Show Inconsistencies

[Jack1000]

Hi!

Yea, there are several inconsistencies in the show with regard to names. As pointed out:

Gilbert's last name is first called Gates, than Bates, then for two episodes it's Harrison, than back to Bates again. All LITB references credit Gilbert's last name as "Bates" so this was obviously an inconsistency in writing

Eddie's dad's name is George Haskell (although Mr. Haskell is played by at least 3 different actors in the series) in "Eddie Spends the Night" it's Frank Haskell. In "Wally Joins the Boy Scouts, Eddie says HIS name is Edward Haskell Jr.! in "Eddie's credit card, it says Eddie's middle initial is "W", but in another Episode (can't remember which one) Eddie says he is Edward Clark Haskell!

Mrs. Rutherford's first name is Geraldine in the 1st-2nd seasons, than later it becomes "Gwendolen".

Lumpy is a Junior in high school when we first meet him, but in the next season, he is a sophomore along with Wally and Eddie. (It is said he was held back a year, but in this case, he would just repeat his junior year, not go back to sophomore.)

The actor who played Mr. Blair (Wendell Holmes) also played Mr. Willett, who was Beaver's music teacher and Beaver's principle. (He has light hair than) Mr. Blair also played Andy the alcoholic.

In the first season....Wally is either 12 or 13 years old depending on the episodes when his age is discussed.

If you think of others....add to the list!!!

Jack

[BBF]

The same guy played Captain Jack and Uncle Billy...

In the first seasons, they always say that the ocean is far away, but in the last seasons, the ocean is said to be 20 miles away...

In the 4th season, there is an episode that Wally says something about being in the class of '62, but he graduates in '63. I don't remember him being held back...

It's kind of fun spotting all of these litttle inconsistencies!

[tdr]

I really don't think the same actor playing different roles is an inconsistency; not in the progress of the show itself, anyway. Uncle Billy was not a 'split personality' who sometimes thought he ran an alligator farm {even though not much about Uncle Billy should be shocking}. But [within the show, only characters should be considered, and the actors whol played them are out of scope.

The most obvious incosistency, IMO, is the time distortion in how Wally is at first 6 grades ahead of Beaver in school, and by the end this is down to 4 grades. Wally was definitely too smart to have failed a year of high school-- and even if he did, Eddie, Mary Ellen, Julie, and the rest of his classmates we meet all failed the same year. And Beaver apparently skipped the 7th grade, because in season #5 it is clearly stated he is in the 6th grade, and the final season, #6, it is just as clearly said that he is in the 8th grade; and his classmates, Gilbert, Richard, and Whitey, all stay in the same class/grade. So Wally really should have been a college freshman the final season, but that would have altered the domestic premise of the show-- unless they just forgot about "State" for a while and had him and his familiar friends go to a local junior college, perhaps.

In the ep earlier this week in which the guys from Mayfield draw names of the girls from 'Riverside' for the dance [something that surely would not be arranged these days], that is an inconsistency about the town, Riverside. Most of the time when Aunt Martha's home is mentioned it is in Riverside, and is a long drive from Mayfield. But in this ep it seems to be within a few miles. But another town mentioned more than once is 'Bellport,' and I think at least once that town is said to be where Aunt Martha lives. I don't remember which one, if any, is said to be her home the time she takes an airplane to come visiting. Sure, Aunt Martha might have relocated, but Riverside surely didn't get closer to Mayfield to where the high schools could have a joint dance and Wally could meet his date when she happened to be shopping with her mother.

I did just think what may be an exception to my first paragraph. In "Weekend Invitation," David Kent plays 'Scott,' who invites the guys to the lake cabin for a weekend with no adult supervision. He later plays another character, 'Bill Scott'-- or is this another character? 'Bill,' who only appears in a few eps, is quite different from 'Scott' in "Weekend Invitation;" he is a docile, steady guy, whereas 'Scott' was rather feisty and devious. But I don't recall a last name stated for Scott... so this seems to mean he might or he might not be the same character... or an idea where it can 'work either way.'

[cookiemech]

Eddie's dad was called George in very late episodes. I'm not sure if it was true that in every case where he was called George, the actor who played him was George Petrie (if so, maybe not a coincidence). Remember that George Petrie was Jackie Gleason's do-it-all man on The Honeymooners; he could be a psychiatrist on one episode and a cottage salesman on another. I thought it was hilarious when he showed up as Eddie's dad.

[Tap Dancer]

If Wally was 12 in the 8th grade, he should have graduated when he was 16. I always wondered why they didn't start him out as a 6th grader instead of making him younger as the years passed.

[Dusty's Fan]

Eighth graders are typically 13 and 14:

Eighth: 13, 14
Ninth (Freshmen): 14, 15
Tenth (Sophomores): 15, 16
Eleventh (Juniors): 16, 17
Twelfth (Seniors): 17, 18

If Wally was in the 8th grade at age 12, he could turn 13 that year. He would then graduate at age 17 -- while most people grad at 18.

[Madame X]

If Wally was 12 in the 8th grade, he should have graduated when he was 16. I always wondered why they didn't start him out as a 6th grader instead of making him younger as the years passed.

Usually you turn 14 in the 8th grade. In season 1, Wally was definitely in grade school, but what happened? I have seen examples of writers "taking a leap" to move a storyline forward. Characters age, there are gaps in continuity and we shouldn't notice (because we are stupid)?

As mentioned before, Lumpy was at first a bully, much older than Wally, then all of a sudden he is in Wally's grade and a chum.
I submitted a thread on the "Little House on the Prairie" site stating that continuity is an issue. I listed a dozen people that appeared as several different characters, as if the viewers are idiots and can't catch on.

Writers and producers need to get the message that beyond their six figure salaries, there are fans out there that are supporting them and we don't appreciate being made fools of.

Of course, these shows are in the past, but I think even less concern is being applied nowadays.

:soapbox: Sorry!

Anyway, I'm still watching and loving the classics!

[talltideman@aol.com]

Why was she the principal and than later Beaver's teacher. I know a lot of principals start out as teachers and than move onto the principal, but that seems like a demotion.

In the episode Beaver on TV, the premise does make any sense. Beaver is to appear on a tenn forum panel show, and is let out of school to appear, and than he isn't on the show becuase it's taped, not live. Why oh why, would they air a show that appeals to teens in the middle of the day, when the ultimate viewers would be in school or taken out of school to appear. The show should of been on a Saturday morning or late weekday afternoon, It just didn't make sense.

In Mother's Helper it's okay that June would want a little help around the house, but I doubt she would wait around until Margie could come over after school to start her housework. For Margie to stick around until after dinner so she could help wash dishes was wierd. Were the Clevers in the dinning room having dinner, and Margie scouring out the sink waiting for them to finish. If June was that tired why couldn't her 2 sons help out with the dishes. I know it's only a story, but I like premises that make sense.

[Tap Dancer]

If Wally was in the 8th grade at age 12, he could turn 13 that year.
In the episode where Wally joins the scouts, Tooey tells the man he just turned 12. That means he entered the 8th grade when he was 11. So Wally probably would have graduated at 16 if they hadn't changed things later.

[tdr]

From an old thread: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=6656&highlight=school

I did not see that particular ep this past weekend, but I recall Beaver saying he is "SEVEN and three-quarters." Anyway, I
thought most states were quite standard in that a student starts first grade based on Sept. 1 following his sixth birtday. (Though some exceptions have been allowed, including my sister, who was permitted to start early because her b-day is in early Sept.; also, students who switch from private school with early admission, to public.)

If that is the case, then Beaver being in the second grade at 7 3/4 is correct; but the older boys being in the eighth grade at 12 appears a year early. Were there, perhaps, differing rules about such things, considering the nation's birthrate should have slowed down quite a bit during WW2 (Wally's and Eddie's age indicates they were born in '45, and Ward was supposed to have been in the South Pacific during the war [don't read too much into this : )] ). My dad was also in the S.Pacific, and he was gone from '41 to '45 continuously. The point is, was the minimum age for starting school a year less around '50-'51 to help make room for all the original 'baby boomers' born in '46?

One other point. In season #1, Wally is in grade 8 and Beaver in grade 2. In the final season, #6, Wally is a h.s. senior and Beaver is in grade 8. Wally was not held back 2 grades in school. It seems Wally 'lost' a year and Beaver 'gained' a year. So I really don't see why they had to start the series run with the boys farther apart in age than was necessary-- and true, considering that TD is just 3 years older than JM.