Sweatshirt Monsters

[Scrabjan1]

They didn’t have to give Alan’s father credit because he had no lines.

[stevea]

I liked Ward's lecture: Right is right no matter how many people say it's wrong (and vice versa). Too bad that didn't carry forward to the present.

I liked the interplay between the boys after they got their sweatshirts. So typical of boys that age.

This is one of the best season 5 episodes. Well-written. You can see this whole thing actually happening.

[Scrabjan1]

From what I see kids wearing to school now as they get off the bus what Beaver was wearing was tame. Girls wearing very short shorts, tight Capri pants, tight tops and their parents let them leave that way. Now it’s all about being comfortable in school. We had to wear dresses and skirts and below the knee.

I was at a Red Sox game years ago and noticed 2 guys with “writing about killing people” on the backs of their shirts. They sat in front of us and got up. They were escorted out of the park.

Blooper. Beaver was already at the principal‘s office. Mrs. R tells her secretary to send in Mr. Cleaver then have Theodore come in. Wouldn’t Ward have seen Beaver out on the bench when he arrived? I didn’t see the outer office just the corridor and bench.

June was going shopping awfully early as Beaver had just arrived at school.

[stevea]

That principal's office is a general blooper. It's always shown opening directly onto the hall. Going all the way back to Price of Fame it's that way.

In Sweatshirt Monsters Mrs. R phones Miss Ryan (presumably her sec'y.) and asks her to send the Cleaver boy in. So in comes Beaver from the hall door. The office setup is the same in Beaver's Graduation. Miss whoever she is in that episode, is coming out of the principal's office into the hall as Gilbert gets there.

So where is this secretary office? It's a cinch she doesn't sit on Mrs. Rayburn's lap. I guess we're to assume it's a separate office with an entrance from the hall, right next to the principal's office. And maybe Beaver was waiting there. If he was on some unseen bench in the hall Ward would have seen him.

For set construction, it would have made more sense to have an outer office for the sec'y., which you would go thru to get to Mrs. Rayburn's office.

Another thing that was consistent was the closet door where the spanking machine was kept. It was always in the same spot in every episode where that set was used.

[Scrabjan1]

Glad they showed the scene with the boys trying to keep the pledge to wear the shirts. They even showed them discussing their attempts to wear the shirts and wondering about Beaver.

[stevea]

Yeah, and they also showed all three boys being stopped; a lot of times one or more of those are cut out. I liked how they opened the door and yanked Whitey back in.

What I think they cut is what MeTV has cut in the past--Beaver going back to the bedroom and debating the shirt with Wally (I think that's how it went).

When June called Ward about Mrs. Rayburn's call, you'd think it might have dawned on one of them that it somehow involved the sweatshirt. And if not, maybe Ward would have had a second chance to get a clue when Mrs. Rayburn asked if he approved of how Beaver was dressed when he left for school.

[Stepperry40]

What worng wearing those sweatshirts? Was it that they all knew including Beaver (he was the one to wear one n) was it they or he no adults would think they were ok? I mean the othe students did tatter a little. However, without the teacher calling even attention to it calmed down. How Beaver didn't wear anything under the sweatshirt?

[stevea]

That's a good point. What's the big deal? It's just a gruesome sweatshirt. If that's the worst thing they do the school ought to be thankful. On the other hand thinking back to that time (and I probably was in around that grade at that time) I think my elementary school would have had a problem with it too.

Also Beaver should have balled it up and carried his regular shirt to school, and put it in his locker. Then he would have been prepared in case he had to change.

[Stepperry40]

Is that because it was considered to be something other then what one was "supposed" to wear? It wasn't a nice shirt.

[stevea]

I suppose so. And Mrs. Rayburn had a point. It did create a commotion and detracted from why they were there. And it probably would have been as bad or worse if all four of them had worn them.

[Stepperry40]

Even about 25 when I was 7th or 8th grade let alone now those sweatshirts wouldn't have gotten you to principals office I am not sure weather you would had to changed it. There kinds of shirts shirts or tops you could wear logo tees that had beer or probably cigarette companies (in high school anyways person who wore one would have turn inside out) and for girls you weren't supposed to wear midriff tops.

[stevea]

What you said about turning a shirt inside out makes me wonder why that wouldn't have worked. Of course, the answer is the same as we've used many other times: they wouldn't have had the rest of the episode.

[Schmoopie]

That sweatshirt was awful, but I think the school made a huge deal out of it. And of course Beaver was the one who got into trouble for wearing it because his friends decided not to and didn't tell him. Gee, at my office that shirt would look tame!

[Scrabjan1]

Mr. Collins was humorless, insensitive and scary. Sort of like my first grade teacher, Mrs. Allen. He could have handled Beaver a bit differently and not been so angry.

[Schmoopie]

Originally Posted by Scrabjan1

Mr. Collins was humorless, insensitive and scary. Sort of like my first grade teacher, Mrs. Allen. He could have handled Beaver a bit differently and not been so angry.

I agree.