Living Single

Khadijah is annoyed when her estranged father comes to town for Synclaire's wedding. She has dinner with her parents for Mother's Day, but is hardly cordial. When she learns that Laverne saw her parents take off in a limo to Atlantic City, Khadijah chases after them. Rita assures her that she and Ed are only attending a Smokey Robinson concert. Ed tracks down Khadijah at the slot machines, and admits that he has made many mistakes in their relationship. However, it is important that Khadijah remain part of his life, as she is the only thing that truly brings him pride. He apologizes for not having a greater role in her development. Khadijah wins the jackpot with Ed's coin. Max threatens to harm Overton if he tells anyone about her affair with Kyle. Synclaire realizes he is keeping a secret. When Regine can't get Overton to crack, Synclaire confronts him. He tells her about Max and Kyle, but she isn't surprised; she has the room below Kyle's! Music: ""You've Really Got a Hold on Me"" (Smo

Overton and Synclaire's engagement party is marred when her bickering parents announce that they have separated. When Synclaire begins to express doubts about her own union, Overton forces the Jameses to talk things out. Lilah reveals that she has tired of her husband's constant wisecracks. She has not revealed her desire to become a lounge singer because she fears Clinton's ridicule. He agrees to support her dream, and they realize that their problems are manageable. Regine tries to use the party as a trap to prove that Max and Kyle are seeing each other. Max suggests that they bring phony dates to throw off Regine; but is distressed when Kyle flies a model friend in from Los Angeles for the evening, while she is stuck with the perpetually boring Teddy. Max finally takes Kyle to the kitchen and confesses that she is seething with jealousy. Kyle pressures her into admitting that she likes him, and she is on the verge of making a more significant admission when Regine bursts in. Max pre

Kyle and Max's attempts to sneak around are complicated when Overton takes a second job as a handyman in her building. She is evicted after he inadvertently exposes her illegal satellite dish to the landlord. She lays the blame on Overton, and storms out. Overton orders Kyle to come out of the bedroom to discuss the situation, but Kyle doesn't feel much like defending Max. Khadijah shows Max the error of her ways and convinces her to apologize. Overton hatches a scheme to trick the landlord into giving Max her apartment back. Regine, Synclaire and Khadijah hire a housekeeper, but he nearly quits when Synclaire's enthusiastic efforts to help out leave him feeling inadequate.

Kyle and Max lie about out-of-town trips and sneak off to a hotel for the weekend. They insist, however, that they are not getting back together. Although their claim that there will be no romance involved in the weekend is obviously a crock, Kyle and Max eventually get into one too many arguments and head their separate ways--but not before setting up another rendezvous. After realizing that Max's and Kyle's alibis are shaky, Regine becomes determined to prove that they are together. It is Khadijah who is able to track them down and warn Max. She suggests that Max actually cares about Kyle, but her friend won't admit to this. Meanwhile, Overton and Synclaire take advantage of Kyle's absence to set up housekeeping in the apartment. They briefly worry that their constant fighting might be a sign that they aren't ready to get married, but conclude that disagreements occur in all relationships. Tag: Detective Regine cannot quite crack the case. Music: ""Reasons"" by Earth, Wind & Fire

As Khadijah prepares to accept an award for her work at Flavor, the group recalls a time when Flavor was just a dream; Max lived with Khadijah and Regine (until she and Regine tried to kill each other); and Regine dated Kyle and his Afro. They later reminisce about Synclaire's arrival from Minnesota (along with Crispus Attucks, her seven-foot high troll doll); and her first meeting with Overton, who immediately told Kyle that he had just met the mother of his children. Synclaire is shocked to learn that she was on the verge of being thrown out--until she hit Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with the car and landed Flavor's first cover story. Despite mishaps with the cheap limo service hired by Synclaire and a broken subway car, they are able to make the ceremony, where Khadijah accepts her award and thanks her friends for their support. Meanwhile, Max admits that she has gone so long without a date that Kyle is starting to seem desirable. ""Maybe you're just starting to see straight,"" he replies. Mu

When her friends will not include her in their Saturday night plans, Regine takes her mother out to dinner. Laverne hits it off with the handsome man who picks up her napkin, who turns out to be millionaire Harrison Cushmore. Regine grows tired of seeing her mother in the society pages, and predicts that she will quickly be dumped. She turns out to be right, and is reluctant to console her mother until Khadijah points out how selfish her behavior is. As it turns out, Laverne is fine; she tells Regine that losing a man is no reason to get upset! After his van breaks down, Overton buys a Lincoln town car at a police auction; but Synclaire orders him to get rid of it when Max tells them that the car killed a mobster. The dead man's nephew agrees to take the Lincoln off Overton's hands--if he and Kyle will help him bury his uncle in the car. Tag: Kyle, Overton and Crazy Joey get an unwelcome surprise at the burial.

Synclaire lucks into a starring role in a play when the star drops out a day before the opening. (Synclaire had memorized all the lines while serving as an usher as a teenager.) However, the director offers the opinion that Synclaire stinks, and is certain that the play will end both of their careers. A jittery Synclaire flubs her lines and strikes one of the other actors in the face with a door. When the audience responds favorably, Synclaire begins ad-libbing and turns the play into a comedy. It proves to be a huge hit and is held over. Thanks to a camera in a hat invented by Overton, the play had been recorded and Synclaire's lines can be written down. An IRS agent who is auditing Kyle agrees to go easy on him if he can teach him how to pick up women. However, the man ends up getting more than he bargained for…namely Max. Tag: Kyle guesses the identity of Albert's unwanted blind date.

After learning that Palo Alto has been cancelled, Regine is cheered by a visit from a now-wealthy Darryl, who asks her to coordinate his wedding. Although his fiancée, Tina, all but admits that she is only after Darryl's money, Regine doesn't take any action. However, she realizes she must tell Darryl the truth after Synclaire catches Tina making out with the best man. Darryl believes that Regine is jealous, but soon re-considers and calls off the wedding. Tina blames Regine, and the two nearly come to blows in the church. Overton and his friend Ray decide to invent a wallet alarm system, which Kyle feels could be a big money-maker. Music: ""Shout"" (Isley Brothers), sung by Queen Latifah and Erika Alexander

On her way out of the hospital following hemorrhoid surgery, Khadijah makes a date with a doctor named Charles. When she learns that he was her anesthesiologist, she becomes embarrassed and is unable to show any physical affection toward him. After he makes a fool of himself in the batting cage at the hospital's charity carnival, Khadijah's mind is eased and she kisses him. Regine begins moonlighting as a wedding coordinator. Her first clients are a spooky couple with bizarre supernatural powers, such as the ability to call Regine over a disconnected telephone. They wish to hold their ceremony in a cemetery, and are thrilled by Regine's suggestion of throwing the bouquet into an open grave. Tag: Regine receives unwanted ""gift"" from Edwin and Damiana.

Regine is the only juror holding up the potential acquittal of Sara McQueen, a beloved elderly movie star accused of arson. When her friends talk about the case and joke about the juror being an idiot, Regine cannot help but defend herself. Max (as an officer of the court) forces her to tell the judge that she discussed the case, and he throws Regine off the jury and finds her in contempt of court. She is sentenced to 50 hours of community service at a monastery, but gets booted for hitting on one of the monks. Regine begins to wonder if she has some deep insecurity that causes her to chatter constantly. Just then, Max arrives at the apartment and announces that Sara McQueen was caught torching a 7-11. The vindicated Regine decides that her big mouth is a gift. Synclaire worries when Harold, one of her regular callers to a hotline for unemployed actors, stops calling. After she tracks him down to see if he is all right, he is so touched by her concern that it lifts his spirits. One of

Regine is outraged when Keith ignores her at his opening (aside from asking her to change a light bulb in the bathroom). He refuses to defend her when an art critic comes on to her. Russell tells the man to take a hike. After her friends point out that Keith has always seemed aloof, Regine goes to his loft to confront him. She threatens to break up with him unless he begins to take their relationship seriously, but Keith says that he cannot change. Regine comes by the Flavor offices to meet Khadijah for lunch, but she has to cancel. Russell agrees to give Regine a ride into town, then forces her to stop at his aunt's house for lunch. She cheers up after eating a delicious meal and dancing to lively reggae music. Regine begins consulting self-help books for tips on how to land the right man, but finds herself thinking about Russell more than she would like to admit. Kyle and Max go to war over the right to park in a spot in front of the building. When they get into a collision, they bot

The police bring a shivering Overton to the apartment. The horse subdued the mugger, but bucked Overton into the bushes. He still does not tell Synclaire about the ring. Overton later picks the mugger out of the lineup. Synclaire breaks down the door and tries to attack the man. Overton's belongings are returned to him and (after an interruption from Khadijah) he proposes to Synclaire at the police station. She immediately accepts. As she has no chance of winning in court, Khadijah agrees to a settlement with the band, which will force Flavor to go bankrupt. Russell saves the day when he bursts in and announces that he has deconstructed the song in question. He gradually strips away parts of the song, and reveals that it actually was a rip-off of ""Mandy."" Max's campaign appears to be back on track when Kyle uncovers evidence that proves the incumbent is corrupt, but the documents are shredded. Max instead admits the allegations against her are true, but claims that they prove she has t

Laverne is very impressed with Keith at their first meeting, but things take a turn for the worse when Ms. Hunter catches Keith and Regine in a romantic interlude on the roof a few days later. (Max, who observed the entire encounter from her apartment, documents it for the neighborhood newsletter.) Regine cannot get her mother to speak to her, so she comes down to her favorite bingo parlor with Khadijah to confront her. Laverne explains that Regine's behavior reminds her of the time that Regine was conceived in the bleachers during a Mets game. Regine assures her that she has control of her life, and there is no reason to worry. When one of Laverne's bingo cards is a winner, she and her daughter celebrate with a shopping spree. Overton decides to pop the question to Synclaire. He spots the perfect ring, but must negotiate with the eccentric old man who presently owns it. Tag: Overton and Ray take a ""chopper"" ride.

Max defends Jackson Turner, an environmentalist accused of murdering a CEO. He insists he was on a plane at the time the crime was committed, and Max locates a stewardess who remembers his snoring. Max and Jackson begin falling for each other. After he is cleared, they go to his cabin for the weekend. Max learns that the CEO died from the venom of a rare poisonous spider; Jackson could have killed him without being present. She jumps out the window, but later returns with Overton to confront Jackson. He insists he is innocent, and notices that a spider is missing. They realize that his assistant, Peignor, had access to the spiders. Synclaire, Regine and Kyle arrive to check on Max and Overton. Peignor emerges from the bathroom with a gun. Kyle and Overton jump him, but break the spiders' case. When Peignor tries to grab the gun, Max tosses a spider at him. Kyle and Overton carry him to the clinic. Max apologizes to Jackson, but decides he isn't right for her after he asks her to help t

Max's college roommate, Shayla, comes to town for her wedding. Max is stunned to learn that Shayla's intended, Chris, is a woman. She is hurt that Shayla failed to disclose the fact that she is gay, particularly when she discovers that Khadijah had known the truth since college. Max behaves rudely at the bridal shower, prompting Shayla to confront her in the kitchen. When Max demands to know why she was shut out, Shayla confesses that she was in love with Max. Max announces that she will not attend the wedding, as she feels that their entire frienship was a lie. Khadijah disagrees, pointing out that Shayla hid her true feelings because she was afraid of losing Max's friendship. Max tracks Shayla down at the beauty parlor to apologize. Although she admits that she might have initially overreacted to the news, she wishes that Shayla had given her a chance to rise to the occasion. Meanwhile, Kyle refers Overton to his tailor, but soon fears that Overton has stolen his fashion ""look."" Tag:

Max and Khadijah grow weary of Regine's spineless boyfriend, John, so they joke about sending him a letter from Regine asking him to set her free. Max follows through with the plan, and Regine is devastated when John breaks up with her. Max and Khadijah go to John's house to explain the joke and ask him to take Regine back. They also suggest that he stand up for himself occasionally, rather than letting Regine walk all over him. Before John can come to the apartment to make up with Regine, she brings home her new boyfriend Keith, an artist who was painting a mural at the television studio. John arrives with flowers to tell Regine that their relationship is over, and begins pursuing Max. (He believes she sent the letter because she wanted him for herself.) Kyle's new girlfriend, Kimberly, begins coming on to Overton every time they are left alone together. Kyle refuses to believe this, but Kimberly freely admits to it when he confronts her on the roof. Kyle orders her to leave, and a be

Overton receives an unexpected visit from his beloved Uncle Tibby. He is not impressed with Synclaire, as he believes she is trying to ""get her hooks"" into Overton. He urges Overton to dump her immediately. Synclaire overhears this, and is deeply hurt. Overton assures her that he is not swayed by his uncle's opinion, and offers to prepare a special dinner to get Tibby to warm up to Synclaire. When Tibby continues to criticize her, Overton orders him to leave. He explains that he cannot go home, as his wife threw him out for offering his brutally honest opinion about her children's choir. He apologizes to Synclaire, and admits that the fact that she reminds him of his wife may have been to blame for his attitude. Overton and Synclaire urge him to call his wife and patch things up. Kyle reluctantly gives Max the expensive bracelet (engraved with the message, ""To Max, Always on my mind. Kyle"") he purchased before their break-up. She pawns it to buy fake crocodile skin boots, and taunts hi

While at the TV station to visit her boyfriend, simple-minded weatherman Cole Front, Regine makes a date with a handsome older man named Warner Devant. When she later learns that Warner is Cole's father, she continues to see both men (she considers it a challenge); but has difficulty keeping track of their birthdays and likes and dislikes. The men eventually figure out what is going on, and show up at her door to confront her. Regine apologizes for the deception, and Cole orders her to choose between them. She picks Warner, causing Cole to have an on-air breakdown. Meanwhile, Overton, Max and Khadijah drive Kyle crazy when they invest money with his firm. He finally resigns as their broker, prompting one of his colleagues to thank him for the ""suckers."" Tag: Cole loses it on the air. Music: ""Theme from Sanford and Son,"" hummed by T.C. Carson

After Regine brags about her influence on Palo Alto, Synclaire drops by the set unexpectedly in the hopes that Regine can help her land a part. Regine is humiliated when none of the actors are aware of her existence, and the director refers to her as ""the odor-eater girl."" Regine apologizes for lying; but explains that, although her work is not glamorous, she thoroughly enjoys it. Synclaire agrees to keep her true status a secret. When one of the extras gets fired, Regine slips Synclaire into a scene as the Grim Reaper. Meanwhile, Khadijah asks Max to pen a column about the legal profession for Flavor. Max objects when Khadijah edits the article, prompting Khadijah to note that Max cannot deal with criticism. It is only Overton's editing skills that stave off a feud. Tag: Synclaire's appearance on Palo Alto

A discouraged Synclaire is unsure about auditioning for an infomercial for a dashboard grill, but Max encourages her to follow her acting aspirations. Regine volunteers Max to drive Synclaire to the audition in order to keep her from hanging around the apartment on her day off. Max confronts the director when he dismisses Synclaire without allowing her to say her lines. He is so impressed by Max's spunk that he gives her the part. Synclaire accuses Max of robbing her of her dream, and begins to lose faith in their friendship. When Synclaire tries to walk off the set during the taping, Max calls her up to the stage as a skeptical customer. They pull off the performance beautifully, but are fired because the director feels there is no place for spontaneity in an infomercial. Synclaire thanks Max for restoring her belief in her acting ability. Overton is wracked with guilt when he continually dreams about the R&B group TLC after falling asleep during its videos. Tag: Synclaire threatens T

Overton wins a contest from McColgan's shaving cream and receives a chance to take a 3-point shot for $10,000 at halftime of a Knicks game. Synclaire seems to be a jinx, as he misses every shot when she steps into the gym, and regains his form the second she leaves. Even slipping a photo of her into his gym bag is enough to bring on the curse. Synclaire refuses to go to the Knick game because she doesn't want to ruin Overton's chance at the money. Overton makes the shot, then calls Synclaire and reveals (on television) that he had worn a T-shirt of the couple together. Meanwhile, Max ""borrows"" a dress that Regine had designed for Palo Alto and wears it to a function at the mayor's house. Regine tries to warn her that it is a tear-away dress for a catfight scene, but thinks better of it. Max repairs the dress and apologizes to Regine, but also undertakes a long list of vengeful acts against her (including setting her up with RuPaul). Tag: Max's apology and revenge.

Kyle fears that his firm's new client, esteemed actress Jacqueline Richards, is coming on to him. He makes a fool of himself trying to reject her advances. She assures him that she only wants to be friends, but Kyle feels as though he is her lackey when she buys him gifts and takes him to expensive restaurants in exchange for errands. He draws the line at cleaning up after her poodles. Kyle agrees to be her friend, but tries to help her realize that true friendships are not based on monetary compensation. Khadijah is embarrassed when L.O.O.F.A., a children's group for which Synclaire volunteers, names her its hero of the year, on the basis of a lie she once told Synclaire about pulling a man from a burning car during their youth. Khadijah saves the man from choking after the ceremony, but Synclaire doesn't believe her. Tag: Khadijah actually saves Mr. McGinty. Music: ""Someone to Watch Over Me,"" sung by Eartha Kitt and T.C. Carson

Khadijah and Synclaire learn that a $500 savings bond they opened as teenagers has matured, and is now worth $2700. Khadijah is anxious to use all the money to purchase a new computer for Flavor, and doesn't realize that Synclaire wants to use her half to attend a Harvey Keitel acting seminar. Synclaire spends her money without consulting Khadijah, who is unaware of her actions until the new computer is repossessed. Khadijah spends her share on a raise for Russell, and is furious at her cousin. She later learns that, although she had always considered Flavor their dream, Synclaire does not feel this way. She agrees to support Synclaire's aspirations. Kyle is outraged when he learns that Max has one more name in her little black book than he does. Max accuses him of being childish, but he isn't pacified until he discovers that he hasn't included Max in his book, while he is in hers. Tag: Overton watches Synclaire's naked acting demonstration.

Kyle grows increasingly surly as his 30th birthday approaches. Max, at her friends' urging, throws him a surprise party. He does not wish to participate, but is coaxed into a game of Barnyard Twister. Kyle throws his back out and leaves, humiliated. Max finds him sulking at the laundromat and asks him what is wrong. He explains that he has failed to meet many of his professional goals. Whereas he had always been a wunderkind, he now feels that he is going nowhere. Max tells him that there are some good things to be said for aging. She points out that he never could have gotten her into a relationship if he were still as immature and sexist as he was when they met. She says that she is giving herself to him for his birthday. Kyle thanks her, laughing that she is ""sweet and cheap."" Synclaire fills the house with plants, and is distressed when they die after just two days. Khadijah feels that Synclaire was smothering the plants with attention, and jokes that they committed ""planticide"" to

Overton is mortified when he sees Melody, the woman who once shattered him by rejecting his marriage proposal, at the hardware store. He sneaks out, but she later gets his number from his friend Pug and gives him a call. Although Synclaire feels that it is a terrible idea, Overton agrees to meet Melody at Cheezy Burger. After Kyle inadvertently tells her about the proposal, a furious Synclaire tries to retaliate by driving to Bayonne to meet up with a man who sends her a Christmas card each year. She learns that he is an insurance agent, not an ex-flame. Melody tells Overton that she has come to appreciate him, and that she is now willing to spend her life with a ""simple"" man. She tries to kiss him, but Overton (who was once powerless to resist her advances) now feels nothing for her because of his love for Synclaire. Regine is annoyed to find that Khadijah and Synclaire have re-decorated the apartment and forced her into the worst bedroom, but is cheered when she discovers that her ne

Thanks to Synclaire's letter, the talk show Delia invites the roommates to appear in a segment entitled, ""Roommates From Heaven, Roommates From Hell."" While the ""roommates from hell"" end up sobbing and hugging one another, the girls are in danger of being bumped because they are too happy, and thus, not interesting. Regine tries to liven things up by speaking of her roommates' faults and portraying herself as the glue that holds everything together. A furious Khadijah blurts out that she only asked her to move in because Laverne begged Rita to help her daughter find a place to live. Regine is humiliated, and feels unappreciated. Khadijah assures her that she has grown to accept her quirks, but Regine does not want to stay where she isn't wanted. She decides to move out. Khadijah, however, is certain that the whole thing is just another ploy for attention. Tag: Everyone leaves Khadijah, who insists that Regine is coming back.

Synclaire is offered a role in a play about a group of strangers waiting for an ATM. The quirky director decides that the perfect ending for the play would be for Synclaire to scamper across the stage in the nude. Synclaire is unsure about showing her ""ta-ta's"" on stage, but Overton tells her that the decision is hers alone. Synclaire is prepared to back out of the play, but changes her mind when she sees a poster that refers to her as the star. Max refuses to believe that Khadijah is friends with Vinnie of the rap group Naughty By Nature, even after Regine confirms her story. (She says that Vinnie used to look up Regine's dress and made her eat flies when they were children.) Max mocks Khadijah when she can't get in touch with Vinnie, but is speechless when the group shows up on Khadijah's doorstep. Max hits on Treach, but finds that he is ""too freaky"" for her, and the group agrees to attend Synclaire's play (after learning there is nudity involved). Tag: Slow-motion replay of Synclai

Kyle is thrilled when he is asked to serve as escort to a beautiful princess who is doing business with his company, but finds that security precautions cramp his style. Overton enlists the help of Khadijah and ""secret weapon"" Synclaire to gain revenge on a pair of pool hustlers. Regine exposes Max's jealousy concerning Kyle and the princess by claiming that the two are pictured in the society pages. She cackles when Max tears through the paper. Max announces that she will ease Regine's boredom by taking her along to watch Max get a tattoo, but her bravado fades considerably when she sees the needles. Tag: Kyle says good night to Hellura's bodyguard after date.

Regine suffers through a disastrous dinner with Darryl's closest friends, and realizes that she and Darryl don't have very much in common after he shares his dream of one day taking his wife on a cross-country fishing trip via RV. A panicked Regine heads to the bowling alley to seek advice from her friends; but Khadijah is flirting, while everyone else is caught up in Overton's pursuit of a 300 game. Regine's desperate cry for attention proves to be Overton's undoing. Regine and Darryl decide to break up, but agree to remain good friends. Max is forced to compliment Kyle constantly after losing a bet over the bowling game. Tag: A behind-the-scenes look at the bowling scenes.

A handsome young man from Synclaire's psychology class kisses her during a study session. Synclaire pushes him away, but is still gripped by guilt. She blurts out her indiscretion during a special evening Overton had planned for their first anniversary as a couple. Overton goes ballistic, storms out of the restaurant, and refuses to talk to her. Concerned for her cousin's well being, Khadijah sends Kyle up to the apartment to check on her. He finds Overton and Synclaire's clothes strewn throughout the living room. Meanwhile, Regine is livid when Max snags a coat she had left outside the apartment to donate to charity. Max begins wearing it constantly to spite her. Tag: Max usurps more of Regine's unwanted clothes.

Khadijah hires Bobby Bonilla of the New York Mets to pen a weekly column for Flavor, just as her employees are poised to walk out over low salaries and poor working conditions. Bobby defends Khadijah, until he interprets her request for a hold on salaries as a salary cap (a major sticking point in the baseball labor dispute) and supports the strike. Khadijah insists that money is too tight to give raises, but Max warns her that she is on the verge of losing Flavor. Khadijah re-arranges her finances and agrees to give a modest salary increase. Inspired by a local video clerk's screenwriting success, Kyle and Regine try to pen an action/adventure screenplay. Tag: Bobby Bonilla is blown away by Khadijah's fastball.

Khadijah's long-time friend Sheri accepts a job as a columnist at Flavor. She quickly makes friends with Synclaire, and the two go out to lunch every day and constantly joke around at the office. An annoyed Khadijah claims that their antics are disrupting the office, but she is actually very jealous. After she loses her temper and stomps off to her room during a game of Clue at the apartment, Synclaire confronts her. Khadijah apologizes and admits that she has been feeling left out. Sheri quits her job at Flavor, as she earned more money free-lancing. Overton suffers from insomnia after buying a new box spring. He does not sleep for days, and behaves erratically. When he goes upstairs to check on Khadijah and Synclaire, he falls asleep on Khadijah's bed. Tag: Everyone tries to get slumbering Overton out of Khadijah's room. Music: ""Confunction Junction,"" sung by Kim Coles and Rosie O'Donnell

Everyone is surprised by Regine's companion at Thanksgiving dinner--a charming, overweight parcel delivery guy named Darryl who does not meet any of image-conscious Regine's usual date criteria. When Scooter calls Khadijah and tells her that he wants to ask her something at the dinner, she and her friends believe that he is going to propose. She is shocked when he instead tells her that he has been offered a chance to manage a female R&B group and accompany it on a world tour. Scooter becomes angry when Khadijah does not offer her blessing. The group breaks off into boy and girl factions, who each rant about the opposite sex. When everyone re-assembles for dinner, Darryl's touching prayer prompts Khadijah to re-consider and allow Scooter to pursue his dream.

Max takes a job as a telemarketer, unaware that her sleazy boss is a scam artist who sells subliminal tapes that do not contain subliminal messages. She is arrested while talking on the phone with Khadijah. Meanwhile, Overton sets up surveillance and begins recording all the girls' phone calls in the hopes of catching a prank caller. When the public defender assigned to represent Max proves to be woefully incompetent, she decides to represent herself. She points out that the boss was the only person to run, and cites this as evidence that the employees didn't realize they were committing a crime. She adds that she was making a personal call at the time that the police raided the building, and proves this through Overton's tape. The judge dismisses the case, and all the other employees ask Max to represent them. The judge recommends Max to the public defender's office, which hires her immediately. Tag: Identity of prank caller revealed.

When Khadijah drops by Scooter's house on an errand before the Halogen Records Halloween party, Regine discovers a fax from a woman telling Scooter how much she had enjoyed the previous night. Khadijah finds a bottle of perfume under the sink, and grows increasingly suspicious. Khadijah, Regine and Scooter are embarrassed when they are the only ones in costume at the party because everyone else donated their costume money to charity. Khadijah gets upset when several women are surprised to learn that Scooter has a girlfriend, and orders him to introduce her to every woman at the party. He finally asks about her territorial behavior, and she tells him about the fax and perfume. He says that he had a business dinner with one of the company's artists, and that the perfume is a promotional item. He tells Khadijah that she needs to trust him, and points out that she is so devoted to her work that she has been neglecting him. Khadijah vows to correct this problem. Overton, Synclaire and Kyle

In the hopes of spending more time with Synclaire, Overton enrolls in the art appreciation class she is taking at the night school. When the teacher marvels over one of Overton's first observations, he begins to hog the spotlight, leaving prize pupil Synclaire feeling crowded and unappreciated. She asks Overton to drop the class, but he refuses, as he feels he has uncovered a new talent. After Synclaire skips the class, Overton is overcome with guilt. Synclaire explains that she needs a place to call her own, as she is overshadowed at home and work. Overton agrees to drop the class, but decides to take an architecture course because he had enjoyed being back in school so much. Kyle places Khadijah on a strict budget to help solve her financial woes. Khadijah can't handle the prospect of buying generic foods and going without luxuries such as videos and microwave popcorn. Tag: Synclaire paints a portrait of her friends.

Max drives the girls crazy by spending all her time at their apartment (even having her calls forwarded). They rejoice when Evans and Bell call her back to work. However, Max is frustrated by the loss of her clients and office and the realization that the partners will never stop punishing her for her mistake. She quits during her first day. Khadijah insists that she has acted rashly, and advises her to ask for her job back. Max refuses, insisting that a better offer will come along. After a week of rejections, Max is finally offered an interview. Although the interview goes very well, the firm decides to hire someone else. Max begins to lose confidence, although her friends assure her that she is an excellent lawyer. Max breaks down and calls Evans and Bell to plead for forgiveness, but hangs up without speaking to them. Meanwhile, Overton and Regine become convinced that an elderly woman in Max's building has committed a murder. Kyle finally talks to the woman and discovers that the

Denise Hatcher, Khadijah's high school basketball rival, comes to the Flavor office to complain about a sportswriter's comments about her coaching ability. They begin to argue about an incident in an all-star game in which they were teammates. Denise is still bitter because Khadijah was named MVP after scoring the winning basket by supposedly stepping on Denise's foot and stealing a pass intended for her. Denise challenges Khadijah to a game of one-on-one, with the MVP trophy going to the winner. While Khadijah is at the gym with Overton and Scooter, Denise shows up and throws down a thunderous dunk. Khadijah is ready to call off the game, but Max and Synclaire urge her not to quit. Khadijah trains hard, but is still hopelessly overmatched. During a time-out, Denise tries to get a weary Khadijah to concede, and boasts that she will shut her out. A rejuvenated Khadijah picks up her defense, then steals the ball and scores at the buzzer. Denise says she respects Khadijah's effort, and ad

Mother's Day brings visits from Khadijah and Regine's moms.

When Khadijah falls for Alonzo, she falls into disfavor with her friends.

Khadijah entrusts Synclaire with putting out Flavor's music issue.

Synclaire answers a radio trivia question and wins a trip for two to the Bahamas. Next question: whom should she take with her?

Overton feels guilty for dating another and for betraying Synclaire.

Khadijah hires a promising journalist--who may sue her for harassment after she nearly succumbs to his charms.

Regine's purse is snatched and the apartment is burglarized, but Khadijah can't get used to living with an alarm system.

The gals surprise Khadijah with a birthday trip to Atlantic City, where they meet Flip Wilson and Ed McMahon.

Synclaire walks off the job, but Khadijah soon realizes that her replacement lacks spunk and enthusiasm, which Synclaire had in abundance.

Regine's latest flame's daughter stirs her maternal instincts--until she's stuck with the youngster overnight.

Another dateless Saturday night prompts the gals to get back in the mix at an uptown club, where Khadijah performs for the crowd.

Max's old beau breezes into town with his new fiancée, expecting Max to give him her blessing.

Khadijah lands in the middle of a standoff between Regine and Max, who is dating Regine's latest cast-off.