Ep 26. The Hungarian Curse

Oliver and Lisa Douglas have always been resourceful when it comes to making their farm in Hooterville a success. In season 3, episode 26 of Green Acres, titled "The Hungarian Curse," their ingenuity is put to the test when their crops begin to fail due to a mysterious curse.

The episode starts with Oliver and Lisa walking through their fields, noting the dry soil and wilted plants. Oliver is at a loss for what could be causing the problem, but Lisa suggests turning to their neighbors for advice. They visit Eb, who suggests using a fertilizer that he has been using successfully.

However, when the Douglases apply the fertilizer, their crops continue to wither and die. They try other methods, including planting their crops at night and asking local psychics for help, but nothing seems to work. Each attempt is met with failure and they begin to lose hope.

The situation becomes dire when it is revealed that the crops have failed across the entire town, not just on the Douglases' farm. The residents of Hooterville turn to Oliver for a solution, but he is unable to provide one. The situation seems hopeless until a visitor arrives in town.

A Hungarian woman named Maria appears in Hooterville, claiming to be a master of curses and offering to break the one that has been placed on the town's crops. Maria is unique, speaking in a thick accent and using unconventional methods to break the curse. Oliver is skeptical, but the panicked residents of Hooterville turn to her for hope.

Maria's methods involve using various artifacts and performing rituals that seem strange to the residents of Hooterville. Oliver and Lisa watch as she performs her rituals, hoping that this foreign woman will be able to save their crops.

The episode builds to a dramatic climax when Maria reveals the source of the curse: a previous resident of Hooterville who had been wronged by the townspeople. She had hexed the land in revenge and the curse had been passed down from generation to generation. Maria claims that she can break the curse, but only if the townspeople come together and make sacrifices to appease the previous resident's spirit.

At first, the townspeople are hesitant to make these sacrifices, but as they begin to realize the dire situation they are in, they come together and make the sacrifices that Maria requests. In the end, Maria's ritual is successful and the crops begin to grow once again.

"The Hungarian Curse" is a fascinating episode of Green Acres, offering insight into the power of belief and the lengths that people will go to when faced with a crisis. The episode's exploration of mysticism and the occult make it a unique entry in the series, and its message of the power of community is resonant even today. This episode is a must-watch for fans of Green Acres and anyone interested in exploring the power of belief.