The sudden death of the Tin Man during a community performance of The Wizard of Oz throws the normally sleepy town of Rome, Wisconsin, into chaos and throws Sheriff Jimmy Brock right into the middle of a difficult murder investigation. Meanwhile, when the favourite singing group of Brock's teenage daughter Kimberly arrive in town, they prove not to be what either she or Deputy Kenny had anticipated.
The FBI comes to town to search for a serial killer who chops off the right hand of his victims. Max's diligence in investigating on her own pays off when she is allowed to assist in his apprehension.
Michael J Anderson guests as a circus performer who "steals" an elephant from the circus to rescue him from ongoing abuse by the trainers. Also, a beloved teacher from the high school loses his job when a brain tumor causes him to have a violent outburst.
Things get crazy in Rome when the mayoral race between Mayor Pugen and Douglas Wambaugh takes an ugly turn. Jimmy temporarily joins the race in order to seize an opportunity to publicly chastise them both for their behavior and antics.
The townspeople of Rome are plagued by a mysterious "serial bather" who sneaks into their homes while they are out and takes a bath. The pressure is on for the Sheriff's department to apprehend the disturbed felon as suspicion falls on Frank the Potato Man, a homeless man who lives in the woods outside of town. Meanwhile, a farmer claims a neighbor's still intoxicates his cows.
It's Halloween and Jimmy decides to reopen the ten year old suicide case of Rosemary Bauer when Karina Shaw, her former maid who hasn't spoken since the death, suddenly utters the word "murder". On the strength of this new piece of evidence, the case is reopened and elderly Rome resident Howard Buss confesses to killing Rosemary, bringing proof of his guilt to the authorities. Meanwhile, holiday tricks get out of hand.
Jimmy considered it before but now Jill decides she will run for mayor after Bill Pugen ignores women's rights once too often. At a police speed checkpoint, Max and Kenny stop a man with false papers and Kenny, recognising him as former Middle-Weight Champion of the world Jeff Freed, wants to waive the charges against him. He then arranges a match between himself and Freed, with half of the proceeds going to the boxer and the other half going to a local charity.
Max searches for a nun suspected of killing an elderly leukemia patient. When the nun is caught, she confesses to committing a series of mercy killings and the furore over prosecuting her divides the town and causes Zachary to fear death.
Jill's father arrives for Thanksgiving with a young love in tow. Wambaugh has his wife Myriam arrested after he catches her in bed with Harold Lundstrom. It all adds up to a typically riotous and far from peaceful holiday in the Brock house.
Jimmy, Max and Kenny investigate the mysterious death of a woman who may or may not have committed suicide. Suspects in her death are her snake-raising sister and her own husband, who gets involved with Max.
Zach's teacher, Louise Talbot, defies a court-ordered ban of the annual Christmas pageant on public property, after which disturbing facts come to light about her.
Brock catches Kimberly in bed with her boyfriend, arrests him and cancels Christmas in the household. At the Sheriff Station, Max and Ginny are held hostage at gunpoint by an elderly man dressed as Santa Claus.
Investigating a burglary with Max, Kenny is shot and seriously injured by the Frog Man, a burglar who leaves live frogs at the scene of his crimes.
When Alice Freeman is charged with murdering her estranged husband by running him down with a steamroller, Wambaugh defends her by claiming insanity as the result of the menopause. The onset of puberty unsettles Matthew.
When a school friend gets pregnant, Kimberly tells her parents she thinks it resulted from incest. Kenny's girlfriend meets her long-lost twin and Cynthia Parks' pet duck is sacrificed.
An HIV-positive dentist sues the city of Rome after being fired. A man and his mother-in-law battle over whether to keep his brain-dead pregnant wife alive.
Max goes undercover to catch a vicious serial killer named 'Cupid' who murders women he meets through classified ads.
Jill asks Dr David Williams, her ex-fiance, to perform a controversial foetal tissue transplant on a man suffering from Parkinson's Disease.
A corpse found in the Brocks' trash is found to be a sheriff who mysteriously disappeared 38 years earlier. Carter believes he may have been killed by radiation emitted by a UFO, bringing alien enthusiasts to town.
A group of heavily armed Chippewa Indians declares war on Rome and takes over the courthouse, as a dispute over enlarging the golf course gets violent. Ginny accuses Jill of discrimination when she agrees to give an abnormally young boy a controversial growth treatment. Matthew stands up for Zach against the school bully.
Attraction to a girlfriend confuses Kimberly. Max and Kenny vie for undersheriff but Max loses out on the promotion.
Zach plays horn for an ailing blues legend but Jill is frustrated when the woman takes ill and fails to appreciate medicine's ability to keep her alive. Max delivers a criminal's baby and begins procedures to adopt it.
Mayor Pugen is caught between a Brock and a hard place when the Sheriff arrests him for murdering a disarmed carjacker, leaving him to rely on Wambaugh for his defense. Frightened at the level of violence creeping up on the Rome people, Jill buys a gun to protect her family.
Wambaugh appeals Mayor Pugen's conviction and uncovers a technicality that could secure a new trial. Max's therapist admits his attraction to her and the feeling is mutual, raising ethical issues. Father Barrett confronts his church's stand on birth control.
Things don't add up when a math teacher says he was a date-rape victim. Jimmy locks horns with a new mayor and Max decides to prosecute her therapist.
Still reeling from her relationship with Dr. Shreve, Max allows a drunken driver to continue on home. She then feels indirectly responsible when a traffic accident occurs involving the driver, critically injuring another motorist.
Marlee Matlin guests as Laurie Bey, the Dancing Bandit who has become a bit of a folk hero for her heists where she and her very talented gang rob from rich bureaucrats and give back to families who have gotten screwed by the system.
Jimmy, Jill, Rachel and Father Barrett debate employing a scantily-clad pin-up model, a battered wife, to help promote the dairy industry in Rome. Kimberly considers getting breast implants.
Some members of the community don't know what to believe when a woman pulled from a submerged vehicle is discovered to be pregnant - even though she is technically a virgin. Matthew decides to tell Zach about Santa Claus.
A jury must decide if it's murder or a mistake after Leonard Taylor, a man with a brain disease that distorts vision, shoots and kills his own brother Brian, when the sibling enters his home in the middle of the night. As Jill and Jimmy clash over his motives, Ginny is romanced by Dr Vernon Leaky, a specialist on the brain condition who arrives in Rome for the trial. Meanwhile, Max is horrified to discover that Kenny and Mayor Rachel have been having an affair.
The drug war comes to Rome in place of Santa: controlled substances are found on the high school campus during a drug sweep, Kimberly's friend is arrested and a federal witness turns up in town. Carter is devastated when his mother dies of a heart attack, and it brings out the worst in him.
Jill does her best to uphold the Hippocratic oath when she performs emergency surgery on a pregnant Christian Scientist, who has refused care and whose husband takes the fight to court. Zach wants to convert to Judaism.
Embarrassed by a prank, Matthew tries to get even with some boys, but the practical joking gets out of hand, which may result in paralysis for him. Meanwhile, budget cuts hit the sheriff's department and Max fills in as sheriff.
The debate over crime reaches a fever pitch Wambaugh blames violence in the media for his client's assault on Matthew. Rachel launches a war on crime and moves forward with new legislation to curb violence.
With his mind failing due to Alzheimer's, Howard Buss proposes that doctors harvest his heart for the transplant his son needs. Meanwhile, Wambaugh pleads with the city to house Frank the Potato Man.
Valentine's Day brings love and controversy to assorted age groups: Max helps Carter woo a widow he is smitten with, Zack finds his first love but gets in trouble for kissing her, and Kimberly's boyfriend is too prudent as they struggle with sexual-consent guidelines.
Mayor Rachel scolds Father Barrett for giving a pep talk colored with religious ideals to a public school's hockey team. Meanwhile, a risque video from Rachel's past jeopardizes her career as Kenny admits their affair to Jimmy.
Sheriff Brock tries to remain professional when Kimberly is kidnapped---and his onetime partner, who he once testified against, is the prime suspect.
When an obese woman confesses to murdering her husband by sitting on him, Max has some doubts about the motive. A synagogue ostracizes Wambaugh.
Jimmy becomes the unlikely foreman of a jury deciding the case of a suspect accused of murdering two policemen.
A visit by Jill's father leads to a lively evening of therapy in the Brock household. Jimmy invites Max to dinner after she arrests Jill's father for disorderly conduct.
Father Barrett may lose his parish after Jimmy and Kenny find women's shoes in his closet. Things get worse when the Mayor criticizes the Father on public-access cable, prompting a lawsuit. Matthew fears his sexual curiosities are a sin.
The parents of a dying boy try to get the court's permission to use an unorthodox procedure to save the child's life.
Howard's struggle with Alzheimer's affects his family and the town. Jill's decision during surgery may revoke her hospital privileges.
Community pressure mounts to convict the prime suspect in a teen girl's murder.
Littleton feels Brock's department is hampering the investigation of a girl's murder.
As temporary co-mayor, Jill copes with racial tensions from a judge's decision to bus tough black students from Green Bay to Rome's schools.
A judge jails Jill for interfering with the busing order. Littleton and Max consider dating.
Brock investigates the home life of a girl who spray-painted a pentacle on a school wall. Max and Kenny are horrified to find Ginny, frozen to death after falling into her freezer.
Racial tensions escalate as the mayoral campaign progresses. Zach pens a report that gets him suspended from school and hurts Jill's chances of being elected mayor. Meanwhile Kimberly gives Aisha a vote of confidence when the teen is mocked for getting good grades.
Jill takes an ailing Wambaugh to Chicago Hope Hospital for tests and locks horns with Geiger over how to practice medicine.
Wambaugh and Littleton argue their case in the Supreme Court.
Jimmy experiences a mid-life crisis on his 55th birthday. Max and Kenny re-open the Latham case.
Jimmy investigates cows that are suspected to have been injected with alien DNA, but the Sheriff's department soon finds that the truth is even stranger than fiction and that the cows are being used to help breed human babies.
The probe of a masseur's murder uncovers a scandal among his women clientele.
The embarrassed son of the Frogman sues for emancipation. Jill strikes Matthew for accidentally injuring Zack.
Wanting another baby, Lydia Brock wants to use Jimmy's frozen sperm.
Littleton copes with his attraction to an 18-year-old assistant. Max and Kenny decide to put an end to their sexual tension.
After 26 years in prison, a child molester moves to Rome, stirring controversy.
The Dancing Bandit returns to Rome to help Zack celebrate his birthday but finds federal agents waiting for her.
Jimmy asks the Dancing Bandit to investigate the mayor's murder. Max and Kenny are caught kissing on the job.
Jimmy arrests Jill for euthanizing a cancer patient.
While Jill awaits sentencing, her lawyers ask Bone to put the euthanasia law on trial. Kenny and Carter investigate an attack on swans.
All of Rome is in an uproar after stigmata appear on Zach's hands.
A troubled relationship resurfaces when Jimmy's father wants him to take over the law practice.
Judge Bone struggles to be objective with a youth who shot Father Barrett during confession.
Following Carter's narrow escape from a house fire, Jill fears he tried to commit suicide. Kimberly makes a career decision: she's not going to be a lawyer after all, she's going to be a doctor. Jill is both shocked and a little delighted.
A tornado threatens Rome and Zach is so worried for Kimberly's safety that he sets out on his bike to warn her. Kenny's hooker is arrested in a sting operation organised by Max, who ends up commiting a felony by covering for him. Wambaugh's wife leaves him after he embarrasses her at their anniversary party.
A talk-show-host/physician tries to take over Jill's practice. An Asian man's courting ritual leads to his arrest and Kenny uses a dating-service.
Two escaped convicts show up in Rome looking for one's half-brother, Littleton. Kenny is shot by one of the fugitives.
Max faces suspension for shooting a man dressed as a bratwurst. Jill suspects Kimberly is pregnant.
Saturday night in Rome and the residents' minds turn to leisure activities. Matthew goes cruising with his pals. Jill and Jimmy's attempt at romance leaves him in an extremely painful position. Meanwhile, Judge Bone and Wambaugh's poker gang loses a player when one of them drops dead at the table.
Pregnant Mayor Bey shields the baby's father as Jill considers tubal ligation. Meanwhile, Littleton is haunted by memories of his brother and makes some big decisions about his future.
Animal-rights activist Kimberly is arrested for a felony. A woman's medical treatment is inhibited by her daughter's religious beliefs.
Rome is in a flutter when Mayor Bey announces that the Pope himself is coming to visit the town. It's a day of celebration as His Holiness arrives, but the walk down main street ends in chaos when someone in the crowd opens fire, killing a man. The resulting investigation reveals the death was suicide, according to the dead man's gay lover... until the Pope announces he saw the whole thing and that it was, in fact, murder. The court case that follows threatens to end Judge Bone and Wambaugh's tempestuous friendship for good.
A skeleton discovered is that of a suspected Nazi murdered 50 years before and Wambaugh's son returns to prosecute the case.
Matthew's classmate shoots himself. A bear is loose in Rome and Kenny assumes the role of Mayor Bey's Lamaze partner.
In the middle of a major snow storm, Judge Bone has a heart attack while, snowed-in at the police station, Mayor Bey goes into labor with only Jimmy to deliver her baby. Meanwhile, it's bonding time with lots of alcohol for Jill, Kimberly and Lydia, as Max is reunited with an old adversary - the one and only Barney Bratwurst.
After being struck by a falling power line in a fluke accident, Carter meets his long dead Grandpa Bob while clinically dead for about 3 minutes. This causes him to question his relationship both with God, and his girlfriend Sue. Judge Bone meets up with an old flame from over 50 years ago, both of them now widowed, and a little flames are rekindled. Zack gets a crush on a beautiful young Asian gal that is in their home for a week for some kind of musical competition; she is a cello prodigy. However, she has eyes for Zack's older brother, Matthew, and Zack catches them kissing after dark, and is heartbroken.
Zach's buddy sends a teacher's photo over the Internet. Max dates a chat-room acquaintance.
Jill's emotions take control when the Brocks celebrate Zach's 13th birthday.
With Mayor Bey off on maternity leave, Acting Mayor Max stirs up trouble in Rome with her sweeping changes and orders. Shock jock Chuck Dante makes the situation worse by homing in on her actions on his radio show. And though the situation doesn't seem that serious at first, it becomes that way when Max is gunned down.
It's the christening of Mayor Bey's baby, Michael, but the Rome residents are flabbergasted when Laurie announces that she had the baby for her brother Jerry and his lover Gordy, who plan to raise the baby in the town. The Beys' estranged mother Christine, who turned her back on her children because she was deaf and he was gay, turns up and announces she is taking them all to court to get custody of her grandson. Tension brews in Rome as the people take sides on the issue and a campaign begins to have Laurie removed as Mayor, resulting in Jerry and Gordy being attacked at the supermarket by a vicious homophobic gang. Despite attempts by the prosecution to discredit the men and prove their lifestyle is unsuitable to raise a child in, Judge Bone ultimately rules in their favour and allows them to keep baby Michael, saying he doesn't feel they pose a threat to the boy. The court case over, Mrs Bey leaves Rome again under a cloud, and Laurie is emotional as she leaves the baby in the care
Carter inadvertantly proposes to Sue after she gets her wires crossed. Nevertheless, he's a man of his word and they announce their engagement to the people of Rome. Their sudden decision to wed prompts Kenny and Max to do the same, although they later begin to experience cold feet. Digging in her friend Selma's backyard, Myriam Wambaugh discovers human remains and Selma goes on trial for murder. Persuaded to defend her by his ex-wife, Wambaugh manages to get her off and passion erupts again for Doug and Myriam, who decide to get re-married in a triple ceremony with Carter & Sue and Kenny & Max. Meanwhile, the Brocks' marriage is in serious trouble, with Jill feeling they've come to the end of the line. She moves in with Joey to do some thinking and Jimmy is left to do the same. At the wedding, the three happy couples tie the knot and the wedding fever gets to Jimmy and Jill, who make up and get back together. As the cast gather for a group photo in their wedding finery, we wave a sad
The coach of the kids' basketball team collapses at a game and the parents group appoints Jill as interim coach. At first she is determined to play fair and give all the boys a chance, but under pressure from more gung-ho adults, she becomes as obsessed as the rest of them. Fed up with all this, Zach and the other boys on the team take out a court injunction against them. Meanwhile, Matthew becomes hooked on gambling and gets himself into serious trouble.
Wambaugh is convinced Myriam's new beau has ulterior motives.
When a young Amish rape victim is encouraged by her community not to testify, her rapist goes free and proceeds to rape another girl. Incensed, her parents sue the Amish community, blaming them for their daughter's rape.
Jimmy is having a rough day. First, he receives some scary news about his health. Then, a young murder suspect, in a desperate attempt to escape, manages to grab Jimmy's gun and threatens him with it. Jimmy manages to calm him down enough to get the whole tragic story.
