... that being how Eddie Haskell was written in this show versus the original Leave It To Beaver (LITB).
In this episode Eddie is depressed, wondering what exactly the meaning of his life is. He decides, out of the blue, that his purpose is to become a Country and Western star. Notice that he doesn't decide to become a country and western singer or performer - he jumps straight to wanting to be a star and nothing less will do.
I know that Eddie Haskell mainly existed in this show, and in the original for that matter, to be a contrast to the wholesome aboveboard Cleavers. But at least in the original LITB Eddie was fleshed out. If you watch enough episodes of that old series you'll see that although Eddie does some pointlessly cruel things, he does not do them to be pointlessly cruel. He's deeply insecure and needs an audience, and when he does have one he's a wise guy, often overstepping boundaries. He has many vulnerable moments, and even does a few generous things because he is capable of empathy on occasion.
In the New LITB show, Eddie is practically a cartoon character. He says horrible things to his wife and sons. He sends his youngest son to military boarding school and treats his wife like a servant. He does things without any perceivable motivation other than trying to grab a few laughs for the show, and this episode is exhibit A.
The only reason I didn't score this episode lower than 5 was that Ken Osmond showed an unexpected talent for singing and dancing here. I always admired Ken Osmond's portrayal of Eddie Haskell, so this review was hard to write.
In this episode Eddie is depressed, wondering what exactly the meaning of his life is. He decides, out of the blue, that his purpose is to become a Country and Western star. Notice that he doesn't decide to become a country and western singer or performer - he jumps straight to wanting to be a star and nothing less will do.
I know that Eddie Haskell mainly existed in this show, and in the original for that matter, to be a contrast to the wholesome aboveboard Cleavers. But at least in the original LITB Eddie was fleshed out. If you watch enough episodes of that old series you'll see that although Eddie does some pointlessly cruel things, he does not do them to be pointlessly cruel. He's deeply insecure and needs an audience, and when he does have one he's a wise guy, often overstepping boundaries. He has many vulnerable moments, and even does a few generous things because he is capable of empathy on occasion.
In the New LITB show, Eddie is practically a cartoon character. He says horrible things to his wife and sons. He sends his youngest son to military boarding school and treats his wife like a servant. He does things without any perceivable motivation other than trying to grab a few laughs for the show, and this episode is exhibit A.
The only reason I didn't score this episode lower than 5 was that Ken Osmond showed an unexpected talent for singing and dancing here. I always admired Ken Osmond's portrayal of Eddie Haskell, so this review was hard to write.