My World and Welcome to It

- Season 1

(1969)

In the pilot episode: We meet a cartoonist with a vivid imagination (deftly illustrated by James Thurber), who lives a fairly standard life in American suburbia with a wife, a child, and a house with the proverbial picket fence. After daughter Lydia complains her history lesson is dull and boring, John tells her his own take on the story of Generals Grant and Lee at Appomattox. Of course, Lydia shares her father's less-than-factual version with her class in school, her teacher schedules a home visit.

Lydia runs away from home feeling she is being treated unfairly. Her father allows it to teach her a lesson, but becomes concerned to see her seriousness.

John desperately tries to not be beaten by his daughter in a game of chess.

When Lydia's raspberry and asparagus-loving pooch dies, she thinks her father doesn't care how distraught she is, but soon finds out otherwise.

Lydia is sick in bed so dad Monroe entertains her with stories. The first tale is a did so Monroe tells a fable about a grandfather in the Civil War.

John quits when one his cartoons is rejected. Announcing he's going to write a book John instead fantasizes that he is in the world of high finance but finds out he is cut out for creating humorous drawings.

John feels his life has become humdrum after conversations with his wife and editor Hamilton. He daydreams himself into a world of secret agents, femme fatales and exotic locales until reality intercedes.

John is having trouble with a cartoon and calls on his writer friend Phil for assistance. Together they try to find humor in a water creature being inside a house.

John is fearful of his daughter Lydia's cat Dimity Ann and plots to get rid of the feline.

Monroe is bugged by his chief rival Paul Morton who charms everyone including Lydia and Ellen. Paul challenges challenges Monroe to a public demonstration of their humor to decide who is the best.

Ellen has to be away so she hires a housekeeper to take care of John and Lydia. She doesn't know that Mrs. Simkins is afraid of appliances which complicates matters for those at home.

John one ups Zeph, the local sage and humorous storyteller. Zeph decides to leave town and John feels responsible so he tries to disuade the man from moving.

John has a very low opinion of children's authors and is unhappy when assigned to work with a famous writer who has written a series of kid's books. Unfortunately, things don't go well.

John comes up short of his daughter's desired Christmas gift and returns home with a huge American flag. She proudly flies it, leading the neighborhood to gossip that the family is masking something.

A wife's incessant interruptions of her husband's humorous story at a cocktail party is the spark that ignites blazing combat between the sexes.

John encounters a young bully who doesn't seem to be aware of another way of interacting with people. John tries to figure out a way to show the boy a proper way to behave.

When his young daughter has nightmares, John Monroe eases her fears with a soothing story about their unusual ghostly relatives who filled their house with the creaks and odd noises that have been feeding her imagination. This program was inspired by James Thurber's famous short story, "The Night The Bed Fell".

Lydia has a disagreement with a neighborhood boy and lands a solid punch on the lad. Her father John tries to explain how humans have evolved from setting things with violence despite being provoked by the boy's bellicose father.

John is taken to task by his wife Ellen as she believes he has a communication problem with daughter Lydia. This is reinforced when John is called to school to talk to the principal.

Monroe is having a time of being stressed and overworked. When a beautiful neighbor Mrs. Bessinger moves in Monroe relaxes by indulging in mid-life fantasies.

John Monroe becomes busy discussing the shortcomings of wives with some other men. In doing so he forgets a luncheon date he had with his wife and tries to make things right with her.

When John starts a collaboration with the attractive Dorothy Carter, Ellen tries to quell her suspicions. But when she learns they are suddenly working in Dorothy's apartment Ellen's jealousy get the better of her.

When John is working Lydia's frequent interruptions slow him down so he chases her from his study. But when she accidentally breaks her arm he feels responsible. But so does everyone else.

John is upset when his editor Hamilton rejects one of his cartoons. To add to the insult, one of his submissions is turned down at his daughter Lydia's school by Patrick who runs the school paper.

Monroe is accused by his wife and editor Hamilton of being a woman hater with his cartoons as evidence. That disturbs him, causing him to reexamine his approach to his work.

Monroe breaks a picnic date with daughter Lydia and is bothered by her disappointment. He imagines 3 different older versions of Lydia and how their relationship evolved.