4 Seasons

Episode

Chapter One (2000)

Another school year is off to a booming start at Winslow High School -- an urban high school outside of Boston. Principal Steven Harper spends his days putting out fires, defending his faculty and just trying to keep it together. Lauren Davis, the idealistic head of the social studies department, and Harry Senate, a geology teacher with buried secrets, are embroiled in controversy for failing the star running back before a huge game with the cross-town rivals. But they both have bigger personal problems. Lauren has been asked out on a date by the icy vice principal and Harry has been put on probation for wielding a gun in one of his classes. When he's not dodging the star running back's lawyer or pulling a bully off the class geek, Principal Harper is trying to calm Ms. Hendricks. She left her class after scrawling ""Gone to kill myself, hope you're happy"" on the chalkboard. Meanwhile, English teacher Milton Buttle has become the star attraction on student Sheryl Holt's Web site. His un

Directed By: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: David E. Kelley

Chapter Two (2000)

Last week's bra protest has resulted in school unity. All the girls have decided to go braless in a show of solidarity with Dana Poole. As bras flap ceremoniously from every other locker, Principal Harper juggles a variety of other issues. The superintendent is breathing down Harper's neck because Lauren has rallied a few of the other teachers and they all refuse to get fingerprinted. Also, Marla, who's supposed to be on medical leave, has shown up for work, and Lipschultz, the man behind the bra debacle, has shown up on Sheryl Holt's infamous Web site -- in a bra and panties! Harper decides the two of them will co-teach a class in order to keep an eye on each other. Meanwhile, Vice Principal Guber tries to regain control by meeting with Dana Poole. He suspects that she's high, so he wants a urine sample. She protests and bolts straight to Harry -- whom she blackmails for the second time in order to avoid suspension. It seems that earlier in the year she and Senate shared a kiss, and s

Directed By: Jack Bender
Writer: David E. Kelley

Chapter Three (2000)

Principal Harper's job is in jeopardy and an impending school board meeting has him on edge. Still, he can't help but get involved when Anthony Ward is found hanging upside down from the roof. It turns out the entire soccer team has ganged up on little Anthony since he thwarted their attempts to download answers for a test. Harper's decision to suspend the entire team, and thereby forfeit the soccer season, only adds fuel to Superintendent Marla Shinn's fire. Meanwhile, Harry Senate confesses to kissing Dana Poole and explains her blackmail scheme. Guber sends a shocked Dana to Bob ""Big Boy"" Lick for counseling but Harper does not suspend Senate. Coach Riley, on the other hand, is dealing with a football team who has marked one of their teammates as gay and will not shower with him. Plus, Lauren is left to defend herself when Superintendent Shinn questions the topic of cannibalism being taught in Lauren's classroom. At the school board meeting, things come to a head when all of the fa

Directed By: Mel Damski
Writer: David E. Kelley

Chapter Four (2000)

Rehearsals are in full swing for the annual charity show. Marilyn is dismayed to learn that the main skit the students have prepared is a spoof of the Winslow High faculty -- complete with a gun-toting Senate and Buttle stuck inside a donkey! Elsewhere on campus, Lauren enters a stairwell and catches two student body presidential candidates engaged in a sex act. Lauren confronts the students -- Peter and Susan -- who deny any wrongdoing. However, when Peter later drops out of the election, it becomes clear that Susan's sexual favor was a motivating factor. On top of all this, Lauren must also deal with John LeBlonde. John's an excellent student on the recently suspended soccer team and needs Harper's approval to apply for a prestigious academic award. Harper is refusing to sign, not because John cheated -- he didn't -- but because he failed to report his teammates. Lauren is caught in the middle and is even more uncomfortable when John confesses that he is in love with her. The night o

Directed By: Bryan Gordon
Writer: David E. Kelley

Chapter Five (2000)

It's Thanksgiving week, but no one seems particularly grateful. Guber, for example, is still upset over his onstage serenade at the charity show. Football player Jason Harrelson broke bully Malcolm White's arm during a fight in the hall. Buttle is starring in yet another Sheryl Holt original online humiliation cartoon. Last, but not least, Lauren discovered a senior sex posse which awards senior guys points for sex. In response to the sex posse scandal, Principal Harper organizes a sophomore assembly to preach the benefits of chastity. The teachers draw straws, and Lipschultz is chosen to head up the event. Later at the assembly, Lipschultz' boring speech turns shocking when he confesses to catching his beloved late wife in bed with another man. In his office, Harper confronts Jason Harrelson about the fight. Harrelson says he used a fighting technique that Harper taught Anthony in order to defend Anthony's honor. Repercussions ensue -- including a lawsuit by Malcolm's family and a con