This wonderful sitcom was one of the "Best"

gw_br549

Like many family sitcoms of the 50's and 60's, Father Knows Best was intended to be simple, fun family entertainment. I think some people "miss the point," feeling they must share cynical, bitter, and jaded opinions. The saddest part of this is that it is easy to end up being unable to simply enjoy a TV show for what it was meant to be..."simple, fun entertainment." As those who watched those family sitcoms will know, most shows endeavored to interweave into their story lines a message of hope, morality or truth, and I find this a GOOD thing (although some observers have unkind and contemptible things to say about these classic shows and mores). As IMDb points out, it's one thing to say you "disliked" a show; it's another altogether to rant on and decry a show for personal, emotional reasons.

Compared to today's shows – where every possible innuendo, every chance of rudeness, crudeness or being offensive is seldom missed – the shows from the 50's and early 60's were excellent family fare, and most families (believe it or not) enjoyed them and were better for it. I know I am, and that's not to say that I'm just some old "fuddy-duddy" who can't enjoy the "new, hip" shows of today, because I can and I do (but let's be honest, most shows today "push the outside of the envelope," and now even commercials are doing it!).

In the 50's (and I was a kid then), the choice of ANY kind of show was "slim pickin's," to be sure, but even so it does not mean they were bad or even poorly-made shows. Oddly enough, of all the family sitcoms of that era, the only one I ever had a problem with as a child was the very well-made and highly popular "I Love Lucy Show," and this was simply because of her open disregard for her own husband. She constantly lied, snuck around, tricked, connived, hid from, embarrassed, and openly defied him, and – as young as I was – this bothered me. There was just something contrary and contradictory about it. Of course, I know that show is an icon, but I had real problems with it and never enjoyed it, even though my family watched it. (NOTE: for those who may wonder about underlying prejudices…even as a youngster, it never even occurred to me that Ricky was "different", "a Latino," and "of another culture," so put your judging sticks down. Nor was I ever troubled on any TV show when or if two people slept in the same bed, so there's no prejudice there either.)

On the other hand, Father Knows Best had a fairly typical, upper middle-class husband, wife, son and daughter, each one playing a role that seemed fair and accurate, not only then but now (unlike my own very dysfunctional and disparate family). For someone who blatantly suggested that Father Knows Best "is just another piece of crap" that fostered the dishonoring of women and family and other such tripe, I can only say, "I am truly sorry that somewhere along Life's Journey people can be hurt so badly and became so bitter and cynical." It's truly sad to see anyone become bitter and cynical, especially about something as benign as a TV show, and especially such an "innocent" 50's family sitcom. Some reviews and some comments in the Message Boards (on various shows and movies) are downright scary and disheartening. I say this, because I believe the true purpose of some movies or TV shows is often entirely missed (they are meant to entertain and uplift, i.e. "Seventh Heaven" of today).

Anyone who watched Father Knows Best quickly realizes that Father did NOT "always know best," and sometimes he had to play it close to the vest or fly by the seat of his pants until the dust settled. Then, as any "good" father, he would own up to any misunderstanding or mistake and make it right, but the show always ended on a note of love and/or reconciliation (albeit sometimes with resistance, especially from Bud or Kitten). Is this kind of family behavior "real" and "honest"? Maybe not in your life, and surely not in mine, but it did not detract from the meaning and purpose of the show. Even though my own father was hateful and prejudiced, I STILL loved to watch this TV show, even if only to "live vicariously" through the kind, loving, conciliatory Anderson family.

I should also point out that Mom (Margaret) was always loving and patient with her husband and kids (and oftentimes quietly and patiently one step ahead of dear ole Dad). Betty was your typical older, somewhat serious sister who had her own friends and her own life, and she never really enjoyed having her two younger siblings involved in her high school matters…but she always came to their aid when needed. Bud was the typical, coming-of-age teenager, and (with all due respect to LTB's Eddie Haskell) he was one of the best near-rebels and on-the-edge youths of his time. Kathy ("Kitten," to Dad) was the youngest, the quickest to get into a predicament, the first to taunt either Betty or Bud, and usually the one to challenge most authority, but never to her great harm…(the family always saw to that).

In this, as well as most other family sitcoms of the 50's and 60's, I cannot recall any one family member ever being overly mean or unduly harsh or cruel or disrespectful, and, if there ever was a misstep, it was clearly and decisively met with some kind of fair punishment, followed by a peaceful, reconciling conclusion. In short, this kind, loving family and this wonderful sitcom was one of the "Best," and I heartily recommend it as a ten-out-of-ten Classic TV Show…!

score 10/10

gw_br549 12 October 2006

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1495644/