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Season 1 – The Education of Max Bickford

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – The Education of Max Bickford 2001 Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
79% Tomatometer 14 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
A professor (Richard Dreyfuss) whose life is turned upside down is passed over for a promotion that goes to a former student with whom he had an affair. Meanwhile, his daughter is trying to find her way in life, and his best friend undergoes a sex change operation.
The Education of Max Bickford — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Bolstered by intelligent writing and a strong supporting cast, The Education of Max Bickford finds Richard Dreyfuss commanding the small screen with ease.

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Critics Reviews

View All (14) Critics Reviews
Julie Salamon New York Times The show's attempts to be frisky feel forced and dated, the way Max does when he tries to connect with his teenage daughter with parables about Mick Jagger and David Bowie. Jan 2, 2020 Full Review John Leonard New York Magazine/Vulture I always approve of dramatic series like The Education of Max Bickford, which actually mentions James Baldwin and social justice in its very first hour; presumes our mature interest in education... and promises to explore ideas as well as erogenous zones. Jan 2, 2020 Full Review Howard Rosenberg Los Angeles Times What nice work all around. Jan 2, 2020 Full Review Terry Kelleher People Magazine "Relentless, obnoxious know-it-all" is how Max Bickford is described in this worthy new drama series. In other words, a role tailor-made for Richard Dreyfuss. Jan 2, 2020 Full Review Tom Jicha South Florida Sun-Sentinel The Education of Max Bickford is a smartly written and executed drama, and viewers should have no problem becoming extremely comfortable with it. Jan 2, 2020 Full Review Rob Owen Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "The Education of Max Bickford" offers an intriguing setting populated by characters with the potential to provide plenty of future stories. Jan 2, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member This show was well-written, and had a great cast! I wish I could find it now on the streaming services. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Education of Max Bickford — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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Richard Dreyfuss

Max Bickford

Marcia Gay Harden

Andrea Haskell

Regina Taylor

Judith Hackett Bryant

Helen Shaver

Erica Bettis

Katee Sackhoff

Nell Bickford

Eric Ian Goldberg

Lester Bickford

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Sep 23, 2001 Pilot A college professor and father of two (Richard Dreyfuss) is passed over for a long-overdue promotion. Details Episode 2 Aired Sep 30, 2001 Herding Cats Having taken on additional responsibilities as department chair, Max is forced to team-teach with Andrea Haskell; Max meets his new assistant. Details Episode 3 Aired Oct 14, 2001 Who Is Breckenridge Long? Max's outrage at Chadwick College's choice for an honored alumna spurs the entire campus into heated debate. Details Episode 4 Aired Oct 21, 2001 Hearts and Minds Max is jealous when his favorite student chooses Andrea as his thesis adviser. Details Episode 5 Aired Oct 28, 2001 In the Details Max worries about his own sobriety when his sponsor falls off the wagon after 22 years; Lester wants Max to join a temple and have a bar mitzvah. Details Episode 6 Aired Nov 11, 2001 Do It Yourself Max is jealous when his son seems to prefer spending time with his friend's father; Andrea learns that several students plagiarized an assignment. Details Episode 7 Aired Nov 18, 2001 Revisionism Max and Judith learn that a college friend publicly misrepresented her role in the civil-rights movement. Details Episode 8 Aired Dec 2, 2001 A Very Great Man A student files discrimination charges against Andrea; mother/daughter weekend intensifies Nell's feelings of loss about her mother. Details Episode 9 Aired Dec 9, 2001 It's Not the Wrapping, It's the Candy Andrea feels guilty when she misses the signs that one of her students is emotionally disturbed; Erica reveals her new gender to her ex-wife. Details Episode 10 Aired Jan 6, 2002 The Good, the Bad and the Lawyers Angry about not getting an A for a grade, a wealthy student hires a high-powered law firm to sue Max for punitive damages. Details Episode 11 Aired Jan 13, 2002 Save the Country Max gives a lecture on activism that inspires a gifted student to delay her studies in order to help refugees in Pakistan. Details Episode 12 Aired Jan 20, 2002 The Cost of Living Max and Andrea reflect on their past relationship as Max tries to talk Nell and Josh out of their separate student-teacher affairs. Details Episode 13 Aired Jan 27, 2002 I Never Schlunged My Father Max's father (guest star Eli Wallach) arrives from New York for a surprise visit and while they're engaging in their usual squabbling he discloses disturbing news. Details Episode 14 Aired Feb 24, 2002 Money Changes Everything Max tries to convince a wealthy alumna to donate $10 million to Chadwick without requiring it to go co-ed. Details Episode 15 Aired Mar 3, 2002 Genesis Max's ailing father (Eli Wallach) persuades the family to sneak him out of the hospital to revisit memories. Details Episode 16 Aired Mar 10, 2002 An Open Book Max stirs controversy when his newly completed novel about his alter ego circulates among his colleagues and students. Details Episode 17 Aired Mar 17, 2002 Past, Present, Future Max feels pressured when he joins the town's planning committee and realizes he must cast the swing vote on a heated issue. Details Episode 18 Aired Mar 31, 2002 Murder of the First Nell and Max clash over whether an arch-conservative politician should be allowed to voice his hate-filled rhetoric at Chadwick. Details Episode 19 Aired Apr 14, 2002 The Bad Girl Lester's first love lures him into trouble; Andrea is attracted to a newsman producing a story at Chadwick. Details Episode 20 Aired Apr 21, 2002 The Egg and I A literary agent wants to transform Max into a star author, but he isn't terribly comfortable with her methods. Details Episode 21 Aired May 12, 2002 One More Time A renowned scholar (guest star Peter O'Toole) from Harvard tries to persuade Mac to leave Chadwick and take a position at the university; Max's father (guest star Eli Wallach) announces he's going to marry his newfound, slightly younger and Christian love (guest star Anne Jackson). Ja. Details Episode 22 Aired Jun 2, 2002 The Pursuit of Happiness While playing poker with old buddies, Max learns of something he did when he was drinking that one friend still cannot forgive. Details

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Season Info

Director
Don Scardino, Rod Holcomb, David Platt, David Jones, Martha Mitchell, Michael Fields, Michael Schultz
Executive Producer
Dawn Prestwich, Nicole Yorkin, Rod Holcomb
Screenwriter
Tom Garrigus, Joe Cacaci, David Black, Jan Oxenberg, David Yorkin, Grace McKeaney, Dawn Prestwich, Richard Dresser, Rob Thomas, Nicole Yorkin
Network
CBS
Rating
TV-PG
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date
Sep 23, 2001