The Donna Reed Show

- Season 2

(1959)

Mary is excited to be included in a school play. Kenny is a classmate who also was accepted, but he dropped out since he stutters. Mary convinces him to remain in the play. Kenny stays, and is paired with Mary for a dance routine.

Donna & Alex fly to New York where Alex will give a speech at a medical convention. Donna is so excited for Alex that she cannot sleep. After going on excitement for a full day, Alex gives her a tranquilizer to help her get some rest.

After completing a newspaper quiz Donna learns she gets a perfect score for being thrifty, which impels her to become a spendthrift.

Doug is a new friend of Jeff's. Doug's mother praises Donna for having such a wonderful, perfect child when her child is noisy and impolite. Donna knows otherwise, so she invites the mother over to see Doug is the same as Jeff.

After a nervous couple have their first baby, Alex can hardly get any sleep or spend any time with the family because of their constant cries for help.

Mary wants Jeff to be more friendly with a girl so that she will have an excuse to meet her older brother. Jeff might be willing to do so - if the price is right.

New neighbors move in next to the Stones, and Jeff finds the man interesting. He tells his father all the great things the man can do, and Alex finds himself getting jealous.

A neighbor invites the Stones to dinner with a group of friends. She spends the evening bragging about the intellectual books she reads. Donna gets talked into joining a book club and has one week to read War and Peace.

Jeff complains the teacher at school does not like any of the students because she is so strict. Donna visits the teacher and finds she is actually afraid of the students as it is her first teaching experience. Donna finds a way to fix it.

Jeff's friend Phillip changes at Jeff's home after the football practices. Donna finds out and realizes Phillip's mother does not know he is playing football. The mother is afraid her boy will get hurt. Donna talks to the mother.

A new kid in town follows Jeff around all the time, no matter how many times Jeff tries to lose him. Donna wants Jeff to be nice to Walter. When Jeff & Walter try to join a club, the group denies Jeff since he is a friend of Walter.

Donna is upset with Mary and Jeff arrive home late and reprimands them. Alex comes home and it is all smiles for dad. Donna & Alex try to work out a plan for punishing Mary and Jeff without either of them seeming like the bad parent.

Donna is forced to accept a dinner invitation with a couple that neither she nor Alex enjoy. This causes an argument between them whether to go or not go, and they try to hide their fight from Mary and Jeff.

Mary is invited to a dance at a nearby college with a blind date, and she would have to stay overnight in the dormitory. The Stones agree, but only because they are going to drive her to and from. Jeff gets to go camping with a friend.

It seems as if all Donna's friends are complimenting her on having such a wonderful husband, and that she is such a lucky girl. Donna wonders if they think she is not good enough for Alex and that it was just pure luck she got such a guy.

Jeff's been causing problems lately, so Alex has a talk with him about behaving. Jeff's attitude changes, and everyone thinks it is because of the talk. However, Jeff causes a problem with a neighbor and is actually just feeling guilty.

Mary's friend Carol is engaged to Matthew, but does not want her family to know. Carol asks Mary to hide the ring and have her boyfriend's letters sent to the Stone residence. Donna and Alex start to wonder about Mary's secret and the mail.

David Barker has run away from his boarding school and returns again to the Stone family. David's father is getting remarried, and David is afraid he will have to stay in the boarding school instead of being with his father and new mother.

Stopped for an interview by a gimmicky showman at a grocery store, Donna makes a stand for women who often say they are just a housewife. Stay at home mothers are more than just stay at home people.

Dan, a friend of Alex's father visits the Stones and tells the family of his exciting travels. Jeff gets caught up in the excitement and wants to travel the world with Dan.

Friends of Alex and Donna's, who have only been married a few years, have their first quarrel. Donna helps Alice understand how to handle a quarrel. Alex tells Donna she should try to keep out of the situation, but then he helps Jim.

Donna's woman club is looking for a project. When they find the neighborhood children are playing in an abandoned building, the women decide to build a proper gathering place for the children.

Mary discovers poetry, and then worries that her mother and father lost their passion for life and things are boring for them. For a change of pace, Donna and Alex decide to go on a trip during a school night. It does not go as planned.

Jeff is promoted to editor of his school newspaper. His first editorial is to speak out against too much homework. It is a good piece, but the teachers do not think it should be published.

When it seems Mary and Jeff are not always doing their homework or chores, Alex decides to lay down the rules and make sure everyone sticks to them. Donna thinks the rules are a bit harsh.

Alex is invited to a wedding of his former college roommate who had some wild nights and lots of dates. Alex is also invited to the bachelor party. Donna is worried about what might happen.

Jeff is excited to try out for the track team and even plans to practice to get in shape for the tryouts. But then Donna finds out he has perfect pitch in music and thinks he should take music lessons and learn the trumpet.

The Woman's Medical Auxiliary host a dance event. While the dance was a success, raising funds was not. The Auxiliary decides to hold another event to raise money to pay for the dance. Donna decides to sell homemade pickles.

Mary's ski trip with friends gets canceled and she is disappointed. However, when an intern from the hospital visits Alex at his home, her mood lightens up immediately.

Jeff visits his uncle and aunt on their farm by himself. Donna is worried and misses Jeff so much, she goes to the farm as well. Alex and Mary have to take care of the house and meals while she is gone.

An old friend of Donna's comes to visit. She is now a well-known fashion designer, and about to marry a doctor. She wants to know what it is like to be married to a doctor. Donna thinks the life of a career woman is exciting.

Jeff wants an advance on his allowance to buy items for his latest project. When that fails, he tries borrowing from everyone. Alex finds out he owes a lot of people money, and puts Jeff on a strict budget until he pays everyone back.

Mary's friend Ellen is very smart at school, but plain looking. No one asks her out. Mary decides to give Ellen a makeover to show the boys in school that Ellen is just as pretty as she is smart.

Donna & Alex have different memories of how they originally met.

Donna's friend Kay tells her that she is pregnant, but to keep it a secret. Donna only tells one other friend, who tells another, who tells another, etc. Kay is upset because she might lose her job if her boss finds out she is pregnant.

A neighbor's child returns home for a visit while on break from military school. Since Petie was a favorite friend of Mary and Jeff, he visits the Stones. Petie is smitten by Mary's grown-up looks.

Donna purchases an expensive art object and is to tell Alex about it, so it gets hidden. When Alex's Aunt Lettie calls to say she is visiting, Alex says they have to put out her wedding gift. Alex finds the statue and puts it out.

A seemingly stray cat follows Jeff home, and the family votes to allow him to stay. Turns out the cat is female, and slowly brings her family of kittens into the house. Jeff & Mary give the kittens away just as Alex finds they are pedigree.