1x1 - Ned and Stacey

September 11, 1995

In order to get a promotion at the advertising agency he works for, Ned Dorsey agrees to enter into a marriage of convenience with journalist Stacey Colbert, who is desperate to move out of her parents house.

1x2 - Portrait of a Marriage

September 18, 1995

To give the impression of a real marriage at a party for his work colleagues, Ned constructs a fictitious history of his relationship with Stacey.

1x3 - Take My Wife, Please

September 25, 1995

After accidentally meeting a handsome British guy, Stacey starts dating him. When she tries to tell him about her fake marriage with Ned, he gets the impression that they're having a real affair.

1x4 - Cover Story

October 2, 1995

While looking for material for her next article, Stacey receives compromising information regarding one of Ned's biggest clients. After consulting with him, she writes a scathing expose about the client which ends up harming Ned.

1x5 - Model Husband

October 9, 1995

When Ned hires a gorgeous supermodel for a pick-up truck ad, she ends up getting real close to Eric. When this worries Amanda, Eric decides to take a stand for himself.

1x6 - Saul and Ellen and Ned and Stacey

October 16, 1995

Stacey realises that Ned's getting too close to her parents and decides to forbid him from spending time with them.

1x7 - Here's to You, Mrs. Binder

October 23, 1995

Ned falls in love with Mrs. Binder, an older woman who happens to be the best friend of Stacey's mom.

1x8 - Halloween Story

October 30, 1995

Ned and Stacey visit a Halloween party at their building, and they end up getting closer than they expected.

1x9 - Reality Check

November 13, 1995

When Stacey's finances take a dive into the worst, Ned offers to help her.

1x10 - Thanksgiving Day Massacre

November 20, 1995

Ned, Stacey, Eric, and Amanda visit the Colberts for a Thanksgiving Day diner. However, a snow storm and other mishaps leads them into a series of family disagreements and disappointments.

1x11 - Sleepless in Manhattan

December 4, 1995

Ned gives Stacey some illegal help to buy a new bed, by bribing the salesman. However, Stacey finds herself unable to sleep in it due to the guilt for Ned's actions.

1x12 - Threesome

December 11, 1995

When Amanda stumbles with Sam, a friend of her, she introduces him to Ned and Stacey. After knowing about their arrangement, both Ned and Stacey find themselves fighting for Sam's attention as a "buddy" and as a "boyfriend".

1x13 - Accountus Interruptus

December 18, 1995

Ned is bound to sleep with a powerful and sexy client. However, Stacey objects arguing the humiliation it poses with the clients he wants her to impress.

1x14 - New Year's Eve

January 1, 1996

Stacey skips Ned's New Year's Eve party to have a date with a friend, which eventually bothers Ned.

1x15 - Paranoia on the 47th Floor

January 8, 1996

When Ned's agency hires Clay, a young and smart executive, to work with him, Ned finds himself worried that he might be trying to take his place.

1x16 - A Tender Trap

January 15, 1996

In order to land Stacey a steady job, Ned starts dating a publishing executive only to realise she is a sex-crazed nymphomaniac.

1x17 - Promotional Rescue

January 22, 1996

When Eric's boss retires, Amanda convinces Ned to speak in favour of Eric with their boss. As a result, Eric gets the job, but only to have Ned trying to coerce him into some budget gymnastics.

1x18 - Friends and Lovers

February 12, 1996

Stacey meets with an old high school rival and tries to impress her with her relationship with Ned. However, she ends up seducing Ned afterwards.

1x19 - The Gay Caballeros

February 19, 1996

Ned enjoys a good relationship with his client, gay fashion designer Brent Barrow, who invites the Dorseys and the Moyers to his restaurant and takes Stacey and Amanda shopping at his warehouse. While helping Stacey put away her new clothes, he notices that she and Ned sleep in separate bedrooms. Stacey tells them that they have an arrangement. Brent says he understands but wrongly assumes she means Ned is gay. Later Eric and Ned arrive at Brent's Mardi Gras party before their wives and notice that only men are in attendance. Ned is eager to correct any misunderstanding with Brent and he tells him that he's straight. Brent assumes Ned is in denial about his sexuality and is ready to quit doing business with him, so Ned now tries to tell him that he is gay after all and in love with Eric. By the time Stacey and Amanda arrive at the party, Ned and Eric have done such a bad job of acting gay that Brent is sure that Ned is truly straight.

1x20 - Gut Feeling

February 26, 1996

Despite pain from a temperamental gall bladder, Ned refuses to be hospitalised. That is until his pain leads him to ruin Howard's birthday party.

1x21 - Pals

March 4, 1996

Ned is forced to work with Bobby Van Lowe, a hot and young actor that has to make some PSA's. When he comments he is looking for an apartment, Ned recommends Amanda, but finds himself in the middle of trouble when Bobby makes a pass at Amanda.

1x22 - It Happened One Night

March 11, 1996

After a series of fights, Amanda unknowingly convinces Stacey to move out of Ned's house. As she returns to her parents, both she and Ned find themselves receiving the unexpected advice from the Colberts.

1x23 - You Bet Your Wife

March 18, 1996

During a poker game with his friends, Ned bets a night with Stacey, only to lose to his main rival in advertisement.

1x24 - The End? (1)

April 1, 1996

Ned and Stacey agree to find a date for each other. Although Stacey's choice ends up being disastrous for Ned, she falls in love with Alex, a friend of Ned. However, her new romance ends up jeopardising Ned's career and their marriage arrangement.

Thomas Haden Church

Ned Dorsey

Debra Messing

Stacey Colbert

Greg Germann

Eric 'Rico' Moyer

Nadia Dajani

Amanda Moyer

Harry Goz

Saul Colbert

Ford Rainey

Nate

Dori Brenner

Ellen Colbert