When well-liked George becomes the first guy to be promoted from the assembly line to plant manager at a Los Angeles airplane parts factory, his life becomes a little more complicated. His pal Ernie and former compadres on the plant floor tease him about joining management. George's first test in the new position is to terminate one employee. He must choose either his acerbic line-inspector mother, Benny, or Ernie. George's hardworking and patient wife, Angie, copes with Benny's constant wisecracks and cares for the couple's kids, precocious 9-year-old Max and 13-year-old Carmen, who is dealing with the traumas of being a teenager.

George worries about Carmen when she brings a boy home for the first time. He persuades Max to spy on them, but despite finding no impropriety, George threatens Duncan, embarrassing Carmen. Later, George replies to instant messages on Carmen's computer, pretending to be her. Although this infuriates both Carmen and Angie when they find out, George then goes to a party and further humiliates Carmen with his overprotectiveness. Finally, Carmen sadly ends the relationship with Duncan, not because of her father, but because Duncan tried to pressure her into having sex too soon. Carmen forgives George, who realizes that she is more responsible than he thought.

Much to George's unpleasant surprise, Angie and his family throw him a very belated surprise birthday party, while a new worker, accident-prone Amy, threatens the pride George takes in his workplace's safety record.

Benny and George find themselves holding open auditions for workers to replace Jim's position at the factory due to a bar fight, while George decides to prove something to Max when Max insists on George letting him walk to school on his own.