Rutherford, Ohio

Rutherford is a fictional college town, located in the U.S. state of Ohio, that serves as the principal setting of the American sitcom "3rd Rock from the Sun". The series is somewhat vague and/or inconsistent as to the specifics of the place and it is unclear whether Rutherford should be considered a town, a city or a suburb.

Location

Cleveland is often alluded to be the nearest big city to Rutherford. According to "Brains and Eggs", Cleveland is fifty-two miles from Rutherford.cite episode |title=Brains and Eggs |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 1: 1996 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1996-01-09 |season=1 |number=1] However, a map in "Dick's Ark" and "You Don't Know Dick" shows Rutherford to be in the center of the state and therefore roughly twice that distance away.cite episode |title=Dick's Ark |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 6: 2000 - 2001 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=2001-02-06 |season=6 |number=12] In a montage sequence from "36! 24! 36! Dick!: Part 2" that showed a line being drawn across a map to indicate travel in the typical fashion, the starting point places Rutherford in roughly the same place as Cleveland.cite episode |title=36! 24! 36! Dick! - Part I |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 3: 1997 - 1998 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1998-01-25 |season=3 |number=14] In real life, the show was filmed at the CBS Studio Center in Studio City, Los Angeles, California. [" [http://www.imdb.com/List?endings=on&&locations=Republic%20Studios/CBS%20Studio%20Center%20-%204024%20Radford%20Avenue,%20Studio%20City,%20Los%20Angeles,%20California,%20USA&&heading=18;with+locations+including;Republic%20Studios/CBS%20Studio%20Center%20-%204024%20Radford%20Avenue,%20Studio%20City,%20Los%20Angeles,%20California,%20USA Filming locations at IMDB] " "IMDB" Retrieved September 7, 2008.]

Rutherford is possibly supposed to be Kent, Ohio; with Pendelton being Kent State University, the real-life University of the show's creators.

Depiction of Rutherford

It seems to be the intention of the show's producers to portray Rutherford as a perennially average suburban area of Middle America. Whether a town or a minor city, Rutherford is usually alluded to be a fairly remote place with the decidedly mediocre Pendelton State University being the only aspect of it to be of any interest to outsiders.

All of Rutherford directly shown seems to be small-town suburbia, although "Dick's Ark" and "You Don't Know Dick" showed a city backdrop behind the desk used on the news.cite episode |title=Dick's Ark |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 6: 2000 - 2001 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=2001-02-06 |season=6 |number=12] In reality, the photo is an older view of the Downtown Houston, Texas skyline. This is confirmed as a number of the buildings that were prominent in the 1960's are visible, including the "Bank of the Southwest" building, whose signage is partially blurred. There are no wideshots of Rutherford shown in the series and most scenes take place either indoors or in a close-in exterior.

According to "Dickmalion", North Rutherford represents the more upper class area of town in contrast to the neighborhood where the Solomons live, which seems to be trashy, uncared-for and lower middle class. It is also mentioned that there is a railroad line near the Solomons' home as well as a liquor store.cite episode |title=Dickmalion |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 2: 1996 - 1997 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1997-04-13 |season=2 |number=20]

Places of interest

A number of bars and eateries are shown to exist in Rutherford, the most prominent of which include Happy Doug's bar,cite episode |title=The Physics of being Dick |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 3: 1997 - 1998 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1998-04-15 |season=3 |number=21] and Johnny Foam's coffee house.cite episode |title=A Friend In Dick |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 3: 1997 - 1998 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1997-11-19 |season=3 |number=8] There is also mentioned to be an exclusive ballroom named the Starlight Lounge, into which it is apparently hard to get,cite episode |title=Happy New Dick |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 4: 1998 - 1999 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1998-12-15 |season=4 |number=9] and a nightclub known as the Sin-Drome.cite episode |title=Dick on a Roll |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 3: 1997 - 1998 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1998-01-07 |season=3 |number=12] The town also has an arena named the Rutherdome,cite episode |title=You Don't Know Dick |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 6: 2000 - 2001 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=2001-02-13 |season=6 |number=13] and a planetarium.cite episode |title=The Thing That Wouldn't Die - Part II |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 6: 2000 - 2001 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=2001-05-22 |season=6 |number=20]

Pendelton State University

Infobox_University
name = Pendelton State University


motto =
established = Unknown
type = State University
endowment = Unknown (apparently inadequate)
chancellor = Stevens ("Feelin' Albright" and "Paranoid Dick") cite episode |title=Feelin' Albright |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 4: 1998 - 1999 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1998-10-14 |season=4 |number=3] cite episode |title=Paranoid Dick |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 4: 1998 - 1999 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1999-02-16 |season=4 |number=14]
Duncan ("Dick Strikes Out" and "Dick Solomon's Day Off") cite episode |title=Dick Strikes Out |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 5: 1999 - 2000 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=2000-03-28 |season=5 |number=16] cite episode |title=Dick Solomon's Day Off |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 5: 1999 - 2000 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=2000-05-16 |season=5 |number=20]
president = Dewey ("Proud Dick") cite episode |title=Proud Dick |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 2: 1996 - 1997 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1997-01-05 |season=2 |number=13]
city = Rutherford
state = Ohio
country = United States
undergrad =
postgrad =
staff =
campus = Suburban—22 acres
mascot = Badgers
colours = Red, Yellow
website = |

Pendelton State University is a college located in Rutherford, Ohio. It was named after Admiral Pendelton, whose statue stands outside of Huff Hall. It is mentioned that the statue has fallen into disrepair.cite episode |title=Feelin' Albright |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 4: 1998 - 1999 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1998-10-14 |season=4 |number=3]

It is repeatedly emphasized that the school is in a bad state and it is implied that most, if not all, of the faculty and student body are only there because they couldn't make it elsewhere. In fact, in the episode "Fourth and Dick" Leon, when asked why the students didn't go to another school, replies "because we choked on our SATs." cite episode |title=Fourth and Dick |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 2: 1996 - 1997 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1996-11-03 |season=2 |number=7]

Dick Solomon described it as a "third-rate university" and it has since been called "mediocre" on a fairly regular basis.cite episode |title=Brains and Eggs |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 1: 1996 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1996-01-09 |season=1 |number=1] It is mentioned that the campus was built on a reclaimed uranium mine and implied that the materials available at the school are hopelessly outdated, that a large number of students to attend the school have committed suicide and that the school is still "a little radioactive." cite episode |title=The Tooth Harry |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 3: 1997 - 1998 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1998-05-20 |season=3 |number=26] It is also revealed that the dorms were built by Habitat for Humanity,cite episode |title=Why Dickie Can't Teach |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 6: 2000 - 2001 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=2000-12-05 |season=6 |number=6] and that the elevator in the library turns off when the library closes, and the library is not open on the weekend. This strands anyone present in the library at that time for the whole weekend, since the stairway is blocked.cite episode |title=Stuck With Dick |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 3: 1997 - 1998 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1998-02-25 |season=3 |number=18]

The school's football team, the Badgers, regularly lose to the Ohio Western Mustangs.cite episode |title=Fourth and Dick |episodelink=List of 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes#Season 2: 1996 - 1997 |series=3rd Rock from the Sun |serieslink=3rd Rock from the Sun|network=NBC |airdate=1996-11-03 |season=2 |number=7]

Departments

Physics Department

*Dick Solomon (John Lithgow)
*Vincent Strudwick (Ron West)

Anthropology Department

*Mary Albright (Jane Curtin)

Women's Studies

*Judith Draper (Ileen Getz)

Biology

*Liam Neesam (John Cleese)

Theology

*Father Rice (Bruce Ed Morrow) - Morrow died in 1997

Comparative Literature

*Jennifer Ravelli (Laurie Metcalf)

Unknown department

*Leonard Hamlin (John Mahoney) - the character of Hamlin died in season one
*Suter (Harry Morgan)

Other

Deans

*Sumner (William Bogert) - Dean of Arts and Sciences, seasons one to three (his wife, only identified as Mrs. Sumner, was played by Jennifer Rhodes)
*Mary Albright (Curtin) - Dean of Arts and Sciences, six months in season four

Miscellaneous

*Stevens (Nicolas Coster) - Chancellor in season four
*Duncan (Lane Davies) - Chancellor in season five
*Dewey (Philip Baker Hall) - University President
*Nina Campbell (Simbi Khali) - Secretary to Dick and Mary
*Lucy (Marianne Muellerleile) - Cafeteria cashier, later secretary to Mary when she became Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences

References

ee Also

* 3rd Rock from the Sun episodes
* 3rd Rock from the Sun