AMONG THE MANY other problems that post World War II America faced was a housing shortage. It seemed that situations rooted in the Depression Era allied themselves with the new phenomenon called "the Post War Baby Boom" in making life more difficult for the young Adults of "the Greatest Generation" (our parents) and the Boomers themselves(Guilty! I'm one!).
SO THE ONLY thing that our favourite production team of Hollingsworth (producer), Bare (Writer/Director) and O'Hanlon (Star & co-writer)was to pitch in by making us laugh at ourselves. While this may seem to be a trite and commonplace sort of observation, it does hold up quite well. In every comic situation there is at the core truth. This and the other Mc DOAKES are no exceptions.
OUR STORY BEGINS with Joe & Alice being at odds with their landlord; who is methodically vacating the apartment building ( the "Mc Nasty Arms") in order to do some major remodeling. We find that their electricity, gas and water have been turned off. (No Schultz, there was no Cable Television in 1948).
INCIDENTALLY, WE HAVE noticed that this "Tenant vs. Landlord" altercation predates the situation that occurs on Jackie Gleason's THE HONEYMOONERS sketch some several years later. (Just an observation, not a criticism).
BEING THE HARD headed man of the house, Joe brings in light via an extension cord light and they burn wood and paper in the oven range for cooking. but eventually, in a sort of "Trojan Horse" maneuver, the owner sneaks his summons bearing legal team in to the unit under cover of decorators.
SO THEN THE long process of obtaining a new home is begun. Once again, we are treated to a succession of failed showings of the incredibly overpriced and pathetically inadequate. The rentals run the whole spectrum of disappointing adjectives.
AS FOR THE final scene and wind-up, we find Joe &n Alice sitting at their dining room table with the same gaudy and imbecilic wallpaper behind them. We won't say anymore as that would ruin it for you. Make sure to view it yourself; as the entire series is available on DVD at a very reasonable.
IN PARTING WE'D like to say once again that this is a most highly under-appreciated series. It has certain elemental links to the earliest forms of screen comedy, namely the Silent short subjects made by guys like Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel & Hardy, Sennett and Lloyd. Among the series' greatest strengths is its being a leading proponent of the old "Sight Gag"; which is quite all right with us!
SO THE ONLY thing that our favourite production team of Hollingsworth (producer), Bare (Writer/Director) and O'Hanlon (Star & co-writer)was to pitch in by making us laugh at ourselves. While this may seem to be a trite and commonplace sort of observation, it does hold up quite well. In every comic situation there is at the core truth. This and the other Mc DOAKES are no exceptions.
OUR STORY BEGINS with Joe & Alice being at odds with their landlord; who is methodically vacating the apartment building ( the "Mc Nasty Arms") in order to do some major remodeling. We find that their electricity, gas and water have been turned off. (No Schultz, there was no Cable Television in 1948).
INCIDENTALLY, WE HAVE noticed that this "Tenant vs. Landlord" altercation predates the situation that occurs on Jackie Gleason's THE HONEYMOONERS sketch some several years later. (Just an observation, not a criticism).
BEING THE HARD headed man of the house, Joe brings in light via an extension cord light and they burn wood and paper in the oven range for cooking. but eventually, in a sort of "Trojan Horse" maneuver, the owner sneaks his summons bearing legal team in to the unit under cover of decorators.
SO THEN THE long process of obtaining a new home is begun. Once again, we are treated to a succession of failed showings of the incredibly overpriced and pathetically inadequate. The rentals run the whole spectrum of disappointing adjectives.
AS FOR THE final scene and wind-up, we find Joe &n Alice sitting at their dining room table with the same gaudy and imbecilic wallpaper behind them. We won't say anymore as that would ruin it for you. Make sure to view it yourself; as the entire series is available on DVD at a very reasonable.
IN PARTING WE'D like to say once again that this is a most highly under-appreciated series. It has certain elemental links to the earliest forms of screen comedy, namely the Silent short subjects made by guys like Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel & Hardy, Sennett and Lloyd. Among the series' greatest strengths is its being a leading proponent of the old "Sight Gag"; which is quite all right with us!