The Bedford Diaries

Last updated
The Bedford Diaries
The Bedford Diaries.png
Genre Drama
Created by
Starring
Opening theme"Weight in Gold" by Jeremy Kay
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
Running time42 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network The WB
ReleaseMarch 29 (2006-03-29) –
May 10, 2006 (2006-05-10)

The Bedford Diaries is an American drama television series that premiered on March 29, 2006, on The WB and concluded its first season on May 10, 2006. The series was created by Tom Fontana and Julie Martin. This series was canceled on May 18, 2006, after one season.

Contents

A week prior to its premiere, The WB attempted to build buzz with scenes from the series' pilot posted on their website with more adult material not meant for broadcast, with those scenes edited out for the actual broadcast episode.

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 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, outgoing 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 Harold Harper (Peter Gerety), the fatherly, compassionate and often beleaguered dean of students.

Production

The series was produced by HBO Independent Productions, Warner Bros. Television Production Inc. and The Levinson/Fontana Co., with executive producers Tom Fontana, Julie Martin, and Barry Levinson.

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

Cast

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		US viewers
(millions)
1"I'm Gonna Love College" Adam Bernstein Tom Fontana & Julie Martin March 29, 2006 (2006-03-29)2T72502.000 [2]
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 over the 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.
2"The Truth About Sex"Adam BernsteinStory by : Julie Martin & Tom Fontana
Teleplay by : Julie Martin		April 5, 2006 (2006-04-05)2T72511.690 [3]
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.
3"Tell Me No Secrets" Ed Bianchi Story by : Julie Martin & Tom Fontana
Teleplay by : Bradford Winters		April 12, 2006 (2006-04-12)2T72521.790 [4]
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.
4"Zen and the Art of Manipulation" David Anspaugh Story by : Tom Fontana & Julie Martin
Teleplay by : Chris Dingess		April 19, 2006 (2006-04-19)2T72531.580 [5]
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.
5"Love and the Tenth Planet" Whitney Ransick Story by : Julie Martin & Tom Fontana
Teleplay by : Jessica Brickman		April 26, 2006 (2006-04-26)2T72541.600 [6]
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.
6"The Passion of the Beaver"Adam BernsteinStory by : Julie Martin & Tom Fontana
Teleplay by : Jason Yoshimura		May 3, 2006 (2006-05-03)2T72551.370 [7]
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 to help save the school's health clinic, although Owen is only in it to try to get Natalie. However, soon Owen's sister, Sarah, decides to oppose the heath clinic, placing Owen in an awkward situation.
7"Risky Business" Ron Lagomarsino Story by : Julie Martin & Tom Fontana
Teleplay by : Brant Englestein		May 10, 2006 (2006-05-10)2T72561.060 [8]
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.
8"Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder"Ted BogosianStory by : Julie Martin & Tom Fontana
Teleplay by : Lyle Weldon		May 10, 2006 (2006-05-10)2T72570.940 [8]
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.

Related Research Articles

<i>Law & Order: Trial by Jury</i> American legal drama television series (2005–2006)

Law & Order: Trial by Jury is an American legal drama television series about criminal trials set in New York City. It was the fourth series in Dick Wolf's Law & Order franchise. The show's almost exclusive focus was on the criminal trial of the accused, showing both the prosecution's and defense's preparation for trial, as well as the trial itself. The series was first announced on September 28, 2004. The series premiered on Thursday, March 3, 2005, and ended on January 21, 2006. Its regular time slot was Fridays 10/9 p.m. ET on NBC. The last episode aired on Court TV months after the series' cancellation.

<i>Complete Savages</i> American television sitcom

Complete Savages is an American sitcom that was broadcast on ABC from September 24, 2004, to June 17, 2005. It was part of ABC's final TGIF comedy line-up until 2018. The show was created by Mike Scully and Julie Thacker and executive produced by Mel Gibson. It was cancelled after its first season due to low ratings.

<i>Windfall</i> (TV series) American TV serial drama series (2006)

Windfall is an American serial drama television series about a group of people in an unnamed small city who win almost $400 million in a lottery. The series was created by Laurie McCarthy and Gwendolyn M. Parker and premiered on June 8, 2006, on NBC, taking the time slot occupied by ER during the rest of the year.

<i>Commander in Chief</i> (TV series) American television program

Commander in Chief is an American political drama television series that focused on the fictional administration and family of Mackenzie Allen, the first female president of the United States, who ascends to the post from the vice presidency after the death of the sitting president from a sudden cerebral aneurysm.

<i>Alias</i> (season 5) Season of television series

The fifth and final season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias premiered September 29, 2005, on ABC and concluded May 22, 2006, and was released on DVD in region 1 on November 21, 2006. Guest stars in season five include Gina Torres and Lena Olin.

Twins is an American television sitcom that first aired on The WB in the United States and on CTV in Canada from September 16, 2005, to March 3, 2006. The series was produced by KoMut Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television. The show was cancelled on May 18, 2006, unchosen to move onto The CW following the merger of The WB and UPN.

<i>Law & Order</i> (season 15) Season of television series

The 15th season of Law & Order premiered on NBC with a two-hour premiere on September 22, 2004, and concluded on May 18, 2005. This is the last season to feature Elisabeth Rohm before she was replaced by Annie Parisse.

<i>Law & Order</i> (season 16) Season of television series

The 16th season of Law & Order premiered on NBC on September 21, 2005, and concluded on May 17, 2006. This is the second season that remained unchanged from the 15th season, where Elisabeth Rohm departed the series as Serena Southerlyn departs from the series after the episode "Ain't No Love", although Annie Parisse as Alexandra Borgia joins the semi regular, starting with "Fluency".

<i>Six Degrees</i> (TV series) Television series

Six Degrees is an American serial drama television series about six residents of New York City and their respective relationships and connections with one another, based on the idea of six degrees of separation.

<i>In Justice</i> American police procedural television series

In Justice is an American police procedural television series created by Michelle King and Robert King. The series began airing on Sunday, January 1, 2006, on ABC as a midseason replacement and assumed its regular night and time on Friday, January 6, 2006, at 9 p.m. EST. It ended after its 13-episode run on March 31, 2006. The series was simulcast in Canada on CTV. In the UK In Justice was shown on UKTV Gold beginning September 17, 2006 and was later repeated on ABC1 in 2007.

<i>The Evidence</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

The Evidence is an American police procedural drama that aired on ABC from March 22 to July 1, 2006. The series starred Orlando Jones, Rob Estes, Anita Briem and Martin Landau.

Teachers is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC. The show ran for six episodes from March 28 until its cancellation on May 2, 2006. Loosely based upon a 2001 UK series of the same name, it was developed by Matt Tarses, co-executive producer of the medical comedy Scrubs.

<i>Law & Order: Special Victims Unit</i> (season 7) Season of television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

The seventh season of the television series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit premiered September 20, 2005 and ended May 16, 2006 on NBC. It aired on Tuesday nights at 10pm/9c. Critically the show's most successful season, both lead actors received nominations at the 58th Primetime Emmy Awards with a win by Mariska Hargitay.

References

  1. ↑ "The Bedford Diaries". IMDb .
  2. ↑ "WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 03/27/06 THROUGH 04/02/06" (Press release). ABC Medianet. April 4, 2006. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  3. ↑ "WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 04/03/06 THROUGH 04/09/06" (Press release). ABC Medianet. April 11, 2006. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  4. ↑ "WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 04/10/06 THROUGH 04/16/06" (Press release). ABC Medianet. April 18, 2006. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  5. ↑ "WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 04/17/06 THROUGH 04/23/06" (Press release). ABC Medianet. April 25, 2006. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  6. ↑ "WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 04/24/06 THROUGH 04/30/06" (Press release). ABC Medianet. May 2, 2006. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  7. ↑ "WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 05/01/06 THROUGH 05/07/06" (Press release). ABC Medianet. May 9, 2006. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  8. 1 2 "WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS" (Press release). ABC Medianet. May 16, 2006. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.