Season 7 Episode 11: Old College Try

December 13, 1992

Published 12/13/92

Bud gets into Trumaine University on a twenty-five thousand dollar grant, which is the single biggest thing that has ever happened to a Bundy, and his parents spend it before he can tell them about it. The money arrives in the household account, Al and Peg find it, and they reach the only conclusion available to them, which is that the bank has made an error in their favour. Their response is to withdraw the whole amount immediately and convert it into goods at maximum speed, on the reasoning that money already spent cannot be reclaimed. A big screen television arrives. New appliances arrive. Kelly breaks the television. By the time Bud comes home to announce his grant and his acceptance, the twenty-five thousand dollars exists only as objects scattered around the living room in various states of damage, and Peg’s attempt to warn Al is cut off because Al wants to have a father-son talk first. That talk is the best thing in the episode. Al walks Bud through his entire history as a disappointment, in order, with a pause after each item for Bud to feel briefly good about himself before the next sentence arrives. The straight A report cards were, Al explains, the part he was truly ashamed of. He then explains what college is actually for, delivers his only real piece of fatherly advice on the subject, and Bud works out midway through his own laughter that he is the sort of person his father has just finished describing.

Episode Facts

Original air date: December 13, 1992
Season and episode: Season 7, Episode 11
Overall episode number: 142
Written by: Dianne Burroughs, Joey Gutierrez and P. Sharon
Directed by: Gerry Cohen
Taped: November 20, 1992
Production note: Bud enrolls at Trumaine University here and remains a student there until season 10’s “Bud Hits the Books.” During this season the school is spelled Tremaine.
Production note: Bud starts growing the beard in this episode. It becomes obvious a few weeks later and he keeps it for the rest of the series.
Title note: From the phrase “give it the old college try.”