The back-story and the later happenings - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

tdr · 11-20-2014, 10:38 PM

I don't know why, but every now and then I start thinking about this show that I enjoyed as a kid in the 60's and I like to think outside the limited time frame. Really, though, 7 years should be a long time for a lot of life events; that is, more than the 3 daughters still living at their parents' home, though one married and had a kid and returned (from a short distance) with the new family.

Anyway, from the clues we're given in the series' long run, Kate's husband's grandfather built the hotel on that spot because his lumber fell off the train there between Hooterville and Pixley. I don't recall the year Chester Farnsworth was supposed to have stayed there (1920's?), but a major plot point of the setting is the anachronism of living in what looks like a turn-of-the-century 'hotel' and no way to get there except by an 1890 model wood-burning train, and they often sing songs that were popular in the early 20th century ["Harvest Moon", "Come Home Bill Bailey", et al].

So, the Bradley family never progressed in some ways from when the place was founded, but obviously Kate and Uncle Joe (presumably her uncle) came into it at some time, and the girls should have been born close together around 1944-1948. Uncle Joe does mention having served in WWI; in "Meet the In-Laws," for one ep. And Kate IMO is supposed to be about 45-50 (considerably younger than Bea), while Uncle Joe is perhaps older than Edgar, who was 60 in 1963. And Kate obviously married into the hotel family, with one job she had before being a ticket-taker at the Pixley moviehouse.

I have tried to start a fanfic about where the place would be today, and I had it that Kathy Jo, after trying a few other things, decided to come back home and she restored the Shady Rest, and took advantage of the trend in the 80's and later of the "bed & breakfast" and eventually even the train was put back into local service and everyone left in 'the valley' got in on this new quasi-park idea, it might be called, to actually get to live in an early 20th century themed b&b, go to the farms and get to pick fruit, milk cows and ride the old train. The "Bradley girls" are now about 65-70, but I never got as far as getting their stories down. Uncle Joe, of course, is long gone, but Kathy Jo attributes some of her 'vision' to him telling her his ideas to give "class" to the place. Perhaps 'the place' actually has the big swimming pool Uncle Joe mentioned in the first episode.

But would it be better to make fanfic about the back-story rather than iffy speculation about the Shady Rest still being in business, or returned to business? The births of the girls, how Uncle Joe came there in the first place, the character of Kate's husband and other relatives-- these could be interesting.

Bonniegirl · 12-07-2014, 03:00 AM

You should do both. This is interesting. I enjoyed reading your post! I'd love to hear more back story and the future story too! Boy, I sure would love to take a vacation and stay at the Shady Rest B & B, picking fruit, milking cows, riding the train. That sounds like such a nice time!

Coffeecup · 02-18-2015, 09:54 PM

In the beginning weren't the 3 girls in high school or Billie Jo first in secretarial school. If Betty Jo was 15-16 and 7 years passed, she would be 22 when the series ended. That is not that old to be still living near by Uncle Joe. Billie Jo is 19 and in 7 years she is 26. It is mentioned that Steve is 25 in one of the episodes.

11-20-2014, 10:38 PM	#1
tdr Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 23, 2001 Posts: 1,454	The back-story and the later happenings I don't know why, but every now and then I start thinking about this show that I enjoyed as a kid in the 60's and I like to think outside the limited time frame. Really, though, 7 years should be a long time for a lot of life events; that is, more than the 3 daughters still living at their parents' home, though one married and had a kid and returned (from a short distance) with the new family. Anyway, from the clues we're given in the series' long run, Kate's husband's grandfather built the hotel on that spot because his lumber fell off the train there between Hooterville and Pixley. I don't recall the year Chester Farnsworth was supposed to have stayed there (1920's?), but a major plot point of the setting is the anachronism of living in what looks like a turn-of-the-century 'hotel' and no way to get there except by an 1890 model wood-burning train, and they often sing songs that were popular in the early 20th century ["Harvest Moon", "Come Home Bill Bailey", et al]. So, the Bradley family never progressed in some ways from when the place was founded, but obviously Kate and Uncle Joe (presumably her uncle) came into it at some time, and the girls should have been born close together around 1944-1948. Uncle Joe does mention having served in WWI; in "Meet the In-Laws," for one ep. And Kate IMO is supposed to be about 45-50 (considerably younger than Bea), while Uncle Joe is perhaps older than Edgar, who was 60 in 1963. And Kate obviously married into the hotel family, with one job she had before being a ticket-taker at the Pixley moviehouse. I have tried to start a fanfic about where the place would be today, and I had it that Kathy Jo, after trying a few other things, decided to come back home and she restored the Shady Rest, and took advantage of the trend in the 80's and later of the "bed & breakfast" and eventually even the train was put back into local service and everyone left in 'the valley' got in on this new quasi-park idea, it might be called, to actually get to live in an early 20th century themed b&b, go to the farms and get to pick fruit, milk cows and ride the old train. The "Bradley girls" are now about 65-70, but I never got as far as getting their stories down. Uncle Joe, of course, is long gone, but Kathy Jo attributes some of her 'vision' to him telling her his ideas to give "class" to the place. Perhaps 'the place' actually has the big swimming pool Uncle Joe mentioned in the first episode. But would it be better to make fanfic about the back-story rather than iffy speculation about the Shady Rest still being in business, or returned to business? The births of the girls, how Uncle Joe came there in the first place, the character of Kate's husband and other relatives-- these could be interesting.

12-07-2014, 03:00 AM	#2
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,758	You should do both. This is interesting. I enjoyed reading your post! I'd love to hear more back story and the future story too! Boy, I sure would love to take a vacation and stay at the Shady Rest B & B, picking fruit, milking cows, riding the train. That sounds like such a nice time!

02-18-2015, 09:54 PM	#3
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	In the beginning weren't the 3 girls in high school or Billie Jo first in secretarial school. If Betty Jo was 15-16 and 7 years passed, she would be 22 when the series ended. That is not that old to be still living near by Uncle Joe. Billie Jo is 19 and in 7 years she is 26. It is mentioned that Steve is 25 in one of the episodes.