Vindictive vixen Andi sneaks in to vandalize Robbie's room; at O'Neill's he receives a packet- a live snake, which dad Jim recognizes as harmless patient Minnie. Robbie doesn't tell to spare dad worrying, she blackmails him to meet her in the empty studio- she's waiting with matches... Syd is released home, but revalidation starts with a month minimum. At first she refuses the conventional physiotherapist Goodlander being replaced by college hunk John Hemming, who based his play-wise approach on his crippled dog Earl's spontaneous revalidation. Heather is back at the ...

The police questions and suspects Robbie, who didn't even know the studio burnt down. Andi repeats her scary blackmail threat, but even Heather's heirloom wedding ring proves paste... John has a hard time making Syd realize she needs time before she can resume work normally, then encourages her to. She's suspicious about her nearly fatal judgment call causing a malpractice lawsuit and her too-good-to-be-true stand-in Dr. Jordan Roberts, who convinces the board of a major building project... Burt accepts Joanie's request to join her at costumed ball against inhibitions...

When Robbie tells a detective he knows nothing about Andi's fire, he's served a subpoena. Burt consults Syd medically about his poor performance in Joanie's bed, then plans a day rest before major quality time. Jim calls in canine behavior counselor B.J. Maximus about hyperkinetic puppy Fearless who raids all the family's footwear, in her view a bid for picking order supremacy. Syd meets John's patient Beckca, a dancer who refuses proper care, even free diagnosis, before risking permanent injury at an untimely audition, and suggests John systematically has improper ...

Despite all her evildoing, Robbie helps arsonist Andi to a waitering job at O'Neill's and even dealing with her lazy Public Defense attorney, who feels her case is hopeless if tried, given Chuck Chance's willingness to testify against her. She tries to jump bail... Syd is declared physically healed, but didn't regain her muscle control. John offers therapy as needed, but tells her it's time after she treated illegal laborer Francisco Aguilar for a leg wound and seeing his eight year-old boy Carlos has a split pallet arranged a pro deo by Dr. Mark Leggett, who at the ...

When Robbie generously obliges a beggar's plea for food, instead of waiting for an omelet the apparent scumbag takes off with his benefactor's wallet and keys, yet stops when Robbie hurts his head chasing and claims it wasn't him, the police threw him out- indeed, a careful colleague found his things, so Robby brings food to the shelter and offers grumpy Dwayne, who plays guitar, a gig at O'Neill's, only to have it refused. Jim gets a circus's confused chimpanzee Danny and is railroaded into attending his overbearing suitor Cynthia Blake's Thanksgiving party, while ...

Robbie's protégé Dwayne not only bail out again after telling how badly he misses his late wife, he's the police's only suspect for the theft of his guitar from the pawnshop; Robbie sells his comics, Dwayne accepts to sing at the family Thanksgiving. Joanie feared announcing her pregnancy would have chased Burt, but he stays. Chimpanzee Rocket's last revealed talent, painting, allows identifying his training center, so he can be reunited with his handler after two years. The Hemming money allows Chinatown P.I. Simon to find Anchee's parents by posting a reward; ma ...

Robbie's Christmas bonus at O'Neill's depends on organizing a charity toys drive, so he goes to a cheap sale, but finds out painfully it's run by a malicious mall Santa and his matching midget elf Barnabus Finkel, who is fired after a public fight and turns up in the pub. Betting the meager $150 toys budget makes the disaster complete, save for a Xmas miracle... Syd is supportive of Joanie's second pregnancy, dad clearly disappointed. Exposure to mischievous kids at her doctor's office tests Burt's preparedness for the burden of fatherhood; her mean nagging about ...

Jim, who warned Robbie an address he asked about to deliver whiskey from O'Neill's could be a mob club, is testing a harmless mousetrap, but his rodent hunt only succeeds in wrecking half the house. The Italian customers sort of railroad Robbie into joining their poker table. They get grumpy when he outplays them every hand, but once they realize they mistook him for a don's son take him to the woods, stripped to his underwear, contemplating spy execution modes... Being preoccupied with a terminal cancer patient who feels guilty as an absent mother, Syd gets Joanie in...

Infomercial presenter Earl Popper passes at O'Neill's and encourages fan Robbie to come up with a gimmick invention to enter it in his TV program and earn a fortune, but that' easier said the done, even for the most inventive Hansen... Syd's nice young paperboy David (12) is brought in with a gun-wound; according to elder brother and guardian Matt, David must have shot himself accidentally with a gun Matt bought after a recent wave of break-ins, but the wound indicates someone shot the kid and he can't move his feet without an operation. Matt asks him where the gun is...

Sydney reaches out to help a reclusive young man whose face is severly scarred. Joanie's suddenly in overdrive as she prepares for a whirlwind marriage to Burt. Burt's vagabond parents arrive in their RV and can barely hide their resentment.

Dr. Jim Hansen makes a big deal of accompanying morally good but legally about incorrigible son Robbie to court, again, for some bookie deals, and actually convinces the judge to give him a better lesson then a fine: community service by coaching a boys ice-hockey team a whole season. Initially reluctant coach Robbie generously adjusts his already busy time-schedule and proves the only optimist who ever dared insisting to them winning should be a serious option, and stands up against stressed player Billy's overbearing father, winning the boy's heart and the sympathy ...

Robbie is now really interested in coaching, even changes shifts t be there early, but is also focusing on Pete Calcatera's mother Tina. Learning Pete's father will never return, and she runs a garage, he actually sabotages pa's muffler -alas accidentally also an expensive part- to have an excuse to drop by, but she refuses to go lunch together meanwhile; luckily Pete insists to have him invited at Chimp Fun Zone to celebrate his successful school project. Syd gets Joanie, who is impossible to live with, neglects the Barkery and can't face Burt since the miscarriage, ...

Robbie tries to be supportive now player Pete Calcatera is desperately nervous as his dad Peter promised to come watch his game on Friday, but private coaching seems to do the trick; on the big day Robbie's pep-talk gets the kid over his fear, but a brute knocks him over... Syd's doctor's orders keep Jim out of the surgery, but Heather must bring Graham's solitude-stressed Byron and other dogs to him, till after Graham's operation, which is a medical success, and he actually dares facing people again. Syd discovers the late Mary left something to Edward 'Eddie' Joyce,...

Robbie's date with Tina falls through when Pete's dad Peter cancels last minute to chaperon his scouts event. Robbie is happy to be invited by the kid to his birthday party, but Peter demands he steps out of the divorced family's only annual event. Syd's clinic is selected as contender for a grant from the prestigious Medfund. The Barkery hires pastry chef Elliot Anderman, who finds cooking for animals beneath him, let alone cleaning, but lost his Chicago standing after malicious food poisoning. He proves sympathetic to Joanie's miscarriage-trauma and reorganizes ...

Robbie's restaurant date with Tina is a lip-locked success. Yet the next day she's aloof again, Robbie sees she has another man, who drops by at O'Neill's. Gym coach Russel Banks brings in pupil Kylie with a strained ankle, later picks up his coat- and Syd for supper. It's love at first bite. After three years of therapeutic disillusions, a patient is determined not to try a new treatment that Syd insists on. Chef Elliot Anderman's cookie range "man's best friend" (for people and dogs) convinces banker George Blankenship to support the "Barkery's" $8,000 oven ...

Robbie looks forward to a weekend with Tina while Peter takes their son Pete camping, but she doesn't know he still lives in his old room at dad's. On her Saturday off Syd welcomes MD Rick Rozelli, back from Uganda, and shows him St. Clare clinic. Rick came to invite youth friend Syd to join a partnership running a clinic there, but suddenly falls gravely ill. The Health department determines it's serious, possibly hemorrhagic fever (Ebola?!) and immediately quarantines both clinic and Hansen house. Joanie is trapped with all Hannah's birthday party guests. There were...

Sydney fights the system when she treats a deathly sick baby boy suffering and her only hope is to convince a major company to provide a life-saving drug. Meanwhile, Robbie hopes to rough it when he sweeps Tina off to a mountain cabin.

Sydney crusades to compel a huge company to continue clinical tests of a wonder drug that could cure a rare but deadly childhood disease. She thinks she's found a powerful ally in a congressman, but he has political ties to the drug firms.

Robbie and Tina were enjoying a quiet weekend without Pete, but his pa Peter has papers served: he sues for full custody. Tina's lawyer convinces Robbie his criminal record would wreck her case; he's inclined to bow out, but a pub colleague suggests he provokes Peter's known violent temper, with plain-clothes cop Reggie standing by. Fearless makes a seizable drug-bust for Officer Duncan, then is poisoned in Jim's surgery. Elliot's coaching succeeds in making Joanie go out with his friend, studly artist Matt, but she's not over Burt yet. Syd's aggressive tone ruins ...

Robbie celebrated Tina's regained freedom with a dinner, but an accidentally delivered ring out-stages him; it sets both thinking. Congressman Joe Connely insists Syd should consider an affair with him, as he is already determined to divorce his socialite, cold-ambitious wife Erica, who approaches her to plead for- his scandal-vulnerable career; pictures make it real, but who sent them and why? Elliot takes Joanie to a diner where all firemen meet, and bingo: Burt, then coaches her to reaffirm her feelings for the stud, but just too late. Heather convinces Jim to try ...