This is the pilot episode for what later went on to become "The Dick Van Dyke Show". In this pilot, an entirely different group of actors are cast--with Carl Reiner playing Robert Petry (pronounced 'Peetry' in this show). The setup for the show is very similar--the family lives in the suburbs, Rob writes for a weekly variety TV show, etc.. The biggest difference is chemistry. Like most pilots, the chemistry hasn't yet been established. Additionally, there were a few things that really stood out for me as needing improvement. The biggest was how obnoxious and annoying the kid was who played Richie. In many ways, his high-pitched and adenoidal whine was like a little Jerry Lewis--and I can sure see and hear why he wasn't invited back after the show was re-tooled. It was even more obvious than it could have been, as the plot revolved around this brat. Also, the laugh track was very bad--very intrusive and often blasting out laughs when nothing funny was occurring. And finally, it just wasn't particularly funny or enjoyable overall.
This show was a bit of a bust and I could see why it was remade with an all-new cast. However, for fans of the show and the history of TV, it's a fascinating look at the germ that later grew into one of the great shows of the 1960s.
This show was a bit of a bust and I could see why it was remade with an all-new cast. However, for fans of the show and the history of TV, it's a fascinating look at the germ that later grew into one of the great shows of the 1960s.