So which guy will Betty go out with on date night: steady boyfriend
Ralph or handsome newcomer Doyle. Then again, don't discount a long pole and a tied-fly that's hanging in there too.
It's an outstanding entry. Betty's jealous of popular girl Marge and her many boyfriends while Betty only has one. Then too, the blonde Marge (Barbara Eden!) may come in doors instead of streaming out of magic genie bottles, but she's still awfully cute competition. And speaking of later big TV roles, note Roger Smith as Doyle, soon to star in the popular 77 Sunset Strip.
But maybe most of all, catch that opening scene that briefly shows the excellence of the series' cast and crew. Instead of a more conventional and blander group shot, the director's camera edits into close-ups of each individual Anderson as they bandy about Betty's coming night out. That directorial move both heightens the situational humor and focuses on how skillfully Young, Wyatt, and the kids perform, especially with their expressive eye movements. Sure, it passes quickly, but it's emblematic of the quality that helped carry the show across decades.
And, oh yes, shouldn't forget Betty's date night swirling skirt or the dizzying square dance that still has me grabbing my chair arms. I hope they paid the dance extras double for their flashy aerobics.
Anyhow, in my little book, it's an outstanding entry helping to show why an enduring series remains both enduring and wholesomely humorous. So don't miss it.