Dede is a sole parent trying to bring up her son Fred. When it is discovered that Fred is a genius, she is determined to ensure that Fred has all the opportunities that he needs, and that ... See full summary »

[last lines]
Fred Tate: I once got this fortune cookie that said, "only when all things around you are different will you truly belong". Well, we're all different that's for sure. I see Jane everyday at the institute, and once in while Dede let's her take us out to a fancy restaurant. Sometimes we even have fun. After a while I was the most famous kid at Jane's school. But then a year later, a 6 year old boy named Willie Yamaguchi got into law school, and suddenly I wasn't such a big deal anymore. But I don't care, because I was happy.
Dede Tate: You're crabby today.
Fred Tate: I'm not crabby, I'm pensive.
Dede Tate: Hey, guess what next Saturday is.
Fred Tate: You get your period, I get a day alone in the park.
Dede Tate: Very funny, lameo.
Jane: [after he recovers consciousness] Damon, how many fingers?
[She holds up three]
Damon: Orange.
Jane: You'll be fine.
Jane: Now Fred, these chores are your responsibilities. And for every week that you do them correctly, we'll do something fun like go to the symphony or rent a nice documentary.
Fred Tate: [to Jane] How come you always talk like you're reading a book?
Garth: Why don't you play magic digit?
Damon: Hey Garth, check out this magic digit
[flips Garth the bird]
Fred Tate: [to his mom] If you send me the checkbook, I'll balance it for you.
Make-Up Woman: [Fred is getting ready to go on TV] Now remember sweet face, zillions of people all over the world are gonna be watching you; and that means no farting, no picking your nose and no playing with little Mr. Peabody.
Fred Tate: My first grade teacher, Miss Nimvel, told Dede that I never paid attention. That I was probably retarded, and that I had a very limited future as a citizen of the United States. Then a week later, she said I should probably skip second grade, maybe even skip elementary school altogether.
Jane: Damon? How many fingers?
Damon: Orange.
Jane: [speaking to group] It's said that a genius learns without studying, and knows without learning. That he is eloquent without preparation, exact without calculation, and profound without reflection.
Garth: [reviewing children] Fred Tate, 7 years old, 2nd grader at Eisenhower Elementary School. He writes poetry, paints in both oils and water, plays the piano at competition level, all the while maintaining what appear to be unlimited skills in math and physics. Can't explain it Jane, I mean, it's not so much what he knows, but - what he understands.
Damon: Come on, wake up and face north twink. I'm an asshole, assholes don't have friends. But then I don't really care.
Fred Tate: You don't?
Damon: A reasonable man adapts himself to the world around him. An unreasonable man expects to the world to adapt *to* him. Therefor all progress is made by unreasonable men.
Damon: You see, Fred, it isn't the size of a guy's IQ that matters. It's how he uses it.
[first lines]
Fred Tate: It's funny, cause I *think* I can even remember being born. For the first two weeks of my life I didn't even have a name. Dede couldn't make up her mind. She finally decided on Fred. She said that she had never heard of a little kid named Fred before.
Fred Tate: Dede says I don't have dad. She says I'm the immaculate conception. That's a pretty big responsibility for a little kid.