The focus on this story is something that is still debated (and practiced, I'm sure) today: the preferential treatment of star athletes in school. Here, "Freddie 'Boom Boom' Washington" (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs) expects to pass a test because he just made the basketball team and he expects to be a star. He sees himself a star for the New York Knicks in the near future.
Freddie - and the rest of the class - expects that Mr. Kotter will give him a passing grade no matter what, just because he's on the team and that's good for the school. Hey, a good sports team gets positive attention to a school (and big bucks to colleges). Kotter, though, says there will be no basketball for him if he doesn't pass the latest history exam like everyone else. How that is resolved is interesting and has an unpredictable-but-nice ending.
Note: Marcia Strassman, who played Kotter's wife "Julie" was really pretty. What is shocking to look at today is that she went around in this show without wearing a bra and, yes, you could see the whole deal through her sweaters or blouses. I'm surprised that was allowed on TV although that was the bra-burning era of the '70s.
Freddie - and the rest of the class - expects that Mr. Kotter will give him a passing grade no matter what, just because he's on the team and that's good for the school. Hey, a good sports team gets positive attention to a school (and big bucks to colleges). Kotter, though, says there will be no basketball for him if he doesn't pass the latest history exam like everyone else. How that is resolved is interesting and has an unpredictable-but-nice ending.
Note: Marcia Strassman, who played Kotter's wife "Julie" was really pretty. What is shocking to look at today is that she went around in this show without wearing a bra and, yes, you could see the whole deal through her sweaters or blouses. I'm surprised that was allowed on TV although that was the bra-burning era of the '70s.
