The picture-perfect lives of the Richardson family are upended by the mysterious arrival of artist Mia Warren and her daughter Pearl in Shaker Heights, OH – an idyllic town founded on the utopian principals of harmony and order. Egged on by her guilty conscious, do-gooder Elena Richardson rents to the mother-daughter duo, irrevocably intertwining the fates of the two families.

As Moody's friendship with Pearl deepens, Elena's relationship with Mia grows increasingly strained. Unsettled by a faulty reference, Elena snoops into Mia's past while Lexie worries about her Yale admissions essay. Mia bonds with her immigrant co-worker Bebe Chow, who makes a confession with far-reaching consequences.

Party preparations for Mirabelle McCullough's first birthday are underway as Mia helps Bebe search for her daughter. To Pearl's dismay, Moody tries to take their relationship to the next level at the Homecoming dance while Izzy sends a message to April. Mia's discovery at Mirabelle's birthday threatens her newfound friendship with Elena.