Now that Season Four is out, all the stories about Doris Martin forgetting she was ever a mother can be confirmed. But it's worse than that: even her friends and neighbors have forgotten about the kids. When the season opens, Doris is still living in the same apartment she had shared with her two sons the season before, the Paluccis and Mr. Jarvis are still her neighbors, and she still works at Today's World magazine . . . BUT, with no explanation, she suddenly has a new job (as a reporter) and a new boss, Myrna is no longer her friend (or any part of her life), and her two sons have vanished without a trace (or a memory). Moreover, people are suddenly referring to Doris as MISS Doris Martin (for the younger crowd here, that's the title we used to use to refer to a never-married woman), instead of Mrs. Martin. And in the Season Five preview clip included in this set, Peter Lawford's character makes a comment about Doris' mother possibly coming over for dinner. Wasn't it perfectly clear during the first three seasons that Doris's mother had passed away long ago, leaving her father a widower? And speaking of her father, by Season Four it appears he never existed, either! Me thinks that Doris, the Paluccis, Mr. Jarvis and all of Today's World magazine have entered into the Twilight Zone!

Now that Season Four is out, all the stories about Doris Martin forgetting she was ever a mother can be confirmed. But it's worse than that: even her friends and neighbors have forgotten about the kids. When the season opens, Doris is still living in the same apartment she had shared with her two sons the season before, the Paluccis and Mr. Jarvis are still her neighbors, and she still works at Today's World magazine . . . BUT, with no explanation, she suddenly has a new job (as a reporter) and a new boss, Myrna is no longer her friend (or any part of her life), and her two sons have vanished without a trace (or a memory). Moreover, people are suddenly referring to Doris as MISS Doris Martin (for the younger crowd here, that's the title we used to use to refer to a never-married woman), instead of Mrs. Martin. And in the Season Five preview clip included in this set, Peter Lawford's character makes a comment about Doris' mother possibly coming over for dinner. Wasn't it perfectly clear during the first three seasons that Doris's mother had passed away long ago, leaving her father a widower? And speaking of her father, by Season Four it appears he never existed, either! Me thinks that Doris, the Paluccis, Mr. Jarvis and all of Today's World magazine have entered into the Twilight Zone!

Was it ever specifically stated Buck (Doris's dad) was a widower? I thought Doris's kids disappeared at the beginning of season 5.

Was it ever specifically stated Buck (Doris's dad) was a widower? I thought Doris's kids disappeared at the beginning of season 5.

Nope, the kids are gone in the fourth season. There is no mention of their whereabouts, or even that they had existed. And in the fourth season, Doris is suddenly a "miss." I'm fairly certain it was stated early on that Buck was a widower.

You wonder how they got away with that, wouldn't the viewers have wrote
in asking about all the changes?

You wonder how they got away with that, wouldn't the viewers have wrote
in asking about all the changes?

I have vague memories of being confused as a child, just as I was a year later when Dick Van Dyke abruptly and drastically changed the format of his show. But at least in the case of "The New Dick Van Dyke Show," they explained the change at the beginning of the season. And no family members mysteriously evaporated.

Maybe Doris Day was a little too much of a household name already to be saddled with kids to begin with (as she was in the first few years of this show). It seemed more fitting when she was doing neat stuff like going to places like Cuba with her boss then tending to two little boys.

I just think it is easier to assume that the boys went back on the ranch to live with Buck.

I can remember watching this show in its 1st and 2nd seasons, but I must have quit watching after that, because I don't remember the boys disappearing and Buck never seen again. However, I do remember a Q&A column in TV Channels, or something similar, asking about the changes. The reply was that when the show premiered, although popular enough for renewal, it disappointed many DD fans, who wanted Doris to be sophistocated and sexy, as she was in the movies. Being a farm widow just wasn't the role they wanted, and hordes of mail kept emphasizing that point; so much that for the new season they 'moved' her to the big city with a job that involved her with interesting and famous people. But many fans still complained that she was too much of a "doting mother" to be in the adult, romantic situations they wanted to see her in, so they did away with the kids. Maybe what I read, or what I remember, is wrong, but I thought the answer columnist said that at first she kept pictures of the kids in her apartment, but fans still complained even about that, so they did away with those.

Since I was about the age of her kids on the show (1st & 2nd season), I liked it the way it was. So maybe the changes in format are what turned me off the show. Or maybe getting into jr. high sports and things took the time slot away. I just don't remember that part.

I remember back when this was on TV, I was a very young teen and I was confused when her boys just vanished. I had forgotten about it till I watched it again when we bought the entire series. It wasn't as good once the family vanished but I have always liked Doris Day.

When she had a family,in seasons 1,2 and 3(especially 2 and 3)her show yrated in the top 20,even though it started out in its initial season at #30-Then it in second season went up to #10.In third season,it was #20.Still pretty respectable-But when she became a single ,her ratings went down-To #24(as was posted on another post)the first season of the format change,and then it went down even further for last season.It proves that audiences are very fickle.They don't know what they want.

I recall being bothered by the changes, as a child - when the show was on network, and going on a rant to my parents that Doris had "thrown her children away so she could be a hip chick in the city."

I recall being bothered by the changes, as a child - when the show was on network, and going on a rant to my parents that Doris had "thrown her children away so she could be a hip chick in the city."

I do agree they went WAAAY overboard with the changes. And poor Doris didn’t even want to make the series in the first place. God Bless her, she was a sweet responsible lady and talented singer/actress. And she did so much wonderful work for the better treatment of animals.