My Three Sons

[prberk]

Has anyone besides me (and Leonard Maltin) noticed that the old My Three Sons shows had a very Disney feel?

Cast included Tim Considine (from MMC's "Spin and Marty" and "Annette" and other Disney specials), Fred MacMurray (of "Absent-Minded Professor" and "gy Dog" fame, among others), and Don O'Grady (Robbie Douglas, appeared on the MMC).

Besides the cast, it just felt Disney-esque. I wish this series were on more often. In some ways, I think it was just as timeless as "Leave It to Beaver" (a show that is shamelessly parodied, but timeless in its writing nonetheless: watch it again, if you haven't lately).

These shows all had universal themes that, while dated in styles, were fun to watch and sometimes thought-provoking.

Anyway, just wondered.

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by prberk
Has anyone besides me (and Leonard Maltin) noticed that the old My Three Sons shows had a very Disney feel?

Cast included Tim Considine (from MMC's "Spin and Marty" and "Annette" and other Disney specials), Fred MacMurray (of "Absent-Minded Professor" and "gy Dog" fame, among others), and Don O'Grady (Robbie Douglas, appeared on the MMC).

Besides the cast, it just felt Disney-esque. I wish this series were on more often. In some ways, I think it was just as timeless as "Leave It to Beaver" (a show that is shamelessly parodied, but timeless in its writing nonetheless: watch it again, if you haven't lately).

These shows all had universal themes that, while dated in styles, were fun to watch and sometimes thought-provoking.

Anyway, just wondered.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that TV in thoes days were not always as realistic as real life in the 60's and the censors were much more strict on what could be aired on TV in thoes days and so wholesome family values was what was portrayed in them. If you noticed that any single parent family untill the early 70's was always a Widow/Widower and Married couples like the Ricardos( Lucy and Rickey) and the Petries (Laura and Rob) slept in sepreate beds ( HUMM how many of your parents slept in seperate beds??). In fact when the Partridge family went into production they made Mrs partridge be a Widow instead of a divorcee' Like the original script called for durring a time when Divorces in this country were on the rise in the late 60' and the brady Parents were also a Widow and a Widower as well, Censors thought that a Divorced parent would be Taboo

Jusr my two cents here

 

[prberk]

yes, but besides the Disney connections, my other observation was that My Three Sons (and Leave It To Beaver) were timeless in many ways. The writing often delt with universal issues that hold up today, despite the other dated aspects of the show. That is why I said to watch them again, if they are on in your area. MTS is hard to find, but Beaver is on TVLand.

Yes, the shows were mostly white, middle-classed and existed in an era that restricted much of what they could present, but in watching them consistently, I have seen themes that pushed society to try harder, and to look out for the little guy. Much the same as was found on the MMC serials.

On MTS, I noticed that they had several episodes on prejudice: and one even reminded me of the China pavilion's mission. It involved Mr. Douglas (MacMurray), who worked for Boeing on the show, going to China for business. He learned about cultural differences and celebrating diversity. Also, MTS was one of the longest-running shows in TV history. It ran into the seventies, and was notable because it allowed the kids to grow up, move out, get married, and have marriage problems.

I have sort of strayed from my own topic, but this has made me think about TV shows of then and now. Today's TV writing is more "sassy" and less interested in character development and universal themes. It seems we have conquered the taboos, but maybe in doing so has perhaps lost some focus and strength in writing and constructive problem-solving, especially in television for young people.

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by prberk
yes, but besides the Disney connections, my other observation was that My Three Sons (and Leave It To Beaver) were timeless in many ways. The writing often delt with universal issues that hold up today, despite the other dated aspects of the show. That is why I said to watch them again, if they are on in your area. MTS is hard to find, but Beaver is on TVLand.

Yes, the shows were mostly white, middle-classed and existed in an era that restricted much of what they could present, but in watching them consistently, I have seen themes that pushed society to try harder, and to look out for the little guy. Much the same as was found on the MMC serials.

On MTS, I noticed that they had several episodes on prejudice: and one even reminded me of the China pavilion's mission. It involved Mr. Douglas (MacMurray), who worked for Boeing on the show, going to China for business. He learned about cultural differences and celebrating diversity. Also, MTS was one of the longest-running shows in TV history. It ran into the seventies, and was notable because it allowed the kids to grow up, move out, get married, and have marriage problems.

I have sort of strayed from my own topic, but this has made me think about TV shows of then and now. Today's TV writing is more "sassy" and less interested in character development and universal themes. It seems we have conquered the taboos, but maybe in doing so has perhaps lost some focus and strength in writing and constructive problem-solving, especially in television for young people.

PR I do agree with you, on the taboos being pretty much played out and not much to strech the envelope today with the Writing, I want to add that the china episode on MTS was in the later 60's and the marrage problems happened toward the end of the series in the mid 70's after shows like All In the Family were breaking all the rules by then.

 

[prberk]

Thanks for your remarks JMarc. Cool that you knew that China episode.

I just wish today's shows could take more cues from these shows on the universal themes. Even though the boundaries have been played out, it seems like the writers today don't know that. They are still busy confusing sassy one-liners for wit and "issues" for depth.

Not all modern shows are this way, but I think most are.

I just think these shows are worth reviewing every now and then. In some ways, the more things change, the more they stay the same! We can learn from the way the writers dealt with issues on these shows, even today! How Disneyesque (learning from the past, affecting the future)!

 

[BigNorm]

Originally posted by prberk
Has anyone besides me (and Leonard Maltin) noticed that the old My Three Sons shows had a very Disney feel?

Cast included Tim Considine (from MMC's "Spin and Marty" and "Annette" and other Disney specials), Fred MacMurray (of "Absent-Minded Professor" and "gy Dog" fame, among others), and Don O'Grady (Robbie Douglas, appeared on the MMC).

Besides the cast, it just felt Disney-esque. I wish this series were on more often. In some ways, I think it was just as timeless as "Leave It to Beaver" (a show that is shamelessly parodied, but timeless in its writing nonetheless: watch it again, if you haven't lately).

These shows all had universal themes that, while dated in styles, were fun to watch and sometimes thought-provoking.

Anyway, just wondered.

I've never really thought about it, but now that you mention it...???

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by prberk
Thanks for your remarks JMarc. Cool that you knew that China episode.

I just wish today's shows could take more cues from these shows on the universal themes. Even though the boundaries have been played out, it seems like the writers today don't know that. They are still busy confusing sassy one-liners for wit and "issues" for depth.

Not all modern shows are this way, but I think most are.

I just think these shows are worth reviewing every now and then. In some ways, the more things change, the more they stay the same! We can learn from the way the writers dealt with issues on these shows, even today! How Disneyesque (learning from the past, affecting the future)!

your welcome Prberk, I watched that show all the time when I could find it on my local stations when I was younger and now its on again on some of the cable stations ,