# "Malcolm in the Wonder Years"--I mean, "Oliver Beane." **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 10, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204 "2003-03-10T02:37:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/1 "2003-03-10T02:37:36Z")
I turned it off after 15 minutes. It wasn’t totally awful, but certainly not good enough to keep me from turning to the Burns & Allen festival on Channel 21. Anyone else watch it? ---
**Author:** ![AveDementia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@AveDementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AveDementia)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/2 "2003-03-10T02:56:17Z")
Yeah. Wasn’t very interesting, or humorous. But then I wasn’t expecting it to be since the commercials showed a classroom of boys and girls watching a film about having periods, and it was supposed to be set in the 50’s. Yeah right, they have separate classes for elementary kids even today… I totally agree with the title- Malcolm in the Wonder Years- the narrative added nothing, the plot was lame and predictable and the characters were boring. I would have turned, but my sweetie had control of the TV, and as much as I love him he could sit through a hair-growing marathon. ---
**Author:** ![RawkStah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@RawkStah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RawkStah)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/3 "2003-03-10T03:14:45Z")
I think the show is meant to be set in the 1960s. Early '60s, but still '60s. I liked the frame-rate-shift edits, and I KNOW I’ve the kid who played Oliver before. Something where he’s making a deal or something… OH, SHIT! He was Ari in “Roayl Tennenbaums”. I thought he was fantastic there! The kid has talent. Loads of it. Very natural performer – understated. Oh, and the mom is HOTTT. Dunno if I’ll be a regular viewer, though. “Malcom” is one of my favorites, but this seems just a bit TOO derivative. And, it doesn’t have TMBG. But, it does have David Cross. And a HOTTT mom. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/4 "2003-03-10T03:24:28Z")
I watched the entire episode. It was that or homework and, let’s face it, in a choice like that, the Puppy Kicking Network would have gotten my viewership. It really was terribly unfunny. I mean, it wasn’t awful, but it was almost painful in how bland the jokes were. So I somewhat zoned out and tried to think of those droll half witted headlines we’ll see in the TV section. Has-Beane I love, er, nothing 'bout Oliver Beane: Con of Malcolm niche ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/5 "2003-03-10T04:06:53Z")
I almost started this exact same thread with the title “Married With Children Meets Wonder Years”. Why does every show like this have to have a dumb older brother? And that dude had some pretty big arms for as young as he was supposed to be. He was not a very good actor either. Really over did his expressions. I dunno, I think the show could have potential if they would replace the guy who plays the dad. I don’t like him. I guess it is hard to fill the shoes of Ed Oneil in that role. And the guy was a dentist? And they couldn’t afford AC? Huh? I just don’t think there is much more that they can do with this premise that hasn’t already been done. It has been beaten to death for the last 30-40 years. It is true what they said on south park. The simpsons have done everything that can be done on network TV. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/6 "2003-03-10T04:10:36Z")
I decided after seeing the commercials that you couldn’t pay me enough to watch it. I switched over to poker on ESPN instead. I’m glad to have been validated. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/7 "2003-03-10T04:24:03Z")
I found it a mixed bag. It has some potential, I think. The biggest laugh of the night for me was the Bill Gates joke…I’m always a fan of irony. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/8 "2003-03-10T04:59:37Z")
I thought it was pretty funny and creative, actually. I like the way Dad sacrificed his dignity for everyone. But I was confused by learning he was a dentist. I thought they were poor. ---
**Author:** ![Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/73ab20/32.png) [@Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caesar_s_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/9 "2003-03-10T05:13:55Z")
It had potential but it was just confusing. Why were they so poor when the dad’s a dentist, for example? Really cliched, imho, but I think it will get better with time if it tries not to be so Malcolm-esque. By the way, it’s Beene, not Beane. Closed-captioning is your friend. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/10 "2003-03-10T05:16:36Z")
I laughed when the dad said he was going to take a piss-- then jumped in the pool. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/11 "2003-03-10T05:29:17Z")
Yeah. That WAS funny. Woulda been better if they hadn’t felt the need to make it ultra obvious that he was pissing by him making the “Ah…” sound. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/12 "2003-03-10T08:17:49Z")
Not a very original show. Oh, well - at least it wasn’t another “reality” show. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/13 "2003-03-10T11:08:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*But I was confused by learning he was a dentist. I thought they were poor. \*\* I didn’t think that he was poor, just cheap. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/14 "2003-03-10T13:42:57Z")
I watched all of it, the thread title states my take on it better than I ever could. Sorry I missed poker on ESPN. I could have used that or one of those sumo tourneys they play from time to time. I was hoping for something funny after making the mistake of watching a few minutes of _My Big Fat Greek Life_. _Oliver_ was dull, but that was painful. Yeah, the peeing in the pool joke was cute, too bad the rest of the show wasn’t nearly that clever. The Dad sacrificing his dignity for the Mom, as well as inadvertently providing a distraction for the boys to get out of their predicaments, was so formulaic you could see it coming a mile away. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/15 "2003-03-10T14:45:32Z")
Do they kick those annoying little yippy dogs? Gotta surf around for that . . . “By the way, it’s Beene, not Beane.” —Oops. I was thinking of [Sawney Beane](http://www.law.utexas.edu/lpop/etext/newgate/beane.htm). Now, _that_ would make a great sitcom! ---
**Author:** ![Elret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Elret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elret)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/16 "2003-03-10T14:56:49Z")
I was hurling myself back and forth between the dual pits of despair so I saw the beginning of Oliver, the middle of My Boring Awful Greek show, and the end of Oliver, and was distressed to find that I actually care enough to wonder what happened to make the dad do that at the end. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/17 "2003-03-10T15:06:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Elret \* > I was hurling myself back and forth between the dual pits of despair so I saw the beginning of Oliver, the middle of My Boring Awful Greek show, and the end of Oliver, and was distressed to find that I actually care enough to wonder what happened to make the dad do that at the end. Anyone? To save his wife the humiliation of being the one who was responsible for failing to get them into the club ( the husband made a good impression, the wife did not ). A thoroughly boring and uninvolving show. I watched it with a couple of friends and only post-dinner lazy inertia kept us from switching to something else. I won’t bother with a second attempt. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/18 "2003-03-10T15:06:49Z")
I only gave it five minutes. In the first two they managed to rip off the jerky brother and dream girl from Wonder Years. The kid was annoying too. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/19 "2003-03-10T15:43:07Z")
I like David Cross (he’s the narrarating voice of Oliver) but I think this is the worst project he’s been affiliated with so far. After 15 minutes I put _Action Jackson_ on instead. Seeing whathisface from _Murphy Brown_ trying to outcrass Ed Bundy was just sad. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204/20 "2003-03-10T15:50:55Z")
I liked the clothes, and the way everyone was drinking constantly. My husband cracked up at the “I’m busy smoking” joke for some reason. I agree the mom is HOTTTT and probably wasted on this show. > [@](#): > > I didn’t think that he was poor, just cheap Those of us afflicted with this prefer the term “frugal” or “thrifty.” 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malcolm-in-the-wonder-years-i-mean-oliver-beane/160204.md?page=2)