The Partridge Family Episode #23
Welcome to my Partridge review. Today’s blog is all about The Partridge Family Episode #23. This episode originally aired on March 5, 1971 and is entitled “Not With My Sister, You Don’t!” This show is about a ladies man at school who Keith doesn’t trust to take out his sister. There are a lot of laughs in this episode. Read on.
The show opens in the high school boy’s locker room. Keith is shirtless. Yeah, baby. He just got out of the shower and is toweling off. Keith is bragging about his date with Linda. They went to a movie and then took a drive out to Muldoon’s Point. Keith’s friend is very excited that Keith could get a girl to go to Muldoon’s Point on the first date. Some other boy in the locker room starts talking about how Lester Braddock could do that without even seeing the movie first. This is when we first hear of Lothario Lester Braddock.
Keith gets home from basketball practice when Laurie come flying into the room announcing that Lester Braddock asked her out for Friday night. OMG!
Lester the Whore
Keith tattles to Shirley about how Lester Braddock is a ladies man, a charmer, a smooth operator, a Don Juan, a whore, a slut, etc. and how he shouldn’t go out with Laurie. Shirley tells him to butt out. Danny, meanwhile, is listening to the entire conversation while hiding in the corner reading the paper (probably the business section).
Cut to Laurie’s bedroom. It’s only Monday but Laurie is already picking out her clothes for her date Friday night. I like planning ahead too. Shirley walks in and suggests Laurie dress like an old maid for her date. Laurie wants to dress like a whore.
Partridge City
I know the Partridges live in San Pueblo which is a fictional city in California. In this episode, they talk about Lester Braddock transferring from Oakland High. They also talk about their next gig in Redwood City. Both Oakland and Redwood City are near where I live. It’s kind of exciting knowing that I live close to a fake city with a fake family who plays fake music. Yay!
Keith finds Lester at school reading a book under a tree. He goes up and introduces himself and suggests they double date. When Keith tells Lester that he’s dating Marcia (Brady?), Lester says the double date wouldn’t work out because he dated Marcia last week. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia. Lester says he didn’t really want to take Marcia out, but Marcia begged and threw herself all over him. Marcia is a whore.
FYI, Lester is played by Michael Ontkean who was a mild teen idol in the 70’s. He later went on to act in The Rookies, Slap Shot, and Twin Peaks. Michael looks a bit fluffy and like a giant compared to David Cassidy.
First Date
It’s Friday night and Lester comes to pick up Laurie for their date. He seems very shy and sweet. Shirley likes him. Who wouldn’t? He’s just a cute huggable teddy bear.
Keith and Danny decide to follow the couple on their date. They take the bus. How inconspicuous. Lester and Laurie finally lose the bus and end up at Muldoon’s Point. Lester is continuing with the shy act. He reminds me of Oz from American Pie. Lester and Laurie are having a nice conversation when Danny walks up and asks for a match.
Cut to the Partridge house. Laurie is pissed! She yells at Danny and Keith before storming upstairs. Shirley continues yelling at them the next morning. Danny is blaming everything on Keith. That’s funny. Laurie isn’t talking to Danny or Keith. Keith tries sucking up to Lester at school but he’s not talking to him either.
Keith finally talks Lester into dating Laurie again. He gives Lester a free ticket to the concert they’re performing that night. Lester and Laurie are going to go out for a burger after the concert.
The band performs “I’ll Meet You Halfway” and opens with Laurie playing fake piano. Shirley is playing tambourine while Tracy holds hers. Chris’ hi-hat is so far away from his foot. My poor baby is all stretched out trying to reach that thing. Who set up the kit for him?
Trivia
I’ll Meet You Halfway was The Partridge Family’s third single from their Up To Date album. It reached #9 on the Billboard charts. Groovy.
The next scene shows Shirley and Keith waiting up for Laurie to get home from her date. I love Keith’s robe. Turns out Danny is waiting up too.
Laurie gets home over an hour late. She had to walk home because Lester is a perv after all. He was all over her. I guess she hurt him. “He won’t be throwing any touchdown passes with that arm this year.” Wow! You go, girl.
The tag is of Keith being upset because he met the most beautiful and wonderful girl ever and she wants to go out with him. The problem is that she’s Lester’s sister. Oh no! The end.
I hope you enjoyed my review of The Partridge Family Episode #23. Please feel free to leave comments. I like comments. Check back in a few days for another blog. I’ll be back with your next Partridge review in a few weeks. Thanks for reading!