"Crossover" Problem

[pilotguy]

Does anyone else here have the problem that I have when I watch "crossover" episodes where the "Beverly Hillbiliies" and the "Petticoat Junction" casts get together and act like they've all been old friends for years?

I guess my problem is that unlike "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres", "Petticoat" and "Hillbillies" were never intended to be associated with each other...and my REAL problem is that Bea Benaderet played two entirely different characters on each series!

While I think that the crossover business on "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres" was well done and natural, once they tried to bring the "Beverly Hillbillies" series into the "Hooterville" mix, the whole thing became rather forced and phony....

Any thoughts?

[GrandGame1440]

Well, they were not actually intended to concide with each other. But, they all had Paul Henning work with them. It made me feel kind of good to see them all together. Kind of like when "The Golden Girls," "Empty Nest," and "Nurses" all ran together. It seemed as if "TV Land" was a "small world after all."

[jon123]

Originally posted by pilotguy
Does anyone else here have the problem that I have when I watch "crossover" episodes where the "Beverly Hillbiliies" and the "Petticoat Junction" casts get together and act like they've all been old friends for years?

I guess my problem is that unlike "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres", "Petticoat" and "Hillbillies" were never intended to be associated with each other...and my REAL problem is that Bea Benaderet played two entirely different characters on each series!

While I think that the crossover business on "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres" was well done and natural, once they tried to bring the "Beverly Hillbillies" series into the "Hooterville" mix, the whole thing became rather forced and phony....

Any thoughts?

It was addressed on "Hillbillies" that Cousin Pearl and Kate Bradley (both played by Bea) were like "two peas in a pod" and were related in some way although exactly how was not said. Sadly, Bea died right before the first crossover episode where Granny visits Hooterville.

[tdr]

Sadly, Bea died right before the first crossover episode where Granny visits Hooterville.

And that certainly seems more than a coincidence. If I remember right, BB did the voice Kate Bradley for the last times in voice-over narration as Betty Jo was reading a letter from her just before she was due to have the baby, and then as the voice of Grandma Kate standing with her back to the camera in BJ's hospital room, played by a stand-in. In fact, having the baby in itself seems more than a coincidence as Kate is last heard from. So it seems logical there were a lot of contrivances to make a smooth fairwell to 'Kate', knowing she would be gone, never to return.

But the thing about the crossover eps is that, of the Henning trilogy of 'rural comedies, PJ was by far the least surreal (not that it was realistic, of course). They never had any scenes such as a ghost driving off in Mr. Haney's truck as in GA, or Jethro eating a side of beef for lunch, as in BH. This also may be why there was not nearly as much 'sharing' of characters between PJ and GA as when GA was new; it later took surrealism well beyond PJ. Even the common character all through, Sam Drucker, was different in his levels of believability in the 2 shows. So the levels of surrealsim had to be compromised to try to fit BH (or GA) into PJ. It turned out like a "home field advantage" in that the show whose timeslot it was on seemed to get the nod.

Anyway, it is interesting that the least surreal, PJ, was the first to be canceled, a year before Silverman's axe fell on the other 2. But BH's time may have run out prematurely if Buddy Ebsen had died, or GA if Eddie Albert. It should not be underestimated to what extent Bea Benaderet carried PJ. She really couldn't be replaced.

[vze3t9q9]

Gee I wish that show would come my way. It was a corny show but I liked it. It is playing on any network I may have overlooked?

[ficlopri]

And also on Green Acres they sometimes spoke of The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction as if they were both tv shows.

[hawaii five-o]

I always thought the crossovers were pretty cool.

[Tweety]

Originally posted by ficlopri
And also on Green Acres they sometimes spoke of The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction as if they were both tv shows.

Yes, that's true...that always cracked me up...

I believe Arnold the pig used to love watching the Beverly Hillbillies, and of course, the Hooterville Theater Group once put on a production of the Beverly Hillbillies, with Lisa as Granny...

We're currently enjoying the first season of Green Acres on DVD, hopefully Petticoat Junction will be out one of these days.

[jon123]

Originally posted by ficlopri
And also on Green Acres they sometimes spoke of The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction as if they were both tv shows.

Green Acres was an alternate reality altogether. Sometimes the characters (except Oliver) spoke of themselves as if they knew that they were part of a TV show, so they can be excused for mentioning the other Paul Henning hits as TV shows.

[Willbo]

I realize this is an old thread but wanted to reply. I saw the crossover episode the other day where Granny comes to Hooterville to help with the baby. Uncle Joe mentions in the beginning how Kate and Pearl were distant cousins. A fact that I did not know. Now I know why the looked so much alike. I loved both characters and loved the crossover episodes.

[AB]

Originally Posted by Willbo

I realize this is an old thread but wanted to reply. I saw the crossover episode the other day where Granny comes to Hooterville to help with the baby. Uncle Joe mentions in the beginning how Kate and Pearl were distant cousins. A fact that I did not know. Now I know why the looked so much alike. I loved both characters and loved the crossover episodes.

I always enjoyed the crossover episodes too, even though it's been awhile since I've seen any of them. I liked the one where Granny lost her glasses & mistakes the dog for Betty Jo's baby. Also I didn't know Kate & Pearl were distant cousins.

[McGillicuddy]

I think the cross-over with TBH and PJ was not meant to be so wide-spread. With the loss of Bea Benederat, they were using a visiting Aunt and visiting cousin of Kate to help have a maternal character around. Then with Granny traveling to Hooterville to help with Betty's baby, and the connection with Kate Bradley and Pearl Bodine, was a very clever plot. Granny took her turn as the maternal surrogate.

But this should have been a one time storyline. It seemed fae-fetched for Jane Hathaway and Milburn Drysdale to get involved in this episode.

Then later on all 3 shows were crossing over, with forced plots, like Granny and Sam Drucker courtin'.

In the last season of TBH, after PJ got cancelled, suddenly Lori Saunders (Bobbie-Jo) and Mike Minor (Steve Elliott) popped up as different characters, as if no one knew them before in Hooterville.


















But furthur storylines

[treky]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Yes, that's true...that always cracked me up...

I believe Arnold the pig used to love watching the Beverly Hillbillies, and of course, the Hooterville Theater Group once put on a production of the Beverly Hillbillies, with Lisa as Granny...

We're currently enjoying the first season of Green Acres on DVD, hopefully Petticoat Junction will be out one of these days.

and don't forget once on GA Oliver and Lisa went to someones house, and when they walked in the guy turned off the TV, laughed and said "Oh, those Beverly Hillbilies!".

[biffbronson]

Originally Posted by markway895

In the last season of TBH, after PJ got cancelled, suddenly Lori Saunders (Bobbie-Jo) and Mike Minor (Steve Elliott) popped up as different characters, as if no one knew them before in Hooterville.

In fairness though, Mike Minor looked totally different from his PJ appearance. Lori's looks changed subtly -- mainly growing out the long bangs she had in the last season of PJ. Both were costumed quite differently, Mike for all of his '71 TBH eps and Lori primarily at the very end of her TBH appearances.

The thing that really evoked PJ in all of that was when Lori talked directly with Charles Lane (Miss Jane's landlord, formerly Homer Bedlow of PJ). That was something! Mike's character interacted with him much more on TBH in that storyline, but Lori's encounter seemed more weird.

[old grouch]

Originally Posted by treky

and don't forget once on GA Oliver and Lisa went to someones house, and when they walked in the guy turned off the TV, laughed and said "Oh, those Beverly Hillbilies!".

And also there was a 'Green Acres' episode where they put on a play called 'The Beverly Hillbillies' with Lisa playing Granny, Oliver playing Jethro, and Hank Kimball playing Jed. One of my favorite episodes.