Review of The Abbott and Costello Show

This is a show that I definitely enjoyed much more as a child than as an adult. As a kid, I loved seeing re-runs of the show and thought it was terribly funny. However, one of the reasons I now avoid the show because I just don't feel that nostalgic about it or have a desire to see it again. So for me, this is definitely NOT a timeless series but it isn't as horrible as the one reviewer stated. Instead, I see it as more of a historical record of the type of humor that Abbott and Costello did on Vaudeville combined with a sitcom format. The results are often very familiar, as they reprise many of their famous bits. If you haven't seen them before, give them a try. If you have, you may feel very bored by the "same old same old". BUT for me, the biggest problem with the series and the major reason I just can't watch it today really is Joe Besser. He plays probably one of the most annoying characters in the history of television and I think he was one of the most unfunny "comedians" that ever lived. Not only did he make the WORST Stooge (even less funny than Joe DeRita), but he made the A & C Show, at times, horribly annoying. His spoiled little boy act was just grating. So, if the episodes lack him, I score them a 6. With him, -3.