The show depicts the daily lives of Dave and Vicky and their three children, Hillary, Larry, and Mike, on Long Island, New York, dealing with normal family issues.

Of their three children, the oldest is Hillary (Kaylee DeFer), a typical 16-year-old who frequently misbehaves, trying to get away with bad behavior behind the backs of her parents, who often regard her with suspicion.

Second oldest is 15-year-old Larry (Kyle Sullivan), an odd misfit given to emotional outbursts (such as when Vicky denies him permission to see Brian Boitano star as Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings On Ice).

The youngest child, the pubescent 12-year-old Mike (Dean Collins), must deal with issues such as masturbation, dating and underage gambling.

The series frequently breaks the fourth wall between segments of an episode, during which Dave or other characters deliver a rant or other comment directly relating to the scene.