 Nell Harper is the black housekeeper of the Kanisky family which consists of Carl, the father who is also the Chief of Police, and his three daughter, Julie, Katie, and Samantha. Now Nell sometimes has to act as a surrogate mother to the daughters cause their has passed away and as a buffer between the girls and their father, cause Carl is not exactly in touch with his feminine side. Later, Carl s father, Stanley would move in with them after his wife died. And the family would also take in a boy, Joey. There were a few changes in the show s fifth season, Carl had passed away and Katie got married to Jonathan. And during the show s fifth season the show was overhauled, Nell, Joey, Samantha, and her friend, Addy moved to New York and Joey learned that he has a brother, Matthew, who moved in with him and Nell.