Scenes That Didn't Work - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Jack1000 · 12-15-2003, 12:33 AM

Guys,

What scenes from LITB, don't work for you, either because a joke fell flat, the writing was poor, or a situation between the actors just didn't work. We can talk about lines from episodes, whole episodes, just anything where the finished product, ranging from an episode to a whole series makes you wonder? "What were they thinking."

"The Clothing Drive", one of the worst episodes of the series sparred only by the apperence of Tim Mathison, who plays Mike has that aweful opening scene with Jerry, Tim, and one of the most God-aweful ungliest looking kids kicking a can or something, and walking around in circles. It's a waste! Everything in the scene leads to nothing, just like the whole episode!

In "June's Birthday" the kids sing "Old Macdonald Had a Farm." Beaver's in 4th grade at this time and is about 2-3 grades above "Old Macdonald Had A Farm." The producers could have picked a better song!

"Beaver Takes A Drive" is directed by Charles Haas, who gave us the same aweful "Clothing Drive" episode! The scene with Gilbert and Beaver in the car pretending to be parents yelling at kids is another scene that doesn't work. Well, I am sure the writers had something to do with this as well, Beaver and Gilbert are too old in this situation to be playing in the car. What should have been done, since it is established that Wally doesn't have his liecence yet, is have Wally working on something wrong with the car with Eddie or Lumpy and the car rolls out into the street. The scene could have worked just as well that way. Besides, Wally got the ticket for moving the car back into the driveway in the first place!

What others can you think of?

Jack

Bugiddle · 12-15-2003, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack1000
"Beaver Takes A Drive" is directed by Charles Haas, who gave us the same aweful "Clothing Drive" episode! The scene with Gilbert and Beaver in the car pretending to be parents yelling at kids is another scene that doesn't work. Well, I am sure the writers had something to do with this as well, Beaver and Gilbert are too old in this situation to be playing in the car.

Now just a minute, Jack

Maybe Beav and Gilbert were too old to be playing in the car; however, I thought this scene was hilarious! I thought Gilbert did an especially good job of acting like a mom who is yelling at her kids (using that high-pitched voice)!

Actually, its one of my favorite scenes from the later seasons.

I'll get back to you on scenes that didn't work. I can't think anymore - it's 2:00 a.m. here and I need to go to bed!

evermore · 12-15-2003, 07:21 AM

The worst writing was BEAVER THE BABYSITTER. The Cleavers assumed that Beaver was going to babysit for Chucky. How does a family live down the street from you and nobody can remember that there is a daughter living in the house including Wally who had sat for her before. It would have made more sense, if the Murdocks told Beaver that Patty was their niece visiting from out of town, and not their daughter. Plus, Patty had been seen in previous episodes mostly as an identiflied character and once as Sally Ann who was accompanied by her older sister who Lumpy was trying to impressed in the Fish Count. This episode had more holes in it than swiss cheese.

Mijada · 12-15-2003, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bugiddle
Now just a minute, Jack Maybe Beav and Gilbert were too old to be playing in the car; however, I thought this scene was hilarious! I thought Gilbert did an especially good job of acting like a mom who is yelling at her kids (using that high-pitched voice)! Actually, its one of my favorite scenes from the later seasons.

I agree. This is one of my favorite scenes as well. I love the part where Gilbert pretends to smack his kid in the back seat.

Mijada · 12-15-2003, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by evermore
The worst writing was BEAVER THE BABYSITTER. The Cleavers assumed that Beaver was going to babysit for Chucky. How does a family live down the street from you and nobody can remember that there is a daughter living in the house including Wally who had sat for her before. It would have made more sense, if the Murdocks told Beaver that Patty was their niece visiting from out of town, and not their daughter. Plus, Patty had been seen in previous episodes mostly as an identiflied character and once as Sally Ann who was accompanied by her older sister who Lumpy was trying to impressed in the Fish Count. This episode had more holes in it than swiss cheese.

What I never understood was a couple eps earlier Ward and June got a babysitter for Beaver because they felt he was too young to stay alone after dark and in the babysitter ep Beaver is still 12 years old but they let him babysit for someone else.

Mrs. Ducky · 12-15-2003, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jack1000

In "June's Birthday" the kids sing "Old Macdonald Had a Farm." Beaver's in 4th grade at this time and is about 2-3 grades above "Old Macdonald Had A Farm." The producers could have picked a better song!

Jack

Exactly! I mean, when I was in 5th grade we had a Elementary School chorus and we sang The Star Spangled Banner!

Mrs. Ducky · 12-15-2003, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mijada
I agree. This is one of my favorite scenes as well. I love the part where Gilbert pretends to smack his kid in the back seat.

I like it when Gilbert says "Jimmy! That wasn't very nice! Rolling up the window while Linda's head was out!"

junecleaver · 12-15-2003, 08:20 PM

in the epi "child care" i didn't like that Puddin' girl! she was 4 years old, and was still being held by her mom and dad, the way they tossed her around made it look as though she couldn't walk! then they stick her in a playpen, and when they give her toys, she throws them at beaver and wally! she also had a small vocabulary. and i heard beaver and wally say they were babysitting a baby..go figure! was the kid slow or something?!

Bugiddle · 12-15-2003, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by junecleaver
in the epi "child care" i didn't like that Puddin' girl! she was 4 years old, and was still being held by her mom and dad, the way they tossed her around made it look as though she couldn't walk! then they stick her in a playpen, and when they give her toys, she throws them at beaver and wally! she also had a small vocabulary. and i heard beaver and wally say they were babysitting a baby..go figure! was the kid slow or something?!

Yes, this is one of the episodes I was going to mention as not "working". It was ridiculous for Puddin' to still be in a playpen at age 4! They should have just had the boys babysit a one or two year old instead and have the kid make a huge mess in the kitchen or something, while they are trying to feed him or her. That would have been a little more believable.

Another episode that didn't work for me was the one with "Dudley", June's friend's nerdy son with the overcoat who Wally is supposed to befriend and introduce to the guys. How could June think it was normal for the kid to be dressed like that? She acted like she thought he was a little gentleman or something! The part at the end, though, where Dudley "saves" the party by entertaining the gang with his piano medley and impressing them was good come-uppance for Eddie, who had been really rude to the kid.

Also, any scene in which June whines to Ward about what they are going to do about one or both of the boys who have gotten themselves into some kind of mess, did not work for me. I have always thought of June as one of the more intelligent and independent sitcom moms (despite the fact that she never seemed to leave the house, and she did the vacuuming in pearls and high heels!). I liked the scene from one of the first seasons where the boys get into a big fight and June breaks it up and really lets them have it! She was a great disciplinarian when the writers let her be!

BeavLover · 12-16-2003, 06:46 PM

How about the episode where Beaver reads the "manly" book, "Ivanhoe."
He tries to be chivalrish, and protect women. At the bus stop he beats up a boy that was acting rough with a girl. Well, the girl ends up being Penny in later episodes who is in Beaver's class. Doesn't it look weird now that Beaver wouldn't even know a student from his own class, or even from his school? What were there about 20 kids in his class, if that much?
Penny even tells the bus driver that "....this kid came up and started fighting with my brother." If she knew Beaver, she would of said something like, "Beaver, leave my brother alone, you big dumb ape!"

stevea · 07-13-2022, 03:11 PM

I agree, the Puddin' episode was awful.

Funny how we all disagree. I think the scene with Gilbert and beaver playing car driving (which turned real) was really funny.

To each their own! This is an interesting 19 yer old post.

12-15-2003, 12:33 AM	#1
Jack1000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 05, 2001 Posts: 2,055	Scenes That Didn't Work Guys, What scenes from LITB, don't work for you, either because a joke fell flat, the writing was poor, or a situation between the actors just didn't work. We can talk about lines from episodes, whole episodes, just anything where the finished product, ranging from an episode to a whole series makes you wonder? "What were they thinking." "The Clothing Drive", one of the worst episodes of the series sparred only by the apperence of Tim Mathison, who plays Mike has that aweful opening scene with Jerry, Tim, and one of the most God-aweful ungliest looking kids kicking a can or something, and walking around in circles. It's a waste! Everything in the scene leads to nothing, just like the whole episode! In "June's Birthday" the kids sing "Old Macdonald Had a Farm." Beaver's in 4th grade at this time and is about 2-3 grades above "Old Macdonald Had A Farm." The producers could have picked a better song! "Beaver Takes A Drive" is directed by Charles Haas, who gave us the same aweful "Clothing Drive" episode! The scene with Gilbert and Beaver in the car pretending to be parents yelling at kids is another scene that doesn't work. Well, I am sure the writers had something to do with this as well, Beaver and Gilbert are too old in this situation to be playing in the car. What should have been done, since it is established that Wally doesn't have his liecence yet, is have Wally working on something wrong with the car with Eddie or Lumpy and the car rolls out into the street. The scene could have worked just as well that way. Besides, Wally got the ticket for moving the car back into the driveway in the first place! What others can you think of? Jack

12-16-2003, 06:46 PM	#10
BeavLover Again and Again Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 04, 2001 Location: St. Louis, MO, USA Posts: 88	Re: Scenes That Didn't Work How about the episode where Beaver reads the "manly" book, "Ivanhoe." He tries to be chivalrish, and protect women. At the bus stop he beats up a boy that was acting rough with a girl. Well, the girl ends up being Penny in later episodes who is in Beaver's class. Doesn't it look weird now that Beaver wouldn't even know a student from his own class, or even from his school? What were there about 20 kids in his class, if that much? Penny even tells the bus driver that "....this kid came up and started fighting with my brother." If she knew Beaver, she would of said something like, "Beaver, leave my brother alone, you big dumb ape!"

12-15-2003, 07:21 AM	#3
evermore Member Forum Regular Join Date: Aug 16, 2003 Location: New York City Posts: 906	The worst writing was BEAVER THE BABYSITTER. The Cleavers assumed that Beaver was going to babysit for Chucky. How does a family live down the street from you and nobody can remember that there is a daughter living in the house including Wally who had sat for her before. It would have made more sense, if the Murdocks told Beaver that Patty was their niece visiting from out of town, and not their daughter. Plus, Patty had been seen in previous episodes mostly as an identiflied character and once as Sally Ann who was accompanied by her older sister who Lumpy was trying to impressed in the Fish Count. This episode had more holes in it than swiss cheese.

12-15-2003, 08:20 PM	#8
junecleaver Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 28, 2003 Location: i'm a southerner! :D Posts: 1,298	in the epi "child care" i didn't like that Puddin' girl! she was 4 years old, and was still being held by her mom and dad, the way they tossed her around made it look as though she couldn't walk! then they stick her in a playpen, and when they give her toys, she throws them at beaver and wally! she also had a small vocabulary. and i heard beaver and wally say they were babysitting a baby..go figure! was the kid slow or something?!

07-13-2022, 03:11 PM	#11
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,765	I agree, the Puddin' episode was awful. Funny how we all disagree. I think the scene with Gilbert and beaver playing car driving (which turned real) was really funny. To each their own! This is an interesting 19 yer old post.