Following the escapades of a hard-partying Chicago father who provides no guidance to his dysfunctional brood of six.
A manhunt goes out for Frank after he heads off on a Friday bender and uncharacteristically fails to show up to cash his disability check.
Fiona contemplates romance with a policeman who has had a lifelong crush on her, but Steve isn't about to remove himself from the picture.
When Aunt Ginger takes her leave, little Debbie is left sad and lonely, so to ease the hurt she kidnaps a toddler from a birthday party, leaving the Gallaghers scrambling to come up with a plan to return the child.
The family attempts to pull off a fake wedding when it is revealed that Veronica comes from a wealthy family; Frank is given bad medical news and doesn't do such a good job of handling it; and Steve goes cruising for a new car, with Fiona along for the ride.
Fiona scrambles to spruce up the house for an impending visit from Carl's teacher; Lip makes some extra cash by taking tests for his less-intelligent classmates; the Kash and Grab is repeatedly robbed by a local punk; and Frank's lack of business acumen costs him.
To come up with $6000 Frank owes to two thugs, he entertains the notion of a risky business that's going to require some big-time help from the family.
Frank goes on the wagon, which pleases Carl and Debbie, but a sceptical Lip doesn't believe their father's newfound sobriety will last for long.
Frank is due some settlement money, but there's a catch: he needs his ex-wife's signature on the paperwork.
Monica returns and the Gallagher clan are in a tizzy as they try to determine if Frank is their real father.
Fiona befriends an alluring young lady after Debbie talks her into joining a mothers' group.
Steve's actual occupation is revealed and he tries to persuade Fiona to leave town with him. Meanwhile, Frank goes into hiding when his and Karen's secret is spilled; and car thieves Lip and Ian get caught and locked up.
