1.13.: The Elopment

A very interesting episode.

Here's the plot: Is Mike going to elope with his girlfriend, Jean? They've gone down to the courthouse...there's a wedding license application in Jean's room...Oh boy...

There's a second plotline: Robbie told his teacher that he collected clocks. Now, he has to bring 12 of these clocks to a Ladies Club thing by 4PM. But...he doesn't have any clocks!

So, we have these two plots weaving around one another and occasionally meeting up. The Mike plotline is rather serious. Bub overhears some things. Connections are made. Then, Steve, Bub and Jean's dad drive to the courthouse to stop the marriage. Although it has its absurd moments, their attempts to stop it are presented with a certain urgency. Steve and the Other Dad wind up in the marriage license line getting heckled by couples who seem to treat marriage as "something to do on a Saturday". It's slightly amusing but we don't want Mike and Jean getting married so it's more harrowing than anything.

We want the Dads and Bub to stop the elopement but they keep getting held up. In the end, when the kids have taken care of business, the dads sit in the car discussing (in a parallel fashion) how to help out the kids. Jean's dad is very nervous about telling his wife. And, she is definitely not treating this as a joke. Her response to all of this is worry and sadness.

Robbie is very single-minded wacky, collecting his clocks. I'm trying to find a way to describe the scene. The Mom is trying not to lose it. As she remains composed-ish, Robbie is spazzing around like crazy for clocks. At one point, he goes next door and collects a clock from Jean's mom. It's an interesting scene because she is very worried and Robbie only cares about the clocks.

(In the end, when the Dads think that the marriage is final, Robbie dashes out with a suitcase, talking about ladies. That's the other point where the two plots latch up.)

Now, the odd thing...

Robbie has a standard sitcom plot. Mike does not. Up until...

SPOILER!!

They didn't get married. They are doing a sociology project on Teen Marriages. Bub and Steve and the other Dad jumped to conclusions (although there was some pretty good evidence).

The Mike plotline is presented rather seriously, completely unlike the sitcom of Robbie's antics. But then, in the end, the twist is a good one and a relief but...it makes everything a sitcom again.

Steve puts himself down for jumping to so many conclusions but...he loves his sons. He's worried about what Mike might be doing. I would have done the same thing. If I was wrong, I'd apologize.

It's a very strange episode because it runs in a slightly absurd, slightly serious vein...up until the end. Then, it flips and the whole thing has had a sitcom plot all along. It's not bad. In no way. It has a nice pace. There is a bit of an uncomfortable feeling as Mike and Jean draw closer to what looks like marriage. The Dads frustration is good drama. And, there are a few laughs.

I guess my confusion is...The final twist is perfectly in keeping with Mike's character and is satisfying because of that. But, at the same time, when it turns out to be a sitcom misunderstanding, it's slightly unsatisfying. I applaud the writer and director, however, for keeping us guessing until the end. That's what makes the sitcom twist a bit strange.

Ahh...this is very good. It was just that I was let down and satisfied at the same moment in the end. That's what got me thinking. That's a good thing. Thank you, My Three Sons.