Patty Duke Show, The (TV Series) (DVD)

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In 1963, 17-year-old Patty Duke took the stage to accept a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her dramatic and inspired performance as the blind Helen Keller in "The Miracle Worker." That same year, she cut loose--split, you might say--as a goofy, boy-crazy American teen whose demure, identical cousin from Europe comes to stay with the family. Duke played both a Gidget-type in Patty Lane, and a reserved, almost matronly young woman in cousin Cathy, with well-traveled character actor William Schallert as the father and Jean Byron the mother. Paul O'Keefe played little brother Ross, who was basically there for the cousins to react to and everyone to pick on. I'm sure he's in therapy now.

But seriously, the Sixties were a golden age for sitcoms, and in 1963 the top show in America was "The Beverly Hillbillies." Seven out of the top 10 shows were sitcoms. "The Patty Duke Show" finished at Number 18, ahead of shows like "Gunsmoke," "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color," "McHale's Navy," and "Dr. Kildare." Duke was a cutie and she had charisma--times two, in this show--so drawing a 23.9 share of the audience was really not surprising, given her Oscar star power.

It was a decent show, as sitcoms go, with Duke bringing a nice energy to each episode. What makes it an average sitcom rather than a superior one are the hackneyed plots that seem to be standard-issue for situation comedies: the comic adventures that come from having to earn money for something special, or a visiting tyrannical relative, a crush on a teacher, high school elections pitting family member against family member, or something borrowed turning something blue. Produced by William Asher (who gave us "Bewitched"), "The Patty Duke" show relies on the old formulas and hits some of them several times this season. That they're still entertaining is more a tribute to the cast and dialogue than the formulas themselves.

Thirty-six episodes are included on six single-sided discs, housed in three slim, clear plastic keep cases and tucked inside a colorful cardboard slipcase. Here's a rundown on the episodes:

1) "The French Teacher." Patty's grades are failing until a new, handsome French teacher tries to inspire her . . . and instead, gets her to fall in love with him.

2) "The Genius." Paul Lynde guests as a computer expert who goes from school to school testing for geniuses. And he finds one . . . in PATTY, who, alas, did a little cheating.

3) "The Elopement." When Patty and her boyfriend, Richard (Eddie Applegate), go to the license bureau to get a fishing license for an anniversary surprise her mother is planning, Martin's boss sees them and thinks they're eloping.

4) "House Guest." When an aunt comes for a surprise visit, the race is on to retrieve her gifts from storage and find places to display them. But when Aunt Pauline takes over the household, they're wishing the next gift she gives them is her departure.

5) "The Birds and the Bees Bit." Clueless Ross is invited to a dance by a southern girl, and Patty and Cathy try to teach him everything he needs to know about girls.

6) "The Slumber Party." Ross tape records Patty and Cathy's slumber party and uses it to blackmail the girls.

7) "The Babysitters." Patty goes into the babysitting business in order to raise the money for a new gown.

8) "The Conquering Hero." Patty causes a stir when she suggests the school's star basketball player move in with them to enable him to keep playing after his parents move out of the district.

9) "The President." Patty and Cathy run for president of the Girl's League, and things get nasty between them.

10) "Double Date." The switch is on as the girls try to pass for each other to get out of a tight fix.

11) "The Actress." The cousins become rivals again when the school puts on a performance of "Anthony and Cleopatra."

12) "How to Be Popular." Tired of being in Patty's social shadow, Cathy writes to a lonely hearts columnist for advice that turns out to be a disaster.

13) "The Song Writers." When Patty writes a poem to woo her boyfriend back from a rival and Cathy sets it to music, somehow they end up competing in a Jimmy Dean Songwriter Contest.

14) "The Princess Cathy." Cathy falls in love with an exchange student who happens to be a prince. And he proposes to her.

15) "Christmas Present." The family learns that Cathy's journalist father has been imprisoned on assignment abroad. Now Martin tries to figure out how to tell Cathy.