What many other reviewers don't understand is that this movie was intended to be tongue-in-cheek from the word "go." . The plot isn't important, and the acting is supposed to be overstated and corny. Unlike the pilot from a decade earlier ("Whatever Happened to Dobie Gillis), which actually tried to restart a sequel to the original series, this movie has no such aim: There were no plans for a sequel or a new "Dobie" series, and the movie is mostly an excuse for Dwayne Hickman, Bob Denver, and Sheila James-Kuehl to get together again and recreate some of the antics they did in the series. William Schallert returns as Mr. Pomfritt (and is actually playing the piano), and Steve Franken is there as Chatsworth. The actors who played Dobie's parents weren't present; Frank Faylen had died three years prior to the movie, and Florida Friebus was probably too ill to participate; she passed away a few months after it aired, as did the original show's creator Max Shulman.
Much content is inserted for the boomers to remember: There is a reference to Denver's "Gilligan's Island" when Thalia mentions rescuing Maynard from a desert island. Many things that happened and existed in the old series appear here: Maynard's aversion to the word "Work!" is here, as well as a collection of his malaprops, misunderstanding of situations, and overreactions. Several of the old routines Dobie and Maynard did are recreated here. As in the original, Hickman does fourth-estate monologues in front of a backdrop containing a plaster replica of "The Thinker." One bit you won't want to miss is Hickman's talk with his movie-son, especially his classic line: "The Birds and the Bees are about plumbing."
It's unclear whether Tuesday Weld was asked to appear as Thalia. In any case, it didn't happen. Instead, Connie Stevens took the role and managed to create a sinister (and slightly over-the-top) version of Thalia.
While this TV movie is hard to get hold of, you can view full-length copies of it on certain video sites, and if you're a fan of the old series, you won't be disappointed with this effort. Just ignore the plot and enjoy the people and antics.
