Ray Barone is a successful sportswriter living on Long Island with his wife Debra, daughter Ally, and twin sons, Geoffrey and Michael. Ray's meddling parents, Frank and Marie, and brother, Robert, live directly across the street.
Ray brings home a stray bulldog that reminds him of the dog he had to give up as a boy due to his allergies, but his brother Robert bonds with the dog and the siblings have to decide who gets to keep him.
The neighbourhood is up in arms over Ray's noisy dad and meddling mom, and the neighbours demand a meeting at Ray's and Debra's house.
A popular radio psychologist visits the Barone household to interview Debra for a book on the American family. But the doctor finds that the rest of the eccentric Barones are more captivating.
In this flashback episode, Ray and Debra remember their days in their first apartment.
