When I was in high school, having two dates scheduled for the same night was the kind of dilemma with which I never had to contend. Just trying to get one date was challenge enough. But the kids on Comfort TV shows were better looking and more popular, so it’s not surprising that this situation occurs in more than one classic show.
How do they get themselves into these messes, and how did they handle it? Let’s find out. For each show, our double-date protagonist has been given a rating of 1-10 on the two-timer scale: a one means they’re relatively blameless; a 10 means they definitely need a stern talking-to from mom and dad.
“The Rivals”
Father Knows Best
Poor Betty Anderson has fallen into a rut in her relationship with reliable old Ralph. Her flirty friend Marge (played by Barbara Eden!) is always flitting between a half dozen steady boyfriends and telling Betty how lucky she is that no other boys are interested in her.
She probably meant that as a compliment.
But when they’re doubling at a diner one Saturday night Betty runs into Doyle Hobbs, who she met last summer while briefly working as an engineer on a survey crew (in an episode aired the previous season - a rare bit on continuity for this series).
So to prove to Marge she can land another guy she accepts a date to a concert in the park – even though she already agreed to go with Ralph.
What makes “The Rivals” such a fun episode is how Betty’s parents react to her dilemma. Jim is disappointed that his daughter would be so devious, while Margaret thinks every girl should occasionally get to enjoy that kind of adoring attention. But while Betty decides how to resolve the situation, Doyle stops for gas where Ralph works and they get to talking about Saturday. The final scene is as unexpected as it is delightful.
Lots of star power in this episode: In addition to Barbara Eden, Doyle is played by Roger Smith, later of 77 Sunset Strip.
Two-Timer Ranking: 8
The impulse to impress Marge is understandable, but not resolving the situation, even on the day of the date, cannot be excused.
“Mary’s Double Date”
The Donna Reed Show
The day before the Junior Prom, Mary Stone has a decision to make: “Whether to let Phil take me or Ernie.” She plays them off each other like a symphony conductor, while simultaneously avoiding a third suitor, Charlie, whom she affectionately describes as her “door mat.”
She gets asked by both her choices, as expected, and doesn’t plan to let the loser know until 5pm on the day of the dance. But her comeuppance arrives before then, swift and severe and well deserved. “You played a dangerous game, and you lost,” Donna tells her, gently, “so no tears.”
Two-Timer Ranking: 9
This episode is pure magic. Wonderfully written and endlessly quotable: “It’s wonderful to be attractive and popular, but you have to learn to use that power gently, and with kindness.” Its been nearly 40 years since I was in high school, and I still recall the names and faces of a couple of queen bees who failed to heed that advice. And some of those moments still sting.
“The Subject Was Noses”
The Brady Bunch
Marcia gets starry-eyed when big man on campus Doug Simpson asks for a date on Saturday night – then remembers she already has a date for Saturday with “plain, sweet, ordinary” Charlie.
Predictably, like Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink she decides to stick with the handsome popular boy over his undersized rival. But unlike Betty Anderson and Mary Stone she at least has the good sense to not let the situation linger until the weekend. Greg offers sage advice – break the date with Charlie by using the lame but surprisingly effective excuse of “Something suddenly came up.” And it works, until karma arrives in the shape of a football that hits her in the face.
“The Subject Was Noses” certainly ranks as one of the most memorable series episodes, especially in how the tables are turned against Marcia when her same date-breaking excuse is used against her.
Two-Timer Ranking: 4
Marcia not only lets Charlie down easy, she apologizes for her deception and learns her lesson.
“Double Trouble”
The Partridge Family
Keith tries to get a date with gorgeous Joanna Hauser, aka “Miss Everything,” but she’s already going to the big beach party with her steady, who goes by the name “Spider.” Laurie offers to set him up with bookish Sally Winkler from the Shakespeare club. Keith reluctantly agrees, and then Spider’s plans change so Joanna is available again. Now he has two dates, but only wants one of them. “So what’s the problem?” Reuben asks. “Dump the nice one and go with the knockout!” No wonder he’s still single.
Instead, Keith fakes a cold to let Sally down easy – but fate has other plans.
Two-Timer Ranking: 2
Technically, Joanna became available before Laurie told Sally about the party, so he never should have been stuck with two dates in the first place. And while pretending to be sick is a pretty gutless solution, Joanna Hauser is played by Cheryl Ladd, so desperate measures in this case are more admissible.
“Who’s Crazy Here?”
Eight is Enough
Tommy likes both Gretchen and Sherry, so he dates them both at the same time. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” cautions older brother David.
This is the B-story of the episode, so it doesn’t get as much screen time as Tom’s bout with insomnia and the misunderstandings it triggers.
Two-Timer Ranking: 6
Tommy avoids direct conflict by scheduling one date for 8pm and the other for 10pm, so here we have a case of breaking the spirit of the law more than the letter. But to expect two girls that attend the same high school to never figure out what’s happening explains why Tommy was never considered Honor Society material.
“Double Date”
Family Ties
Like Keith Partridge, Alex Keaton is turned down when he asks his dream girl to the senior prom, and then asks another girl instead. But then the first girl becomes available, and he decides to keep both dates. He devises a plan with the help of his friend Skippy:
Alex: “Okay, let's go over the plan once more. Now, the north end of the gym is now called...”
Skippy: “Area "A".”
Alex: “Okay. At no point is Rachel to enter area "A" - prior to 8:57. Now - areas "B" and "D" are free zones which means... Either girl may enter provided the band is not on a break at the time. Now remember, when I'm with Rachel, I'm gonna be wearing the blue boutonniere. When I'm with Jocelyn - the red one. There are emergency exits at either end of the gymnasium. The master switch box is behind the blue wrestling mat. This will allow you to switch off the lights, lower the backboards, and in case of an emergency, open the floor over the swimming pool. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Two-Timer Ranking: 10
“We’re going to make history,” Alex tells Skippy, but of course his arrogance proves his undoing. The dates in question were played by Jami Gertz and Daphne Zuniga, making this episode about as classic 1980s as you can get.
Just like every sitcom has a "12 Angry Men" episode where one of the regulars draws jury duty, and they're the only one who thinks the defendant is innocent, blah blah blah.
ReplyDelete"The Donna Reed Show" is unique in that both the Stone kids would run into this same situation more than once. Mary would go through it again in the episode "Let's Look At Love" where two guys would toss a coin to see who would ask her out. At the end of Season 5, in an episode called "All Women Are Dangerous" two popular girls compete for Jeff's attention but, unknown to them, their plans are ruined by a third party. Two episodes later, in "Day Of The Hero" Jeff asks the same "3rd party" from the previous episode for a date but later asks a different girl whom he tries to impress when he tries to run for class president. How he gets out of this problem which is totally Jeff's fault is fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteAnother good 2-date episode is "Don Juan Beaver", from late in that show's final season. Beaver is told by his parents to accept an offer to a dance from nice girl Peggy MacIntosh though he gets an offer he'd rather take from new Southern belle Melinda Neilson. He again takes bad advice from Eddie Haskell and acts obnoxious to Peggy to make her break their date. Of course he ends up losing both dates and consoles himself by dancing to a generic rock tune in his bedroom the night of the dance.
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