Back to School

A character never finished high school or college, usually due to being only a few credits shy, so they go back to school to complete their diploma or degree.

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis

Appearances

• The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis: Season 2, episode 20, "The Second Childhood of Herbert T. Gillis" (1960). As Dobie is preparing to graduate, Mr. Gillis reveals to Mrs. Gillis that he never graduated from high school, so Mrs. Gillis convinces him to attend night classes to finally earn his diploma.
• Good Times: Season 2, episode 15, "Florida Goes to School" (1975). Florida decides to go to night school to earn her GED. At first, James is against it, but he changes his mind and decides to join her.
• Rhoda: Season 1, episode 24, "Ida, the Elf" (1975). Ida reveals to Rhoda and Brenda that candy striper was the only job she could get because she never finished high school. Later, she decides to go back to high school to finish her diploma.
• Welcome Back, Kotter: Season 1, episode 21, "Kotter Makes Good" (1976). Mr. Woodman claims the school has no record of Mr. Kotter having taken his final exams, which means he never really graduated high school. In order to keep his job, Mr. Kotter has to take a makeup test, so the Sweathogs help Mr. Kotter study for his test while they're preparing to take theirs.
• Sanford and Son: Season 6, episode 24, "School Daze" (1977). Fred has been sneaking out at night, and Lamont and Donna are concerned that he's seeing another woman, but it turns out he's been taking night classes to finally earn his high school diploma.
• What's Happening!!: Season 2, episode 10, "Mama, the School Girl" (1977). Mabel takes night classes to finish her high school diploma, and Rerun is in her history class to make up for failing history.
• Cheers: Season 3, episode 16, "Teacher's Pet" (1985). Sam tells everyone that he never graduated from high school because he got an offer to play baseball during his senior year, so he has decided to go to night school to get his diploma. When Coach hears about it, he reveals that he never finished high school either, and he decides to join Sam in school.
• Newhart: Season 4, episode 3, "Summa Cum Larry" (1985). Larry reveals that he never went to high school because he was afraid he wasn't "high school material," but when he realized he could beat a contestant on Jeopardy, he decides to go back to school to earn his diploma, and he asks Dick to tutor him.
• Head of the Class: Season 1, episode 15, "Past Imperfect" (1987). The Board of Education discovers that Mr. Moore is short a few college credits, so he has to take a macroeconomics class as night to make up for them, and if he fails, he can no longer be a teacher.
• The Golden Girls: Season 4, episode 1, "Yes, We Have no Havanas" (1988). Dorothy is surprised to find Rose in her adult education class, and Rose reveals that she never graduated from high school due to an incident involving mono and a kissing booth.
• Night Court: Season 8, episodes 1-2, "A Family Affair" (1990). The Board Education reviewed their records and discovered that Harry is missing a few high school credits, so he has to pass a high school history test or lose his job. The city sends a tutor to the courthouse to help him study, and she's a stern taskmaster, who rules the courthouse with an iron chalk.
• Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place: Season 2, episode 15, "Two Guys, a Girl and a Graduation" (1999). When she interviews for a new job, Sharon discovers that she didn't really graduate from college because she had unpaid campus parking tickets (thanks to Pete and Berg). When she pays the tickets plus penalties, the registrar tells her that because graduation requirements have changed, she's now three English credits short of her degree, so she has to take a freshman English course to make them up.
• Community: Season 1, episode 1, "Pilot" (2009). Jeff never really earned his bachelor's degree, so in order to keep practicing law, he has to go back to school.