In Washington, D.C. Mason Scott is a young man fresh out of college who has dreamed that he can make a difference in this world of questionable morality. He is best friends and roommates with Pete Komisky, a lobbyist who sees the filth and corruption in D.C. for what it is, and doesn't think it will be cleaned up anytime soon. But one day they are joined in their brownstone house by Mason's twin sister, Finley Scott, who had dropped out of graduate school for the adventure of Washington. Rounding out their semi-happy home is Lewis Freeman, a Supreme Court clerk, and his girlfriend Sarah Logan, a junior field producer for a local cable news station searching for a story. And Sarah seems to get when when Mason sees the dirt that D.C. really is when he gets fired from his job after his superior takes credit for his work, and ruins a business deal and then places the blame of Mason for it.

Mason and Peter both apply for the same job in which the competition puts a strain on their friendship. But Mason ends up backing down, and ends up getting another new job. Meanwhile, Sarah asks Finley to help her with a German diplomat and Finley ends up dating him and discover that the guy wants someone to work for him in his illegal importing business. Also, Finley and Mason's parents arrive for a visit and Finley finds out they're separated but they haven't told her or Mason yet. Elsewhere, Lewis worries about the legal status of the house.

A neighbor tries to blackmail Mason and his friends for renting the extra room in their house to Sarah and Lewis... and not telling the real owners. Meanwhile, Lewis's cousin, Tyrell, gets arrested and he tries to help the kid who's facing murder charges. Elsewhere, Mason goes on a date with a girl that once dated Pete. Mason also has a chance to get back at his old boss who fired him.

When a high school girl is brutally murdered by three classmates, Mason suggests to Congressman Owens that parental responsibility in such crimes is something he should take a stand on. Owens thinks it's a good idea to address this to congress, and he has Mason start writing an amendment while setting up a press conference with the dead girl's parents. Sarah leverages her relationship with Mason to get an exclusive interview with the parents. Mason is upset when Sarah's questions lead the couple to admit that they don't really support parental responsibility. Meanwhile, Sarah is troubled that she lied to the parents and said that she had recently lost a cousin close to her to violent crime to get them to open up. Also, Pete gets a new high-powered job more on the merit of his sexual charm than anything else. Elsewhere, Finley gets a job at the Smithsonian after she upstages a tour guide with her knowledge about history.