Substitute Father

[Scrabjan1]

One of the worst. In another thread we talked about Wally being so responsible and adult as a teenager. Well this one is so ridiculous the way he acts. Coming home from school early to make sure no one broke in, asking his mother if she wants him to cut more meat, acting like Beaver's father and saying June can sit down and he'll wash the dishes. Pure corn. It was also badly acted.

[Torgo]

Originally Posted by Scrabjan1

One of the worst. In another thread we talked about Wally being so responsible and adult as a teenager. Well this one is so ridiculous the way he acts. Coming home from school early to make sure no one broke in, asking his mother if she wants him to cut more meat, acting like Beaver's father and saying June can sit down and he'll wash the dishes. Pure corn. It was also badly acted.

I like the episode. But I agree, Wally went overboard, you would think he was never around the person he was trying to emulate.

[stevea]

Also, I wondered if Arthur got into trouble for tripping the Beaver in the first place. But he disappeared after the deed. I'd say deliberately tripping another student would be an offense at Grant Avenue School.

[Hazel Anyday]

Maybe it wasn't Ward Wally was imitating, maybe it was really Eddie Haskell (you know, the way he acts in front of parents).

[MichaelMartinD]

The episode made perfect sense to me. Wally was commissioned by Ward to be the head of the house in his absence. The episode was about Wally growing into Ward's role. Wally asked his mother if she wanted more meat because that's what Ward would have done. I thought this episode was the perfect finale to the fourth season. Nothing corny about it.

[Scrabjan1]

I still think it had a few holes. Once again Wally tried to shield June from hearing the name he called Arthur as "she might cry." Wally acted like June was so fragile even Ward didn't shield her that much. Why Wally acted like June was some tragic female who had to be protected.

[stevea]

Wally said to the Beaver, "I don't even think you can say that to Dad." I agree with another post, it looked like he said "son of a b___h." In the Seabees, I think Ward might have heard that once or twice, and worse. I even think June might have been able to bear it (spelling out the female dog), with a few palpitations, and maybe with the smelling salts standing by. Also, I realize the actor who played Arthur was a bit player (he might have been uncredited--I don't think he had a line), but it should have been made clear he was it trouble too, even if he didn't make a second appearance.

[Tankeryanker]

Originally Posted by stevea

" I agree with another post, it looked like he said "son of a b___h." In the Seabees, I think Ward might have heard that once or twice, and worse. I even think June might have been able to bear it (spelling out the female dog), with a few palpitations, and maybe with the smelling salts standing by. .

Do you think people were this way back then? Most of us have grown up with cursing even if it wasn't done in our families.

Would "B__h" have been offensive to June because she was a woman and that word is to put down women?

[stevea]

Good point about June, and that any woman would be offended. Especially if it was your own son who said it.

[Scrabjan1]

I think June could handle it. I didn't know what Beaver said but it's interesting what the consensus thinks.

[MichaelMartinD]

I agree that Miss Landers was off base for only punishing Beaver. But I think the point was that it's wrong to use foul language under any circumstances (that was what the show was trying to teach).

[stevea]

Bumping to answer current question re this episode. In post 7 I made a guess as to the word. I made reference to another post which I don't find--it may be in another thread.

[Scrabjan1]

I still think the episode sucked and think Beaver called Arthur an ass#ole. I’m sure he heard that from other kids so he was so mad and hurt from falling be needed a good insult. Why he didn’t speak up and defend himself makes me feel the writers wanted Beaver to remain a victim.

[stevea]

If the word was ass#ole I think June could have handled that, too.

Watching it again the other day, Beaver even mentioned to Miss Landers that Arthur tripped him--no reaction from her. Most kids will react when provoked. She should have corralled both of them and brought them into the classroom.

We can't have that language in Grant Avenue School--we also can't have students tripping one another.

Actually I would have liked to have seen Beaver go to June with this, and have her accompany Beaver to the school. Then have HER ask the question to Miss Landers: "What was done about Arthur tripping Beaver?" Have Miss Landers squirm a little on that question.

[Cx]

I guess I'm an outlier here in that I like this episode.

As to what Beaver said, I've been thinking and it's most likely one of the less severe curses. Words that today, though while maybe making the user sound coarse, aren't really even considered curses really. Though back then, they certainly were. I was thinking "bastard" or "son of a bitch". I would have gotten into a peck of trouble if I said those words at age 10.

On one hand, I can see where Beaver would be extremely reluctant to admit to his mother he used the word b*tch, but on the other hand when I pore through my memory, Me and my friends didn't even knew what the word actually meant when we were that age. It was just a vulgar word we heard adults use when they were angry. So I'm going to speculate he said "b*astard".