What do you consider the golden age of the series?

[Janine the Dream]

I know many of you like the early episodes with the boys growing up and teasing each other and many like the episodes where the boys are dating and Rick is singing at the height of his popularity. What do you consider the best days of the series?

[OH Nuts!]

My least favorite part of the series was Seasons 1 and 2 although there were some nice eps here and there. I really really loved the show from Season 4 on but esp.when the boys were in college, the frat and later on when they got married. The only thing I didn't care for in the later yrs were the Tigers. I also had a thing for (really liked) ol screechy voice (aka Clara). Her daffiness contrasted nicely against Harriet's level head and wry wit.

[CJ]

For me it is the singing years. Mostly because I actually remember that timeframe. I didn't remember any of the actual episode storylines, until I began collecting episodes.

But, I vividly remember Ricky singing at the end with the campus crowd watching him. I don't remember any episodes where he sang within a scene, though. I do remember thinking it was funny that he sang with his eyes closed so much of the time. Then, when I got a little bit older I ''got it'' and thought it was ''dreamy''.

Even though I didn't remember any specific episode storylines, I do remember when Kris came on the show. I thought her eyes were so pretty, and I remember how she was playful and always had a snappy comeback. And, I remember Wally & Ginger.

[honeybea]

I like the early shows and when Ricky started singing. I would really like to see more show when they were teens. It would be nice to see when they were dating and how they met their wives. I like Thorney better than Joe so that's another reason for liking the first shows. Wally and Ginger were great. After the boys married, they didn't have as many shows with both boys in them. I always liked June, but Kris was totally opposite of Ricky and seemed a little harsh at times.

[MickeyMac]

I like it all, but I agree with everyone that the show really took off once Rick got his singing career going.

[esl]

I much prefer seasons 3 through 5, with seasons 2 and 6 coming in next. I never could get into the later seasons with the boys' wives. The show found its full stride by season three yet had not become stale and repetitive.

It is unfortunate that seasons three and four had so few episodes compared to the other earlier seasons. Does anyone know why there were only 27 and 25 episodes produces during those 2 years? In the first 2 years there were 40episodes produced (39 shown with some episodes carried over until the following season) and then in seasons 5 and 6 back on track with 39 and 36 episodes.

[honeybea]

It seems the show started later in the year during those short seasons for some reason. I have no idea why though.

[OH Nuts!]

For me, 85% of the show's run had wonderful twists and turns. Honestly, its the only long running show (10+ yrs) I can think of that never sagged. Almost always something really nice to watch. Maybe this is why I find the show endearing.

During the first 2 yrs, I thought Ricky shone, David needed to come into his own and the show tried too hard to be funny. Around Seasons 3 & 4 there seemed to be an awareness to just be natural - and that's when O & H gathered momentum. Nevertheless - there were some wonderful early eps like "Ozzie's Night Out" and "The Pancake Mix." I also loved Thorny (a WHOLE lot more than Ozzie's later- and IMO- annoying sidekick Joe Randolph.) A great ep. with Thorny and Ozzie was "The Pajama Game". Once nice thing from the first third of O & H, was seeing actors in bit rules who later became regulars - like Frank Cady who became Doc Williams. It was also nice seeing Joseph Kearns in some eps ("Mr. Wilson" from Dennis The Menace.)

For me, once Ricky started singing the show just continuously glowed. "Rick The Drummer" where he sings "I'm Walking" is a special ep I treasure. The yrs when he and Dave are in the Frat, each eventually join the law firm (story line clearly Ozzie's influence - who just stopped short of becoming an actual lawyer when his band took off), the marriages, the boys' wives Kris and June - and later on the antics with Ozzie and Harriet & their wacky friends - a good example being "The Tangled Web".

So, I guess there's no particular pd. that stands out from Seaon 3+ - just some very magical eps from each I revisit many times over.

[Dusty's Fan]

I tend to enjoy all of the eras of the series, but here is how I would prioritize if I had to -- as far as what I most like to watch:

1. Episodes with June and with Connie Edwards at the law firm
2. Episodes with Wally, Ginger, and Kris
3. Earliest episodes, especially with Thorny

So you can see that generally I like the periods best in which those characters appeared. I also enjoyed certain guests in particular, like Penny Edwards, and certain actors with recurring roles, like Roberta Shore.

I should add that the periods I enjoy most don't necessarily comprise any golden ages for the series. It's more of my personal appreciation of the actors involved.