Green Acres character development

[Duster76]

"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!

[TheLittleFaerie]

Originally Posted by Duster76

"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.

[Duster76]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

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.

[TheLittleFaerie]

Originally Posted by Duster76

"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

[forn]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

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.

[TheLittleFaerie]

Originally Posted by forn

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

[Yong Fang]

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.

[TheLittleFaerie]

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

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