We have previously mentioned the courageous stand taken by the producers of Leave It to Beaver when they included a scene in one episode which featured a toilet tank. Episode 15 of Season 1, "Party Invitation," incorporates a sequence which was perfectly acceptable at the time (1958) but which would probably elicit gasps of horror if included in a sitcom today--unless it was promulgated as biting satire.
In this episode, 8-year old Beaver Cleaver is invited to a birthday party of a female classmate who has the hots for him. He does not want to go, and he enlists his brother Wally to impersonate their father Ward on the phone and call the birthday girl's parents up to claim that Beaver is ill and cannot make the celebration. Ward walks in on the conversation, is not pleased, and insists in no uncertain terms that Beaver must attend. As Beaver is the only male at the event and receives a doll as a party favor, he quickly leaves the party room to find a less gynoppressive atmosphere.
Beaver's quest ends with a surprising and glorious success. He encounters the dad of the birthday girl in the study. The father instantly recognizes the plight of Beaver and extends him the hospitality of examining the numerous firearms predominantly displayed in the room. The father provides Beaver with the joy of playing with a revolver and pretending to shoot Native Americans.
Beaver leaves the party a much happier fellow and offers to walk the girl home from school in the hope that he can have another session with her father in the study.
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| Image copyright CBS |
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