Honeymooners Episode Reviews: "Pickles" ('51) & "New TV Set":

[Frank Gannucci]

Honeymooners Episode Reviews: “Pickles" ('51) & "New TV Set":

Note: I don't have "Supermarket Shopping" (aka Alice's Anniversary)" but since it is to believed an earlier version of "Pickles", I thought I would post the review for "Pickles." The script for this episode is at UCLA Library Special Collections Box 109 Folders 29-32. Harry Crane Collection.

Episode #3
TV: Hasn’t been seen on TV since its original “airdate”.
VHS & DVD: Hasn’t been released.
Air Date: 10/19/51

"Pickles" ('51 version):

Nobody knows for sure if this episode ever aired on TV or not. In the early 2010s, it was revealed that this as long as some other sketches were rumored to have been shown on TV. I am going to assume that the script for this one and this one are on and the same.

The episode opens with Ralph and Alice retuning home after going on a long shopping spree. Immediately, they get into an argument on what Alice spent that day. If you see this episode on TV, you will notice that the episode begins right in the MIDDLE of the argument.

Ralph is upset that Alice just spent his whole paycheck: $42.50 a week. Ralph says that he doesn't want his salary revealed to the whole building. So Alice yells: "$42.50 A WEEK! $42.50 A WEEK! $42.50 A WEEK!" Ralph decides that Alice wants to make it public, so he makes it public by yelling out the window what he earns per week. This same spiel by both would be repeated in two more episodes "The Next Champ" & "Brother Ralph." But in the latter episode, Ralph decides not to make his salary public and another difference is that in both episodes, he earns $62 a week.

Ralph is also complaining that he's tired of Alice dragging him all over the neighborhood for her shopping spree. One of the things Alice did was walk three more blocks from one store to another store to buy pickles. She says she saved a few cents by doing that because in the other store they were in, pickles cost more.

Ralph says because Alice spent his whole paycheck, he doesn't have any money, much like Alice. But, when Ed Norton comes down to borrow $5; Ralph is more than happy to give it to him. He hid the money in a very safe place. Ed leaves. Alice complains that Ralph lied. But Ralph says, since he used the $5 that Ed borrowed, he now doesn't have enough money to buy Alice her anniversary present. Alice thought that Ralph forgot. So when the present arrives at the house, Ralph says he has no money. So Alice pays for it, by getting the money that she hid in a very safe place.

Ralph now knows that Alice lied to him also. Alice reveals that she was going to use that money to buy Ralph a gift. After she says that, Alice says that she needs a pickle. Ralph jumps to the conclusion that they are going to have a baby. He gets so excited, but then Alice breaks the news to him that she has an allergy and she needs those pickles to help her get cured. But, she says that one of these days, they will have a baby. The only baby, they ever wound up having was one in which they adopted and had to give it back to the original other. The storyline in which Ralph thought that Alice was pregnant was repeated a few times after they made this episode.

Episode #4
TV: This episode was seen on The Honeymooners Really Lost Debut Episodes. This special was shown in 1993 on Disney Channel (yes, THAT Disney Channel) and was shown on TV land in 2000.
VHS: Attached to “Bread”, “Razor Blades”, “Ralph Threatens To Leave”, “The Ring Salesman” (’51 version), & “Quiz Show” (’51 version)
DVD: Attached to “Bread”, “Razor Blades”, “Ralph Threatens To Leave”, “Alice & Ralph Get Dressed For A Date Last Night” (aka “The Dance”), “The Ring Salesman” (’51 version), “Quiz Show” (’51 version), “Xmas Party” (’51 version), “New Bowling Ball”, “The Turkey”, “Lost Baby”, “Quiz Show” (’52 version), “Halloween Party” (’52 version), “Cold”, “Pickles”, “Jellybeans” & “Six Months To Live” (’51 version).
Air Date: 11/2/51

"New TV Set":

The script for this episode is at UCLA Library Special Collections Box 110 Folders 4. Harry Crane Collection.

The episode opens up with Ralph and Alice looking like they were just talking to each other. Alice just bought a new TV set. She got it on a free trial that was listed in the paper. My how times have changed. Ralph is steamed. Alice: “It will be wonderful Ralph.” Ralph doesn’t seem to think so. Alice says that if we still like it, we can buy it on time. Ralph doesn’t like that either. Ralph: “I haven’t made the payments on that midget radio we got and that was four years ago.” A delivery man comes by with a big box and asks the Kramdens for $3.04. Alice asks Ralph for the money. $3.04. I can imagine if this episode was made today, the price would be higher. Ralph obliges. Alice says she used up her money ($4) to the delivery man to deliver it and install it. The box has nothing but food in it. Ralph doesn’t like the fact that Alice has spent money on those things. Alice: “I will tell you who I am inviting.” Ralph: “Go ahead. Who? Who? Who?” Alice: “Quiet. You sound like an owl.” Alice has invited the Nortons to come down and watch TV with them. My, how times have changed. Ralph: “Why don’t you have a block party?” (yelling out the window): “COME ON DOWN EVERYBODY!” Alice: “I know what you are going to say: ‘One of these days…’”

The Nortons come down. Trixie is played by Elaine Stritch and this is the first time that Art played Ed. Ed starts grabbing the food. Trixie called Ed a pig. The Nortons start arguing much to Ralph’s chagrin. Trixie: “I am by a hot stove all day while you are down in a cool sewer.” They continue arguing. Trixie says that Ed came over to her house and asked to marry her. Yet, this is another different story on how Ed & Trixie said how they got engaged. Trixie wants to leave. Alice asks her not to. She does. Ed asks her not to go and leaves. Alice: “I hope you are satisfied.” Alice goes into the bedroom. Ralph: “What did I do?” Ralph didn’t do anything to help the Nortons as far as their fight goes. A man from the company that the TV set came from comes by and says its 11pm and that their trial period for the TV is up and asks if he can take it back unless the Kramdens want to buy it. You mean that Alice invited the Nortons to have food and watch TV at that late hour? The man says that Alice was crazy about the set. Ralph, feeling bad for the way he acted, ends up buying the set on trial. The man leaves. Ralph tells Alice the good news. Alice thanks Ralph. They have food and beer while they watch the TV set. Alice is sitting on Ralph’s lap as the show ends.

Credit I think goes to (the original) Bill's 'Mooners Archives, eBay.com, the now defunct tv.com, Honeymooners Lost Episodes Book, tvguide.com, honeymooners.net, Honeymooners Lost Episodes DVD booklet, Wikipedia.org, the now defunct Yahoo Groups You're A Riot! & Amazon.com.

[Frank Gannucci]

Bump

[Frank Gannucci]

Bump