The series concentrates on the Smith family and the numerous obstacles Stan, a CIA employee, experience in on his immediate family and in his efforts to ensure the safety of his country. The Smith family lives in the fictional area of Langley Falls, Virginia in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The town and area is a composite of Langley, a neighborhood located in McLean, and Great Falls, two unincorporated populations located in Fairfax County. Langley is in addition the real-life location of CIA headquarters.