Party of Five

- Season 4

(1997)

After returning from a two-month trip to Europe with a new look and shorted hairstyle, Julia finds herself in uncharted territory with her new husband, Griffin, who in his opinion realizes that "absence definitely makes the heart grow weirder." Meanwhile, Bailey is facing the consequences of the drunk-driving accident that put Sarah in the hospital when he's arrested after Sarah's powerful, revenge-seeking parents officially charge him with drunk driving. Claudia decides to try out for a cheerleader during her first day at Grant High School, but ends up becoming the ...

Bailey's trial for D.U.I. begins with him preparing for the worst, the rest of the family ready to mortgage their house for their legal defense, and Sarah telling Bailey that she's willing to lie on the witness stand for him. Meanwhile, Charlie deals with vicious rumors about Owen's teacher abusing her students which are running among the parents of Owen's classmates. Griffin's visiting sailor friend, Shuyler, arrives at his and Julia's apartment and almost immediately causes tension between all of them. Also, Claudia develops a crush on Reed, a school football player...

Sarah finds herself on her own after walking away from her parents over what they did to Bailey who finds himself constantly haunted by his past when word of his criminal record spreads and keeps him from getting any job. Claudia also worries about being an outcast in school after a speech Bailey has to give. Meanwhile, Griffin begins having cash-flow problems at the garage, but keeps them to himself knowing of his long reputation as a loser. While Charlie tries dating again, he gets angry at Julia over her and Griffin's presence.

Bailey and Sarah settle down as platonic roommates and building managers in their new apartment, and they almost immediately get complaints from an irate tenant named Annie, a recently divorced single mother who's also a recovering alcoholic. At her new job, enthusiasm over working as a history museum's curator gets Julia in a complex situation with the museum director, Daniel, when Julia makes the mistake of giving him the wrong signals. Meanwhile, Charlie becomes smitten with Nina, a zoo cage animal feeder whom he meets at the local supermarket, but a sudden bout of...

Julia thinks her on-the-job troubles are the result of her admittance to Daniel that she is married. But later, more troubles ensues when Griffin pays an unexpected visit to the museum and learns from Daniel about Julia's flirtation with him. Meanwhile, Bailey's attention to Annie leaves Sarah feeling alone and abandoned when he gives Annie part of their rent money. Also, Charlie can't seem to find anything good with his life, despite his blossoming relationship with Nina. When the restaurant is closed down for repairs, Charlie sulks about it.

As Charlie prepares the restaurant for a grand reopening, he's hit with a big surprise when his former fiancee, Kirsten, suddenly shows up which causes some friction with Nina. Meanwhile, Bailey's AA sponsor tells him that he may be heading for a fall as he looks to Annie for companionship. Griffin tries to feel like part of the Salinger family by repairing the restaurant jukebox. Also, Claudia gets Reed a job at Griffin's garage, but he continues to remain oblivious to her crush on him.

During planning for Julia's long-put-off wedding party, Charlie, despite claiming that he's all right, collapses on a racquetball court in which he goes to the hospital where he is diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. Meanwhile, Kirsten's husband Paul, a medical grad student, clashes with Charlie who becomes jealous about his past with her. Griffin continues to keep his financial problems from Julia when the opening of a new repair shop on the block throws a rock into his business plans which bring threats from his silent partner/loan shark, Howie, over not paying up for...

Julia and Griffin's wedding celebration at the house is fraught with disaster and doubts which include Griffin's unexplained absence, and Annie's seven-year-old daughter, Natalie, eating part of the wedding cake and getting stuck in the bathroom, while Claudia videotapes each crisis for her amusement. Meanwhile, Charlie confides in Nina about his health. But Nina soon reveals her denial about Charlie's illness in which he finally breaks up with her, leaving him feeling more frightened and alone than ever. As the long day comes to a close, Julia is left with more ...

Charlie finally tells, individually, the rest of his siblings about his illness. But he turns to Kirsten as he begins to feel increasingly sick, angry and frightened and unable to cope with Claudia's inquisitiveness, Bailey's awkward effort to bond, and Julia's selfishness. Meanwhile, Griffin's financial problems begin to take its toll on him and Julia in which they are evicted from their apartment over late rent payments.

Charlie begins radiation treatment and soon experiences unusual and accompanying side effects. But he won't hear of others trying to offer him a hand with daily tasks. Meanwhile, Bailey's gestures to help Annie find a more decent job only upsets her because she doesn't feel comfortable with someone running her life. Julia gets a new job as a $200-a-week intern at a magazine agency which does little to improve her and Griffin's financial problems after they decide to move into the Salinger garage. Also, Claudia tries becoming more close to Reed during an outing for ...

At Christmas time, Sarah and Bailey host a tree-trimming party at their apartment where Bailey's friend, Will, arrives for a visit and discovers that he and Bailey now live in separate lives due to Bailey being with an older woman and his lack of party spirit. Julia's former boyfriend, Justin Thompson, also arrives for a visit where he tells her about his Ivy League college life, which prompts Julia to lie to him about her so-called successful life. Meanwhile, Charlie, at his doctor's advice to "recharge," accompanies Kirsten on a long-distance road trip.

Charlie continues to feel weaker from chemotherapy, and when at a point of total weakness, he asks help at home and at the restaurant, putting Bailey in charge of Salingers. But a hapless Julia, taking charge of the household chores while working her new job as a waitress at the restaurant, has a miserable time, in which Bailey has to let her go from the restaurant. Meanwhile, Claudia seeks companionship with Reed to get away from the household problems, but when she finally tells him her true feelings for him, he coldly pushes her away. Also, Charlie decides to help ...

With Kirsten's help, an ever increasing sickly Charlie meets with an herbalist and even tries out meditation which seems to help his state of mind, but not his cancer. Julia and Griffin, unable to help each other during crises, come to realize the distance between them due to Julia's busy work schedule and Griffin's continuing back luck at his bike shop over loss of business and confiscation of his property over not paying up on the rent. Meanwhile, Bailey tries to seek more time to be with Annie, while she ponders whether or not to tell her seven-year-old daughter, ...

Inspired by his friendship with Kevin, a fellow cancer patient, Charlie embraces a new attitude and adds some adventure to his life by going with Kevin to a batting cage and planning a fishing trip and hand-gliding which takes both Julia and Claudia by surprise. Meanwhile, Julia becomes friendly with a co-worker, name Jennie, at her new typist temp job, while her marital difficulties with Griffin become a battle zone. Sarah also has problems with her boyfriend, Elliot, whom she fears that he's losing interest in her. Also, Bailey tries to bond with Annie's daughter, ...

Kevin's joyous reaction to his latest news about his cancer in remission does nothing to quiet Charlie's fears. Meanwhile, Griffin's pipe dreams over saving his failing bike shop leaves Julia with a lot of doubts about putting on a TV commercial with her as the spokes person. Elliot soon regrets revealing his true feelings to Bailey that he may be gay, which leaves him in a dilemma over whether or not to tell Sarah. Also, Claudia is hard-pressed to complete a school assignment on a time capsule that requires her to look to the future.

Charlie prepares himself for the worst after he's hospitalized for pneumonia and begins to lose hope in his will to live. Kirsten then tells her husband, Paul, that she cannot go away on a vacation with him and must be by Charlie's side. Bailey, overwhelmed by responsibilities to Annie, managing the restaurant, and going to college, comes to a major decision when he decides to quit school. Meanwhile, Claudia begins to retreat into a world of truancy as a result of being ignored by her siblings who are giving all their attention to the sickly Charlie. Also, Griffin ...

With Charlie still in the hospital, Bailey and Julia continue to remain oblivious to what's happening on the home front due to their continuing life problems and daily visits to the hospital to be with Charlie. As a result, Claudia and Owen end up what most people consider neglected. When a visiting Social Services man makes a routine visit and finds Claudia and Owen alone, and the house in a drastic state of disarray, he has them removed to the state services. Meanwhile, Charlie makes out a living will and asks Kirsten a major favor: to care for Claudia and Owen if ...

Bailey slowly discovers Annie's relapse into alcoholism on the 2nd anniversary of her sobriety, which also threatens his sobriety as well. Julie rediscovers the academic world in a college literature class she begins taking to cover for Bailey. With Julia away, Griffin discovers he can no longer fight his growing attraction to Rosalie and caves into her advances towards him. But Julia later becomes more angry than ever when she discovers a love note that Rosalie wrote to Griffin. Meanwhile, Claudia gets help from a psychologist over her depression and uncertainty ...

Bailey and Julia accompany an anxious Charlie on a trip to their parents winter cabin as he awaits important test results. Back at home, Sarah tries to reach out to Annie and Kirsten finds out Claudia has applied for a school 3000 miles away.

After receiving good news about his condition, Charlie wants to to throw a party, but everyone is too busy to attend. Julia tries to salvage her marriage. Bailey and Sarah are snowed under looking after Natalie.

Ownership of the restaurant is up for grabs, dividing Charlie and the other Salinger siblings on what to do. Julia and Griffin see a marriage counsellor. A visiting prep school student shows an interest in Claudia.

Bailey and Annie re-evaluate their relationship after Annie gets out of rehab. Justin's reappearance causes trouble for Julia and Griffin. Charlie makes his stage debut in Daphne's charity musical show. Claudia begins to feel suffocated by Jamie.

Bailey and Annie are thrown for a loop when Annie's ex-husband reappears. Uneasy about Daphne's line of work, Charlie follows her to a job. Griffin wins a trip for two to Los Angeles and invites Julia.

Charlie makes an important decision following Daphne's news. Annie chooses between Bailey and Jay.