The final two panels are silent and show how a story can be told just from the art. In the second from the last, all the Pattersons have different expressions on their face, and you can see Elly’s realization that her insistence on getting her own way has made the rest of her family miserable. That’s a great lead-in to the final panel. Elly gets what she wants AND the kids get what they want. Compromise is a wonderful thing in families. Good stuff!
We ALWAYS use to use TV trays in the family room. In the days of broadcast network television and no video recording ability, you watched stuff when it aired or possibly never get see it again, ever. If it’s a TV series episode, you might catch it in rerun several months later. A made-for-TV movie? Could go either way. I’ve seen some shows I didn’t see again for decades until I found it on Youtube.
I was the only kid I knew who had a mother like this. My friends, even NOW, view it as a tragedy that I never go to enjoy the “supper in front of the TV” like they did.
It was worse because I was a fast eater, and my mother, who already had to serve everyone and was thus behind, is possibly the world’s slowest. And I couldn’t be excused until EVERYONE was done. To an easily-bored child, it was agony.
Most evenings the 4 of us sit at the table and have dinner together. We talk about our days, tell jokes, have music playing (if a particularly good – or odd – song comes on we’ll all be quiet: “You’ve GOT to hear this one!”) After we all eat, we’ll have a Family Devotional. Fridays we all sit where we want, because the girls go to Youth Group so we don’t have time to have a leisurely dinner. Occasionally, some other weeknights are like that, but rarely. Saturday lunch the girls & I usually watch a movie together while my husband gets his lunch first then goes & takes a nap.
I always thought the best episode of “The Simpsons” was one from their first year, when Homer came into the living room to see Bart, Lisa, Maggie and Marge eating their dinner in front of the TV. He insisted they all sit at the table and talk “like a real family”! They ended up pawning the TV so they could get help from Dr. Marvin Monroe, who promised “Family Bliss, or double your money back”! The ending was pure Americana.
Dinner was at 5 every day. News came on at 6. No TV before chores and homework. But we mostly went outside and played with friends. No time for boredom. That was in the 60’s. early 70’sIt’s so different today, isn’t it?
The TV tray was invented, of course, as soon as the television became a household necessity. Like an indoor commode, every home HAD to have one. My mother, who ruled the roost, hated the thought of us sitting in front of the TV to eat, so we missed all kinds of good shows. They all seemed to come on at 6:00. One afternoon, my dad was late coming home from work. He was always home by 5:30 but this time he was not only late, but had arrived in a delivery van straight from Sears. My brother and I watched through the window as he unloaded a thin rectangular box, waved his thanks to the driver and headed into the house. Inside the box was a set of aluminum TV trays; a wonderful sight to behold. My mother conceded her fight and (depending on the show) allowed us all to eat dinner in front of the television. This was one of the very few times my father defied her. I thank Gunsmoke and Walt Disney for that one significant victory.
We don’t have satellite, cable or even an antenna. We have what we watch on DVD’s. I never have like tv. But we will watch Gunsmoke, Lucy, Andy Griffith, Little House, Walton’s, and Leave it to Beaver. Occasionally we own them on DVD’s.
I always served dinner at the table when my husband was home but sometimes when it was just the older boys and myself, we’d eat on trays in front of the TV. I rarely could stop and watch TV with them so it was a fun treat. If there was a show on TV that the whole family could enjoy at the same time and was appropriate for all ages, I think doing it during dinner would be great.
I feel sorry for all of you my grandmother was a good cook my mother was a better cook my wife was there a great cook I didn’t go anywhere but I ate like a king I sure miss her cooking
Every Friday we would get fish sticks and some kind of ‘slop’. We would put sugar on it. Many years later my brother told me he finally figured out what it was: corn meal (served like you would cream of wheat).
Mrs. Baines: Why don’t you have dinner with us, Marty? SAM! Stop fooling with that thing and sit down with us!
Mr. Baines rolls TV set into dining room
Mr. Baines: Ha ha, I did it! Jackie Gleason is on. Now, we can watch, while we eat!
Marty: Hey, I have seen this one. This is the Honeymooners episode where Ralph Kramden dressed up as the man from space. It is a classic! I saw this rerun.
Milton: What are you talking about, this is brand new! What is a rerun?
Marty: You will find out soon enough.
Toby: Does your family own a television?
Marty: Yes we do, two of them.
Milton: Two TV sets?? Whoa, you must be rich!
Mrs. Baines: He is only joking, sweetheart. Nobody owns two television sets.
We never ate dinner in front of the TV and when I got married I followed the same tradition. My kids, too, when they started their families, never eat in front of the TV. Nothing on TV is that important that a family can’t sit together for at least half an hour at dinner time once a day. Breakfast is always a rush, lunch is at school or at work, what’s left of true family time anymore?
Saturdays were always TV dinner night in my house. Simple meals you could hold on your lap while you watched “The Bugs Bunny Roadrunner Show” followed by “The Beverly Hillbillies.” Wonder who’s tastes were being indulged? Thanks, Mom and Dad!
Templo S.U.D. about 5 years ago
amusing altermatum in the end
howtheduck about 5 years ago
The final two panels are silent and show how a story can be told just from the art. In the second from the last, all the Pattersons have different expressions on their face, and you can see Elly’s realization that her insistence on getting her own way has made the rest of her family miserable. That’s a great lead-in to the final panel. Elly gets what she wants AND the kids get what they want. Compromise is a wonderful thing in families. Good stuff!
M2MM about 5 years ago
At least they are still in the same room and at the same eye level. :D
ffHFJM about 5 years ago
The last panel’s shaded like the strips from 2007. I really feel nostalgic for some reason :-)
retrocool about 5 years ago
‘is this it?" hilarious. my mom wasn’t the greatest cook and a few times I would ask “what is it?”
Enter.Name.Here about 5 years ago
We ALWAYS use to use TV trays in the family room. In the days of broadcast network television and no video recording ability, you watched stuff when it aired or possibly never get see it again, ever. If it’s a TV series episode, you might catch it in rerun several months later. A made-for-TV movie? Could go either way. I’ve seen some shows I didn’t see again for decades until I found it on Youtube.
But TV was FREE!
Jabroniville Premium Member about 5 years ago
I was the only kid I knew who had a mother like this. My friends, even NOW, view it as a tragedy that I never go to enjoy the “supper in front of the TV” like they did.
It was worse because I was a fast eater, and my mother, who already had to serve everyone and was thus behind, is possibly the world’s slowest. And I couldn’t be excused until EVERYONE was done. To an easily-bored child, it was agony.
AlanM about 5 years ago
Shades of the 1950’s and 60’s, Swanson TV dinners, and TV trays.
Wren Fahel about 5 years ago
Most evenings the 4 of us sit at the table and have dinner together. We talk about our days, tell jokes, have music playing (if a particularly good – or odd – song comes on we’ll all be quiet: “You’ve GOT to hear this one!”) After we all eat, we’ll have a Family Devotional. Fridays we all sit where we want, because the girls go to Youth Group so we don’t have time to have a leisurely dinner. Occasionally, some other weeknights are like that, but rarely. Saturday lunch the girls & I usually watch a movie together while my husband gets his lunch first then goes & takes a nap.
moosemin about 5 years ago
I always thought the best episode of “The Simpsons” was one from their first year, when Homer came into the living room to see Bart, Lisa, Maggie and Marge eating their dinner in front of the TV. He insisted they all sit at the table and talk “like a real family”! They ended up pawning the TV so they could get help from Dr. Marvin Monroe, who promised “Family Bliss, or double your money back”! The ending was pure Americana.
Billys mom2022 about 5 years ago
Dinner was at 5 every day. News came on at 6. No TV before chores and homework. But we mostly went outside and played with friends. No time for boredom. That was in the 60’s. early 70’sIt’s so different today, isn’t it?
jless about 5 years ago
Lynn’s Comments:
The TV tray was invented, of course, as soon as the television became a household necessity. Like an indoor commode, every home HAD to have one. My mother, who ruled the roost, hated the thought of us sitting in front of the TV to eat, so we missed all kinds of good shows. They all seemed to come on at 6:00. One afternoon, my dad was late coming home from work. He was always home by 5:30 but this time he was not only late, but had arrived in a delivery van straight from Sears. My brother and I watched through the window as he unloaded a thin rectangular box, waved his thanks to the driver and headed into the house. Inside the box was a set of aluminum TV trays; a wonderful sight to behold. My mother conceded her fight and (depending on the show) allowed us all to eat dinner in front of the television. This was one of the very few times my father defied her. I thank Gunsmoke and Walt Disney for that one significant victory.
Dixie Lee about 5 years ago
We don’t have satellite, cable or even an antenna. We have what we watch on DVD’s. I never have like tv. But we will watch Gunsmoke, Lucy, Andy Griffith, Little House, Walton’s, and Leave it to Beaver. Occasionally we own them on DVD’s.
arianseren about 5 years ago
growing up we had a one TV that swiveled. Dad put it where we could watch it from the kitchen
Grutzi about 5 years ago
I always served dinner at the table when my husband was home but sometimes when it was just the older boys and myself, we’d eat on trays in front of the TV. I rarely could stop and watch TV with them so it was a fun treat. If there was a show on TV that the whole family could enjoy at the same time and was appropriate for all ages, I think doing it during dinner would be great.
JudyHendrickson about 5 years ago
mine too!!
rlaker22j about 5 years ago
I feel sorry for all of you my grandmother was a good cook my mother was a better cook my wife was there a great cook I didn’t go anywhere but I ate like a king I sure miss her cooking
8ec23d5228da33aa2115003c92d0fe83 about 5 years ago
Every Friday we would get fish sticks and some kind of ‘slop’. We would put sugar on it. Many years later my brother told me he finally figured out what it was: corn meal (served like you would cream of wheat).
joefearsnothing about 5 years ago
If my memory serves me right, the original frozen meals were called TV Dinners. Does anyone else remember this?
paranormal about 5 years ago
The kids were going to give their food to Farley…
rebelstrike0 about 5 years ago
Classic lines from a classic film:
Mrs. Baines: Why don’t you have dinner with us, Marty? SAM! Stop fooling with that thing and sit down with us!
Mr. Baines rolls TV set into dining room
Mr. Baines: Ha ha, I did it! Jackie Gleason is on. Now, we can watch, while we eat!
Marty: Hey, I have seen this one. This is the Honeymooners episode where Ralph Kramden dressed up as the man from space. It is a classic! I saw this rerun.
Milton: What are you talking about, this is brand new! What is a rerun?
Marty: You will find out soon enough.
Toby: Does your family own a television?
Marty: Yes we do, two of them.
Milton: Two TV sets?? Whoa, you must be rich!
Mrs. Baines: He is only joking, sweetheart. Nobody owns two television sets.
1JennyJenkins about 5 years ago
We never ate dinner in front of the TV and when I got married I followed the same tradition. My kids, too, when they started their families, never eat in front of the TV. Nothing on TV is that important that a family can’t sit together for at least half an hour at dinner time once a day. Breakfast is always a rush, lunch is at school or at work, what’s left of true family time anymore?
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] about 5 years ago
And that is how it happened to millions of house holds.
Train 1911 about 5 years ago
Look like a very good meal
JP Steve Premium Member about 5 years ago
Saturdays were always TV dinner night in my house. Simple meals you could hold on your lap while you watched “The Bugs Bunny Roadrunner Show” followed by “The Beverly Hillbillies.” Wonder who’s tastes were being indulged? Thanks, Mom and Dad!