I don't like this storyline, either. But I don't understand why Julie has a storyline anyway. Cutting to her at college distracts from what's happening to the interconnected characters in Dillon. I would be disappointed in any plot line Julie had the same as if they were following Landry, Matt, Lilia, Smash, Jason Street, etc...I just caught what you mentioned...they recruited the wife as an adjunct. I assume the show staff just didn't fully understand what an adjunct faculty member is. Of course, they--adjuncts--are not recruited. If they wanted her, at the least, she'd be offered a visiting professorship if a tenure-track assistant professorship was not available.As for the wife's behavior being inconsistent of her role--I disagree. I am a college faculty member and instructors and professors vary greatly in behavior. Perhaps, people assume we all come from the same racial, economic, and educational background so we all know/practice a certain decorum. This is not true. I am much closer in behavior to Derek's wife than I am to the emotionally-oppressed, tie-wearing stereotype. And if she is a rising star in academia, she can almost definitely get away with such behavior. She, herself, implies she has had to do this before since Julie is not her husband's first undergraduate fling.   See 6 other replies

It might not really happen like that in academia, true. But in a short series with this just one plot line, I think they did it this way because they didn't have soap opera like time to let the affair run its course.I think the purpose of the plot line is to show how a college freshman, away from her family for the first time feels lonely and is vulnerable while she adjusts to her new life and is trying to fit in and find her place. It didn't help that she had just broken up and she is also vulnerable to rebound. It also gives the opportunity to show how her strong family support will help her straighten herself out. The theme of the coach and his wife being a parent, not only to their kids, but to the football team (coach) and the stray kids at Dillon/East Dillon (wife) has been pervasive throughout this show. Its TV, so they overdo the drama with the scene in the library. But hey, I've seen some pretty public shaming for infidelity before...in real life!   See 6 other replies

Justine is right - the T.A. storyline is ridiculous... it is not a question of who is to blame, but whether it reflects what would really happen. Hollywood almost never gets academia right. A professor might go off on a student who slept with her husband, but not in a public place with other students. And one would hoe someone with a Ph.D. in English would be more articulate.But what REALLY bugs me is his story: "they wanted my wife as an adjunct so much they gave me an assistantship." No one wants to be an adjunct, and a department wouldn't go out of its way to attract someone for an adjunct position. People adjunct (that is get hired to teach by the course) because they can't find a tenure-track academic job or as a part-time job. Adjuncts in the humanities at my university make less than $3000 per course, no benefits. With a full load of 4 courses a semester, that is about $25,000 a year. These are not valued colleagues, even if they should be.Also, the relationship between a TA and a student would be considered completely inappropriate and an abuse of power at any college in the US. That is not to say it never happens, but they wouldn't be so public.   See 6 other replies