The Bedford Diaries

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The Bedford Diaries
Genre Drama
Running time 54 minutes
Creator(s) Tom Fontana
Julie Martin
Executive producer(s) Tom Fontana
Julie Martin
Barry Levinson
Starring Penn Badgley
Victoria Cartagena
Tiffany Dupont
Corri English
Matthew Modine
Milo Ventimiglia
Ernest Waddell
Opening theme Jeremy Kay - Weight in Gold
Country of origin United States
Original channel The WB
Original run March 29, 2006May 10, 2006
No. of episodes 8
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

The Bedford Diaries was an American television series that began its first season on The WB network on March 29, 2006 and concluded its first season on May 10, 2006. It was soon cancelled on May 18, 2006. It was created by Tom Fontana and Julie Martin.

A week prior to its premiere, The WB posted scenes from the pilot, which might have prompted FCC fines, on its Website. A version without explicit images was aired on the network.

Contents

[edit] Plot

The Bedford Diaries explores the excitement and intensity of New York City college life through the eyes of six students with different backgrounds, experiences and ages, who are brought together in a provocative Human Sexuality seminar. The seminar, which examines the human condition through sexuality, is taught by maverick Professor Jake Macklin, who will challenge and inspire his students as they question their assumptions about their own sexuality, life and identity. The themes include sexual responsibility, manipulation, and the differences between love and sex, passion and abstinence.

The students’ innermost thoughts and desires are told through video diaries they make to fulfill their weekly class assignments.

Among the students are Sarah Gregory, the Student Government President, poised and assured but vulnerable in love, and her younger brother, Owen Gregory, a freshman pre-med major, who plans to take advantage of all the fun college life has to offer. Natalie Dykstra, a lovely, out-going and emotional woman, has returned to campus after a suicide attempt. She now struggles with being stereotyped as “the jumper.” Natalie’s ex-boyfriend, Richard Thorne, a former Park Avenue bad boy who turned his life around after Natalie’s jump, is also a member of the class. He’s now clean, sober and works as the college newspaper’s editor, but he’s still tormented by old demons. Lee Hemingway is a scholarship student from Queens with ambitions to become an art historian. Lee has a serious girlfriend, Rachel, but he’s attracted to another scholarship student, Zoe Lopez. Zoe talks a fast and flirty game, but despite her brash veneer, she is still a virgin and struggles with her growing feelings for Lee.

The series also stars Tony Award-winner Audra McDonald as Professor Carla Bonatelle, a Political Science professor and head of the Ethics Committee, who regularly clashes with Professor Macklin, as well as with Peter Gerety as Harold Harper, the fatherly, compassionate and often beleaguered Dean of Students.

From HBO Independent Productions, Warner Bros. Television Production Inc. and The Levinson/Fontana Co. with executive producers Tom Fontana (“Oz,” “Homicide: Life On The Street”), Julie Martin (“Homicide: Life on the Street”), and Barry Levinson (“Rain Man,” “Diner”).

Outdoor scenes are filmed at Barnard College in New York City.

[edit] Cast

[edit] List of episodes for The Bedford Diaries

[edit] Season 1: 2006

Production Code Episode Number Airdate Title Summary
476291 1 3/29/06 I'm Gonna Love College (Pilot) At Bedford University, Professor Macklin presides over a “sex and the human condition” seminar. It is soon revealed however that Sarah had an affair with a professor, which is about to be made public by Richard, the school newspaper's editor, who happens to be a recovering alcoholic. Meanwhile, Sarah is upset overthe fact that her younger brother, Owen, is also a part of the sex seminar, which means he will hear the sordid details of her sex life.
2T7251 2 4/5/06 The Truth About Sex The ethics committee meets about Professor Dixon's sleeping with two of his students and whether he should be censured. His wife asks Sarah if she is sleeping with him and she denies it. After inviting Natalie to a dorm party, Owen is shocked when she shows up with another man on her arm. Rachel shocks Lee with her news.
2T7252 3 4/12/06 Tell Me No Secrets Professor Macklin decides to make the theme of the class confidentiality after Lee's personal life ends up in the school paper. However, Richard claims free speech as his reasoning for publishing the information. Meanwhile, Sarah starts dating a hot athlete but she is unaware that he is just using her to help fund his team.
2T7253 4 4/19/06 Zen and the Art of Manipulation Richard has no idea that the older woman in his new relationship is none other than Professor Macklin's ex wife, Katrina. Owen and Natalie volunteer at a psychiatric center and Natalie begins to think differently of him. Meanwhile, all the students are learning about sexual manipulation, both in and out of the seminar.
2T7254 5 4/26/06 Love and the Tenth Planet Owen tries to impress Natalie on a date. Lee begins playing online poker and faces the consequences. Sarah decides to dump her new guy after she realizes that sex is not enough. Meanwhile, Richard, Professor Macklin and his wife Katrina all end up at the same concert.
2T7255 6 5/3/06 The Passion of the Beaver After Professor Macklin selects passion as the topic for the week, Zoe complains to him that she has nothing to be passionate about. Richard decides to use his family name to get his lover, Katrina, access to city officials. Natalie and Owen decide to try and help save the school's health clinic, although Owen is only in it to try and get Natalie. However, soon Owen's sister, Sarah, decides to oppose the heath clinic, placing Owen in an awkward situation.
2T7256 7 5/10/06 Risky Business Richard is still depressed over the loss of Katrina after she decides to go back to Professor Macklin. He soon ends up in the arms of ex-girlfriend, Natalie, which makes Owen extremely jealous. Meanwhile, Lee continues his gambling addiction and has to buy a term paper for his most important class. Zoe begins to contemplate losing her virginity just so she can make Lee jealous.
2T7257 8 5/10/06 Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder Professor Macklin decides that abstinence will be the topic of the week. Owen and Natalie begin to rethink their relationship after she will not allow him to stay with her for a few days. This makes Natalie think about giving Richard a second chance. Lee, however, is having problems abstaining from gambling and sex and must take a loan from Richard to pay his gambling debt. Richard decides to hire Zoe to be the school newspaper’s new sex columnist, and Sarah almost gives her former professor/lover another chance, until she discovers that she's not the only student he has eyes for.

Following the episode about not getting any, The WB pulled the plug on the series.

[edit] External links

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