In "Big Brother is Watching," Alex is the editor of the school newspaper, and immediately has a chance to make a name for himself and the newspaper when he learns of an algebra test cheating scandal in which Mallory is involved.
But, as we will soon learn, Alex indeed will make a name for himself and his newspaper ... just not in the ways he had anticipated or hoped.
Believing the truth is the highest standard of journalism and that the students need to be held accountable, and also believing the school's administration is dragging its feet in its investigation, Alex is faced with an ethical dilemma by publishing the story, names of the accused included. When the adviser tells him the story is being killed but Alex proceeds anyway, it is Alex who faces a huge backlash from his fellow students, friends, his teacher, the school's administration and the community.
In the end, Alex learns some tough lessons about journalism ethics, in that truth and related standards in the press (including fair report privilege) must be tempered with compassion, justice, necessity and common sense.
Tropes associated with this episode:
- Angry Fist-Shake: Mr. Winkler, the newspaper adviser, when he storms into the newspaper office demanding an explanation from Alex why a story he explicitly had asked to be killed note for a number of reasons was printed anyway. He is so angry the next thing that might be killed ... is Alex!
- Defenestrate and Berate: From a professional standpoint, as Mr. Winkler tells Alex he is being removed from his duties as editor-in-chief, and is so angry at him he doesn't even want him reading the newspaper anymore. (Needless to say, publishing an apology in the next issue is the least of Mr. Winkler's concerns ... and admittedly, being reassigned to teach sex education to the school's behavioral problem class is also low on his list of immediate concerns.)
- Not Cheating Unless You Get Caught: Why Alex feels obligated to publish a story he had written revealing a cheating scandal and what he views as an administration dragging its feet in the matter.
- School Newspaper News Hound: Alex is editor-in-chief of the school newspaper.
- Shout-Out: The episode title is the subtitle/slogan of George Orwell's novel 1984.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Alex's moral dilemma regarding the publication of a news story uncovering a major cheating scandal at his school and what he views as inaction by the administration. He goes so far as to publish the names of the accused students, even though some were innocent and others hadn't had their fair due process ... and at every other school the school administration would never allow the names to be even released. Additionally, Alex set up himself, Mr. Winkler, the newspaper and its staff, and the school (and possibly even the school district) for libel lawsuits. All these are points Steven and Elyse make sure Alex understand, (Off-camera, the principal had likely made the same points in his extended chewing-out discussion.)
- Worst News Judgement Ever: Not so much Alex's news judgment — indeed, an administration that seems to be slow moving in handling a major cheating scandal, if not the fact the scandal was allowed to happen is news — but his handling of it. Mr. Winkler explained, and clearly to Alex, that he had sufficient evidence the administration was investigating and taking the matter seriously and as such stated they should step aside and allow them to do their job ... but more importantly, that the students were merely accused and some might be totally innocent of any cheating, or in the very least those who were actually guilty deserved a chance to defend themselves (as many of them had yet to have this opportunity). It can be argued that Alex, by publishing the story, significantly harmed the reputations of many students and compromised the reputation and integrity of the school, its newspaper and its administration ... the latter a point Alex alludes to as he tells his parents he had spent several hours meeting with a very unhappy principal discussing the seriousness of his actions and the fallout that's resulted.
- Additionally, Alex — referring to a conversation he had earlier with Steven about how the press has an obligation to hold those in power to a high standard — tries defending his actions by saying this was truth and, if you will, a form of fair report privilege, citing Woodward and Bernstein's publishing accusations against President Nixon during the Watergate scandal. Elyse immediately corrects Alex, saying the school cheating scandal was not in the least comparable to Watergate. She notes that Nixon, an elected official serving in the highest office in the land, had along with others betrayed the public's trust, while the cheating scandal at his school involved teenagers merely accused of making a mistake, and (although unstated) they now had their opportunities to fairly defend themselves stolen from them by an overzealous (or at least not thinking) school newspaper editor. Steven adds that a form of the story could have been published by omitting the names of the accused.
- "You!" Exclamation: When Mr. Winkler bursts into the newspaper office to confront Alex over directly disobeying his directive to not publish a story.
