The same goes in Six, which technically tries to catch up with Beaver - now he’s a football star and likes girls - but still can’t write him (the way he talks, the things he wants, etc.) authentically, and thus keeps turning to the older kids for plot, never mind that they’re not 100% believable either. As I’ve said, Eddie is the series’ best-defined part, and Lumpy’s not too far behind him, but stories that intentionally minimize the role Beaver plays reject the series’ premise and are not worth featuring (unless they’re so hilarious I have no choice). Also, because writing Beaver as he grows is such a challenge, the show continues to decentralize him, throwing many stories to Wally and/or his best friends Eddie and Lumpy, two thankfully flawed characters who are always pranking Beaver and the too-perfect Wally. As a result, Season Five only works when it’s able to acknowledge that the main player is changing when it tries to pretend (like Four), that Beaver is still a little kid, we know that’s false and we inherently disconnect.
Accordingly, the authenticity for which we lauded the show in its first few seasons is actively rescinded during the latter half of its run, and this hampers everything - even the comedy, for while the show, primarily in late Four and some of Five, goes broader with its storytelling in an attempt to compensate for what’s missing, enjoyment depends on our faith and investment in Beaver’s depiction. Leave It To Beaver stars BARBARA BILLINGSLEY as June Cleaver, HUGH BEAUMONT as Ward Cleaver, TONY DOW as Wally Cleaver, and JERRY MATHERS as The Beaver.Ĭompared to previous seasons, Beaver‘s final two years tend not to be as popular, for they have the same problem first observed in Four: the characters, particularly Beaver, are aging and the show is unable to believably write for teens as it can kids.
#LEAVE IT TO BEAVER SEASON 6 EPISODE 36 FULL#
Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, we’re finishing coverage on the best of Leave It To Beaver (1957-1958, CBS 1958-1963, ABC), which is currently available in full on DVD!