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 2001âÂÂ02 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 p.m. 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.
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. Max is a recovering alcoholic trying to rebuild his life and to prove that his teachings are still relevant to a generation far different from his own. He is often challenged by the faculty over his unorthodox style and cantankerous personality.
Also starring was child actor Eric Ian Goldberg as Max's son Lester Bickford, and Katee Sackhoff as his daughter Nell, the latter of whom attends Chadwick. Max's colleagues include Marcia Gay Harden as Andrea Haskell, his former student (and lover) who recently joined the faculty, and Helen Shaver as his best friend Erica, a transgender woman.
"Max Bickford" was one of the first series to be produced in High-Definition. Cinematographer Michael Mayers was brought in to pioneer this move into Hi-Def.
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 Bickford finds Richard Dreyfuss commanding the small screen with ease."