 He acted primarily as the narrator, and secondarily as the adviser to Stevens' Gracie-like character.The first episode involved the nearly 70-year-old Burns watching his younger neighbor's activities with amusement, just as he would watch the Burns and Allen television show while it was unfolding to get a jump on what Gracie was up to in its final two seasons.Again as in the Burns and Allen television show, George frequently broke the fourth wall by commenting directly to viewers.