MATT WATERS: WHO {FINAL AIRED EPISODE} (TV)
Summary
The final aired episode in this drama series about naval officer-turned- teacher Matt Waters and his various co-workers and students at New Jersey's Bayview High School.
In this episode, Matt prepares to start his new role as football coach, and Nicole reminds the teachers that players must submit their eligibility requirements and maintain good grades in order to stay on the team. Matt then learns that promising athlete Keith Rollins actually lives outside of the school zone and has submitted pal Flea Decker's home address as his own, a fact of which most other teachers are aware and unconcerned. Elsewhere, Russell's parents tease him about his relationship with Angela, sure that they are more than friends. In Nicole's class, Bob happily shows off his knowledge about African cultures, though Keith admits that he has not completed the homework assignment.
Matt surprises his students by informing them that they are all nearly "identical," at least on a genetic level, and have developed different unique skills and traits via evolution and inheritance. He then performs his version of educator Jane Elliott's famous "blue eyes/brown eyes" test, telling Nicole and Stan about the importance of understanding environmental bias. Food-truck chef T flirts with Angela as Matt continues to argue that Keith cannot be allowed to break the official rules, though Nicole counters that allowing him to stay at Bayview, rather than attending a lesser school in his own district, "levels the playing field" somewhat. Jack tries to complete Matt's assignment about his distinct inherited traits and wonders if he shares his father's "intensity." Stan admits that he agrees with Matt's point of view, though the other teachers accuse him of violating "tribal unity." In class, brown-eyed Keith is sent back to sit with the "inferior" blue-eyed students because he did not do the assigned reading, though Flea angrily defends his friend.
Charlie suggests that Matt is "not cut out" to work with kids because of his severe attitude, and Matt finally agrees to "reconsider" Keith's status – if he works harder and makes better grades. In class, the other students object when Matt openly gives Keith the answers to their pop quiz, pointedly stating that he must learn to take advantage when he is given assistance. Angela remains unsure about T's advances, though Russell reads a magazine article on the "gay gene," clearly wondering about his own personal makeup. Keith begs Flea to do his assignments for him, against citing their "tribal thing"; Russell is intrigued to learn that his great-uncle was a "lifelong bachelor." Jack learns that his father suffered abuse of his own, and Russell's father Raymond is startled when he reads his son's draft of his assignment for Matt. Keith is upset when Flea declares that he will no longer do his work for him, and Bob notes that he and Keith may be the more similar pair. Nicole notices the plagiarism and Flea confesses to writing Keith's paper, and Matt and Charlie sternly inform Keith that he cannot expect to "slide" through college straight into a professional sports career. Raymond admits to reading Russell's paper and carefully hints that he, too, has questioned his sexuality by explaining that his son "has more choices" for his life than he did. He adds that he does not regret becoming a husband and father. Elsewhere, Matt returns to his first love, swimming. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: February 7, 1996 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:45:19
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:83794
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: LGBTQ+ Collection - Drama; African-American Collection - Drama; Hispanic Collection - Drama; Drama; High school teachers; Football; Genetics
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1996
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- James D. Parriott … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Montel B. Williams … Co-Executive Producer
- Thomas D. Tannenbaum … Co-Executive Producer
- Dolores Robinson … Co-Executive Producer
- Eric Blakeney … Co-Executive Producer
- Gary Hardwick … Producer
- Pam Veasey … Producer
- Boris Malden … Producer
- Jack Mongan … Associate Producer
- Joan Micklin-Silver … Director
- Steven Phillip Smith … Created by
- Kurt Farquhar … Music by
- Montel B. Williams … Cast, Matt Waters
- Kristen Wilson … Cast, Nicole Moore
- Richard Chevolleau … Cast, Flea Decker
- Cyndi Cartagena … Cast, Angela Perez
- Felix A. Pire … Cast, Russell Achoa
- Nathaniel Marston … Cast, Jack Tisdale
- Amy Hargreaves … Cast, Chloe Drescher
- Sam McMurray … Cast, Charlie Sweet
- David Thornton … Cast, Stan
- Marcia Jean Kurtz … Cast, Marion Oblansky
- Leslie Lyles … Cast, Mrs. Tisdale
- Marina Durell … Cast, Helena
- Glenn Fitzgerald … Cast, Bob Prsybilski
- Edouard DeSoto … Cast, Victor Gomez
- Yancey Arias … Cast, T
- Jaime Sanchez … Cast, Raymond Achoa
- Vanessa Kwong … Cast, Dawn
- Nashawn Kearse … Cast, Keith Rollins
- Afemo Omilami … Cast, Plumber
- Diane Cary … Cast, Casey Villanueva
- Michele Kelly … Cast, Shawna