Is LITB the sitcom king of rehashed scripts? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

vitoscotti · 05-15-2021, 03:19 AM

I love the show. But come on. Beaver is gullible, lies, forgets, damages something, skips an event, forced to do something, mails for too good to be offer. I realize being kids puts writing limits. But to literally duplicate themes over and over.

stevea · 05-15-2021, 08:43 AM

My favorite example is, Beaver wears the monster sweatshirt to school because all the other guys are wearing one. The other guys don't wear theirs.

Beaver wears a sweater rather than a suit and tie to the football banquet because all the other guys are doing that. The other guys wear suits and ties.

Or,

Beaver is convinced by Larry to play with Ward's souvenir baseball. It's wrecked.

Beaver is convinced by Gilbert to play with Ward's golf club. It's (he thinks) wrecked.

vitoscotti · 05-15-2021, 09:50 AM

I will say in Mosher and Connelly's defense 39 episodes was a lot in a one year period. As the years progressed that total declined with sitcoms (mid to low 20s). Seems like it was I need a script by X date. But we're behind boss. We dont want a semi rehash. I don't care if it is. Just get it here on time. I can see their situation. But it's really a low way of doing things. Kind of like throwing in the towel, and giving up script wise. Rather than fighting the good fight.

GentlemanJim · 05-15-2021, 10:47 AM

This thread threatens to validate Newton Minow's famous assessment.

Are we similarly inclined to bemoan the relentless examination of Archie Bunker's bigotry, or Fred Sanford's persecution complex, or Al Bundy's misogyny? And, what about Maude? lol!

GentlemanJim · 05-15-2021, 10:51 AM

It would be interesting to make a thorough and sifting search of how many sitcoms employed some variant of "too much detergent in the washing machine" routine, over the years.

Cx · 05-15-2021, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GentlemanJim

It would be interesting to make a thorough and sifting search of how many sitcoms employed some variant of "too much detergent in the washing machine" routine, over the years.

Good observation. Now that I think about it, it was a very common trope.

It got me thinking...

( man and friend standing over a pot of boiling water on a stovetop doing the cooking instead of the wife ) "How much rice do we need? Well, my inlaws are coming over...better use the whole box" and the resulting gooky rice avalanche that follows.

The "clueless but pretentious restaurant patron tries to speak French while ordering and is shortly dismayed to find a plate of sauteed snails arriving at his table place" trope.

stevea · 05-15-2021, 01:24 PM

Allergy to the dog, the Gypsies, mate's old flame comes to town, the quirky relative visits, somebody happens to have a twin..................

Cx · 05-15-2021, 01:39 PM

Surprise celebrity appearances..........

Scrabjan1 · 05-15-2021, 07:05 PM

Sounds like Ricky and Fred making chicken and rice or Lucy making a large loaf of bread.

I guess when the title is Leave it to Beaver, Beaver has to screw up. Glad Wally got his chance to have his naughty moments with help from Eddie.

CosmicCharlie · 05-16-2021, 11:45 PM

Maybe Gilligan's Island had a lot of original ideas / being stranded on an island with diverse characters - I give Sherwood Swartz 5 stars for the premise & casting !

There is a highly-specific, minute-by-minute recipe used to write the vast majority of sitcoms out there. And once you know the formula, it makes it much easier to write them, and much harder to watch them without seeing that formula—the “sitcom code”—everywhere you look. (Was LITB before this recipe ?)

The Teaser (Minutes 1-3)
The Trouble (Minutes 3-8)
The Muddle (Minutes 8-13)
The Triumph/Failure (Minutes 13-18)
The Kicker (Minutes 19-21)

https://www.theatlantic.com/entertai...m-code/384068/

lol
we here should write some episodes for LITB / we know the show better than some of the former writers +-

merlinjones · 05-17-2021, 05:37 AM

One I noticed used repeatedly is Beaver writes an essay (or something) that contains false information or exaggerations to make it more interesting (about Ward's military activity, about Ward's job, about June's background, about his rescue of a boat, etc.).

Torgo · 05-17-2021, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GentlemanJim

It would be interesting to make a thorough and sifting search of how many sitcoms employed some variant of "too much detergent in the washing machine" routine, over the years.

Have even seen the too much detergent bit done in more than one movie (the original Freaky Friday being one)

Cx · 05-17-2021, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlinjones

One I noticed used repeatedly is Beaver writes an essay (or something) that contains false information or exaggerations to make it more interesting (about Ward's military activity, about Ward's job, about June's background, about his rescue of a boat, etc.).

Regarding the episode of Beaver's composition on June's pre-Ward background, every time I see the part where he reads it aloud to the class and says "dancing in dives" I laugh hard enough to spit out water.

stevea · 05-17-2021, 04:50 PM

All the writers must have had an agreement to not sue each other for plagiarism.

I just thought of another oft-used plot--the house-call-making-pediatrician or GP. I grew up in the 50s and 60s and they didn't do that in our small town. Of course on a sitcom it's not having to construct a doctor-office set.

On Beaver, they even had a vet who made house calls, for Stanley the monkey.

stevea · 05-17-2021, 05:03 PM

Just thought of another multi-use plot (not for LITB though) -- the wife becomes the secretary at the husband's business. I'm surprised we didn't see that one on The Brady Bunch. But it was on Dick Van Dyke, Bob Newhart, Donna Reed. Sherwood tried, but couldn't figure out how to use it on Gilligan's Island!

05-15-2021, 03:19 AM	#1
vitoscotti Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2017 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,084	Is LITB the sitcom king of rehashed scripts? I love the show. But come on. Beaver is gullible, lies, forgets, damages something, skips an event, forced to do something, mails for too good to be offer. I realize being kids puts writing limits. But to literally duplicate themes over and over.

05-15-2021, 10:47 AM	#4
GentlemanJim Concerns, Support, & Feedback Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 26, 2019 Location: The back country Posts: 5,443	This thread threatens to validate Newton Minow's famous assessment. Are we similarly inclined to bemoan the relentless examination of Archie Bunker's bigotry, or Fred Sanford's persecution complex, or Al Bundy's misogyny? And, what about Maude? lol!
	__________________ On my word as a gentleman!

05-15-2021, 08:43 AM	#2
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,942	My favorite example is, Beaver wears the monster sweatshirt to school because all the other guys are wearing one. The other guys don't wear theirs. Beaver wears a sweater rather than a suit and tie to the football banquet because all the other guys are doing that. The other guys wear suits and ties. Or, Beaver is convinced by Larry to play with Ward's souvenir baseball. It's wrecked. Beaver is convinced by Gilbert to play with Ward's golf club. It's (he thinks) wrecked.

05-15-2021, 09:50 AM	#3
vitoscotti Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2017 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,084	I will say in Mosher and Connelly's defense 39 episodes was a lot in a one year period. As the years progressed that total declined with sitcoms (mid to low 20s). Seems like it was I need a script by X date. But we're behind boss. We dont want a semi rehash. I don't care if it is. Just get it here on time. I can see their situation. But it's really a low way of doing things. Kind of like throwing in the towel, and giving up script wise. Rather than fighting the good fight.

05-15-2021, 10:51 AM	#5
GentlemanJim Concerns, Support, & Feedback Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 26, 2019 Location: The back country Posts: 5,443	It would be interesting to make a thorough and sifting search of how many sitcoms employed some variant of "too much detergent in the washing machine" routine, over the years.

05-15-2021, 01:24 PM	#7
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,942	Allergy to the dog, the Gypsies, mate's old flame comes to town, the quirky relative visits, somebody happens to have a twin..................

05-15-2021, 01:39 PM	#8
Cx Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 01, 2020 Posts: 209	Surprise celebrity appearances..........

05-15-2021, 07:05 PM	#9
Scrabjan1 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2013 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,521	Sounds like Ricky and Fred making chicken and rice or Lucy making a large loaf of bread. I guess when the title is Leave it to Beaver, Beaver has to screw up. Glad Wally got his chance to have his naughty moments with help from Eddie.

05-16-2021, 11:45 PM	#10
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,451	Maybe Gilligan's Island had a lot of original ideas / being stranded on an island with diverse characters - I give Sherwood Swartz 5 stars for the premise & casting ! There is a highly-specific, minute-by-minute recipe used to write the vast majority of sitcoms out there. And once you know the formula, it makes it much easier to write them, and much harder to watch them without seeing that formula—the “sitcom code”—everywhere you look. (Was LITB before this recipe ?) The Teaser (Minutes 1-3) The Trouble (Minutes 3-8) The Muddle (Minutes 8-13) The Triumph/Failure (Minutes 13-18) The Kicker (Minutes 19-21) https://www.theatlantic.com/entertai...m-code/384068/ lol we here should write some episodes for LITB / we know the show better than some of the former writers +-

05-17-2021, 05:37 AM	#11
merlinjones Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 30, 2019 Location: los ángeles Posts: 933	One I noticed used repeatedly is Beaver writes an essay (or something) that contains false information or exaggerations to make it more interesting (about Ward's military activity, about Ward's job, about June's background, about his rescue of a boat, etc.).

05-17-2021, 04:50 PM	#14
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,942	All the writers must have had an agreement to not sue each other for plagiarism. I just thought of another oft-used plot--the house-call-making-pediatrician or GP. I grew up in the 50s and 60s and they didn't do that in our small town. Of course on a sitcom it's not having to construct a doctor-office set. On Beaver, they even had a vet who made house calls, for Stanley the monkey.

05-17-2021, 05:03 PM	#15
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,942	Just thought of another multi-use plot (not for LITB though) -- the wife becomes the secretary at the husband's business. I'm surprised we didn't see that one on The Brady Bunch. But it was on Dick Van Dyke, Bob Newhart, Donna Reed. Sherwood tried, but couldn't figure out how to use it on Gilligan's Island!