My Three Sons - Nick Knacks Episode  

7:31 I did NOT expect to learn today that "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" is the SECOND longest running sitcom OF ALL TIME.

Finding a gem of a show from this era of television, even while recognizing its flaws, is always such a good feeling. This was super interesting to learn about and I’m glad the past finally brought you something that was (mostly, woof...) not a mistake.

The one thing about this show that I ever heard before is Ned Flanders' line "I used to let the boys watch My Three Sons, but it got them all riled up before bedtime," the joke being that it's one of the "safest" shows ever made. So this was a real surprise.

The blocking in this show, especially the black-and-white era, is so good. The way the kids throw themselves up and down the stairs, the way the two cantankerous old men move differently, the bit where a young actor has to trip and wade his way through the garage still being angry. I'm not sure if this is despite the Fred MacMurray filming shennagins or because they had to plan each episode out months in advance.

"They have a lot of sex on their honeymoon. This is canon." 'This is cannon' being what Robbie said to Katie on their wedding night

Okay, I take back my Twitter comment. Having the characters age up along with their respective actors was a bold and commendable move.

As someone who really likes the ‘Ivy League Look’ in menswear, those black & white ABC episodes are an aesthetical feast

(watching you praise it) I guess the past *isn't* a mistake! (you get to the slave girl episode) ...Oh.

The guy singing along to the theme song in that commercial sounds a lot like Kevin Murphy from Mystery Science Theater 3000/RiffTrax.

I appreciated your nuanced discussion of this show. Pointing to the range of very good to very bad and everything in between.

Next time, Scrooge McDuck and a talking horse.

I wonder if the Baby Boomers of 1987 thought that Full House was like the My Three Sons of the 80s since they both have a single father and another family member raising three kids

Sounds like Malcolm in the Middle but without the poverty or angry mother.

I suppose had the show gone on further, Robbie's triplets would probably end up becoming the new My Three Sons for the 70's had they went there.

Omg... my sister and I still sing that My Three Sons commercial song!! Hahah!!

38 years later and I remembered most of the joke lyrics from the My Three Sons commercial. Granted i remember all the Lyrics from Jeannie's Dinner...

Interesting hearing about the specific commercials Gerry Laybourne allowed in the late 80’s. No soda pop commercials, only stuff marketed towards kids, even if those advertisers wouldn’t pay as much? Nickelodeon now doesn’t really care about what specific commercials they air. I think most channels don’t. They just seem to take whatever money any advertisers will give them. Nice to hear that Nickelodeon at one point seemed to genuinely cared about what commercials were shown on their channel because it fit their target audience. Gonna be interesting hearing you talking about Nickelodeon speeding up shows on air so they can shove in extra commercials (which if you didn’t know, yes, they do. Ask NickAndMore).

I actually still do like My Three Sons. Yes it was one of those shows that was still dated...but it wasn't like Donna Reed where it felt, sterile. Though I do look forward to the Mr. Ed episode of Nick Knacks, because that's another show I still love.

Okay, so I'm 1 minute in, and when I heard the theme, and I realized that my whole life I have believed the theme had lyrics...but as soon after it ended , I remembered that it was a nick at night promo of the show itself in which they *added* lyrics that I have remembered this whole time. Wow.

This honestly seems like a pretty enjoyable and decent show overall! I could see myself potentially checking it out even now!

As a man in his 20's, seeing Fred MacMurray, makes me think aviation is the field of the future to. How dare you call him a Romulan

I recently read a comment on Reddit that said point blank that production-wise, a show like My Three Sons can never be made today. While it looked like a normal sitcom of the time, it did do something very different from its counterparts. Fred MacMurray, filmed all of his scenes at one time and out of order. In effect, he would film the show for approximately three months of the year so he could do other things and the rest of the show would film in the other six months. Bare in mind, that it would otherwise take about 9 months to film the 30+ episodes for each season. The bottom-line is that when you’re filming a show out of order like this, it requires all of the scripts to be done months before they normally would be needed. You also have to be really careful with things like haircuts and wardrobe so scenes from the same episodes filmed months apart look like they match. This is very complicated so you can see why nobody would want to do this anymore.

I remember “My Three Sons” was on WNEW-TV (channel 5) back in the 1980’s before Nick at Nite. Fred MacMurray was a great actor. He was also in many Disney movies including “The Shaggy Dog”, “The Absent-Minded Professor”, “Bon Voyage”, “Son of Flubber”. “Follow Me Boys” and “The Happiest Millionaire”. I enjoyed those movies, I have them on VHS.

Boomers: "I can't wait until he gets to Nick at Nite!" 40-somethings: "He's already past the golden age of Nickelodeon, so I don't care anymore." 30-somethings: "I can't wait until he gets to Pete and Pete!" 20-somethings: "I can't wait until he gets to Spongebob!" Teenagers: "This doesn't have anything to do with Jake and/or Logan Paul, so I don't care about it."

I really enjoy the instrumental versions of pretty woman and sound of silence that play under you when you talk

The "Slave" ep. was cringy, very cringy

24:17 boom mike shadow lol I loved the Fred MacMurray Disney movies (my dad made us watch all the old stuff when I was a kid in the 80s, and I really appreciate it now).

The Nick at Night commercials we’re funnier than the original show’s.

I forgot all about that damn recipe card commercial!

I knew of this show mainly because of Jim Carrey in the Cable Guy having a character with the name 'Chip Douglas'.

The My Three Son's family timeline is just like trying to map out the timeline of the Full House/Fuller House family timeline.

33:40 The past was a mistaaaake

Bub, satisfied with his bachelor life, Uncle Charlie, just going through the motions.... Damn.... I feel you, Uncle Charlie.... I feel that on a deep level, friend.... stay strong brother... 👊🏽

Me at 8:00 : Are they playing an instrumental of The Sound of Silence on this?!

23:58 No way! I just realized Uncle Charlie is the police chief in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad world!! Apparently he lived to be 101

THE best sitcom in my day ever

I remember knowing that this was on Nick at Nite before I got the channel, but I was under the impression that they only showed the black and white episodes, didn't realize they showed the last two seasons as well. When TV Land got the series in 1998, at first they only showed the color episodes (I guess the last two seasons were left out then), eventually TV Land got the whole series.

As per always: a FASCINATING look at a show I ......don’t have much of a personal memory of (I remember the nick and nite commercials but I was six- the only one I ever watched was Mr Ed). I think the change from the entirely sterile and artificial family sitcoms of the late 50’s into the more modern “realistic” Norman Lear sitcoms of the 1970’s wasn’t always a straight line and in many ways was a reflection of societal changes of the time. A show like this probably never was going to completely stand up to modern scrutiny (heck dr who was still doing yellow face in 1977), and it’s unfortunate that women were never given the agency of men on this. I think in its own way though, by showing a non-nuclear 50’s style family with TWO MEN! As mother and father raising well adjusted and realistic boys still resonates a positive force for good, even in a modern LBGTQ rights context (even if that was never their intention at the time). I think the highest conplement you can give an episode of nick nicks is it makes me want to dabble in a 50 year old sitcom

Nick at Nite never showed the 1965-1970 shows of My Three Sons (First five CBS years).

29:48 is the beginning of the BEST and funniest part of this video, Beverly Garland talking about her role-playing of Barbara. I laughed SO hard listening to her deadpan description of the studio suits "putting her in her place." Great presention by the narrator here. the tidbits of production info you find are so interesting. can u do a show on bill frawley sometime?

My Three Sons starts out with its strongest seasons and then gradually weakens as the series goes on. The first season is so innovative, but by the end it’s just another bland family sitcom.

My take on the three Summer Camp shows: The Donna Reed Show, not fast or high stakes but I feel it doesn't need to be because it's comforting and so sweet but I understand if you don't care, in a way that show was winking at itself even then. Mister Ed, I used to not hate it as much as I do now, but the bickering and treatment of women certainly never left me comfortable either; your assessment of that NEEDED to be stated. My Three Sons, though... I agree, the best of these three IMO too, I would have never guessed they shot the show the way they did, it's better than I thought at first glance, just as comforting as Donna Reed for me but also funnier and yes, more organic. It did make rewatch The Shaggy Dog after so many years. Fred MacMurray BTW became the 1st ever Disney Legend in 1987, four years before he passed away at age 83. Not even the music replacements would stop me from buying this show's DVDs down the road. If you go into this era knowing what their norms were, you can handle it. Evolving the show's characters over time... definitely groundbreaking, something that Leave it to Beaver and more tragically, Family Affair, did not take a hint from. Even worse when one knows the latter show was also created by Don Fedderson... that's one of the most underrated sitcoms ever IMO, and had a similar father figure plus sophisticated single man in a homemaker role setup, but yeah, just look up Anissa Jones and her brother, it will break your heart if it hasn't already. I also most remember Beverly Garland for her role in the 1974 movie adaptation of the novel "Where the Red Fern Grows", a movie that I liked as a kid in the 1990s but being a vegan today would never watch now because of the hunting dogs glorification. Call that one the past being a mistake. Oh, and to finish this comment, in between segments of this video I got an ad for Hulu advertising... It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, go figure. Now at 16 seasons long!

I don’t agree with you. It turns out that the girl in the slave girl episode only did it because she liked Robbie and wanted to be near him. Beverly Garland’s character was bold at times. She took up for Chip and his friend when they were accused of cheating on a test.

The only thing I remember from My Three Sons is the opening sequence. Also, only working 3 months out of the year is a good gig if you can get it. I guess that they got a Chinese_American actress and not have a stereotypical accent is a positive, but everything else in the "Slave Girl" episode is a MASSIVE, MASSIVE NEGATIVE. It definitely goes into the "Past is a Mistake" category.

Tim Considine just died…had to come back here

Ah, Beverly Garland... such an interesting lady in her own right. A shame her talents ended up wasted on this show, especially watching her in other things like Swamp Diamonds or It Conquered the World where she gets to be feisty and fun. RIP, Ms. Garland... you are missed.

that background track though

I got down with The Donna Reed show when I was a kid, but this show.... woof! No thanks.

Did u notice the extreme similarity between the dennis the menace living room and front door and M3S's?

I LOVED "THE DONNA REED SHOW".. And with eight seasons, 275 episodes and the fact that we're still talking about it to this day, there must have been something about that show that resonated with TV audiences. "My Three Sons" was okay too. "Mr. Ed"??? not so much.

Wait, third longest running live action sitcom in terms of number of seasons? What about Last of the Summer Wine, with 31 seasons? Or Chucklevision, with 21 seasons?

I remember my dad convinced my mom that those were the actual lyrics.

I was born in 84 and I enjoyed Nick@Nite as a kid until they started putting on more shows from the 90s. I liked seeing the shows from the 80s on back

Oh, how I remember the recipe card days!!!!

I found myself singing along with that lyrical version of My Three Sons. :)

that chinese girl ep would be used in an ep of Rugrats where Chuckie saves Angelica's life and she makes him his slave.

Groton, Connecticut didn't receive Nick at Nite prior to 6-1987 although their Sunday Snack Time lineup (5-8 PM) was intact then. Once it did, the schedule lineup then was 8:00 The Donna Reed Show, 8:30 Mister Ed, 9:00 MY THREE SONS, & 9:30 Ann Southern. It was kind of weird though. Not only just 7 out of 12 seasons aired on Nick At Nite, but the show was also known for its familiar Viacom endings with the moving V on the B&W episodes and the Mary Tyler Moore style ending on the colorized-CBS episodes. Oh, and My Three Sons were also seen on Sundays @ 6PM as part of Snack Time from mid 1987 to January 1988, right before Count Duckula made its debut.

So William character might be one of the first gay men on television

I remember those recipe card commercials. Chicken Diane!

I was introduced to Beverly Garland through 7th Heaven, this is the first I've heard of her stint on My Three Sons. The "I owe you my life" trope has been a thing in fiction forever, to be fair. But the examples I've seen tend to be two white people who also happen to be family or friends and the same gender (Peter and Bobby Brady, Sid and Arnold on Hey Arnold!). It's another thing entirely when a Chinese girl claims it's "in her culture" to play Jeannie to a white guy after he saves her life, and the white guy to happily go along with it. (Arnold at least tried to get Sid to knock it off, and Peter called Bobby out when he started to take advantage of it.)

As an 11 year old in 1986 I very much enjoyed the show. I haven't seen it since and didn't remember any of the kids, so thanks for the nostalgia kick! But I actually did like Donna Reed, which I found to be calming and just right before bed. As for Mr Ed, I don't recall anything good once you got past the short lived gimmick of a talking horse.

15:55 nice

Robbie was dreamy!

Growing up with Nick at Night, I always avoided My Three Sons. I dunno why, but it seemed like a really big drag of a show. This, Ozzy and Harriet and Donna Reed I'd avoid like the plague and watch Mr. Ed instead. Based on this retrospective and appraisal, I might go and check it out at last. I do like Fred McMurray as an actor and enjoy just about everything he's in, so maybe, if nothing else, I'll watch a few episodes just for his presence.

As someone who has watched the whole series, can you answer a question that's puzzled me for years: There is apparently a very funny black-and-white episode in which Robbie decides to be more mature and tries growing a beard, smoking a pipe and other "manly" pursuits. But eventually he ends up getting an invitation to a "Babies and Booties" party and puts on a Little Lord Fauntleroy costume to fit in with his friends, who are dressed like infants and little kids. There were clips from it in a Nick at Nite promo, but even though I thought I had every black-and-white episode I have never tracked it down and can't find the title. Does it ring a bell?

Another show that let it kids grow up was Happy Days.

How would you feel about reviewing the Richie Rich film? I just rewatched it. So very 90’s.

I have absolutely no issue with this whatsoever, but...I've never actually heard "NICKatnite" pronounced/emphasized that way. I've always known it/heard it as "NICK at NITE"--that is, cretic as opposed to dactylic.

Hold up. fuller house is still ongoing

I think expecting a tv sitcom, especially in those days, to debunk racial stereotypes is a little like complaining that Shakespeare’s histories aren’t historically accurate, not recognizing that Shakespeare was a storyteller and not a historian.

Why on earth would you cast Beverly Garland and want her to be sweet and meek, unless you somehow get off on "taming" a spirited and willful.... oh.

The idea of a single man, both bachelors and widowers having another man to do their cooking, cleaning, shopping, sewing, and/or helping take care of them and their families did not begin with My Three Sons, Rochester on The Jack Benny Program; Hop Sing on Bonanza; and Peter on Bachelor Father all debuted on tv before My Three Sons first episode and there would be others in later shows. Of course many of these were hired and paid servants instead of family members trying to help out. And there were other differences as well.

Was that the voice of Paul Fries in there? Cool stuff

Nick at skipped six seasons in the reruns.

This episode was so much better than your donna Reed show episode

Wonderful shows Not like the trash of today

Maaaaaaaaaaan I used to hate watching this show on Nick. lol I couldnt wait til Mr Ed come on

Maybe it's my morbid mind, but when I heard "girl says she'll be your slave" my mind immediately went to sex. Of course, it's the 1960s and it's a Chinese woman "playing slave" to a white man, which immediately flattens that argument.

I was 7 years old in the summer of 1986 and I can at least confirm I liked the theme song. Not totally sure how much I watched it, but I have fonder memories of it than of Donna Reed (which seemed awful) or Mr. Ed (which I wanted to like but just found boring).

I thought it was a fascinating episode. But I was wondering, what difference does it make if Fred MacMurray was a Republican, really? I mean, I’d understand if it infiltrated the show, but otherwise who cares?

Is Paul Frees the announcer on the rocket episode?

You forgot to mention that Fred MacMurray was the inspiration to Captain Marvel or as he is better known today as Shazam !!!

Brady bunch had same problem

My three sons was a hiliarous sitcom not my favorite I was 7 in 1991☻

is ME TV Owned by Nick?

keyword= super boring. ha ha ha i cant stand this show. it came on today in place of dragnet. rediculous junk

*What's more uncomfortable than casual 1950s television racist stereotypes? A privileged white millennial making a bigger deal out of it than any Asian ever would 60 years later.

It baffles me why you expect the past to live up to present day standards. It was the 1950s for fuck's sake!

32:15 A Republican?! Just like Fred Rogers?! This is truly an awful revelation.

Fred McMurray was a huge star then. Whether or not you think he's attractive is irrelevant to the reason why he was portrayed as a sex symbol on the show at times. Jesus, man, I've been following along for 52 episodes now, and you're losing me a bit. Your media literacy is pretty anemic, despite how intelligent you clearly are. Not sure if you're doing this at the end of the video because by episode 52 you've decided it's part of your schtick to insert your now trademarked "the past was a mistake guys!" take on everything now... whatever it is, it sucks.

As an mst3k fan, love seeing Beverly Garland here!