Spin City

Mike agrees to represent the Mayor in his divorce case when he finds himself attracted to the opposing attorney. Paul is briefly committed to a mental institution.

Pornography on public access cable becomes a political issue for the Mayor’s office. Mike has to compete for Laurie’s attention, and Paul’s gorgeous mother causes quite a stir in the office.

As soon as Mike and Laurie agree they’re not interested in commitment, Mike begins trying to get her to commit. Stuart and Carter discover that James has a rather odd lunchtime hobby.

Mike finds he can’t accept an uncommitted relationship with Laurie. The Mayor takes up with a much younger woman, who is in hot pursuit of Mike. Mike hires a new assistant.

At sunset on his 30th birthday, Mike goes to the top of the Empire State Building to keep a promise from his youth. Mike’s co-workers search for ideas for a special gift.

Carter takes up jogging in Central Park, where he’s stopped and arrested. A Latino City Councilman misinterprets something Paul says, propelling him to prove he’s not a racist.

An affair with a soap opera writer turns Mike into a character on “All My Children.” Stuart attends a fundraiser with Carter, and is dubbed “a friend,” presumed to mean “gay.”

The Mayor goes to a book-signing for his ghost-written autobiography, but no one shows up. The competition is Drew West, a radio shock jock who draws huge crowds.

A visit from Mike’s mother Macy (guest star Meredith Baxter) turns into something quite unexpected.

Mike tries to straighten out the scandal of the Mayor being photographed with a prostitute without dragging his mother into the middle of it. Paul winds up on “The People’s Court.”

New Year’s Eve gives Mike a chance to prove his friendship to Nikki. Carter goads Stuart into expressing some emotion after the death of his cat.

Mike hopes to present the press with a nice family image of the Mayor and his visiting daughter, but the outspoken UC Berkeley student doesn’t quite fit the picture.

The Mayor makes a blunder that could cause a very un-Merry Christmas for New York City.

Facing a serious health problem, Mike develops a new attitude about his career. A tyrannical supply manager has some of the Mayor’s employees sitting on the edge of their seats.

Mike tries to prevent an investigative reporter from finding the Mayor at a politically incorrect, all-male private club.

Mike pays for Claudia’s engagement ring, but holds the ring until Paul pays him back. Laurie shows up at the office with commitment in mind, but Mike is afraid to trust her.

As plans for Mike and Laurie’s wedding go forward, nearly everyone on the staff engages in a brief fantasy about life as Michael Flaherty’s partner.

The Mayor’s embarassing answers to reporters’ questions have the whole staff convinced that he’s losing his hearing. Mike unwittingly incurs the wrath of Stacey’s grandmother.

When Mike visits a native American Chief in his home, he accidentally ingests Peyote, which presents a problem when he’s asked for a urine sample for the drug testing policy at City Hall.

Staff members give bachelor parties for Paul and Claudia, including the requisite male stripper for the bride-to-be, but Stuart pulls a switch, sending a priest in place of the stripper.

A brief visit from the Pope has a profound effect on the Mayor and his staff.

Mike proves that his talents as a wedding planner leave a lot to be desired.

Mike needs to find the right trick to break up with a beautiful but psychotic magician. Stuart and Carter buy a bar in a gay neighborhood, only to discover that they have a major problem.

Carter and Stuart end up sharing an apartment after their failed business venture; Mike and Paul go on a quest to kill a rat in Mike’s office, while James loudly protests they are inhumane.