Points about the (overrated) The Dick Van Dyke Show - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Best Man · 10-15-2015, 10:54 AM

1)The show was made and takes place in the mid-1960's a time associated with the VietNam War. When you learn that Ho Chi Minh was really an extra-deadly, brutal mass-murderer of the Communist persuasion and that any and all protests against the war by Americans were 1000% wrong you realize what a criminal time this show (back to it) was made in.

2) The show had a rep for being undated even though Paul Anka, Mrs. Kennedy, Lloyd Bridges (or was it his show Sea Hunt?), and Chad and Jeremy were mentioned. (So very unlike that dated 'The Andy Griffith Show' ep where Andy, Opie, Barney and Aunt Bee all went down to Andy's cellar to hide from the Oct. 1962 Communist Cuban Missiles aimed right at Mayberry (sarcastic about the TAGS ep)).

3)This show never at all seemed realistic to the point where you really forgot it was only a TV show. The characters also did super ditsy things all the time (despite its slight rep for being supposedly sensible).
(A much more entertaining and far more realistic show was really the 1956-57 season of 'Make Room For Daddy' where the character of Danny Williams (Danny Thomas) was a widowed single dad raising his son and greater daughter. Many of these eps of this show were so super believable its impossible to feel it isn't really happening. If this show season's eps are available on DVD get them and see if you don't agree.)

For more on Ho Chi Minh's mass-murdering see book 'Serial Killers: Ho Chi Minh' at amazon and google "Ho Chi Minh mass-murderer".

Torgo · 10-15-2015, 11:11 AM

Speaking of points, the OP definitely doesn't have one.

Marvo301 · 10-15-2015, 07:50 PM

TVDVDS debuted in 1961 when JFK was president and several years before VietNam became a hot topic. Historians refer to that period of American History as camelot. TDVDS was very much a show of that era. Chad and Jeremey were on the show but they didn't play themselves. They played the fictional group "The Redcoats" and represented the entire British invasion. Mentions of famous people were few and far between on this show and in fact most episodes were based on incidents that really happened to Carl Reiner or one of the other writers or cast members in real life. This method of finding stories for the show help make the show timeless. The characters may have seemed silly at times but Carl Reiner (and later Perskey/Denhoff and Marshall/Benson) were writing to the strengths of the cast. For DIck Van Dyke that included pantomime and slapsitck. For Rose Marie it was one liners delivered with perfect timing. For Maury Amsterdam it was improvising Jokes on the spot. For Mary Tyler Moore it was crying funny. On their own each of these may seem silly but in the context of the show they something many current sitcoms aren't - funny!!

MickeyMac · 10-26-2015, 12:37 PM

There is a political section here. Best Man, this topic is best suited there.

10-15-2015, 10:54 AM	#1
Best Man Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 15, 2006 Location: El Paso, Texas Posts: 594	Points about the (overrated) The Dick Van Dyke Show 1)The show was made and takes place in the mid-1960's a time associated with the VietNam War. When you learn that Ho Chi Minh was really an extra-deadly, brutal mass-murderer of the Communist persuasion and that any and all protests against the war by Americans were 1000% wrong you realize what a criminal time this show (back to it) was made in. 2) The show had a rep for being undated even though Paul Anka, Mrs. Kennedy, Lloyd Bridges (or was it his show Sea Hunt?), and Chad and Jeremy were mentioned. (So very unlike that dated 'The Andy Griffith Show' ep where Andy, Opie, Barney and Aunt Bee all went down to Andy's cellar to hide from the Oct. 1962 Communist Cuban Missiles aimed right at Mayberry (sarcastic about the TAGS ep)). 3)This show never at all seemed realistic to the point where you really forgot it was only a TV show. The characters also did super ditsy things all the time (despite its slight rep for being supposedly sensible). (A much more entertaining and far more realistic show was really the 1956-57 season of 'Make Room For Daddy' where the character of Danny Williams (Danny Thomas) was a widowed single dad raising his son and greater daughter. Many of these eps of this show were so super believable its impossible to feel it isn't really happening. If this show season's eps are available on DVD get them and see if you don't agree.) For more on Ho Chi Minh's mass-murdering see book 'Serial Killers: Ho Chi Minh' at amazon and google "Ho Chi Minh mass-murderer".
	Last edited by Best Man; 10-15-2015 at 11:16 AM.

10-15-2015, 11:11 AM	#2
Torgo Omaha & Fritz Forum Star Join Date: Mar 06, 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 19,036	Speaking of points, the OP definitely doesn't have one.
	__________________ "I'm going to go do something productive. I'm gonna go watch television." - Ray Peterson, The 'burbs "I am the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and Fries." - Stephen King "There's nothing wrong with G-rated movies, as long as there's lots of sex and violence." - Elvira

10-15-2015, 07:50 PM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,456	TVDVDS debuted in 1961 when JFK was president and several years before VietNam became a hot topic. Historians refer to that period of American History as camelot. TDVDS was very much a show of that era. Chad and Jeremey were on the show but they didn't play themselves. They played the fictional group "The Redcoats" and represented the entire British invasion. Mentions of famous people were few and far between on this show and in fact most episodes were based on incidents that really happened to Carl Reiner or one of the other writers or cast members in real life. This method of finding stories for the show help make the show timeless. The characters may have seemed silly at times but Carl Reiner (and later Perskey/Denhoff and Marshall/Benson) were writing to the strengths of the cast. For DIck Van Dyke that included pantomime and slapsitck. For Rose Marie it was one liners delivered with perfect timing. For Maury Amsterdam it was improvising Jokes on the spot. For Mary Tyler Moore it was crying funny. On their own each of these may seem silly but in the context of the show they something many current sitcoms aren't - funny!!
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

10-26-2015, 12:37 PM	#4
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,006	There is a political section here. Best Man, this topic is best suited there.