"The Dick Van Dyke Show Season 3" -- A Personal Review (1 Viewer)

[Shawn_Sm]

David, you're right. I'm not sure why I thought it was on Disc 1. Must've pulled that out of thin air.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

I wanted to throw my thoughts back in on this set.

IMO, season 1 of the Dick Van Dyke Show is the weakest of the series. Yet, it still blows practically anything else out of the water that is on TV. I don't know too many TV shows, especially comedies that found their groove in the first season, of course 1 thing also to consider is that the first season of DVD was longer than the first seasons of all TV shows picked up in today's age with 30+ episodes as compared to 22 or 24, and especially more than the real common 13.

Its just that shows as they go on would seem for awhile to get better and better, overshadowing the earlier stuff and thus making it look worse than it actually airs because your comparing the first season stuff where people were finding there way and getting everything down to later season stuff where people have grown in to the characters. Of course with any show they reach the top of the mountain, as high as they're going to go, and it can only go downhill from there. Of course Jumping the Shark is the popular term for this. Interesting that both DVD and the Simpsons are in the list of the shows that haven't jumped according to the voters on that website.

Anyway, my point is that season 1 suffers not because it wasn't a good season but because of the brilliance of the seasons that followed it.

David, I will also agree and Recommend you check out Sports Night. If this show had lasted longer, there's no telling the heights it could've reached, and it is 1 of the few shows that found its groove in season 1, as I actually enjoy season 1 more than season 2. I will also agree that a knowledge or love of sports is not a requirement for enjoying this show, and it is this misconception that IMO did a lot to hurt the ratings for this show. Many people assumed based on the title that if they weren't sports fans they wouldn't get it. I have high praise for this show, but the style of dialog used might not be everyone's cup of tea, and even as someone who enjoys the show some of the conversations are a little nerve racking, as I don't know anyone that converses like these people.

As for what I would've recommended, I would've gone with seasons 2 or 3 as my recommendation. Although, I must admit that I believe or rather that I often recommend a person check out season 1 of a show if they're not sure about it because in season 1 is where all of the exposition of who the characters are is supposed to take place. I think explaining who the characters are, what they do and setting us up with things to come are the most important things a show must do, and I think the first episode of DVD does a pretty good job of this. If we see the first episode, we know what Rob does, who his co-workers are, and we see them perform which helps us later when they perform because we know that they have a history of performing.

I love DVD and your talking to someone that wasn't born until 1981 and didn't even see an episode of this show until it first hit Nick at Nite, yet I instantly clicked with the character of Budy because he reminded me of someone I know very well, which is to say me.

Ok, now I'm caught up I was gone for a week and so I had to make a longer post to get caught back up.

 

[David Von Pein]

I watched the first 5 episodes of this show the other night. Darn good show. But, hey, it's Mr. Sorkin's fare...so, 'nuff said I guess.

Although I'd agree with Casey's assessment above re. the unbelievably fast-paced, never-trip-on-a-single-word dialogue exchanges between ALL characters in every Sorkin show. Of course, I tend to love it in The West Wing....seems to fit the "I can never catch up on things" atmosphere permeating the White House. But in Sports Night, it can give you a headache. (Actually, it's given me a cranium-cramp on West Wing as well, which is why I like being able to collect the Sorkin WW shows on DVD now. You can (and probably *MUST* at times) hit rewind and catch up on the many "What the hell did Josh just say there?" moments.)

Darn good series, though, both of them. Plus, of course, Mr. Sorkin's "Pilot" movie for West Wing, The American President, which toned down the mile-a-minute
dialogue pace. An SE of that marvelous motion picture entertainment is sore(kin)-ly needed. (With a Sorkin commentary track and "Virtual White House Tour". )

Just noted on that "Jump The Shark" site provided by "The Case-ster", an almost unbelievable casting revelation I wouldn't have figured out in a million years -- That being that Jack Larson ("Jimmy Olsen" of Superman fame) portrayed Max Calvada's talent-less nephew, Kenny, in the episode "Big Max Calvada". Doesn't look or sound a *thing* like Larson/Olsen. Amazing.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

I was also surprised to find that out and had to check Epguides.com to make sure, and it along with TV tome confirms this, and I'll agree with David I never would've figured that out in a million years.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

"Just noted on that "Jump The Shark" site provided by "The Case-ster", an almost unbelievable casting revelation I wouldn't have figured out in a million years -- That being that Jack Larson ("Jimmy Olsen" of Superman fame) portrayed Max Calvada's talent-less nephew, Kenny, in the episode "Big Max Calvada". Doesn't look or sound a *thing* like Larson/Olsen. Amazing."

I just checked the site on imdb dot com, the Jack Larson who appears on that episode of Dick Van Dyke is another Jack Larson, not the one who played Jimmy Olsen on The Adventures of Superman. Apparently the Jumping the Shark site was wrong.

Carlos.

 

[David Von Pein]

Yeah...This is weird. .....

According to IMDB, two different "Jack Larsons" played Kenny Dexter on the Van Dyke Show. ... One being the Jimmy Olsen "Larson"; and also another Jack Larson. (I tend to believe the second option below, who was not the Jimmy Olsen "Larson". Unless the Jimmy Olsen "Larson" had some plastic surgery [and replaced his vocal chords to boot], I cannot believe that Olsen and Dexter are played by the same guy.)

http://imdb.com/name/nm0489001/

http://imdb.com/name/nm1180116/

EDIT -- Since writing this, IMDB has updated and corrected this "Two Larsons Played Kenny D." error.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

Thanks for clearing up, well I guess its clearing up, this whole thing. I really didn't think the voice matched at all, of course I tempered that by the idea that I hadn't heard the voice from Adventures of Superman in a long while...but its good to know the real story.

 

[Jaime_Weinman]

The thing I like best about the Dick Van Dyke Show is the way it found humor in realistic details and interactions. As the actors grew into their roles -- and especially in mid-second-season after Jerry Paris took over as the show's director -- you'd see more and more scenes built around little physical details or gestures that enhanced the scene and made the characters seem more like people than "actors." A great example is a scene between Rob and Laura in the "Big Max Calvada" episode, where while they're discussing various plot points, Rob struggles to put on his tie. It adds something to what would otherwise be a mere expository scene, and leads to a hilarious punchline ("When's the last time you saw me put on a tie to take a shower???"
).

Trivia time: John Whedon, one of the freelance contributors to the show (he wrote a few freelance scripts in the first three seasons) was Joss Whedon's grandfather.

 

[Kevin Porter]

Glad to hear you're a West Winger as well David (That's West Winger, not left winger. Don't get the two confused). I don't know if I've laughed harder at anything on television more than Josh's "Secret Plan to Fight Inflation" in the classic Celestial Navigation. Anyone a fan of anything half-way resembling comedy or drama should go out and buy the 1st season of The West Wing and the entire series of Sports Night. For those with political concerns, a love or hate for either party is absolutely not a pre-requisite. Labels like liberal and conservative seem insignificant when you hear C.J. tell Josh she had a root canal .

 

[Bob_S.]

TDVDS has always been my favorite TV show. The way I gauge a sitcom is whether or not I laugh out loud. Not just a chuckle or a smile but a good hearty laugh. DVD did just that. There are VERY few shows today that actually make me laugh out loud. Most of the jokes just are not funny. I'll hear the punchline, hear the audience laugh and I'll say to myself "That was supposed to be funny?"

I'll admit I'm a fan of physical comedy. If it's done right, it cracks me up and DVD was a master of physical comedy. Him acting like a drunk was priceless! Who cares about it not being realistic or using it as an excuse to showcase some slapstick. The point is it worked and it made people laugh. I love Buddy Sorell's "baldy jokes"! One of my many favorite episodes was the where Laura couldn't keep from reading Rob's mail. Seeing MTM panic after inflating that lifeboat and trying to hide it when Rob arrived home had me in stitches! That's the kind of comedy I like and unfortunately don't have today. The chemistry between the whole cast was great; so great in fact that the producers of TMTMS didn't want Mary Richards to be divorced because they feared the audience would think she divorced DVD!

 

[David Von Pein]

"Honey....did a package come for me??" -- Robert Simpson Petrie (in "The Curious Thing About Women").

(And please fans, take note ---> Of the incorrect address on the front of the "boat package" that Laura inflates. The address is easily readable via freeze-framing the scene. You've got to stand on your head to get the full effect of the address here, but, oh well...)

 

[David Von Pein]

Don't ya just love the great writing on TDVDS? I do.

Great example of (IMO) a perfect and seamless and fully-realistic Van Dyke situation is the 3rd-season ep., "A Nice, Friendly Game Of Cards", with Ed Platt and Millie's hysterical new "system". (I've watched this one about 10 times on the crystal-clear DVD already, with only "All About Eavesdropping" outdistancing it in number of viewings thus far.)

I love the way the writing flowed nicely in this episode. Such as: The writers have got to find a way of getting Rob out of the room just as Laura ruins the non-marked deck of cards by stepping on a card with her shoe. Rob obviously can't be allowed to see this deck destroyed, or else the whole show premise is down the tubes.

So, with perfect realism, it's written in the script that Rob will get up to go into the bedroom to put on his "lucky slippers" (because his other shoes are hurting his feet). And while he's gone for this highly-logical reason, Laura steps on a card, and thus the "marked" deck comes into play without Rob's knowing. The cards have the exact same "Bicycle" backs, and same color, so Rob's none the wiser...until little Ritchie decides to get up for yet another glass of water ("More water", jokes Buddy. "Is this a kid or a camel?" ).

I love this episode. Ed Platt's very funny, in a "Grumpy Old Man" kind of way.

You could probably pick out any episode of TDVDS and rave about little bits of great writing, like I just did above. (Well, at least *I* think it's fine, subtle writing.)

Well...I'll have to say, however, that an episode we've discussed earlier ("My Husband Is Not A Drunk") just might not stand up to quite as much rigid "realistic" scrutiny re. the writing. But, heck, I love that episode even though many aspects are indeed out in far-fetched land.

One thing that's always kind of bothered me about the writing of a few scenes in that "Drunk" episode is .... WHY on Earth can't the gang (including Glen Jameson, the "Qualified Hypnotist" ) just simply WAIT for a minute or 90 seconds while Rob gets Ritchie his glass of water?? Why must Rob miss out on the fun, when the hypnosis session could simply be delayed for a few seconds until Rob returns to the living room?

Obviously, the reason they can't wait for even a second is because we NEED Rob out of the room to intercept Glen's "hypnotic suggestion".

This scenario is exactly the opposite (IMO) of the "Cards" episode. Rob's leaving the room in "Cards" is totally and wholly acceptable from every angle. But in "Drunk", it seems just silly to me that Rob has to miss the "fun" by getting Ritchie water. Doesn't make much logical sense. Good gosh, would they be in that big a rush to continue the party? Does Glen Jameson have a cab waiting to whisk him to another "Hypnosis" party in New Rochelle??

Well, anyhoo....despite some (very minor--to me) flaws like in that "Drunk" episode, I'll take EVERY episode of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" over just about anything else being offered up on the small screen -- today or yesterday.

[End Lecture]

Well...almost an end .... Another thing: In "Drunk", I've always wondered WHY in the heck Ritchie can't get up to the bathroom or kitchen to get his own damn water??!! Holy smokes, I don't see Ritchie's arm in any sling here! You WILL note, in fact, that in the "Cards" episode, Ritchie doesn't holler at the top of his lungs for the parents to distribute his snacks and/or H2O beverages. He gets out of bed himself...which, of course, he HAS to do in order to spill the beans about the marked deck. Guess he was just in a lazy mode during "Drunk". Geez, talk about service!
Rob should have shouted back to the kid: "What am I, kid, your personal Water Boy??!!".

While thinking about it further, I now realize there's still another episode that deals with Rob having to tote water to the youngster. In "Gesundheit Darling", Rob comments that he's gotten up from a card-playing session with neighbors Millie & Jerry "four times in the last two hours!" to fetch Ritchie cool, refreshing water beverages. "What did that kid have for dinner, a box of salt or something?" That kid is one demanding water-consuming little dude! I think it would have behooved Rob & Laura to simply install a drinking fountain (the small kind low to the ground for "Little Fellers", like we had in Grade School -- with "foot pedal") right in Ritchie's bedroom. Sure would have saved Rob some shoe leather.

More "Drunk" ramblings......

This single episode probably has more writing "gaffes" (IMO) than any other single episodic adventure of the program. Two more very obvious examples of things that just don't "seem quite right" are the fact that neither Millie OR Jerry have the slightest interest in knowing what they did while under Glen's "spell". Millie, in fact, only finds out she acted like a crazed "Rock Hudson fan" by having this information forced upon her by Sally's asking "Did Jerry really look like Rock Hudson?" Makes no sense at all, after waking up to find herself off the ground in the arms of "Rock"/Jerry, that she'd NOT ask (as Laura did after her "spell"), "What did I do?".

And Jerry doesn't ask this question either. He doesn't care about what he did either it seems. Very odd...and unrealistic given the circumstances.

[End Novel]
[All Rights Reserved]
[Copyright 2004 -- "Nuts About Meaningless Trivial Matters.com"]

 

[David Von Pein]

Noticed this rather interesting article on the popularity of
TV-on-DVD products. ........

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercu...on/8144610.htm

I particularly enjoyed the frankness and honesty of this passage......

>> "The reason you're seeing a bunch of crap come out is because it's so cheap. They aren't paying the stars any royalties."

(So true, IMO...about the "crap" part I mean.)

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

David, that was a good read, thanks for pointing that one out.

 

[Jon_Are]

Alright, I'm going to weigh in with my favorite Van Dyke device: the embarassed, uncomfortable cough. I've seen it in several episodes so far, and it cracks me up every time. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Also, I just reached the Max Calvada episode, which contains one of my favorite lines: "The kid breaks me up."

Jon

 

[David Von Pein]

Oh, you bet Jon. "The cough" is always great.

Incidentally, if you ever get a chance to see an episode of the game show "I've Got A Secret", in which D. Van Dyke guest stars in 1962 and does a pantomime routine, you must check it out.

There's an hilarious "cough" gag in that show, although not the same type of "embarrassed" cough that Rob Petrie is wont to do.

On "IGAS", Dick pantomimes a soldier being given a physical exam for Army induction -- and at one point turns his head and coughs. It gets the expected huge audience laugh. But after the bit, the 4-member "IGAS" panel tries to figure out what Dick was doing, and Betsy Palmer (unfamiliar with such ... *cough* ... manly medical procedures) asks Dick what the cough was for. The audience erupts in hysterics and Bill Cullen has to turn his chair around to hide his belly-laughs from naive Betsy.

Even though Betsy (I think) was married to a doctor at the time.

Dick attempts to help Betsy "save face" by saying he had coughed because he was a smoker.

That "IGAS" ep. is a great one, with Dick's talent for physical comedy shining through once more. The episode aired during the middle of Season 1 of TDVDS, the very week the show was changed by CBS from a Tuesday to a Wednesday timeslot.

Dick concludes his guest appearance by doing his "spider walk". (Not quite the same type of spider walk done by Linda Blair in "The Exorcist", however. But I'll betcha Dick could probably have done *that* staircase walk, too, if he'd had to. )

 

[Steve...O]

I've seen that episode and I about fell out of my chair laughing when he did that. Pretty brave stuff for the early 60s. The whole Cullen-Palmer bit was priceless.

It's a shame that the Game Show Network (or GSN whatever it's called now) no longer features the "classic" shows as prominently as they once did. I used to watch the "classic Sunday night" block.

Steve

 

[Jon_Are]

I love it when the contestants receive a carton of smokes for playing.

Jon

 

[David Von Pein]

VCR ALERT:

Ray Romano will host "The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited" May 11 on CBS-TV. Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Carl Reiner, Rose Marie, Larry Mathews, Ann Morgan Guilbert, Jerry Van Dyke, and Bill Idelson (as Herman) will reunite for a new episode of the classic series, set in 2004. Check local listings for the time in your city.

 

[Steve...O]

I am eagerly awaiting the reunion special. From what I understand the plotline has Alan Brady asking Rob and Sally to write his eulogy.
Strange as it may seem, I think that has potential for some great comedy.

I know this special won't make it onto the Image sets, but it sure would be nice to have this released on DVD to "complete" the Van Dyke set.

Steve