Review of "TV or Not TV, episode 1 of The Honeymooners," classic television starring Jackie Gleason

 Review of

TV or Not TV, episode 1 of The Honeymooners, classic television starring Jackie Gleason

Five out of five stars

The opening episode of what is one of the original classic sitcoms

 This is episode 1 of season 1 of “The Honeymooners” what is truly classic television. First aired in 1955, it set the stage for a short run of the original show. In many ways, much of the comedy is overdone. Jackie Gleason plays bus driver Ralph Kramden and the way he yells at everyone, especially his wife Alice, and threatens to send her to the moon are an anachronism today.

 In this episode, the Kramdens are discussing getting a television set. The Nortons already have one but want to get a better one and can’t afford it. The solution is to pool their money and jointly purchase one. After a bit of chicanery on the part of Ralph, they agree to put the new set in the Kramden residence. This leads to problems of who gets to watch what and when.

 Even though the material is dated, many aspects remain timeless. Both men work at steady jobs, yet do not bring home enough to buy a simple television set. Working for a living, yet not living very well is a condition that is still far too common today.

 If you watch this with a modern mentality of viewing every shout as an instance of verbal abuse, then you will dislike this episode and the entire show. However, if you accept that it was a different time and the fact that Ralph is all bluff and bluster, then you can sit back and enjoy television history and principles being made.

 It is also conceded that the sixties animated show “The Flintstones” was loosely based on the Honeymooners.