At 34 years old, Sam Metcalfe's life looks pretty complete, even to himself. He has a good, solid job as a zookeeper in Washington, D.C. where he cares for the primates and one ageing curmudgeon of a father figure, Jack Kinsely. At home Sam is equally the "keeper" for his nuclear family that includes his business-like mother, ambitious sister, and adolescent nephew. Sam's best friend Laurel has been there for him since late childhood and the super handsome Tim McAllister is a local newscaster who has recently started dating Sam.