I want to review the Max Bickford series but I'm having trouble deciding how to do that. I thought i could review each episode or the season as a whole but not every episode feels like it has enough in it to make a substantive review, while reviewing the whole season seems too scattered or you leave out some great moments.... so i'm going to start by reviewing one episode i find particularly interesting. This review is of episode 4: "Hearts and Minds" and it is not fully edited yet, so leave any comments you like about the points i make or any confusing phrasing or formatting or whatever. I haven't even re-read it yet so for all i know, there maybe sentences without verbs!
This episode revolves around three major plots. First and seemingly primary is the fact that a gentleman's magazine has come to the Chadwick campus for willing participants in their "Girls of the All-Girls schools" pictorial. One of the students on campus, Carla, is so appalled by this that she promotes the shunning of any student who poses for the magazine. The provocative topic of this episode lends itself to some fantastic moments discussing women's issues, free choice, pornography and societies rights and responsibilities in behavioral control. Also, we have Theo, a male student visiting from another college who is seeking an adviser for his senior thesis and Max and Andrea's continuing and evolving relationship. Lastly, but not least Nell's band seeks their first real gig.
When Nell's roommate gives Max the impression that Nell may pose for the magazine, he responds with disgust and indignation but when she clarifies that it a hypothetical and in fact the roommate is the one who is considering posing, he takes a much more diplomatic "her body, her choice" stance. He then again quickly changes tracks when he sees that Nell has a book for Andrea Haskell's new class and apparently it is not Nell's choice what she invests her mind in. The questions rising from that seem to include the following: Would Max have been so understanding if Nell had actually wanted to pose nude for a gentleman's magazine? Should Max have any say in what Nell chooses to do? Is Nell's mind more in need of Max's parental guidance/protection than her body? Was Max really upset by Nell's class choice or did he simply feel like Nell had chosen the other side in his war with Andrea Haskell? The discussion of these question also allows for a wonderful Katee scene where she passionately poses these questions to her father.
On the other hand, we have a conversation between Carla and her professor Erika Bedis regarding the call for shunning and a protest march scheduled during Carla's midterm in Professor Bedis's class. Erika calls shunning "organized cruelty" and suggests that using such extreme tactics to enforce her own morality is wrong. She also says that "rejection and shame are lethal weapons." These points ask us to examine our own position on how society can and should enforce mores and morality. Barring the question of whether women should be posing for the magazine or not, we still have to ask how does a responsible society condition morality? Is it right for society (represented by Carla) to use whatever means necessary to enforce its moral stand, even if those means are hurtful to the people they are presumably protecting? Should society even try to affect free choice at all?
A more minor but related point, and one that is beautifully illustrated is the question of convictions. Erika asks Carla "if your midterm grade is more important than your cause, how seriously are we supposed to take you? If Thoreau hadn't gone to jail, do you think anyone would remember Walden Pond?" I'll let that one speak for itself, as I think it does an elegant job of it.
-----------
Max and Andrea are adversaries in their department and the presence of Theo brings out new and old elements to their battle. He is in both of their classes and Max is hurt when he sees Theo, whom he has come to think of as a protege, enjoying a discussion of tattoos with Andrea and her other students in her office. Max and Andrea fight over Theo and old wounds regarding student/teacher sexual relationships are opened but it seems for a time like opening that wounds allows them to clear the air a bit. Max gives a heartfelt apology to Andrea in which he remarks that his past feelings for her were far from casual, and while he doesn't say it, the passion with which he fights her suggests that they still are. The two reach a new respect for each other and it looks as is they might be able to move past the petty arguments... until Theo asks Andrea to be his adviser instead of Max and it turns out Theo is in fact hot for teacher.
---------
Nell earns her band a gig at a local club by going toe to toe with the resistant club manager names "Whammo" who both insults her bands name, categorically dismisses "chick bands" and tells her that her band can't draw because no one has heard of them. Nell fires back a winning retort that challenges his own name, his assumption that she is in a "chick band" as well as the use of the word "chick" in describing females and proclaims that her band will do all of the work to get people in the door. Relenting they get their gig and as Whammo expected, no one comes but Whammo agrees that they are good and decides to help them get more exposure. On top of that, we get a glorious few minutes of Katee Sackhoff belting it out and smiling and looking absolutely fantastic in her leather skirt and halter top. I especially enjoy her playful interaction with her band mates as she sings. Singing Katee is a happy Katee and happy Katee is just so mind bogglingly breath taking!
-----
Then there are a few noteworthy, sweet and weird family moments. At one point, Lester has asked Nell to come over to help with his homework but it quickly becomes clear that this was just a ploy to get the family together for dinner. Manipulative little Lester's plan backfires when Nell and Max bicker through the whole meal. Later in the episode Max utters a terribly corny line reminiscent of a classic divorced parent when he says "Just because your sister and I fight, doesn't mean we don't love each other." This line is both cliche and gag worthy but even more trite is Lester's response: "it isn't a good kind of love." this begs the question... what the fuck does that mean?!
Max sees one of the fliers for Nell's band and goes to see her play. Despite his chastising her about prioritizing school ahead of her music, he has the look of a proud papa while he watched from the shadows. When Nell finds out from her roommate that Max was there she is surprised and pleased and she pulls a Lester style manipulation and goes over for dinner under the cover of help with Lester's homework but her cover is blown. Max pretends he didnt hear Lester give her away and feigns ignorance of Nell's performance while Nell pretends that she doesn't know Max was at her performance and she also proudly tells him of an academic achievement. Aww, this sweet weirdness of family politics ends the episode on a warm and fuzzy if extremely cheesy note. And who taught these kids to be so manipulative!
