I am always struck at how different a show LITB became in the final season. Of course, part of it was due to the boys growing up, but there was more, i think.

One of the most obvious changes was the sense of the Cleavers being part of the outside world. Suddenly, they were making references to TV shows, Ben Casey, The Untouchables, (all ABC shows, of course) and people like Fabian, and other teen idols of the day. The early seasons had a more insular feel to them, where the Cleavers were in some kind of 1940's bubble. For me, that was a lot of its charm.

I think that this attention to the outside world also added the surfing references, which necessitated the idea that the ocean was twenty miles away. At the time, surf music was huge, the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, so they were trying to tap that market.

It's always interesting for me to think that the show ended a month before Kennedy was assassinated, which was the loss of our national innocence, for that time. Camelot was glamourous and the Kennedys were representative of how things were back then.

I wonder how things would have gone if the show had lasted one more season. If you watch the New LITB, there is a lot more real neurosis.

Thoughts?

Not to mention the updated theme song.

The last season of LITB is my favorite, and probably the only season I'd buy on DVD. I love the theme song change as well as the stories, and the contemporary references are fun too. 1 ep, "Beaver on TV", mentioned 2 shows directly, "Meet the Press" and "Captain Kangaroo". It also mentioned another show indirectly, "Twilight Zone", when Gilbert mentioned Rod Serling, and there was some eerie music played that was "Zonesque". It's funny that Gilbert would mention Rod Serling, since Stephen Talbot was one of the few LITB recurring actors who appeared on TZ. He appeared on 1 of the 6 eps that were videotaped at CBS TV City, "Static". The only other TZ actor that I can remember appearing on TZ was Sue Landers, who appeared in at least 2 TZ eps.
The 5th season also had a major contemporary reference in the season premiere ep, originally aired 9/30/61, which involved Wally and his date meeting her sister and her husband, Tom Henderson (Ryan O'Neal). Wally asks the sister if she thinks Mantle or Maris will break the HR record that year, and Maris did it the next day, 10/1/61.

As far as the last season, it's Eddie Haskell, Eddie Haskell, & Eddie Haskell all the way... Christian

you know, the last season is one of my favorite seasons too, i am not sure if it's just that finally both beaver and wally are starting to hit the dating scene and then wally is planning to go off to college and has his own car... but i just like that they are growing up. It gives more things to relate too... which is really nice! But i just liked the upbeat and the "today" yet 60's era feeling of the series. I like all of the other seasons when they are younger as well, but i have to think that hte few later seasons were a few of my favorites. Although it was kind of funny when wally was into girls and beaver still was in his pre-puberty voice saying girls were icky ;)

Last season definitely had a different feel. Not sure if I entirely liked it.

Huge fan of Season 6 as well!!!

Strongest character development. Beaver doing more "teen things." I think he was the most cool during the final season!

All Seasons are very good. I think Season 1 is the weakest however.

Jack

Another interesting point; the episode, "Beaver The Sheepdog". If this episode aired just one year later, his hair couldn't have been long enough!! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Christian