The show centered on the five siblings of the Salinger family, who become orphans after their parents are hit and killed by a drunk driver. Charlie (Matthew Fox), is the eldest, a 24-year old who struggles with the responsibility of being the new head of the family; 16-year-old Bailey (Scott Wolf) is the rebellious teen turned substance abuser; 15-year old Julia (Neve Campbell), is a sensitive teen facing issues of her own; 11-year old Claudia (Lacey Chabert) is the precocious child prodigy, and Owen is the baby.

The siblings take over the running of their family's restaurant, with Charlie initially serving as manager and later with Bailey taking over. The struggles faced by the Salingers over the years included cancer, alcoholism, domestic violence, and the long term effects of parental loss.

The show launched the careers of cast members Neve Campbell and Jennifer Love Hewitt, who both starred in their own box office hit slasher films, Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, respectively, while also appearing on the series. The show also helped launch the career of Lacey Chabert, who later starred in the hit movie Mean Girls and the show was also the launching pad for the career of actor Matthew Fox, who would later go on to star in the ABC hit Lost.