Their dog Einstein unknowingly tampers with the machine and a critical component known as the "vector modulator" falls out, causing it to not function properly.

Norton and Marigold are unaware of this as they leave to attend the graduation of their children, Eddie (Tahj Mowry) and Marie (Raquel Lee), who are embarrassed by their parents' attempts at socializing and feel disconnected from them.

Eddie and Marie come in and notice that their parents have mentally reverted to the age of 21 and believe that they are in the 1980s when they were still designing the time machine in college.

At a diner, Marigold tells Chloe, a girl known for spreading rumors and gossip, that the Urban Slugs are playing at Eddie's house.

Eddie and Marie try to handle the situation, discovering that the problem with the machine is the missing vector modulator before their parents regress further into acting and dressing like 7-year-olds.