Chris-195

One of the first truly bizarre episodes of the series. There were hints of it earlier, but this episode really highlights the fact that Hooterville and its citizens are not like the rest of the world.

We learn that the residents of Hooterville have a unique way of predicting the weather - they watch the local news out of Pixley to see whether a little old lady, or a little old man, come out of a house apparently constructed on a set in the studio, something akin to one of those old Swiss clocks. But this isn't a clock. These are two actual people who apparently have done this for years. No further explanation is given. Only Green Acres would open with something this strange, then feel no need to elaborate.

The rest of the episode deals with the farmers reacting to the wildly shifting predictions. It's a fun episode, and unlike prior episodes, it's not afraid to be weird.

Much of the first season of "Green Acres" lacks the lunacy that gives the show much of its lasting appeal, but at least with this episode we get Oliver and Lisa out on the farm, and the introductions of Mr. Haney and Eb. The rest of the supporting cast coming from Petticoat Junction still makes this episode feel a little like we're watching a subplot on that program. That will continue to be the case for a while longer until the show gets its footing.

This episode unveils the first of many cons perpetrated by Haney, establishes Drucker's store as the center of town activity, and we get Eb, the hired hand who basically fulfills the child role this show lacks (unusual for the time, since most married couples on television at the time would have had one or two children).

Not bad, but the first episode of Green Acres doesn't give much of an indication of how eccentric the show will eventually be. The episode is narrated by a newscaster as if the audience is viewing a documentary about Oliver Douglas buying a farm in Hooterville and convincing his wife to move with him. Like a handful of other early episodes, too much time is spent in the city and not enough in Hooterville. The citizens of Hooterville still feel more like guest stars from "Petticoat Junction" than actual cast members, and that will continue to be the norm until about halfway through the first season.

Overall, not the best introduction to the series. Like a lot of pilots, it feels a little like it was shot separate from the rest of the series, so at times it almost feels like another show.