Comments on: Classic 1950s TV Christmas #8 – The Donna Reed Show “A Very Merry Christmas”

By: Xander

Xander — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 16:12:10 +0000

The thing to keep in mind, as well, is that Donna Reed’s show was fairly progressive for its time. I don’t think it’s unusual at all that the show would have acknowledged that a cheesecake calendar would be an awkward gift to give to a family.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 18:08:17 +0000

In reply to Kathleen J Giordano.

The scene says it through context clues. Just watch the scene. It’s clearly meant to be inappropriate, and Alex humorously keeps glancing at it awkwardly (and then yes, the joke is ALSO that he was hoping to get a nice Christmas present from the Stones, and instead “only” got a fruitcake).

By: Kathleen J Giordano

Kathleen J Giordano — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 16:04:42 +0000

Says who? Have you personally spoken with the writers of the episode? Back in the 1950’s era women were routinely cast by Hollywood as sexpots (think Marilyn Monroe, Jane Mansfield, etc.) and virtually no one in the culture thought it inappropriate or objectionable. Men were proud to taunt “it’s a man’s world” and women had to acquiesce as individuals who were thought of as not being capable of driving properly, only recently earning a right to vote, didn’t earn equal pay, etc. The episode may raise eyebrows today, but not then. Sexual innuendos & discriminatory language were pervasive within Hollywood until ONLY very recently.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 09:25:55 +0000

In reply to Kathleen J Giordano.

It’s MEANT to be bizarre. It’s a joke that the guy thinks that was a good idea (it was not).

By: Kathleen J Giordano

Kathleen J Giordano — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 06:12:19 +0000

Really “well written”? By whose standards? The family is gifted a pin-up calendar as a Christmas gift by a locally owned business. Bizarre.