Truly A Gem

[magellan333]

This show is truly a gem. It is laugh out loud funny with G rated humor and occasionally a foray into PG. If such a show were written today, Granny would no doubt be some oversexed elderly woman always seeking some young man and Jethro would be along the same lines, always seeking the next woman to bed. Elly would be some dumb bimbo who while virtuous would remain clueless to the advances of many gentleman callers. I am really glad this show was made in the day and age when TV was censored with the old standards.

[Sitcom Collector]

There was much that Paul Henning got away with on his shows that would not have been overlooked on others however.
Elly's revealing outfits (pre-dating Daisy Dukes by a decade), drug jokes (such as in the famous 'Jethro is Robin Hood' episode. My favorite was a scene in the classic Gorilla episode in which, in answer to Drysdale asking the guy in the gorilla suit why he just didn't beat his cheast replied: "Everytime I beat my cheast that little old lady beats my a.....!!"
If the show had been done a decade later, I think Henning would have gone a little further, But not to the extent you are saying.

[Etrulia63]

That's so true.. since the only shows I watch nowadays are old classics from the 50s-60s, I think it's great how I can watch pretty much anything in the same room with my family and not be embarrassed (except for some episodes of the 70s version of Match Game, but even *that* is pretty tame compared to what's on today!)

The Beverly Hillbillies, to me, always seemed like "comfort TV." Not that it was bad or anything, but the plots generally didn't require a whole lot of thinking, and the way the characters acted made the Clampett mansion and the Commerce Bank seem like my home away from home. lol I just love how the Clampett family got along... they acted pretty silly, but they never took anything too seriously and always reached out to strangers. And the relationship between Mr. Drysdale and Miss Jane was hysterical... they sure went through a lot to keep Jed's money, didn't they??

All in all, I think shows like this are sorely needed in today's TV. So many people today don't know what they're missing...

[liane49]

Originally Posted by Etrulia63

That's so true.. since the only shows I watch nowadays are old classics from the 50s-60s, I think it's great how I can watch pretty much anything in the same room with my family and not be embarrassed (except for some episodes of the 70s version of Match Game, but even *that* is pretty tame compared to what's on today!)

The Beverly Hillbillies, to me, always seemed like "comfort TV." Not that it was bad or anything, but the plots generally didn't require a whole lot of thinking, and the way the characters acted made the Clampett mansion and the Commerce Bank seem like my home away from home. lol I just love how the Clampett family got along... they acted pretty silly, but they never took anything too seriously and always reached out to strangers. And the relationship between Mr. Drysdale and Miss Jane was hysterical... they sure went through a lot to keep Jed's money, didn't they??

All in all, I think shows like this are sorely needed in today's TV. So many people today don't know what they're missing...

It was a really nice funny show. Even though the Clampets were stupid in some ways, they always made you like them and pull for them. It was a real feel good show and I was sad when it went off the air. They don't make shows like this anymore, but luckily we can watch them in reruns. Paul Henning really was jem when he created this show. It was the number one show faster then any sitcom in history and it stayed number one for a long time.