Reasons For Why LITB Ended? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

11-09-2001, 02:30 PM

Was there a contractual agreement that the series would only do 6 seasons, or did the actors really just want it to stop because they had run out of storylines or what? Also, was any reunion planned or ever shown during the post 1963 series end. (All I know about is the stuff in the 80's Still The Beaver and the New Leave it to Beaver) Do you think "Family Scrapbook" was a good ending episode or did you expect something more?

Jack

lukes42 · 11-09-2001, 07:51 PM

As stated in Jerry Mather's Autobiography, "And Jerry Mathers, as the Beaver," the reason why the show was cancelled after six seasons was that Wally and Beaver just simply were too old. Quoting, "...time had simply run out for Wally and Beaver. They were growing up." So, basically, they were just too old to continue on doing another season. Just how would they have managed the storyline with Wally at college, and Beaver in high school? I think the producers of the show knew that the sixth season was the last because of the final episode.

And regarding the final episode, I have not yet seen it, so I can't tell you my impressions of it, and whether it was a fitting end or not, but that episode will be coming up next week, so I'll tell you then.

And regarding the reunion, the 1983 tv movie "Still the Beaver" was the only planned reunion, that is, until the four-year tv show that was on Disney for one season, and on TBS for the three remaining seasons. Since then, that basically has been the only reunion.

DarleneIllyria · 11-09-2001, 08:05 PM

I love this series, but I think it ended at the right time. I don't see how it could've lasted with Wally, Eddie, and Lumpy going to college. I just couldn't picture Beaver in high school either. So I'm glad they didn't milk it to death and the people on the show knew when to end it! jmo

------------------
Hottest Men alive:
Dale Midkiff
Anthony Starke
Tim McGraw
Jonathan Crombie

Lumpy: Did you go out for anything, Dud?

Dudley: Well, I went out for football, but I got my finger stepped on, so my mother made me quit.

Eddie: Well listen-- I went out for basketball and I got my hair pulled, and my mother made ME quit.

Dudley: It's not that I was afraid of getting hurt or anything; it's just that-- well, it's kind o' hard to play the flute with a busted finger.

[Eddie and Lumpy suppress laughter]

Dale Midkiff is my man!

Class of 2002!

TVLanFan · 11-11-2001, 12:31 AM

The final "scrapbook" episode was a nice episode...no giant fanfares, no parade for Wally 'cause he's going off to college...it was just a nice show where the family sat around and reminisced...nowadays, shows do that in the middle of a season when they run out of ideas...I remember "Family Ties" having a couple of "flashback" episodes during the run of the series, when the writers were either on strike or ran out of ideas...

I don't think that shows made a big deal out of "finale" episodes back in those days...but I agree that the writers probably knew that the show had reached the end of the line after the 6th season. It's always a surprise for me when I find out which episodes were the finales of some of the old 60 shows...in those days, we never knew we were watching the last episode of a series...we just would find out the next fall that the show wasn't on anymore...ah, the innocence of our youth...but back then, there was really no difference between the finales and any other episodes. Does anyone out there recall watching the final episode of LITB when it actually aired in 1963 (I would have been 3 myself at the time)? If so, did you know at the time that it was the last episode of the series? Let us know...thanks!!!

11-09-2001, 02:30 PM	#1
Jack 1000 Guest Posts: n/a	Reasons For Why LITB Ended? Was there a contractual agreement that the series would only do 6 seasons, or did the actors really just want it to stop because they had run out of storylines or what? Also, was any reunion planned or ever shown during the post 1963 series end. (All I know about is the stuff in the 80's Still The Beaver and the New Leave it to Beaver) Do you think "Family Scrapbook" was a good ending episode or did you expect something more? Jack
Jack 1000 Guest Posts: n/a

11-09-2001, 07:51 PM	#2
lukes42 I've got nothing... Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 31, 2001 Location: Marquette, MI Posts: 416	As stated in Jerry Mather's Autobiography, "And Jerry Mathers, as the Beaver," the reason why the show was cancelled after six seasons was that Wally and Beaver just simply were too old. Quoting, "...time had simply run out for Wally and Beaver. They were growing up." So, basically, they were just too old to continue on doing another season. Just how would they have managed the storyline with Wally at college, and Beaver in high school? I think the producers of the show knew that the sixth season was the last because of the final episode. And regarding the final episode, I have not yet seen it, so I can't tell you my impressions of it, and whether it was a fitting end or not, but that episode will be coming up next week, so I'll tell you then. And regarding the reunion, the 1983 tv movie "Still the Beaver" was the only planned reunion, that is, until the four-year tv show that was on Disney for one season, and on TBS for the three remaining seasons. Since then, that basically has been the only reunion.

11-09-2001, 08:05 PM	#3
DarleneIllyria Gone Forum Star Join Date: Oct 15, 2000 Posts: 19,086	I love this series, but I think it ended at the right time. I don't see how it could've lasted with Wally, Eddie, and Lumpy going to college. I just couldn't picture Beaver in high school either. So I'm glad they didn't milk it to death and the people on the show knew when to end it! jmo ------------------ Hottest Men alive: Dale Midkiff Anthony Starke Tim McGraw Jonathan Crombie Lumpy: Did you go out for anything, Dud? Dudley: Well, I went out for football, but I got my finger stepped on, so my mother made me quit. Eddie: Well listen-- I went out for basketball and I got my hair pulled, and my mother made ME quit. Dudley: It's not that I was afraid of getting hurt or anything; it's just that-- well, it's kind o' hard to play the flute with a busted finger. [Eddie and Lumpy suppress laughter] Dale Midkiff is my man! Class of 2002!

11-11-2001, 12:31 AM	#4
TVLanFan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 31, 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 199	The final "scrapbook" episode was a nice episode...no giant fanfares, no parade for Wally 'cause he's going off to college...it was just a nice show where the family sat around and reminisced...nowadays, shows do that in the middle of a season when they run out of ideas...I remember "Family Ties" having a couple of "flashback" episodes during the run of the series, when the writers were either on strike or ran out of ideas... I don't think that shows made a big deal out of "finale" episodes back in those days...but I agree that the writers probably knew that the show had reached the end of the line after the 6th season. It's always a surprise for me when I find out which episodes were the finales of some of the old 60 shows...in those days, we never knew we were watching the last episode of a series...we just would find out the next fall that the show wasn't on anymore...ah, the innocence of our youth...but back then, there was really no difference between the finales and any other episodes. Does anyone out there recall watching the final episode of LITB when it actually aired in 1963 (I would have been 3 myself at the time)? If so, did you know at the time that it was the last episode of the series? Let us know...thanks!!!