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Leave It to Beaver: Farewell to Penny (1962)
School party?
I've seen this episode several times and when I happened to catch it this morning, something interesting occurred to me. Penny's mother's went to the trouble to send invitations in the mail. Penny threw a fit because she sent one to Beaver. Beaver swore he wasn't going. June made a big deal of telling him to be polite and thank Penny's mother for a nice time. The party turned out to be held in the classroom at the end of the day and there was no sign of Penny's mother. It was just as if the party had organized itself. Penny put a few things in a box and her mother was picking her up outside. If the party was held at school, how could Beaver have "not" gone?
I think it was an easy way of getting out of making another set, but it didn't make sense.
The Andy Griffith Show: Opie's Ill-Gotten Gain (1963)
Miss Crump made two mistakes.
Yes, teachers are human and mistakes can be made. However, once she realized her error, she should not have laid it on Opie's shoulder to tell Andy. That was her responsibility. I guess that would have messed up the plot. Poor little Opie.
The scene with Barney trying to remember the preamble to the constitution was very funny. The man had no inhibition whatsoever and would do anything to get a laugh.
Also, it was interesting that when Helen walked into the courthouse, Andy said, "Hi, Miss Crump." They had already established their relationship in previous episodes. Why didn't he call her Helen?
Leave It to Beaver: The Bank Account (1958)
Apparently spending money is a bigger crime than skipping school.
I realize that this was a different time, but I'm confused about something. The boys said they were going to sneak out the girls door. A little while later, Mrs. Rayurn phones their home and says they left school without permission. She explains that they told their teachers that they were going shopping That's not sneaking out, that's playing hooky, and if they didn't have permission why didn't their teachers stop them? Then when Ward and Mrs. Rayburn and are talking, they are more concerned about the money than where the boys are. Later Mrs. Rayburn calls back, she allowed them to withdraw more money and apparently didn't reprimand or punish them for leaving school.
The end of the episode is wonderful and heartwarming, but it teaches the lesson that it's all right the skip school for a good reason?
Everybody Loves Raymond: Robert's Wedding (2003)
A long ride for a fully dressed wedding party.
This is a great episode, but one thing puzzles me. If the wedding venue was 3 hours away from the Barone's home, what would compel them to dress in their formal clothes at home? Especially the children. Who in their right minds would dress up children and expect them to stay fresh during a 3 hour car ride?
The wedding scene was absolutely hilarious. The character of Amy was great with the looks.
I loved how they brought all of the characters in and placed them as guests at the wedding. If you look carefully, you will see Bernie, Linda, Gianni, and Andy and also Robert's partner Judy. They have no lines, but are used as guests at the ceremony and the reception. It added a sense of realness.
Leave It to Beaver: Beaver the Babysitter (1962)
Why didn't Wally tell Beaver about Pat?
The concept of this episode is a good one but some of the details are confusing.
After the arrangements are made for Beaver to babysit, Wally gives Beaver all kinds of advice about handling Chucky, but he never mentions Pat. If Wally had babysat for the Murdocks, before he obviously would have known about the little girl. At the Murdocks home, Pat greets Wally by name and he doesn't appear to be surprised. That doesn't make sense.
Also Beaver says the Murdocks brought him home. In other episodes, they lived nearby or across the street because a very small Chucky wanders into their garage and yard several times.
Sometimes the writers didn't think things through.
Everybody Loves Raymond: Debra's Parents (2004)
Where are the children?
It's a holiday show and there is absolutely no sign of the children. Not at the evening before gathering, and not at breakfast the next morning. Ray and Debra slept in Allie's bed. Where did she sleep? Did they ship the children off for Thanksgiving? All the grandparents were there for the holiday. Interesting how when the children don't fit into the script, they are just written out.
In season 9, Peter Boyle was obviously failing, but he was funny in this episode.
Quote from Frank: "I can't predict these things." Referring to a question about how mean and obnoxious he would be the next day. Pure Frank Barone humor.
Leave It to Beaver: Beaver Takes a Bath (1959)
Ward the whiner
Every time I see the episode, I want to tell Ward to stop whining. In the beginning of the show, when June is explaining that the sitter can't come and that she'll have to stay home. Ward starts whining like a kid. "But we're all packed!" If Wally hadn't interrupted, he would have gone on and on about it until he got his way, just like the boys do.
My favorite part of the episode is when Larry and his mother stop by. Larry is not fooled one bit by their towel story. He gets a suspicious look on his face and then giggles behind his mother's back, while she buys the whole story. I guess Larry ought to recognize trouble when he sees it. He's been in enough of it himself.
Leave It to Beaver: Tenting Tonight (1958)
Didn't lock the boys out? How considerate.
The boys camp out in the back yard on a rainy night. At the end of the episode, Ward explained to June that the spots on the carpet were made by the boys carrying their wet sleeping bags upstairs early that morning. Then they went back out when the rain stopped.
June asked how they got in. Ward explains that he may have "accidentally" left the back door unlocked.
June smiles and says "accidentally?" like Ward was the greatest father ever for leaving the door unlocked.
??? What parents would lock themselves in the house with their children sleeping in the backyard especially on a rainy night? The writers dropped the ball on this one.
The Andy Griffith Show: Ellie for Council (1960)
Andy says to the men that they control the purse strings. Do they really?
This episode makes me wonder how Otis and his wife survive in the world? In a least one episode later, we see Otis's house, and it seems to be very nice. He's drunk a lot of the time. He has been known to look for jobs in various episodes. Does the house belong to the mother in law?
This also makes me wonder about Aunt Bea. Does Andy pay her? In a later episode she buys the car with her own money. Interesting questions.
Full House: Crimes and Michelle's Demeanor (1990)
How long was Michelle's punishment?
When Danny finally decided to punish Michelle, he sent DJ and Stephanie outside to continue raking leaves in the day light. He carries her up stairs and the next shot we see is of Michelle sitting in her rocking chair in her nightgown facing the wall. Danny comes in and declares her punishment over. Then he puts her to bed. Did she spend the rest of the day in her rocking chair or was this a delayed punishment?
Wings: The Late Mrs. Biggins (1991)
Who is RJ's mother?
This is the first of two appearances of Sylvia Biggins. She seems stunned to see Roy after all these years. There is no mention of them having a son. RJ first appeared in season 2 when Helen gave him cello lessons. Is Sylvia RJ's mother, or is there another late Mrs. Biggins? During neither of her appearances does she ask about. RJ. I guess we'll never know.
Leave It to Beaver: Beaver's Graduation (1963)
What about Wally?
Does it seem to anyone else that a bigger deal is being made of Beaver's 8th grade graduation than Wally's high school graduation? Relatives flying in, talk of gifts, and a quote of standing on the threshold of tomorrow? A couple of episodes later is about Wally's graduation. It is about an all night, but glazes over the graduation. Did the relatives come back?
Leave It to Beaver: Uncle Billy's Visit (1963)
Again with the babysitters
June was always pushing the sitters on the boys. She tried to get a sitter for Beaver when he was like in the 6th grade. In this is episode, Ward and June are invited away for the weekend, but nearly cancel because they can't find a sitter. Wally is like 17? In contradiction, clear back in the beginning of season 3, they left the boys alone overnight. ?????
The Andy Griffith Show: Aunt Bee the Crusader (1964)
Aunt Bee the bully.
This is one of my least favorite episodes. Watching Aunt Bee yell at Andy and tell him how to do his job is just too much. And why he would take it off her is beyond me. The low point is when he tries to explain it to Opie on the porch and she comes out and demands that Opie come in for supper.
The only good parts are as usual watching Don Knotts. Never fails to make me laugh.
Everybody Loves Raymond: Fairies (2001)
The twins are having fun.
I love this episode. It's obvious the boys are having a good time in the scene where Ray is teach them how to be good fairies. Ray Romano shows his comedic talent too. Very funny.
Leave It to Beaver: Beaver's Long Night (1962)
Who's responsibility is it?
This episode doesn't go along with other moral parenting lessons on LITB. Beaver is left alone with Gilbert. He sees masked men dressed in strange garb lurking outside the house. The boys become frightened and call the police. He had no way of knowing it was Lumpy. He was wearing a mask and had recently painted his car. Neither Lumpy or Bill have id on them and the car was parked in the wrong side of the street, so the police take them in.
When Ward learns of the incident through an angry Fred Rutherford (who often annoys Ward and June), he jumps all over Beaver and Gilbert. His only concern seems to be that Fred is upset. He makes Beaver call a multitude of people to apologize. I guess if a truly suspicious vehicle is ever in front of the Cleaver house, it will be bad news because Beaver will never again call the police for fear of upsetting people.
Did Lumpy have to apologize to anyone for parking on the wrong side of the street or driving without a license?
Leave It to Beaver: Mother's Helper (1961)
Quite the involved principal.
It's interesting that the principal, not the teacher, called to tell June that Wally got a C- on an English test. In previous episodes, Eddie and Lumpy were shown to get much lower grades on test. It must have taken the principal quite a bit of time out of his day to call parents to inform them of students receiving grades that were lower than a C. Possibly though it was because it was out of character for Wally. I guess if that was the case, that would be the mark of a good school.
The handling of the problem of the problem in the end was pretty wise and in both kids best interests. The look on Wally face when he walked in the kitchen and saw Mrs. Manners was priceless. As Barney Fife would say, "nipped it in the bud".
Everybody Loves Raymond: High School (1997)
Poor Ray. Debra hijacks his reunion.
Debra forces Ray to go to his reunion when he doesn't want to go. At the reunion, Debra completely takes over as if it were her reunion. She makes the decision to drag to him to a table of a group of people he barely knew because of a woman she met in the bathroom. She was completely oblivious to the fact that it was his reunion. Then at home, she berates and laughs at him him for not having as good of time as her. The next morning she leads Robert into laughing at him too. It's all about her. This is self-centered ness at its best. As usual it's all about Debra.
Leave It to Beaver: The Visiting Aunts (1958)
Whatever happened to grandma and grandpa?
I find it interesting that the only relatives that ever appear are Aunt Martha and Uncle Billy. In several episodes, Ward and June mention their parents, but only in their memories. Have the two of lost both of their parents at young ages? The writers never had the boys mention any grandparents. June does say that Aunt Martha was practically the only mother she ever had.
If Wally's friends found a way to get to the Carnival by themselves, when Wally was tied up, why did they need Ward?
We all have memories of being stuck at home when the relatives came. That's just the way it was. It was one of those character lessons we all had to endure.
The Andy Griffith Show: The Family Visit (1964)
Do they have a guest room or not?
I find interesting that in this episode, they put three good sized boys in one bed, the adults have to double up, and when the hurried business man stays Opie has to sleep on the ironing board. In other episodes though, when other guests stay, Gomer, the old man who loses his home, the pretty cousin, and the old girlfriend, there seems to be nice guest rooms for them.
The Andy Griffith Show: Goodbye Sheriff Taylor (1964)
Middle of the night robbery?
Did anyone else find it odd that when Barney see up the fake robbery he called Andy who was sound asleep in bed as if it were the middle of the night? Yet Barney and the gang were all in the barber shop fully dressed as if it were the middle of the day?
The Andy Griffith Show: Opie Flunks Arithmetic (1965)
Barney strikes again.
Andy doesn't start out as grumpy Andy. He is perfectly willing to calmly help his son until good old Barney gets in his head and convinces him that Opie is doomed. Then bossy Aunt Bee joins in. My favorite part is the ending scene where Andy sends Barney to the back room to get Helen coffee and they duck out on him.
Everybody Loves Raymond: Sister-In-Law (2005)
Once again bossy Deb gets on Ray.
Amy and Ray have an issue. They work it it out and it's fine. Of course that's not good enough for Debra. She and Robert begin to badger Ray about it. Brad Garrett is somewhat funny here, but Debra ordering Ray to apologize has gotten old at this point in the series. It's not funny anymore. She wont let it alone until she finally pushes Ray too far and he insults Amy again. The scene in the kitchen between Ray and Amy is funny.
Everybody Loves Raymond: Robert Moves Back (1999)
Why didn't they just go to Amy's apartment?
This was a hilarious episode, but I couldn't help but wonder after they embarrassed themselves at Robert's apartment, why didn't they just go to Amy's place? They spent time there later and even lived there after they were married?
The Andy Griffith Show: Up in Barney's Room (1963)
What about Thelma Lou's house?
The scene in the courthouse where Andy and Opie caught Barney trying to make out with Thelma Lou was pretty funny, but I couldn't help but wonder why they weren't at her house? In many other episodes, Barney always went to her house to watch tv.
The other funny scene was when Barney got smashed from the hard cider. Don Knott's timing here was perfect.