Apparently,

The cast and crew did not do the greatest job of reviewing those episodes when reminiscing about them. For instance, before they reflect on "Beaver Gets 'Spelled." where he gets his first note from a teacher to take home, Ward or June comments that "You were like in first grade." There are at least two instances of where it is SPECIFICALLY stated that Beaver was in 2nd grade. The series BEGAN with Beaver in the 2nd grade!

And at the end, June says something like, "Do you think the boys enjoyed looking through the scrapbook?" Ward answers, "I'm sure they did, anyway, it took them away from their HOMEWORK for a few minutes." WAIT. Homework? Ward, Wally graduated episodes ago, and so did Beaver! The line could have been changed to, "It took them away from television for a few minutes."

I reflected in another post why Jerry was not happy about being the reason why he was called Beaver. (Wally in trying to say "Theodore" came out as "Tweeter" and they thought Beaver sounded better.) Pause and zoom in on Jerry's face as Hugh finishes his explanation. He's got a grin on his face, but I kind of read it as an embarrassment grin. I wish they would have gone with another explanation given on the board. That when Beaver was little, he used to gnaw at the furniture like a "beaver!" That explanation could have been so much funnier! LOL!

And of course, who had the camera during these flashbacks? The photo album kills all believability. It would have worked if the Cleavers had just TALKED about memorable moments and shown flashbacks!

Also, the could have made "Family Scrapbook" a 60 minute episode. Way too many good scenes for only 30 minutes that could have been added. What are yours? Here are mine:

1.) Beaver falling in the soup bowl
2.) Scenes from Wally's Practical Joke!

Jack

About Ward saying "it took the boys away from their homewor", yeah a few episodes back Wally graduated from high school, so the order is kinda screwed up.


As I recall when the series started Beaver was in the second grade as mentioned. Course by the time the series ended he was in the eight grade.

There are continuity errors throughout the whole series regarding the grades the boys attended. In the 1st season, it's said that Wally is an 8th grader and Beaver a 2nd grader. Following that pattern, in the 6th season Wally would have been a college freshman and Beaver a 7th grader. But in the 6th season, Wally is actually a 12th grader high school senior and Beaver an 8th grader. Going by what grades the boys were said to be in starting with the 1st season, by series end Wally ended up a year behind and Beaver a year forward. At the start of the series, what should have been said was Wally is in the 7th grade not 8th, and Beaver in the 3rd grade not 2nd. That would have been correct, each boy moving up a grade each season with Wally a 12th grader in season 6 and Beaver an 8th grader. So in order to have proper continuity from season to season, in the 1st season Wally is a 7th grader and Beaver a 3rd grader.

And of course, who had the camera during these flashbacks? The photo album kills all believability. It would have worked if the Cleavers had just TALKED about memorable moments and shown flashbacks!

I think every episode of this series is wonderful, except for this last episode, and for exactly the reason you state. I remember the first time I saw this episode and they were flashing back to the time Beaver and Larry Mondello were in Larry's sister's bedroom sneaking a peek at her diary. They were supposed to alone in her bedroom -- just Beaver and Larry -- so who the heck could have had a camera in their face to take that picture for the scrapbook?! Okay, obviously there were cameras there because this is a TV show. But when we really want to get into these characters and believe in them, as we had for the previous 233 episodes, was it really necessary to spoil it this way at the very end?

I agree the series finale could have been handled a little better, but at least the series was given an ending with a flashback episode, albeit a flawed one.

I've always thought a great end to the final LITB episode would be to have the actors step out of character at episodes end to thank the viewers for six great years. Kind of similar to that Honeymooners classic 39 Christmas episode when Ralph, Alice, Ed and Trixie step out of character at the end and Ralph says Merry Christmas to the audience.

This is an episode I avoid for all of the reasons stated above. I think they should have ended with showing Ward and June taking Wally off to college at State or whatever and then they could have shown flashbacks that way. Something to that effect.

Yes, Should have been an hour long.

Apparently,

The cast and crew did not do the greatest job of reviewing those episodes when reminiscing about them. For instance, before they reflect on "Beaver Gets 'Spelled." where he gets his first note from a teacher to take home, Ward or June comments that "You were like in first grade." There are at least two instances of where it is SPECIFICALLY stated that Beaver was in 2nd grade. The series BEGAN with Beaver in the 2nd grade!

And at the end, June says something like, "Do you think the boys enjoyed looking through the scrapbook?" Ward answers, "I'm sure they did, anyway, it took them away from their HOMEWORK for a few minutes." WAIT. Homework? Ward, Wally graduated episodes ago, and so did Beaver! The line could have been changed to, "It took them away from television for a few minutes."

I reflected in another post why Jerry was not happy about being the reason why he was called Beaver. (Wally in trying to say "Theodore" came out as "Tweeter" and they thought Beaver sounded better.) Pause and zoom in on Jerry's face as Hugh finishes his explanation. He's got a grin on his face, but I kind of read it as an embarrassment grin. I wish they would have gone with another explanation given on the board. That when Beaver was little, he used to gnaw at the furniture like a "beaver!" That explanation could have been so much funnier! LOL!

And of course, who had the camera during these flashbacks? The photo album kills all believability. It would have worked if the Cleavers had just TALKED about memorable moments and shown flashbacks!

Also, the could have made "Family Scrapbook" a 60 minute episode. Way too many good scenes for only 30 minutes that could have been added. What are yours? Here are mine:

1.) Beaver falling in the soup bowl
2.) Scenes from Wally's Practical Joke!

Jack

I also agree having the Cleavers talk about a memorable moment then flashing back would have been more believeable. For that episode in Larry's sister's bedroom it would have worked if Beaver mentioned it. "How about the time we were reading Larry's sister's diary and Larry ran away." Then they could show the scene. June could have mentioned how Eddie started early with that personality then show him talking about having a girl. It would have played better. Wonder if Rusty got paid for showing his likeness after he left the show? Hubert "Whitey" Whitney was on the show the longest. He was in Beaver's Crush and also in Beaver Sees America.

I would have liked to have seen a few with the pets like Stanley the monkey, Old Nick the horse, Pepe the burro and Poncho the chihuahua. That dog was so cute in Beaver's jacket.

I also agree having the Cleavers talk about a memorable moment then flashing back would have been more believeable. For that episode in Larry's sister's bedroom it would have worked if Beaver mentioned it. "How about the time we were reading Larry's sister's diary and Larry ran away." Then they could show the scene. June could have mentioned how Eddie started early with that personality then show him talking about having a girl. It would have played better. Wonder if Rusty got paid for showing his likeness after he left the show? Hubert "Whitey" Whitney was on the show the longest. He was in Beaver's Crush and also in Beaver Sees America.

The actors who only appeared in flashbacks in this episode (this would be all the actors outside of the Cleavers) were credited at the end, so that leads me to believe that they were paid for their appearances, unless they were given screen credit in lieu of pay, but I don't think anyone would accept that deal. Maybe they were paid at residual level.