The Dick Van Dyke Show: “Laurie” and the Eyeshadow
One thing I love about collecting comedy series is taking note of the changes in characters, names and settings as the series evolves. This kind of trivia is fun for me–as I hope it is for you.
In this episode there were several things that I noticed. I won’t mention them all here. In addition, perhaps you can let me know about still others I may have missed. I subtitled this article the way I did because of two of the most apparent things I noticed–both of which disappeared in subsequent episodes.
The first was Rob’s eyeshadow. I’m sure you noticed it as well. For the life of me I can’t figure out what they were trying to do with his face but, thankfully, from the second episode on it was used no more.
The second was his spouse’s name. “Laurie” was used exclusively in this first episode but began to disappear almost completely afterwards, replaced by “Laura.”
Even more obvious to me than Rob’s eye makeup was the remodeling job that took place in the Petrie home and down at the office.
We saw little of the home–except the kitchen and Ritchie’s bedroom but that room, at least, appeared to have originally been on the other side of the house. All entrances from and exits to his bedroom were in the opposite direction from later episodes.
And as for the kitchen, while it retained the same basic shape it, too, underwent some change. The appliances were moved and the large window became a sliding glass door.
Do these “discrepancies” change anything about the way I feel about “The Dick Van Dyke Show?” Certainly not for the negative. I feel about this classic comedy the way I feel about the others I’ve begun to highlight on these pages.
This series is not about nostalgia for me. It does not make me long for an earlier time. It is simply a matter of recognizing that something done well transcends time. When I watch the adventures of Rob, Laura, Buddy, Sally and the rest I’m not in unfamiliar territory. These are “old friends” and I am appreciating the skill and craftsmanship that went into each episode.
When I play one, I know from the beginning every “bit” that will come up and I relish the enjoyment as I wait for these particular moments. For me, they get funnier as they grow more familiar.
