Simon discovers friendly, generous old neighbor Charlotte Kerjesz has concentration camp tattoo. Eric forbids Simon to ask her to help for a history assignment but realizes his son is right after hearing classmate Larry's father spreads holocaust denial. The Camdens are excited to meet Joanne, Matt's first girl since Heather dumped him. Considering her 'too perfect', jealous Lucy and Mary decoded flippantly to hate and ignore her. Joanne overhears them and dumps Matt over his lousy siblings, which stands even after apologies.

Glen Oak Community Church has the opportunity to have a Sunday service televised and the pressure of having to write a five-star sermon is taking its toll on Eric, who holes himself up in his study. Annie realizes she cannot handle so many problems on her own, which include Simon's new career goal and Lucy failing a class. Hearing of the chaos Eric's father—"The Colonel" — arrives from New York and uses old-style military teamwork to restore order in the household. Eric's sermon is interrupted when a mint gets stuck up Ruthie's nose, and she is taken to the hospital.