Top-rated
Sun, Sep 4, 1949
The program begins with an embedded Sanka ad in which Molly discusses how hard it is to return from a vacation; "everything is so burdensome." Sanka has 99% of the caffeine left out and the sleep left in. The Goldbergs have a new landlord, Mr. Peach, and Molly intends to ask him to redecorate their apartment, but Jake is sure the landlord will refuse. The elevator is not running and Uncle David has to walk up four flights of stairs. The water is lukewarm and the TV aerial is not working. Jake plans to organize the tenants to refuse to pay their rent, but Molly makes him let her try diplomacy first. She invites the landlord for a visit and gives him home-made lemonade. He indicates that he is planning to fix everything. When she shows him a list of the tenants and their various requests for redecoration projects, however, he begins to repeat, "This is a hardship." Jake is impressed: "In the diplomatic service your mother belongs, no less." Molly says "Everybody has a heart; you just have to find the location." Sure enough, things are fixed and apartments are redecorated. However, when the painter arrives to help Molly choose colors, he predicts that the landlord plans to claim that all the repairs are a hardship and to get permission to raise the rents on that basis. All the tenants blame Molly for the anticipated raised rents. Then Molly remembers that the landlord had revealed to her the date of his birthday, and today is his birthday. She organizes the tenants to throw him a birthday party. He is thrilled and pleased, especially when Molly tells him that the tenants are willing voluntarily to raise their rents by $2. He then reveals that he had no intention of raising their rent, but to refuse their generous offer would be ungracious. Everyone is mad at Molly again.
Sun, Sep 11, 1949
The program begins with an embedded Sanka ad: You are what you drink. "What is the logical conclusion to conclude?" "If it does cost a penny more, what's money if you can rise in the morning and brighten the corner where you are." Molly is in the middle of serving dinner to her cousin Simon. Simon's family is out of town, so Molly takes pity on him and asks him for supper, even though everyone dislikes him. Simon demands a third helping of the noodle pudding and simultaneously asks for an aspirin. He then announces that poor relations are a liability and proceeds to tell Jake that he is an excellent cutter but, by implication, not a good businessman. Uncle David becomes upset and points out that no one makes it alone; even Simon couldn't have gotten started without a loan from his uncle. Simon is taken ill. The doctor is summoned and decides he must rule out a heart attack. "Under no circumstances must the patient be moved." Simon takes over Molly's living room and her friends are requested to stop "yoohooing." Simon calls for Molly and tells her he knows "he's finished." "I wanted the wrong things. ... All the happiness I could have given. ... Did Jake have to suffer when I could have made life easier for him?" He promises to make Jake his right-hand man at the factory. "If I get well, Molly, I'll be a better Simon." His secretary arrives with the checks he intends to sign over to all his relatives to help them out. Then the doctor calls with the news that his cardiograph is negative. He has "a severe case of gastroenteritis; ... in plain English, over-eating." Simon decides not to sign the checks after all. He leaves, saying "You and your snacks almost killed me, Molly. I wish I could say thank you." In the ending Sanka ad, Molly opines "Maybe there's a Simon in every family and a little bit of Simon in everybody because who don't postpone until too late to do what you should do?"