1.16: Give Me Land, Lots of Land

"You have a love of the land that I don't quite understand..."

Oliver buys the Watson farm. The Douglases now own 300 acres...but not the nice house on the Watson property. And, that sentence should clue you in to a portion of the plot in this episode. But, luckily, not a large portion of the plot. Lisa moves their stuff into this house that isn't theirs. But, at this point in the show, it's quite nice to see them working through the sitcom tropes. There's a lot of verve and there are actual laughs.

Highlights:

Lisa's Haggling with Mr. Haney.

Mr. Kimball being forced to give a straightforward answer.

Oliver and Lisa enjoying their new bedroom with no walls on the sides.

Mr. Watson's hard sell of the farm to Oliver.

All this one is missing is some Ziffel action and a visit from the Monroe Brothers.

Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor seem to be really enjoying this episode. Lisa makes a joke or two, which seems a bit odd but it's not outside the realm of possibility. And, Oliver is clearly excited when he has the chance of almost doubling the size of his farm. Especially, when he realizes that stuff actually grows on this land.

Lisa is not thrilled but she loves the house, which Oliver doesn't even notice.

There is a very strange moment near the end when Oliver arrives home and the house is empty... Instantly, I flashed right back to the second episode and the desolate filthiness of the place. The doorknob even goes through the wall again. For a brief moment, I think Oliver believed that Lisa has gone away. It gets cleared up and the Watson furniture, briefly, ends up in their house (which also looks weird) but, for that moment, the house that they have made a home becomes a shack again. It's slightly disconcerting.

Another fine episode and a mini-milestone.

We are now halfway through with Season One of Green Acres.

January 5, 1966 was the original airdate.

Next time, we enter the second half of the season and The Day of Decision looms ever closer.