fabertom

This was actually a good episode that finally thrust Donny Most into the spotlight on that show. His interaction with the Fonz was priceless. It also made Erin Moran a star with just the one line they gave her when she told Most not to get too excited when she gets older and he comes home. The episode was not filled with sophomoric acts like the first season had. Finally some character development in this one. Fonzie managed to find a girl for Most but she never appeared again on the show which I thought was odd. Later in the series they humiliated Most with the Leather Tuscadaro shooting him down cruelly and also in real life. He wanted Suzie Quatro but she didn't want him.

They actually cast Stuart Erwin and Lurene Tuttle for this episode. Between them they had an audience likability rating of 2.9. Not because of this episode which didn't help it. The episode was saved by Opie actually. Those two were just plain unwatchable in prior appearances on other shows during the fifties. Erwin had his own show that finished last in the ratings on season it was so bad. Tuttle had to work for scale she was such a miserable watch. I cannot even imagine rewatching this sober. I do watch it though just to reinforce my theory about those two dregs. Watch this episode at your own risk. Barney isn't even in it. He said at the time no way do I want to be associated with this episode with those two in it.

I found this episode a little odd. Eddie Hodges proved he couldn't act all that well actually in it. He was difficult to watch and listen to. Laura should have caught on immediately. It was too obvious. For what is considered a well written and acted sitcom 60 years ago falls short by today's standards. The usually neurotic Laura toned it down a tad in this one. The whole episode never really developed a plot worth watching. Dick Van Dyke has not held up like some others of that era. Whatever happened to Eddie Hodges anyway. He just seemingly disappeared from the Hollywood scene. Didn't enjoy his musical skills either.