User Reviews

"Partridge Up a Pear Tree" is the first of many episodes with Keith at the mercy of Danny, here having purchased his first car (a Hudson!), which needs just about every spare part known to man. Only Danny is willing to loan Keith any money, provided he sign an agreement giving his little brother power of attorney (oh, the absurdity of it all!). Keith only has enough cash to take his girl Carol (Annette O'Toole) to a kiddie matinée, where he raves about Lash La Rue while dining on burnt popcorn (she claims that ashes upset her stomach). No matter how understanding she is, Keith hasn't got the guts to tell her the truth, that despite the group's success, all the profits are going into the family's college trust fund (that explains why they continue to live in the same small house, living a mostly normal life). Funny cameos from Joseph Perry, previously seen in "But the Memory Lingers On," and Carl Ballantine, who fails to teach Keith how to be a salesman (Shirley: "you know, if you keep up the hard work, you might owe your first million before you're 30!"). The featured song is Tony Romeo's "You Are Always on My Mind," currently the B-side of the second single, "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted," both tracks included on second LP UP TO DATE.

The plot, in a nutshell: Keith doesn't have enough money to take his girlfriend to the prom. I find it amazing that the Partridge kids work as performers and stingy mom won't give them a reasonable allowance from their own earnings. The excuse is that they need to save it all for college. But come on.

The worst is when Shirley smugly tells Keith that he should get a job. This from the son who is the lead singer of their group and writes a majority - if not all - of their songs. He already has a job, Shirley. And he's helping to support your unlikeable behind.

And at the end Shirley praises Keith for showing "a twinge of responsibility." Yep, because working as a performer shows no responsibility at all.