Roc - Season 1

In this pilot episode of the sole prime-time scripted U.S. series since the 1950s to present a full season live, the menfolk of the Emerson family of East Baltimore separately plan their birthday gifts for Roc's wife Eleanor, whom they all adore. The thrifty Roc is proud to have furnished their home with salvage from his job on a sanitation truck, so he has her gift at hand, but his boom or bust brother Joey is flat broke, staying over on their couch until his trumpet-playing lip heals up. Their father Andrew always honors Eleanor with the same present. Hard-working Eleanor would love a surprise for a change. Can the Emersons make this a birthday she'll never forget ?

Roc's brotherly blood boils when rambling, gambling Joey misuses Roc's loan, by playing the ponies. A loan shark and his huge enforcer show up, but Roc pays them off to save Joey a beating. Their father drives a further wedge between the brothers when he reveals that their late mother had an affair, so he always wondered if one of the men is not an Emer-son. Despite their differences Joey and Roc have always loved each other. Do they want blood tests ?

When Roc learns that Leon, a veteran garbage collector, is being forced to retire, Roc tries to comfort the old man. Thinking years of being alone and unappreciated have made Leon bitter, Roc decides to give Leon a retirement party to show how many friends he really has. Roc's father is hurt by the idea. He spent 35 years as a train porter, and no one ever have him a party

Roc and Eleanor have no privacy in the house they share with Roc's father, Andrew, and his unemployed brother Joey. Joey's drinking and Andrew's constant coughing at night make it hard for Roc and Eleanor to concentrate on lovemaking. After an uneventful night of lovemaking, Rock and Elenor both agree that their nonsexual encounter was even more intimate than sex would have been. Just as they reach the door, however, they embrace and lead each other back toward the bed. Why not explore the physical side of their love while they have the chance?

Trumpeter Joey's on the verge of being kicked out on the curb, due to his gambling losses and mooching off the other Emersons. The sympathy Joey's earned during his recuperation from a split embouchure is wearing thin. Roc goes through the Baltimore Sun want ads with him, but Joey judges the few jobs he's qualified for, as beneath him. Father Andrew recalls how when he was scuffling as a young buck, any kind of job afforded him some dignity. So, Roc offers to get his Joey a job with him, as a Charm City garbage man, but taunts Joey that he wouldn't last a week. Imaginative Joey's eyes light up like a slot machine - because he seldom loses a bet to his workaday older brother.

Roc's temper simmers when his wife Eleanor receives flowers from an older man, an ex-patient of hers, recovering from a major heart attack. Nurse Eleanor explains that such a response from a patient is a normal part of a healthy recovery, on leaving a hospital, to thank the staff who saved his life. But when the patient sends her a huge diamond, Roc boils with jealousy. Next the wealthy man shows up at the Emersons' front door, in an elegant suit, looking exactly like Samuel L. Jackson, and in Roc's eyes, way too healthy.

Andrew's reunion with his younger brother Russell throws the Emerson household into chaos when Russell announces that he plans to marry his gay Caucasian lover. Andrew, Roc, and Joey are overwhelmed by the sudden change in the man they thought they knew; Eleanor complicates things further by offering to hold Russell's wedding at the Emerson house

Roc is promoted to Crew Supervisor, a big step on his way toward an executive position. While Eleanor, looks forward to the extra money every week, Roc's brother and father look forward to spending it on risky investments.

When nurse Eleanor invites co-worker Nadine Randall home for dinner, an immediate love-hate relationship develops between Nadine and Eleanor's unemployed brother-in-law, Joey. After only a few minutes of conversation, they agree that they hate each other's personalities, but can't resist the overpowering sexual attraction.

While Roc looks forward to a reunion with several of his old army buddies, Andrew aims to enjoy a Sixties party at the community center. As Andrew unpacks his clothes from the 1960's and reminisces about the civil rights movement, Roc recalls the good old days with his friends in the army.

Arguing the Emersons need a larger home, Joey suggests that they attend a bank auction that is selling homes with defaulted mortgages at bargain prices.

After nurse Eleanor helps to deliver twin babies at the hospital, she once again wants to discuss the subject of children with her husband, Roc. Roc has insisted for years that they don't have the time or money to raise a child. Roc's father , Andrew, and brother, Joey, favor the idea of children. After four months of trying, Roc and Eleanor are afraid there may be a medical reason why they can't conceive a child. When Dr. Worthy reports that Eleanor has passed all the appropriate tests, the family looks silently to Roc. (Part 1 of 2)

After suffering the embarrassment of submitting a sperm sample to Dr. Martin, Roc learns that while his sperm count is healthy, they aren't "swimming properly." Dr. Martin recommends medication and weekly tests to rejuvenate the sperm. Roc is angry at himself, feeling he is a disappointment to Eleanor. (Part 2 of 2)

Roc and Joey are shocked when their elderly father, Andrew, meets a beautiful young woman named Celia Miller at the neighborhood tavern. Not only does Andrew have sex with Celia at a nearby motel, he escorts her home and announces their engagement to her parents.

Roc and Eleanor prepare to go to Washington D.C. for the wedding of Eleanor's cousin. Before the wedding, Eleanor's mother, Margaret Carter, arrives at the Emerson'ts unexpectedly. Margaret is a social climber who criticizes Roc about his profession, and about his unambitious father, retired railroad porter Andrew, and his unemployed brother, Joey. Margaret also reveals that she has told the rest of the Carter family that Roc is a doctor. She insists that Roc pretend to be a doctor while he's at the wedding.

Reverend Hill suggests that Joey Emerson, an unemployed musician, give trumpet lessons to some of the congregation's children. Roc immediately commits his lazy live-in brother to the job, hoping finally to see some money for rent. During the "lessons," Joey makes telephone calls, bets on horse races and gives his students no musical guidance at all. Roc and Eleanor, endure the horrible trumpet noises coming from the living room and hope that the children will improve in time. Then Roc promises Reverend Hill that Joey and his students will play in the churh's next musical recital.

Roc's boss Stan had a brief sexual encounter with a woman at a sanitation convention. Now Stan's wife Connie has thrown him out of the house. Roc gives Stan some honest advice and invites him home for dinner. But over the next few weeks, Stan asks Roc for too much emotional support and imposes on the Emersons for a place to sleep.

Roc hopes his union's decision to strike against the city will only last a few days. When the strike enters week three and Roc has spent his small allotment from the union's emergency fund, he takes a job as a hospital orderly, working under the supervision of his wife, Eleanor.

When Joey, Andrew and Roc offer a meal to a pregnant homeless woman, Linda, who suddenly goes into labor in the middle of their kitchen. Linda's husband, Donald, confides in Roc, worrying that as a homeless man he can't care for his family. But Donald's fears are groundless, the baby is stillborn. Donald comforts his wife and promises to find work and shelter. Roc is so moved my their courage that he vows to show more concern for people who are less fortunate.

Roc is proud to be chosen by his boss, Mr. Samuels, to supervise a new sanitation trainee. But when he discovers that the new garbageman is a beautiful woman, Angela Kimbro, Roc worries that he'll be too distracted by her looks to work. Angela quickly proves that she's as strong as any male sanitation worker. She also tells the horrified Roc that she's extremely attracted to him. Roc insists he loves his adoring wife, Eleanor. Still, Angela refuses to leave him alone.

When a gang of drug dealers move into a nearby house, Roc and Elenor try to organize their neighbors into a non-violent protest movement to scare them away. Roc suggests they picket and demonstrate loudly and continuously in front of the crack house, but the frightened neighbors fear retaliation from the gang.

After an evening of satisfying sex, retired railroad porter Andrew Emerson discovers that the woman lying next to him is dead. He interprets this shock as an omen from his long-departed wife, warning him to stay away from other woman. Roc and Eleanor try to cheer Andrew up by arranging a date for him with Helen, an attractive middle-aged nurse. As the four of them share a polite but awkward dinner, Andrew resists a friendship with Helen. He's afraid she'll be the next "victim" of this wife's revenge.

When Joey Emerson wins a huge bet on a horse race, his bookmaker, Mickey, can't pay cash. Instead, Mickey offers Joey his contract for the ownership of an amateur singing quintet known as The Fly Guys. Joey's brother, Roc, thinks Joey should demand the money, but Joey convinces Roc to be The Fly Guys' new manager. However, instead of hiring a professional choreographer as Joey suggests, Roc decides to save money and teach the guys dance steps form his own vocal group way back in the 1960's.

When temperamental trumpet player Kenny Davis quits his job with the famous Les McCann Band, fellow band member Billy Miller offers an audition to his friend Joey Emerson. Joey plays a superb audition and gets the job. During his first performance with the band, Kenny comes to listen and compliments Joey on his talent. Flattered, Joey loans Kenny his trumpet so he can play a song with the band. However, Kenny enjoys playing with his former group that he stays onstage the whole night.