbor boy, Chris (Sean Marquette), is moving too fast in his relationship with Lauren. But after a heart-to-heart with the kid, they discover it's their daughter who's the romantic aggressor.

On a father-daughter outing to the mall, Bill and Lauren agree to lie to Judy about spending quality time together, then split up to do their own things. Meanwhile, Judy's decision to try on Linda's wedding dress turns out to be a really bad one.

Bill and Linda become unlikely allies when they both become fed up with Judy's know-it-all attitude. Trouble is, by following Bill's relationship advice, Linda may have jeopardized her plans to marry Perry (James Patrick Stuart). Meanwhile, Lauren offers Brian fashion tips so that he can impress a girl at school.

Brian, Lauren and their friends are caught sneaking beers, so to set a good example, Bill and Judy join other parents who've vowed not to drink alcohol for a month.

Fitz (Joel Murray) doesn't seem to enjoy bachelorhood nearly as much as Bill and Judy enjoy hanging out at his singles pad. Meanwhile, Linda continuously gets duped into taking care of Brian, Lauren and Tina while their parents spend night after night away from home.

Louise announces she's getting hitched to her new boyfriend and, to Judy's chagrin, would like her daughter-in-law to perform the maid-of-honor duties, all of which need to be completed in just two weeks. Meanwhile, Bill is thrilled that his mother is getting married, mostly because it means she'll be spending less time with him and his family. Too bad Bill's father has to show up and threaten to spoil everything.

Bill and Brian lead Judy to believe that they are being Good Samaritans by spending their free time with a sickly old widow. The fact is, however, that the woman they're helping is a sprightly former model who's recovering from an alcohol-induced skiing injury. Mrs. Grundy: Bo Derek.

Brian has a secret e-mail admirer and he thinks it is Sarah (Tara Lipinski), the flirty 19-year-old college student who has been tutoring Lauren. The fact is, however, that Lauren's behind the love mail---it was part of a plan to expose Bill's double standard on dating that excludes his daughters from going out with older boys.

Bill resents his new boss, Seth (Ben Savage), a 23-year-old Harvard graduate with a massive chip on his shoulder, at least at first. But his feelings change after Seth strikes up a friendship with Brian, which results in perks and privileges for Bill at work. Meanwhile, Judy is concerned that Seth's superiority complex will rub off on her son.

Bill and Judy attempt to retrieve an old stuffed bear Lauren donated to an anti-drug charity's rummage sale because it might contain their secret stash of marijuana. Meanwhile, Brian tries to find a buyer for Linda's car, "Mr. Puff 'n' Chug", which proves difficult due to the impossibly high standards Linda requires of the new owner. Dr. Bloom: Tom Bosley. Ella: Allisyn Ashley Arm.

Judy looks forward to her Mother's Day tradition of having high tea at a fancy restaurant with Helen, Linda and, for the first time, a less-than-enthusiastic Lauren, but Bill's oh-so-manipulative mother (Sally Struthers) threatens to ruin Judy's plans by trying to go as well. Helen: Swoosie Kurtz. Doctor: Karl T. Wright.

Perry's tour is canceled, so he and Linda are finally getting hitched---unless Judy can stop the wedding by convincing her little sister that she can do better than "some overgrown child who thinks he's a rock star."

Bill and Judy encourage Brian to get over his initial anxiety about traveling to Italy as part of a foreign-exchange program. But before Brian's departure, it's Bill who's upset that his son has grown old enough to leave the nest. Meanwhile, Lauren tries to find a summer camp for Tina after their parents neglected to do so.

Brian returns home from his summer in Italy to begin his senior year of high school, what Bill deems "the single greatest year of a young man's life." However, Brian has trouble mustering any enthusiasm for it as he pines for a girl he met abroad. Meanwhile, Perry (James Patrick Stuart) suffers a minor concussion caused---inadvertently---by Linda.

Judy tries to help the neighbor boy (Jared Hillman) see that Lauren is using him, but Judy's act of concern seems to get misconstrued as flirting. Bill, who's supposed to set things straight once and for all, opts not to after he employs the kid to do some remodeling around the house. Terry: Justine Bateman. Shelly: Julia Campbell.

Judy is none too pleased when Bill starts spending every waking minute with their new next-door neighbor, Kyle Polsky (Todd Stashwick), an unemployed brewery heir who, in his endless hours of free time, is putting an eyesore of a Wiffle ball field in his backyard. Meanwhile, Tina is doing a great job of annoying Lauren.

Attending traffic school together, Judy and Linda experience a sort of role reversal when Judy gets mistaken for a brainiac doctor, while Linda comes off as someone who's cool and popular. Also: Bill uncovers dirt on Brian and Lauren that he uses as blackmail to make them his "slaves."

Judy tries to limit the time Bill spends with next-door neighbor Kyle Polsky (Todd Stashwick), whom she considers a bad influence, and calls him an "irresponsible man-child." However, she comes to regret those words after she forgets to mail Brian's college application and needs rich-alumnus Kyle's help getting him admitted.

Judy catches Bill in a lie when he claims he took his mother-in-law, Helen (Swoosie Kurtz), to the eye doctor, but really whooped it up with her at a casino instead. Meanwhile, to celebrate Judy's 40th birthday, Brian, Lauren and Tina decide to make a list of 40 things that they love about her, then have difficulty coming up with more than three items.

Bill gets the little brother he never wanted when his father, Al (Paul Sorvino), visits and brings his perky new fiancée and her 9-year-old son, Billy, who seems to have become the apple of Al's eye---and proves to be an attention-grabbing thorn in Bill's side.

Bill and Judy try to find new friends to do things with as couples, but they think they won't find an equally fun pair until they meet the parents of one of Lauren's friends. They seem to be a perfect match, but they only want to spend time with Judy. Meanwhile, Brian and Linda buy matching cell phones, and he sees something disturbing when he picks hers up by mistake.

There isn't much holiday spirit in the Miller home: Brian and Lauren are working, and Judy decides there will be no gift exchange with Bill. But as Christmas nears, the meaning of the season brings the family together---with mixed results.

Expensive concert tickets are at the center of a game of "one-upmanship" between Bill and Judy as they try to prove who is better at finding things. Marion cautions them to work together as a team, but the advice comes too late and Marion offers a surprising solution to the situation.

Judy is looking forward to the quality mother-daughter bonding time she's going to spend helping Lauren plan her sweet-16 birthday bash, but Judy's hopes are dashed when Louise (Sally Struthers) hijacks the party.

Linda feels neglected by Perry and begins to spend time with the rich playboy who moved in next to Bill and Judy. Perry returns after learning about his wife's activities and reveals a shameful secret that explains his recent behavior. Perry: James Patrick Stuart.

Brian is failing gym, so Bill decides to ask the coach, an old school buddy, to ease up. But the plan backfires when Bill antagonizes the man and rekindles old rivalries. Meanwhile, Bill's mother (Sally Struthers) arrives for an unannounced visit and turns the house into an arts-and-crafts nightmare for Judy and the kids. Coach Stone: Tom Wilson.

Bill decides to be a better father and takes a renewed interest in Lauren's life after he finds birth-control pills in her purse. But his distrust leads to a misunderstanding---and a trap set by his daughter.

Bill takes Brian to a strip club for his 18th birthday and encourages him to embrace his new adulthood, which Brian seems to do more than his parents intended. Elsewhere, Linda helps Lauren with her poetry assignment.

Louise causes Judy to miss out on getting a new car on "Oprah," and Bill is caught in the middle of their feud. Meanwhile, Lauren joins Brian's meteorology club hoping to use their treasury funds for a ski trip.

Judy begins coaching Tina's basketball team and forces Bill to attend, causing him to miss the televised NBA games he paid to see. When he learns Tina's team might make the play-offs, he comes up with a plan to make them lose so he can get back to watching the pros.

Judy tries for a better job with another dentist and needs the family to behave in order to impress the prospective employer, but Brian pretends to act tough in order to score with a girl---who happens to be the boss's daughter.

Bill enjoys bonding with his father (Paul Sorvino), who appears to be a changed man on the eve of his second marriage, but a secret the elder Miller has kept for years proves he isn't so different after all.

In the fourth-season finale, Brian leaves for college, so Bill and Judy decide to remodel his room in secret, but their odd behavior leads Brian to think their marriage is falling apart because he is moving out.