Shark Bytes

To Poster Casey--I didn't mean anything by saying that Donna Reed must have been sure of herself in agreeing to play opposite such an attractive male actor. All I had meant was that Donna Reed being such a very Glamorous Popular Movie Star could also have been a very insecure actress like many of them are believe it or not and if she had been insecure she possibly wouldn't have wanted female or male to outshine her which of course in reality nobody could outshine Donna Reed... And since she called a lot of the shots concerning that series and was the Boss along with her real life husband Tony Owen she could have chose another actor to play opposite her... But,Donna Reed was a real Class Act that really had it all together as a person and didn't mind what the appearance of an actor's looks were concerning the person that was to play opposite her... In other words, Donna Reed was an Emotionally Secure Person as well as a very Beautiful and Talented Movie Star. Some Movie Stars are very very insecure whether you know this or not!!! So chill out!!!!! Talk about over reacting to one innocent comment I made--I think your the one who is most likely the Weird Duck here... The way you greatly over reacted to my comment you would think you were related to the Actress Donna Reed or something!! By the way, Donna Reed has always been my Favorite Movie Star and I was trying to compliment her in having it all together and I wasn't trying to put her down in any way shape or form which unfortunately you didn't get!!!!!

To the poster mark. Your posting is partially weird. Who cares what Carl Betz looked like!?! Its he who should have been in awe at what an attractive, incredible, interesting lady he was starring opposite (without her even being his boss!).

I really enjoyed "The Donna Reed Show" I felt that in the beginning of this series it centered around Donna Reed being a very Glamorous Mother almost as if the star Donna Reed was more important than the Donna Stone character she was playing. But I was quite fascinated with this show which had this quite Glamorous Mother Figure and her very FRESH Son, Jeff which I enjoyed very much! The father was very good looking too. I figured Donna Reed must have been very sure of herself to have agree to play opposite such an attractive Male Actor. I thought that the Mary Stone character was very likable indeed and she reminded me so much of girl I knew in real life which was just so amazing to me how much they both looked alike and acted alike! No Shelley Fabares wasn't kicked off this show at all!! She just had other offers to do movies like with Elvis Presley! Although, I wish she could have stayed with this show, but it was definitely her own decision to make... Just like Actor Bob Crane left this same series after two seasons in order to be on the TV Series, "Hogan's Heroes". Anyway, Shelley Fabares should have felt pretty good since they had to add three new people to this Donna Reed Series in order to replace her or at least try to replace her. I thought they had some rather fun episodes with Trisha near the beginning of her being on this show especially with the Beatle Bug episode and I really didn't hate her being on this show like some people seemed to... She improved much on her acting ability during the Sixth Season and Seventh Season of this show, but I agree that in the Eighth Season somehow Trisha didn't seem quite like the same character that she had played in the previous seasons. I guess she was growing up. However, I did enjoy some of the Eighth Season Episodes with Donna Reed sitting in a tree refusing to come down and also shopping in a Department Store with a Monkey of all things!! It was as if the Donna Stone Character was now doing her own thing since she had pretty much finished raising Jeff and Mary which I felt was very realistic considering my mother kinda did the same thing after we were grown. In fact, my mother was so much like the Donna Stone Character it was truly amazing to me! It was almost like watching my own family on TV! As for still having to take care of Trisha--Well, it was never made perfectly clear whether the Stone Family really adopted Trisha or not or at least I didn't see that episode. The episode on "The Donna Reed Show" with Trisha near the end of the Fifth Season that shocked me is when the Donna Stone Character at first didn't want Trisha to call her Mom, but to call her Aunt Donna and she corrected Trisha for calling her mom!!! I saw that particular episode more than once and the very annoyed look that the Donna Stone Character had on her face when Trisha called her mom plus the sturn tone in her voice when she told Trisha to call her Aunt Donna- I have never gotten fully over because I thought it was such a wrong and cruel thing for Donna to say to Trisha! It seemed so out of Character for Donna Stone to say this to a little girl that just so badly wanted to fit in!!! I don't know, maybe Donna was having Hot Flashes that day or Something. LOL... Anyway, another episode I liked during the Final Season of "The Donna Reed Show" was the one about the College Student that was taking pills in order to deal with the Stress of College Exams. Now that was a Great Episode and way ahead of its time!

The Donna Reed show was and is great TV.
What the hell happened to Nick at Nite and TV Land? Both entities now show awful "retro" TV shows. And those terrible "reality" programs on TV Land. Bring back the old favorites!!

I think the cultural changes in society at that time were the reasons for the decline in viewers and ultimately the downfall of the show. As stated below, the country was at a point where there were 2 sides - "Old School" Conservatism and the "New School" movement for human rights and redefining gender roles in our society. The "Old School" thought simply was not appealing to enough Americans at the time the show "Jumped the Shark."

I wish the show was still on Nick@Nite! For memories, here's a ***** of the opening credits with the famous telephone ring and music. Warning! it will get stuck in your head!

www.donnareedshow.com

When Dr Stone gave up his lucrative practice to work as a Chippendale Dancer for tips.

Few people who describe "The Donna Reed Show" remember the unfortunate fact that it was considered highly controversial back in the day because producer Tony Owen was Reed's husband at the time. The involvement of women behind the scenes in any way aggravated network suits to no end, as they were going strictly for a "moldy white bread painted with poisonous white lead" feel. True, the stories were said to be "based on characters created by William Roberts," but even so, Reed's involvement behind the scenes--ToDon Productions was the production banner for the program--sent the network suits flying into rages season after season!

Hear my words well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




I feel with logic that the Donna Reed Show was the best (in terms of entertaining) family sitcom from the entire 50's or 60's (though it finally got faulty in its last season when ball player Willie Mays suddenly, and 100% strangely and unbelievably to most viewers, was an old friend of the Stones). But the most important family sitcom by and far was Ozzie and Harriet--- because it was about a reallife family! All the totally fictional family sitcoms from the 50's and 60's cannot be used as if they were reallife events or about reallife people. It is 100% deranged to use any family sitcom from this time period (again except Ozzie and Harriet) like it was real! Thank You for all your attention!

nice article

I agree generally that the series had run its course by season eight, that Paul Petersen was too old by then, which is why it was important to have a younger character in the "Stone" household for some more activity, so thus Patti Petersen added that touch.

Although, as with many series when the kids grow up and/or leave ("All In The Family," "Happy Days," etc.), we then get to see the richness of talent and interplay between the older principals of the cast, and there were more opportunities between just Miss Reed and Carl Betz on this program in later seasons, as there was on "Ozzie & Harriet" after Dave & Ricky grew up and weren't featured on every episode anymore, where Ozzie and Harriet and their peer group had more substantial storylines.

As to whether the show Jumped The Shark by then, well--I'll just say it shifted its focus.

I think by far the show was at its best when "Jeff" was a younger boy--Petersen had a natural boyish charm and energy, and was quite the cut-up! His interaction with sister "Mary," and each of their peers groups, and how the parents related were all quite well written into the episodes of those years of the program.

I disagree that Shelley Fabares couldn't sing--she was no Dusty Springfield or Lesley Gore, but did well within her own range. "Johnny Angel" is a classic of rock & roll I also point to her song "Make Me Happy" on the Herman's Hermits' "Hold On!" soundtrack--beautiful production, hauntingly sensual a la The Paris Sisters!

By the way, speaking of Lesley Gore and Herman's Hermits, there was one episode in which "Jeff" interviewed Gore for his school paper, and the Hermits were mentioned in that episode as well. Next to Ricky Nelson on "Ozzie & Harriet," and "The Monkees," this was perhaps the most rockin' & rollin' sitcom on TV, what with Paul Petersen and Shelley Fabares having cut hit records, some of which were performed on the program. So even in later years, there was always ome fun and contemporary evolution going on among this family and community of "Hilldale."

Much as I loved this series, though, I disagree with the comment here that this series is better than "Leave It To Beaver." "Beaver" was a 20th Century updating of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, each episode, at least in its peak years, a little fable of morality mixed with some homespun good humor and, contrary to the sitcoms of TV's earliest days, the father was portrayed as a realistic suburban father, offering some wisdom from experience but also admitting his mistakes, yet not the bumbling idiot of shows such as "Life Of Riley" and the like.

Granted, maybe "June Cleaver" did sometimes vacuum the house in high heels and wearing pearls--but isn't that a nice site to come home to--one really worthy of "Hi Honey. I'm Home!"

"Donna Stone' too could be glamorous, but she could also don sneakers and jeans and accompany her boy and his pals on a camping trip. And "Dr. Alex" offered some sound stability to offset his wife's more intuitive approach in dealing with all the problems & situations of the kids in the household and among and between their friends and neighbors.

These shows were idealized versions of what suburban family life was like in the 1950s and '60s, but that idealization never veered too far from reality, and one could almost always see a bit of one's self and one's own family in the "Stones," the "Cleavers" and "the Andersons" (of Father's Knows Best"). I think that they all hold up rather well, that kids and families today may still enjoy these situation comedies from the era when episodic TV, even though based in reality, was also based on entertainment and fun, and a whole lot more enjoyable to the viewing audience!

In 2007 Thursday Night TV sucks totally totally sucks did I mention it
oh well now if there was any equivalent to TDRS then the suckability factor would go away in my opinion just like I wish would go away would be the CBS 'how to date how to love shows' on monday nights HIMYM starts with how rhymes with sow then ROE the stupid one with David Spade 8 simple rules was the better rules for David then still to come in the CBS tragedy love date trilogy TBT I think its The Big Boom Bang who gives a royal dang theory I would gladly watch tapes of Curious George which is actually a lot more fun

It jumped when Mary left for college.

Hi,

sorry for the ignorant question but who is this Johnny that Shelley Fabares was singing about in "Johnny Angel"? Was he a character from the show?

Thanks in advance.

I always loved The Donna Reed Show because it was so sanitized & proper. I used to watch this back in the 80s on Nick At Nite and my 10 year old brain could not get enough of the fabulous Shelley Fabares. She seemed so perfect and I couldn't wait to grow up to be just like her. Just in case you're wondering, I'm nothing like Shelley F now but, I digress. Since I saw the show in syndication, they were run out of order so, to my chargrin, one day Miss Shelley was gone and in her place was a horrid little girl with the worst bangs and teeth. I honestly thought Jeff (Paul Peterson) was having a dream of him being older and the kid was actually him. What the hell did I know? I was a kid! Regardless, my bubble was burst and I could never watch the show again without thinking about how it betrayed me. Mary was in college or something, this brat took her place and Donna left the house with the rest of them at the beginning? What the hell? Donna was suppose to stay home and prepare breakfast starting with a small glass of tomato juice sitting on a plate (how's that for a good memory!) Ending it would've been smarter but, like most shows from that era, they squeezed every last drop from it they could.

The Donna Reed Show might not have been ultra-realistic,but what show from that time-period even tried to be?The family went through the trials and tribulations of many families,and Donna tried to have more realism in the show-but,as was the case with Leave It To Beaver,Dennis the Menace,My Three Sons and so many other programs-the show lasted one year too long.During the final year,the handwriting was on the wall,with the jazzed-up theme(which didn't suit the program)the slightly recycled stories,and the entire cast showing their ages-including the kids.Trisha was cute at first and her performing was natural,since she was young and used to playing pretend-games,but by year 8 even she was just going through the motions and didn't come across quite the way she had.Other reasons the 8th season was a mistake were the absenses of Bob Crane-whose character was mentioned still,but not seen at all-and Shelley Faberes,who didn't even make her usual guest appearance like in the past 2 seasons.So many shows don't know when to quit and therefore do not die gracefuly.