StrictlyConfidential Please, don't get me wrong here. I don't hate The Beverly Hillbillies. But, with that said, I cannot believe that this "one-note-joke-of-a-show" (about a seriously dysfunctional culture clash) that pit the "aw-shucks" ignorance of country bumpkins against life in the fast-lane of modern-day Beverly Hills society, actually lasted for 9 whole seasons.Yes. I will admit that there was some funny stuff in several of these episodes. But, far too often, it all came across as being just "too dumb for words". And, because this was all tied into its "one-note-joke" factor, its situations, though good-natured, quickly became annoyingly predictable and downright tiresome after only a short while.Personally, I don't think that this show's off-the-wall humour holds up very well, 50 years down the road. But, hey, that's only my opinion. If you happen to be a big fan of this show, then I'm certain you'll think otherwise. And, yeah, that's cool.

rcj5365 50 years ago...one of the greatest characters ever presented in the history of television premiered on CBS-TV on September 26,1962. "The Beverly Hillbillies",upon its debut became one of the biggest hits of the 1960's,spanning a record nine years on the air,producing 274 episodes. Out of the 274 episodes that were produced only 108 episodes from Seasons 1 thru 4 were in classic black and white from September 26,1962 through June 16,1965. 166 episodes of "The Beverly Hillbillies" from Seasons 4 through 9 were in color from September 15,1965 through March 23,1971. Throughout the show's entire nine-year run only actors Buddy Ebsen(Jed Clampett), Irene Ryan(Granny),Donna Douglas(Elly Mae), Max Baer, Jr.(Jethro Bodine),and Raymond Bailey(banker Milburn Drysdale)remained throughout the series entire run. Nancy Kulp(who played Mr. Drysdale's assistant Jane Hathaway)appeared in only 246 episodes.This series under the created brainchild of Paul Henning,who also served as executive producer along with Al Simon,about a poor backwoods family from the hills of either Missouri or Tennessee are transplanted to the wealth of Beverly Hills,California after striking oil on their land. Produced under Filmways productions,creator and writer Paul Henning made it "a fish out of water" of themed television shows that spawned two spin-offs that were also country cousin shows for CBS-TV,among them were "Petticoat Junction" in 1963,and in 1965 he reversed the rags to riches model for "Green Acres". The show paved the way for later culture-conflict programs such as "McCloud", "Carter Country","The Dukes of Hazzard", "Doc", "The Nanny",and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". The reason why "The Beverly Hillbillies" are still a favorite among some of the great TV shows is because the episodes in their own right were hilariously funny. Jed Clampett was a wise poor mountain man who used his good old country wisdom in saying anything that came rational. Granny Moses,the world's most Confederate widow was tough but rational too,but when she gets riled up with people who want to tested her,when she has a jug of moonshine in one hand and the shotgun in the other. Jethro had the be one of the dumbest characters in the history of television..was the village idiot who basically got by on a sixth grade education,and then there was Elly Mae,the sexy tomboy who was gorgeous on one side and a fighting wildcat on the other. Add to this the cheap and opportunistic banker Milburn Drysdale and his voice of reason while Jane Hathaway(Mr. Drysdale's assistant)was just as normal as the rest of them,but later on turns out to be as crazy as the rest of them,especially in some of the episodes where she turns her vixen charms to seduce Jethro. Add in a variety of characters including Cousin Pearl(Bea Benaderet), Mrs. Drysdale(Harriet MacGibbon),and other zany characters and you have one hell of a funny sitcom that remains hilarious today as it was when audiences saw it back in 1962.Its no wonder "The Beverly Hillbillies" was ranked among the top twelve most watched series on television for seven of its nine seasons,twice ranking the number one series of the year(It went straight to Number One three weeks prior to its debut in 1962). Several episodes do stand out as vintage classics,but this was a series that still brings on the laughs! The final episode on March 23,1971 was an end to an era of classic TV shows that were brilliant during the 1960's.

DKosty123 Buddy Ebsen, almost a scarecrow in 1939, definitely a side kick to Davey Crockett in the 1950's, like Jed Clampett struck oil & gold in this series. He is a classic character that grows on you. The show has so many classic comic moments that I could not even list them.The series had continuity as it would refer back to previous episodes very often throughout it's run. The show had very good production qualities, great locations, & was in a way spun off & in conjunction with Petticoat Junction & Green Acres. When Fred Silverman canceled it in the early 1970's, it was one of the most stupid things ever done by a television executive.Irene Ryan was the kind of Granny who was like nobody else. She was a ball of fire who could hold her own with anyone. Jethro (Max Baer Jr) was the 6th grade graduate who was more like a college egghead except that routine was naive, not political. Donna Douglas (Elly Mae) was the tomboy everyone wanted to love but whose only love was her critters (animals).This original series was so good that when a movie of it was tried with different actors, it just could not work. Lots of people popped into this show as guests. Everybody who was anybody would pop up from John Wayne & many other well known actors to athletes like pitchers Don Drysdale & Sandy Koufax of the Dodgers.Animals from Giant Jack Rabbits to Possum, porpoises, poodles & a whole menagerie of animals were on the show. This series never lacked for variety either as almost everything us city folks do was on there. The show never lost it's freshness, even finding new ways to make banker Drysdale (Raymond Bailey) look like more of a Scrooge & even making him into a soldier when he and Jethro face off in tanks!This is a show that never lost its naivety, charm, or ever wore out it's welcome with the American public when it ran on CBS. The last line of the shows credits always reverberates through my mind:"Sit a spell, take your shoes off. You all come back now, hear?"

laurajaykay I loved this show when I first saw it at the age of eight. I still love it. I watch it with my ten year old daughter.She loves it too. The humor is funny and clean. That can't be said about a lot of modern shows. The Clampetts ( with the possible exception of Jethro ) are as bright as anyone else. They come from a different culture so their ways are different. The downhome values of the Clampetts are something we could use more of. They were always forgiving of and friendly to Mrs. Drysdale no matter how much she insulted them. They were hardworking and grateful for what they had. They were honest and decent people. The Beverly Hillbillies is cute, funny and wholesome.