Of course a middle class family from suburban Pennsylvania has a live in British butler. It was the 1980s! Of course I’m talking about the pre-TGIF Friday Night ABC sitcom, Mr. Belvedere (based on the literary character Lynn Aloysius Belvedere) and more specifically, the 3rd season episode from 1986, simply (and aptly) titled Halloween.
Friday is Halloween and Wesley hopes his trash bag is big enough to fit all the candy he is hoping to get, but he’s distracted by the cookies Mr. Belvedere is making – which seem to be a little too spicy.
It turns out the cinnamon that Mr. Belvedere THOUGHT he put in the batter was actually cayenne pepper! Wesley thinks Mr. Belvedere needs glasses! But the old Brit will not hear any of it.
Meanwhile, sister Heather is trying on her “upstairs maid” costume, which is a little too revealing for her parents.
Oh, back to Wesley who tricked Mr. Belvedere, thinking he was signing a permission slip for young Wesley to go on a field trip. In reality, he signed a contract that he had to be Wesley’s slave forever (see, he really is going blind) and therefore has to go to the eye doctor.
First, can butlers sign permission slips like that? What school would take that? Second, isn’t he already Wesley’s slave?
THEME SONG TIME!
Looks like Heather as a less revealing costume – an gorilla suit – but she’s not sure if it’ll be too hot to wear to the dance. Big brother Kevin does not want his little sister spoiling his dance, because of course he’s looking to get bizzay.
And no, he is not Marilyn Manson.
Oh George is being courted by the Happy Guys to be an official member. Looks like a men’s club, like Leopard Lodge or Water Buffalo.
And now Mr. Belvedere needs cataract surgery. Oh there’s so much going on!
Mr. Belvedere ends up getting the surgery and has to wear an eye patch – and can’t do any work around the house.
Can you tell I am watching this as I type this? This is more of a random stream of consciousness – almost like live tweeting the episode as I watch it, only the show is 29 years old, and I’m not tweeting.
Besides that, same exact thing.
And Kevin and Heather are still arguing over the dance. Apparently Kevin really doesn’t want his sister to spoil his last year of high school.
Wesley is going to be a devil for Halloween and oh, we go to commercial with a down beat. Mr. Belvedere feels helpless that he can’t clean (I’d be happy) and that he’s becoming an old man waiting to be carted of to the dustbin. Heather was making him Tapioca pudding that at first he thought was silly…but sad Mr. Belvedere will take that pudding….oh no.
Kevin tries to cheer him up, but doesn’t much help at all. I forget, was Kevin supposed to be dumb?
Oh yeah, Mr. Belvedere would right in a journal, kind’ve like how Doogie did, or how Mork talked to Orson…
He’s wondering if he wants to live out his years with Owens, or travel the world…
Uh oh, when George and Marsha go to that lodge ceremony, Heather sneaks out to the party in her sexy maid costume. Kevin is dressed in a full knight’s suit of armor.
How the hell is he going to enjoy himself in that? Nevermind your sister dude, you’re the problem.
Kevin throws his own Halloween party, and it looks like only Miles is still there. How sad.
It’s time for George’s ceremony – time to become a “Happy Guy!” Wait, is this a cult? These guys in robes come out dancing to ominous music. I wish I could grab a good screen shot, just skip to about 16 minutes in the video.
Mr. B. took the boys trick or treating, and now they want to TP a house that isn’t giving candy. Wesley tricked Belvedere again – saying he was an old poop who used to have fun – and now he was TP’ing with them. Terrible example for the children.
Actually he went a little crazy and Wesley left him after he heard the sirens.
Yup, Mr. Belvedere got arrested.
Actually no, he was just taken back home – thankfully he lives in sitcom world.
Oh and remember that C story, the dance thing where Heather went dressed as the sexy maid and Kevin as the knight? Well, too many senior boys were hitting on Heather. You’d think as a freshman girl, she’d love getting attention from the older boys – but the Owens raised a good girl – so Kevin gave her his suit of armor, and he wore…well….
And Mr. Belvedere, the eyepatch eventually came off and he got those reading glasses. Another happy ending.
The End!
It’s at this point, the closing credits of the show hits. It’s a couple still shots and instrumental versions of the theme song. For some reason, those things always make me sad. They did when I was a kid, and they still do today. I think a lot of it reminds me of being a kid, like when Cheers would end and the music would play over the shot of the empty bar. I can’t explain it, but endings of shows (especially ones with voice overs saying what is up next) just kinda depress me and make me feel old. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, or maybe I’ve finally lost it. I already admitted to crying like a baby every time I see the Happy Days finale, primarily the montage.
Ooh, thinking about that even now is getting to me. Shit! I’ve shared too much!! Okay, goodbye…
