The first season, set in 1978 Brooklyn, follows the romantic misadventures of a teenage couple – Joe Pizo, an apprentice plumber, and Valerie Sweetzer, a cosmetics salesgirl – who meet and fall in love at a New York City disco. Joe shares an apartment with his roommates Frank and Paulie (who call themselves "The Big Three") while Valerie lives at home with her divorced mother, Stella.

The second season in early 1979 centers on the courtship, marriage and efforts of Joe and Valerie as they begin a married life together in Brooklyn. This new updated version of the series also saw cast changes as the role of Valerie's mother Stella was recast with Arlene Golonka and Lloyd Alan replaced Bill Beyers as Joe's chauvinist friend Frank; Donna Ponterotto returned as Valerie's friend, but her character name was changed from Thelma to Rita.