# Puzzling Sit-Com questions from my youth **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 4, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372 "2003-11-04T17:11:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/21 "2003-11-05T23:38:27Z")
What did the Duke boys do when it rained? Hazzard county didn’t have too much covered parking. And there sure was a lot of road construction for a town of dirt roads. And why did Daisy have to boink _Enos_? Couldn’t they ever take a different route into Chickasaw County, or was Sherrif Little just that good as guessing which route they’d take? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/22 "2003-11-06T00:39:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BiblioCat \* > \*\*The Eternal Sitcom Question: If it was just a three-hour cruise, why on Earth did the Howells, Ginger and Mary-Ann have so many freaking clothes with them? > And if they could build so many things (huts, all kinds of furniture, a washing machine, a stage, a car, etc.) out of bamboo and palm fronds, why couldn’t they build a boat and get off the damn island? \*\* And _why_ did they _never_ have any sex? I mean, if I’m stranded for years on an island with a hot chick like Mary-Ann or famous actress like Ginger (BTW, you should check out [_Nightmare in Badham County_](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0074967/) where Tina Louise plays a lesbian prison guard!) and _nobody_ gets laid! (Unless, of course, there was more to the Skipper’s “Little Buddy” nickname than we’ve been led to believe…) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/23 "2003-11-06T00:51:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*And _why_ did they _never_ have any sex? I mean, if I’m stranded for years on an island with a hot chick like Mary-Ann or famous actress like Ginger (BTW, you should check out [_Nightmare in Badham County_](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0074967/) where Tina Louise plays a lesbian prison guard!) and _nobody_ gets laid! (Unless, of course, there was more to the Skipper’s “Little Buddy” nickname than we’ve been led to believe…) \*\* Wow! That was even less coherent than usual. What I mean to say was that if I was on an island with Mary-Ann and Ginger, I’d be boinkin’ at least one of them. (And if I could get a threesome with those two, I’d be the coolest cat on the island.) ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/24 "2003-11-06T02:28:10Z")
Why did Wilona a **SINGLE** woman live in the PROJECTS? Why were these projects nicer than my house now? For real fun regarding TV JUMP THE SHARK It is cool ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/25 "2003-11-06T02:30:41Z")
Birgirl’s remark re: apartment vs. house refers to Good Times instead of The Jeffersons, I believe. While we are asking questions, I have two. If the large order of brontosaurus ribs was going to turn Fred’s car over, why did he order them night after night? And how come that tiny little waitress could carry them out there, if they weighed so much? This kind of stuff keeps me awake at night. And, why in hell did Rerun (RIP) even want the Doobie Brothers to play at his school, let alone how he actually talked them into playing in the first place? I have this vague memory of Rerun digging the Doobies’ funky beat, doing that move where he would leap up and tap both of his knees or something, and this tape player falls out of his plus fours. The whole gym goes completely silent, and one of the Bros looks at Rerun accusingly and says, “Rerun! We thought you were our friend!” High comedy, high comedy indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/26 "2003-11-06T02:49:48Z")
> [@](#): > > Sometime in the late 70s/early 80s (I could look it up on the IMDB, but I won’t), we were subjected to two (2) Gilligan Island TV movies;… Non-canonical works do not affect the Canon. Those movies _never_ happened. Like the Stars Wars Christmas Special, you’d be better off forgetting them. ---
**Author:** ![monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monster)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/27 "2003-11-06T15:44:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by essvee \* > \*\*Birgirl’s remark re: apartment vs. house refers to Good Times instead of The Jeffersons, I believe. > > \*\* I thought Good Times was in Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/28 "2003-11-06T15:49:20Z")
So did I. Wasn’t the housing project in Good Times based on the infamous Cabrini Green Houses? ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/29 "2003-11-06T17:25:40Z")
Yes ma’am – Good Times did take place in Cabrini Green, which I can view from my cubicle as we speak. Dy-no-mite! ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/30 "2003-11-06T17:34:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Biggirl \* > \*\*So did I. Wasn’t the housing project in Good Times based on the infamous Cabrini Green Houses? \*\* Good thing JJ never looked into the mirror and said “Candyman” three times then… ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/31 "2003-11-06T18:51:01Z")
Was I the only one who noticed anything “disturbing” between (I think her name was) “Sissy” and “Uncle Bill”? What was the _real_ relationship there? As for the Gilligan’s Island conspiricy link: :eek: What the hell was wrong with both Major Nelson and _BOTH_ Darrrens? Jeez-Louise! If I could be so lucky as to have a Genie or a Witch, I’d never work another day in my life! ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/32 "2003-11-06T20:57:36Z")
How did Barbara “Batgirl” Gordon, while working as a Gotham City librarian no less, manage to afford a swanky one-bedroom high-rise apt. with a terrace; not to mention equipped with a turntable wall, a secret superheroine lair, and her own private elevator-lift/ secret entrance for her batgirl-cycle? I mean, Bruce “Batman” Wayne was independantly wealthy, but Batgirl was a LIBRARIAN! Why was Major Nelson’s genie caucasian and blonde? I mean genies are from the middle east! Shouldn’t she have been arabic? Where did Richie & Joanie’s older brother disappear to? (perhaps he was killed in Korea?) Who was George Burns and/or Dobie Gillis speaking to? ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2003, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/33 "2003-11-06T23:17:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lux Interior \* > \*\*Why didn’t Greg boink Marsha? > > They weren’t _really_ brother & sister. \*\* Greg was actually boinking Mom Brady offscreen. Seriously. And I love your username; glad to see more Cramps fans around here. ---
**Author:** ![Nanook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nanook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanook)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/34 "2003-11-07T03:10:49Z")
Had an encounter with Tina Louise at one of the YMCA’ s here in NYC. I needed to make a call and there she was, camped out in front of the only working payphone, with her change and telephone directory laid out in front of her, looking like she was in it for the long haul. Lord knows how long she had been there before I arrived. Lotsa makeup with Mary-Anne pigtails, ironically enough. She made one call, hung up and though she was aware of my presence off to the side, couldn’t have cared less and started to make another phone call. I excused myself and asked her how much longer she would be. She ignored me. I waited a bit and asked her again, a bit more insistently. She looked at me, insulted, and said (I swear!), “Don’t you know who I am? I’m an actress.” I told her, “I don’t care if you’re Mother Teresa back from the dead–give up the phone!” At which point, she made a big show of gathering all her change and crap and finally stepped aside. As she walked away, I coudn’t resist and said, “You played a great zombie in the Stepford Wives.” She didn’t respond. ---
**Author:** ![IUHomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90db22/32.png) [@IUHomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IUHomer)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/35 "2003-11-07T05:17:36Z")
This one is obvious, but : Didn’t those Scooby Doo kids have JOBS or something to do with their lives besides miraculously running into second tier celebrities at haunted amusement parks? ``` If those kids on Head of the Class were so smart, why did it take them all about 5 years to graduate from high school? If Alex was so smart, or any teenager on TV for that matter that is suppsed to be smart, why do they always end up going to small, local colleges that no one has ever heard of? I know, the reason is so they can stay on the show. Still, you'd think somehow would creativelt think of a way to accomplish the goal of keeping them on the show AND go to a decent college. ``` ---
**Author:** ![IUHomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90db22/32.png) [@IUHomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IUHomer)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/36 "2003-11-07T05:19:27Z")
Oh, and I fotgot : How did that women on Murder She Wrote keep getting invited ANYWHERE? If I know her, she is on the “Do not Invite” list. She shows up, somebody dies. She’s like the grim reaper of dinner parties. ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/37 "2003-11-07T05:42:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by IUHomer \* > \*\*Oh, and I fotgot : How did that women on Murder She Wrote keep getting invited ANYWHERE? If I know her, she is on the “Do not Invite” list. She shows up, somebody dies. She’s like the grim reaper of dinner parties. \*\* Lawrence Block has written a number of short stories about a dapper little lawyer named Martin H. Ehrengraf. He charges exorbitant fees, which are payable upon the release of his client no matter how that happens to come about. It happens to come about quite often due to the “real killer” comitting suicide and leaving evidence, or the crime spree continuing, or some other interesting circumstance that certainly doesn’t involve Mr. Ehrengraf doing anything bad. His clients rarely stiff him. In a perfect world, the final episode of “Murder She Wrote” would have included a tantalizing hint that J.B. Fletcher was the most cunning and prolific murderer the world had ever known. Oh, and if you haven’t figured out what the kids in the Mystery Machine were really doing with their lives you need to get your mind into the gutter. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/38 "2003-11-07T05:45:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 2trew \* > \*\*Oh, and if you haven’t figured out what the kids in the Mystery Machine were really doing with their lives you need to get your mind into the gutter. \*\* [Jay]You know, that little lesbian chick’s kind of hot.[/Jay] ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/39 "2003-11-07T05:57:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jackelope \* > \*\*Greg was actually boinking Mom Brady offscreen. Seriously. \*\* Not according to what I’ve read. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372/40 "2003-11-07T06:24:07Z")
IUHomer: > [@](#): > > Oh, and I fotgot : How did that women on Murder She Wrote keep getting invited ANYWHERE? If I know her, she is on the “Do not Invite” list. She shows up, somebody dies. She’s like the grim reaper of dinner parties. 2trew: > [@](#): > > In a perfect world, the final episode of “Murder She Wrote” would have included a tantalizing hint that J.B. Fletcher was the most cunning and prolific murderer the world had ever known. I recall a joke being made in the comic book **Hellblazer** to that effect. Chaim Mattis Keller [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzling-sit-com-questions-from-my-youth/211372.md?page=3)