Voting Station

The Donna Reed Show

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TV Series

The Resume

    (September 24, 1958-March 19, 1966)
    Aired on ABC
    Donna Reed as Donna Stone
    Carl Betz as Alex Stone
    Shelley Fabares as Mary Stone
    Paul Petersen as Jeff Stone
    Patty Petersen as Trisha (1963-66)
    Premise: Follows the exploits of middle-class housewife Donna Stone and her family

Why The Donna Reed Show might be annoying:

    It recycled the plots of several Father Knows Best episodes.
    They had to be talked out of calling it 'Mother Knows Better.'
    The opening theme is Tastes Like Diabetes sugary sweet.
    It made Donna Reed's name shorthand for the Stepford Wife/happy homemaker.
    It had a Cousin Oliver in the form of Paul's sister Patty as an orphan the Stones decide to adopt (conveniently at the same time Mary goes off to college).
    Donna was reportedly tired of the show by Season 5 and had to be coerced into staying on for three more seasons.
    Like Leave it to Beaver and The Andy Griffith Show, its considered emblematic of Fifties television even though it aired predominately in the Sixties.
    It became a predictable target of the women's movement during the 1970's, with women's lib supporters claiming it presented an idealized and unrealistic image of motherhood.

Why The Donna Reed Show might not be annoying:

    It was the first TV family sitcom to feature the mother as the center of the show.
    Its opening credits were spoofed by The Munsters.
    Donna Reed won a Golden Globe and earned four Emmy nominations for her work on the show.
    It overcame its initial ratings struggles (pitted against Texaco Star Theater on Wednesday nights and nearly getting cancelled), peaking at #16 in the Nielsen ratings for its sixth season in 1963-64.
    Contrary to popular belief, the Stone kids would occasionally talk back to their parents and usually got away with it (atypical for a sitcom of the time).
    Like many shows of its era, it provided springboards for its teen stars to pursue music careers (both Shelley and Paul performed songs on the show that would go on to chart in the Billboard Top 10).
    Guest stars included baseball superstars Don Drysdale and Willie Mays teen heartthrob James Darren and even Lassie.
    Miyoshi Umeki appeared on an episode as a Japanese wife in an interracial marriage whom Donna Stone befriends (rare both for its topical nature and also for two Best Supporting Actress Oscar winners sharing the television screen).

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying