The Dick Van Dyke Show (TV Series) What's in a Middle Name? (1962) User Reviews

Among the best episodes in an excellent series.

[planktonrules · 10/10 · 19 November 2023]

"What's in a Middle Name?" is a very clever and enjoyable installment of "The Dick Van Dyke Show". When Ritchie learns that his middle name is 'Rosebud', he thinks it's a terrible thing...as would most kids. But Rob explains, via a long flashback, how the name was created and it all has to do with some VERY pushy relatives that insisted they knew the perfect name for the baby Rob and Laura were going to be having.

The best thing about this one is that it's unusual and difficult to predict. There certainly are a lot of surprises and it's one of the cleverest episodes I've seen...and one that it timeless. Well worth seeing.

Lame episode

[ronnybee2112 · 3/10 · 8 July 2022]

I usually like this show. About 8 out of 10 of the episodes are good to very good. About 2 out of 10 episodes are not-so-good or maybe even bad. This episode is bad. Quite bad in fact. The writing is weak. Why would any parents give any child a ridiculous,silly name that pretty-much begs for ridicule? (Yes,people do it all the time,but until now I put the Petries above nonsense like this...silly me.) There is nothing even remotely humorous about any of this episode but according to the laugh-track the whole episode is hilarious. This 'laugh-track about nothing funny' makes the whole story reek of desperation. Episodes like this make the Petries look like dorks.