Molly finds herself at a crossroads with her career and makes a huge decision to give up her job teaching elementary school to follow her dreams.

Molly decides writing a crime novel will be her new career, so she goes on a ride-along with Mike and Carl to research a book she wants to pen.

Molly has a "mind blowing" experience when she visits Victoria's workplace, a funeral home. Meanwhile, Mike sneaks a peek at Molly's racy writing when she's out of the house.

Molly meets her literary idol, J.C. Small, a cynic who advises her to write about things in her life that she wouldn't want people to know. Meanwhile, Mike invites his mother over for dinner in an effort to cheer her up.

Molly believes her suspicious next-door neighbor is up to no good and recruits Joyce to help her spy on him. Meanwhile, the guys get together for a poker game and end up sharing their dreams and aspirations.

Molly needs to adjust her spending habits on shoes if she wants to maintain harmony in her marriage with Mike.

After being shot during a robbery, Mike decides he needs to live every day like it's his last. As a result, he tells Carl it's time for him to quit the police force.

Molly decides to take a break from writing her novel and accepts a job as a forklift driver at Vince's warehouse...with mixed results.

Molly is determined to get Mike out of his routine and encourages him to embrace anything they want in life. They try new things together, until reality sets in and it's time to pay the bill.

Following a dramatic argument with Joyce over money, Mike and Molly move into Mike's childhood room at Peggy's.

Mike asks Carl to replace him as Molly's dance partner at a salsa class, but gets jealous when he realizes they're having way too much fun.

Molly grudgingly goes to a therapist (guest star JOHN MICHAEL HIGGINS) at Mike's urging.

A confident Molly offers her wisdom to Samuel who now wants to be a standup comic. Meanwhile, Molly's advice to Harry causes him to challenge his protective mother.

When Victoria brings home new boyfriend James (Mather Zickel), the entire family wonders if he's finally "the one."

Molly meets the best buddy of her dreams when Peggy's childhood friend, Kay McKinnon (guest star KATHY BATES) comes to town, but Peggy is not keen on sharing.

Molly looks to win some extra cash when she and the girls head to a riverboat casino for the weekend. Meanwhile, Mike and Vince try to enjoy some college basketball when the guys come over to watch TV.

Mike, Samuel and Carl go on a road trip to Memphis to meet Carl's mother.

When Mike's car breaks down, he must decide if he should accept a loan from Carl to fix it.

Mike and Carl arrest Molly's literary hero, J.C. Small (SUSAN SARANDON), for driving under the influence.

Molly catches Carl coming out of Victoria's room late at night, leaving her questioning whether or not she will tell Mike.

Mike wants Peggy to see a doctor after her bathtub falls through the ceiling.

On the fourth season finale, Molly gets accepted into an elite eight-week writers' workshop in Iowa, but faces a big decision when Mike asks her not to go.