Tim's project hot rod is finally in the stage where he can see if it starts up. It doesn't. Tim takes a break. Jill wants him to fix a doorknob, the burner on the stove, the gas line and the ice dispenser. Tim keeps postponing them all because of the hot rod. Jill declares that she will fix the stove and the ice dispenser. Tim forbids that and promises he will fix everything, "soon". Jill becomes tired of waiting and calls a repairman to fix the stove. Tim does not approve. Then the repairman sees the hot rod and in an instant forgets all about the stove.

Mother's day is approaching and Tim wants to prove to Jill that he and the boys can actually buy something from the heart. In Tool Time: Tim presents Binford products that clear drain and toilet clogs. Surprisingly, there is no catastrophe. Tim demonstrates how to pour a concrete foundation.

Tim runs into his high school girlfriend, Stacey Lewis. When she meets Jill, Jill is upset when she finds out Tim never told Stacey that they were through.

Tim and Al are building a deck. Surprisingly, there is NO catastrophe! At home: Tim's mother-in-law comes for a visit from Texas. To everyone's surprise, she is no longer super-fat; in fact, she is slim. Since Jill's parents are moving to a new condo, her mother has decided to give some items to her daughters. Jill wishes for their antique wooden clock, but her mother has chosen a tea set for her. Jill is unable to tell her mother about how she feels about the clock, and Tim fails to understand what's the problem.

Tim gets Pistons tickets, but Jill says he has to take Mark to the ballet. Making everything worse, Brad and Randy test out a cigar.

im has invited an expert to demonstrate how to cut wood using karate. Al believes he can do it too - and he does! Tim's ego can't take this and he tries it too - with predictable results. At home: Brad and Randy won't let Mark play football with them. They say Mark is a geek and a chicken. Tim and Jill agree that Mark should find a way to improve his confidence. Tim suggests karate, Jill gymnastics. Naturally, Mark chooses karate. In karate class, Mark's partner is a bully, and the boy's mother gets into a fight with Jill and Tim.

A woodpecker keeps Tim awake at night. He's trying hard to get rid of it, but Mark has been feeding it and named it Pete. Brad tries to fake being sick in order to be able to stay home because his math homework is not done since Jennifer used to do it until she refused and Brad broke up with her. When Brad flunks in math Randy suggests that he tell Jill that Jennifer left him and he's depressed because of it. This works, until Jennifer turns up and Jill learns the truth.

Tim and Al have built a wooden home entertainment center rack. To which Tim has made "a little adjustment" that was not in the original plan. At home: Tim and Jill are going to Sheila's wedding. Karen is babysitting the boys. Tim has tossed the driving instructions away since he is confident that he knows the area and how to find the church. However, it is not so easy when it is dark and snowing.

The boys pull a prank on a sleeping Tim. Tim and Jill's wedding anniversary is coming up. Tim bribes the boys to reveal Jill's surprise gift for him. When he finds out how cool it is, he realizes he has to give Jill something she really wants - ballroom dancing lessons with him! The problem is, Tim can't dance at all. The boys try to pull a prank on a sleeping-as-far-as-they-know Al. In Tool Time: Tim demonstrates a nail gun. With disastrous effects.

Jill takes a compatibility test that shows that she and Tim are not compatible. Randy gets a chance to do a ventriloquist act, but his lips keep moving while he's practicing.

Jennifer is going away for a while and leaves his goldfish Howard in Brad's care (the episode title might be a clue as to how that ends up). Jill complain's about Tim's reckless driving on her car. Tim decides to tune up the car. Next, Tim learns Jill has opened her own bank account and Jill overhears Tim say to Mark that Jill's car is really his car because he paid for it. They then get into a huge argument about whether possessions belong to one of them or whether they are mutually owned.

Tim wants Jill to throw out some of her clothes or he will remodel the closet. Brad has punched a boy in school who called him names after hugging his Dad.

Tim decorates his house in typical "more power" fashion. Brad and Randy collect money for charity but decide to keep a portion of the money for themselves. Jill & Tim find out, and tell them they have to return the money to charity.

Jill is going to work and hasn't got time to look after the house. Jill was supposed to make a gingerbread house for the school PTA meeting but as she doesn't have time, Tim says he'll do it.

Al claims he can distinguish types of wood by their smell, even blindfolded. Tim agrees to set up a test for Al. At home: Brad and Randy decide to build a catapult. Tim has tuned up his weed whacker - with predictable results. Karen and Dave stop by on their way to the opera. Dave asks a favor from Tim; should Karen ask, Tim is to say that Dave was at lunch with him the previous day. He's actually seeing another woman, but doesn't want to hurt Karen.

Jill has been trying to get Tim to go to see a lawyer with her in order to update their will. Tim finally agrees to do it. In Tool Time: Al has been building a cabin for 4½ months without any power-tools. Naturally, it is Tim's opinion, that Al needs... yep, more power. He then demonstrates log-cutting with a dangerously powerful Binford chainsaw nicknamed "widowmaker".

Maureen Binford, the new producer of Tool Time, tries to change everything.