This episode was TRAUMATIZING! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

catlover79 · 01-09-2007, 05:37 PM

The one where the dog jumped out of the window chasing the ball that George threw...ON CAMERA. That was horrible!! To make it worse, when I first saw that episode I was 24 (this was only a couple of years ago) , and it just made my skin crawl. If they had to kill the dog, couldn't they have cut to George going to another room, then come back in and find the dog missing? I felt so sorry watching that poor dog, even though I know it wasn't real. What do you think?

TVFactFan · 01-10-2007, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

The one where the dog jumped out of the window chasing the ball that George threw...ON CAMERA. That was horrible!! To make it worse, when I first saw that episode I was 24 (this was only a couple of years ago) , and it just made my skin crawl. If they had to kill the dog, couldn't they have cut to George going to another room, then come back in and find the dog missing? I felt so sorry watching that poor dog, even though I know it wasn't real. What do you think?

Only Jeffersons episode that was in the traumatizing category was the one when George was stabbed in the alley. Defintely not the ep with the Dog jumping over the Balcony

april4972 · 01-10-2007, 01:18 AM

I am an animal lover so I'm glad I didn't see that episode-although I saw almost every other one-glad to have missed it!

TVFactFan · 01-10-2007, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by april4972

I am an animal lover so I'm glad I didn't see that episode-although I saw almost every other one-glad to have missed it!

Well it was no where near traumatic because it was done in a comical way

jamesanthony · 01-10-2007, 02:55 PM

I saw this episode for the first time 3 years ago and to me its one of the better shows from seasons 8-11. I laughed out loud several times which is generally not true of those later shows.
No way would the networks (or at least CBS) do an episode like this now-PETA wouldn't stand for it- but in 1981 this was fine.
What I thought about when I saw this thread is that almost anything in a humor show can be offensive and that more people watched that dog jump off the balcony in 1981 than probably are watching American Idol or whatever the top rated show is today. We have more broadcasting/viewing choices but less of a common culture in a way. In 1981 people knew who George Jefferson was even if they didn't watch that series. I don't know (nor do I care to know) who's on American Idol or what's going on on Grey's Anatomy whatever the other top rated tv shows are.

Ireneparalegal · 01-10-2007, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

The one where the dog jumped out of the window chasing the ball that George threw...ON CAMERA. That was horrible!! To make it worse, when I first saw that episode I was 24 (this was only a couple of years ago) , and it just made my skin crawl. If they had to kill the dog, couldn't they have cut to George going to another room, then come back in and find the dog missing? I felt so sorry watching that poor dog, even though I know it wasn't real. What do you think?

I think nothing. THAT SCENE WAS HILARIOUS!!!!!!

BensonFan · 01-11-2007, 06:48 PM

I thought it was funny too.

And for what it's worth, I have some friends who own dogs who tell me there's no way a dog would do that in real life. Just jump like that without knowing where they were jumping. I have never owned dogs, so I didn't question them on it; I just figured they knew what they were talking about.

Jack1000 · 02-11-2007, 02:02 AM

WOW!

I was just gonna ask about this episode! What was the title and original airdate for it? Yea, I remember that one. "Poopsie" was the name of the dog. A mean Doberman that the Jefferson's dog-sat. Didn't he belong to the Wittendale's?

There are some funny moments, George thinks the dog is some little poodle or something and they come up with this huge Doberman who snarls at him at every opportunity. I remember the line, "Poopsie, you wanna watch TV?" and the dog gives out two vicious barks and George says, "No, we don't have cable!"

I am an animal lover, and hate any kind of animal cruelty. But I was not affected at all when the dog jumped out the window playing fetch with George. (Probably because the dog was so mean, and I always have had a fear of Dobermans.)

But I could still see how some might be upset by this scene. I agree that they could never do a scene like that today.

Jack

Janice · 02-11-2007, 02:43 AM

That episode was both disturbing and disgusting. I posted about it over five years ago.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...&highlight=dog

retrochick9 · 02-11-2007, 04:02 PM

I'm sure the "balcony" wasn't really a balcony, it was probably really ground- level and the dog was fine.

Brian Damage · 02-11-2007, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retrochick9

I'm sure the "balcony" wasn't really a balcony, it was probably really ground- level and the dog was fine.

...And here I thought the dog really died!

catlover79 · 02-13-2007, 01:29 PM

I'm glad I'm not alone that this was one disturbing episode. Every other episode of the Jeffersons I saw was fine, but this one...*shudders*

I'm sorry Janice, if I'd seen your post I would've added onto that one instead of starting a new thread. It did look like slow motion and it caught me off guard, too. I would've skipped this episode had I known what was going to happen...

catlover79 · 07-29-2007, 10:55 PM

The whole Michael Vick thing brought this episode to my mind again. This is by far my least favorite Jeffersons episode.

Mikado · 07-30-2007, 02:01 AM

I agree Cat
I dont remember ever seeing this ep.....psychological denial perhaps? But, I know it would have upset me too, theres nothing funny about something like that! And, if you were 24 and got traumatized, imagine what must have happened to any small children watching

comedyfreak · 07-30-2007, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAnalyzer

Only Jeffersons episode that was in the traumatizing category was the one when George was stabbed in the alley. Defintely not the ep with the Dog jumping over the Balcony

I haven't seen either of those episodes, but George being stabbed in an alley would be more tramatizing.

01-09-2007, 05:37 PM	#1
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	This episode was TRAUMATIZING! The one where the dog jumped out of the window chasing the ball that George threw...ON CAMERA. That was horrible!! To make it worse, when I first saw that episode I was 24 (this was only a couple of years ago) , and it just made my skin crawl. If they had to kill the dog, couldn't they have cut to George going to another room, then come back in and find the dog missing? I felt so sorry watching that poor dog, even though I know it wasn't real. What do you think?

01-11-2007, 06:48 PM	#7
BensonFan Board Psychologist Senior Member Join Date: Mar 16, 2004 Location: Chicago, IL USA Posts: 2,733	I thought it was funny too. And for what it's worth, I have some friends who own dogs who tell me there's no way a dog would do that in real life. Just jump like that without knowing where they were jumping. I have never owned dogs, so I didn't question them on it; I just figured they knew what they were talking about.
	__________________ HEY, SONY: Thank you for Benson, Season 2! Now can we get started on Season 3 plans?

01-10-2007, 01:18 AM	#3
april4972 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 03, 2004 Location: USA Posts: 432	I am an animal lover so I'm glad I didn't see that episode-although I saw almost every other one-glad to have missed it!

01-10-2007, 02:55 PM	#5
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	I saw this episode for the first time 3 years ago and to me its one of the better shows from seasons 8-11. I laughed out loud several times which is generally not true of those later shows. No way would the networks (or at least CBS) do an episode like this now-PETA wouldn't stand for it- but in 1981 this was fine. What I thought about when I saw this thread is that almost anything in a humor show can be offensive and that more people watched that dog jump off the balcony in 1981 than probably are watching American Idol or whatever the top rated show is today. We have more broadcasting/viewing choices but less of a common culture in a way. In 1981 people knew who George Jefferson was even if they didn't watch that series. I don't know (nor do I care to know) who's on American Idol or what's going on on Grey's Anatomy whatever the other top rated tv shows are.

02-11-2007, 02:02 AM	#8
Jack1000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 05, 2001 Posts: 2,055	WOW! I was just gonna ask about this episode! What was the title and original airdate for it? Yea, I remember that one. "Poopsie" was the name of the dog. A mean Doberman that the Jefferson's dog-sat. Didn't he belong to the Wittendale's? There are some funny moments, George thinks the dog is some little poodle or something and they come up with this huge Doberman who snarls at him at every opportunity. I remember the line, "Poopsie, you wanna watch TV?" and the dog gives out two vicious barks and George says, "No, we don't have cable!" I am an animal lover, and hate any kind of animal cruelty. But I was not affected at all when the dog jumped out the window playing fetch with George. (Probably because the dog was so mean, and I always have had a fear of Dobermans.) But I could still see how some might be upset by this scene. I agree that they could never do a scene like that today. Jack

02-11-2007, 02:43 AM	#9
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	That episode was both disturbing and disgusting. I posted about it over five years ago. http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...&highlight=dog

02-11-2007, 04:02 PM	#10
retrochick9 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Apr 07, 2006 Location: On the couch, in my jammies, watching TV! Posts: 620	I'm sure the "balcony" wasn't really a balcony, it was probably really ground- level and the dog was fine.

02-13-2007, 01:29 PM	#12
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	I'm glad I'm not alone that this was one disturbing episode. Every other episode of the Jeffersons I saw was fine, but this one...shudders I'm sorry Janice, if I'd seen your post I would've added onto that one instead of starting a new thread. It did look like slow motion and it caught me off guard, too. I would've skipped this episode had I known what was going to happen...

07-29-2007, 10:55 PM	#13
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	The whole Michael Vick thing brought this episode to my mind again. This is by far my least favorite Jeffersons episode.

07-30-2007, 02:01 AM	#14
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,886	I agree Cat I dont remember ever seeing this ep.....psychological denial perhaps? But, I know it would have upset me too, theres nothing funny about something like that! And, if you were 24 and got traumatized, imagine what must have happened to any small children watching