Broadway diva Madison Banks (Kirstie Alley) is shocked to find the son she gave up for adoption (Eric Petersen) at her door. Unsure how to fit him into her life, she pushes him away until realizing he may be just what she needs.

Unnerved by the saintly specter of Arlo's adoptive mom - and the barbs of her understudy (Kristin Chenoweth) - Maddie struggles to adapt to her new life as a mom. Meanwhile, Arlo wonders if they'll ever have a real relationship.

After hearing Arlo's karaoke talent at his birthday party, Maddie is thrilled to find a connection with him and decides to make him a star. Against his wishes, she pulls some strings to try to set him up with a record producer.

When Kathy Griffin visits the building to look at the penthouse across the hall, a threatened Maddie struggles to contain her insecurities and goes to great lengths to restake her claim as the biggest star in the building.

After firing inept but hunky stagehand Mickey, Maddie consoles him with a one-night stand - then can't get rid of him. Tension arises between Frank and Arlo when Frank asks Arlo's crush to be his tango partner.

When Maddie learns Arlo's a virgin, she enlists her understudy Brittany (Kristin Chenoweth) to deflower him in exchange for a chance to go onstage. When Arlo falls in love, Maddie storms the theater to avenge his broken heart.

Maddie confronts a secret from her past when she runs into the real Madison Banks (Kristen Johnston), a former actress Maddie screwed over to get her big break, who now wants to prove that she should be the Broadway star.

On the eve of the Tony nominations, Frank infuriates Maddie by admitting he doesn't think she'll get a Tony nod. Trying to remind a fuming Maddie just how lucky she is to have him in her life, Thelma recounts how they all met.

Maddie and Thelma clash when Thelma's womanizing ex-husband Duke (George Wendt) comes to town. Worried she could lose her best friend and faithful assistant, an insecure Maddie will do anything to keep Thelma and Duke apart.

Outraged that her co-star is getting jobs, Maddie vows to fire her agent (Jason Alexander). When cowardice stops her from lowering the hammer, she seduces him. Bolstered by her "courage," Arlo, Frank and Thelma face their fears.

Hoping to help Arlo woo a girl, Maddie invites her snobby parents to a dinner party. Maddie casts herself as the perfect mom, but the plan goes sideways when Frank has to play her fake boyfriend and Thelma gets high.