I thought this was a very good episode.
It involves the murder of a teacher by one of his students. The murder occurs because the student (Kristoffer Tabori) wants the teacher (Tom Troupe) to change one of his grades. Tabori is pressured all the time by his father (Charles Aidman) to succeed and being anything other than the best isn't an option. Therefore, when Troupe refuses to change his grade or compromise in anyway it tips Tabori over the edge and he hits Troupe over the head, killing him. Tabori then tries to frame another student (Scott Colomby) for the murder. However, when Colomby realises it's Tabori who has tried to frame him Tabori pushes him over a cliff although he isn't killed.
Tabori unravels further when he realises he is going to be caught and threatens his family with a sword before going to apparently attempt suicide. However, he can't do it, breaks down completely and Michael Douglas has to talk him into going back with him.
I thought that Tabori was very good. He is quite scary and creepy although it's possible to feel slight sympathy for him because of the expectations of his father and the pressure he is placed under by him. However, he coldly tries to frame someone else for the murder and then also pushes him over a cliff in anger.
At the end it is revealed that his father is going to instruct his attorney to plead that his son is insane. Michael Douglas has spoken to the boy after talking him down and realises this isn't so and that the boy knows right from wrong. The parents want to know what went wrong and claim that they gave the boy everything but Douglas sums it up when he says "Except the right to fail".
The usual good performances and believable plot make this a very good episode I think.
It involves the murder of a teacher by one of his students. The murder occurs because the student (Kristoffer Tabori) wants the teacher (Tom Troupe) to change one of his grades. Tabori is pressured all the time by his father (Charles Aidman) to succeed and being anything other than the best isn't an option. Therefore, when Troupe refuses to change his grade or compromise in anyway it tips Tabori over the edge and he hits Troupe over the head, killing him. Tabori then tries to frame another student (Scott Colomby) for the murder. However, when Colomby realises it's Tabori who has tried to frame him Tabori pushes him over a cliff although he isn't killed.
Tabori unravels further when he realises he is going to be caught and threatens his family with a sword before going to apparently attempt suicide. However, he can't do it, breaks down completely and Michael Douglas has to talk him into going back with him.
I thought that Tabori was very good. He is quite scary and creepy although it's possible to feel slight sympathy for him because of the expectations of his father and the pressure he is placed under by him. However, he coldly tries to frame someone else for the murder and then also pushes him over a cliff in anger.
At the end it is revealed that his father is going to instruct his attorney to plead that his son is insane. Michael Douglas has spoken to the boy after talking him down and realises this isn't so and that the boy knows right from wrong. The parents want to know what went wrong and claim that they gave the boy everything but Douglas sums it up when he says "Except the right to fail".
The usual good performances and believable plot make this a very good episode I think.