I discovered the show in re-runs on Nick at Nite in the late Eighties. It's smart, charming, well-written and performed. I love the way that Dobie breaks the fourth wall to address the audience directly; that was a fresh gambit at the time. The show is not without some sociological depth, either. As many have noted, it was one of the first efforts to capture the "new American teen," and also to go for the beatnik Zeitgeist, no matter how caricatural Maynard G. Krebs may seem. Socio-economic class is a persistent theme, in a light but telling way. Because why doesn't Dobie get all the girls? - he's good looking, neatly put together, and has charm to burn. It's the (lack of) money - his dad is a humble grocer, and he's competing with rich snots. Dobie is always scheming with ways to come up with more cash. But, and here is where he is morally appealing, what he won't do is try to fake being a rich type. That would mean, for one thing, dropping Maynard as a friend, and Dobie is loyal and able to appreciate people for what they are. The rich people in the series are constantly seen to treat others instrumentally, and Dobie Gillis is too genuine for that. Like him, like his friends - Maynard is non-negotiable. That is truly cool.
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