Step by Step

A divorced contractor and a widowed beautician impulsively marry, but their broods are in no mood to meld.

Al is in the dumps after being dumped by a boy, so who's to undump her but lovable Steve Urkel.

Carol's new house rules are meant to bring harmony, but they drum up howls instead.

Dana is beside herself when Cody outscores her on the SATs; the kids help themselves to Frank's clothes.

Frank teaching Shakespeare? 'Twould indeed be nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

To outdo the "superdad" of Al's friend, Frank enters a Human Fly contest in which he has to bounce off a trampoline and stick to a wall.

Dana's new boyfriend, Daniel, convinces her to be in a local play he is directing. Coincidentally, Cody is working on the set of the show and Daniel convinces Cody to join the acting team as well. They become Romeo and Juliet, and Dana is unable to do a good job, because she cannot see any redeeming qualities in Cody. Then Daniel fires Dana saying, ""The show is the most important thing."" Cody then quits saying, ""People are the most important thing""; which Dana finds ""loyal, generous, and giving."" She finally sees redeeming qualities in Cody.

A nearby family is going out of town and they want Dana to ""house-sit."" Carol is extremely uncomfortable with Dana leaving, but Frank talks her into it so when she goes to college, Carol will be ready. Everyone has trouble adjusting. Cody gives his plant, Gordo, to Dana so she will have someone to talk to. JT complains that the remaining Fosters (Karen and Mark) do not slam him good enough. Frank discovers he misses Dana as if she were his own. Most of all, though, Dana discovers after catching herself talking to Gordo repeatedly,that she does not like being alone.

While at church with the Fosters (and NOT the Lamberts), Carol invites the pastor and his wife over for Sunday lunch. The Lambert's notice that he is a normal guy, and Frank promises that the Lamberts will be there next week. Cody and his friends, Slasher and Death, come too because the Pastor is into bikes. The only problem is that a big televised Packer's game is on that week. While at church, JT sneaks away to watch the game, Frank follows him up and falls through the ceiling. Frank agrees to fix the roof and go to church from now on. The very next week he observes Cody, Slasher, and Death singing, ""Pharaoh, Pharaoh""-- a ballad of the Israelites to the tune of ""Louie, Louie.""

Mark feels his friends don't respect him, and his mother babies him. In order to earn respect he joins a Karate class. His teacher kicks him out for being too wimpy. Cody agrees to help Mark prepare for the big karate tournament (Cody is a black belt) in a month and Mark becomes a totally new man. He faces the best person in the first match and falls behind quickly. Cody, however, notices his weakness and Mark uses it to catch up and force the guy to the final point. Mark loses the match, but wins respect from everybody except the coach of the other guy who mocks him and Cody and then challenges Cody to a karate match. Cody beats him badly. Frank is tired of all the yelling in the house so he installs an intercom that has a radio in it, but he is forced to destroy it when it wakes everyone up in the middle of the night.

Carol adds to her vast collection of ""first"" pictures by taking one of Dana's first day at East Wisconsin University. Dana feels she is being shafted when she receives a ""D"" on her English paper. That evoked varying responses including an ""Another first-- get a picture Carol"" from Al and an ""I'm the smartest now"" from Mark. Carol tells Dana her ego is too big and although she is smart she only had to look to her driveway to find someone smarter (remember SATs). Dana later apologizes and promises to correct her attitude. Immediately after this she finds out Cody was accepted at ""Cheese Wis U"" and enrolled in all her classes. Meanwhile, JT receives a credit card and despite a warning from Frank, he charges $20,000 worth of stuff, including a mink coat which Carol adores. When everything is returned Carol has a hard time parting with the coat. Frank puts the next credit card JT gets in the blender.

Cody joins a college fraternity (Delta Delta Beta),to be cool.But finds the way they treat woman disgusting after Karen attends a party with him. Meanwhile joins the schoolband.

J.T. and Rich are excited about going on dates, but J.T. didn't expect Al to be invited.

With Frank and Carol out for dinner, Dana, Karen and Al are left to watch their new baby sister.

Cody, J.T. and Mark suspect their new neighbor is a jewel thief. Meanwhile, Dana moves out and loosens up a little too much.

Carol introduces Jean-Luc to Frank, who dislikes him immediately; JT tries to learn to dance.

Jean-Luc celebrates a lonely birthday; Dana tutors Rich and romance blossoms.

JT, Rich and Dana take a trip to Mexico and wind up in jail; Jean-Luc takes driving lessons from Carol.

With the kids at school, Carol decides to take some college courses--the same ones Karen is taking. Meanwhile, Dana tells Rich to get serious about his education.

Al lands a part in a movie and dreams of a career in Hollywood; Carol gets in a bake-sale battle.

Rich secretly takes dancing lessons to impress Dana at a wedding, but she thinks he's cheating on her.