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When Bad Isn't So Good

Album: 20: A Journey of Choices

Episode: 263

Lesson/Theme: Goodness is its own reward.

Bible Verse: Psalm 1:1-5

Characters: Sam, Bernard, Edwin, Eugene

Writer: Phil Lollar

Sound Designer: Bob Luttrell

Original Air Date: April 9, 1994

Last Air Date: January 27, 2009

Description:
Sam can't believe it. Thanks to Whit's Student Incentive Program, Rusty is enjoying an ice-cream sundae fit for royalty, just because he passed a test! Sam feels cheated: He works hard. He gets A's on everything. He is a good and responsible student. But Sam hardly gets noticed. Rusty gets one B minus on a test, and the teacher treats him like he's brillant, and Whit gives him a free sundae. Sam says he thought rewards were supposed to come when you work hard and do the right thing. But he's done that all his life, and no one has ever rewarded him for it. Rusty responds that everyone expects Sam to be good. Rusty suggests that maybe if Sam were bad once in a while, he'd get free ice cream, too. Sam decides to try it, but Rusty tells him not to bother, he doesn't have the knack for being bad. Meanwhile, Edwin Blackgaard is suffering from a similar situation. He has learned that his evil brother, Regis, is doing well in Europe. But Edwin is barely keeping his theatre afloat in Odyssey. Edwin is so upset about this that he vents his anger at "the system" during an interview on the Cryin' Bryan Dern radio show. Instantly, Edwin becomes a hit with Dern's listeners! Dern asks Edwin to become a regular political commentator on the show. Edwin does, and he subsequently blasts everyone possible. While this is going on, Rusty takes Sam under his wing. Rusty tells Sam that he can prove his badness by breaking a large window Bernard Walton is cleaning. Bernard catches Sam in the act and talks sense into him. Sam then realizes what a dope he's been. He takes off to stop Rusty from setting off some dangerous firecrackers in the Harlequin Theatre. Rusty is getting back at Edwin for blasting city workers, among them Rusty's father, on the radio. Sam arrives to discover the theatre being picketed by the local volunteer fire department, whom Edwin also criticized in a recent broadcast. Unfortunately, Rusty goes through with his act. He inadvertently sets fire to a backstage curtain. Edwin is certain that the firemen will let the theater burn down because of the way he has insulted them. Much to his surprise, the fire squad rushes in and puts out the fire. Edwin learns that "the system" isn't too bad after all, and Sam finds that doing good is its own reward.

Questions:
Why did Sam think he'd have to be bad before he got any attention? What was wrong with Edwin's radio commentaries? Is there anything wrong with being noticed for doing good things? Should you do good things only if you'll be noticed for them? Why or why not?