Episode Reviews: “Alice’s Aunt Ethel” & “What’s Her Name”: - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Frank Gannucci · 01-18-2013, 08:58 AM

Episode Reviews: “Alice’s Aunt Ethel” & “What’s Her Name”:

Episode #42 (Syndicated episode #52)
TV: Attached to "Two-Family Car".
VCR: Attached to "Hot Dog Stand."
DVD: Attached to "Principle of The Thing" & "Glow Worm Cleaning." On the Lost Episodes Restored DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Honeymooners Xmas Party” (’52 version), “Glow Worm Cleaning”, “Alice Plays Cupid”, “Suspense”, “Lost Job”, “Anniversary Gift”, “Income Tax”, “What’s Her Name”, “Lunch Box”, “Hot Tips”, “Norton Moves In”, “Ralph’s Diet”, “Dinner Guest”, “Manager of The Baseball Team” (’53 version) & “Dorsey Bros. Show.”

This episode was the first episode that was remade into a longer later on in the show. The remake for this one was a "two-part" episode called "Goodbye Aunt Ethel." A longer and much funnier episode.

The episode opens with Alice coming into the kitchen. Ralph is sleeping in the kitchen on a cot. Ralph is very angry that Alice's Aunt Ethel is staying over. Alice tries to get the milk that is on the fire escape. Ralph wonders what the noise is so Alice told him that she is trying to open the window to give milk to Aunt Ethel. Ralph: "Where is she, on the ledge?" Ralph then is told that the milk is outside. He offers to get the milk. Ralph tries to get the milk, but the window is stuck. He says if he lifts up the window any higher, he will lift the building off the ground. Ha! He tries to get the milk, but accidentally knocks the milk off the escape. Ralph says that Aunt Ethel should go down there and get the milk.

Aunt Ethel comes out and Alice tells her that breakfast is ready. Alice tells Ralph to go down to Krauss to get some milk. Ralph says no. Ralph asks Alice to get rid of Aunt Ethel. Alice says that Aunt Ethel has stayed longer than expected and she says that she appreciates the fact that Ralph has been cooperative. Alice says she will nicely try to get rid of Aunt Ethel. Aunt Ethel comes in and helps Ralph fold up the cot. Ralph gets his finger stuck. Ralph (to Aunt Ethel): "Drop your side." She does, but Ralph hurts his foot. This scene would be repeated again in "Goodbye Aunt Ethel."

Ed Norton comes down. Ralph explains his troubles to him. Ed says something like: "Why don't you write a letter, saying: 'Your husband misses you. Please come home. Sincerely, Your Husband.'" Ralph: "She ain't married." Ed: "Then why did she leave home?" Ha!

Ed comes up with a plan to throw her out. Ed: "Why don't you yell out the window: 'Fire!'" Ralph: "Suppose other people hear it. They will think that it's a real fire." Ed: "Then you yell: 'Fire, Aunt Ethel.'" Ralph: "You are a mental case." Ralph hatches a plan to get rid of her by faking a back injury. Aunt Ethel comes in and hear the fact that Ralph has back pain. Ralph says that he needs to be alone with Alice and lay on a soft bed. Aunt Ethel says that now she is staying due to Ralph's pain. Aunt Ethel says that sleeping on a soft bed to get rid of back pain is a lot of modern fiddle faddle. She says that Ralph should sleep on a hard floor to get rid of back pain. Ralph is now even more upset being that he just blown a big opportunity in his eyes. Question: How can lying on a hard floor get rid of back pain? Wouldn't a soft bed be better?

Episode #43 (Syndicated episode #102)
TV: This episode has not been seen on TV since its original air date
VCR: Attached to "Brother-In-Law."
DVD: On Vol. 12, it is attached to "Hair-Raising Tale", "Double Anniversary Party" & "Love Letter." On Vol. 24, it is attached to "Goodbye Aunt Ethel", "Vacation At Fred's Landing ('53 version, not the '54 version as MPI claims on Vol. 24) & "The Best of The Lost Episodes." (Note: The reason why this episode is on two volumes is because MPI goofed and accidentally put this episode on Vol. 24 where it should have put the remade version: "What's The Name" on it. So MPI made two goofs with Vol. 24.) On the Lost Episodes Restored DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Honeymooners Xmas Party” (’52 version), “Glow Worm Cleaning”, “Alice Plays Cupid”, “Suspense”, “Lost Job”, “Anniversary Gift”, “Alice’s Aunt Ethel”, “Income Tax”, “Lunch Box”, “Hot Tips”, “Norton Moves In”, “Ralph’s Diet”, “Dinner Guest”, “Manager of The Baseball Team” (’53 version) & “Dorsey Bros. Show.”

The episode opens up with the Kramdens returning home from the movies with the Nortons. Ralph is upset because every time there was a love scene in the movie, Ed had to kiss Trixie while he was between them. Ha! In this episode, the lights in the apartment are on, so Ralph questions why. Alice says the reason is to keep burglars away. After Ralph yells at Alice because he doesn't want to have a sandwich, Alice says it wouldn't hurt for him to act like that Robert Coleman in that picture.

Ralph comes out wearing a long-sleeve shirt and some loud boxers. Alice laughs at what Ralph has on. As Ralph is putting on his robe, Alice is talking about one of the girls in the movie that Ralph probably liked. Alice said she got a lot of things from Max Factor. Isn't it strange in a way that on this episode, there's a Max Factor reference while he was still the makeup director I believe on I Love Lucy? Looks like Max made a factor in the TV industry and the makeup industry huh?

Alice then talks about some other girl in the picture that she can't remember the girl. She asks Ralph. He doesn't know. He goes to sleep and within 10 seconds he comes back out saying he can't sleep because he can't think of the woman's name. One of the things that they try to do is to sit down and get off the subject in hopes that they will remember the name. This lasts for about five seconds. So Alice gets the newspaper's theatrical section from the garbage can. Ralph reads the names: "''Burning Lips'', Gary Coleman, Lana Turner...'" Alice: "Well?" Ralph: "I can't read the other name. It has ketchup all over it. Do you have to put ketchup on the garbage?" Question: If Ralph wanted to know the name so bad, couldn't he just wipe the ketchup off the name? Wouldn't the name still be readable? Ah, whatever.

Ed Norton comes down. Ralph asks him to remember the names of the people in the movie. When Ed gets down to Lana Turner, he asks Ralph to keep on going while he still is thinking about Lana. Ha! The movie theater is a block or so away, so Ed looks out the window to see the names. Alice: "Be careful Ed. You might fall out." Ralph: "That is a chance we got to take." Gee, Ralph's a great friend, isn't he. (Note the sarcasm.) Ed can't read all the star's names because Grogan's boxer shorts are in his way. A policeman comes in. The policeman says to cut out the racket or the story will have to be told to the judge. Ralph: "That's it! Alene Judge, that's her name." Ed goes home and the policeman leaves. Ralph and Alice kiss.

01-18-2013, 08:58 AM	#1
Frank Gannucci Member Forum Star Join Date: Mar 05, 2007 Posts: 16,072	Episode Reviews: “Alice’s Aunt Ethel” & “What’s Her Name”: Episode Reviews: “Alice’s Aunt Ethel” & “What’s Her Name”: Episode #42 (Syndicated episode #52) TV: Attached to "Two-Family Car". VCR: Attached to "Hot Dog Stand." DVD: Attached to "Principle of The Thing" & "Glow Worm Cleaning." On the Lost Episodes Restored DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Honeymooners Xmas Party” (’52 version), “Glow Worm Cleaning”, “Alice Plays Cupid”, “Suspense”, “Lost Job”, “Anniversary Gift”, “Income Tax”, “What’s Her Name”, “Lunch Box”, “Hot Tips”, “Norton Moves In”, “Ralph’s Diet”, “Dinner Guest”, “Manager of The Baseball Team” (’53 version) & “Dorsey Bros. Show.” This episode was the first episode that was remade into a longer later on in the show. The remake for this one was a "two-part" episode called "Goodbye Aunt Ethel." A longer and much funnier episode. The episode opens with Alice coming into the kitchen. Ralph is sleeping in the kitchen on a cot. Ralph is very angry that Alice's Aunt Ethel is staying over. Alice tries to get the milk that is on the fire escape. Ralph wonders what the noise is so Alice told him that she is trying to open the window to give milk to Aunt Ethel. Ralph: "Where is she, on the ledge?" Ralph then is told that the milk is outside. He offers to get the milk. Ralph tries to get the milk, but the window is stuck. He says if he lifts up the window any higher, he will lift the building off the ground. Ha! He tries to get the milk, but accidentally knocks the milk off the escape. Ralph says that Aunt Ethel should go down there and get the milk. Aunt Ethel comes out and Alice tells her that breakfast is ready. Alice tells Ralph to go down to Krauss to get some milk. Ralph says no. Ralph asks Alice to get rid of Aunt Ethel. Alice says that Aunt Ethel has stayed longer than expected and she says that she appreciates the fact that Ralph has been cooperative. Alice says she will nicely try to get rid of Aunt Ethel. Aunt Ethel comes in and helps Ralph fold up the cot. Ralph gets his finger stuck. Ralph (to Aunt Ethel): "Drop your side." She does, but Ralph hurts his foot. This scene would be repeated again in "Goodbye Aunt Ethel." Ed Norton comes down. Ralph explains his troubles to him. Ed says something like: "Why don't you write a letter, saying: 'Your husband misses you. Please come home. Sincerely, Your Husband.'" Ralph: "She ain't married." Ed: "Then why did she leave home?" Ha! Ed comes up with a plan to throw her out. Ed: "Why don't you yell out the window: 'Fire!'" Ralph: "Suppose other people hear it. They will think that it's a real fire." Ed: "Then you yell: 'Fire, Aunt Ethel.'" Ralph: "You are a mental case." Ralph hatches a plan to get rid of her by faking a back injury. Aunt Ethel comes in and hear the fact that Ralph has back pain. Ralph says that he needs to be alone with Alice and lay on a soft bed. Aunt Ethel says that now she is staying due to Ralph's pain. Aunt Ethel says that sleeping on a soft bed to get rid of back pain is a lot of modern fiddle faddle. She says that Ralph should sleep on a hard floor to get rid of back pain. Ralph is now even more upset being that he just blown a big opportunity in his eyes. Question: How can lying on a hard floor get rid of back pain? Wouldn't a soft bed be better? Episode #43 (Syndicated episode #102) TV: This episode has not been seen on TV since its original air date VCR: Attached to "Brother-In-Law." DVD: On Vol. 12, it is attached to "Hair-Raising Tale", "Double Anniversary Party" & "Love Letter." On Vol. 24, it is attached to "Goodbye Aunt Ethel", "Vacation At Fred's Landing ('53 version, not the '54 version as MPI claims on Vol. 24) & "The Best of The Lost Episodes." (Note: The reason why this episode is on two volumes is because MPI goofed and accidentally put this episode on Vol. 24 where it should have put the remade version: "What's The Name" on it. So MPI made two goofs with Vol. 24.) On the Lost Episodes Restored DVD Box Set, it is attached to “Honeymooners Xmas Party” (’52 version), “Glow Worm Cleaning”, “Alice Plays Cupid”, “Suspense”, “Lost Job”, “Anniversary Gift”, “Alice’s Aunt Ethel”, “Income Tax”, “Lunch Box”, “Hot Tips”, “Norton Moves In”, “Ralph’s Diet”, “Dinner Guest”, “Manager of The Baseball Team” (’53 version) & “Dorsey Bros. Show.” The episode opens up with the Kramdens returning home from the movies with the Nortons. Ralph is upset because every time there was a love scene in the movie, Ed had to kiss Trixie while he was between them. Ha! In this episode, the lights in the apartment are on, so Ralph questions why. Alice says the reason is to keep burglars away. After Ralph yells at Alice because he doesn't want to have a sandwich, Alice says it wouldn't hurt for him to act like that Robert Coleman in that picture. Ralph comes out wearing a long-sleeve shirt and some loud boxers. Alice laughs at what Ralph has on. As Ralph is putting on his robe, Alice is talking about one of the girls in the movie that Ralph probably liked. Alice said she got a lot of things from Max Factor. Isn't it strange in a way that on this episode, there's a Max Factor reference while he was still the makeup director I believe on I Love Lucy? Looks like Max made a factor in the TV industry and the makeup industry huh? Alice then talks about some other girl in the picture that she can't remember the girl. She asks Ralph. He doesn't know. He goes to sleep and within 10 seconds he comes back out saying he can't sleep because he can't think of the woman's name. One of the things that they try to do is to sit down and get off the subject in hopes that they will remember the name. This lasts for about five seconds. So Alice gets the newspaper's theatrical section from the garbage can. Ralph reads the names: "''Burning Lips'', Gary Coleman, Lana Turner...'" Alice: "Well?" Ralph: "I can't read the other name. It has ketchup all over it. Do you have to put ketchup on the garbage?" Question: If Ralph wanted to know the name so bad, couldn't he just wipe the ketchup off the name? Wouldn't the name still be readable? Ah, whatever. Ed Norton comes down. Ralph asks him to remember the names of the people in the movie. When Ed gets down to Lana Turner, he asks Ralph to keep on going while he still is thinking about Lana. Ha! The movie theater is a block or so away, so Ed looks out the window to see the names. Alice: "Be careful Ed. You might fall out." Ralph: "That is a chance we got to take." Gee, Ralph's a great friend, isn't he. (Note the sarcasm.) Ed can't read all the star's names because Grogan's boxer shorts are in his way. A policeman comes in. The policeman says to cut out the racket or the story will have to be told to the judge. Ralph: "That's it! Alene Judge, that's her name." Ed goes home and the policeman leaves. Ralph and Alice kiss.