Counterpoint

Episode aired May 16, 1978
TV-PG
49m

IMDb RATING

7.9/10

YOUR RATING

Drama Family

Kate clashes with her elitist music professor who dismisses her as a bored housewife. Doug faces his own mortality when a colleague collapses from a sudden heart attack.Kate clashes with her elitist music professor who dismisses her as a bored housewife. Doug faces his own mortality when a colleague collapses from a sudden heart attack.Kate clashes with her elitist music professor who dismisses her as a bored housewife. Doug faces his own mortality when a colleague collapses from a sudden heart attack.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.9/10

YOUR RATING

1User review

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos

User reviews1

7.948

Featured reviews

8FilmSpectator

Kate clashes with music professor

The episode Counterpoint has both Kate and Doug experiencing stress and doubts about career choices. The main focus is Kate, who is trying to earn a degree in music but is struggling with a rude and difficult professor.

While Kate feels overwhelmed by the difficult music course, Doug is distraught over a close friend experiencing a heart attack. Fears about his own mortality cloud Doug's thoughts.

The most dramatic part of this episode is when Kate's professor tells her she is not the type of student he wants in his class and recommends that she quit. Tongue tied and angered, Kate abruptly departs class, creating even more stress and doubts.

Willy and Buddy play supportive roles in Counterpoint as they ponder how to deal with two distressed parents. I like the episode because it shows how the Lawrence family dealt with difficult-to solve problems in a mature and thoughtful manner.

Goofs
Kate needs to report that professor for bullying and then find the same class elsewhere taught by a different teacher.

Quotes
Dr. Taylor: [during a stern discussion after class dismisses] How many people do you suppose are being turned away from this university and others? Because there's no room. Young people who want to give their lives to music, people for whom music is life.
Kate Lawrence: Dr. Taylor, I understand your concern.
Dr. Taylor: [unconvinced] Do you?
Kate Lawrence: I think I do. You're a dedicated teacher and you expect your students to be equally dedicated.
Dr. Taylor: And you feel you qualify?
Kate Lawrence: Well, I'm hardly young and I do have other things in my life beside music, but...
Dr. Taylor: But what? What, Mrs. Lawrence? My students don't have other things in their lives. They are devoted to music and if they're not, I systematically weed them out. Now, this is not personal, Mrs. Lawrence, but I don't feel you're that kind of student and I don't think you belong in my class.
[a despondent Kate exits the classroom]