All of the sitcom's of the 60's were all hokey, especially when you view them 50 years later. They were never meant to be "real". The viewer watch these types of shows expecting a good laugh and knowing that things are meant to be exaggerated. That is what's so amusing!
4 Reviews
A memorably funny episode, with Ted Bessell shining
FlushingCaps9 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Ann and Donald are planning a two-event date: a picnic lunch in a park and Donald meeting Ann's parents. They are said to be "just picking up Ann's hi-fi" but it's that first meeting with her folks that has Donald all worried. He's even dressed like he's going to a business meeting instead of on a picnic.
They find a spot just a few miles from Brewster, Ann's hometown, and Ann is excited like a girl to be on a picnic, including eagerly wading in the pond and flinging water onto Donald, who is fearful of water on his clothes making a bad impression on her parents.
But Donald relents and takes off his shoes and socks to join Ann in the water. But two steps from where they laid down a blanket, he steps onto a bee and tumbles into some weeds. This leads to a great line later where Ann accuses Don of not wanting to meet her parents and Don retorts something about "I always bring along a kamikaze bee when I don't want to meet someone." With a now swollen left foot, they sit down to eat the sandwiches Ann has brought in their classic picnic basket. Unfortunately, the secret ingredient she included is horseradish and she learns that Donald is allergic to that-resulting in red blotches all over his face (Well, Ann said there were. I couldn't see anything later, not even in close-ups of Don.) When Donald started coughing, Ann tried to help by slapping his back. But he moved and her last slap was in his face, knocking out both of his contact lenses, something else Ann and we viewers didn't know he wore. One of those lenses is broken when Ann moved her foot as they started to look for them.
They get back to the car, with Don insisting they go back to New York because he couldn't bear to meet her folks looking like he now does. Problem is, the car he had to rent (his was in the shop) is a manual transmission. He can't see well enough to drive and Ann has never driven anything but an automatic. Like anyone else, Ann finds it is real tricky to learn how to let the clutch out slowly enough on your first few tries.
After only going a few feet, the couple decides to return to the picnic area to try again to find his good contact lens. They find it, and Don now has one good eye, so he will try to drive, but his depth perception is shaky, so he wants Ann to help him to stay in the middle of his lane by telling him "left" or "right." All through all these scenes we also see Helen and Lew getting more and more anxious about their daughter and Donald, who Lew keeps calling a "bum." Ann and Donald wind up in a huge patch of deep mud just off the road. When Don tried to push as Ann slowly lets out the clutch, she can't do it slowly enough and the wheels spin, drenching Don's body and face with mud.
Extra spoiler alert here on a line almost at the end: Back in Brewster, the Maries see a police car coming up their driveway, with Ann coming out, followed by one officer and Donald. When Donald, reluctantly, enters the house, carrying his shoes and socks, covered in mud, Helen looks at her husband and now agrees with what he has been saying all along: "Lew, he is a bum." This is one of the funniest lines in this entire series.
There were lots of funny exchanges between Ann and Donald at the picnic spot and in the car, all related to what was happening. All the mishaps that struck Donald would have been funny enough, but when they were to come right before meeting his new girlfriend's parents, they became extra funny.
I think the basic plot-Ann is quite casual about Donald meeting her folks, because she is not, of course, nervous about it, but Donald feels like making a bad impression could damage any chances of a long term relationship, so he is extra nervous--was realistic. I know I watched this as a kid (my sister and mother were big fans of the series right from the start) and I could understand Don being nervous in his situation.
This has always been the episode I remembered best as either the funniest, or one of the funniest in the series. Tonight's repeat viewing cemented that impression, as I laughed enough to give it a 10.
One other reviewer totally disliked this one. I wish to point out that that person incorrectly writes something about how "Ann suddenly knows how to operate a clutch?" There was never any such scene. She never could properly operate one.
That reviewer's description of Don coming off as a complete idiot and a boob is an impression I do not get in the least from this episode. The reviewer writes that he looks "stupid and inept." I would say there was only one scene, right at the end, where he looked, at worst, a bit clumsy. I hope my review better helps you to enjoy the episode.
They find a spot just a few miles from Brewster, Ann's hometown, and Ann is excited like a girl to be on a picnic, including eagerly wading in the pond and flinging water onto Donald, who is fearful of water on his clothes making a bad impression on her parents.
But Donald relents and takes off his shoes and socks to join Ann in the water. But two steps from where they laid down a blanket, he steps onto a bee and tumbles into some weeds. This leads to a great line later where Ann accuses Don of not wanting to meet her parents and Don retorts something about "I always bring along a kamikaze bee when I don't want to meet someone." With a now swollen left foot, they sit down to eat the sandwiches Ann has brought in their classic picnic basket. Unfortunately, the secret ingredient she included is horseradish and she learns that Donald is allergic to that-resulting in red blotches all over his face (Well, Ann said there were. I couldn't see anything later, not even in close-ups of Don.) When Donald started coughing, Ann tried to help by slapping his back. But he moved and her last slap was in his face, knocking out both of his contact lenses, something else Ann and we viewers didn't know he wore. One of those lenses is broken when Ann moved her foot as they started to look for them.
They get back to the car, with Don insisting they go back to New York because he couldn't bear to meet her folks looking like he now does. Problem is, the car he had to rent (his was in the shop) is a manual transmission. He can't see well enough to drive and Ann has never driven anything but an automatic. Like anyone else, Ann finds it is real tricky to learn how to let the clutch out slowly enough on your first few tries.
After only going a few feet, the couple decides to return to the picnic area to try again to find his good contact lens. They find it, and Don now has one good eye, so he will try to drive, but his depth perception is shaky, so he wants Ann to help him to stay in the middle of his lane by telling him "left" or "right." All through all these scenes we also see Helen and Lew getting more and more anxious about their daughter and Donald, who Lew keeps calling a "bum." Ann and Donald wind up in a huge patch of deep mud just off the road. When Don tried to push as Ann slowly lets out the clutch, she can't do it slowly enough and the wheels spin, drenching Don's body and face with mud.
Extra spoiler alert here on a line almost at the end: Back in Brewster, the Maries see a police car coming up their driveway, with Ann coming out, followed by one officer and Donald. When Donald, reluctantly, enters the house, carrying his shoes and socks, covered in mud, Helen looks at her husband and now agrees with what he has been saying all along: "Lew, he is a bum." This is one of the funniest lines in this entire series.
There were lots of funny exchanges between Ann and Donald at the picnic spot and in the car, all related to what was happening. All the mishaps that struck Donald would have been funny enough, but when they were to come right before meeting his new girlfriend's parents, they became extra funny.
I think the basic plot-Ann is quite casual about Donald meeting her folks, because she is not, of course, nervous about it, but Donald feels like making a bad impression could damage any chances of a long term relationship, so he is extra nervous--was realistic. I know I watched this as a kid (my sister and mother were big fans of the series right from the start) and I could understand Don being nervous in his situation.
This has always been the episode I remembered best as either the funniest, or one of the funniest in the series. Tonight's repeat viewing cemented that impression, as I laughed enough to give it a 10.
One other reviewer totally disliked this one. I wish to point out that that person incorrectly writes something about how "Ann suddenly knows how to operate a clutch?" There was never any such scene. She never could properly operate one.
That reviewer's description of Don coming off as a complete idiot and a boob is an impression I do not get in the least from this episode. The reviewer writes that he looks "stupid and inept." I would say there was only one scene, right at the end, where he looked, at worst, a bit clumsy. I hope my review better helps you to enjoy the episode.
Ann drives a clutch
Tigerbai123 August 2018
What I enjoyed about this episode was their communication as a new couple -- they demonstrate how difficult it can be. LOL Also Ann didn't know how to drive a clutch. Also in my age of cell phones it was interesting to see them get stuck in the mud on a remote road and have no way to call for help.
There were also references to Laurel and Hardy "another fine mess you've gotten me into" and "I wish I could take your pain" from John Wayne in the Flying Leather necks.
It was a silly episode but funny I love how Ann talks and she is easy on the eyes.
Hope you enjoy it.
Hope you enjoy it.
Terrible episode
raddude-7586420 October 2020
I could not disagree more with the previous post. Maybe it's the way the writers were developing Don's character, but he comes off as a complete idiot, and an incompetent boob! They further make him into a total panty-waste, and a wuss.
When he has only one contact in, he looks like a moron. And who doesn't know the rear tire will throw mud on you if your behind it? Also, is it not funny (ironic), how Ann suddenly knows how to operate the clutch?
I found nothing funny about this episode, and felt sorry for Ted, as his character really looks stupid, and inept. There are more episodes that further this development.
When he has only one contact in, he looks like a moron. And who doesn't know the rear tire will throw mud on you if your behind it? Also, is it not funny (ironic), how Ann suddenly knows how to operate the clutch?
I found nothing funny about this episode, and felt sorry for Ted, as his character really looks stupid, and inept. There are more episodes that further this development.
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