Things don't go quite as planned for Tucker and Becca on the first day of school. Now that they're finally in eighth grade, Becca is looking forward to writing for the school paper and Tucker wants to be the school announcer. However, Tucker soon learns that he's up against Jack, a smooth-talking new kid who seems determined to humiliate him. Meanwhile, Becca and her best friend Christine are disappointed to find that they aren't in the same homeroom.

When both Tucker's and Becca's parents go away for the weekend, they decide the time is right to throw a party at Tucker's house. But Becca's sister, Ellen is planning her own party at their house and when Becca hears that the extremely cute Zach Anderson is going to be there, she forgets her plans with Tucker and their friends and begs Ellen to include her. Of course things don't go as smoothly as they all hope.

Having won the speech contest for the past two years, Becca is determined to hold on to her title this year. After carefully choosing rock climbing as her topic, she throws herself into her research only to find that her academic rival Vega may also have the same idea. Meanwhile, Tucker sees an opportunity to take over the school DJ position, a job currently occupied by his arch-nemesis Jack.

Tucker can't believe it when his dad surprises him with a pair of tickets to a concert that's been sold out for weeks. But before he has a chance to invite Becca, Tucker finds out that Kerry, the girl he has a crush on, would love to go. He invites Kerry instead, figuring that Becca will be none the wiser.

A bully is terrorizing Tucker's younger brother Horace, so Tucker steps in to defend him, only to discover the bully is Jack's younger cousin. Jack then challenges Tucker and Horace to a fight against Garth and him. Meanwhile, Becca and Christine befriend a stray dog that has been disrupting classes and try to save the mutt from the dogcatcher.

Tucker is all set to be an extra in a horror movie, until his mom reminds him that he has to spend that day looking after Horace. So Tucker tells Becca he'll take over their joint Health assignment, which involves looking after a lifelike doll that has to be cared for like a real baby, if she'll look after Horace on Saturday. His parenting skills turn out to be disastrous.

When Max makes fun of Becca and Christine for not having social lives, Becca gets up the nerve to call a guy she knew at camp, and invites him to a movie that weekend along with a friend for Christine. Becca is both thrilled and terrified that she might get her first real kiss. Unable to stifle his curiosity and jealousy, Tucker convinces Miles that they should spy on the foursome, only to recognize Becca's date as a jerk named Scott.

Sibling rivalry is running rampant in the Fisher household. Becca and Ellen are running themselves ragged trying to outdo each other since the prize for the most helpful daughter is a trip to Malta to visit their aunt. Becca rallies the boys to help her find dirt on Ellen, while Ellen concocts her own plan. But when Becca lets one lie slip, catastrophe develops, throwing her into a spiral of guilt.