Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete First Season (1972)

So happy they put this on DVD!

I learned about this show on Cartoon Network and loved it from the moment I saw it. I haven't watch all the episodes in this in this First Season yet, so my review is not going to be that in-depth.

The only drawback I can think of so far is the fact that the first couple of episodes aren't as funny but as I go up in episodes, it does get funnier.

I'm really glad I bought it and glad I found it on Amazon.
May 14, 2008

A great family sitcom

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this program, one which I but dimly recalled from my childhood past. Despite the reviews, Harry Boyle is not so much a "conservative" in the political sense but a defender of rationality in a world confused by the increasingly divisive politics and social conflict of the early 1970's. However, Harry is usually able to bridge the gap between his progressive children and his paranoid, bigoted neighbors. Most importantly, Harry is respectful of his children's point of view while still serving as the moral center of his household. In all, it's a far cheerier world than, say, All in the Family.

As far as the animation goes, it's not earthshaking, but it is stylish, with abstract minimalist backgrounds that are quite pleasing. October 28, 2007

Episode Guide for the first season

Here's a quick summary of the 24 episodes that aired during the 1972-73 season.

1. The Fling: Harry helps a female customer and so people have the impression that he cheats on his wife. He does his best to change their assumptions, but it just makes things worse.

2. Alice's Dress: The Boyles are invited to a party. Alice decides to buy a dress for the event, but it turns out to be way too revealing.

3. The Hippie: After Chet brings home a hippie, Harry does everything he can to get him to leave. Meanwhile, Ralph and his Company B Anti-Communist Force track the hippie, thinking he's a communist. They construct the "Great Wall of Elm Street" in an attempt to save the rest of the neighborhood from being exposed to the "traitors".

4. The Beach Vacation: The Boyles rent a beach house and Harry is horrified when he sees young people sunbathing nude nearby. Hilarity ensues.

5. Help Wanted: Harry fires his Jewish driver, but soon learns that this was a big mistake. Now all different minorities start competing to get the job.

6. Love Story: Alice gets engaged to a beggar. Her parents are horrified, but when they find out that his parents are very rich, they're suddenly pleased with him.

7. The Victim: Harry gets beaten and mugged in the park. Chet and Alice try to help the young criminal, but Harry has other plans: he wants to sue him.

8. Chet's Job: Harry starts demanding Chet pay rent and forces him to get a job. But soon Chet's new opportunity is paying more money than Harry is comfortable with.

9. Chet's Fiancee: Chet brings a young, attractive and decent young woman home as his girlfriend. Of couse Harry and Alice are surprised. When Chet tells them he's not interested in marrying her, they are offended.

10. The Mouse: Jamie brings home a pet mouse. After being told that he can't keep it, the mouse escapes. Jamie blames Harry and runs away.

11. Duty Calls: Chet gets his draft notice and decides to flee to Canada. Harry is furious until he is accidentally drafted himself.

12. Expectant Papa: Irma and Harry think they might be parents again. Their friends' reactions aren't so positive to the news.

13. The New Car: The Boyles buy a new car that turns out to be a lemon, but the shady dealer won't give them a refund. Harry finds a creative way to get his money back.

14. The New House: A severe bathroom shortage in the Boyle household has Harry wondering if he should renovate or buy a bigger house.

15. The Prowler: A burglar in the neighborhood causes hysteria about a crime wave and Ralph forms a militia. They take the law into their own hands and of course Harry gets caught up in it.

16. Mama's Identity: Irma is sick of being a housewife and gets a job in a law firm. But when her new boss starts coming on to her, she begins to regret her decision.

17. Papa the Patient: Harry's checkup for an ulcer leads to an expensive hospital stay, which really fires up his blood pressure.

18. The Swimming Pool: During the heat of the summer Harry decides to build a swimming pool. Unfortunately, it's too small for the entire family to use it simultaneously. He and Ralph build a bigger one, but now the entire neighborhood wants to enjoy it.

19. Sweet Sixteen: Alice's 16th birthday is coming up and so Irma plans a big party. The expenses get out of control and Harry realizes he's headed for the poor house.

20. The Commune: Alice quits school to join a commune, and Harry clashes with the hippie guru who is trying to lure her.

21. Music Tycoon: Chet and his band have a huge hit and the money starts rolling in. Unfortunately Chet doesn't know how to manage it.

22. Accidents Will Happen: Harry slips in a restaurant and ruins his pants. Everyone advises him to sue the restaurant, but he only wants a new pair of pants.

23. Papa in New York: Harry has to go to NYC for business. His family and his neighbor Ralph want to join him on the trip... and of course everyone has fun except Harry.

24. The Neighbors: Marital misunderstandings abound as the Boyles get caught in the middle of a fight between newlyweds. October 16, 2007

Innovative & plain fun to watch

It goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover or basically listen to what folks say about this series. I wasn't aware of this show back when it came out so many years ago. But i got into it while seeing it on cable more than a few times so i did the search and found it here. Bought it and within a couple episodes i was already hooked. It took me by surprise some of things that get discussed at first but i realize race relations, feminism, communism, sexual liberation, women's lib and all that was a huge deal especially back in that time era. So with that i was able to look at those issues and take them to heart and learn a couple things from them as well. Just so folks know that race gets hit quite a bit in this series...i dont think its enough to stop someone from buying this. Because its done well and doesnt detract from the series as a whole.

I love all the characters in the Boyle family and the show in general especially the youngest son he's like a going to be Donald Trump with all the money he's making in the show. Very level business type for a kid thats impressive always looking for a deal and coming to the aid of the father. Chet and his sis always seem to be on the Father about things he's doing and what he should be doing..coming from a guy that hasn't worked a steady job for any amount of time, is out of college and lives at home. He's not in a position to really go there even though he does much to his Dad's dismay.

This is a series that while it has serious undertones they never bring down the show and actually make it better to watch. Give it a shout and you'll find another something to enjoy & add to your collection. September 15, 2007

Humor at it's best!

As a kid, I couldn't wait to get home to watch "Wait Till Your Father Gets Home". It dealt with issues that were important at the time (some which still are) and put a humorous twist on it. Harry, Ermma, Chet, Alice, and Jaime still make me laugh. I recently discovered that it comes on late at night on the Boomerang channel. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find every single episode to record. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to have found the entire first season on DVD! Season two is even better. I can't wait for that one to be available on DVD as well. This was money well spent. July 25, 2007

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