{"id":1674,"date":"2026-01-13T13:32:05","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T13:32:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ayercut.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/13\/a-man-on-the-inside-netflix-comedy-offers-a-timely-defence-of-higher-education\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T13:32:05","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T13:32:05","slug":"a-man-on-the-inside-netflix-comedy-offers-a-timely-defence-of-higher-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ayercut.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/13\/a-man-on-the-inside-netflix-comedy-offers-a-timely-defence-of-higher-education\/","title":{"rendered":"A Man on the Inside: Netflix comedy offers a timely defence of higher education"},"content":{"rendered":"

Season 2 of Netflix\u2019s A Man on the Inside<\/em><\/a> finds Charles Nieuwendyk<\/a>, private investigator and retired engineering professor (played by Ted Danson), undercover at Wheeler College. <\/p>\n

The mission: recover the college president\u2019s laptop. This might not seem juicy, but said laptop contains sensitive information about a $400 million donation by a tech multibillionaire, Brad Vinick<\/a>. <\/p>\n

As someone who has lived and studied academic life<\/a>, I find the series created by Michael Schur<\/a> (also behind The Good Place<\/em> starring Ted Danson<\/a>, among other hit series<\/a>) is both funny and uncomfortable because it hits close to home. <\/p>\n

Budgets trimmed to the bone<\/h2>\n

The P.I. is thrilled by his university case, calling it something \u201cI can really sink my teeth into.\u201d <\/p>\n

Wheeler College, founded in 1883, has seen better days. It is struggling financially and its leadership is unpopular. The board of trustees hired a president<\/a> who trims department budgets to the bone, cuts student aid and embraces corporate sponsorship \u2014 as well as the bonus he receives with every major donation. <\/p>\n

These measures are not enough. Enter Vinick. <\/p>\n