Episode #419 "Dick v. Strudwick"

  When Dick’s co-worker, Professor Strudwick gets a lot of attention because of his newly published book on physics, Dick claims he couldn’t care less. In fact, he says, the whole thing’s a colossal bore, but he’s secretly overcome with envy. To make matters worse, Strudwick’s book is going to be Pendleton’s new physics textbook. Dick is determined to write a book that will blow Strudwick’s out of the water, a book that will move the physics field ahead by four hundred years, until Harry reminds him that the publicity surrounding such a book would surely reveal him as an alien. Dr. Albright is busy entertaining a group of Nobel laureates that are visiting the campus. She tells Dick it’s refreshing to be in the company of such brilliant thinkers. Tommy goes to Alissa’s house for dinner to meet her parents. Alissa’s father is none other than Dick’s rival Dr. Strudwick. Tommy doesn’t impress Strudwick, and things get even worse when he learns that Tommy is related to Dick Solomon. Sally and Officer Don try to get together as friends but end up having sex. Strudwick confronts Dick about Tommy’s relationship with Alissa. Delighted that Strudwick is upset, Dick encourages Alissa to be a strong, independent young woman and live her life as she pleases. It soon becomes clear to Dr. Albright that the Nobel laureates may be brilliant, but they also lack common sense and need someone to look after them. Dick and Strudwick participate in a televised panel discussion with the Nobel laureates, which quickly degenerates into a heated confrontation between the two men. Later Tommy tells Dick he can’t believe Dick would use his relationship with Alissa to get revenge on Strudwick.