Which is your favorite comedic episode of the Big Valley? There were only a handful, but each one has enough moments to tickle your funny bone several times.
The Brawlers
The Great Safe Robbery
A Flock of Trouble
The Jonah
The Battle of Mineral Springs
For me, it's a toss-up between the Great Safe Robbery and the Battle of Mineral Springs. Both episodes are really funny.
My favorite is The Great Safe Robbery (also one of my favorite episodes overall) and my second favorite is The Battle of Mineral Springs. I don't care too much for the other comedic episodes. TBV, I think, did a better job at comedy than some of the other western series of the day (particularly Bonanza, which I always found rather silly when it attempted comedy).
Sweet merciful crap!
It's just tea! *sips* Needs more gin.
plus, The Battle of Mineral Springs had the rather welcome presence of sexy, sexy JANIS HANSEN, who would later go on to mini-fame as "Felix"s improbably hot ex-wife, "Gloria", on THE ODD COUPLE!
shareMy favorite is probably The Brawlers. Engaging characters and good scenes for everybody.
The Great Safe Robbery is a good Victoria episode. Barbara Stanwyck was always good playing characters who act intelligently in trying circumstances.
A Flock of Trouble's best parts are the family dinner and Nick chasing the sheep.
Audra shines in The Jonah. I like the way she combines strength and femininity.
I'm probably the only person who doesn't like The Battle of Mineral Springs. It starts out well enough. Barbara Stanwyck and Richard Long have good comedic timing and play well off each other. But much of the episode seemed petty and mean-spirited rather than humorous.
I'm probably the only person who doesn't like The Battle of Mineral Springs. It starts out well enough. Barbara Stanwyck and Richard Long have good comedic timing and play well off each other. But much of the episode seemed petty and mean-spirited rather than humorous.
I agree...the funnier parts are when Victoria and Jarrod, especially, are dealing with the expenses of their one night in Mineral Springs. Jarrod having to pay more and more money, while Victoria enjoys the hole her son is digging, is very humorous.
The second half doesn't have as many funny moments until Jarrod and Nick "kidnap" Crawford.
The Brawlers had lots of humor and though serious at times had a wonderful balance to make it totally enjoyable. And my second choice was The Great Safe robbery though I don't usually watch Victoria and Audra episodes I loved the humor in this one and also Warren Oates was great and nice to see him do something funny
shareSpecial mention for B Stanwyck's comedic Irish brogue as a thief turned prisoner in "Alias Nellie Handley".
shareI think I'd pick THE JONAH. Marty Allen is sublime in that episode. He gave us the necessary laughs, but also pointed to the tragedy in the man's life. It's like a two-for-one special.
Well said.
shareWell said.
That's actually the only Marty Allen performance I've seen, and I thought he basically stole the episode with his performance. He's able to give Waldo an innocent quality that makes his character likable. It easily could have been perceived the other way.
shareOf all the men the writers hooked Audra up with, I thought this relationship was kind of refreshing. I loved the part where she went with him to the town dance. Of course, he was not the type of guy she was normally attracted to-- but he treated her like a queen. It's just such a great episode on so many levels.
shareWhich always sort of infuriated me about Audra; going out with guys who didn't treat her that way. And here comes Waldo who treats her just right. His only problem was a low self-esteem.
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