The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show: The Beverly Hills Uplift Society

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show: The Beverly Hills Uplift Society
CBS
October 11, 1951
Sitcom
DVD
B-

The second episode of the second season, with the same director and writers as before, this shows an improvement, as people settle in more.  Fred Clark is the new Harry Morton and his bickering with Benadaret provides counterpoint to George and Gracie's loving, supportive relationship.  (Blanche sarcastically compares her husband to Errol Flynn after an air-kiss.)  Harry Von Zell steps in as the new announcer and would continue to the end.  He here plugs sponsor Carnation in a really overt way, which adds unintentional humor.  Gracie again has convoluted finances in this episode, this time impacting the women's group of the title.  Surprisingly, there's a reference to one woman's husband running off with the maid, which seems racier humor than on I Love Lucy or Jack Benny, although the only reference to "sex" is in the sense of gender.

Von Zell is sworn in as an honorary woman so he can donate $120 and promote Carnation.  And they say Gracie is the daffy one!

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show: The Income Tax Man

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show: The Income Tax Man
CBS
March 1, 1951
Sitcom
DVD
C+

Co-written by Willy Burns (George's older brother), Sid Dorfman, Harvey Helm, and Paul Henning, and directed by Ralph Levy, all of whom would contribute to many other episodes in the series, this shows television in a very raw, primitive state.  It was the twelfth episode of the first season, and aired a few months before I Love Lucy debuted.  It was broadcast live and you can hear performers stumbling over their lines a bit.  (George and Gracie of course had had the luxury of scripts in front of them on radio.)  I consider the series to be under-rated, but it did take them awhile to find their bearings.  Still, it's interesting to see not only George and Gracie, but also Bea Benadaret as neighbor Blanche Morton (her voice unmistakably that of the future Betty Rubble).  As for this episode specifically, Gracie has a financial plan that of course confuses the title character.  There's a Truman reference, so this really is early television!

Note, this was the next to last episode for John Brown, who was soon to be replaced (multiple times) as Harry Morton.

This is actually the subplot, with a baker.

Introduction

Following in the proud tradition of Rereading Every Book I Own and Reviewing Every Movie I Own, I will now re-experience and reevaluate the various television shows I've collected over the past almost 30 years.  Each episode will have its own entry, although I will of course make observations about their series overall, as well as my usual idiosyncratic observations about life etc.

Format--
Series Title: Episode Title (if any, otherwise number)
Original Network (if known)
Original Air Date (or in the case of pilots and other episodes not airing for years, approximate film date)
Genre (not just sitcoms!)
Format (usually VHS or DVD, in some cases both, for music rights and other issues)
Grade (as always, hypothetically F- to A+ but more realistically F+ to A)