Roc

While Roc and Joey attend a baseball game, their father, visits Franke, an old friend who is dying at a local hospital, To ease his guilt, Frankie confesses that he once had sex with Andrews wife and may have fathered one of Andrews sons. Outraged and furious, Andrew demands to know which son, but Frankie dies before he can reveal the truth.

When Roc learns that Leon, a veteran garbage collector, is being forced to retire, Roc tries to comfort the old man. Thinking years of being alone and unappreciated have made Leon bitter, Roc decides to give Leon a retirement party to show how many friends he really has. Rocs father is hurt by the idea. He spent 35 years as a train porter, and no one ever have him a party.

Jealous when one of Eleanors patients gives her flowers and a diamond necklace, Roc agrees to let him propose to test Eleanors love. She is furious that he could think she would leave him for a wealthy man. They reaffirm their love, and Roc promises to get Eleanor nice things ""someday.""

Roc is promoted to Crew Supervisor, a big step on his way toward an executive position. While Eleanor, looks forward to the extra money every week, Rocs brother and father look forward to spending it on risky investments.

While Roc looks forward to a reunion with several of his old army buddies, Andrew aims to enjoy a Sixties party at the community center. As Andrew unpacks his clothes from the 1960s and reminisces about the civil rights movement, Roc recalls the good old days with his friends in the army.

After nurse Eleanor helps to deliver twin babies at the hospital, she once again wants to discuss the subject of children with her husband, Roc. Roc has insisted for years that they dont have the time or money to raise a child. Rocs father , Andrew, and brother, Joey, favor the idea of children. After four months of trying, Roc and Eleanor are afraid there may be a medical reason why they cant conceive a child. When Dr. Worthy reports that Eleanor has passed all the appropriate tests, the family looks silently to Roc. (Part 1 of 2)

Roc and Joey are shocked when their elderly father, Andrew, meets a beautiful young woman named Celia Miller at the neighborhood tavern. Not only does Andrew have sex with Celia at a nearby motel, he escorts her home and announces their engagement to her parents.

Reverend Hill suggests that Joey Emerson, an unemployed musician, give trumpet lessons to some of the congregations children. Roc immediately commits his lazy live-in brother to the job, hoping finally to see some money for rent. During the ""lessons,"" Joey makes telephone calls, bets on horse races and gives his students no musical guidance at all. Roc and Eleanor, endure the horrible trumpet noises coming from the living room and hope that the children will improve in time. Then Roc promises Reverend Hill that Joey and his students will play in the churhs next musical recital.

Roc hopes his unions decision to strike against the city will only last a few days. When the strike enters week three and Roc has spent his small allotment from the unions emergency fund, he takes a job as a hospital orderly, working under the supervision of his wife, Eleanor.

Roc is proud to be chosen by his boss, Mr. Samuels, to supervise a new sanitation trainee. But when he discovers that the new garbageman is a beautiful woman, Angela Kimbro, Roc worries that hell be too distracted by her looks to work. Angela quickly proves that shes as strong as any male sanitation worker. She also tells the horrified Roc that shes extremely attracted to him. Roc insists he loves his adoring wife, Eleanor. Still, Angela refuses to leave him alone.

After an evening of satisfying sex, retired railroad porter Andrew Emerson discovers that the woman lying next to him is dead. He interprets this shock as an omen from his long-departed wife, warning him to stay away from other woman. Roc and Eleanor try to cheer Andrew up by arranging a date for him with Helen, an attractive middle-aged nurse. As the four of them share a polite but awkward dinner, Andrew resists a friendship with Helen. Hes afraid shell be the next ""victim"" of this wifes revenge.

When temperamental trumpet player Kenny Davis quits his job with the famous Les McCann Band, fellow band member Billy Miller offers an audition to his friend Joey Emerson. Joey plays a superb audition and gets the job. During his first performance with the band, Kenny comes to listen and compliments Joey on his talent. Flattered, Joey loans Kenny his trumpet so he can play a song with the band. However, Kenny enjoys playing with his former group that he stays onstage the whole night.

Roc plans a day of suprises for Eleanors birthday but the night is ruined when Rocs suprise gifts arrives: a large painted portrait of Eleanor, but the artist has mistakenly painted a white woman instead of Eleanor. Then Roc loses all patience with Joeys irresponsibility and evicts him because he has taken advantage of his rent-free stay at Rocs home.

Attempting to prove her confidence in their marriage, Eleanor invites Rocs former girlfriend Janet over for dinner. When Janet reveals that she rejected Rocs marriage proposal only three months before he married Eleanor, Roc realizes that he never told that secret to Eleanor. Eleanor is furious with Roc because she now feels he married her before he had time to forget about Janet.

To help her win a promotion at the hospital, Eleanor asks Andrew to romance the head nurse, Matty. Andrew reports that his date with Matty was one of the worst evenings hes ever shared with a woman. Eleanor gets a conflicting report from Matty who said that Andrew was the best lover shes ever had and anxiously awaits their next date. Eleanor confronts Andrew with this report, learning that Matty reminds Andrew of his dead wife. No longer thinking of herself, Eleanor convinces Andrew to explain his true feelings to Matty.

When tests confirm his low sperm count, Roc asks Joey to donate his sperm . Roc does not want another mans sperm impregnating his wife, but Roc also realizes how passionately Eleanor wants to have a child. When they arrive at the hospital and begin the procedure, Roc suddenly changes his mind. He confesses that he wants to be genetically connected to his son and will continue more tests.

On the eve of the election, Eleanor, Andrew and Matty try to convince Roc and Joey to cast their ballots before the polls close. Andrew, Matty, and Eleanor each are pulling for a different candadiate and stage a mock debate to help Roc choose who to vote for. However, Eleanor tries not to antagonize Matty because she doesnt want to ruin her chances of getting the promotion at the hospital. Roc and Joey finally realize every vote is important and run out to the polls to vote just before closing time.

When Joey escapes serious injury in a car accident, Andrew forsees his own death and buys cemetery plots for himself and Joey, but not for Roc. Roc gets jealous and accuses his father of always favoring his selfish brother. Andrew explains that Roc has Eleanor to love him and bury him and Joey will always be a roving playboy with no one to care for his needs.

Joey proudly encourages his musical protege, Devon Brown, until he learns that the young man is involved with Andre Thompson, the local drug dealer. Joey learns that Devon is earning tuition money by delivering drugs for Andre. Pleading with his prized student to stay away from Andre, Joey learns that Devon is addicted to the drugs as well.

On the day that the Emersons are to renew their wedding vows, Eleanor gets upset when she learns that Roc is coaching her brother David on how to be more sexually aggressive. Meanwhile, Joey brings two dates to the wedding and attempts to let neither know that the other exists.

Roc is offered a deal by a rich, white businessman to become partners in a waste management company. Roc later learns, however, that he is about to go into business with a racist who only wants to use Roc for PR purposes. Roc is forced to choose between money and pride.

Joey is in love with an attractive singer in a local musical group, but selfishly insists that she quit the group when theyre contracted for a six-month European tour. Roc explains to Joey that if he and Kim truly love each other, a temporary separation will only make their commitment stronger. In a rare unselfish act, Joey insists that Kim not disappoint her friends and supporters by quitting the group.

After an evening with the girls, Eleanor realizes that her marriage doesnt have much romantic fun. After a failed attempt by Roc of a night of romance, Joey reminds Eleanor how Roc shows his affection with all of the helpful things he does for her around the house. The couple agree to be more aware of each others feelings and stroll outside for their moonlit walk.

The Emerson family is shocked to learn that Andrew is dating a young woman who looks exactly like his deceased wife. The brothers accuse their father of risking his health by going to dance clubs and wild parties with the young woman. Andrew eventually realizes that he doesnt have any common interests with her nor the energy of her lifestyle. He goes back to his girlfriend Matty who forgives him.

After arresting him for the shooting of a local drug dealer named Andre, Detective Rush tries to force a confession out of Roc. Insisting his innocence until he is released, Roc learns that Andres gang may be out for revenge. Roc goes to a local night club to warn his goddaughter of the danger. He learns that it was his garbage truck partner Calvin who shot Andre to save the neighborhood from his influence. Though he doesnt approve of Calvins actions, Roc takes up a collection for Calvins legal defense. (Part 2 of 2)

When Rocs crazy neighbor George is hired by the Sanitation Department, Roc is assigned to teach the annoying man how to be a garbage collector. Meanwhile, Joey persuades the Emersons foster daughter Sheila to use the computers mathematical probability program to determine the winning horses at the racetrack.

Charlaine hires Joey to be a bartender at her restaurant, but he quickly demonstrates his irresponsibility by transforming it into a gambling casino.

When Roc finally realizes the importance of prenatal care for the health of their baby, he obsessively pampers Eleanor with food, exercise and music. Meanwhile, Joey and Andrew meet Al Fontaine, a dishonest acquaintance who enjoys gambling on silly stunts and party games. Joey tries to win back a large wager that he lost to Al in the past but is unsuccessful.

Eleanor instructs Sheila on how to defend her dignity against sexist remarks made by a rude boy at school. Meanwhile, Andrew asks Joey to take his senior citizens group to the horse racing track. When Joey addresses the seniors about betting on horses, they criticize him for gambling instead of working at a job.

The therapist that Joey consults about his gambling addiction accuses Roc of being the problem. Meanwhile, Eleanor takes care of their crazy neighbor, George, when his guardian leaves town for a week.

When Roc and Eleanor bring their new baby home from the hospital, Eleanors mother, Margaret, immediately accuses Roc of raising the child incorrectly. Meanwhile, Joey arrives home wearing an expensive new suit. After confessing that he won a large amount of money by gambling, Roc accuses Joey of ignoring his promise not to gamble.

Roc and Eleanor are outraged when they learn that Sheilas new friend, Terence, carries a handgun to school to defend himself against the violent gang members. Meanwhile, Joey organizes his musician friends to fund their own music school to educate and occupy the neighborhood children.

A contributor to Rocs opponent may be linked to Andrew, who gets a visit from Rocs varied group of supporters. (Part 2 of 2)

Joey convinces Roc that hes learning to be more responsible when he produces a benefit concert for his new music school. Joeys efforts are threatened by a last-minute emergency, so his family lends him money -- while worrying that the funds might really be going to a bookie.

Andrews brother visits; Joey and Roc have a run-in with a drug dealer.

Roc gets a drug dealer to help a young hood; Eleanor learns that a friends daughter is HIV-positive.