The plot of “The Donna Reed Show” usually revolved around the dynamics of the middle-class American family. This was not extraordinary at that time — it was the ’60s after all, and the show had a rather revolutionizing approach to introducing new takes on varied subjects and specific characteristics of the family members.
The episodes included controversial and sensitive topics as well, subjects no other mainstream media outlet dared to touch. Some of these issues included freedom of the press and women’s rights. Because of this, the show is seen as one that helps bring these important issues into the living rooms of Americans and people around the world.
Time for Family
Donna was looking for a way out, as she had very little time for her family and personal life, but what Donna really liked about the new contract was the fact that she needed to provide fewer episodes per year. Her first contract demanded most of her time and frankly, she was left exhausted.
So in 1963, Fabares left the show, as her character went off to college. But instead of ending the show then, they continued by introducing Paul Petersen’s younger sister, Patty Petersen, as an adopted daughter Trisha. "The Donna Reed Show" went on and remained as successful as it was before.
Exploring New Ground
In the 1950s and 1960s, the topic of adoption was something that had rarely been explored on television shows, especially not on sitcoms. But "The Donna Reed Show" was a trendsetter and even during its first airing, it became one of the first television series that touched on this theme.
Fabares' regular character, Mary, had to go off to college, as was logical for someone her age, but that didn't been Donna wouldn't do something about that emptying nest. The family then adopted Trisha the orphan, played by actress Patty Petersen. With Trisha, they were able to bring in new storylines that involved her adoption. Trisha stayed on the show for the remainder of its run.
The Stateless Hilldale, USA
In "The Donna Reed Show", Donna’s family lives in a town called Hilldale. The producers and writers of the show deemed the location stateless, probably to avoid leaving the impression on the audience that the family on the show was real. So while there exists a Hilldale in a few states, we don't know which one exactly was the family's hometown.
At no point during the show was it revealed which state, or even which area of the country, Hilldale is located. The producers and the writers were also very careful to not include clues in the show’s shooting location that would reveal a specific place or location for the family.
Donna Reed Was No Pushover
It wasn't the writers’ decision to depict Donna Stone as a tough and independent character, Donna Reed herself possessed these characteristics. One example of her strong character was when she joined the cast of the show "Dallas", playing the role of Miss Ellie Ewing who was formerly played by Barbara Bel Geddes.
In a very unprofessional manner, producers reinstated Bel Geddes to her original role in the next season. This meant that Donna Reed was fired for no good reason, which was a breach of her contract. Understandably, Reed became furious with the studio and sued them, and eventually won a seven-figure settlement. Bravo!