User Reviews

The Bumsteads are planning Alexander's 16th birthday party. They give him a ping pong table for the party. Alexander is considered one of the best players in town, badly beating Dagwood and Herb. They ask the Woodleys to sing as well as Duke (Duke Stewart), a local delivery boy. Pete (William Schallert), the manager of the Cookoo Club will play piano. Buck Bradley (himself) will entertain with impressive rope tricks. All Alexander wants is the company of some friends and nixes the plans. The kids struggle for entertainment, prompting Dagwood to emcee the entertainment he originally planned. What will the kids think of the impromptu variety show?

A nice, feel-good show with a few laughs.

The summary for "The Party" isn't exactly right. It says that for his 16th birthday, Alexander doesn't want a party. Well, he does....but not the sort that his parents envisioned. Instead, he wants something simple and to plan it himself. Sadly, however, Alexander's party fizzles and the family needs to scramble to save the day. Their response...to throw an impromptu talent show!

This episode features a ping pong table....and it's interesting to see that Alexander (Stuffy Singer) is really, really good at it. And, in a scene where he's playing against a young lady, she, too, is very very good.

Sadly, when the party stated to fizzle, the family responded by putting on a talent show...which would probably have interested teens for about 3 seconds....tops. Yet inexplicably, the teens love the lame show. This does NOT make for a good episode...but instead a very painful one.

Worth skipping. It only manages to earn a 3 because of the excellent ping pong.