When Franny (Amy Pietz) insists that Raja (Adhir Kalyan) join Justin’s (Dan Byrd) after-school Rocket Club, Justin is forced to let Raja in on the secret that no such club exists; it was simply an excuse for Justin to get away from Franny’s constant supervision and have some time with his buddies.

Horrified that Justin and his friends would lie, Raja decides to build a rocket anyway, but when he tries to purchase the necessary parts, he is taken into custody as a suspected terrorist. Meanwhile, Claire (Lindsey Shaw) discovers that cheerleader tryouts are more challenging that she expected. Scott Patterson also stars.

Luke Greenfield directed the episode written by Richard Day.

Justin Tolchuck (Dan Byrd, “The Hills Have Eyes”) is a sensitive, lanky 16-year old just trying to make it through the social nightmare of high school in Medora, Wisconsin, with the help of his well-meaning mom Franny (Amy Pietz, “Caroline in the City”), aspiring-entrepreneur dad Gary (Scott Patterson, “Gilmore Girls”) and his beautiful and popular younger sister Claire (Lindsey Shaw, “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide”).

Although he’s bright and funny, Justin is also shy, socially awkward and pretty much resigned to the fact that he’ll never be one of the cool kids. Franny, however, is the kind of take-charge mom who micro-manages her family, and she’s come up with a plan to help Justin: she signs up for the school’s international exchange student program. Picturing an athletic, brilliant Nordic teen, Franny is sure this new friendship will bestow instant coolness on her outsider son. However, when the Tolchuck’s exchange student arrives, he turns out to be Raja Musharaff (Adhir Kalyan, “Fair City”), a 16-year-old Muslim from a small village in Pakistan. Raja is thoughtful, responsible and wise beyond his years. To the Tolchucks and everyone else in Medora, he’s also just about as foreign as a foreigner can be.

Justin (Dan Byrd) notices that Raja (Adhir Kalyan) is obsessed with Sadika Sadaqatmal (guest star Sunita Prasad), one of the few Muslim girls in Medora. When Franny (Amy Pietz) hears about Raja’s interest in a girl, she immediately arranges for a “date” which requires the attendance of every member of the Tolchuck and Sadaqatmal families.

Justin is stung when his parents comment that even Raja has begun dating while Justin has yet to find a girlfriend, so he asks out a neurotic girl named Donna (guest star Carol Hodge).

Meanwhile, Claire (Lindsey Shaw) begins dating a German exchange student (guest star Larn Anderson) who lives with the Sadaqatmal family.

Fred Savage directed the episode written by Richard Day.

As an extracurricular activity, Raja (Adhir Kalyan) joins Students Against Drunk Driving and is given the job of organizing the annual event — a fake funeral for a student who was “killed” in a drunk-driving accident. Because the chosen victim has traditionally been the school’s most popular student, everyone expects Raja to select Dan Archer (guest star Jacob Blair), but Raja rebels and gives the dubious honor to Justin (Dan Byrd). When Dan Archer decides to hold his own funeral — the “Wake at the Lake” — Justin turns decides to go all out to attract “mourners,” and the competition escalates until Justin receives a sobering reminder of what the event is really about.

Amy Pietz, Lindsey Shaw and Scott Patterson also star. Sarah Pia Anderson directed the episode written by Michael Glouberman

When Justin’s (Dan Byrd) English class is assigned the book “Madame Bovary,” one of the PTA moms begins a campaign to ban “smutty books” from the school curriculum, leading both Justin and Franny (Amy Pietz) to actually read the books for the first time. Claire (Lindsey Shaw) tries to get out of reading “Pride and Prejudice” by claiming it should also be banned.

Meanwhile, Justin is embarrassed when his parents discover that he has been secretly drawing naked women for years and turns to a bewildered Raja (Adhir Kalyan) for help.

Scott Patterson also stars.

Fred Savage directed the episode written by Rob Ulin.

Raja (Adhir Kalyan) befriends an annoying girl named Mindy (guest star Kala Savage, sister of Fred and Ben Savage), feeling that she is unfairly ostracized by the other students. After spending a day studying with her, Raja realizes how truly annoying Mindy can be and is horrified when Justin (Dan Byrd) tells him Mindy believes she and Raja are dating.

Trying to let her down gently, Raja tells Mindy they cannot date because of their religious differences. The next day, Mindy shows up in a burka and tells Raja she has converted to Islam so they can be together, forcing Raja to tell her the truth.

Meanwhile, Gary (Scott Patterson) and Franny (Amy Pietz) hit it off with the new neighbors Ted (guest star Jim McCauley) and Leslie (guest star April Amber Telek), but are shocked when Ted tells them he must notify all this neighbors that he is a registered sex offender.

Lindsey Shaw also stars.

Linda Mancuso directed the episode written by Emily Kapnek.

The Tolchucks are set to fly to Vancouver for a family vacation, but when Raja (Adhir Kalyan) begins praying at the airport, the family is questioned and the trip is postponed.

Feeling that the family resents him and has never understood him, Raja leaves the Tolchuck’s home and asks Mr. Matthews (Christopher B. Duncan) to place him with a new family. Guilt-ridden and frantic to find Raja, the Tolchucks turn to the local mosque, where Franny (Amy Pietz) and Claire (Lindsey Shaw) meet a Muslim mother (guest star Nimet Kanji) and teenage daughter (guest star Sunita Prasad) who are hosting a German exchange student (guest star Lars Anderson).

Meanwhile, Gary (Scott Patterson) and Justin (Dan Byrd) set off in search of Raja and share a rare father/son bonding moment.

Fred Savage directed the episode written by Richard Day.

Franny’s (Amy Pietz) community theater group puts on a production of “Rent,” and when she can’t get Justin (Dan Byrd) to audition for a part, she convinces him to at least join the stage crew so they can have some quality mother/son time. When Justin meets the cute, artsy leading actress Zoe (guest star Larisa Oleynik), he auditions for the male lead and lands the part, giving him an excuse to spend time with Zoe. The two become inseparable, but the friendship is damaged when Zoe discovers that Justin has let his buddies believe that he and Zoe are having sex.

Meanwhile, Claire (Lindsey Shaw) joins the teen hotline at school, but finds that she isn’t able to help anyone. Feeling bad for her, Raja (Adhir Kalyan) calls in using a fake name and an American accent and begins telling Claire his troubles.

Michael Fresco directed the episode written by Sam Lyborune.

When the high school conducts career aptitude testing, Raja (Adhir Kalyan) is told he should become a doctor, but Justin (Dan Byrd) shows no aptitude for any particular career. Franny (Amy Pietz) and Gary (Scott Patterson) put so much pressure on Justin to choose a career path, that he escapes to the home of his buddy Dooley (Adam Rose), where he notices that Dooley’s father is a stay-at-home-dad. Justin’s announcement that he has found his calling and plans to stay home and nurture his future family convinces Gary that a “manly” hunting trip with the boys is in order. Unfortunately, Raja’s fascination with Gary’s crossbow results in an embarrassing accident.

Meanwhile, the normally close mother/daughter relationship between Franny and Claire (Lindsey Shaw) turns combative and leads to a confrontation in a local nightclub.

Daisy Mayer directed the episode written by Robia Rashid.