In order to like this show, you need to believe that the four Clampett hicks are so stupid, they can live in Southern Cal suburban culture for 9 years - 9 years! - and not learn a single thing about that culture. And that the two 'young-uns' are completely sexless, despite being many years beyond puberty. Or that anyone with half a brain would be amiable towards the diseased Clampetts simply out of nostalgia for white-trash 'down-home' cooking and banjo playing.Watch "Deliverance" and grow-up.If you think this show is funny because you believe you are smarter than they are - you aren't.Evidence suggesting that there may be no intelligent life on this planet. Nothing believable or even remotely humorous here - move along.

WE'VE OFTEN HEARD the old adage that; ".....there are only so many basic plots!...." an axiom that we might well take to the bank. After all, life is a limited experience; at least when one considers our short run or visit to this planet Earth. As far as its application to drama, comedy or farce goes, it appears to have been perfectly tailored to the Theatre.WITH REGARD TO today's honored guest and 'victim', THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES(CBS TV/Filmways,1962-71) it is readily apparent from the get go that the series had taken some commonly held notions of pitting 'simple Country Folk' against the highly 'Cultured', Urbane denizens of our long-standing institutions of Government, the Arts and the World of High Finance; with the Country Bumpkins usually getting the best of the encounter.IN A NUTSHELL, the basis for the series, as told in the opening song, is that poor, West Virginian mountain man, Jed Clampett, accidentally strikes oil on his property by firing a shot from his Kentucky Long Rifle into the ground. This causes a gusher and "next thing you know, old Jed's a millionaire." MOVING TO A MORE proper location for a man of such means, namely Beverly Hills, California, Mr. Clampett takes with him 3 of his kinfolk; Granny (Irene Ryan), niece Ellie May Clampett (Donna Douglas) and nephew Jethro Beaudine (Max Baer, Jr.). The move to sunny California put them into an environment in which they would have an uninterrupted cultural conflict with a world of prim & proper stuffed shirts; not to mention all of the Corporate "Suits" at the Bank.POISED IN THEIR Wall Street inspired sanctuaries were the two main characters who would supply all of the conflicts needed. Veteran Character Raymond Baily's portrayal of Banker Mr. Milburn Drysdale and the eternal "Plain Jane", Nancy Culp as the humorless, all business secretary, Miss Jane Hathaway give the Clampett Clan all they can handle.EVEN THE SELECTION of their names would seem to sort of reflect and reinforce what these characters stand for; with 'Drysdale' being a sort of no humor bu$ine$$ guy. He's literally a "dry", humorless financier and Miss "Hathaway" bears a surname that has been associated for whatever reason, with the Upper Class Bluebloods ever since the Landing at Plymouth Rock.AND SO THE Clampetts and their antagonists would get into weekly conflicts involving with the Establishment folks. Conflicts that were very fundamental and commonplace; having been previously experienced by such as Will Rogers, Longfellow Deeds (Gary Cooper) in MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN and Al Capp's LIL ABNER Comic Strip. (Donna Douglas' Ellie May and Max Baer's Jethro could easily have been removed intact and portrayed Lil Abner & Daisy Mae in a LIL ABNER film or play!)IN THE FINAL analysis, the working of what we can only call "Obvious Humor" here is rendered as funny and fresh by the skillful handling by a talented cast and gifted direction of the episodes. (We noticed that the recent installment we saw on cable was done by Actor/Director Richard Whorf. Do you remember him, Schultz? He portrayed Sam Harris to James Cagney's George M. Cohan in YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (Warner Brothers. 1942).

If anyone's mind is pickled on older TV series, it is mine. And I know millions of others as well cherish "The Beverly Hillbillies" among the top of them all. The cast of this show fits so well with each other that they become the real deal. They became a part of our family somehow. Each regular character goes beyond typecast. The Scruggs/Flat music simply adds more of the same quality. I sometimes practice my guitar while watching the show so I can pick up a few licks each time.I think that one of the most endearing qualities is that most any viewer can find something to identify with. The most obvious things are Uncle Jed's wisdom laden observations and Granny's energy and willingness to take up a cause. Jethro keeps her busy, but she never lacked for time to pick up her doctoring bag and charge full steam ahead to cure whoever might be ailing. From childhood to this day, I never seem to tire from watching this show. I can't say that about many others. Perhaps the Western series, "Bonanza", is one other that comes to mind. In both shows the characters own personalities forge their way into immortality.

Normally I don't critique sitcoms because, frankly, it's not worth the effort and are so crassly superficial that they don't require any serious attention. But in the case of "The Beverly Hillbillies" I will make an exception. This is because of one character: Jed Clampett, played by Buddy Ebsen. Jed Clampett is one of the most endearing yet complex characters ever created by the television industry. Superficially, Jed Clamptett doesn't seem to be the type of character that warrants much serious attention. After all he's just a simple, uneducated backwoodsman from the hills who's lived in a shack all of his life, and by pure dumb luck comes into a pile of money which doesn't seem to change him one bit. Which is what makes Jed Clampett such a wonderful character. For Jed Clampett has dignity and integrity and nothing will divert Mr. Clampett from remaining true to himself or altering the way he treats everyone - with openness, honesty and a real desire to be hospitable. Further, Jed Clampett commands respect, and is respected, not only by his immediate family who are utterly devoted to him, but even by that crass and conniving banker who, despite his air of superiority, reveals, episode after episode, what a buffoon he is compared to the calm and self-assured Mr. Clampett. Also, it should be noted the Jed Clampett protects and cares for not only his daughter, but his nephew and mother-in-law, the latter two a constant challenge to Jed's patience, which he never loses. If there were more Jed Clampetts in this world, then maybe we'd all be living in shacks, but at least we'd be getting along with each other and treating each other better.