The series takes place in the fictional seaside town of "Surfside" and follows the adventures of teenager Maxie and her circle of friends. She attends Surfside High School where she is a popular straight "A" student, cheerleader and surfer girl, while after school, she serves as host and investigative reporter of her own eponymous talk show Maxie's World. Through her work as a journalist, she routinely finds herself called upon to investigate mysteries and solve crimes, bringing the perpetrators to justice. Frequently accompanying Maxie in her adventures is her boyfriend, Rob, a handsome and popular football and soccer star at Surfside High. Additional members of Maxie's circle of friends include Ashley, Carly and Simone, while male friends Mushroom and Ferdie routinely provide the series with its slapstick comedy elements. Providing much of the series' conflict is Jeri, who is envious of Maxie and is often shown manipulating events to humiliate the TV star in an attempt to sabotage her career and get her own TV show. In addition to the comedy and mystery elements, the series occasionally takes the opportunity to address more serious issues, including one episode which deals with the issue of teenage smoking, and another, which deals with the issue of eating disorders.