Sandi Schrader

In a hippie fan magazine interview, Keith has blabbed too much about the family, unsettling all of them, especially Laurie. He has said she had a crush on a Harry Murphy, but Laurie insists it was a Butch Murphy and it was years ago. A motorcycle roars outside, the bell rings and the door is opened to reveal a burly young man in Levis, dirty white T-shirt, boots, and with an earring in one ear. He announces he is Harry "Snake" Murphy and is looking for the chick who is crazy about him. When Laurie explains the mistake, Snake laughs and admits he came on a dare. If Laurie will give him her autograph - on his bare chest - he will shove off. Reuben comes in carrying a twisted wire lawn-flamingo which he says some idiot had run over with a motorcycle, but when he spots Snake he drops that line and gushes about the beautiful machine he had seen on the front lawn. In the following weeks, Snake roars his motorbike right in and out of Laurie's life. She refuses to talk with him, but during a rehearsal of the family's latest number, "Listen to the Sound," Shirley sees that Laurie's mind is far, far away and suggests she and Snake should have a talk. Laurie returns from the talk saying Snake is very sensitive, has written a poem about her, and she has invited him to the school prom. An uneasy family watches Laurie and Snake leave for the dance. Snake has abandoned his usual weird outfit and is wearing normal clothes, but they are obviously far out-dated and no longer fit. When the couple returns to a still apprehensive family, they are a bit disheveled. Snake has been taunted by two varsity football players and has licked them both, but one of his stray punches floored Laurie. However, they have decided their two worlds do not mix. He gives Laurie his earring, and they call it quits. Several weeks later, a package arrives for Laurie. It contains an almost new wire lawn-flamingo and a sweetish poem that, among other things, warns Laurie that the flamingo is "hot."

A widowed mother and her five kids form a band and make a hit record, then travel around the country in a groovy school bus. The comedy contrasts life on the road with the cozy suburban life they return to after the show is over. There's feel-good music, hapless adults, scheming kids and heartthrob teens thrown in for good measure.