# The Education of Max Bickford

The Education of Max Bickford is an American drama television series that aired Sundays at 8:00 pm (EST) on CBS from September 23, 2001, to June 2, 2002, during the 2001–02 television season. After a strong initial launch, the show's audience 'dropped sharply afterward' despite its prime time slot following 60 Minutes. Within a month, two of its three executive producers were removed and reports claimed the show was being 'overhauled', though CBS denied this, preferring the term 'creative adjustments'. In May 2002, Touched by an Angel was returned to its Sunday 8 pm slot, bumping the second-to-last episode of The Education of Max Bickford to Monday. In June 2002, the final episode aired and the show was not renewed.

## Overview

The series starred Richard Dreyfuss as the title character, a college professor of American Studies at Chadwick College, an all-women's school in Massachusetts. The series follows Max, a recovering alcoholic trying to rebuild his life, as he tries to prove that his teachings still carry relevance to a generation far different from his own. Often Max finds himself challenged by the faculty over his unorthodox style and his often cantankerous personality. Also starring was child actor Eric Ian Goldberg, who portrayed the young Lester Bickford, Max's son. Max's colleagues included Marcia Gay Harden as Andrea Haskell, his former student (and lover) who had recently joined the faculty, and Helen Shaver as his best friend, Erica, previously known as Steve before her transition. Max's daughter, Nell, played by Katee Sackhoff, attended the college.
The series was one of the first to be produced in High-Definition. Cinematographer Michael Mayers was brought in to pioneer this move into Hi-Def.

## Cast
### Main

* Richard Dreyfuss – Max Bickford
* Marcia Gay Harden – Andrea Haskell
* Regina Taylor – Judith Bryant
* Helen Shaver – Erica Bettis
* Katee Sackhoff – Nell Bickford
* Eric Ian Goldberg – Lester Bickford
* Meredith Roberts – Brenda Vanderpool
* Molly Regan – Lorraine Tator
* Stephen Spinella – Rex Pinsker
* David McCallum – Walter Thornhill

### Recurring

* Jayne Atkinson – Lyla Ortiz
* Stefanie Bari – Anna
* Natalie Venetia Belcon – Rose Quigley
* Craig Bonacorsi – Adam
* Brennan Brown – Ron Zinn
* Lynn Collins
* Angel Desai – Jardie
* Ylfa Edelstein – Isabelle
* Angela Goethals – Danielle Hodges
* Donna Murphy – Esther Weber
* Coté de Pablo – Gina
* Ellen Parker – Noleen Bettis
* Robin Raven
* Kristen Schaal – Valerie Holmes
* Chris Stack – Alec
* Kellee Stewart – Yolanda

## Episodes

| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code |
| 1 | "Pilot" | Rod Holcomb | Dawn Prestwich & Nicole Yorkin | September 23, 2001 (2001-09-23) | 1AFB79 |
| 2 | "Herding Cats" | Rod Holcomb | Dawn Prestwich & Nicole Yorkin | September 30, 2001 (2001-09-30) | 1AFB01 |
| 3 | "Who Is Breckenridge Long?" | David Long | Jan Oxenberg | October 14, 2001 (2001-10-14) | 1AFB02 |
| 4 | "Hearts and Minds" | Rod Holcomb | Rob Thomas | October 21, 2001 (2001-10-21) | 1AFB03 |
| 5 | "In the Details" | Rod Holcomb | Dawn Prestwich & Nicole Yorkin | October 28, 2001 (2001-10-28) | 1AFB04 |
| 6 | "Do It Yourself" | David Jones | Tom Garrigus | November 11, 2001 (2001-11-11) | 1AFB05 |
| 7 | "Revisionism" | David Platt | Sharon Lee Watson | November 18, 2001 (2001-11-18) | 1AFB08 |
| 8 | "A Very Great Man" | Martha Mitchell | Dianne Houston | December 2, 2001 (2001-12-02) | 1AFB06 |
| 9 | "It's Not the Wrapping, It's the Candy" | Elodie Keene | Anya Epstein | December 9, 2001 (2001-12-09) | 1AFB07 |
| 10 | "The Good, the Bad, and the Lawyers" | Rob Holcomb | Jan Oxenberg | January 6, 2002 (2002-01-06) | 1AFB10 |
| 11 | "Save the Country" | Don Scardino | David Yorkin | January 13, 2002 (2002-01-13) | 1AFB09 |
| 12 | "The Cost of Living" | David Jones | Tom Garrigus | January 20, 2002 (2002-01-20) | 1AFB11 |
| 13 | "I Never Schlunged My Father" | Michael Schultz | Joe Cacaci | January 27, 2002 (2002-01-27) | 1AFB12 |
| 14 | "Money Changes Everything" | Martha Mitchell | Richard Dresser | February 24, 2002 (2002-02-24) | 1AFB13 |
| 15 | "Genesis" | Don Scardino | David Black | March 3, 2002 (2002-03-03) | 1AFB14 |
| 16 | "An Open Book" | Matthew Penn | Story by : Grace McKeaney & Kate Milliken Teleplay by : Grace McKeaney | March 10, 2002 (2002-03-10) | 1AFB15 |
| 17 | "Past, Present, Future" | David Jones | Tom Garrigus | March 17, 2002 (2002-03-17) | 1AFB16 |
| 18 | "Murder of the First" | Rob Holcomb | David Yorkin | March 31, 2002 (2002-03-31) | 1AFB17 |
| 19 | "The Bad Girl" | David Platt | Linda Burstyn | April 14, 2002 (2002-04-14) | 1AFB18 |
| 20 | "The Egg and I" | Michael Fields | Story by : Kate Milliken Story & Teleplay by : Grace McKeaney | April 21, 2002 (2002-04-21) | 1AFB19 |
| 21 | "One More Time" | Don Scardino | Joe Cacaci | May 12, 2002 (2002-05-12) | 1AFB21 |
| 22 | "The Pursuit of Happiness" | David Platt | Story by : David Black & Lorin Dreyfuss Teleplay by : David Black & Lorin Dreyfuss & Richard Dresser & Tom Garrigus & Joe Cacaci | June 2, 2002 (2002-06-02) | 1AFB20 |

## Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an aggregated score of 79% based on 11 positive and 3 negative critic reviews. The website's consensus reads: "Bolstered by intelligent writing and a strong supporting cast, The Education of Max Bickfordfinds Richard Dreyfuss commanding the small screen with ease."