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Recap / The Odd Couple 1970 S 3 E 12 The Odd Father

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Felix's daughter Edna comes over for the weekend, but he can't manage to connect with her at all. On Oscar's advice, he tries taking her to work and then supporting her at a ball game, which ends in disaster. Can Oscar smooth over their troubled father/daughter relationship?

This episode includes examples of the following tropes:

  • Changing Yourself for Love: Edna gets a crush on one of the baseball boys, Billy, and takes up an interest in being an umpire to impress him. Felix tries to support her and blows it. Afterwards, Oscar tells Edna that he thinks the umpire thing was just for Billy's benefit, which she confirms and comments that it didn't work.
  • Commonality Connection: Felix and one of his clients, a little person, commiserate over how they have trouble connecting with their teenage children. The client tells Felix he just has to be there for his daughter and reassures him that he's not a terrible father for finding it difficult to know what to do.
  • Ignore the Disability: When Felix photographs a couple of little people and their non-little son, he develops a complex etiquette for Edna and Oscar for fear they might offend them. However, when the time comes to take the picture he shouts: "Everybody say 'midget'!", much to his horror. However, the father of the family actually appreciates Felix's work more after he's loosened up somewhat.
  • No Sympathy: A dual example. Oscar comes home exhausted from a long and exasperating flight to Felix brooding over his failure to connect with Edna. Neither of them is particularly sympathetic to the other's problem.
  • Parental Neglect: One of the boys on the baseball team actually envies Edna for Felix's awkward attempts to participate in her sudden interest in being an umpire. His father works long hours and never has time for him when he gets home. Edna realizes Felix bugging her by trying too hard is a sign of love.
  • Shout-Out: The title is a reference to the movie The Godfather.

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