A cocky Theo is sure that in a few years he will easily land a job as a fashion model and have a great car, apartment and plenty of spending money. So the Huxtables stage an elaborate scheme to prove to him that living on your own is not what it is cracked up to be. Theo's lesson in reality starts when the Huxtable home is converted into the Real World Apartments with Cliff as the strictly business landlord, Harley Weewax; Clair as the restaurant owner, Millie Farquar; Denise as the shrewd head of a modeling agency; Vanessa as her gum-cracking receptionist, and Rudy as the hard-nosed bank loan officer, Mrs. Griswald.

Cliff and his father are among the Huxtables who cannot keep their opinions to themselves when Denise is faced with the difficult decision of which college to attend. Although Denise cannot decide if she wants to go away to school, Cliff and Russell try to persuade her to attend their alma mater in North Carolina. Theo is worried about losing out on Denise's car if she goes away, and Vanessa already has plans for her sister's room.