Pearl Caraldo (Rhea Perlman) is the widow of a longshoreman. After being deprived of a college education (she married right out of high school), Pearl applies for a student loan, writes an essay and is accepted into Swindon University, 4.2 miles from her home.
All is progressing well for Pearl until she enrols in the most prestigious class in the school- Humanities (the human condition) taught by the school’s toughest teacher – Professor Stephen Pynchon (Malcolm McDowell), a stickler for the rules who accepts no nonsense from his students.
The failure rate in his class is 67.3% – the highest in the nation. If a student needs help he will only speak to them between 3:05 and 3:12 PM on Wednesday.
Pearl, however, is as stubborn and abrasive as Stephen and a romantic relationship begins to develop.
Stories follow Pearl as she begins a new life – and a new love with Stephen, who is not all that thrilled with a serious relationship.
Other regular characters included Pearl’s son, Joey (Dash Mihok); her friend, Annie (Carol Kane); and fellow students Amy Li (Lucy Liu), Margaret (Nikki Cox) and Frankie (Kevin Corrigan).
Pearl Caraldo
Rhea Perlman Annie Carmen
Carol Kane Frankie Spivak
Kevin Corrigan Joey Caraldo
Dash Mihok Amy Li
Lucy Liu Professor Stephen Pynchon
Malcolm McDowell Margaret Woodrow
Nikki Cox William ‘Billy’ Pynchon
Billy Connolly
