1056 (AKA the Puzzle Incident)

[geronimojackson]

Having watched this episode, can you describe the exchange between Mr. Rogers and Mr. McFeely? (i.e. Does Mr. Rogers actually yell at Mr. McFeely, or does he express his anger after he leaves with the puzzle)? The screenshots look kind of tense.

[Neighborhood Archive]

It's not nearly as tense as the screenshots make it out to be.

Mr. McFeely comes in and says he needs the puzzle right away and gives Mister Rogers just a moment to finish what he can. Of course, he doesn't finish -- especially under the pressure of Mr. McFeely constantly talking as he's trying to work. When the time is up, Mister Rogers gives him the puzzle and says to him something along the lines of "it makes me angry when i'm rushed like that." It's nothing over the top or anything...just a clear statement of his feelings.

After Mr. McFeely leaves, Mister Rogers mentions again that he does not like to be rushed and hurried like that and how it makes him angry/frustrated. That's when he takes out the clay and the episode moves on from there...

There was nothing that seemed out of the ordinary in this exchange except maybe Mr. McFeely being a little excessive by showing a little more "speediness" than usual. Other than that, I didn't feel that it was any different than any other episode when Mister Rogers expresses anger or frustration with something.

[JCostaThePro]

I'm glad it didn't turn out as bad as some thought it might've. I've been wondering for a long time whether this really happened or if, like the smoking rumor a while back, it was fake. I'm glad it was real.

Though, since there was at least a reason for Mr. McFeely to take the puzzle, that doesn't sound like it qualifies as "unusual behavior" as i had thought. Though i guess 1057-1060 has more to come as usual...

[mitsguy2001]

Tim:

Did 1056 mention the opera from the previous week at all?

[geronimojackson]

Does anything in the NOM segment indicate that Chef Brockett was rushed as he complains about toward the end of the episode?

[Neighborhood Archive]

Nope. No mention of the opera.

As for Chef Brockett feeling rushing in the NOM, nothing there either. It wasn't until he showed up at Mister Rogers' front door that he was showing signs of being hurried.

[earnhardtfan4life]

That picture with Fred over the puzzle is priceless.

Mike

[mitsguy2001]

I had often wondered if maybe the gender differences described in 1057 might have mentioned something outdated or not politically correct.  But based on the description Tim posted, that doesn't appear to be the case.  The only other possibility is that maybe it was banned since (I think in 1058) it includes Francois Clemmons's ex-wife, although she was in other episodes that aired as late as 1989.

[JCostaThePro]

I had often wondered if maybe the gender differences described in 1057 might have mentioned something outdated or not politically correct.  But based on the description Tim posted, that doesn't appear to be the case.  The only other possibility is that maybe it was banned since (I think in 1058) it includes Francois Clemmons's ex-wife, although she was in other episodes that aired as late as 1989.

I wondered that too about 1057.

I still can't believe we thought that about Mr. McFeely being unusual in 1056. Those descriptions we've been reading from the internet outside of this Archive certainly are pretty inaccuarate. The other sites clearly did not mention the puzzle-lending service and made it all sound like Mr. McFeely was the bad guy.

[mitsguy2001]

I had often wondered if maybe the gender differences described in 1057 might have mentioned something outdated or not politically correct.  But based on the description Tim posted, that doesn't appear to be the case.  The only other possibility is that maybe it was banned since (I think in 1058) it includes Francois Clemmons's ex-wife, although she was in other episodes that aired as late as 1989.

I wondered that too about 1057.

I still can't believe we thought that about Mr. McFeely being unusual in 1056. Those descriptions we've been reading from the internet outside of this Archive certainly are pretty inaccuarate. The other sites clearly did not mention the puzzle-lending service and made it all sound like Mr. McFeely was the bad guy.

That's because all of the other sites are based on the same catalog at the University of Pittsburgh, since these episodes haven't aired in so many years, nobody remembers seeing them.  I still have a hard time, however, beleiving that the line about Mr. McFeely smoking was completely made up, especially when it is clear that these episodes were edited.  Although, was smoking that big a deal in 1968 that it would have made Fred angry?  I know that by 1968 they knew smoking wasn't good for you, but I don't think it was known just how bad it was.