The Chopper episode - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

desilu #1 · 07-03-2005, 12:46 PM

Is it just me or was this episode sort of lame? I found it downright silly how the kid's parents were supposedly that strange about giving bigger gifts to show each other up. I come from a divorced family and my parents were never like that. Another thing, it's apparent that Beaver don't see many disagreements between Ward and June because after Ward raises his voice to June, Beaver expects a divorce.

He really wanted it! The kid acted as though he was deprived of material things when in reality he had a Nice home, nice neighborhood to live in, good food and a family who sits together at every meal, and parents who love each other and get along. If you ask me the kid had it made! Forget all the things he had to keep himself entertained. Another thing I found kind of strange was how confused he acted when he learned of Chopper's mom crying. Good lord, he never seen his own mother cry? We all know he's even cried on occassion. So what was the big mystery? I know this is just a show but this really bugged me and I know kids are sometimes self centered and think they should have everything they want but I was irritated at how this well to do kid was so ungrateful for what he had. Just had to get this off my chest. Anyone else have some thoughts about this episode? I think they could have done it better. One last thing, maybe once Ward seen how Beaver reacted to him raising his voice at June, he should have apologized to June in front of Beaver. JMO.

Mijada · 07-03-2005, 01:23 PM

A lot of kids are like that. They take things like a home, food and a good family life for granted. They don't really begin appreciate those things until they reach adulthood. If you think about it, Beaver didn't really have all that many toys and material things. Chopper was the kind of kid who probably got a new bicycle every year and had a lot of bigger expensive stuff that Beaver didn't have. At birthdays Beaver mostly got clothes and more practical gifts and whenever he got money his parents were always persuading him to put it in the bank so I can see from a kids point of view why he envied Chopper. I didn't find Beavers behavior strange at all considering his age.
My parents were divorced too and at the beginning of every school year my dad would come by to take me shopping for new clothes. I remember showing them off to one of my neighbor friends and he started going on about how lucky I was to have all these cool clothes. He didn't even consider at the time how lucky he was because he had a much nicer house than I did and two parents whose marriage was still intact.

Courtnee · 07-03-2005, 03:35 PM

I thought the episode was cute.

JudgeGarth · 07-03-2005, 07:37 PM

I agree that it wasn't one of my favorite eps, but you have to keep in mind that attitudes toward divorce were different back in the late 50's-early 60's.

Corvetteguy · 07-05-2005, 11:41 PM

This is not one of my favorite episodes. I think Beaver was over the top with his wanting a divorce just to get presents. I know Beaver isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but come on ? Chopper got on my nerves. That kids mouth never stopped running. He was over anxious and couldn't wait for the other actor to finish his lines before he could say his.

Tweety · 07-06-2005, 07:04 AM

While Beaver certainly had everything he needed, material-wise, he was on what was probably a pretty meager allowance as his only source of "income"... there were a lot of things he wanted but couldn't afford, and the thought of being given all of these "things" without having to work for them appealed to him, I think...

That episode was obviously aimed at showing kids (and adults) that having a great family life is better than all of the "things" in the world...

That also was never one of my favorite episodes, and it seems strange to see the divorce angle played up in a series like LITB... I've read where the writers did sometimes base stories and dialogue around things their own kids did (I'm not sure who's kid got stuck in a soup bowl billboard). Maybe the writers wanted to dramatize the effect of divorce because of a real life situation of someone they knew (hoping both the kids and the parents would see the episode)...

In the town I grew up in, I knew exactly one divorced family (our next door neighbors, as it turned out)...I know there were many more, but it was obviously nothing like it was even 10 years later, let alone 30.... I knew a couple of kids being raised by widows/widowers... but all of my other friends grew up in two - parent households...so any show about divorce was strange to see, but especially in those days, and especially on a show like Leave It To Beaver.

07-03-2005, 12:46 PM	#1
desilu #1 Lucy/Desi 4-EVER Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 23, 2000 Location: Battle Creek, Michigan USA Posts: 724	The Chopper episode Is it just me or was this episode sort of lame? I found it downright silly how the kid's parents were supposedly that strange about giving bigger gifts to show each other up. I come from a divorced family and my parents were never like that. Another thing, it's apparent that Beaver don't see many disagreements between Ward and June because after Ward raises his voice to June, Beaver expects a divorce. He really wanted it! The kid acted as though he was deprived of material things when in reality he had a Nice home, nice neighborhood to live in, good food and a family who sits together at every meal, and parents who love each other and get along. If you ask me the kid had it made! Forget all the things he had to keep himself entertained. Another thing I found kind of strange was how confused he acted when he learned of Chopper's mom crying. Good lord, he never seen his own mother cry? We all know he's even cried on occassion. So what was the big mystery? I know this is just a show but this really bugged me and I know kids are sometimes self centered and think they should have everything they want but I was irritated at how this well to do kid was so ungrateful for what he had. Just had to get this off my chest. Anyone else have some thoughts about this episode? I think they could have done it better. One last thing, maybe once Ward seen how Beaver reacted to him raising his voice at June, he should have apologized to June in front of Beaver. JMO.
	__________________ Amy M. Weaver

07-03-2005, 01:23 PM	#2
Mijada Spencers mom Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 02, 2001 Location: eastern US Posts: 4,093	A lot of kids are like that. They take things like a home, food and a good family life for granted. They don't really begin appreciate those things until they reach adulthood. If you think about it, Beaver didn't really have all that many toys and material things. Chopper was the kind of kid who probably got a new bicycle every year and had a lot of bigger expensive stuff that Beaver didn't have. At birthdays Beaver mostly got clothes and more practical gifts and whenever he got money his parents were always persuading him to put it in the bank so I can see from a kids point of view why he envied Chopper. I didn't find Beavers behavior strange at all considering his age. My parents were divorced too and at the beginning of every school year my dad would come by to take me shopping for new clothes. I remember showing them off to one of my neighbor friends and he started going on about how lucky I was to have all these cool clothes. He didn't even consider at the time how lucky he was because he had a much nicer house than I did and two parents whose marriage was still intact.
	__________________ Proud mom to Spencer, Justine and Colleen

07-03-2005, 03:35 PM	#3
Courtnee MAN VS SAMMICH. Forum Star Join Date: Mar 23, 2005 Location: Louisiana Posts: 16,413	I thought the episode was cute.
	__________________ Whether I'm the rose of sheer perfection A freckle on the nose of life's complexion The Cinderella or the shine apple of its eye I gotta fly once, I gotta try once, Only can die once, right, sir? Ooh, life is juicy, juicy and you see, I gotta have my bite, sir. Get ready for me love, 'cause I'm a "comer" I simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer Don't bring around the cloud to rain on my parade

07-03-2005, 07:37 PM	#4
JudgeGarth Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 07, 2004 Location: Wheaton, IL Posts: 443	I agree that it wasn't one of my favorite eps, but you have to keep in mind that attitudes toward divorce were different back in the late 50's-early 60's.

07-05-2005, 11:41 PM	#5
Corvetteguy Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 01, 2003 Location: TN Posts: 126	This is not one of my favorite episodes. I think Beaver was over the top with his wanting a divorce just to get presents. I know Beaver isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but come on ? Chopper got on my nerves. That kids mouth never stopped running. He was over anxious and couldn't wait for the other actor to finish his lines before he could say his.

07-06-2005, 07:04 AM	#6
Tweety Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 18, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 6,804	While Beaver certainly had everything he needed, material-wise, he was on what was probably a pretty meager allowance as his only source of "income"... there were a lot of things he wanted but couldn't afford, and the thought of being given all of these "things" without having to work for them appealed to him, I think... That episode was obviously aimed at showing kids (and adults) that having a great family life is better than all of the "things" in the world... That also was never one of my favorite episodes, and it seems strange to see the divorce angle played up in a series like LITB... I've read where the writers did sometimes base stories and dialogue around things their own kids did (I'm not sure who's kid got stuck in a soup bowl billboard). Maybe the writers wanted to dramatize the effect of divorce because of a real life situation of someone they knew (hoping both the kids and the parents would see the episode)... In the town I grew up in, I knew exactly one divorced family (our next door neighbors, as it turned out)...I know there were many more, but it was obviously nothing like it was even 10 years later, let alone 30.... I knew a couple of kids being raised by widows/widowers... but all of my other friends grew up in two - parent households...so any show about divorce was strange to see, but especially in those days, and especially on a show like Leave It To Beaver.