neibor mr. denison

[chris jacob]

does anybody rember and episode of Leave to beaver were ward got jelous becasue wally and beaver became friends witha neibor named mr. Denison and tied to keep wally and beaver away from him does anybody think that was wrong?

[tdr]

The ep is titled "The Perfect Father," and is from the first season, when characterizations were just developing. Ward becomes a bit jealous because Wally is spending so much time at the Dennisons' home because they have a basketball goal set up. Beaver tags along, of course. Ward gets the idea that Mr. Dennison is assuming the role of fatherly coach and teacher of his sons, so he puts up a goal at his house and tries to play that role himself to Wally and his buddies. They are turned off by his invasive guidance and Wally is embarassed by it. But Ward meets Dennison at his club and finds out that he has not been involved in that way; he only put up the basketball goal and let the boys play on their own. Later in the series, Ward usually knows when to leave the boys alone with their peers.