Beaver was arguably at his best when paired with his portly pal Larry Mondello. But this episode is different in that Larry doesn't get Beaver in trouble as was his custom. Instead, the two boys discover a wallet on the sidewalk containing $89 and as good boys should, bring it to the police office. If nobody claims the wallet within ten days, the two boys can have the wallet and split the money! As it turns out, the owner of the wallet - a young lady named Miss Tomkins - shows up at the police station at the very same time as Beaver shows up to claim the wallet after ten days! Without spoiling the plot, suffice it to say that Miss Tomkins turns out to be not quite an exemplary human being.
People often think of LITB as a "sanitized" show, but in fact the less attractive side of human nature (both child and adult) was often highlighted. In this respect the series was like the paintings of Peter Brueghel, in which adults and children indulge in childlike vices. Here, Miss Tomkins appears on the surface to be a nice and attractive lady, but there's something subtle in the provocative way she's posed that tells us there's perhaps something not quite wholesome about her.
One of the things I love about LITB, particularly in the middle seasons, was the distinctive comic rhythm, a rhythm created out of the ordinary hubbub of daily home life. We see this early on this episode, when June tries to get various people to go to the supermarket for her. Another thing I like about this episode is that we see the good, loyal side of Larry. When the police officer asks who found the wallet, Larry tells the truth: that Beaver found it while he (Larry) said it was "a hunk of junk." Beaver puts his arm around Larry and the two are solidified in their friendship.
People often think of LITB as a "sanitized" show, but in fact the less attractive side of human nature (both child and adult) was often highlighted. In this respect the series was like the paintings of Peter Brueghel, in which adults and children indulge in childlike vices. Here, Miss Tomkins appears on the surface to be a nice and attractive lady, but there's something subtle in the provocative way she's posed that tells us there's perhaps something not quite wholesome about her.
One of the things I love about LITB, particularly in the middle seasons, was the distinctive comic rhythm, a rhythm created out of the ordinary hubbub of daily home life. We see this early on this episode, when June tries to get various people to go to the supermarket for her. Another thing I like about this episode is that we see the good, loyal side of Larry. When the police officer asks who found the wallet, Larry tells the truth: that Beaver found it while he (Larry) said it was "a hunk of junk." Beaver puts his arm around Larry and the two are solidified in their friendship.