ISABELLA HOFMANN GUEST-STARS -- Syd (Melina Kanakaredes) has second thoughts about seeing her new therapist (guest star Isabella Hofmann, ""Homicide: Life on the Street"") and becomes alarmed when she stops seeing visions of her mother, Lynda (Concetta Tomei). At the rehab center, Jim (Mike Farrell) makes good progress and in turn helps a friend (guest star David Marciano) who is frustrated with the slow pace of his own recovery. Meanwhile, Joanie (Paula Cale) finally gets financial satisfaction from her father's insurance company and helps a new friend (guest star Carol Potter, ""Beverly Hills, 90210"") wage a similar battle against the HMO. Elsewhere, Robbie's (Seth Peterson) attempts to be more of a friend than a father to Pete (guest star Alex D. Linz, ""Home Alone 3"") results in a trip to the emergency room.
When Jim returns home to recuperate from a serious head injury after being shot in last season's finale, Syd, Joanie and Robbie clash over each other's reactions to the changes in their father. Syd believes Jim needs more help than they can provide at home, Joanie thinks he needs to be surrounded by loved ones in his own environment while Robbie is detached and angry over the ""loss"" of the father he knew. Besides trying to keep the peace in her family, Syd must also deal with a neurotic patient who believes television characters are real people.