Spin City

Mike takes credit when someone else saves a baby from falling into the zoo's sea lion tank. Paul uses crutches to obtain undeserved sick leave but Stacy knows he's faking. Carter brings home a 19-year-old dog named Rags.

Mike's dates with Heidi Klum are tabloid fodder. Randall laughs at inappropriate moments because his father told him that crying is a sign of weakness. Nikki has a sex dream about Mike and tells it to Carter, who blabs it to Stuart.

The care package that James gets from home contains a dead pet and Mike's relationship with Heidi leaves no time to help. Since Carter and Paul have no air conditioning, Carter springs for a large fan but Paul won't pay his share.

Mike goes hunting with campaign contributor Peter Noland, who makes killing deer a prerequisite for his contribution. Acting deputy mayor Stuart drives Stacy nuts until Janelle intervenes. James subs for Paul, who wants a raise.

Mike may adopt an abandoned baby; his former flames dish on him. Randall needs to go to therapy but gets nervous and briefs James to go in his place.

While trying to help Randall improve his image, Mike, Randall, and Paul are mugged by a young woman. Stuart starts dating Deirdre West, who turns out to be just as loathsome as he is.

When an old friend of Mike's who's in the navy comes to town, he's happy to see him. Until he learns that he hooked up with Carter.

An Olympic torch-bearer from Nigeria gets lost in NYC, so workaholic Mike vacations at the office. Paul moves to Harlem and tries to assimilate by adopting black stereotypes. Nikki talks of a fictitious beau and Mike wants to meet him.

Randall accidentally volunteers to donate a kidney to a sick child; Paul avoids an aggressive reporter; Stacey stays with Carter and Stuart while her place is fumigated.

Randall's cranky father joins the staff for a live televised Thanksgiving dinner at the Mayor's mansion, where he and Randall argue, Carter and James stage a puppet show to promote family values, and Stuart tricks Stacey.

Mike plays matchmaker for Stacey and a timid city councilman, while everyone prepares to attend a costume party at which several staffers may perform.

At Christmas time, Randall plays Santa Claus; Stuart and Carter meet an older gay couple who have moved into their building; and Mike tangles with an intelligent chimp named Bobo who was given to the Central Park Zoo as a gift.

Stacey dates a simpleton cab driver, while Randall & Mike negotiate with his labor union's temperamental representative. Stuart tricks Paul into dating while Claudia is out of town. Mike takes a drastic step to separate Arthur and Nikki.

Mike learns about weight discrimination when he dons a fat suit for a day, while James plans to beat him in a bachelor auction for charity. Stuart won't introduce his sister to the staff.

After a false alarm shooting at a pier opening, paranoid Randall thinks Mike deserted him in a life-or-death situation, and then gives Mike the cold shoulder. Mike is obsessed with Nikki but can't have her because Arthur has proposed.

Nikki breaks up with Arthur and joins Mike for a hotel tryst, which goes awry when Mike wants to keep their relationship secret. Stacey plays a phone prank on Paul. Carter, James, and Stuart all go on a stakeout with Randall.

Stuart breaks up with Deidre, who files sexual harassment charges against him. Stacy's visiting aunt Marie hits on James. Randall starts a romance with a staff member.

Mike's political mentor comes to City Hall to help on the Millennium project, and displays a literal Messianic complex. Things heat up between Randall and Janelle. A mishap occurs when Paul dog-sits Rags as a favor to Carter.

Randall says the wrong thing on a TV talk show. Paul is addicted to Stacy's meatball sandwiches. Carter dates closeted gay boxer Bennett Jones, who fights a match with Stuart.

The staffers try to finish work so they can watch the Academy Awards, and they pass the time by sharing their favorite movie moments.