Night Family Rick obtains an alien device called a "somnambulator" that allows him to voluntarily sleepwalk, creating a "Night Person" who does tasks that he does not want to do in the daytime. The rest of the family create their own "night people" who exercise, learn new skills, and do household chores. Eventually, Night Summer leaves a note requesting that Rick rinse the dishes before she washes them, but Rick deliberately ignores the request. The escalating conflict between the Smiths and their "night family" over the dishes ends with Night Summer and her minions locking Rick out of his own technology, building a giant version of the somnambulator to maintain permanent control of their bodies, and enslaving their diurnal selves while the Night Family sleeps...