Somewhat of an off beat episode with Betty acting like a stuck up snob to her country girl cousin, Susan Oliver. Somewhat overly serious, but fine acting by all and a young Susan Oliver shines. Still amazed that she really never became a big star.
4 Reviews
Season 4 Betty is such a hateful witch
Christopher3707 April 2024
I don't know why the character seemed to turn from a nice average teenage girl into such a spiteful, snobbish, elitist, competitive and hateful young woman during Season 4 of this series.
For the first 3 seasons Betty was a pretty down to earth and nice character, but after she began college and got that short haircut, she seemed to have turned into a monster towards anyone she deemed beneath her...and was especially mean towards her younger siblings.
In just this season alone, she's treated little sister Kathy like absolute dirt as her camp counselor, treated brother Bud so terrible in the episode just before this one that she acted like she was repulsed by his very existence and embarrassed that he was her brother as she tried to impress some elite family that she hardly even knew.
In another episode, she purposely made a date with 2 different guys for the same night without caring at all how it would affect or hurt them because she's Princess Betty and the world revolves all around her and to hell with anyone else. What made her become this way?!
In the first 3 seasons, Betty wasn't this hateful at all. Perhaps Jim called her Princess one too many times that it finally went to her head and she began to believe that everyone else were just lowly serfs placed on Earth to be at her beck and call.
In this episode she treats yet another family member like dirt and this was one that she had never even met before! It makes me wonder if the writers purposely wanted viewers to turn on her because at this point in the season, I really despise Betty! She may redeem herself by the end of the episodes, but it doesn't matter because she's right back to being the hateful witchy Princess again in the next one! I keep asking myself what the hell is wrong with this girl?!
I agree with another reviewer here that the lovely Susan Oliver steals the show here and she really is such a joy to watch. I also agree with that same reviewer how it's a wonder that she never became a bigger star than she was because she had it all....looks, charm, likability and tons of charisma.
If it weren't for the appearance of Susan Oliver I would have certainly rated this episode a big fat 1 because Betty has become so despicable that it's starting to take the fun out of watching. I just want to see someone slap her hard across the face already to snap her back into reality and bring her back down to earth.
Maybe she needed to drop out of college and grow the ponytail back to become the girl that viewers can tolerate again because at this point I wouldn't be surprised if she went full psycho one night and butchered the whole family while they were sleeping because they forgot to call her Princess one day. I can actually see her laughing manically while holding the bloody knife afterwards.
I really miss the sweeter Betty of the earlier seasons. Anyway, my 10 rating is all for Susan Oliver who elevates this episode with her appearance. Hopefully in the next 2 seasons we get to see the nicer, down to earth Betty makes a return.
For the first 3 seasons Betty was a pretty down to earth and nice character, but after she began college and got that short haircut, she seemed to have turned into a monster towards anyone she deemed beneath her...and was especially mean towards her younger siblings.
In just this season alone, she's treated little sister Kathy like absolute dirt as her camp counselor, treated brother Bud so terrible in the episode just before this one that she acted like she was repulsed by his very existence and embarrassed that he was her brother as she tried to impress some elite family that she hardly even knew.
In another episode, she purposely made a date with 2 different guys for the same night without caring at all how it would affect or hurt them because she's Princess Betty and the world revolves all around her and to hell with anyone else. What made her become this way?!
In the first 3 seasons, Betty wasn't this hateful at all. Perhaps Jim called her Princess one too many times that it finally went to her head and she began to believe that everyone else were just lowly serfs placed on Earth to be at her beck and call.
In this episode she treats yet another family member like dirt and this was one that she had never even met before! It makes me wonder if the writers purposely wanted viewers to turn on her because at this point in the season, I really despise Betty! She may redeem herself by the end of the episodes, but it doesn't matter because she's right back to being the hateful witchy Princess again in the next one! I keep asking myself what the hell is wrong with this girl?!
I agree with another reviewer here that the lovely Susan Oliver steals the show here and she really is such a joy to watch. I also agree with that same reviewer how it's a wonder that she never became a bigger star than she was because she had it all....looks, charm, likability and tons of charisma.
If it weren't for the appearance of Susan Oliver I would have certainly rated this episode a big fat 1 because Betty has become so despicable that it's starting to take the fun out of watching. I just want to see someone slap her hard across the face already to snap her back into reality and bring her back down to earth.
Maybe she needed to drop out of college and grow the ponytail back to become the girl that viewers can tolerate again because at this point I wouldn't be surprised if she went full psycho one night and butchered the whole family while they were sleeping because they forgot to call her Princess one day. I can actually see her laughing manically while holding the bloody knife afterwards.
I really miss the sweeter Betty of the earlier seasons. Anyway, my 10 rating is all for Susan Oliver who elevates this episode with her appearance. Hopefully in the next 2 seasons we get to see the nicer, down to earth Betty makes a return.
Odd!
richard.fuller126 November 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Betty's cousin is visiting. All of a sudden, Betty is Veronica Lodge. What on Earth was all that? She's talking like Tallulah Bankhead or something, all of a sudden. And she's an absolute snob toward this cousin, . . . Miss Alfalfa.
Where is all of this coming from?
The beautiful Susan Oliver appears as the cousin and gives no hint of Elly May Clampett.
Fashion seems to be the clincher here, with dear cuz in pants and a plaid shirt.
When Betty is mouthing off about her cousin (after all the boys were crazy over her), Susan Oliver walks in on her. Betty is caught.
She makes amends by helping cuz dress up beautifully for the dance.
"How did she become so beautiful?" Katie asks. This is lost on me. Only when she is revealed in the Star Trek pilot to be a broken deformed figure by the aliens at the end is about the ugliest I've ever seen Oliver.
Pants or dress, hair up or hair down, she was always beautiful.
Strange episode.
Where is all of this coming from?
The beautiful Susan Oliver appears as the cousin and gives no hint of Elly May Clampett.
Fashion seems to be the clincher here, with dear cuz in pants and a plaid shirt.
When Betty is mouthing off about her cousin (after all the boys were crazy over her), Susan Oliver walks in on her. Betty is caught.
She makes amends by helping cuz dress up beautifully for the dance.
"How did she become so beautiful?" Katie asks. This is lost on me. Only when she is revealed in the Star Trek pilot to be a broken deformed figure by the aliens at the end is about the ugliest I've ever seen Oliver.
Pants or dress, hair up or hair down, she was always beautiful.
Strange episode.
Betty (All Biting'n'Barking) Gets A Wake-Up Call
StrictlyConfidential13 October 2020
You know, I really can't quite decide which character of the Anderson family that I dislike most here in "Father Knows Best". But, I'll tell ya - It's definitely a toss-up between Bud and Betty.
And here in this "Country Cousin" episode (from 1958) I found Betty (with all of her scenery chewing and all of her non-stop b*tching and bad-mouthing against her cousin, Millie) to be absolutely despicable and completely deserving of receiving a royal slap right in the face.
I don't know why the screenwriters of this episode would've decided to place Betty into such an ugly and mean-minded light - But it all sure soured my opinion of this snooty, little two-faced witch in a big-big way.
And here in this "Country Cousin" episode (from 1958) I found Betty (with all of her scenery chewing and all of her non-stop b*tching and bad-mouthing against her cousin, Millie) to be absolutely despicable and completely deserving of receiving a royal slap right in the face.
I don't know why the screenwriters of this episode would've decided to place Betty into such an ugly and mean-minded light - But it all sure soured my opinion of this snooty, little two-faced witch in a big-big way.
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