Wally’s Weekend Invitation

[Scrabjan1]

Did you notice when Wally came down to breakfast he finally tells Ward and June that Scott’s parents won’t be at the lake. He says “Since Mr. Rutherford called and all.” No one said Fred called so how did Wally know? Caller ID?

[stevea]

There's several odd things about this episode. Like Lumpy making it over to go on the trip, and getting called back because Fred called. Fred would be the type who would have put his foot down even before talking to Ward the first time. So Lumpy would not have even made it over to the Cleavers'.

Then there's Wally and Beaver talking while Ward and June debate in the living room. Wally twice said, they're in there talking about it now. I think Mathers blew a line, and Dow re-cued him, and they left it in.

Then there's Scott, whom someone decided later to rename Bill Scott. Or they had continuity problems again. Within a few episodes, no less.

[Scrabjan1]

Yeah all in all I think the continuity assistant took too many coffee breaks. I wasn’t paying strict attention but I could swear that Ward never said Mr. Rutherford called. He did say he was wondering when Wally was going to tell them about no parents. That is another big blooper how Lumpy ever got out of the house knowing Fred was waiting for Ward who was still debating whether to let Wally go.

[stevea]

The fifth season is full of stuff like this. I think it improved in the final season.

[Scrabjan1]

Like in Wally’s Weekend Job that girl with long hair walks into the drug store and asks what time was the party. Think her name was Ann. Notice she’s not even at the party when they show all the girls.

[stevea]

Or like the episode where one of the teachers calls Gilbert Mr. Harrison.

[MMR]

Originally Posted by stevea

There's several odd things about this episode. Like Lumpy making it over to go on the trip, and getting called back because Fred called. Fred would be the type who would have put his foot down even before talking to Ward the first time. So Lumpy would not have even made it over to the Cleavers'.

You notice, Eddie isn't in this episode.

With Eddie not in the picture, Fred had to be the parent in this episode calling Ward.

It would have been more realistic for Eddie's father to be the concerned parent calling Ward, playing it straight.

[stevea]

We've commented before that Osmond was missing from this episode, and the Wally's Chauffeur episode. Also Beaver's Long Night, and there are probably other episodes where he normally would appear.

As Mathers grew up, it was wise of them to skew more scripts to Wally and his friends. During this time Osmond really stepped up to the plate--his acting was superb, as was the writing for him.

[stevea]

Near the end, when nobody can go, Scott says something like, Maybe ol' Ernie can go. Who's this Ernie? I don't remember any reference to him. Maybe he was edited out.

[Scrabjan1]

Yeah and did you notice that Scott says something about three guys have already backed out and now Wally can't go. I thought only five were going initially. I thought once how could Wally know that Rutherford called to tell Ward there would be no parents. Ward mentions it at the breakfast table how Fred called and was wondering when Wally was going to tell them. All in all it was supposed to be a learning experience for Wally but I would have let him go. Wally was like a 17 year old adult. I guess Fred called around to all the other parents and nixed the whole thing.

I still wonder how did Lumpy get all the way over to the Cleavers if Fred knew from the get go that no parents would be there. Lumpy would have wound up on the 10 most wanted list if he, Ol' Ernie and Scott cut loose.

[stevea]

All in all another episode that could have used a rewrite. They also showed the English Test episode this morning. Probably the final use of Mr. Harrison -- Mr. Hadlock aka Blair called Gilbert that.

[MMR]

Originally Posted by Scrabjan1

Did you notice when Wally came down to breakfast he finally tells Ward and June that Scott’s parents won’t be at the lake. He says “Since Mr. Rutherford called and all.” No one said Fred called so how did Wally know? Caller ID?

In fairness, after Wally said that Scott's parents weren't going to be there, June mentions that Fred called and told Ward. Then a little later he says, ". . . especially with Mr. Rutherford calling and everything." So Wally knew.

[stevea]

I'm glad you pointed that out. Sometimes the writing isn't as bad as we make it out to be.

[Schmoopie]

I kind of liked that Wally felt a little uneasy going up to the lake when he found out that the parents wouldn't be there. I've only seen that episode once, so I didn't really pay that close attention to it, but it's interesting that it's not all continuous.

[stevea]

Wally had a good upbringing so his conscience was gnawing at him.

Reading over this thread we really gave it to this episode both barrels! It made it look like we don't like the show as much as we all do!