I watched the first season episodes in order back to back over the weekend and noticed how interconnected the early episodes really are, as well as how the characters around Oliver all went from being relatively normal to surrealistically whacky.

Oliver started as an idealistic dreamer whom the citizens of Hooterville all considered a sucker for buying the Haney place. Lisa was a sophisticated urbanite with a slyly sarcastic side. Gradually, Oliver became the normal guy surrounded by oddballs.

The biggest character change, after possibly Lisa, was Hank Kimball, who did not start out as an absent-minded scatter-brain. He was a serious guy with things to do. That familiar business Alvy Moore always did of searching for the right words began when Oliver asked him in an early episode what he thought of the farm. Hank didn't want to be rude so he hemmed and hawed and muttered, trying to be tactful.

It is around the 10th episode that things become settled and the jokes get a little more other-wordly, with gags like Lisa saying "shooping list" or "solk fong" and then other characters repeating the mis-spoken phrases, though they were not present when she said them.

Oliver started as an idealistic dreamer whom the citizens of Hooterville all considered a sucker for buying the Haney place. Lisa was a sophisticated urbanite with a slyly sarcastic side. Gradually, Oliver became the normal guy surrounded by oddballs.

Judging by his behavior in the first few episodes, I truly believe Oliver was insane to some degree. His subsequent character development was spurred by the unique flavor of insanity offered by the Hootervillians, and his own inability to accept their reality as valid. Confronted with people who operate on their own logic, he unfortunately embraced the lawyer in him, looking for some sensible explanation for their behavior and becoming frustrated when he couldn't find it. Whereas Lisa read the room and fully embraced her quirky side.

Interestingly, Oliver retained at least some of his original character for the duration of the series. His unmitigated fervor for growing crops, insistence on wearing formal attire around the farm, and limitless optimism were there until the end. He's still insane, it's just not as obvious because the people around him take it to an even more absurd level.

I liked seeing how quickly Lisa went from being a bit standoffish, if not snobbish to the Hooterville locals to treating them like visiting royalty AND joining in their zaniness with them adoring this 'foreigner Hungarian' while barely tolerating her 'Amurrican city slicker' husband. Although, it's not surprising they'd like her MORE (despite her openly claiming to want to return to New York) since his own MOTHER liked her better than him!

Judging by his behavior in the first few episodes, I truly believe Oliver was insane to some degree. His subsequent character development was spurred by the unique flavor of insanity offered by the Hootervillians ...

The Hootervillians aren't insane in the first few episodes, though. Joe Carson and Mr. Haney were always on the make, Sam Drucker was a sensible businessman, Alf and Ralph were bad carpenters who always seemed to be on a five, Hank Kimball was humorless, and Fred Ziffel thought Oliver was a kook. They all did.

Gradually, Oliver became the normal one, though he never farmed in overalls, and the townspeople became quirky.

I liked seeing how quickly Lisa went from being a bit standoffish, if not snobbish to the Hooterville locals to treating them like visiting royalty AND joining in their zaniness with them adoring this 'foreigner Hungarian' while barely tolerating her 'Amurrican city slicker' husband. Although, it's not surprising they'd like her MORE (despite her openly claiming to want to return to New York) since his own MOTHER liked her better than him!

Lisa was friendly to the locals, I think. She just didn't like the house. She promised in the first episode to give it six months, and over the course of the next several weeks we see her struggling with farm life and making jokes at Oliver's expense, but the townspeople find her very interesting and she enjoys their attention.

Episode 22 marked the six month point and was devoted to her decision. Will she stay, or won't she? Her decision was to leave, and it was only to save Eleanor the cow, and Alice the hen and her chick daughters from slaughter that she agreed to give it another six months. By that time her sophisticated side was less and less apparent.

The Hootervillians aren't insane in the first few episodes, though. Joe Carson and Mr. Haney were always on the make, Sam Drucker was a sensible businessman, Alf and Ralph were bad carpenters who always seemed to be on a five, Hank Kimball was humorless, and Fred Ziffel thought Oliver was a kook. They all did.

True. The supporting cast in the earliest episodes are still in the style of Petticoat Junction (which Jay Sommers wrote and produced the previous season). They were more conventionally funny until Sommers went his own way with his series.

This isn't character development, but the main thing that strikes me about those early episodes is how Lisa laughs at the jokes. One of the other characters will do or say something silly, and she smiles and laughs. She really looks like she is having fun. But at some point very early on, she stops doing this. I wonder if the directors or producers told her to stop. It's within the first handful of episodes.

But in the season three, 25th episode "Oliver's Jaded Past" (that I made a thread about), Lisa decides that Hooterville is home, and she would rather live there than in New York. That's a pretty big jump in character development. Although part of it is she doesn't like the way Oliver embraces the NY nightlife. I don't know if they stay consistent with that for the rest of the run, I've been rewatching them all, I'll have to see.

But in the season three, 25th episode "Oliver's Jaded Past" (that I made a thread about), Lisa decides that Hooterville is home, and she would rather live there than in New York. That's a pretty big jump in character development. Although part of it is she doesn't like the way Oliver embraces the NY nightlife. I don't know if they stay consistent with that for the rest of the run, I've been rewatching them all, I'll have to see.

Agreed, that was a pretty big moment for the series. After this episode, Lisa never expressed a desire to move back to New York. There was an episode in the sixth season where she goaded Oliver into having another vacation in New York, but from "Oliver's Jaded Past" onward (and even a little before), it's clear that she considers Hooterville home.

Agreed, that was a pretty big moment for the series. After this episode, Lisa never expressed a desire to move back to New York. There was an episode in the sixth season where she goaded Oliver into having another vacation in New York, but from "Oliver's Jaded Past" onward (and even a little before), it's clear that she considers Hooterville home.
Wow, surprising continuity. Thanks for the info. Nice to see there are people paying attention.

I heard originally Mr. Kimball was supposed to be one of the more normal ones in the show, more like Mr. Drucker. He went from that to being an all out moron you can't even converse with lol

Also I noticed Lisa had no trouble pronouncing "electricity" in the early episodes.

It almost seemed like a switch, in the early episodes all the other characters seemed normal and Oliver was the zany one

I heard originally Mr. Kimball was supposed to be one of the more normal ones in the show, more like Mr. Drucker. He went from that to being an all out moron you can't even converse with lol
You could practically see him degenerating as the series went on lol.

I thought he was rather mean spirited sometimes, in the way he would laugh at Oliver's lack of farming skill. The other characters ridiculed Oliver too, but Mr. Kimball seemed to take special delight in it. Which seems wrong, considering his position as county agent places him there to help the farmers.

You could practically see him degenerating as the series went on lol.

I thought he was rather mean spirited sometimes, in the way he would laugh at Oliver's lack of farming skill. The other characters ridiculed Oliver too, but Mr. Kimball seemed to take special delight in it. Which seems wrong, considering his position as county agent places him there to help the farmers.


I thought everyone treated Oliver like crap. I watched the show when I was little and I just remembered people driving Oliver crazy with their bizarreness, but I don't remember everyone being so flat out NASTY to him, as I'm seeing now watching the series.

Many times Oliver doesn't even have to say anything and new people he meets will instantly take a disliking to him. I've often theorized that Oliver somehow slipped into another reality and everyone there senses there is something "off" about him

I thought everyone treated Oliver like crap.

Even his own mother.

I thought everyone treated Oliver like crap. I watched the show when I was little and I just remembered people driving Oliver crazy with their bizarreness, but I don't remember everyone being so flat out NASTY to him, as I'm seeing now watching the series.
Agreed. Sometimes it interferes with my enjoyment of watching, because it seems so meanspirited.

On the other hand, everyone treats Lisa well, even though she was the one who originally didn't want to live there, and Oliver did. But Lisa buys into their bizarreness, unlike Oliver, or more accurately she seems to be part of it.

I think that kind of treatment of Oliver is most evident when there's any organized meeting of the townspeople. There seem to be wacky explanations of why his speaking is out of order, and of course when Lisa is there, equally wacky as to why hers is not...!

"There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers".

Saint Teresa of Avila

Oliver didn't want to become a farmer in a farm community, he wanted to be what he perceived a farmer to be in a farm community of his imagination. Lisa didn't have this problem, she had no misconceptions, she took a "play it as it lies" attitude. The population of Hooterville wasn't moving into Oliver's world in New York, he was moving into their world, and how did he act? He refused to dress as a farmer, instead he wore three-piece suits to do what is heavy manual labor. He refused to address individuals by their first names instead choosing a more formal salutation. Who was more bizarre Hank Kimball, Haney, Fred Ziffel or Oliver? How in the world did a Harvard educated attorney get swindled by Haney? One of the first rules learned in contract law is "caveat emptor". The number of farms in America dropped by half between 1950 and 1970, talk about a buyers' market, how could anyone get taken so badly. Incredibly the land he bought wasn't good for the one thing he bought it for, farming!

"There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers".

Saint Teresa of Avila

Oliver didn't want to become a farmer in a farm community, he wanted to be what he perceived a farmer to be in a farm community of his imagination. Lisa didn't have this problem, she had no misconceptions, she took a "play it as it lies" attitude. The population of Hooterville wasn't moving into Oliver's world in New York, he was moving into their world, and how did he act? He refused to dress as a farmer, instead he wore three-piece suits to do what is heavy manual labor. He refused to address individuals by their first names instead choosing a more formal salutation. Who was more bizarre Hank Kimball, Haney, Fred Ziffel or Oliver? How in the world did a Harvard educated attorney get swindled by Haney? One of the first rules learned in contract law is "caveat emptor". The number of farms in America dropped by half between 1950 and 1970, talk about a buyers' market, how could anyone get taken so badly. Incredibly the land he bought wasn't good for the one thing he bought it for, farming!


Lisa certainly didn't assimilate, NO ONE dressed like she did around the house, but they all warmed up to her.

It seems Mr Drucker and Dorris Ziffle were the only ones that treated Oliver decently. Dorris would sometimes scold Fred when Fred was disrespecting Oliver.

I still have NO IDEA what's going on when Lisa went to that party at the Ziffels and Fred tells Oliver she never showed up, then when Lisa is around Fred talks about what a good time they had.... Seems they were intentionally trying to drive Oliver crazy.

Lisa certainly didn't assimilate, NO ONE dressed like she did around the house, but they all warmed up to her.

It seems Mr Drucker and Dorris Ziffle were the only ones that treated Oliver decently. Dorris would sometimes scold Fred when Fred was disrespecting Oliver.

I still have NO IDEA what's going on when Lisa went to that party at the Ziffels and Fred tells Oliver she never showed up, then when Lisa is around Fred talks about what a good time they had.... Seems they were intentionally trying to drive Oliver crazy.



"Lisa certainly didn't assimilate"

Well I could debate that statement but I'll go at it a different way. Lisa was Lisa, she accepted the citizens of Hooterville as they were and as a result they accepted her. Oliver on the other hand comes in like a city slicker who has a better way of doing everything. He knows the best way to decide what to grow, the best way to get the best price for his crops, a better way to get phone service, a better way to provide mail service.... . Think about it from the angle of the Hooterville citizenry, they had lived and toiled in this community all their lives and made this work for them, can't you see how individuals might be a little resentful of his attitude, might find Oliver a little obnoxious. Do you remember the episode where Arnold is in the play "Who", Oliver looked down on the whole thing and left during the first act, Lisa stayed until the end. For the community this night on the town (or night at the barn) was a big deal, he not Lisa wanted to be part of this world and then he acts like that. Later in that same episode in the chamber of commerce scene, by the book Oliver is not allowed to speak because he didn't bring his membership card (hoisted with his own petard), Lisa who is not a chamber member is allowed to speak, when Oliver questions it, Haney said, if she's not a member then she doesn't need a card. My point, Oliver got treated the way he deserved to be treated. He thought he was the smartest guy in the room but the evidence suggested otherwise.

With respect to Sam, I think Sam tried to mentor Oliver (interesting to note Frank Cady is a decade younger than Eddie Albert) but most of the time Oliver didn't listen.

"Lisa certainly didn't assimilate"

Well I could debate that statement but I'll go at it a different way. Lisa was Lisa, she accepted the citizens of Hooterville as they were and as a result they accepted her. Oliver on the other hand comes in like a city slicker who has a better way of doing everything. He knows the best way to decide what to grow, the best way to get the best price for his crops, a better way to get phone service, a better way to provide mail service.... . Think about it from the angle of the Hooterville citizenry, they had lived and toiled in this community all their lives and made this work for them, can't you see how individuals might be a little resentful of his attitude, might find Oliver a little obnoxious. Do you remember the episode where Arnold is in the play "Who", Oliver looked down on the whole thing and left during the first act, Lisa stayed until the end. For the community this night on the town (or night at the barn) was a big deal, he not Lisa wanted to be part of this world and then he acts like that. Later in that same episode in the chamber of commerce scene, by the book Oliver is not allowed to speak because he didn't bring his membership card (hoisted with his own petard), Lisa who is not a chamber member is allowed to speak, when Oliver questions it, Haney said, if she's not a member then she doesn't need a card. My point, Oliver got treated the way he deserved to be treated. He thought he was the smartest guy in the room but the evidence suggested otherwise.

With respect to Sam, I think Sam tried to mentor Oliver (interesting to note Frank Cady is a decade younger than Eddie Albert) but most of the time Oliver didn't listen.


Yeah, I agree with a lot of what you say. I wanna say if I were there, I think I'd sorta get a kick out of their ways in Hooterville, and I'd try to fit in with them. Spending SMALL amounts of time with Mr. Kimball would be a riot, but I think he could be pretty exhausting if you had to be around him too long lol

On the other hand..... It's like I said in another post, Oliver seems to be "out of sync" with EVERYONE in that universe, not just the people in Hooterville. Even when the Douglasses make trips to New York, Washington, etc.... people tend to treat him just as bad and act just as bizarre.... like the Eiffel Tower in Washington, Oliver can ask a hotel desk clerk a simple, ordinary request, something as simple as he wants to book a room and the desk clerk will drive Oliver crazy with off-the-wall questions, and messing up and complicating the most simple request, then get angry at Oliver like HE caused all the chaos.... THEN Lisa will jump in with something like, "He messes up EVERYTHING everywhere we go!" and waiters complicating Oliver's most SIMPLE request, then getting nasty with him about it. It's like someone carrying a concrete block could accidently drop it on Oliver's foot and be like, "What's the idea of having your foot in the way!!?" lol It just seems that he is somehow in the WRONG reality lol

A friend of mine had a theory that when Oliver and Lisa moved to Hooterville, SOMEHOW Oliver slipped into a wormhole and got transported to a different reality that functions different from his previous. It sorta makes sense, because in the first episode Oliver seemed to have a pretty normal life, but after he moves to Hooterville, it's like New York isnt even the same any more

On the other hand..... It's like I said in another post, Oliver seems to be "out of sync" with EVERYONE in that universe, not just the people in Hooterville. Even when the Douglasses make trips to New York, Washington, etc.... people tend to treat him just as bad and act just as bizarre.... like the Eiffel Tower in Washington, Oliver can ask a hotel desk clerk a simple, ordinary request, something as simple as he wants to book a room and the desk clerk will drive Oliver crazy with off-the-wall questions, and messing up and complicating the most simple request, then get angry at Oliver like HE caused all the chaos.... THEN Lisa will jump in with something like, "He messes up EVERYTHING everywhere we go!" and waiters complicating Oliver's most SIMPLE request, then getting nasty with him about it. It's like someone carrying a concrete block could accidently drop it on Oliver's foot and be like, "What's the idea of having your foot in the way!!?" lol It just seems that he is somehow in the WRONG reality lol
You guys make me think Oliver is really dead and he went to the bad place. Maybe his plane (or car) crashed on the way out of New York.

Lisa fits in because she's just as wacky as the rest of them. She didn't assimilate in the way she dressed though, she dresses just as upscale as Oliver (or more).

I think this whole surreal, otherworldly aspect of Green Acres is a big aspect of what draws me to the show. I enjoyed the other rural TV shows also, but this is what sets Green Acres apart.

You guys make me think Oliver is really dead and he went to the bad place. Maybe his plane (or car) crashed on the way out of New York.

Lisa fits in because she's just as wacky as the rest of them. She didn't assimilate in the way she dressed though, she dresses just as upscale as Oliver (or more).

I think this whole surreal, otherworldly aspect of Green Acres is a big aspect of what draws me to the show. I enjoyed the other rural TV shows also, but this is what sets Green Acres apart.

I dunno if he's in the bad place.... he doesn't seem TOO bothered by how things are.... If everyone treated me that way, I'd be in a constant state of depression and anxiety I think. I mean Oliver loses his temper when he is in the middle of an emotionally-draining interaction, but otherwise he always seems to be in good spirits.

Lisa's mother actually treated him decently... funny Lisa's mother treated him better than his own mother lol

Lisa was absolutely against the move to the farm but soon after she got there, loved the people and the environment, even more than Oliver. Probably because she was eccentric and fit in with the eccentric people.

There is one episode where Oliver and Lisa go back to New York and Oliver decides to give up the farm and come home but Lisa told him that the farm was home and she won’t leave it. In a way, she adapted to her surroundings, he didn’t.

Lisa was absolutely against the move to the farm but soon after she got there, loved the people and the environment, even more than Oliver. Probably because she was eccentric and fit in with the eccentric people.

There is one episode where Oliver and Lisa go back to New York and Oliver decides to give up the farm and come home but Lisa told him that the farm was home and she won’t leave it. In a way, she adapted to her surroundings, he didn’t.


Lisa changed quite a bit from the first episode... Lisa was very "normal" and sophisticated in the first few episodes and didn't mispronounce words.... If I remember right, she was rather cold to the locals of Hooterville at first. She and Eb were really close all through out the series, but in the first few episodes, Lisa was sorta snobby to him if I'm remembering right