Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, we’re continuing coverage on the best of The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1971, CBS), which currently has its first five seasons available on DVD.
The Beverly Hillbillies stars BUDDY EBSEN, MAX BAER JR., DONNA DOUGLAS, and IRENE RYAN. With RAYMOND BAILEY and NANCY KULP.
Going into The Beverly Hillbillies’ fourth season — its first in color — the series has already begun its decline, for as we’ve seen, in order to maintain the status quo and further the premise’s regular use in story, scripts have had to keep the Clampetts from learning more about, and thereby integrating into, their Beverly Hills world. As a result, the characters have become more unbelievable with each passing season, which in turn makes it harder for them to satisfy the very premise they’re trying to protect. Episodes then follow either one of two tacks: they can either reuse old ideas and coast on past glory or pivot away from the premise’s narrative center entirely in an attempt to obfuscate the fact that there’s tension. Like Three, Four does both, and in a continuation of what we saw last year, if scripts are not recycling previously employed jokes that are stretched into familiar weekly stories, then the otherwise well-defined leads are being put, as in the Hollywood movie studio arc, into broad, comedic situations that maybe have something to do with their identifiably rigid personas, but mostly are Victories In Premise that are enjoyable simply because they’re broad and comedic. (Some even include guest stars — Sebastian Cabot, Charles Ruggles, Julie Newmar, and Wally Cox are among the big “names” who appear this year.) Meanwhile, Jethro, in particular, is allowed to anchor more plots, as it’s easiest for the series to branch out with his character, seeing that he’s already among its broadest. Eventually though, all the leads will heighten within story and Hillbillies will cross the Rubicon of foolishness, after which it’s impossible to find many worthwhile entries. Fortunately, that’s still far away, and Four’s issue with its leads is more like Three’s: the stagnation is worse than the inflation, however ongoing. The difference is there’s more mediocrity in Four, for Three was bolder in its efforts to revitalize an offshoot of the central premise via an expansion of its narrative scope, and boldness is always a vital part of Hillbillies’ appeal. To wit, we’ll see that the next two years continue the series’ general descent in quality (before the “Rubicon”), but as the overall aesthetic becomes more extreme and the disparity between good and bad shows widens, the good ones seem to shine brighter — they’re bolder (if weaker). That said, there’s still much to enjoy here and I have picked ten episodes that I think exemplify the year’s finest.
01) Episode 107: “Admiral Jed Clampett” (Aired: 09/15/65)
The Clampetts mistake a Navy vessel for a yacht.
Written by Paul Henning & Mark Tuttle | Directed by Joseph Depew
Although Four’s premiere is one of the year’s most memorable, I confess that I don’t think it’s an exceptional half hour. With a big ostentatious set piece that takes the characters away from their usual surroundings and into a new location that’s not a clear ambassador for Beverly Hills and its culture, the episode is not an A+ sample of what The Beverly Hillbillies does best. However, I highlight it here because it’s a great summary of the season and the evolution of the series’ narrative habits, as this gaudy premise with a big misunderstanding that’s only slightly related to the main premise (and is merely just an excuse for the Clampetts to be ignorant in front of a new set of people) is perfect for launching our coverage of the color era.
02) Episode 108: “That Old Black Magic” (Aired: 09/22/65)
Granny believes Mrs. Drysdale has turned into a bird.
Written by Ronny Pearlman | Directed by Joseph Depew
Again, this well-remembered offering isn’t exactly the best showcase for Hillbillies, as we’re dealing with a tired comic idea that fundamentally stretches credulity and therefore threatens to jeopardize both the characters and the premise. Yet I’m featuring it in illustration, once more, of the series’ evolution, for the notion of Granny being steeped in the hills’ supernatural folklore has previously yielded a moment where she’s believed a human has been turned into an animal. But it was over in a few scenes. Eventually, in Season Nine, the Frog Man arc will stretch this single gag out for nine whole weeks! Here, it’s just one week (mercifully), and the human is Mrs. Drysdale, Granny’s rival and the series’ key antagonist — great for the invocation of the premise. So, the laughs are bigger and the story is better supported by the show’s identity.
03) Episode 111: “Possum Day” (Aired: 10/13/65)
Mr. Drysdale tries to get Beverly Hills to throw a Possum Day Parade.
Written by Paul Henning & Mark Tuttle | Directed by Joseph Depew
My choice for the season’s Most Valuable Episode (MVE), “Possum Day” is the first of two entries involving Mr. Drysdale’s efforts to mollify his largest depositors by indulging their customs. Improving, with bolder hahas, on an idea introduced back in Season Two, this two-parter is about the banker’s attempts to convince Beverly Hills, or somewhere nearby, to throw a Possum Day Parade so that the Clampetts won’t go back home to the hills (which, naturally, his wife is encouraging). Obviously, this is a very straightforward application of the series’ core premise, for the Clampetts are so out of their element (still) in Beverly Hills that they’re celebrating a holiday that doesn’t exist there, and Mr. Drysdale (as usual) is determined to keep them where they are and will do anything to pacify them, including throwing a Possum Day Parade. The campaign rally at the end, where Granny convenes a crowd to announce her candidacy for Possum Queen, is the highlight, but the strong foundation of the plot and its use of the regular characters (particularly Granny and Drysdale) are why it’s superb.
04) Episode 112: “The Possum Day Parade” (Aired: 10/20/65)
Mr. Drysdale helps create a race for Possum Queen between his wife and Granny.
Written by Paul Henning & Mark Tuttle | Directed by Joseph Depew
Taking the same comic engine from above — Drysdale helping the Clampetts celebrate Possum Day — this installment basically deploys all the same jokes as before with little variation. But it focuses more on Mrs. Drysdale’s role in the story, as Granny is convinced that her permanent rival is now her opponent for Possum Queen, and in order to keep Granny happy, Mr. Drysdale allows her to keep thinking it’s true — first by advertising his wife’s candidacy on their limo and then by playing recordings of her trash-talking Granny. It’s a hoot, and produces some of the richest laughs of the season — not because of the situation, but mostly because of the heated dynamic between the two women. Nevertheless, the latter half of this outing fails to provide as many yuks as both the setup and this Mrs. Drysdale centerpiece, so the previous excursion — which introduces the amusing premise — is more wholly satisfying as an MVE.
05) Episode 118: “Mrs. Drysdale’s Father” (Aired: 12/01/65)
Mrs. Drysdale’s gambling father tries to bilk money from Jed.
Written by Paul Henning & Mark Tuttle | Directed by Joseph Depew
Veteran actor Charles Ruggles makes his first of two guest turns this season as Mrs. Drysdale’s father, a charming conman with a love for gambling. As a relative of the series’ primary adversary, Mr. Farquhar functions a lot like Sonny Drysdale (who makes a final appearance this year) in that he’s really only valuable to the series insofar as he is able to complicate Mr. Drysdale’s objective. And fortunately, because his character is, like Drysdale, after money, Farquhar’s attempts to bilk the Clampetts are inherently threatening to his son-in-law and, in contrast to Sonny, a much more direct use of the series’ central concept.
06) Episode 119: “Mr. Farquhar Stays On” (Aired: 12/08/65)
Granny thinks Mrs. Drysdale’s father is courting her, but he just wants her money.
Written by Paul Henning & Mark Tuttle | Directed by Joseph Depew
One of the signs that Four is middling comes from the fact that I’m highlighting a lot of two-parters. With past lists, if there was an idea that worked and lasted two or three shows, I only chose one to represent it, for there were so many good ideas that were worthy of discussion. That’s no longer the case — there aren’t enough laudable stories to exclude entries that share the same sturdy concept. Here, Ruggles stays on as Mr. Farquhar, but his sights turn from Jed to Granny, who of course mistakes his interest for romance — it’s another way of providing premise-affirming conflict and showcasing the consistently in-character Irene Ryan.
07) Episode 123: “The Trotting Horse” (Aired: 01/12/66)
Mr. Drysdale tries to appease Granny by getting her a trotting horse.
Written by Paul Henning & Mark Tuttle | Directed by Joseph Depew
In another premise-led instance of Mr. Drysdale having to cater to the whims of his “out of water” fish, this two-parter hinges on the simple notion of Granny wanting a horse (because she still can’t drive). So, Drysdale gets the Clampetts a racing horse as an investment, but all Granny wants to do is attach it to a buggy and ride around — as she does in the climactic track scene. If this whole plot seems like an excuse to get to that broad centerpiece, that’s because, well, it is, but the story does work for the series and these characters, with some pretty good-sized laughs too. Along with the “Possum Day” duo, these are among the year’s finest.
08) Episode 124: “The Buggy” (Aired: 01/19/66)
Granny intends to race Mrs. Drysdale with her new horse and buggy.
Written by Paul Henning & Mark Tuttle | Directed by Joseph Depew
Just as the “Possum Day” pair also began with an establishing story rooted in the central premise of Drysdale humoring the Clampetts, the “Trotting Horse” two-parter follows the same pattern in its second half and expands its narrative purview to include Mrs. Drysdale, whom Granny is determined to race in a horse and buggy. The fun is magnified, not just by their contentious relationship (which has served a handful of Four’s greatest), but also by several plot points: the arrangement Mr. Drysdale makes with his wife (if she wins, the Clampetts must leave), Granny’s attempt to cheat by getting her rival a lame horse ironically called Lightnin’, and the ultimate way Granny (on Lightnin’) wins the race: with some help from her old friend, White Lightnin’ moonshine. With some of the biggest laughs of the season and another terrific plot for the show and its regulars, especially Granny, this is an MVE contender.
09) Episode 130: “The Old Folks Home” (Aired: 03/09/66)
Granny thinks her family is trying to replace her and send her to an old folks’ home.
Written by Paul Henning & Mark Tuttle | Directed by Joseph Depew
Even with all the great stories above that directly address the central premise and Drysdale’s mission to appease the Clampetts, I think this installment is the year’s best vehicle for Irene Ryan’s Granny and Irene Ryan’s Granny alone, as another misunderstanding develops, in part because the family has hired a housekeeper who makes the old woman feel that she’s being replaced so they can ship her off to a retirement home. Ryan’s clowning is the main attraction, though Drysdale giving her a job at the bank is the cherry on top of this figurative sundae (and its funniest moment). It’s not a classic, but it’s solid, and in comparison to my top Honorable Mentions, I’d rather single out a show where Granny shines over anyone else.
10) Episode 135: “Jethro Gets Engaged” (Aired: 04/20/66)
Jethro gets a job as Dash Riprock’s stunt double.
Written by Paul Henning & Mark Tuttle | Directed by Joseph Depew
Jethro’s increased usage was noted above in our seasonal commentary, but it should be reiterated that there are a handful of shows in which he both anchors the plot and serves as its focus, as he takes us to new locales and is, really, our only link to the series’ givens. A few of these offerings are cited below as Honorable Mentions, but this is easily the best of Four’s Jethro-centric lot because it makes use of some of the narrative particulars already established, like Jed’s movie studio, Jethro’s desire to be in pictures, and the funny recurring character that is Dash Riprock. In this one, Jethro — calling himself “Beef Jerky” — gets a job as Dash’s stunt double, exasperating a befuddled Pat Harrington Jr. There are some big laughs here!
Other episodes that merit mention include: the two closest to the above list, “A Real Nice Neighbor,” which is a riot for fans of character actress Kathleen Freeman, and “The Common Cold,” a Granny offering with Fred Clark’s Dr. Clyburn that’s fun but considerably weaker than two similar-yet-more-laudable outings from Season Five, along with “The Cat Burglar,” with an amusing plot but not a great use of the series’ premise, and “Granny Tonics A Birdwatcher,” the second of two shows with Wally Cox as Miss Jane’s birdwatching pal (in a nod to her prior role on Bob Cummings). Of more Honorable Mention quality, meanwhile, are “The Courtship Of Elly,” which is a routine but above average “love potion” show, “The Big Chicken,” which is a funny but shamelessly blatant attempt at recapturing the magic of “The Giant Jackrabbit,” and “Sonny Drysdale Returns,” which boasts the first and only appearance of Louis Nye’s Sonny Drysdale since his first season arc (he works better in this one-off). I’ll also note two more Jethro-heavy entries — “The Private Eye” and “Jethro’s Pad” — neither are as strong as “Jethro Gets Engaged,” but they’re a cut above his others in Four and actually may be among the series’ best examples of two recurring story templates with him: his desire to be both a “double naught” spy and an international playboy.
*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Four of The Beverly Hillbillies goes to…
“Possum Day”
Come back next week for Season Five! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!
Ronny Perlman wrote “That Old Black Magic.” I point this out only to defend Henning & Tuttle (even though, as you noted, Henning would revive this awful idea in season 9) because I think this is such a dumb episode at a time when the show was still well-plotted on a regular basis.
Hi, Scott! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Good catch; I have amended the above post.
As for “That Old Black Magic,” I think you overcredit Four’s baseline and undercredit the episode itself, which is not only fueled by the rivalry between Granny and the series’ central antagonist, but also built upon a well-established part of the former’s characterization. I don’t think it’s a stellar sample of HILLBILLIES in comparison to its finest half hours from the first two years, but it’s an important stepping stone in tracking how the application of character diminishes over time. What was just a joke for a couple of scenes in Season Three is used again to plot out a whole story in Four, and then becomes an entire nine-episode arc in Nine. And it’s a good enough teleplay to include here to make that point — and to get Ronny Pearlman a regular gig with the series in Five.
(Oh, and by the way, head writer and producer Paul Henning greenlit this script, so if you don’t like it, you can’t absolve him of the responsibility.)
Agreed that Henning deserves some responsibility for the episode but the show almost always dips in quality in seasons 4 through 7 when he is not a credited writer.
I disagree. Henning saw and touched every page produced during the years in question and the best segments of Five and Six, in particular, include shows with scripts credited to him and scripts that aren’t — while his personal “batting average” remains on par with the year itself — suggesting little to no major difference in aesthetic or quality. Stay tuned…
Oh my. I get the feeling I’m not going to agree with some upcoming choices. But I’m sure I’ll still enjoy seeing what you have to say and how you justify it.
Maybe — stay tuned!
Also, while Pearlman did get more assignments, his scripts were generally weak (even when paired with Tuttle) and his tenure with the show was short.
Yes, he was only a regular contributor for about a year. But his name is on several fine offerings, and once again, the extent to which Henning was personally responsible for every produced script can’t be understated. Pearlman’s credited episodes are just as hit-and-miss as the series itself in this era.
Okay. I’ll look forward to seeing which ones you select as fine offerings and why. Maybe I’m missing something.
Perhaps!
Call me crazy but I always thought of That Old Black Magic as one of the funniest episodes ever. Not top 10 but maybe top 20. Its a tour de force for Miss Irene Ryan. And its better than the frog man episodes because its not dragged out. It’s short and sweet. :)
Glad you like it. Ryan and MacGibbon are both funny in the episode but I don’t buy the premise. If it’s a dumb idea in season 9, it’s a dumb idea in season 4. It’s a rare episode from the first four seasons that I don’t like. Love the show!
You don’t buy here that Granny would believe there exists a power to turn a human into an animal… even though, for one, we’ve previously seen her believe she’s turned Jethro into a dog? This seems like a pretty well-established part of her potion-making, superstition-believing, folk-doctoring persona to me, however silly. In fact, its silliness is part of the reason it’s worth discussing: the longer this story is stretched, the more we disconnect — like so many of HILLBILLIES’ ideas (including its entire premise). You may not like it for reasons of strained logic (which I understand), but it’s not unfounded or unsupported by the depiction of her character.
No, I don’t buy it. Just like I didn’t buy her thinking she turned Jethro into a dog or the whole frog nonsense. It’s funny when Granny is superstitious but not when she’s senile/mentally defective. I think it’s the start of an unfortunate trend. Where Granny’s abilities were often lauded in the early episodes, she eventually wanted to do a head transplant and bob Drysdale’s tongue.
I get it. It’s a contortion of common sense that’s a barrier to entry for you. We each subjectively set the rules for that. I try to take what the series gives me and let that determine what I find permissible, so I maintain that the script in question not only supports itself with the premise-adjacent dynamic between Granny and Mrs. Drysdsle (which is inherently comedic — and absent from the Frog Man arc), but also roots its admitted heightening in a legitimately established and initially relatable aspect of Granny’s persona. In this way, an idea that’s not necessarily my favorite is cultivated in story for earned value from the elements of the series’ identity that are most conducive to success. And it’s only a half hour, so I don’t have weeks to stew over its silliness.
However, recognizing this previously developed part of Granny’s depiction as it’s being exaggerated is essential to understanding the series’ trajectory, for this is a trend (as you said) that’s ongoing — taking what works and bastardizing it through heightening without motivation. I would hope we’re on the same page there, for, actually, that’s a theme of this and every season. In fact, I think the episode is a revealing sample of where the show’s storytelling is at during this point in the run, and I specifically don’t consider it an outlier in a year that’s broader and less concerned with logic than its predecessors. For instance, if Granny is “mentally defective” in this entry, are you telling me she’s not when she thinks she’s helped breed a giant chicken? Or all the many times she believes her love potions have ensnared their intended? How about when she assumes there’s such a thing as a “baby store?” Aren’t those Henning-scripted offerings “dumb” too, asking for leaps in logic that no mentally sound person would make?
In Season Four, “That Old Black Magic” is not an exception, it’s part of a pattern, and if you dislike it (which I understand), I would think you’d also be more critical of the year at large. That’s the disconnect with your argument for me — it suggests that this one episode’s idea doesn’t arise sincerely from the sweeping narrative shifts Henning has ordained, when the rest of the season (and those surrounding) say otherwise.
Perhaps I am splitting hairs, but like you, I take these things seriously. Heaven knows even in the best years the show would occasionally make a leap in logic for the sake of a joke. I don’t like when that happens but it’s not as bad as an entire plot that I can’t buy. And I do think it’s possible that Granny would think that “crazy Beverly Hills folks” would have a baby store, that her tomato-growing formula could have an effect on a chicken or that love potions might work, but not that a human being could be changed into a bird. It just crosses a line for me that those other exaggerations don’t. Like I said, I might be splitting hairs. Next time I watch “That Old Black Magic” I’ll keep an open mind and see if I agree that it’s within scope of the 4th season or if I still think it’s an outlier and a harbinger of bad things to come. Either way, I always enjoy hearing what others have to say about a show I’m passionate about, even when we don’t agree.
Thanks — and don’t forget to consider the character rewards offered, as that’s what I think supports (and then mitigates the damage that comes from) an idea that we both agree is broader than we’d like (in a season that I find almost commensurately broad).
Hi, Elaine! Thanks for reading and commenting.
You’re crazy. Just kidding — I actually didn’t know this episode was so popular, but two readers have said it’s among their favorites. Go figure. Personally, I wouldn’t put it in my Top 20 (not when the first two years are so densely packed with gems), but as expressed above, I agree it’s a solid, funny show for Granny, and I was eager to highlight it here to mark the series’ shifting narrative habits (and explain how bad ideas start from good ones).
Love the two “Possum Day” episodes, but my personal favorite would have to be “That Old Black Magic.” The feud between Margaret and Granny is always hilarious and Harriet MacGibbon really makes the episode to me.
Hi, Nat! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Your comment and the previous are ironically juxtaposed; Scott doesn’t like “That Old Black Magic,” but you do. Shows just how subjective taste is! (Incidentally, I agree with you — it’s a solid Granny show and makes some internal sense based on both her characterization and their relationship.)
FWIW this is the best version of the story. The episode from S3 where Granny thinsk Jethro has been transformed into a dog isn’t nearly as funny as That Old Black Magic because it’s about more than Granny being superstitious. It’s about her hating on Mrs. Drysdale and then feeling guilty like she did with Pearl back in S1! I love it for their relationship and for her character. And the Frog Man stuff just goes on too long like everything in those last seasons.
And I agree with about S4 being more exaggerated in total. To me this episode is no sillier than The Big Chicken. But I still like the season. And I like S5 and S6 too. :)
Yes, “That Old Black Magic” is supported by established character concerns in a way that other iterations of this story aren’t — I agree it’s the best of this subcategory. And although the descent continues aggressively, I can find things to appreciate about Seasons Five and Six, too — stay tuned!
Great write-up. I agree on the Possum Day episodes as being the season’s MVP and that this season really begins a downward trend in quality. I converted the season episodes to black and white though and noticed that it seemed to help with the suspension of disbelief. I enjoyed the episodes more in black and white then in color.
Hi, JC! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I sometimes do that when watching early color episodes of ’60s shows too — I want to see how most Americans at the time would have viewed them: in black-and-white!
As for the downward trend, I think it begins in Three (right after the peak of Two), but Four certainly continues it!
Possum Day is my favorite from this season. Granny became the true star of the series. I wish Mrs Drysdale had stayed until the end of the series.
Hi, Smitty! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I share your enthusiasm for Mrs. Drysdale, but the final years of the show had so strained the regulars and the premise that her inclusion in thesis-affirming story could only do so much to create a worthy half hour. That is, the best use of her character, after this list, is in the past-tense. And I am ultimately of the opinion that if her being phased out (upon MacGibbon’s own request) seems like a blow to the concept, it should be said that the concept was already blown.
Mrs Drysdale for Possum Queen! I agree that Mrs Drysdale should have been featured more in the last years of the show. Maybe it was felt that everything that could be done with her had been done but she would have certainly enlivened the contrived and elongated arcs that appeared.
Hi, John! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I too would have liked to see more of Mrs. Drysdale, but the final years of the show had so strained the regulars and the premise that her inclusion in thesis-affirming story could only do so much to create a worthy half hour. That is, the best use of her character, after this list, is in the past-tense. As for MacGibbon’s diminished role, that was on her request — she was easing into retirement and it is understood that her health was, at times, precarious.
Wow. Such great discussion on this season.
FWIW, Buddy Ebsen once said “Admiral Jed Clampett” was his favorite episode.
I agree with you that Sonny Drysdale’s return as a one-shot was better than a multi-episode arc with him. Great, great dialogue about him before his arrival: “19 years of college?” “Yes, and he’s still a Sophomore!” Bailey is priceless in that scene with Nye.
The Possum Day two parter would be my pick for the season’s best, too. I have a soft spot for “The Great Jethro” because John Carradine’s flamboyant magician outfoxes Drysdale, who endures more than usual, and “Jethro’s Pad”, well, you can’t go wrong with any of Jethro’s attempts to realize the International Playboy dream. And I am shocked, shocked to find out that Mr. Drysdale reads topless magazines…..
Hi, Hal! Thanks for reading and commenting.
It’s a great collection of episodes for Jethro fans — I think there are several more comedically nuanced offerings for him than “The Great Jethro,” but I can certainly understand enjoying it for John Carradine’s work. After all, this is also a season of notable guest stars who are used fairly well.
Watching these 60s reviews make me glad TDVDS never went to color
Hi, Track! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Every series weakens with age — THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW included. Another season would have been less enjoyable, color or black-and-white.