A skinny, naive go go dancer meets with unexpected rejection when he attempts to fulfill his childhood 'Flashdance' fantasy.

In 1948 Manhattan, a diverse group of people are committed to making the fledgling Empire Network a success. Among them: a naive young woman who's hired as a script girl; an idealistic programmer; and an aspiring director who hopes to make Empire "the network that takes risks and makes new stars." Then there's Empire's president, an eccentric scientist whose bride raises eyebrows at the network.

Van Wilder has been attending college for far too many years and is scared to graduate, but Van’s father eventually realizes what is going on. When he stops paying his son's tuition fees, Van must come up with the money if he wants to stay in college, so he and his friends come up with a great fund-raising idea – throwing parties. However, when the college magazine finds out and reporter, Gwen is sent to do a story on Van Wilder, things get a little complicated.

Workaholic Mike Flaherty is the Deputy Mayor of New York City, serving as Mayor Randall Winston's key strategist and much-needed handler. Mike runs the city with the help of his oddball staff: an anxious and insecure press secretary; a sexist, boorish chief of staff; an impeccably groomed gay activist running minority affairs; a sharp and efficient, man-crazy accountant; and an idealistic young speechwriter. Like Mike, they are all professionally capable but personally challenged.