Leave It to Beaver: Difference between revisions

Archetypical [[The Fifties|1950s]] [[Dom Com]], slightly unusual in that it focused on the youngest member of the Cleaver family, 8-year-old (at the start) Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver. He had an older brother, the [[Junior High]]-aged Wally (who is the exact opposite of an [[Emo Teen]]). Parents Ward and June rounded out the family group. The series debuted on [[CBS]] in 1957, then after one season it [[Channel Hop|channel hopped]] to [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], where it ran until 1963. [[The Film of the Series]] was released in 1997 that was somewhat of a present day look at the Cleaver clan, but with more of an [[Affectionate Parody]] vibe.

The Beaver was played by Jerry Mathers in the series, and by Cameron Finley in the film. Wally was played by Tony Dow in the series, and by Erik von Detten in the film. Ward was played by Hugh Beaumont in the series, and by Christopher McDonald in the film. June was played by Barbara Billingsley in the series, and by Janine Turner in the film.

* [[Big Brother Is Watching]]: In a sense, he was in the 1962 episode "Lumpy's Car Trouble," where Wally breaks the rules for borrowing Ward's car for a track meet, by allowing its driver (Lumpy) to take a "shortcut" on the way home. The car's exhaust system was damaged, forcing the boys to push the disabled car along the highway to a nearby garage. Wally and Beaver (along with Lumpy and Eddie) hope the damage won't be noticed, but Ward finds out anyhow: a co-worker of his had seen the boys push the car and (unwittingly) ratted them out. That evening at home, Ward takes his sons aside and tells him he's aware of what happened, and declares the car off limits "for awhile." The trope goes into effect when Wally asks his father who saw them; Ward refuses to reveal his source ... reasoning that -- becausethat—because someone might be watching them -- thethem—the boys will always have to be on their best behavior.

* [[Blond Guys Are Evil]]: Eddie Haskell. At least a fifties [[Dom Com]] teenager type of evil.

* [[Devil in Plain Sight]], [[Drop in-In Character]], [[Mouthy Kid]]: Eddie Haskell

* [[Directed Byby Cast Member]]: Hugh Beaumont (Ward) helmed several episodes.

* [[Dispense Withwith the Pleasantries]]: From the 1997 movie.

{{quote| '''Eddie Haskell Jr.''': You looked as though you just walked out the runway.<br />

'''June Cleaver''': Eddie?<br />

'''Eddie Haskell Jr.''': Yes Mrs. Cleaver?<br />

* [[Flanderization]]: Many who have seen and heard of this show tend to exaggerate its [[Lighter and Softer]] nature, forgetting that it dealt with such topics as divorce, alcoholism, and Beaver's Hispanic friend. (To give one an idea of how controversial the last was, in [[The Sixties]], a [[Madeleine L 'Engle]] book was actually censored to remove the protagonists' Hispanic friend.)

{{quote| (reading a note attached to flowers sent to Ward)<br />

** In reference to the pearls and heels while doing housework, Barbara Billingsley (may she RIP) stated that she didn't always wear them. She had a hollow in her neck that showed up quite visibly on camera. Even in later appearances/interviews, she can be seen with either a high-collared blouse or a pearl necklace covering it. Same with the heels. She said she sometimes wore flats, but as Dow and Mathers grew, she thought it would be best to maintain a bit of height over them.

* [[Pilot]]: The show originally began as an episode of ''Studio 57'', an anthology series which initially aired on the short-lived [[Du MontDuMont]] Television Network in its first season, before moving to syndication in its second and final season. In the episode, Ward was played by Max Showalter (credited as Casey Adams) and Wally was played by Paul Sullivan.

* [[TeachersTeacher's Pet]]: Judy Hensler in Beaver's class borders on [[The Informant]].

{{quote| Mr. Willet, here's a list of everyone who talked while you weren't in the room.}}

* [[Villain Withwith Good Publicity]]: Eddie tries this, but June and Ward can generally see through it.

* [[What Happened to Thethe Mouse?]]: In the episode where Beaver and Wally try to raise a baby alligator, Ward and June replace it with a dog that was never seen again.