Beaver on TV - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

MichaelMartinD · 04-06-2021, 08:19 PM

This was an entertaining episode. It's as if the writers set out to do a sort of self-referential tribute to television of the era, packed with topical references - Jackie Kennedy, Jack Paar, Route 66, etc.

I especially like how Gilbert's mention of The Twilight Zone and Rod Serling leads to what is practically a mini-spoof of that show, where they even mimic the music and visual style of the Zone. Besides that, I appreciated how the writers wove in a serious theme as well, about how you should keep on telling the truth no matter how your peers react.

It was amazing that a town as small as Mayfield had a TV station. Then again, the towns in these old sitcoms seem to be stocked with everything - zoos, TV stations, small colleges, etc.

vitoscotti · 08-29-2021, 03:41 PM

Fred is wonderfully at his most obnoxious and insulting in The Parking Attendants & Beaver on TV. When he asks Ward if 8th grader Beaver "Is he on The Mickey Mouse Club?" Probably my favorite LITB line. And he hammers, and snidely insults Ward about Beaver throughout the stellar scene. Ward is fuming, but shows his signature restraint.

In The Parking Attendants he really hams it up playing Mr Big Shot, then berating the boys for getting his car towed. He even insults Langley for hiring bad help. When dope Lumpy calls he instructs him to hit his "calculus" books hard.

I don't think Fred is in one dud scene in the series.

stevea · 08-30-2021, 10:09 PM

Deacon is at his best in this role. I can just hear Connelly and Mosher at the auditions: We want a pompous jackass--can you do it?

In the merchant marine episode from season 5 he's in the dark as to what Lumpy is wanting to do. He lectures Ward - I KNOW my boy. Yes, sir, I know my boy.

Sure you do, Fred!

MichaelMartinD · 08-31-2021, 08:26 AM

Fred Rutherford was an adult Eddie Haskell.

CosmicCharlie · 09-01-2021, 09:17 PM

I like Fred much more than Eddie !

goes to show both were decent actors to bring this out - They did what was on the script Very Well

stevea · 09-01-2021, 10:25 PM

They both had a way of really annoying Ward.

04-06-2021, 08:19 PM	#1
MichaelMartinD Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 23, 2013 Posts: 576	Beaver on TV This was an entertaining episode. It's as if the writers set out to do a sort of self-referential tribute to television of the era, packed with topical references - Jackie Kennedy, Jack Paar, Route 66, etc. I especially like how Gilbert's mention of The Twilight Zone and Rod Serling leads to what is practically a mini-spoof of that show, where they even mimic the music and visual style of the Zone. Besides that, I appreciated how the writers wove in a serious theme as well, about how you should keep on telling the truth no matter how your peers react. It was amazing that a town as small as Mayfield had a TV station. Then again, the towns in these old sitcoms seem to be stocked with everything - zoos, TV stations, small colleges, etc.

08-29-2021, 03:41 PM	#2
vitoscotti Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2017 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,084	Fred is wonderfully at his most obnoxious and insulting in The Parking Attendants & Beaver on TV. When he asks Ward if 8th grader Beaver "Is he on The Mickey Mouse Club?" Probably my favorite LITB line. And he hammers, and snidely insults Ward about Beaver throughout the stellar scene. Ward is fuming, but shows his signature restraint. In The Parking Attendants he really hams it up playing Mr Big Shot, then berating the boys for getting his car towed. He even insults Langley for hiring bad help. When dope Lumpy calls he instructs him to hit his "calculus" books hard. I don't think Fred is in one dud scene in the series.

08-30-2021, 10:09 PM	#3
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,942	Deacon is at his best in this role. I can just hear Connelly and Mosher at the auditions: We want a pompous jackass--can you do it? In the merchant marine episode from season 5 he's in the dark as to what Lumpy is wanting to do. He lectures Ward - I KNOW my boy. Yes, sir, I know my boy. Sure you do, Fred!

08-31-2021, 08:26 AM	#4
MichaelMartinD Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 23, 2013 Posts: 576	Fred Rutherford was an adult Eddie Haskell.

09-01-2021, 09:17 PM	#5
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,451	I like Fred much more than Eddie ! goes to show both were decent actors to bring this out - They did what was on the script Very Well

09-01-2021, 10:25 PM	#6
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,942	They both had a way of really annoying Ward.