Lassie - Episode #66 - "Bee Hive" - Season 3, Ep 1 - (9/09/1956)

A delightful, fun episode that begins the 3rd season of the Lassie series. Jeff and Porky have to come up with a project for the upcoming 4H Livestock Show, Ellen encourages the boys to try beekeeping. To help save start-up costs the boys decide to capture some wild bees after Lassie finds a swarm in the woods, and the boys plan to enter the hive into a local contest. All goes well until a wild raccoon gets into and wrecks the hive at the barn. Lassie helps by finding a second swarm, but that is wrecked by the raccoon as well, dashing the boys' hopes of winning the contest and paying back Ellen for her loan of the start-up money.
The quality of acting, the writing, the direction, dialog, and performance of all the main characters - including Pokey and Lassie - is exceptional. This was a wonderful opening to the third Lassie season that showed off the tremendous natural acting ability of the key players, especially Donald Keeler who really shines in the supporting role of Porky Brockway. It also begins to show more of Lassie's great training, acting abilities, and the wide range of funny characters the beautiful collie can assume.