S01.E02: Timmy's Poem

[Whimsy]

I can't find an official description, so...  Timmy "writes" a poem for a contest.  Mike & Lawrence have different opinions on fresh produce. 

[Whimsy]

Ok.  I know that description is terrible, but I was trying to be vague just like real ones.  

I knew as soon as Timmy said the poem title that it was a famous poem.  I am not a huge poetry fan (although I wrote my share of overwrought poetry in high school), but I did take an English class in high school that had a block on poetry and it niggled a memory in my brain.  I can't believe that Reader's Digest didn't pick up on the plagiarism.  I guess all that matters is that Timmy's dummy got fixed!

In comparison to today's world, that produce discussion was pretty funny.  I had to dig way back into my memories about the food my mom would make, and while there were only three of us kids, I'm thinking back that we didn't eat very much fresh produce either.  Whatever vegetables we ate were canned.  As a matter of fact, I bought canned vegetables up until about 5 or 6 years ago but finally realized I never really made them as we all much prefer fresh.  I finally donated the canned vegetables we had and now I have none (except for things like kidney beans for chili).

[sonyab]

1 hour ago, 17wheatthins said:

My mom said it’s not really a boycott if only one person does it & I said it has to start with one person LMAO

 

ROFL! Wow you were a wise little thing!!! :)

[festivus]

I think I'm going to end up liking this show and not just for the nostalgia factor. I laughed quite a few times during this episode and I actually paid attention to the story instead of just watching the background. The kids are starting to show their different personalities even though I can't remember what any of their names are. I liked the little one that said doth something something(can't remember exactly what he said), I think he might end up being the scene stealer of the show.

[Snow Apple]

I agree. I was also paying more attention to the stories than to the props. Except for the tinfoil popcorn and fake spam. Loved those back in the day.

I wonder what the young actors think of the 70's lifestyle.

[2727]

Yeah, yeah, the Conners  and Murphy Brown, but this is my new favorite sitcom. Loved the mom's mental Mexican stand-off with her snarky kid. Mysterious fire in the basement, indeed. Loved the throwaway line that the town shoemaker had agreed to fix the dummy's face.

52 minutes ago, festivus said:

The kids are starting to show their different personalities even though I can't remember what any of their names are.

Here's mine for now: seminary son, Waldorf salad son, tattletale son, attic hideaway son, narrator son, glasses son, littlest son, and the baby.

[festivus]

6 minutes ago, 2727 said:

Here's mine for now: seminary son, Waldorf salad son, tattletale son, attic hideaway son, narrator son, glasses son, littlest son, and the baby.

Isn't glasses son younger than littlest son? Glasses seems around 6 years old and I've been trying to figure out the ages to see which one was my age in 1972 and it would be Glasses if he is around 5/6. 

9 minutes ago, 2727 said:

Loved the mom's mental Mexican stand-off with her snarky kid.

I loved that she said at the end that that kid was going places or something like that. Also that she had respect for the narrator son that he called her bluff on the poem. That's how I felt when my kids were able to outsmart me. Proud. 

[LGraves65]

4 hours ago, 2727 said:

Here's mine for now: seminary son, Waldorf salad son, tattletale son, attic hideaway son, narrator son, glasses son, littlest son, and the baby.

Seminary Son - Lawrence

Waldorf Son - Eddie

Tattletale Son - Frankie

Attic Hideway Son - Jimmy

Narrator - Timmy

Glasses Son - Pat

Littlest Son - William

Baby - Andy

 

I can't believe a Catholic family in that day and age wouldn't have a Michael, but okay.  *edited* I see from Wikipedia that the dad is Mike. I stand corrected.

Edited October 24, 2018 by LGraves65

[sheetmoss]

For me, lastnight's narration had  a Jean Sheperd-ish  vibe  in A Christmas Story 

I remember we didn't have many fresh veggies/fruit back then, because unless it was really in season, they were too $$

ETA - kudos too to how they got the oldest son's hair/jeans right

Edited October 24, 2018 by sheetmoss

[possibilities]

Word to the wise: you can eat grapes plain. You don't have to DO anything to them.

[biakbiak]

I accidentally caught this show and quite enjoyed it. I think it might be my favorite new show not that there is a lot of competition.

[mojito]

Cute show. Love the mother, Frankie and Jimmy. I especially like that Frankie got no satisfaction from mom. Was lukewarm on it after the first episode, but it's beginning to grow on me.

The red and blue post office box was wrong, though. Those were painted over in 1971.

[methodwriter85]

This does have a bit of a Wonder Years vibe crossed with a little Malcolm in the Middle. I still think they should have gone with 6 kids instead of 8 but whatever.

Shame the oldest son cut off the facial hair. I think they did it because they thought he looked too old to be playing 20 but I liked it on him. I also like the second son really does look like he could be Michael Cudlitz's son, just with red hair. The third son's got the Eddie Haskell routine down pat. I loved the little moment of the mother saying he's going places because he has absolutely no conscience. It reminds me of the old sayings about how most successful corporate types are non-violent sociopaths. LOL.

I feel like the tattle tale one has some understanding that Timmy is so clearly the favorite of the mom, which is why he seems determined to take him down. LOL.

Edited October 24, 2018 by methodwriter85

[lb60]

I really, really like this show.

Translation--It's doomed.  lol

[SmithW6079]

Thanks for the cheat sheet!

On 10/24/2018 at 12:25 PM, LGraves65 said:

Seminary Son - Lawrence

Waldorf Son - Eddie

Tattletale Son - Frankie

Attic Hideway Son - Jimmy

Narrator - Timmy

Glasses Son - Pat

Littlest Son - William

Baby - Andy

 

I can't believe a Catholic family in that day and age wouldn't have a Michael, but okay.  *edited* I see from Wikipedia that the dad is Mike. I stand corrected.

 

There's always middle names and confirmation names.  

Two episodes in, and I'm loving this show. I think Timmy (the narrator) can be annoying (as the one little brother points out -- Pat, maybe), but I'm liking the brothers and their personalities. I laughed out loud when Timmy says to Joey, "You do a lot of bad things," and he shrugs, smiles, and says, "I keep busy" as he proceeds to help Timmy scam their mother.

Loved the whole Timmy/Mom stand-off and increasing stakes of poem chicken.

Someone in the pilot thread mentioned the mom being a "wet blanket" who squashes all their fun, but I think she's probably the strongest one of the family. She has to deal with eight men on a daily basis. If anything were to happen to her, the family would fall apart.

Growing up, I don't think we ate very many fresh vegetables either. For me, vegetables were corn or raw carrots and celery. I didn't eat any others, but I know my mom made them from a can. Salad was lettuce (which I also didn't eat). We did have fresh fruit though -- apples and pears and bananas at least.

Edited October 25, 2018 by SmithW6079

[Rockstar99435]

11 hours ago, LGraves65 said:

Seminary Son - Lawrence

Waldorf Son - Eddie

Tattletale Son - Frankie

Attic Hideway Son - Jimmy

Narrator - Timmy

Glasses Son - Pat

Littlest Son - William

Baby - Andy

 

I can't believe a Catholic family in that day and age wouldn't have a Michael, but okay.  *edited* I see from Wikipedia that the dad is Mike. I stand corrected.

 

I think you need to switch the order of Pat and William. Pat is the 2nd youngest, wears glasses, and is the smallest. The mom said that they didn't want him to catch up to William's size while William was still wearing those clothes. I've been calling William "the Reader" because he has a book in almost all of his scenes. Even in the credits, when the kids are all lined up to get shaved by the mom, he is reading.

Edited October 25, 2018 by Rockstar99435

[silverspoons]

I also am liking the show. I decided to watch since I went to Catholic school for 13 years and was curious how realistic the show was. I actually like the show because the Mom is not the stereo type mom. Im interested in seeing where the show goes. 

[Yeah No]

I liked this episode a lot more than the pilot so I'm sticking with this show for now.  The mom was toned down a LOT and only mildly dysfunctional, LOL.

Nitpicks include the grapes - They way they were popping them they appeared to be seedless, but those didn't even come to this country until the 1980s.  And seriously, how 50s was that ventriloquist dummy?  LOL  In 1972 I would have thought that was all kinds of farty and outdated.

As to fresh produce, obviously that was more plentiful in California than where I lived (in the Northeast).  Chef Jacques Pepin is famous for talking about how when he came to New York in the 1960s there was precious little produce available, and the only mushrooms you could get came from a can.  Grapes were a real treat back then.  My family ate canned and frozen vegetables too, but that was pretty much what was available to us with some exceptions, plus it was a lot cheaper than fresh.  I am told this was different in other parts of the country closer to the source of that produce.

[shura]

20 hours ago, LGraves65 said:

Attic Hideway Son - Jimmy

Jimmy?  I've been hearing "Joey" for two episodes.   And it's a treehouse.  That Dad let him build because he was impressed how Joey/Jimmy likes to do things with his hands.

I am really liking this show, both the stories and the background.  The thing that sold me in the pilot was when Joey is bumped off from the dinner table to make room for Lawrence with a throwaway line "Go eat it over the sink."  Then, in a different scene a couple minutes later, when all of this has been forgotten already, Timmy is talking to Mom in the kitchen, and there, in the background, over the sink, is Joey enjoying his dinner.  Mom shoots down Timmy's audition idea, starts saying something - and in the background Joey drops everything and bolts, moments before she sends Timmy out with the collection box.  That is some seriously good writing.

[LGraves65]

Okay, I checked IMDB! You're right -- Joey is Attic Hideaway Son, but they have Glasses Son is and blonde son is William.

[SmithW6079]

According to IMDB, it's the "slick" son is Joey.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7440732/fullcredits

 

Oops. @LGraves65 beat me to it!

Edited October 25, 2018 by SmithW6079

[rhys]

4 hours ago, Yeah No said:

 

Nitpicks include the grapes - They way they were popping them they appeared to be seedless, but those didn't even come to this country until the 1980s.

That can't be. I was born in the US in 1950 & grew up eating white seedless grapes (Thompson). It was a summertime favorite. Something my siblings & i looked forward to. And I fed both white & red seedless grapes   to my kids 

[lucindabelle]

8 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I liked this episode a lot more than the pilot so I'm sticking with this show for now.  The mom was toned down a LOT and only mildly dysfunctional, LOL.

Nitpicks include the grapes - They way they were popping them they appeared to be seedless, but those didn't even come to this country until the 1980s.  And seriously, how 50s was that ventriloquist dummy?  LOL  In 1972 I would have thought that was all kinds of farty and outdated.

As to fresh produce, obviously that was more plentiful in California than where I lived (in the Northeast).  Chef Jacques Pepin is famous for talking about how when he came to New York in the 1960s there was precious little produce available, and the only mushrooms you could get came from a can.  Grapes were a real treat back then.  My family ate canned and frozen vegetables too, but that was pretty much what was available to us with some exceptions, plus it was a lot cheaper than fresh.  I am told this was different in other parts of the country closer to the source of that produce.

Hell no. I ate seedless grapes as a child in the 60s and 70s. I take it you weren't THERE in 1972? ("I would have thought.) Because you know, it's not like people are BORN in 1972. LOTS of things were left over from the 50s and 60s. Hell, until last year, my hairdresser's salon was 80s purple with 80s prints. in 2017. Your "nitpick" is wrong.

"In the 1870's vineyard owner William Thompson imported a different seedless grape cutting which he purchased from Almira & Barry nursery in New York. He called the grape variety ‘Thompson’s Seedless.’

https://innovativefresh.com/en/Article/A-History-of-Seedless-Grapes

Perhaps you're thinking of the UK (where it says they came in the 1980s). I would NEVER have scarfed grapes if I had to work that hard. The only grapes with seeds were the red ones.

Now WATERMELON without seeds is a very recent thing.

I grew up in NJ. It's the garden state and that is NOT ironic (but please go on thinking it, don't come, is what I always say). We ALWAYS had fresh tomatoes, sweet corn, cucumbers etc. We made frozen vegetables most of the time because it was faster (still is). 

[txhorns79]

Quote

Hell no. I ate seedless grapes as a child in the 60s and 70s. I take it you weren't THERE in 1972? ("I would have thought.) Because you know, it's not like people are BORN in 1972. LOTS of things were left over from the 50s and 60s. Hell, until last year, my hairdresser's salon was 80s purple with 80s prints. in 2017. Your "nitpick" is wrong.

I agree.  It's not like people update their homes and/or looks every year.  I do think the mom's look is probably more early to mid 60s than 70s, but that's not surprising as she doesn't seem the type to follow trends.  

I'm enjoying the show.  It was a fun episode.  

[Squirrely]

14 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I liked this episode a lot more than the pilot so I'm sticking with this show for now.  The mom was toned down a LOT and only mildly dysfunctional, LOL.

I feel the same. The mom was MUCH better in the episode. A little more subtle, and she seemed to at least like her kids a little bit. 

 

Every part of that god-awful salad was comedy gold! That poor boy slurping it down as his late night snack... my stomach hurt from laughing. 

Really hope this show keeps it up. 

[Yeah No]

11 hours ago, lucindabelle said:

Hell no. I ate seedless grapes as a child in the 60s and 70s. I take it you weren't THERE in 1972? ("I would have thought.) Because you know, it's not like people are BORN in 1972. LOTS of things were left over from the 50s and 60s. Hell, until last year, my hairdresser's salon was 80s purple with 80s prints. in 2017. Your "nitpick" is wrong.

I am 60 years old so I was most definitely alive and very conscious in 1972, but I misspoke.  It was more like late '70s not 1980s that we got them at supermarkets in New York City, but I forgot that my part of the world was produce-challenged.  Obviously they didn't migrate to the concrete jungle until later than other places, and when they did, they cost a fortune.  I just read somewhere else that an innovation in the 1980s made them easier to produce and extend beyond green grapes to all colors, which is when they became available on a mass scale at an affordable price.  So there is some truth to it at least as it occurred in my experience.

11 hours ago, lucindabelle said:

Perhaps you're thinking of the UK (where it says they came in the 1980s). I would NEVER have scarfed grapes if I had to work that hard. The only grapes with seeds were the red ones.

Yes, I was.  Obviously I was wrong about the U.S. in general, but being from New York we were almost as grape challenged as the U.K.  I remember going to London in the early '80s and they didn't have seedless grapes yet, but it hadn't been that long that I'd been having them in New York.

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I do think the mom's look is probably more early to mid 60s than 70s, but that's not surprising as she doesn't seem the type to follow trends.  

I was pretty up on the fashions of the times back in 1972 and I am scratching my head over her wardrobe too.  I can't even place the decade sometimes.  I even took out photos of my own mom taken around that time and what she wore bears no resemblance.  Then again my mother was fashion forward and worked in Manhattan!

[Ilovepie]

On 10/25/2018 at 3:23 AM, Yeah No said:

As to fresh produce, obviously that was more plentiful in California than where I lived (in the Northeast).  Chef Jacques Pepin is famous for talking about how when he came to New York in the 1960s there was precious little produce available, and the only mushrooms you could get came from a can.  Grapes were a real treat back then.  My family ate canned and frozen vegetables too, but that was pretty much what was available to us with some exceptions, plus it was a lot cheaper than fresh.  I am told this was different in other parts of the country closer to the source of that produce.

I agree with this - I grew up in central California in the 70's - fresh produce everywhere! My own family was ranchers who grew almonds and grapes. My husband grew up in Pennsylvania in the 70's, and he said they never had it unless it was in season, and even then it wasn't great because it had to be shipped from far away. This show is set in LA though, so I think it's weird that they don't have ANY fresh produce, but I do remember eating a lot of stuff from cans or frozen as a kid even though it was plentiful where we lived, so who knows?

I am watching this and Single Parents, and I have to say, this show is hands down funnier to me than Single Parents. I love how in only two episodes all the kids seem like real people, but on Single Parents, they seem like 30 year olds in kids bodies that were invented in a writer's room. All of these people are real and funny. This is a keeper for me.

[Yeah No]

7 hours ago, Ilovepie said:

I agree with this - I grew up in central California in the 70's - fresh produce everywhere! My own family was ranchers who grew almonds and grapes. My husband grew up in Pennsylvania in the 70's, and he said they never had it unless it was in season, and even then it wasn't great because it had to be shipped from far away. This show is set in LA though, so I think it's weird that they don't have ANY fresh produce, but I do remember eating a lot of stuff from cans or frozen as a kid even though it was plentiful where we lived, so who knows?

My father reminded me yesterday that the reason fresh produce wasn't as available in the Northeast back then is because it wasn't commonly flown in from its state or country of origin and took a lot longer to get here.  By the time it did get here via train or truck it might not be so fresh.  We did get bananas but they were always sent green and would ripen en route.  Mushrooms and strawberries are very perishable so that's one reason we didn't get them fresh very often.  We always got citrus fruits from Florida but they last longer and the trip was closer than some other areas.  We always got apples from upstate New York, root vegetables like potatoes and tomatoes from Jersey.  I remember back then my mother, grandmother and I used to have to go to the Italian markets to find some produce we couldn't find in the supermarkets and vegetable stands, which were popular in the city back then.  Stuff like fresh basil, certain beans, kale and escarole.  Back then those foods were considered "too ethnic" to sell in a supermarket.  Italian food had not penetrated that deeply into the culture just yet.

I agree with you that the family on this show glowing about eating canned and frozen vegetables when they live in California seems weird, but I think they were trying to imitate what the general attitude was back then in a humorous way.  There was a big push mid-century to get people to eat more "convenient" and cheaper prepared vegetables as a way to make housewives' lives easier, and the advertising worked.  I'm not sure how much it would have worked in California, though, that does seem like a stretch.

[Ilovepie]

5 hours ago, Yeah No said:

There was a big push mid-century to get people to eat more "convenient" and cheaper prepared vegetables as a way to make housewives' lives easier,

Yes I agree - I remember eating a lot of TV dinners as a kid. My kids have never seen that let alone eaten one! I think it’s funny the couldn’t figure out what to do with the grapes - why on earth would you have to “do” anything with them other than pull them off and eat them?! It’s funny that the mom took the healthiest thing in the house and turned it into something unhealthy....?

[dingochick]

Since CBS canceled Me, Myself, & I, I am glad to see Christopher Paul Richards on here as the slick son Joey. A different character type for him. This show is hilarious, it never seems to go where you think it might. Hope it gets a full season pickup. 

[mojoween]

The narrator kid is annoying, but I love the bad kid (Joey, I’m assuming).  His hair seems a little more 80’s to me though.

Oh but I guess David Cassidy had feathered hair didn’t he.

I agree that the mom was so much better this time and it made the show more enjoyable.

We ate a LOT of canned veggies as a kid (and I won’t lie, I have no interest in shucking my own peas or however you do it so Del Monte is just fine) but I had no idea you could buy canned broccoli.  I would never, but I never knew it was an option.

[lucindabelle]

A little more about produce: ?I grew up in Nj which is not far from NYC but who knows could be just far enough? But I definitely remember eating seedless grapes at day camp which would have been 1968 (gee I’m old).

 

also true that summer fruits were summer fruits. Grapes and plums were a huge treat, in part because they were just not available during the winter. (Actually while grapes are I think plums still aren’t).

 

back on topic it was nice the way the grape conversation dovetailed into a generation gap sort of argument. And very period appropriate. 

[Nessie]

On 10/26/2018 at 1:26 PM, Ilovepie said:

I agree with this - I grew up in central California in the 70's - fresh produce everywhere! My own family was ranchers who grew almonds and grapes. My husband grew up in Pennsylvania in the 70's, and he said they never had it unless it was in season, and even then it wasn't great because it had to be shipped from far away. This show is set in LA though, so I think it's weird that they don't have ANY fresh produce, but I do remember eating a lot of stuff from cans or frozen as a kid even though it was plentiful where we lived, so who knows?

 

On 10/26/2018 at 9:19 PM, Yeah No said:

I agree with you that the family on this show glowing about eating canned and frozen vegetables when they live in California seems weird, but I think they were trying to imitate what the general attitude was back then in a humorous way.  There was a big push mid-century to get people to eat more "convenient" and cheaper prepared vegetables as a way to make housewives' lives easier, and the advertising worked.  I'm not sure how much it would have worked in California, though, that does seem like a stretch.

I grew up in Southern California throughout the 70's.  We always had fresh salads, but that's because my dad was a Kentucky farm boy who planted his own garden.  At dinner time, he would send us outside to "pick our salads".  I can't remember my mom ever buying fresh vegetables unless she needed them for a recipe, until I asked her to buy some artichokes after I had them at a friends house.

Other than that, vegetables were mostly frozen corn, broccoli, spinach and Brussels sprouts (cooked to death) or canned green beans.  My mom's favorite "vegetable" is still frozen corn.  Thank God we've gotten smarter about food (although I do miss those fresh-picked salads).

My biggest LOL moment in this episode was the mom's horrified "$32!" when looking at the grocery bill...for 10 people...and 9 of them are male!  HA!  I spend double that on just me and my son.

[txhorns79]

Quote

My biggest LOL moment in this episode was the mom's horrified "$32!" when looking at the grocery bill...for 10 people...and 9 of them are male!  HA!  I spend double that on just me and my son.

Think of it this way: $32 in 1972 is equivalent to nearly $200.00 now.  And given the family size, I'd presume there are multiple trips to the grocery store per week.   It's going to be awful for this family once stagflation starts really being felt in the mid-70s. 

[SmithW6079]

2 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

Think of it this way: $32 in 1972 is equivalent to nearly $200.00 now.  And given the family size, I'd presume there are multiple trips to the grocery store per week.   It's going to be awful for this family once stagflation starts really being felt in the mid-70s. 

I believe Timmy said the dad goes food shopping three times a week. 

[Snow Apple]

What about the mom sacrificing a 6 cents stamp in their game of chicken?

[AnnaRose]

On 10/25/2018 at 11:26 AM, rhys said:

That can't be. I was born in the US in 1950 & grew up eating white seedless grapes (Thompson). It was a summertime favorite. Something my siblings & i looked forward to. And I fed both white & red seedless grapes   to my kids 

We always had seedless grapes in from the late 60s through the 80s.  In fact, I don't think I ever even ate a grape with seeds until the mid 90s.  Before that I didn't even know they came that way.  It was so weird to read here that someone thought they weren't even available in the US.  That's why I try not to nitpick things... everybody's experience is different.

On 10/27/2018 at 5:30 AM, dingochick said:

Since CBS canceled Me, Myself, & I, I am glad to see Christopher Paul Richards on here as the slick son Joey. A different character type for him. This show is hilarious, it never seems to go where you think it might. Hope it gets a full season pickup. 

I am just catching up on these episodes.  I loved Christopher Paul Richard's acting and the character Justin he played on Me, Myself & I, which is the reason I decided to check out this show.  I'm glad Christopher has another fantastic character here in Joey, and he has nailed every scene. 

So far I've only watched the pilot and this episode, but I am loving this show.  The mom was great in this episode with her poetry-chicken, but I also liked her just fine in the pilot.  With eight boys she had better be tough.  Plus most parents back then weren't nearly as touchy-feely as the are now, didn't coddle their kids or worry about being their friends.  The part at the beginning of this episode in which Mom didn't want to see her kids inside relaxing and enjoying themselves, and sent them outside to be productive totally rang true to me.

I hope this show is doing well in the ratings.  It's so much better than the other new shows I sampled.

[MaryMitch]

This episode brought back a memory from childhood where I was guilty of the same thing - copying a poem from a book for a school assignment. I was probably about 10. I have NO creativity and I just couldn't think of anything to write. They never found out. Now I feel fresh guilt about it.

[bennyblue]

As to why they didn't just eat the grapes plain, I think the mentality was to stretch everything as far as it could go and then some, lol...if everyone just ate the grapes, each kid would only get a few and if they enjoyed them and got used to eating them as a snack, it would get really expensive really quick.

I'm surprised the main kid was allowed to make himself the Jiffy pop popcorn, in our house those were for a special treat on Saturday night and we had to share.

I am loving this show, I have always been fascinated by large families and how they eat. My family was small and my mom made small portions of ethnic food and I hated it. I loved going to friends houses where the mom made casseroles and served slices of bread with tubs of butter and plain jane chocolate chip cookies!!! My mom made dark little cookies with lots of nuts that I didn't care for. Oh and the milk!! My best friend lived on a dairy farm and her family drank whole milk, we never ever had whole milk, my mom didn't even like to buy milk! And the big boxes of generic cereal or Captain Vitamin, I was in heaven! We had hippy dippy granola shit back when it wasn't good like it is now.

And that wallpaper with the rose's on it makes me swoon!

[VartanFan]

"That's the whole point of poetry.  Making other people feel dumb. "  Truth! 

[AnnaRose]

9 hours ago, VartanFan said:

"That's the whole point of poetry.  Making other people feel dumb. "  Truth! 

Yes!  I loved that line.  I am way too literal and hate trying to decipher the meaning of poetry. 

Edited November 6, 2018 by AnnaRose
typo

[Toothbrush]

On 10/24/2018 at 7:32 PM, lb60 said:

I really, really like this show.

Translation--It's doomed.  lol

I hear ya. We've both jinxed our fair share of Jeopardy contestants!!

[lb60]

1 hour ago, Toothbrush said:

I hear ya. We've both jinxed our fair share of Jeopardy contestants!!

Preach!  Maybe I should be doing the whole reverse, I hate this show, psychology thingy, that has worked for some of my favorite jeptestants.  Funny thing is, I barely remember any of the contestants once they lose.

[cleo]

I want to like this show but I just didn't enjoy the lying/cheating with the poem. But they have one kid without a conscience so i guess he came by it honestly lol. Also the tattle tale kid, while realistic, is annoying. Will keep watching for now though.

[ErinV]

The argument with the parents over the produce was so funny.  The dad saying that canned goods don't dictate when you can eat them, like fresh produce does.  Hee hee!  

[msrachelj]

On 10/24/2018 at 7:50 AM, Whimsy said:

Ok.  I know that description is terrible, but I was trying to be vague just like real ones.  

I knew as soon as Timmy said the poem title that it was a famous poem.  I am not a huge poetry fan (although I wrote my share of overwrought poetry in high school), but I did take an English class in high school that had a block on poetry and it niggled a memory in my brain.  I can't believe that Reader's Digest didn't pick up on the plagiarism.  I guess all that matters is that Timmy's dummy got fixed!

In comparison to today's world, that produce discussion was pretty funny.  I had to dig way back into my memories about the food my mom would make, and while there were only three of us kids, I'm thinking back that we didn't eat very much fresh produce either.  Whatever vegetables we ate were canned.  As a matter of fact, I bought canned vegetables up until about 5 or 6 years ago but finally realized I never really made them as we all much prefer fresh.  I finally donated the canned vegetables we had and now I have none (except for things like kidney beans for chili).

yes, canned veggies. not even frozen. i don't remember fresh veggies at all. some fruit, yes. i like this show,  i like to look back on the "good ol days!).  i had to laugh when the one brother said to other one ( i have no idea what anyones names are yet) when he was changing the time on the religious calendar "cover her eyes"!

On 10/28/2018 at 6:05 PM, lucindabelle said:

A little more about produce: ?I grew up in Nj which is not far from NYC but who knows could be just far enough? But I definitely remember eating seedless grapes at day camp which would have been 1968 (gee I’m old).

 

also true that summer fruits were summer fruits. Grapes and plums were a huge treat, in part because they were just not available during the winter. (Actually while grapes are I think plums still aren’t).

 

back on topic it was nice the way the grape conversation dovetailed into a generation gap sort of argument. And very period appropriate. 

 

On 10/26/2018 at 2:39 AM, Yeah No said:

I was pretty up on the fashions of the times back in 1972 and I am scratching my head over her wardrobe too.  I can't even place the decade sometimes.  I even took out photos of my own mom taken around that time and what she wore bears no resemblance.  Then again my mother was fashion forward and worked in Manhattan!

she does dress very 60's like. but at least she is wearing street clothes. my mother walks around the house in a kerchief and house dresses. ugh. 

[msrachelj]

On 10/24/2018 at 2:41 PM, sheetmoss said:

For me, lastnight's narration had  a Jean Sheperd-ish  vibe  in A Christmas Story 

I remember we didn't have many fresh veggies/fruit back then, because unless it was really in season, they were too $$

ETA - kudos too to how they got the oldest son's hair/jeans right

loved a christmas story. i like narrated shows. wonder years, yes. 

fruits and veggies are still pretty much too expensive! i go broke in the summer spending $4 each for a carton of berries, figs are $1 a piece, good oranges $1-2 a piece. it is insane. i wish i lived where it was warmer.

[msrachelj]

wait, is nobody going to mention the ventriloquist dummy!! i was horrified and laughing at the same time!!

[Rockstar99435]

1 hour ago, msrachelj said:

wait, is nobody going to mention the ventriloquist dummy!! i was horrified and laughing at the same time!!

I was sure there was going to be a reveal that the mom burned the dummy because it was creepy and she wanted to get rid of it so she used the fire as her excuse.