"Wally's Big Date" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TheHappyBurgerMeister · 06-15-2003, 01:36 AM

I realized why they call this episode that- it literally means she's BIG. Well, not fat, just tall. I can't believe I didn't figure that out before!

Have anyone else noticed that it's very common for lots of sitcoms to have a theme where the guy meets the girl (or vice versa) everything is hunky dory and then they stand up and she's taller than he is. I can name two other shows that did this- Even Stevens and Saved by the Bell. Are there any other shows?

springtime · 06-15-2003, 01:27 PM

After rewatching that episode, I think Gail was actually standing on a step when she stood up at the Malt Shop and was facing Wally. Later when she met him at the dance she was just about his height. She wasnt' such a giant afterall It was funny when Wally got so mad he had Eddie pinned to wall, Mrs. Cleaver comes into the room and Eddie says Good Evening Mrs. Cleaver, We were just discusssing.......Yeah, Right, whatever you say Eddie.

Just Popped In · 06-15-2003, 03:01 PM

The funny thing is that according to this ep, she was supposedly "4 inches taller" than Wally in actual height. But we know that once she wore her flats and flattened her hair down a bit, she was the same height as Wally.

It's like people had some sort of misconception of one's actual height in those days, because wearing high heels and a high, fluffy hairdo does NOT make a person truly taller.

bandito · 06-15-2003, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TheHappyBurgerMeister
I realized why they call this episode that- it literally means she's BIG. Well, not fat, just tall. I can't believe I didn't figure that out before!

Have anyone else noticed that it's very common for lots of sitcoms to have a theme where the guy meets the girl (or vice versa) everything is hunky dory and then they stand up and she's taller than he is. I can name two other shows that did this- Even Stevens and Saved by the Bell. Are there any other shows?

The only other show I can remember the girl being taller than the guy, was Happy Days when Ritchie went to Potsies masquarade party and ran out of gas on the way home

*InThisMoment* · 06-15-2003, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by springtime
After rewatching that episode, I think Gail was actually standing on a step when she stood up at the Malt Shop and was facing Wally. Later when she met him at the dance she was just about his height. She wasnt' such a giant afterall It was funny when Wally got so mad he had Eddie pinned to wall, Mrs. Cleaver comes into the room and Eddie says Good Evening Mrs. Cleaver, We were just discusssing.......Yeah, Right, whatever you say Eddie.

Ifi was wally i would of hit him!

springtime · 06-15-2003, 07:22 PM

[SIZE=4][COLOR=crimson][FONT=century gothic]Wally almost had the opportunity to slug Eddie, but then June came on. Wally did have Eddie up against the wall with his hand in a fist.

[SIZE=4] Oh well, you should be thankful June walked in when she did, or else Eddie would not be going to the dance on Saturday night with either girl

John Sterren · 06-16-2003, 09:36 AM

There's a classic "Father Knows Best" episode where Bud Anderson is acting too big for his 5'5" britches and the "popular girls" in his high school decide to freeze him out. No "acceptable" girl is allowed to go to the Big Dance with Bud.

Well, there is very pretty sweetheart named Janice(not yet an "acceptable") who's always had a big crush on Bud. When he realizes what's going on, he asks Janice out. At first, she refuses, because she wants to get into the top girl's club. Then, of course, she relents -- and she turns out to be quite a bit taller than Bud.

Putting "Wally's Big Date" side-by-side with the FKB episode says a lot about the difference between the two shows. I know this isn't the forum to say this, and I like LITB very much, but after the Cleaver family moves into the new house, there's just no comparison. "Father Knows Best" is the far superior show. It was able to get its many laughs, while being -- at times -- very moving. LITB had this element at the start, particularly the first season, then threw it away.

BrandonS · 06-17-2003, 08:10 AM

We don't agree....

John Sterren · 06-19-2003, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BrandonS
We don't agree....

Hey, I'm open minded.

Show me something in the last couple years of Beaver where the episode was funny, dramatically true, and emotionally moving.

FKB was also not at its best in the final two years. However, even then there were many episodes that had this sort of richness.

BrandonS · 06-19-2003, 02:18 PM

Most of the episodes in the last couple of years qualify. Ultimately it's subjective. I mean no offense whatsoever, but I'm not into debating the issue, or presenting evidence to support my contention. I've wasted too much time doing that with a wide variety of people. I just don't agree.

B&W fan · 06-19-2003, 05:32 PM

Brandon,

I'm with you on this one. I know John is a huge FBK fan, and frankly so am I. But I also love LITB. And on top of that, I'm one of those guys who actually enjoyed the later seasons as much, if not more, than the early ones.

I think the reason for that is the supporting cast was at it's best in the last few years. I'm speaking especially of Eddie and Lumpy. The episodes surrounding them and Wally were some of the funniest in the entire run, IMHO.

Father Knows Best was very much a "heart & values" show. It wasn't quite as much a comedy as Beaver was (especially in the later years of Beaver). Early on, both shows very much focused on lessons learned, and the importance of moral integrity and family relationships. I think both shows somewhat moved away from that attitude as they progressed, simply because there are only so many ways you can see Beaver or Bud get into trouble and have to be taught a valuable lesson.

But I'd never argue one show against the other, in any season. Both were classics thruout their runs, IMHO.

B&W "now we need to see both released in season sets" fan

tdr · 06-19-2003, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by John Sterren
Show me something in the last couple years of Beaver where the episode was funny, dramatically true, and emotionally moving.

I can think of a couple of examples-- and rather expectedly they have to do with Eddie and Lumpy, as the best parts of the final seasons usually have much to do with how well Ken Osmond and Frank Bank had perfected their supporting roles.

One of these is "Eddie, the Businessman," where Wally and Eddie get weekend jobs loading cartons of ice cream for the Mayfield Dairy. Eddie at first creates the comedy by wearing his 'imported' jacket so as "not to look like a bum around the secretaries." The foreman and his assistant are stealing some cartons and selling them, and they see right away how Eddie can be their patsy, as he will do anything to try to play up to them, including putting cartons into their own vehicles. Finally Eddie is caught putting cartons into the foreman's car, and Wally stands up for Eddie, so he is not blamed and the foreman's little racket is uncovered. At the end, Eddie swallows his pride and admit he was duped because of his own phoniness.

And then, "Lumpy's Scholarship." Clumsy, unpopular Lumpy is finally a 'celebrity' within the senior class by being offered a football scholarship to 'State.' Everyone, even the girls, are congratulating him and trying to get close and friendly-- until at a party Wally is throwing for him he finds out the the scholarship is revoked because of his failing math grade. Lumpy feels so bad he skips school the next day and plans to move to his grandmother's house, rather than let everyone know that in the end he still bombed out Lumpy-style. The worst part may be that Fred R. is again berating him after that brief moment of virtue. But Ward works behind the scenes to get Lumpy a chance to bring his grade up while the scholarship is held open; but he doesn't let Fred know how it came about. Fred, in his unrealistic perception, just thinks that 'State' must have realized what a talent they would be letting get away.

I will agree, though, that you are right that many of the later eps may be 'dramatic" or emtionally 'moving,' but really lack humor. Among these would be "All Night Party" and "Beaver the Hero."

BrandonS · 06-20-2003, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by B&W fan
Brandon,

I'm with you on this one. I know John is a huge FBK fan, and frankly so am I.

Me too. I have loved FKB for decades.

06-15-2003, 01:36 AM	#1
TheHappyBurgerMeister Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 23, 2002 Location: Wisconsin, USA Posts: 2,209	"Wally's Big Date" I realized why they call this episode that- it literally means she's BIG. Well, not fat, just tall. I can't believe I didn't figure that out before! Have anyone else noticed that it's very common for lots of sitcoms to have a theme where the guy meets the girl (or vice versa) everything is hunky dory and then they stand up and she's taller than he is. I can name two other shows that did this- Even Stevens and Saved by the Bell. Are there any other shows?
	__________________ Kristina Thinkin' 'Bout Something Official Music Video Shout it Out- Hanson's 5th studio album in stores June 8th!

06-15-2003, 01:27 PM	#2
springtime Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 11, 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 43	After rewatching that episode, I think Gail was actually standing on a step when she stood up at the Malt Shop and was facing Wally. Later when she met him at the dance she was just about his height. She wasnt' such a giant afterall It was funny when Wally got so mad he had Eddie pinned to wall, Mrs. Cleaver comes into the room and Eddie says Good Evening Mrs. Cleaver, We were just discusssing.......Yeah, Right, whatever you say Eddie.
	__________________ springtime

06-15-2003, 03:01 PM	#3
Just Popped In Lucy & Ricky forever Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 16, 2002 Location: Monterey Peninsula, California Posts: 304	The funny thing is that according to this ep, she was supposedly "4 inches taller" than Wally in actual height. But we know that once she wore her flats and flattened her hair down a bit, she was the same height as Wally. It's like people had some sort of misconception of one's actual height in those days, because wearing high heels and a high, fluffy hairdo does NOT make a person truly taller.
	__________________ Sanity is simply the ability of the mind to adjust to reality. If we can't adjust, we either hide from reality, or we put ourselves above life, where we're super-beings who don't have to follow the rules. ~Sidney Sheldon ("The Naked Face")

06-16-2003, 09:36 AM	#7
John Sterren Banned Banned!! Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 31, 2002 Location: Rose, Arkansas Posts: 61	FKB There's a classic "Father Knows Best" episode where Bud Anderson is acting too big for his 5'5" britches and the "popular girls" in his high school decide to freeze him out. No "acceptable" girl is allowed to go to the Big Dance with Bud. Well, there is very pretty sweetheart named Janice(not yet an "acceptable") who's always had a big crush on Bud. When he realizes what's going on, he asks Janice out. At first, she refuses, because she wants to get into the top girl's club. Then, of course, she relents -- and she turns out to be quite a bit taller than Bud. Putting "Wally's Big Date" side-by-side with the FKB episode says a lot about the difference between the two shows. I know this isn't the forum to say this, and I like LITB very much, but after the Cleaver family moves into the new house, there's just no comparison. "Father Knows Best" is the far superior show. It was able to get its many laughs, while being -- at times -- very moving. LITB had this element at the start, particularly the first season, then threw it away.

06-19-2003, 05:32 PM	#11
B&W fan Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 09, 2002 Location: USA Posts: 589	Brandon, I'm with you on this one. I know John is a huge FBK fan, and frankly so am I. But I also love LITB. And on top of that, I'm one of those guys who actually enjoyed the later seasons as much, if not more, than the early ones. I think the reason for that is the supporting cast was at it's best in the last few years. I'm speaking especially of Eddie and Lumpy. The episodes surrounding them and Wally were some of the funniest in the entire run, IMHO. Father Knows Best was very much a "heart & values" show. It wasn't quite as much a comedy as Beaver was (especially in the later years of Beaver). Early on, both shows very much focused on lessons learned, and the importance of moral integrity and family relationships. I think both shows somewhat moved away from that attitude as they progressed, simply because there are only so many ways you can see Beaver or Bud get into trouble and have to be taught a valuable lesson. But I'd never argue one show against the other, in any season. Both were classics thruout their runs, IMHO. B&W "now we need to see both released in season sets" fan
	__________________ "Do not challenge supernatural, unless armed with sword of truth." Charlie Chan at Treasure Island

06-15-2003, 07:22 PM	#6
springtime Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 11, 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 43	[SIZE=4][COLOR=crimson][FONT=century gothic]Wally almost had the opportunity to slug Eddie, but then June came on. Wally did have Eddie up against the wall with his hand in a fist. [SIZE=4] Oh well, you should be thankful June walked in when she did, or else Eddie would not be going to the dance on Saturday night with either girl

06-17-2003, 08:10 AM	#8
BrandonS Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 18, 2002 Posts: 8,824	We don't agree....

06-19-2003, 02:18 PM	#10
BrandonS Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 18, 2002 Posts: 8,824	Most of the episodes in the last couple of years qualify. Ultimately it's subjective. I mean no offense whatsoever, but I'm not into debating the issue, or presenting evidence to support my contention. I've wasted too much time doing that with a wide variety of people. I just don't agree.