In the prologue, a docile man suddenly kills his wife in a brutal, methodical fit of violence and then ends his own life.
Months later, graphic artist Jodi [Donna Mills] and struggling author Mick Davidson [Michael Ontkean] relocate to Stepford, Connecticut, moving into the same quiet house in hopes that the town’s pristine facade will heal their troubled marriage. Jodi reunites with her old college friend Caroline Knox [Cindy Williams] and meets the brilliant, seemingly benevolent Dr. Frances Borzage [Sarah Douglas], as well as the formidable Miriam Benton [Louise Fletcher], who runs a powerful women’s group. The couple quickly senses something unsettling about the town: the men appear unusually passive, and even Caroline’s husband shows abrupt, surprising moments of aggression. Yet Mick finds a kindred spirit in their sloppy neighbor, Gordon [Jeffrey Pillars], with whom he shares a growing sense of unease about Stepford’s perfection.
Caroline subtly manipulates the Davisons and drugs Mick at a party. When Mick’s reaction to the drug confirms that his behavior may be slipping, Jodi becomes convinced that he is in real trouble and she commits him to the Stepford Institute for a cure. Mick endures mind-altering behavioral therapy and psychotropic drugs that render him docile, almost devoid of passion. Jodi’s concern deepens as she discovers that the previous couple in their house fell into heavy drug use too, and she makes a drastic move by swapping Mick’s prescriptions with placebos. The treatment’s serious side effects become clear: the men can flip from meek to dangerous, and Mick crashes, threatening to harm Jodi. The two reconcile, believing that the other truly did not know the Institute’s full motives, and they begin to plan an immediate departure.
Caroline learns of their plan to flee, and with the other residents, she blocks their exit by trapping them in their own home. Mick is forcibly returned to the Institute for further reconditioning while Jodi fights to escape and reach him. With the help of Dr. Borzage, Jodi tracks Mick down, but Benton stands in their way with lethal intent. Dr. Borzage, uneasy with the ethical cost of the operation, turns the tables—killing Benton with a hypodermic needle meant for Jodi. In a tense reversal, Borzage then helps the Davisons to escape Stepford.
In the epilogue, the town’s ultimate fate remains unrevealed, but Jodi and Mick return to New York City. Mick has penned a book about their experiences, and a movie based on their story is reportedly in development, signaling that the events in Stepford will soon reach a wider audience.
