22. Career Day

Complete story — includes the ending

Mr. Turner hosts a "Career Day" in his English class, inviting parents to speak to the students about their professions. Cory feels embarrassed by his father Alan's modest career as a grocery manager, especially when compared to the flashier, white-collar professions of other parents. The presentations are interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Shawn's eccentric father, Chet Hunter, who regales the class with wild, fabricated stories about his various business ventures and ideas. During lunch, the facade crumbles when Chet privately breaks the news to Shawn that his mother, Virna, has abandoned the family once again. Chet reveals his plans to leave town immediately to track her down and invites Shawn to join him on the road, leaving Shawn deeply conflicted about his unstable home life.Overwhelmed and seeking a safe haven, Shawn shows up at Mr. Turner's apartment later that evening. His sudden arrival inadvertently interrupts an intimate date night between Turner and his girlfriend, Kat Tompkins. Sensing the teenager's distress, Turner welcomes him inside, and an exhausted Shawn ends up falling asleep on the living room couch. The following morning, Turner drops Shawn off at the Matthews residence for safety. Mr. Feeny witnesses the interaction and issues a stern professional warning to Turner, cautioning him that a dangerous "fine line" exists between being a supportive authority figure and crossing into a personal friendship with a student. Later that day, Chet arrives at the Matthews house. Acknowledging his inability to provide stability, he asks Amy and Alan to take legal custody and care of Shawn while he travels to locate Virna. The Matthews family agrees, leaving Shawn devastated but secure. Meanwhile, Eric and his best friend, Jason, experience immense academic pressure as they frantically study for their upcoming SAT exams. They resort to absurd, high-stress study methods that ultimately push their friendship to its limits. Guest stars: Jason Marsden as Jason, Blake Clark as Chet Hunter, Darlene Vogel as Katherine "Kat" Tompkins, Peter Tork as Jedediah Lawrence, Will Estes as Alex Absent: Lily Nicksay as Morgan Matthews