The Education of Max Bickford

Intelligent TV has returned to commercial television. Great topics with a fine grasp of cross generation relations. Maybe not a fair comparison, but M*A*S*H was rough around the edges when it started. "Max" has a great foundation to start on, it can only get better. Stick with it CBS I plan to keep watching. KM

This show tells about the life of a Jewish college professor called Max Bickford (Richard Dreyfuss) and his family, which includes Lester (Eric Ian Goldberg) and Nell (Katee Sackhoff), who also studies at the women's college where her father teaches.Other great characters are Andrea Haskell (Marcia Gay Harden), who's also a professor and Erica Bettis (Helen Shaver), who used to be a man.The Education of Max Bickford ran from 2001 to 2002.My question is why? Why did it last for one season only? I liked it.The comedy worked in it, the drama worked in it and the cast was magnificent.The adult actors were great, the kid actors were great.And then you could see these amazing guest stars making visits.There was Eli Wallach in three episodes as Jay Bickford, Max' father.In one episode there was Peter O'Toole as Sidney McKnight, an old professor.These legends can make any show better, and this one was good already.So why didn't it last? What can you do? Some shows go on and some don't.That's the way it goes.

For the first time in my live I had the plan asking a television network why they stopped broadcasting a great show.

In this case 'The Education of Max Bickford'.

The show was aired in Holland every late Sunday night.

Following 'The West Wing.

Another great show.

Watching both shows was a great conclusion of the weekend.

And something to look forward to.

I already planned an angry e-mail to RTL4, the Dutch network that aired the show.

But hey.

I found out it was not their mistake.

I was shocked to find out CBS ran the show for only one season.

Shame on them.

Just goes to show you, after reading recent comments, no change will please everyone. I am in the camp that was getting tired of watching the "severe" Max Bickford, and was considering dropping it all togther, until they changed the focus and softened him up a bit. I watch the show because I find it entertaining, and it usually makes me think. It seldom tries to come up with a solution, but it touches on such diverse topics as transexuality, aging, doing drugs, lying to parents, bigotry, free speech, plagarism, and on and on. I suppose daughter "Nell" is my favorite character. I know "Max", I am almost Max in my own world. But Nell is a good, bright, conflicted girl trying to find her path into and through young adulthood. I like this show, however I wouldn't expect everyone to. You have to be in touch with the real world.

We have been watching Max Bickford since the beginning. As a university professor for the past 35 years, who has been a Chair of a Department, and dealt with Presidents and Deans, Academic Senates and Boards of Governors, I was unsure what to expect when the series started. From my experience, the series truly gives the flavour of academic life, certainly as seen from the perspective of someone who, like Max, has to deal with colleagues of all temperaments and genders. I am often left wondering if the writers were students at MY institution!

Beyond the academic realism, the human side of this series is a real joy to watch and savour. To see a parent willing to sacrifice himself for his kids, to stand up for the "old-fashioned" liberal causes he believes in, and to challenge the rich and the powerful when necessary, is to enter again the world of principles and love that had seemed to have been overridden by the social Darwinism so necessary to the operation of the new economic order.

This is a great show--we certainly hope that it continues in the CBS lineup--it should have real legs. Thanks.