A surprising number of minorities turned up on the plushly-produced "Family Affair", usually placed front and center to help the kids on the show learn a lesson about differences (everybody looks different, but we're all pretty much the same). The thoughtful episode "Albertine" is unusual because it's the shy African-American schoolgirl at the heart of the story who learns a little something about others and herself. She lives in the poor section of New York City and tells big tales about her life to cover up, but Buffy and Jody don't care when they learn the truth--they just want everyone to stay friends. "Family Affair" often surrounded the Davis twins with kids and grown-ups who were from different countries, or struggling with disabilities or illness; not one remark is made or eyebrow raised about Albertine's race (which is refreshing), yet the significant contrast between her world and the Davis' is very nicely made.
2 Reviews
Buffy and Jody's new friend
gregorycanfield22 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Albertine was one of the cutest little girls I've seen in any TV show. It's a shame that this actress didn't go on to bigger things. The story illustrates how children tend to not even notice racial differences. Buffy and Jody become friends with Albertine, who is seemingly quiet and shy. Albertine makes up stories about her father, who is not involved in her life. She wants to impress the Davis twins, not realizing that they had lost both parents. My only issue with the episode is that it has no "edge." Albertine gets a little upset when Buffy and Jody find out that she was lying about her father. Then, she finds out that Buffy and Jody's situation wasn't too different from her own. It was nice that they could all go on being friends. The episode just had a feeling of something being missing. Some kind of energy that should have been there, but wasn't.
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