Broken Window

[Scrabjan1]

I’ve seen every episode many times and I missed something. As they drive to Crystal Falls Beaver’s window is down. Now if Ward had that window fixed that morning why would it still be down. You would think it would be rolled up especially with the wind. Of course we know that they needed it down so when it was rolled up they would see it was fixed.

Wow $15 was a lot for a car window.

Also wonder why they were playing baseball in the street as there were a lot of cars.

[stevea]

Yep, it's just another plot-necessary thing. In the real world it would be rolled up after it was repaired, if for no other reason than for Ward to see that it was done.

There are many other examples of this kind of thing--one I think of immediately is the broken golf club, where the end of the club wiggles only when needed, but not enough so that Beaver and Gilbert notice it before they use it.

[Scrabjan1]

Good point!! Those two episodes have almost the same plot. Something is broken and someone gets it fixed thinking they did it.

Another example of “plot necessary-thing” is in Kite Day. Beaver and Gilbert take it out too early on Friday afternoon before the glue dries and it falls apart. Ward never checks it Friday night or Saturday morning to make sure it’s ready. He goes golfing and just tells Beaver when he gets home they can try it out. I’m surprised he lets Beaver take it upstairs. They should’ve left it on the dining room table and had dinner in the kitchen. Although that would’ve been highly irregular.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by Scrabjan1

They should’ve left it on the dining room table and had dinner in the kitchen.

Ward wanted to leave it on the table, and June wouldn't allow it.

[Scrabjan1]

Once again Gilbert gets Beaver to do the wrong thing.

[stevea]

Beaver Takes a Bath is kind of a variation on this. Ward thinks the plaster fell due to the building construction. He never would have found out the true story had he not unknowingly shamed the boys into confessing.

[Tankeryanker]

Originally Posted by stevea

Yep, it's just another plot-necessary thing. In the real world it would be rolled up after it was repaired, if for no other reason than for Ward to see that it was done.

Sure, but then Ward could have rolled it back down to mess with the boys. I know I would have been sweating it all night if I thought my dad was going to notice a broken window.

If I got in that car the next morning and saw that it was still down and all the other windows were up, I would have lost my mind. I would be stewing in my own juices.

[Hazel Anyday]

I hate when that happens. Stewing in my own juices that is.

[Scrabjan1]

The window should have been rolled up as Ward thought he broke it and wasn’t messing with the boys.

[Tankeryanker]

Originally Posted by Scrabjan1

The window should have been rolled up as Ward thought he broke it and wasn’t messing with the boys.

But he tells Beaver to roll up the window and Beaver doesn't want to. Then Ward tells the boys that he thought he broke it at first. So somewhere along the line he figures, it was the boys that broke it.

[Scrabjan1]

Ward figured he broke the window but when Beaver was hesitant to roll up the window then he realized that it was already broken.

[stevea]

I haven't seen this episode in awhile. I can see Ward thinking he did it, having it repaired, and thinking, "Wait a minute. I'm beginning to wonder about this." So he then rolled the window down again and decided to do some testing with the boys. And didn't the boys express doubts about the trip? If so that could have made him doubly suspicious.

On the other hand, if he suspected the boys, he could have said, "OK, guys (or fellas, as he often said), how did the window get broken?" Kind of fishing for information. Beaver was so young he probably would have spilled the beans right then.

Then again I may be remembering the episode wrong.

[TV Guy]

These plots are my least favorite of the series (and are one of the reasons I have a tough time warming up to the show). Things get broken; it’s part of life. My father used to get very upset over stupid things like this.

[stevea]

Stuff happens. Like breaking things and spills. You're right, parents need to accept the facts of everyday life.

[Tankeryanker]

I haven't watched the episode in a while, but I thought June tells Beaver to "do what your father says" regarding the window implying that she knew about it as well.