Been getting reacquainted with the show after not seeing it for years. Some running gags are getting stale and annoying, such as Eb's continuing belief that the Douglases are his parents. He's so disrespectful to Oliver I'm surprised Oliver didn't just get rid of him. He really steps over the line in some of his comments to his boss.
"Truth is its own evidence." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Why would you apply real life logic to a show like this?
Hooterville was Twilight Zone territory and Oliver was the only "sane' person, but he did have his moments.
You could ask, as crazy as Lisa drove him why didn't her get out of that marriage.
I also remember Oliver got punched out by a couple of men, if it were real life he could have sued the CRAP out of them, for 1 it's assault, for 2 he's a LAWYER, he could have ruined those men who who punched him.
Just because we lose today's battle doesn't mean we've lost tommorow's war.
Why would you apply real life logic to a show like this?
In the first place, for the comedy to be effective, we need to have some semblance of reality. It's what it's based on. Having an employee make insults at you all the time isn't funny. If you played the scenes without a laugh track, a lot of the dialogue wouldn't be funny at all. Eb and Lisa somehow immediately believe any slander directed at Oliver. Why didn't Oliver divorce Lisa? He loved her. There was no such bond with Eb.
Yes, I wondered too why Oliver didn't sue some of the men who hit him. I know he was successful in NYC, but otherwise he doesn't seem to have been much of a lawyer. For one thing, regardless of his stance on an issue, he immediately shuts up as soon as another person starts talking. He doesn't seem to have the power to control a conflict. And, on a lesser note, he is easily led into a string of mispronunciations whenever he hears one. He can't talk straight afterward.
"Truth is its own evidence." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Oliver is the one the audience is supposed to pity, it's him against a bunch of lunatics. lol
Sam Drucker is the only one in the town who's half way normal and kinda in sync with Oliver.
Just because we lose today's battle doesn't mean we've lost tommorow's war.
I identify with Oliver a lot (and Al Bundy of MARRIED...WITH CHILDREN). In Oliver's case, it's a matter of hearing everyone else believing something that's false (and in some cases, even ridiculous) and I can't convince them otherwise.
"Truth is its own evidence." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
I don't think Oliver was a trial lawyer. He gets tongue-tied to easily. I don't think he could have argued his way out of a paper bag much less a courtroom. Long time ago, I concluded he must have been some sort of corporate lawyer who only dealt with contracts and not the public.
share"as crazy as Lisa drove him why didn't he get out of that marriage?"
I think we can assume that Lisa was much more competent in the bedroom than she was in the kitchen.
Actually Eb was a better worker than Alf and Ralph. They were the worst carpenters I've ever seen and constantly insulting Oliver too.
shareYeah, but Eb insulted and demeaned Oliver all the time. Al & Ralph did, too, and I'd have fired them early on!
"Truth is its own evidence." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
I used to get a kick out of how they'd insult Oliver and then when Oliver would get mad back at them, Ralph would start crying and then she and Lisa would call Oliver a "hothead"....LOL. I was watching one episode recently where Alf was carrying a board and rammed the board into Oliver's stomach. When Oliver got mad, Alf asked "What's the matter with him? Sheesh, you'd think he never got hit with a board in the stomach before." I think that was one of the times they were "working" on the bedroom closet. I'm starting to agree with you. I think I would fire Eb, Alf and Ralph. And in the meantime find some kind of way to sue Haney for selling all that junk...LOL.
shareAny competent farmer or estate dweller who had Eb as a hired hand would fire him. Just like any competent sheriff would fire Barney Fife as a deputy. It's just how sitcoms are set up for laughs and crazy plots and gags. Yes, Oliver would have fired Eb-- especially when you consider he didn't want him at first, but, after all of Eb's pestering, hired him on the spot when he told where to get water to prime their pump and it's a long way to go there for a favor. "All right!-- you're hired!"
Often I'm not as bugged by all the loopy, scatter-brained nonsense spouted by Lisa, Kimball, Haney, Eb, et al, as I am by Oliver's always yielding the conversation to them, as someone else alluded to on this thread. "Oh, how can--" "That's the most--" "Oh, for the love of--" He ought to finish his thoughts and tell them to make sense or get the hell out of there. But, like not firing Eb, such craziness is just part of the show as it's set up.
He should have hit Haney in the head with a big stick after their first transaction and every time after that.
shareYep. A steady stream of today's "reality" shows or a vampire vs. zombie series beats the pants off of a sitcom that strays so far from day to day living. A tv-watching pig? Really. I mean it's almost like they are trying to give viewers a respite from the grind or worse yet, be entertaining! I'm so happy we don't have to put up with crap like this on the major networks. Give me a slew of rapes, decapitations and drug overdoses any day. Now that's keeping it real.
shareI agree. Especially when He would get on that kick about borrowing the Car, and Mr. Douglas would tell Him no, and He'd carry on like some sniveling, spoiled Brat. And to make matters worse, Lisa would take Eb's side over Her Husband's.
shareEb doesn't need to worry about being fired anymore. He's the sole remaining actor of the Green Acres bunch. Hard to believe, but time keeps moving on.
shareWell, you're right, but if we include Victoria Paige Meyerink, the 8 year old girl they had staying with them for 8 episodes, as a part of the cast, she's one of the two remaining survivors. If you think she doesn't count in this, I'm fine with that.
"All necessary truth is its own evidence." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
She was only in 5 episodes, out of what, 170 or so episodes? It would be quite a stretch to included her as part of the regular cast.
Man without relatives is man without troubles. Charlie Chan
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