Was it selfish of Jed to keep Granny in Beverly Hills? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

EyeofGenesis · 09-13-2019, 07:10 PM

We all know the "real world" reason as to why Jed and his kinfolk stayed in Beverly Hills - that was the premise of the show after all, but if you look at it from an "in-universe" perspective and see the Clampetts as real people in a real world, would you say it was selfish and/or unfair of Jed to not move all/some (or at the very least, Granny) of the family back to the hills? Granny complained of being homesick for the hills/hill life a lot, especially early on, and Jed would try to bring a little piece of home to Granny, like the cabin, but Granny definitely seemed to be the least happy about living in Beverly Hills - and really, Jed himself also seemed to miss aspects of hill life at times, like hunting, fishing and staying busy.

At the very least, it would seem the family (aside from Jethro) would've preferred to move to Hooterville. Of course we all know Drysdale would plot and scheme a million and one ways to stop any of this, but I feel like if Jed was determined to move some or all of the family out of Beverly Hills, he could have... but he didn't, so was it in any way selfish on his part?

EyeofGenesis · 09-13-2019, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

Mountain life is difficult and hazardous. The move to a warm climate may have added 20 years to Granny's lifespan.

Maybe! Granny seemed to rather miss the cold winters at times, though... as long as she had her jug to keep her company, something tells me she could withstand even the frostiest of winters!

TheLittleFaerie · 09-14-2019, 02:12 AM

Yeah I honestly dunno why they didn't just leave Granny at the cabin if that's where she wanted to stay, she seemed more than able to live on her own.

HOWEVER, Jed may have been considering things like, in the winter time, if Granny got snowed in and got hurt, broke her leg or something she would have sorta just been strained there in the middle of nowhere....I think they said the nearest neighbor was 8 miles away ~of course it depends on the episode, in later episodes, they talked as though they had near-by neighbors~

But yeah in many ways I didn't like their treatment of Granny, how Jed treated her like a child in many ways. I never liked it when he would have Jethro carry her, it just seemed undignified.... I mean Jed would NOT have liked it if someone carried HIM around like a child. AND didn't like it when they would tie Granny up or lock her in her room...in real life you could face criminal charges for something like that.

HOWEVER I realize it's just a funny show, but looking at it as if it were true life......

Granny is usually regarded as the "toughest" of the clan, but if you think about it, she really had the LEAST amount of freedom than any of them. I mean if Jethro or Elly didn't want to participate in something I highly doubt they would be carried and FORCED to like what happened with Granny.

Babalu · 09-14-2019, 03:16 PM

It was a sitcom trying to make people watch and laugh.

That's all.

This is why self righteous producers, writers and actors now try to force their ignorant political opinions down your throat.

People take this stuff way too seriously.

PracTz · 09-15-2019, 06:30 PM

Although Granny made no secret of hating the Hills of Beverly while being homesick for the Ozarks and COULD have easily stayed on her own in their original homestead, no way would she have let her late daughter's only daughter Elly May go out there on her own 'unchaperoned' with only Jed and Jethro for company- especially while Elly May was still 'unhitched'. Yes,Elly May stayed a tomboy who never had any more interest in the opposite gender other than to vaguely flirt- or rassle them if they misbehaved but Granny wasn't about to chance her not landing a husband and somehow felt her granddaughter had MORE chance of doing so with HER around than left to her own devises! I'll grant what was a cute quirk on Elly May's part in the beginning when had had no exposure to the outside world became somewhat a tired cliche at the end of nine years when she no longer could pass for ' just turned fourteen' but I think that was the main reason Granny agreed to go with the rest of them. Oh, and if not for Elly May's existence, there'd have been no ropes or chains strong enough to keep Granny there against her will!

TheLittleFaerie · 09-16-2019, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PracTz

Although Granny made no secret of hating the Hills of Beverly while being homesick for the Ozarks and COULD have easily stayed on her own in their original homestead, no way would she have let her late daughter's only daughter Elly May go out there on her own 'unchaperoned' with only Jed and Jethro for company- especially while Elly May was still 'unhitched'. Yes,Elly May stayed a tomboy who never had any more interest in the opposite gender other than to vaguely flirt- or rassle them if they misbehaved but Granny wasn't about to chance her not landing a husband and somehow felt her granddaughter had MORE chance of doing so with HER around than left to her own devises! I'll grant what was a cute quirk on Elly May's part in the beginning when had had no exposure to the outside world became somewhat a tired cliche at the end of nine years when she no longer could pass for ' just turned fourteen' but I think that was the main reason Granny agreed to go with the rest of them. Oh, and if not for Elly May's existence, there'd have been no ropes or chains strong enough to keep Granny there against her will!

Its hard to say... Granny did a lot of talking, but after having lived in B.H. as long as she did, she may not have enjoyed the hills as much as she thought... I remember in the episode where they returned home while Pearl was trying to marry Mr. Brewster, and they nearly froze in the cabin and Granny says, "Pearl, give it all you got tonight or we're all gonna be down with Pneumonia".... In other words Granny was ready to get back to the warmth of Ca. as soon as Brewster proposed to Pearl. I think like most of us, Granny was probably looking back at the Hills through rose-tinted glasses and only remembering the good times.

magellan333 · 02-23-2020, 09:18 PM

I think Granny would’ve been miserable living in the hills alone without a family to cook and clean for.

09-13-2019, 07:10 PM	#1
EyeofGenesis Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Apr 22, 2003 Posts: 14	Was it selfish of Jed to keep Granny in Beverly Hills? We all know the "real world" reason as to why Jed and his kinfolk stayed in Beverly Hills - that was the premise of the show after all, but if you look at it from an "in-universe" perspective and see the Clampetts as real people in a real world, would you say it was selfish and/or unfair of Jed to not move all/some (or at the very least, Granny) of the family back to the hills? Granny complained of being homesick for the hills/hill life a lot, especially early on, and Jed would try to bring a little piece of home to Granny, like the cabin, but Granny definitely seemed to be the least happy about living in Beverly Hills - and really, Jed himself also seemed to miss aspects of hill life at times, like hunting, fishing and staying busy. At the very least, it would seem the family (aside from Jethro) would've preferred to move to Hooterville. Of course we all know Drysdale would plot and scheme a million and one ways to stop any of this, but I feel like if Jed was determined to move some or all of the family out of Beverly Hills, he could have... but he didn't, so was it in any way selfish on his part?

09-14-2019, 03:16 PM	#4
Babalu Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 22, 2014 Posts: 4,779	It was a sitcom trying to make people watch and laugh. That's all. This is why self righteous producers, writers and actors now try to force their ignorant political opinions down your throat. People take this stuff way too seriously.
	__________________ . I just nailed Mrs. Trumbull

09-14-2019, 02:12 AM	#3
TheLittleFaerie Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 15, 2017 Posts: 1,948	Yeah I honestly dunno why they didn't just leave Granny at the cabin if that's where she wanted to stay, she seemed more than able to live on her own. HOWEVER, Jed may have been considering things like, in the winter time, if Granny got snowed in and got hurt, broke her leg or something she would have sorta just been strained there in the middle of nowhere....I think they said the nearest neighbor was 8 miles away ~of course it depends on the episode, in later episodes, they talked as though they had near-by neighbors~ But yeah in many ways I didn't like their treatment of Granny, how Jed treated her like a child in many ways. I never liked it when he would have Jethro carry her, it just seemed undignified.... I mean Jed would NOT have liked it if someone carried HIM around like a child. AND didn't like it when they would tie Granny up or lock her in her room...in real life you could face criminal charges for something like that. HOWEVER I realize it's just a funny show, but looking at it as if it were true life...... Granny is usually regarded as the "toughest" of the clan, but if you think about it, she really had the LEAST amount of freedom than any of them. I mean if Jethro or Elly didn't want to participate in something I highly doubt they would be carried and FORCED to like what happened with Granny.

09-15-2019, 06:30 PM	#5
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	Although Granny made no secret of hating the Hills of Beverly while being homesick for the Ozarks and COULD have easily stayed on her own in their original homestead, no way would she have let her late daughter's only daughter Elly May go out there on her own 'unchaperoned' with only Jed and Jethro for company- especially while Elly May was still 'unhitched'. Yes,Elly May stayed a tomboy who never had any more interest in the opposite gender other than to vaguely flirt- or rassle them if they misbehaved but Granny wasn't about to chance her not landing a husband and somehow felt her granddaughter had MORE chance of doing so with HER around than left to her own devises! I'll grant what was a cute quirk on Elly May's part in the beginning when had had no exposure to the outside world became somewhat a tired cliche at the end of nine years when she no longer could pass for ' just turned fourteen' but I think that was the main reason Granny agreed to go with the rest of them. Oh, and if not for Elly May's existence, there'd have been no ropes or chains strong enough to keep Granny there against her will!

02-23-2020, 09:18 PM	#7
magellan333 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 26, 2003 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 822	I think Granny would’ve been miserable living in the hills alone without a family to cook and clean for.