2109 TV Mysteries

Was talking to a guy the other day and for some reason the subject of old TV shows came up. And with it the premises of some of them that we were asked to suspend disbelief on. You know, like how it was Gilligan's Island's Howells packed such an enormous amount of fancy clothing for a three hour tour. Or how the Professor on that same show could make just about everything from coconuts except a distress beacon. 

Then there was Leave it to Beaver's Mom. Who always seemed to be able to do housework in a pearl necklace and high heels. I remember being appalled as a child when my friends came over. My own mom actually wore denims. 

Then there was the Courtship of Eddy's Father, one of many sitcoms with a single dad as it's premise. This one with a kid as a matchmaker. Bill Bixby was the bachelor in question. One of his many such roles, from roommate of an illegal alien to metamorphosing monster.

No wonder Eddy's kid had a tough time hooking him up. My favorite role for Bill Bixby was when he played Ken in the Ken Berry story. Or did Ken play Bill...?

TV loved the single dad scenario though. Often with a kindly or crotchety butler/uncle type, in everything from My Three Sons to Family Affair. It made you wonder what happened to all the women. They may have been off experimenting with doing something more fulfilling than wearing pearls and vacuuming. 

Like on the Patty Duke Show. A TV show based on a similar premise as the feature movie The Parent trap, except asking us to believe there can actually be genetically identical cousins. 

Somebody's parent obviously acted single on their own three hour tour...

America, ya gotta love it.