This episode was one of those "stupid" plots, where virtually everyone in it does something stupid at some point.
We start off with Timmy walking to school. We learn that he meanders so much that he keeps showing up late for school. That afternoon, Paul and Ruth are worried because he is late in getting home. He finally arrives and explains that he had to stay after because he was late again for school that morning.
Ruth's reaction, when talking to Paul after Timmy leaves the room, is to reward him with a bike so he can get to school faster. I thought this dumb because it was stated that he left in plenty of time that morning. Like most TV husbands, Paul gives him and plans to get him a bike in a few days. But of course, he won't let the boy know it, or let him help pick out one he likes, the way a normal father would do. No, he'll select it and surprise him.
The next few days, Timmy is busy renting a bike from his friend Mike, who was played by one of the worst child actors I have ever seen. He delivered his lines like the kid in 3rd grade who would stand up in class and read from the book—the kid who got a "D" in reading. He wouldn't lend his bike to Timmy, who was trying to learn how to ride one, but he'd rent it to him for a quarter for each "practice" session.
Come Saturday, Timmy's riding his bike, looking down and almost runs into a hobo walking along. We know he's a hobo from the way he's dressed and the traditional bindle he carried—bag for possessions tied to the end of a stick. The hobo is upset, but that's it. Until he sees Timmy doing his part to add to the dumbness of this plot.
Seeing his dad's truck coming in the distance, Timmy doesn't want him to know he is learning how to ride a bike, so he goes off into the bushes and hides it. What I didn't get is why not hide yourself and Lassie with you. When dad goes by, continue on the bike. Instead, he hides the bike, but Lassie and Timmy are given a ride by dad.
Later, Timmy tries to retrieve the bike but it is gone. Lassie tries to track it—the hobo hid it in bushes a few feet away, but instead, Timmy ignores Lassie and goes to tell Mike he can't find his bike. Back home, he fesses up to what he's done.
Now it's Paul's turn to be dumb. Instead of saying, "Let's go find Mike's bike," he takes Timmy out to the barn and shows him the new bike, then instructs him to walk it over, don't ride it—"It's not yours" to give to Mike. He plans to wait until Timmy is on the way home before going out to meet him and look for the bike.
Timmy and Lassie get to the site first and Lassie leads Timmy toward the bike. The hobo, taking his turn in the "dummy" competition, didn't walk off with the bike after he saw Timmy go away in his dad's truck. He lounged around for some time, and only now tries to walk it away. Lassie catches him and does her usual "snarl-and-hold-the-arm" trick. Paul shows up, pulls Lassie off him and tells him to get out of there. I cannot believe I'm spoiling this for anyone by revealing Timmy got his new bike—after two weeks--and Mike got his bike back.
There was nothing at all funny. The "lesson" I guess, is if you keep walking too slowly to get to school, your parents will get you a bike, even though you were lucky not to lose your friend's bike when you stupidly left it along the road. I think Ruth, Paul, Timmy, and the hobo all did dumb things, making the plot possible.
If you just like the parts with the dog, all Lassie did was stop the hobo from stealing the bike with her usual tactic. Even for Timmy fans, I cannot recommend this show.
We start off with Timmy walking to school. We learn that he meanders so much that he keeps showing up late for school. That afternoon, Paul and Ruth are worried because he is late in getting home. He finally arrives and explains that he had to stay after because he was late again for school that morning.
Ruth's reaction, when talking to Paul after Timmy leaves the room, is to reward him with a bike so he can get to school faster. I thought this dumb because it was stated that he left in plenty of time that morning. Like most TV husbands, Paul gives him and plans to get him a bike in a few days. But of course, he won't let the boy know it, or let him help pick out one he likes, the way a normal father would do. No, he'll select it and surprise him.
The next few days, Timmy is busy renting a bike from his friend Mike, who was played by one of the worst child actors I have ever seen. He delivered his lines like the kid in 3rd grade who would stand up in class and read from the book—the kid who got a "D" in reading. He wouldn't lend his bike to Timmy, who was trying to learn how to ride one, but he'd rent it to him for a quarter for each "practice" session.
Come Saturday, Timmy's riding his bike, looking down and almost runs into a hobo walking along. We know he's a hobo from the way he's dressed and the traditional bindle he carried—bag for possessions tied to the end of a stick. The hobo is upset, but that's it. Until he sees Timmy doing his part to add to the dumbness of this plot.
Seeing his dad's truck coming in the distance, Timmy doesn't want him to know he is learning how to ride a bike, so he goes off into the bushes and hides it. What I didn't get is why not hide yourself and Lassie with you. When dad goes by, continue on the bike. Instead, he hides the bike, but Lassie and Timmy are given a ride by dad.
Later, Timmy tries to retrieve the bike but it is gone. Lassie tries to track it—the hobo hid it in bushes a few feet away, but instead, Timmy ignores Lassie and goes to tell Mike he can't find his bike. Back home, he fesses up to what he's done.
Now it's Paul's turn to be dumb. Instead of saying, "Let's go find Mike's bike," he takes Timmy out to the barn and shows him the new bike, then instructs him to walk it over, don't ride it—"It's not yours" to give to Mike. He plans to wait until Timmy is on the way home before going out to meet him and look for the bike.
Timmy and Lassie get to the site first and Lassie leads Timmy toward the bike. The hobo, taking his turn in the "dummy" competition, didn't walk off with the bike after he saw Timmy go away in his dad's truck. He lounged around for some time, and only now tries to walk it away. Lassie catches him and does her usual "snarl-and-hold-the-arm" trick. Paul shows up, pulls Lassie off him and tells him to get out of there. I cannot believe I'm spoiling this for anyone by revealing Timmy got his new bike—after two weeks--and Mike got his bike back.
There was nothing at all funny. The "lesson" I guess, is if you keep walking too slowly to get to school, your parents will get you a bike, even though you were lucky not to lose your friend's bike when you stupidly left it along the road. I think Ruth, Paul, Timmy, and the hobo all did dumb things, making the plot possible.
If you just like the parts with the dog, all Lassie did was stop the hobo from stealing the bike with her usual tactic. Even for Timmy fans, I cannot recommend this show.
