A somewhat disturbing episode, because the show is set up to appear that Wally is to blame, when the real culprit is the mother. Foisting her child upon Wally, without his consent, for something that is hardly an emergency. Yes, even when Wally then allowed Beaver to take the child was not good judgment, this does not excuse the mother at all. And the child's insolent behavior is clearly on her as well. At one point, the mother says that it is all her fault, but this episode doesn't emphasize this point enough.
9 Reviews
It's too bad birth control wasn't more reliable back in the 50s...
AlsExGal26 May 2024
... and that motherhood was pretty much foisted on all women whether they were suited for it or not, as this episode illustrates.
Ward and June are going out on a Saturday, leaving Wally and Beaver at home. They are plenty old enough to take care of themselves at this point. Then along comes Mrs. Murdock from across the street. She has to pick her husband up at the airport and practically flings her small son Chucky at Wally, gives him some money, and tells Wally to buy Chucky some shoes. Wally and Beaver never consented to anything, and yet here they are saddled with this kid.
Along comes Eddie Haskell who wants Wally to come ice skating with him and two other girls. Beaver volunteers to run the errand in Wally's place, and he does a good job, but things run amok when Beaver turns his head for one second at the store and Chuckie hides because Chuckie is a brat who wants what he wants when he wants it. What Chuckie wants at this instance in time is to wander and explore the department store alone. This kid is on his way to becoming Eddie Haskell at best and Norman Bates of Psycho at worst.
Everybody blows up at Wally for giving the Beaver this task, but Beaver didn't make any mistake that Wally wouldn't have made. The fault lies with the mother for being such an emotional mess, for making Chuckie the nightmare that he is at this point, and presuming it's somebody else's problem to buy her child clothes. It's rather insinuated that Mrs. Murdock is a mess of a parent, but still the show puts too much blame on Wally and by extension, Beaver.
At the end, Beaver asks a question that I'm surprised no adult would answer - "Does a lion, roaming in the jungle, have a conscience?" Of course he doesn't. Only humans have a conscience. It's what separates us from the animals who act purely on instinct. Why wouldn't the writers just let this be said?
Ward and June are going out on a Saturday, leaving Wally and Beaver at home. They are plenty old enough to take care of themselves at this point. Then along comes Mrs. Murdock from across the street. She has to pick her husband up at the airport and practically flings her small son Chucky at Wally, gives him some money, and tells Wally to buy Chucky some shoes. Wally and Beaver never consented to anything, and yet here they are saddled with this kid.
Along comes Eddie Haskell who wants Wally to come ice skating with him and two other girls. Beaver volunteers to run the errand in Wally's place, and he does a good job, but things run amok when Beaver turns his head for one second at the store and Chuckie hides because Chuckie is a brat who wants what he wants when he wants it. What Chuckie wants at this instance in time is to wander and explore the department store alone. This kid is on his way to becoming Eddie Haskell at best and Norman Bates of Psycho at worst.
Everybody blows up at Wally for giving the Beaver this task, but Beaver didn't make any mistake that Wally wouldn't have made. The fault lies with the mother for being such an emotional mess, for making Chuckie the nightmare that he is at this point, and presuming it's somebody else's problem to buy her child clothes. It's rather insinuated that Mrs. Murdock is a mess of a parent, but still the show puts too much blame on Wally and by extension, Beaver.
At the end, Beaver asks a question that I'm surprised no adult would answer - "Does a lion, roaming in the jungle, have a conscience?" Of course he doesn't. Only humans have a conscience. It's what separates us from the animals who act purely on instinct. Why wouldn't the writers just let this be said?
Great episode with attitude!
johnbmoore-1722 July 2022
Do lion's have a conscience?
pensman30 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
One thing for sure, Mrs. Murdock is one pushy neighbor. And no mother would have a neighbor's teen-age son buy her kid shoes. One thing for sure back then, mothers picked out the shoes and decided if they would fit.
And Wally would also know, this was not an assignment he should push off onto Beaver's shoulders. When in the history of this series, did Eddie Haskill ever offer Wally a good idea? This would be a lose-lose for everyone involved.
So Beaver loses the kid and Wally is too nonchalant for his own good. Eventually Wally is going to have to confess and there is no way Ward is going to be happy with Wally evading responsibility. A pretty silly episode with Beaver too old to be a kid, and too young to be completely responsible.
And Wally would also know, this was not an assignment he should push off onto Beaver's shoulders. When in the history of this series, did Eddie Haskill ever offer Wally a good idea? This would be a lose-lose for everyone involved.
So Beaver loses the kid and Wally is too nonchalant for his own good. Eventually Wally is going to have to confess and there is no way Ward is going to be happy with Wally evading responsibility. A pretty silly episode with Beaver too old to be a kid, and too young to be completely responsible.
Chuckie, The Ultimate Brat
StrictlyConfidential27 November 2020
(*Beaver quote*) - "I'm a monster at school. I know how to push little kids around."
Next door neighbor, Mrs. Murdoch brings her 7-year-old son, Chuckie over to the Cleavers' place and asks Beaver to take him downtown to buy him a new pair of shoes.
Beaver thinks that the job will be a breeze until he finds out what a difficult brat Chuckie can be.
Chuckie deliberately gets himself lost in the big department store and Beaver is at his wits end trying to find him and stay out of trouble.
Next door neighbor, Mrs. Murdoch brings her 7-year-old son, Chuckie over to the Cleavers' place and asks Beaver to take him downtown to buy him a new pair of shoes.
Beaver thinks that the job will be a breeze until he finds out what a difficult brat Chuckie can be.
Chuckie deliberately gets himself lost in the big department store and Beaver is at his wits end trying to find him and stay out of trouble.
Annoying Chuckie
vitoscotti31 May 2021
Bizarre episode. Mother oddly tells Cleaver kids Chuckie needs new shoes. Dumpd the problem off on Wally & Beaver. Then, Chuckie is the most annoying kid on earth. Big hole losing Larry Mondelo (Rusty Stevens). Writers at times struggling without him.
Chuckie is a Nut
mb44425 March 2022
The neighbor has some nerve dropping this kid off onto June.
Then June allows Wally to take on the task.
Then, at Haskell's guidance, Wally hands it off to Beaver, Beaver did his best, but he can't win.
This Chuckie kid is a total nut & hopeless without some kind of remedial oversight.
Then June allows Wally to take on the task.
Then, at Haskell's guidance, Wally hands it off to Beaver, Beaver did his best, but he can't win.
This Chuckie kid is a total nut & hopeless without some kind of remedial oversight.
Writers Were Out To Lunch
janet-conant1 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The only redeeming moment of this episode is when Ward tells Beaver to stay there and don't move and they'll be down to get him. Then we hear Ward say "Of course you can sit down." Later after Ward and June both are hostile to Eddie they apologize the next day and Eddie in his perfect polite facade manages to stick it to them as only Eddie can. You end the episode thinking that was great. Nope!!
This has to be the worst episode but there were many sub-par episodes in season 4. How a neighbor lady can just drop in looking for Mrs. Cleaver to take her brat downtown to get shoes and then when only Wally and Beaver are home, stick Wally with the chore. Why? So she can drive her husband to the airport and he needs shoes for Monday. Completely idiotic!
That's only the beginning after Wally passes the chore to Beaver, totally out of character, the bratty Chuckie is nothing but trouble. Beaver buys the kid two pairs, not one, and then Chuckie is missing. Beaver can't find the brat but a store clerk seeing Chuckie in sporting goods believes some kid 'losted' him and decides he can take him home. What? Isn't Mrs. M at the major airport and not home? That Mr. Swanson looked like a perv even though it didn't become the norm until the 70's. All of a sudden Mrs. M shows up with the brat at the Cleavers and cries because Beaver is missing. Huh? How did she get home so soon? Now everyone dumps on Wally and Mrs. M glares at him for shirking his responsibilities!
All in all a badly written episode that maybe with the right tweaking could have been more acceptable.
This has to be the worst episode but there were many sub-par episodes in season 4. How a neighbor lady can just drop in looking for Mrs. Cleaver to take her brat downtown to get shoes and then when only Wally and Beaver are home, stick Wally with the chore. Why? So she can drive her husband to the airport and he needs shoes for Monday. Completely idiotic!
That's only the beginning after Wally passes the chore to Beaver, totally out of character, the bratty Chuckie is nothing but trouble. Beaver buys the kid two pairs, not one, and then Chuckie is missing. Beaver can't find the brat but a store clerk seeing Chuckie in sporting goods believes some kid 'losted' him and decides he can take him home. What? Isn't Mrs. M at the major airport and not home? That Mr. Swanson looked like a perv even though it didn't become the norm until the 70's. All of a sudden Mrs. M shows up with the brat at the Cleavers and cries because Beaver is missing. Huh? How did she get home so soon? Now everyone dumps on Wally and Mrs. M glares at him for shirking his responsibilities!
All in all a badly written episode that maybe with the right tweaking could have been more acceptable.
Random man takes Chucky home!?
jovstar-0616915 April 2021
What bothered me the most was how some man recognize Chucky was able text take him home.
I guess we're supposed to assume the guy was not some pervert. Wally was old enough to say no to Eddie, and how Wally did not get punished.
I guess we're supposed to assume the guy was not some pervert. Wally was old enough to say no to Eddie, and how Wally did not get punished.
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