Leave it to beaver season 3? (1 Viewer)

[Joe Lugoff]

Ward and June are totally out of character in "The Clothing Drive." It's as if they were thinking of changing them for the 6th season, then changed their minds (thank goodness), and then just threw away the episode at the end of the series. I think it's the worst episode in the entire series.


Beaver was way too old to be as stupid as he was in that episode.


You may say, in retrospect, that there would have been nothing wrong with starting the 6th season with three Wally episodes in a row. The problem was it was still called "Leave It to Beaver," and it wouldn't have made much sense. I think they made the right decision to alternate Wally and Beaver episodes, no matter what order they were filmed in. The decision processes of "How should we make these?" and "How should we show these?" are two entirely different things, with different variables and reasoning.

 

[Lecagr]

Originally Posted by Joe Lugoff

Ward and June are totally out of character in "The Clothing Drive." It's as if they were thinking of changing them for the 6th season, then changed their minds (thank goodness), and then just threw away the episode at the end of the series. I think it's the worst episode in the entire series.


Beaver was way too old to be as stupid as he was in that episode.


You may say, in retrospect, that there would have been nothing wrong with starting the 6th season with three Wally episodes in a row. The problem was it was still called "Leave It to Beaver," and it wouldn't have made much sense. I think they made the right decision to alternate Wally and Beaver episodes, no matter what order they were filmed in. The decision processes of "How should we make these?" and "How should we show these?" are two entirely different things, with different variables and reasoning.

Another 6th season episode where Beaver isn't too bright is the Record Club episode. He should have known better to not ignore the invoices as the records were sent. A few of the last seasons episodes are written as if Beaver is still 10 years old instead of 13. For continuity reasons, I prefer watching the series episodes in order of production.


I've often thought "Leave It To Beaver" is an odd title for the series as Wally also gets plenty of screen time in the episodes. They could have gone the Ozzie & Harriet route, and titled the series "Adventures Of The Cleaver Family". Another title could have been "Growing Up In Mayfield". As it is, the title puts all the attention on Beaver although Wally is featured in many episodes as well.

 

[Joe Lugoff]

I think at one point early on the show was going to be called Beaver and Wally, or maybe Wally and Beaver. Wikipedia has it as Wally and the Beaver.


Leave It to Beaver is a trite title. Only five years earlier there was a flop sitcom on CBS, starring Eddie Albert, called Leave It to Larry. There had been Broadway musicals called Leave It to Jane and Leave It to Me, and movies entitled Leave It to Blondie, Leave It to Smith, Leave It to Blanche, Leave It to Dad, Leave It to Gerry, Leave It to Harry, Leave It to Henry, Leave It to Lester, Leave It to Smiley and Leave It to Susan.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

I remeber Leave it to Blondie, but not the others.