"People used to say to me and Fred all the time 'Are you John Wayne?' I had an awful time convincing them I wasn't."
Great title, great episode.
The show has backed away from its growing similarity to Petticoat Junction. It's now starting to fill out and look like the Green Acres that I know and love. This episode is loaded with supporting characters and pure zaniness, which are two hallmarks of GA. The title is named after the new "Generator Plug-in" system.
All the kitchen appliances are linked to a list. (The list is below.) Each appliance has a number from 1-6. You cannot plug in more than 7. And, no matter how many times Oliver explains it, Lisa always gets it wrong. It's a scene with some lovely verbal shenanigans to open the show...
...which is really about Oliver and all the other farmers choosing what to plant. Oliver wants to do wheat. But, Doris Ziffel has lumbago, which means corn. Oliver never seems to lose his faith in the American farmer even when he finds out that they base all of their planting on nothing but aches and bumps (Wheat Bumps! Cranky spells mean soybeans. If you've got a cold, it's potatoes. Headache is asparagus. Swollen ankles are carrots.). In fact, he gets caught up in it, too. In fact, he gets so caught up in trading his seed in over and over again, that I've forgotten what he chose in the end. I guess we'll find out next time.
Mr. Kimball is definitely becoming the wonderfully forgetful and tangential character that will rule the Comedy Waves! His scene in this one, filled with confusion and backtracking, is very funny. Mr. Ziffel, Doris and Sam Drucker are all lined up and fired upon, like bucolic Comedy Targets. They just get nuttier as Oliver gets more confused. Even Arnold makes a brief appearance. We are slowly setting up that pig.
As I watched this episode last night, I tried desperately to remember every great thing that happened. But, I've forgotten most of it. It's such a good time. The episode cooks along with the Plug-In system bookending everything as Oliver tries to pick out seed in the middle. There are a butt load of gloriously funny and lovely moments. This could, possibly, be the first of the "Really Wonderful" episodes. It has everything a Green Acres episode needs, including remembering to have Lisa mention NYC a few times to remind us of the 6-month agreement. (She does say that she's been here five weeks now. At some point, time slowed down or episodes aired slightly out of order.) Eb still isn't quite in place and two major supporting folks aren't here yet but boy this show is great.
It's all praise here. After two slightly worrying episodes, we are back and the show is kicking behind again. I can't wait to see Oliver planting them fields.
Before I go...I double checked the "Plug-In" List.
Can Opener - 1
Coffee Pot - 2
Electric Iron - 2
Toaster - 2
Mixer - 2
Frying Pan - 3
Rotisserie - 4
Dishwasher - 5
Washing Machine - 6
Freezer - 6
Refrigerator - 6
Next episode: Reaffirmation of Oliver's Ideals...set in the Land of Wacky!
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Doris's "John Wayne" line had me laughing out loud. The series is definitely becoming an originally funny show of its own already in the first season.
ReplyDeleteThe plug-in system was great!! Poor Lisa, it was so confusing, but she will finally understand how it works. I love all the wackiness in this show.
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