The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (TV Series) The Pills (1952) User Reviews

Reducing

[wes-connors · 6/10 · 8 December 2011]

After Thorny (Don DeFore) shows off his recent weight loss, Ozzie (as Ozzie Nelson) fears he may be gaining weight. To loosen his expanding waistline, Ozzie goes on an exercise and low-calorie diet. Meanwhile, football-minded Ricky (as Ricky Nelson) is eating constantly; he stores his helmet in the refrigerator, to keep "a cool head." When Ozzie considers taking "diet pills", Rick misunderstands, and helps Ozzie obtain "appetite pills" instead of "reducing pills". After Ozzie is regulated to a dessert of stewed prunes instead of strawberry shortcake, Harriet (as Harriet Nelson) and David (as David Nelson) secretly join Rick in getting Ozzie off his diet. The Nelson family's rapport makes their third televised episode an amusing entry.

****** The Pills (10/17/52) Ozzie Nelson ~ Ozzie Nelson, Ricky Nelson, Harriet Nelson, David Nelson

Kind Of A Slow, Frustrting Episode

[ccthemovieman-1 · 4/10 · 26 April 2007]

Here's a twist: the show starts off with a quick 20-second scene that turns out to be a commercial for Hotpoint refrigerators! I guess the stars of their shows back then had to help promote their sponsor's products, as well. Can you imagine seeing that today??

As for the story, Ozzie is freaked out a bit when his buddy and neighbor "Thorny Thornberry" (Don DeFore) comes over, gets a compliment from Ozzie that he looks thinner. Thorny then has Mr. Nelson sign a "petition" stating he noticed he looks thin and wasn't coerced into saying so. "This is crazy," says Ozzie. It's explained by Thorny that he and his wife have this contest going about the weight loss and how many unsolicited compliments they can get from friends.

After some baiting, Ozzie is upset because Thorny inferred he could lose a little weight, too. Ozzie thinks he's in great shape, as it is. He finds out he's gained a size or two around the waist, and decides to lose weight. (We should all have waists as thin as his!). He winds up taking a pill, but it's to gain an appetite, not to lose it.....and, well, you can guess what happens, beginning when Ricky comes by a half hour later with a cookie. Poor Oz....does he ever suffer at the dinner table.

As much as I liked the Nelsons and this show, however, I'd have to admit this is not that entertaining an episode. It was actually tough in spots to watch as poor Ozzie agonizing over food he couldn't eat. I didn't find that funny, just frustrating.

This was only the third episode in this long-running hit TV show, so it was a shock to see how young Ricky was. He think he was about 11 or 12 years old. Older brother David was 15 or 16.