The series chronicles the daily life of Katie Otto, a wife and mother who tries to stand out among the wealthy, pretentious, arrogant housewives and their privileged children after moving to the town of Westport, Connecticut. Compared to the other residents who own big houses, Katie and her family are renters. She lives with Greg, her level-headed husband who is a university professor, and their three children. Taylor is their athletic, headstrong oldest daughter who wants to fit in with her peers; Oliver, their savvy, ambitious, and snarky son, is the middle child; and Anna-Kat, sweet but obsessive-compulsive, is the youngest and Katie's blatant favorite. Katie frequently vents her frustration to and seeks advice from her two closest friends: Doris, whose strict parenting style sharply contrasts with Katie's; and Angela, a divorced lesbian mother with a calm parenting style.