The Patty Duke Show (TV Series) The Greatest Speaker in the Whole Wide World (1966) User Reviews

A war over words

[JordanThomasHall · 7/10 · 25 August 2020]

Patty has volunteered her father to be a guest speaker for her class. Martin says he can't get away from the office, but Patty stresses how bad his not coming would look for her. She's desperate for him to speak to her class and has Natalie and Ross try and convince him. Martin's love of speaking pushes him to change his mind, and even make a newspaper story over it. However, before he can tell Patty, she devises a ploy by telling him she invited a rival editor to speak to the class instead. The move backfires, as it infuriates Martin who feels he will be a laughing stock now. Martin plans to still cover the speech, but to make his rival look bad. Patty realizes she has no speaker and has caused a newspaper war. Tension mounts as the scheduled speech approaches.

Sparing the Rod? Spoiling the Child?

[SpikeToronto · 1/10 · 9 January 2021]

This episode serves only one purpose: It stands as a stark reminder of why parents must never positively reinforce their children's negative behaviour. Patty is at her Machiavellian worst in this episode using every trick in her bag of manipulations to get her father to do her bidding despite his entirely correct refusal. Yet, in the end, and as she always seems to do in this third and final season of the classic sitcom, she gets her way. Her father Martin ends up painted into a corner by Patty's ever indulgent mother, opportunist kid brother, lapdog loyal cousin, and the inevitable risk to his very career by his daughter's machinations. I'd suggest giving this episode a miss; but, if like me you're a completist and want to see every episode, don't say I didn't warn you!