Jerry Annoying as Adolescent? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Jack1000 · 12-15-2003, 12:16 AM

Guys,

Many comments on this board have elluded to Jerry Mathers being annoying as a teenager. I don't know enough about Jerry's personal life at that time. However, in looking at the last two seasons of LITB, the only personality change is the stuff that I see of real teans. In fact, I like the older Jerry BETTER than the younger Jerry because his charactor was more developed. You know the cuteness and "Hi Wally!" can only go so far.

The producers sometimes had Beaver doing things at 14-15, where a teen would be too old to be doing them. "Beaver the Bunny" could have been hilarious in Season 1 or 2, but not for a middle school 7th grader, who Beaver was portraying at the time.

The closest we get to serious adolecent rebellion is "The Silent Treatment" Now in today's world, Beaver's comments to June would be considered nothing. Yet, the writers I think were trying for the "James Dean" image for Jerry. They failed miserably, not because of bad writing. After all the moral is that mothers are always needed for strong support and nurturing and Beaver does apoligize to June at the end. The problem was that this is the only episode where Beaver shows any non-compliance to authority that goes over the top. Jerry is made to be an Eddie Haskell in this episode which he obviously isn't.

Teenage Jerry was cool and fun! He wasn't cute anymore, which many supporters of the earlier seasons have suggested. But he always had a great chemestry to act and react to the situations around him. I would suggest that he was very mature for his age!

Jack

Bugiddle · 12-15-2003, 05:57 AM

Yes, you make some good points, Jack. I liked Beaver as both a little sqirt and a teenager, even if he was a clean-cut kid and wasn't really rebellious like normal teen boys (and girls) are at that age! It wouldn't have worked for him to act like a snot to his parents, or done anything seriously wrong or dangerous.

That episode with Beaver in the bunny suit was just silly. No kid that age in his right mind (then or now) would be caught dead playing a bunny rabbit in a school pageant at age 12!

And what are 7th graders doing in a pageant like they are 1st graders, anyway??? The episode was pretty stupid.

One episode I liked when the Beav was 12, though, was the one where he babysits a 10 year old girl who has a crush on him and talks him into playing house with her, and then follows him around at school the next day while he tries to get rid of her! That was a pretty funny episode.

Mijada · 12-15-2003, 11:18 AM

I liked Beaver when he was older too. I didn't think he was annoying. In fact, some of my favorite episodes are from the last season. For some reason Richard was the one who irritated me.

hawaii five-o · 12-15-2003, 02:41 PM

Beav was just going through an awkward stage. Happens to the best of us. That time of life is hard because you're going through so many changes. Imagine this happening weekly on national TV.

Mrs. Ducky · 12-15-2003, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack1000
Guys,

Many comments on this board have elluded to Jerry Mathers being annoying as a teenager. I don't know enough about Jerry's personal life at that time. However, in looking at the last two seasons of LITB, the only personality change is the stuff that I see of real teans. In fact, I like the older Jerry BETTER than the younger Jerry because his charactor was more developed. You know the cuteness and "Hi Wally!" can only go so far.

The producers sometimes had Beaver doing things at 14-15, where a teen would be too old to be doing them. "Beaver the Bunny" could have been hilarious in Season 1 or 2, but not for a middle school 7th grader, who Beaver was portraying at the time.

The closest we get to serious adolecent rebellion is "The Silent Treatment" Now in today's world, Beaver's comments to June would be considered nothing. Yet, the writers I think were trying for the "James Dean" image for Jerry. They failed miserably, not because of bad writing. After all the moral is that mothers are always needed for strong support and nurturing and Beaver does apoligize to June at the end. The problem was that this is the only episode where Beaver shows any non-compliance to authority that goes over the top. Jerry is made to be an Eddie Haskell in this episode which he obviously isn't.

Teenage Jerry was cool and fun! He wasn't cute anymore, which many supporters of the earlier seasons have suggested. But he always had a great chemestry to act and react to the situations around him. I would suggest that he was very mature for his age!

Jack

I agree completley!

Jack1000 · 12-15-2003, 06:12 PM

Quote:

For some reason Richard was the one who irritated me.

Oh yea! I CAN"T STAND RICHARD and I don't know why!

His name was Richard Correll in real life and as many of you know, he and Jerry formed a band in 1962, "Beaver & The Trappers." (Richard played drums) They are still good friends to this day.

Richard Correll became a TV director for Miller-Boyet productions, and directed some episodes of The Hogan Family and Step By Step.

But, on the show. I never, ever liked his character.

Jack

GidgetCleaver · 12-16-2003, 11:16 PM

More recently Rich Correll has directed episodes of the Amanda Show and one or more of those other shows. I can't remember if it was Kenan and Kel or All That.........but anyway his character really annoyed me too! I'm not sure what it was. I didn't think he was funny or cute or anything except annoying! Gilbert gets on my nerves sometimes too, but not as much as Richard.

12-15-2003, 12:16 AM	#1
Jack1000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 05, 2001 Posts: 2,055	Jerry Annoying as Adolescent? Guys, Many comments on this board have elluded to Jerry Mathers being annoying as a teenager. I don't know enough about Jerry's personal life at that time. However, in looking at the last two seasons of LITB, the only personality change is the stuff that I see of real teans. In fact, I like the older Jerry BETTER than the younger Jerry because his charactor was more developed. You know the cuteness and "Hi Wally!" can only go so far. The producers sometimes had Beaver doing things at 14-15, where a teen would be too old to be doing them. "Beaver the Bunny" could have been hilarious in Season 1 or 2, but not for a middle school 7th grader, who Beaver was portraying at the time. The closest we get to serious adolecent rebellion is "The Silent Treatment" Now in today's world, Beaver's comments to June would be considered nothing. Yet, the writers I think were trying for the "James Dean" image for Jerry. They failed miserably, not because of bad writing. After all the moral is that mothers are always needed for strong support and nurturing and Beaver does apoligize to June at the end. The problem was that this is the only episode where Beaver shows any non-compliance to authority that goes over the top. Jerry is made to be an Eddie Haskell in this episode which he obviously isn't. Teenage Jerry was cool and fun! He wasn't cute anymore, which many supporters of the earlier seasons have suggested. But he always had a great chemestry to act and react to the situations around him. I would suggest that he was very mature for his age! Jack

12-15-2003, 05:57 AM	#2
Bugiddle Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 19, 2003 Posts: 229	Yes, you make some good points, Jack. I liked Beaver as both a little sqirt and a teenager, even if he was a clean-cut kid and wasn't really rebellious like normal teen boys (and girls) are at that age! It wouldn't have worked for him to act like a snot to his parents, or done anything seriously wrong or dangerous. That episode with Beaver in the bunny suit was just silly. No kid that age in his right mind (then or now) would be caught dead playing a bunny rabbit in a school pageant at age 12! And what are 7th graders doing in a pageant like they are 1st graders, anyway??? The episode was pretty stupid. One episode I liked when the Beav was 12, though, was the one where he babysits a 10 year old girl who has a crush on him and talks him into playing house with her, and then follows him around at school the next day while he tries to get rid of her! That was a pretty funny episode.

12-15-2003, 11:18 AM	#3
Mijada Spencers mom Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 02, 2001 Location: eastern US Posts: 4,093	I liked Beaver when he was older too. I didn't think he was annoying. In fact, some of my favorite episodes are from the last season. For some reason Richard was the one who irritated me.

12-15-2003, 02:41 PM	#4
hawaii five-o Book 'Em, Dano Senior Member Join Date: Jun 27, 2003 Location: At home, eating cereal straight out of the box Posts: 1,406	Beav was just going through an awkward stage. Happens to the best of us. That time of life is hard because you're going through so many changes. Imagine this happening weekly on national TV.

12-16-2003, 11:16 PM	#7
GidgetCleaver Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 07, 2002 Posts: 85	More recently Rich Correll has directed episodes of the Amanda Show and one or more of those other shows. I can't remember if it was Kenan and Kel or All That.........but anyway his character really annoyed me too! I'm not sure what it was. I didn't think he was funny or cute or anything except annoying! Gilbert gets on my nerves sometimes too, but not as much as Richard.