User Reviews

ME-TV calls itself "Memorable Entertainment" television. To me, this morning's episode "Countdown" stands out as a memorable episode of My Three Sons. I say that even though it wasn't hilarious by any means, but it presented a well-written, and extremely well-edited look at the typical morning life of a family of five on a school/work day, using narration from a TV show about a rocket launching that showed the many parallels that can be there-As we hear the announcer on the show describe elements of sending a rocket up into space, we see things happen to the Douglases that match what we are hearing.

One early scene has Robby blowing his trumpet while just waking up, still lying in bed. Before he finishes playing "Reville" he falls back asleep. Later, Steve, blocked from the sink by Chip, tells him if he'd brush his teeth in the bathtub, he (Steve) would be able to shave. Mike and Bub virtually dance around each other trying to switch locations in a small room as Mike is taking out trash to be burned (Yes kiddies, we did that in those days. It was quite an honor to be old enough for Dad to trust you with the matches to do the job without hurting yourself) and Bub is trying to get to the other side of Mike to do his chores. This episode is packed with bits like this.

Virtually the whole action in the episode takes place in a 26-minute period-the length of a program in 1960 takeaway commercials-nearly 6 minutes longer than today. The family gets up to the alarm clock, everyone seems really groggy, and we viewers see how a couple of items get misplaced, and much of the second half of the show deals with them trying hard to locate these valuable items, plus a third one that came into the picture later on. How it all came together was marvelously clever.

If you read the reviews and don't peruse the rest of this episode's info here, you could be surprised by something, so I won't mention it because it is a big part of what made this episode so good. I'll just say that there is one thing mentioned that seemed like a script error, but it wasn't, as we found out later. It's key to the whole episode.

One of the other reviewers for this episode gives an unusual description of the series, and particularly of Fred MacMurray's character. I believe 99% of people who have seen more than 2 episodes of the series who read those comments about Steve will wonder "What series is he watching? It sure can't be My Three Sons." Even his headline where he writes "A TV blares a rocket launch all night" is totally inaccurate about the episode I am describing. We clearly see Chip turning on the TV after everyone has awakened in the morning. As evidenced in this episode, and most any other, Steve was well in-tune with all four of his sons (counting Ernie, who came along later) and did lots of things to help them with their problems. Here, he almost remembered just where something was that he wanted to give Chip, even though it had been years since anyone had seen the items.

Without more laughs, I just couldn't give this one a 10, but it is one of the most interesting shows in this series, a solid 9 to me.

This episode gives viewers an inside look at the weekday morning routine in the Douglas household, juxtaposed with television coverage of a satellite launch. The proceedings occur in exactly the same amount of time as the duration of the episode--there's even a metafictional wink at the audience when Bub announces that the family only has 26 minutes to get ready and get out the door (teevee shows had less commercials back in 1960).

There's humorous elements, with the Douglas men all trying to crowd into what is apparently the house's one and only bathroom at the same time--I liked the bit with Mike intentionally leaning on the door to keep Robbie from getting in--and there's suspense around some narrowly avoided disasters involving blueprints and a trumpet. It all plays out and is performed with a deft, realistic touch.

In spite of some close calls, the Douglasses seem to be faring better than the satellite rocket--it explodes upon launch--until they pile into the car and turn on the radio, upon which they learn they are an hour AHEAD of schedule; daylight savings time had ended the night before, and Bub had mistakenly set the household clocks backward instead of forward! Also, the rocket launch was a rerun of an event that had occurred several years prior. The narrator of the broadcast-within-a-broadcast ties the bow on the gift that is this episode with a summation that concludes that our mistakes show us not only what we have done wrong, but also what we are getting right.

I really enjoyed this one. I had only seen the color seasons of MY THREE SONS in syndicated reruns in the late '70s; these early b&w episodes are a delightful revelation to me. If only the series had maintained this level of inventiveness and fun energy for the entirety of its run.

This is one of the best TV episodes I've ever watched-and I've watched a lot. Pairing the doomed rocket launch with the Monday morning family non launch is genius. Almost surrealistic.

I was too young to have watched this when it was on, but I loved the show and its later years. This Black and white episode is a total classic.and they play it straight the whole way through. No winking at the premise or theme. It's pure like a film by Bunuel.or Almodovar. .

Fred McMurray and William Frawley are true professionals.double indemnity and the apartment by Fred, and I love Lucy by frawley. Robbie brings it home as the rest of the family pack it in and go back to sleep. TV at it's most basic level and inspired at the same time.

...and only the youngest even watches it. Odd. Very Odd.

Comparing morning family routine to a rocket launch just didn't work at all.

Systematic of Nothing about My Three Sons ever worked as a family. The program was broken all the time. A workaholic dad who didn't notice a thing about his kids. Terrible. Worst Dad Ever.