Being an unequivocal art form, a film allows capturing the air of a specific era and creating a time capsule that will guide the generations to come through the essential ideas and philosophies of the past decades. Leave It to Beaver is one of such shows, where the essence of social interactions and ideas can be grasped in a single episode. Although the TV series cannot be considered a masterpiece of the genre, it represents the decade that it strived to portray very accurately, helping the audience to experience the non-existent idealized and sanitized version of the 50s.
By portraying the idealistic picture of a perfect family with impeccable household and with outstandingly war and wholesome relationships between the protagonists, Leave It to Beaver distorted the actual specifics of life in the 1950s, thus silencing a large number of social problems and failing to assist its viewers in addressing them.
Among the main themes that Leave It to Beaver centers, one must mention the elusive proverbial American Dream. Portraying a happy middle-class family with few to none social, economic, or political concerns, Leave It to Beaver encapsulates the content and the developing consumerism for which the 1950s would become quite famous. Though the characters sometimes tackle emotional issues, there is a significant amount of vanity injected into them, which is portrayed not as a flaw, but as a neutral character trait: “Hey, guys, like my new vest? I think it brings out the Peter Lawford in me” (Connelly, 1957). Therefore, the show encapsulates the consumerist spirit of the 1950s and the economic welfare of the upper-middle class in the U.S. at the time.
As a result, when considering the life journeys of the actual people who played the roles of the show’s protagonists, one will develop a much more nuanced perspective on life during the 1950s. Namely, the complicated gender relationships caused by the reinforcement of gender stereotypes within the American community of the 50s could be named as one of the problems or which the show inadvertently referred to by creating an illusion of calm life. Indeed, considering the TV show closer, one will realize that most of the characters are not only lacking in personality; instead, they are quite flat in an objective and unconcealed way.
Leave It to Beaver also represents several important attributes and attitudes of the 1950s. Specifically, the show does a fabulous job at portraying the 50s as very materialistic and fascinated with practicality. None of the characters, including the narrator, tend to daydream or have undefined goals and priorities.
Quite the contrary, June, her husband, and her son are well aware of their goals, which are frequently materialistic in nature. For example, the problems around every episode typically involve a physical issue or action: “I’m going to change my clothes and finish painting those trash cans myself; the boys ran out on the job” (Connelly, 1957). In turn, the legacy that the 50s have left confirms that on the specified time slot, materialism was prioritized (Ma & Lindenmayer, 2021). Therefore, while the show ventures into the discussion of emotions and complex issues, the main premise typically revolves around a materialistic need or desire, which represents the spirit of the 50s quite accurately.
Compared to the present-day reality, Leave It to Beaver appears to be a rather old-fashioned and even unrealistic portrayal of family relationships. Painting a picture of an idealized life of the upper middle class, it might be seen as far unreliable for most U.S. citizens (Burrell, 2021). Indeed, given the economic crisis and the current situation with the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused a drastic spike in unemployment rates observed presently in the U.S., the idealistic depiction of a wealthy family with few challenges to face might seem rather ironic (Argyriadis, 2020). Therefore, for most American citizens of 2021, Leave It to Beaver is likely to appear quite detached from reality and, therefore, lacking in opportunities for engagement.
Similarly, the gender stereotypes portrayed in the show will seem old-fashioned and even slightly unnatural to most modern viewers. The fact that June Cleaver refuses to accept the job so that he could meet the needs of her family fully is not the unrealistic part; it is her willingness to abandon any opportunities for professional growth and self-actualization that appears entirely alien for a modern viewer.
Therefore, for the present-day audience, Leave It to Beaver is likely to appear unrealistic, at best, and filled with stereotypes, at worst. Therefore, when considering the show, it is best to view it as a remnant of its era and a time capsule in which the essential characteristics of the 50s have been incorporated. Although the show does not seek to subvert any stereotypes, it still represents a way of viewing family relationships that were unique at the time, namely, the perspective of a young boy.
By portraying the sanitized version of the 1950s, particularly the relationships between family members, Leave It to Beaver left a significant range of sociocultural issues being unaddressed and often silenced, which distorted the viewers’ perception of reality. Therefore, judging the 50s based on Leave It to Beaver is a rather difficult task given the era when it was released. For this reason, the show should be considered an interesting specimen of TV programming representing the key trends and ideas of the 50s.
References
Argyriadis, A. R. N. (2020). Socio-cultural discrimination and the role of media in the case of the coronavirus: Anthropological and psychological notes through a case study. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 13(2), 1449-1454.
Burrell, E. (2021). Race, class, and Rosey the Robot: Critical study of The Jetsons. Labor, 9(1), pp. 25-43.
Connelly, J. (Director). (1957). Leave it to Beaver. [Television series]. MCA TV.
Ma, H., & Lindenmayer, N. (2021). Decolonization and the Materialist Evolution of Liberty. The Evolution of Liberty, Special Issue, pp. 18-23.