This was the pilot episode of this television series. Thank goodness they made some major changes before the actual first season began because there were some actors who needed to be replaced. Meanwhile, what a shock to see some of the show's regulars as other people on this episode. For instance: Ward Cleaver is played by Casey Adams. He's all right. He's kind of goofy-looking but he wasn't as bad as I would have guess after I first saw him. I don't say he could have done as good a job as Hugh Beaumont, but he was acceptable. June Cleaver had a different longer hairstyle and looked actually prettier with it. However, when she kissed Casey on the lips right off the bat, I felt she was cheating on Beaumont! I was offended. Beaver - still Jerry Mathers - was a tiny bit smaller than what we saw on the first season, but basically the same kid and character. Wally - this was the weirdest and worst aspect of the pilot. Unlike Tony Dow's character, this kid (Paul Sullivan) wasn't as nice as Dow, calling Beaver "stupid" right off the bat and not having the wholesome appealing personality of Dow, although he did treat the Beaver better as the episode went on. Two of Wally's friends are pictured, and they are greasy-looking punks. They make Eddie Haskell appear likable. They were never seen in the series - another smart move.
Beaver and his brother then go to the Franklin Milk Company to cash in bottle caps for a bicycle that one of Wally's friends said he saw on a TV program, sponsored by the milk. (The mean kid just made up the story, he said, to get rid of "that creep Beaver who is always hanging around." Who's the secretary: one of Beaver's teachers in the show (Diane Brewster, who in here is "Miss Simms"). She calls out the boss, "Mr. Baxter." Who's the boss? Richard Deacon, alias "Fred Rutherford" the famous nerd-neighbor of the Cleavers and Lumpy's father. Here, he is somebody totally different. Other notes: Beaver called Ward "daddy," which he never did to Beaumont; Casey is seen smoking a cigarette a few times, something Beaumont never did. After all this happened and my shock wore off, I enjoyed the story which was the typical nice one with a happy ending that almost brought a tear to my face. At least the writers were the same, but this show was still a shock!
Beaver and his brother then go to the Franklin Milk Company to cash in bottle caps for a bicycle that one of Wally's friends said he saw on a TV program, sponsored by the milk. (The mean kid just made up the story, he said, to get rid of "that creep Beaver who is always hanging around." Who's the secretary: one of Beaver's teachers in the show (Diane Brewster, who in here is "Miss Simms"). She calls out the boss, "Mr. Baxter." Who's the boss? Richard Deacon, alias "Fred Rutherford" the famous nerd-neighbor of the Cleavers and Lumpy's father. Here, he is somebody totally different. Other notes: Beaver called Ward "daddy," which he never did to Beaumont; Casey is seen smoking a cigarette a few times, something Beaumont never did. After all this happened and my shock wore off, I enjoyed the story which was the typical nice one with a happy ending that almost brought a tear to my face. At least the writers were the same, but this show was still a shock!
