"Leave It to Beaver" (1957-1963) is a family show set in the suburban town of Mayfield that focuses on the Cleaver family: Ward (Hugh Beaumont), father and accountant; June (Barbara Billingsley), wife and stay-at-home Mom; and their two boys, Wally (Tony Dow) a teenager, and their youngest, Theodore, better known to everyone as "Beaver" (Jerry Mathers). While television of the 1950s and '60s had its share of family shows during its black and white age, including "Father Knows Best" with Robert Young and Jane Wyatt; "The Donna Reed Show" (with Donna Reed and Carl Betz); "Dennis the Menace" (starring Jay North); and later, the long running series, "My Three Sons" (1960-1972) with Fred MacMurray, it seemed unlikely that "Leave It to Beaver" would become the one sit-com to survive and continue to air on television, whether locally or on cable, decades after its concluding episode in 1963. The aforementioned family comedy shows had its share of reruns before slowly disappearing to Limbo, replaced by newer programs to its Color- oriented viewers, but this innocent black and white show which was done on film and not on video tape and to date never colorized to attract younger viewers, still entertains as is. "Leave It to Beaver" geared to its younger viewers when first aired, but today, the children who loved it back then are either adults or grandparents currently sharing their TV memories with their young ones. And the tradition continues.

Like most long-running shows, this one lasting six seasons, the earlier episodes are the best, mixing comedy, charm and well scripted dialog. It's obvious that the writer or writers who developed this program had fond memories of what it's like being a child, for that many of the show's characters, mainly children, could easily be identified by someone we at one time had know in our youth, one character in particular being Judy Henson, the school's pony tailed tattle-tale, teacher's pet and know-it-all. Beaver's closest friend during the first couple of seasons was the chubby Larry Mondello, while Wally's pals were Chester, Tooey and the conniving Eddie Haskell. Over the years, characters have come and gone, but the writers managed to find new friends for Beaver while they kept and expanded the Eddie Haskell character, played to perfection by Ken Osmond, one of the most memorable and "smooth" characters created and developed. Along the way, Chester and Tooey were just phased out, and a new character, Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford (Frank Bank) stepped in. At first, Lumpy was the neighborhood bully who hounded Wally and the Beav, to eventually became one of Wally's closest friends.

With each passing season viewers got to see the show's new opening, watching the boys growing and maturing to young adults by season six. During the final season, the instrumental theme song remained the same, though jazzed for its final season (1962- 63). By then, Beaver, the central titled character has turned 14, losing his innocent and boyish charm and becoming least interesting character. With the writers sensing this, the scripts placed Beaver in support in several episodes while stories revolved around more on Wally and his friends. There were even segments in which either Lumpy or Eddie would have almost an entire episode, but when Beaver became the central character, it lacked something, becoming mediocre episodes. By mid season, Beaver would start becoming more interested in girls. After 235 episodes, the Cleaver family went into retirement.

The amazing aspect about this program is the development of its characters, not only the central ones but the supporting crew. Aside from Ken Osmond's ever so polite Eddie, who's well mannered in front of the adults and a "big mouth, wise guy" to his pals, there's Richard Deacon as Fred Rutherford, Lumpy's father; the charming Sue Randall as Miss Landers, Beaver's teacher; Burt Mustin as Gus, the fireman; Beaver's other friends including Stanley Fafara as Whitey Whitney, who appeared occasionally through the show's six seasons; Stephen Talbot as Gilbert, and Richard Correll as Richard Rickover. The show might have its share of contradiction, there was a Violet Rutherford, Fred's daughter/ Lumpy's sister, who disappeared, leaving Lumpy the Rutherfordf's only "offspring," while Gilbert Bates introduced as the only child of his widowed father, to suddenly have a mother and sister in later episodes who never appear.

Aside this being a comedy show, "Leave It to Beaver" does take time out for some tender moments. In almost every episode, after either Wally or the Beav, or both, get tangled up with problems, whether it be their fault or not, there is usually a good father to son(s) lecture, along with the moral lesson to what's occurred. One in particular line recited by Ward (Hugh Beaumont) to his wife, June, that stands out is, "The way to get your children's love is to first earn their respect." Occasionally mother June would have her moment of truth with her boys as well, giving them the lesson, value and facts of life, something currently missing in today's TV family sitcoms. And even when the parents are in the wrong, this is one of those rare cases in which the TV Dad or Mom will come out and admit it, showing its viewers that even the parents aren't perfect, but they do what's best for their children as well as learning from their own mistakes.

There are many classic episodes, the one hailed the best where Beaver gets trapped in a billboard soup bowl. Regardless of its age, "Leave It to Beaver" is harmless fun, good family viewing. There was even a 1983 reunion show, "Still the Beaver," along with a new up-to-date series, "The New Leave It to Beaver" (1985-1989). While it's good seeing those familiar faces again, a little older and slightly wiser, but minus the deceased Hugh Beaumont, who is sorely missed, nothing comes close to this original series.

There is so little these days that makes me laugh. Few things that pass for comedy are actually funny to me. It seems it all has to be graphic, obnoxious, or push some imagined envelope. I find that there are no envelopes yet to be pushed. Since the culture is so jaded, nothing shocks or surprises any more so it's quite hard to get a laugh by being outrageous (thank God!). Comedy, therefore, is a difficult medium. What remains? In order to be funny, it still must strike some chord in reality, and some subtlety (IMO) is required. In accord with these things, the most recent series that consistently delivered for me was "The Cosby Show" (unless I must count the first 2 or 3 seasons of "The Office", which I thought had some potential, but quickly KILLED my interest). Still, I watch re-runs of Beaver, and I can't help it, I laugh out loud at least once/per episode. Besides, who hasn't known an "Eddie Haskel"?? Do we really need more depressing reality telling us we're all screwed-up and no one really has any helpful answers? Do we really need to bemoan the time when moms made a career of their families (perish the thought!)? My guess is that families were stronger, children were involved in far less destructive behavior, and men felt like men. No, people didn't have as many material possessions, but I think people were more content, and ultimately, I think women were, in a real sense, contributing to a much healthier society. Was life perfect then? No; but could what we have now ever be described as such? If anyone thinks so, I would definitely disagree. "Leave It To Beaver" still strikes a chord, and it's still humorous.

I am only 25, but saw Leave it To Beaver on television about 5 years ago and was already nostalgic and then went on to watch it whenever I could on TV Land. A few months ago when we were back where I grew up in Washington, I showed this to my 16-year old brother and he liked it right away; I started with the final season I bought in Seattle earlier in the trip so he saw him in his older days where his voice had deepened and he had a "funny sounding" voice. These were such episodes as where Wally grew a mustache, and Beaver finds that the paperboy he wants to get back at was really a girl, and Beaver gets ready to tour the USA with his class. He liked the older Beaver better. Ward was rather liberal for the late 1950's and early 1960's. How He is sometimes seen in the kitchen and doing dishes for example and rarely punishes Wally and Theodore. Beaver is his nickname to those who weren't part of the generation. When Beaver drills a hole in the garage with Larry coaxing him into having fun with the drill Ward just gave a stern lecture with no punishment, which still led the 7 or 8 year old Beaver to try and run away. When his father wasn't lenient giving a stern talking to or just passing a wise lesson along, he was maybe just on par with parents who are neither lenient nor strict. The one thing that may have bothered me before is that Hugh Beaumont died before I was even born. Mayfield was one of those towns where the state doesn't seem to be revealed, as the nature of Ward's work was never revealed, he was just seen in his office, often with his bumbling and annoying coworker, Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford's dad. Wally was perhaps the funniest part of the show. The generation gap and placing friends above family what Wally and later the Beaver had to say to their parents was a funny recurring joke on the show ie. " oh, people just sort of goofed around back then"," gee dad I'd feel like a creep having you introduce yourself in front of the class, mom that'd ruin me." Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow's voice's deepened a little early. One thing I didn't like was how much Beaver treated girls as repulsive and how long it took him to get over it, he only knew that adult women were too grown up to be icky in any way, he had an infatuation with his young teachers in season 1 and season 2. Mathers was a cute boy, all the way through the show and didn't lose his charm after his voice deepened. He was a nice and charming teenager. if only there was a kid like that now. Sometimes i might feel like a dork wanting to watch a series that is outdated by nearly 50 years every night, when most people under their mid or late 30's or so haven't even seen Leave it To Beaver, much less make early TV Land era shows part of their lineup. ButI have even got my contemporary slightly older brother to watch Leave it To Beaver. there's way too much to say about this show for one review.

When I was young, way back in the 1960's I never really dug this show. It was too 'predictable'. In the first five minutes we meet the Cleavers, then in the next 15, Beaver has screwed up, and the last few minutes of the show, we get a good lesson on 'cause and effect' from Ward. Everybody laughs, credits roll, and we get to see Wally and Beaver walking home and a brand new De Soto go by in the street (Chrysler, replacing Ford Motor Company, sponsored the show from about 1959, onward and used the closing credits to get a product placement shot in.) And as I was a kid at the time, I never enjoyed seeing other kids get into trouble.

Now that I'm in my forties, I find the show hysterical. The exasperated look that Ward and June get when something happens, Wally's comments, and the dealings with all the Cleavers friends are priceless.

Wally's come backs of 'Aw, heck, Beaver', and 'Don't be a creep, or something.' Crack me up. You can always count on a great line from Tony Dow in every episode.

The story lines were fairly typical fifties fluff, with a few exceptions. There is one that deals with an alcoholic handyman that Ward knows, that frankly could be re-shot today, and not feel 40 plus years old. I recently saw one, where Beaver joins a record club, and forgets to send back a card to cancel the next shipment of records. Hands up, out there, how many of us do that today with our CD and DVD club selection cards?

A true, kindhearted, and well written classic to be enjoyed by the whole family.

Leave it to Beaver has been somewhat maligned for representing an idealized, almost utopian view of the 1950's (although half the episodes aired in the next decade) where everyone is in his place... the sons go to the school dances and participate in sports and take the girls out on nice, proper dates (as well as always addressing their father as "sir"), the father goes to work and comes back to read the paper, and the wife is in, you guessed it, the kitchen. Among certain circles "June Cleaver" is seen as a dirty name.

If you watch the series, however, the show is much more than its reputation. Ward and June Cleaver are not the perfect parents, they are merely very good parents. It almost should be remembered that the world is seen through the eyes of Beaver Cleaver, the show's star. Keeping that in mind, it shouldn't be a surprise that we rarely see the parents argue (and also why we never learn what Ward's job actually is) and the world in general is seen as a pretty friendly place. The family system is very idealized and it's refreshing to watch. The show has a nostalgic vibe no matter what the age of the viewer (my father was a toddler when it aired and I can still feel nostalgic about it) because it does idealize values that are still cherished by people all over the world- decency, honesty, responsibility, family... the Cleavers are great with all these things just about every episode. It's also a very comfortable show... it isn't aiming for laughs that will put you on the floor laughing, but it will consistently get a chuckle out of people.

Because the Cleavers are idealized, some may see the show as "dated" because the 21st century has a more cynical approach to family. This is not to say that television that strives to show a realistic family situation is bad or wrong, only that showing an idealized version of the family isn't wrong either. What is often overlooked, however, is that many issues are addressed throughout the series run. Some things that may have been more acceptable in that era are frowned upon in LitB, and serious issues are dealt with throughout the series. Racism, alcoholism, divorce, and more that would surprise those who know the show only be reputation. Very often other children would talk about their father beating them (something Ward absolutely never did... not even spankings), and although these lines are often played for laughs there is a definite somber tone as well. And as a younger person watching the show, I see the same basic social issues being dealt with by Beaver and his brother Wally as kids and even adults deal with today. The things that Beaver or Wally do wrong every week (the show has one basic formula, but it works well) may seem small and petty in comparison to what many of us have done, but many of the same principles are involved in the reasons behind the wrong actions and the solutions. So in this way, Leave it to Beaver is both tremendously old-fashioned and relevant to any culture in which humans are involved.

As far as specifics about the cast, they're all iconic characters with the nasty, conniving Eddie Haskell being one of the greatest TV character ever. Ward's wisdom is always a nice treat, and I believe that June Cleaver has more depth and strength than she's given credit for (there are a few times when you wonder who wears the pants in the family!). One of the biggest drawbacks of the show is the older Beaver in the later seasons. He's still saying the same lines that are supposed to be cute and innocent, the problem is Mathers wasn't cute and innocent anymore, he was a teenager. That's partly why the show finally ended with the cast moving on to different things.

So all in all, it's a show that I can't recommend enough.

Invariably, almost all of the prominent sitcom critics in Hollywood have rated "Leave it to Beaver" to be one of the all-time classic shows in the whole history of the small screen! Such praise is definitely not too difficult to fathom at all!! The Cleavers became American icons for fifties T.V.. Jerry Mathers was the stellar top draw as "The Beav". Tony Dow was the brother, Wally, Mr All American. Hugh Beaumont, played Ward Cleaver, the perfect husband and father. Last, but certainly not least, Barbara Billingsly assumed the part of June Cleaver, she was so stereotypical of the model wife and mother that many male television viewers would perennially say, "My wife is not perfect, it's not like she's June Clever or something." "Leave it to Beaver" was synonymous with an American utopia which embraced the kindred spirits of the vast majority of families nationwide! Jerry Mathers' role as "Beaver", made him the most popular kid in the United States! June Cleaver (Barbara Billingsly's character) was indicative of the ultimate housewife who became the antithesis of woman's liberation by being egregiously submissive and deferential to her husband, Ward. In reality, however, Barbara Billingsly herself was an integral part of the harbinger of events to follow that would fortify woman's liberation just by virtue of the fact that she was a working woman. In an interview with Barbara, she told a Philadelphia newspaper reporter that she actually never personally wore an apron in her private life ever!! The whole sitcom was predicated on the wiles and chicanery that Beaver engaged in. After the television audience witnessed all of Beaver's troublesome antics, many people who watched "Leave it to Beaver" garnered an enticing empathy for the typical family of the 1950's by attaching a tenet of moral imperatives to everything. In Beaver's own precocious way, he was able to think about his precarious experiences and learn from them. The show "Leave it to Beaver" is considered one of the best shows in the entire duration of television. I think that such an accolade is due to the fact that through this whole series, all Americans could be wide eyed, whimsical, yet very astute about socially acceptable ethics which guided our youth in the RIGHT direction!! I liked "Leave it to Beaver", and I think that the appreciation for this T.V. program is timeless!! By the way, despite some crazy rumors, I do not think Wally's friend, Eddie, was played by Alice Cooper!! "Leave it to Beaver" was spectacular for back then, it is still spectacular today!!

Leave it to Beaver is a classic that I never get tired of watching! I didn't watch it too much as a child (I was born in 1951) mainly because as a young child (girl) I wasn't as interested in what little boys were doing but I did watch the show. I continue to watch it as an adult because Ward Cleaver reminds me of my dad, hands down! Ward treats Wally and Beaver with love, patience and RESPECT. Everything about Ward reminds me of my dad...his class, kindness, integrity, wearing a suit to work everyday, you name it! In the beginning episodes they have Ward being a little bumbling as a father and have June as the "mother knows best" role. Later they sort of switched the roles, probably because of the dynamics of father/son interaction. People always say how unrealistic the show is but, believe me, I was there during the 50s and 60s and the Cleaver family mirrored my own in a million ways. We always ate dinner at the table and "talked about our day", my dad helped with homework, etc. I remember my brother sneaking food he didn't like to our dog who wasn't allowed in the kitchen but sat dutifully by the door next to my brother's chair (classic Beaver type stuff). I wish they'd show this TV show to high school students as a model for good parenting, something that is sadly lacking in today's world. Ward and June are the parents every kid wants!

One of the reasons the show is so good is because of the development of each character. Fred Rutherford is a classic nemesis to Ward. Everyone knows a boor like Fred and can relate. He was a great character. I always liked the "idea" of Larry's parents. Larry was obviously an "accident" child. He talks about his older brother and sister, his older mother who was overwhelmed by having to deal with Larry's shenanigans without the help of her traveling husband. Stuff like this is true to life now and then. All of Beaver's friends (Larry, Gilbert, Whitey, Richard) had very distinct personalities. Lumpy and Eddie were classics and both played their parts perfectly! They even had Aunt Martha, who showed up from time to time. She was from the "older" generation and had very conservative views, didn't understand little boys having never had children herself. June was always worried the boys would embarrass her "acting up" in front of her aunt. Then there was Uncle Billy. He was far from perfect. Everyone knows someone like him. People like to make fun of the show because of "gee, Beav" or "give him the business" but this show is like I Love Lucy in that it will always be something people can relate to. It shows human nature, something that never changes.

One of the things I've never liked (can you believe I don't like something about this show) is how when they are outside there are always people walking up and down the sidewalks. This didn't happen in real life. People had cars and did not walk around in their suits and high heels. The other thing that I didn't like was invariably on every show June would ask Ward what his father would have done in some given scenario. Okay, once or twice is okay but they overdid that one.

Another thing I've noticed about the show is how some people think Ward and June were really strict but I think the opposite was true. The kids would leave in the morning and half the time Ward and June didn't even know where they were. As long as they showed up for lunch and dinner they were on their own. We had a lot more freedom that way back in the day. We didn't have to worry about being kidnapped, raped or whatever. Kids were allowed to make their own decisions and suffer the consequences. That's how you learn and that's how Ward and June raised Wally and the Beaver.

I could go on and on about this show because it truly warms my heart to watch. I guess you have to have been around at that time to truly appreciate it.

A big thank you to everyone that worked on this show. I have very fond memories "Leave it to Beaver." Growing up in the early 1970's I watched reruns of this show on a local TV channel every afternoon. Beaver and Wally feel like best friends when you're a kid.

Even though I was growing up in the 70's the small neighborhood where I grew up felt as though it was still the 1950's and shows like this just added to a great childhood.

Great lessons for kids and families alike. I wish there were still shows like this today. Most would probably call shows like this "cheesy" but shows like this are what kids remember fondly into adulthood and emmulate actions of a show's characters. Beaver found himself in trouble but always found out truth is best.

I fear that in the first decade of television too many of us still bear the scars of not having a family like the Cleavers. They were in fact the All American ideal of the Eisenhower years. All that was needed was a pet and I'm sure there were episodes in which the Beaver must have dealt with acquiring a pet.

What a family they were, the hard working and wise father who always had time for his kids and their problems, the pretty mom who never looked tired after a day of housework without a thought of being anything other than wife and mother, and two model kids whose occasional problems were really trivial stuff. This kind of family was satirized so brilliantly in Pleasantville.

Tony Dow as Wally the older brother got to be a teen heartthrob, one of the very first created by television. Jerry Mathers in the title role of Theodore 'Beaver' Cleaver was just shy of heartthrob status when the show ended its run. They were cute, but I don't think they were the heart of the show.

Two things made it stand out. One was Hugh Beaumont, a father of strength and stability who was NEVER made out to be an idiot even if he occasionally got it wrong. I think the Dads out there might have learned some parenting skills from him. Of course that presumes their kids were like Wally and the Beaver. And he certainly didn't have experience with being the father of girls. That's a whole other mindset. But you can see why Barbara Billingsley fell for this guy.

I think Leave It To Beaver would have sank without a trace if it hadn't been for Ken Osmond as Wally's friend Eddie Haskell. That accomplished tongue licker of the inner rear cavities fooled absolutely no one, but it was great to see him do his act every week. It was Eddie who inevitably got Wally and their other friend Clarence 'Lumpy' Rutherford in trouble every week. By the way Frank Bank was perfectly cast as a character named Lumpy, a good natured goof who just went along.

Beaver had several different pals along the show's run. He had one teacher through grade school though, Sue Randall as Miss Landers. Good thing she taught grade school before these kids hit their puberty. I NEVER had any grade school teachers looking like that. She was also full of wisdom and could sense problems intuitively in her class.

The Cleavers, the perfect All American family for the time.

I liked the show and have the whole series. Beaver was cute in the first few seasons and the show focused on that. The show was kind of about kids, but also about how parents...parent. Ward and June came across as good parents.

In the later seasons, Beaver was not so cute and so the show focused more on Wally and his friends. It would have been cool to have the show follow Wally to college and see how well he did. A lot of my life was like this show.

Both of my parents were working professionals so they were both dressed up most of the time. My mom worked but we had a housekeeper (few days a week) so mom was around when we got home from school.

We were free range kids and nobody really knew where we were at.

I've now seen on DVD the complete first 3 seasons of Leave It To Beaver. For the most part I enjoyed watching this TV show. But with that in mind, no matter how hard it tried, this show ultimately failed to convince me that being a parent was a really rewarding experience.

As an adult you can try to remember what it was like being a kid all you want, but if you ever strive to be like Ward and June Cleaver, then you're gonna have to resign yourself to defeat, turn the other cheek, and give your kids the upper hand, without complaint or resentment, in, pretty much, all situations, whether you think it's the right thing to do, or not.

Kids are a literal ball and chain around your neck. You can be sure that they'll never let you down when it comes to matters like trampling on your feelings and challenging your authority every step of the way.

And that is no laughing matter.

Here are 5 things (there are others) that I found particularly strange about this show -

1 - It was never explained why Theodore got the nickname of "Beaver" (which I think was a really stupid nickname).

2 - Ward and June Cleaver (the parents) had no real friends to speak of. These 2 people wrapped themselves up so much in their children's affairs that, often enough, it appeared to be downright fanatical and suffocating in nature.

3 - Ward, and, especially, June, had a really annoying knack of turning the most trivial of situations into full-blown issues.

4 - By the time that the 3rd season of this show rolled around Tony Dow (aka Wally) was 15 years old. And neither Wally, nor his friends, ever once showed any interest at all in rock'n'roll. Nor did Wally ever play the radio to listen to some tunes. That, to me, was very strange for any teenage boy to completely ignore the music of his own generation, especially since this was the time of Elvis Presley.

5 - I also found it very peculiar that Wally and Beaver (being 5 years apart) continued to share a bedroom in a house that had 3 bedrooms.

First of all; Beaver lies all the time. He is thoughtless, mean, narcissistic. When he does terrible things, and then his parents forgive him because he is sad. The majority f the times Beaver does bad things because Larry talked him into it, but somehow his parents are really happy that Beaver is friends with Larry. It makes no sense. I would have forbidden him to be with Larry long before Larry cost Ward an irreplaceable ball signed by Babe Ruth. I would have NEVER forgiven that. And whats the story with none of them knowing who babe Ruth was?? They can't seem to figure out that they have one good son, and one very bad son.

Their attitude to Eddie is really absurd. Watever Eddie does or doesn't do, they shouldn't say awful things behind his back. Crybaby Beaver generally has it coming to him anyhow. In fact Eddie is the only interesting person on the show! Also he is often the voice of reason.

Leave It To Beaver will always be one of my all-time favorite shows. I can remember coming home for lunch each day from school and watching Leave It To Beaver at 12.00 o,clock . It has been on the same channel(The New VR) & time slot for over 25yrs. I still love watching it now into my thirtys. This show has stood the test of time, and should still for generations to come.

There were some shows that were not as good as others. But there are some that are classics!! A few of my best ones are:

1) The Haircut: This is the one when Beaver keeps losing his lunch money. And when Ward gives him money for a hair cut, he loses the money again, he asks Wally to give him the hair cut. Wally really scalps him.

2) Wally,s Car: This is the episode when Wally buys a car for $25dollars. The car needs alot of work on it, so he starts to take it all apart. Ward gets mad & tells Wally to get rid of it. He decides to sell it for parts & makes alot more money that the $25.00 bucks he paid for it. Ward in the meantime has made arrangement to have the car towed away. When the man shows up to pick it up he says one of the funniest lines. "It Looks Like A Fish Thats Been Boned!!" This is a great show.

3) The Younger Brother: Beaver trys out for the junior boys basketball team but the coach soon realizes that Beaver is not the same kind of player that Wally was. He gets cut from the team. When Ward & Fred Rutherford decide to drop in on one of his practises they find out that he,s been cut from the team.

There are so many more great shows that I could have listed. Out of all of the cast members, I would have loved to met the late Hugh Beaumont. He was excellent as Ward Cleaver & is sadly missed.

It will be a really sad day if this show ever stops showing reruns. May it live on forever.....

Too bad they don't have anymore shows like this. I grew up on the re-runs. This show helped teach right from wrong. Nowadays all we see is, it's okay to be wrong and get away with it. There's not a sitcom on regular broadcast today I can call my favorite. Call me "corny," "old fashioned," "square," (a term used in LITB), or whatever, I don't care! What's wrong with TV nowadays is the crap they put out. LITB is good escape from it.

This classic family sitcom features episodes that focus on life from the child's perspective, particularly Beaver Cleaver's (Jerry Mathers), Most episodes deal with something that Beaver perceives as a problem. Often, by the end of the half hour, the family---usually father Ward---has helped Beaver solve his problem and/or learn a life lesson.

For example, in season one's "Beaver's Short Pants", Aunt Martha visits to take care of "the boys" while mother June is away on a family matter. Martha buys Beaver a suit and cap that look like they were designed for a British schoolboy, with short pants and knee-high socks. As a result, Beaver is teased in school. Eventually, Ward comes to Beaver's rescue. Like other best episodes, this one ends with not just a pithy fatherly comment, but also with a genuine feeling of familial love.

Even at his earliest ages, Jerry Mathers gives a fine performance. It never feels like he is reading a line. And the relationships between the family members seem real, even if it's an idealized family.

I have to say a few words about Eddie Haskell (Ken Osmond). What a great character! He's a conniving trickster who thinks he has the adults fooled with his obsequious manners. And he is always trying to get the other boys in trouble. He's a devil sitting on your shoulder, encouraging bad behavior. He's the equivalent of Seinfeld's "Newman" for Beaver. He's the con man with the oily mustache who offers to hold your money for you.

Jerry Mathers is only a few years older than I, so I kind of grew up with The Beaver. And I loved every minute of it.

The pilot did not include Hugh Beaumont or Tony Dow Richard Deacon played another character other than Fred Rutherford in the pilot.

Also Viola Rutherford was in the series before Lumpy. The Rutherfords and the Clevers went on a picnic. Viola was sitting on the Beaver's lap in the front seat of Fred's car. There was no mention of Lumpy in this episode.

I believe the Clevers lived in Ohio. They mention Mayfield Heights as just Mayfield. This is near Cleveland,Ohio Also they mention nearby State College where Lumpy gets a scholarship. As we all know State College is Penn State University. Also, in one episode when Eddie Haskel quits school to work at the gas station. The track team had to play Cleveland High in a track meet. Also I believe a Bellvue or Bellport High was mention. Wherelse in the USA would there be a Mayfield or Cleveland High Schools? That would play sports against each other. I am not sure on the Bellvue or Bellport but I know there is one in that region of Ohio. Also there are several amusement parks up there also.

I just watched another episode and it had Crystal Falls and another town close to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in it. The boys took a bus trip. I have to remember the name now. Then in another episode Eddie's parents often went to Freeport which is close to the Cleveland area in Ohio. So they are very close to the Cleveland area?

Makes you wonder?

A great series and I will enjoy it forever.

June's maiden name was Bronson and had a sister named Peggy. Wally and the Beaver were about 6 years apart in age? Beaver and his friends were in 2nd grade while Wally, Eddie and their friends were in 8th grade. Yet in another episode when Wally joins the boy scouts. He is 12 and the Beave is going on 8. Confusing

I seen this in an episode when Aunt Martha came to take care of the family. June went to her sister Peggy's house when she had a baby.

On June 10th of 2008 I was watching another episode and the Clever's spent the weekend at Shadow Lake. I know there is a Shadow Lake near Dayton, Ohio

Makes it more reason to think the Clever's lived in Ohio.

There were a great many family situation comedies in the 1950s and '60s: Father Knows Best, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Donna Reed Show, My Three Sons. But LEAVE IT TO BEAVER is, by my lights, the greatest of all.

There are two reasons for this. First is the sheer quality of the production, from the superior writing to the sharp photography to the realism and chemistry of the performers, particularly the quartet who portrayed the Cleaver family (and of course Ken Osmond as the devious Eddie Haskell!) BEAVER maintained a remarkably consistent quality throughout its run; there was no marked decline, and the series quit while it was ahead. There weren't really any bad episodes, either. I could rattle off a few that were weaker than others, but the level of consistency was remarkable.

The other reason for its success is that, despite its focus on teaching moral lessons, BEAVER never lost sight of being funny, whimsical, and entertaining. The show was a pure aesthetic pleasure. The dialogue captured the way children think and speak, and as delivered by Jerry Mathers, Tony Dow, Rusty Stevens, and the other young performers it was frequently hilarious. BEAVER gave us a child's-eye view of the world, playing on human nature and drawing laughs from ordinary situations. I always laugh out loud at a BEAVER episode, even after seeing it dozens of times.

And so many of the episodes have stood the test of time. Who can forget Beaver and his portly pal Larry Mondello smoking coffee grounds in Ward's meerschaum pipe? Or the duo playing hooky from school and unwittingly ending up on a cowboy show on TV? Or Beaver being lured into climbing in a billboard soup cup? Plus the many rites of passage, scholastic and otherwise, that marked the lives of Beaver and Wally Cleaver as they grew up in Mayfield, USA.

To many people "Leave It to Beaver" is just a phrase conjuring up the "homogenized, squeaky clean" 1950s. Go beyond the stereotypes and reacquaint yourself with this television classic. You will be surprised at just how sharp, ironic, and funny it is.

One of the reoccurring themes of this series was to have someone commit an error in judgment that Beaver and Wally would have to pay for. Although this really does happen in real life, the show might have been better having the perpetrators face their own consequences, rather than Beaver and Wally.

In this episode, the woman who foisted her problem onto Wally without his true consent, was the guilty party who should have been culpable. But as usual, Wally and Beaver have to take what should be coming to her.

Watching leave it to Beaver in the morning from 8 to 9... now 75 what a great time capsule... Hand washing dishes.... Everyone eating at the same time... Loving mother and father.... What a great way to start off the day....

Citing Leave It To Beaver's strengths, Tony Dow has said that it was the first program of its kind to include episodes dealing with death and divorce. Though I don't doubt Tony Dow's claims about the show that continues to make him recognized, I have never considered Leave It To Beaver a daring sit-com that presents unpleasant and unsettling truths. I don't see it as the forerunner to the openly controversial comedies, such as Maude, The Jefferson's, and All In The Family.

Leave It To Beaver has more in common with The Donna Reed Show, Father Knows Best, and Make Room For Daddy, shows of the same era that also featured families, and made light of differences of opinion and miss-communication between husbands and wives and of the typical struggles between parents and their children, young people and their friends. Leave It To Beaver, however, does a better job than its rivals of presenting, in an entertaining way, middle-class living as many of that era had known it.

Like the other popular television families of that era, the Cleavers resolve their problems promptly, Ward Cleaver disciplines reasonably -- the two boys express dread when they expect their father to holler when he comes to their bedroom to give consequences, but he never really loses control of his anger -- June Cleaver offers her opinion tactfully, and nobody behaves antisocially. The Cleavers have a functional family. They don't, however, come across as a model one.

The other popular sitcoms of the 50's and early 60's either featured characters a little too refined or proper to make viewers easily forget that they are observing actors, or entertained by including buffoonery (Don Knotts, Lucille Ball, and Dick Van Dyke each engaged in the unlikely.). Leave It To Beaver, though, maintained a solid following by presenting predicaments and featuring characters that more closely resembled reality.

The way the makers of Leave It To Beaver portray the most extreme of its cast may serve as the best criteria for rating the show above the others of that time. As the quintessential sycophant, Eddie Haskel keeps me laughing, but he also occasionally reveals fragility behind the phony, cocky exterior. Similarly, Lumpy usually amuses viewers by playing a common type: the insecure teen who teases and bullies his buddy's younger sibling. He puts on innocence, though, in the presence of his overbearing father. Because the audience sees other sides to Eddie and Lumpy -- Leave It To Beaver writers had the astuteness to include them - - they and the show come across as less fictional.

It's terrible. I don't like it. It's not good. It's a waste of time and your brain cells. You have been warned.

Even watching a 5 hour marathon of Full House is better than watching even 10 seconds of an episode of Leave It To Beaver. That is how bad it is.

It is easy to criticize "Leave it to Beaver" today for being an overly romanticized look at family life in the late 50s/early 60s. Because, well, it is an overly romanticized look at family in the late 50s/early 60s. But so what? This is a well written, well acted sitcom. I love it for the show that it is and I don't worry about the more realistic show it could have been.

Ward and June Cleaver are raising two sons: Wally and Theodore, who everyone calls by the nickname "Beaver." (To answer an earlier reviewer, the nickname came from older brother Wally who couldn't pronounce "Theodore" when his little brother was born, instead pronouncing it "Beaver.)

Beaver is definitely not a Bart Simpson, constantly making trouble and outwitting his dad. No, Beaver is a kid who gets into trouble usually because one of his friends (Larry, Richard or Gilbert) talks him into it. It is then usually up to Ward to help straighten the situation out and gently but firmly teach Beaver the lesson to be learned.

Wally and June are equally as important. Wally is the older brother we all wish we had. And who else but June could look so perfect while fixing up a batch of our favorite cookies?

One of the biggest reasons why the show was popular then and is still popular today, however, is the supporting cast. Eddie Haskell. ("And might I add Mrs. Cleaver, that is a lovely blouse you are wearing.") Fred Rutherford. ("See you in the salt mines, Ward.") Larry Mondello. Miss Landers. Mary Ellen Rogers. Gus the Fireman. All have endured for more than 40 years and become permanent fixtures in our pop culture.

Overly romanticized? Sure. But so what. Years from now when people have forgotten almost all of the sitcoms airing today, The Beaver will still be bringing smiles to our faces.

If you don't like this show you're a rat, rat, rat!