Alan Reed Jr. makes his second of three appearances as eccentric Beat Generation painter Sheldon Epps (preceded by "Clampett A-Go-Go"). Epps is a stereotypical bearded Beatnik hipster in a dirty sweatshirt similar to Maynard G. Krebs from "Dobie Gillis". He needs rent money ("green, bread, lettuce to feed the kitty") from the Clampetts but, once again they are confused by his slang-filled expressions and take him literally. Epps and four beatnik friends live in a dingy basement rented out by Mr. Drysdale. It has that typical East Village coffee- house look with a jukebox and surreal paintings on the walls done by Epps.
Reed dominates this episode and his hep-cat jive-talk expressions are amusing. ("May the saxophone of life only blow you cool notes.") Jethro and Elly go to "Cool School" and become pseudo-beats. Jethro changes into some worn-out clothes ("cool threads") and tries to use hipster expressions. Two years later he will fail in similar fashion to adopt the hippie and protest student ethos.
The Clampett family is tolerant and accepting of this band of kooks and joins them in a swinging music session in their basement crash pad. Even stuffy Drysdale is forced to go along and dances with Mrs. Hathaway. Epps and his friends will return later in the season in "Cool School Is Out". All in all, the Sheldon Epps trilogy serves as a cultural time capsule for 1965.
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