So, why the title? I am a lifelong fan of the Andy Griffith Show. Watched it as a kid with my dad and still watch the reruns regularly, although I often hate the way that TV Land edits. Other stations used to just delete the "tag" scene at the end of the show. TV Land keeps the tag, but deletes random scenes which I'm sure they believe are inconsequential to the plot line. But they often delete key memorable phrases. Last night, I watched an episode about a cow thief. Andy suspects that a near sighted vagrant was putting shoes on the cows to disguise his tracks. The mayor insists that Barney leave Andy and help him patrol the city even though Andy set a trap for the vagrant with a local bull. Barney decides to stay with Andy, despite Andy's suggestion that his suspicion might indeed be hair brained. The memorable line: Barney says "I got to thinking that a previous mayor accused you of having a hair brained idea once before. Remember? When you hired me?" This is a moment that makes the character of Barney real notwithstanding his frequent displays of idiocy. In my view, it is the pivotal moment in the episode.
Another key moment usually deleted: Barney's rationalization (brilliantly portrayed by Don Knotts) that giraffes are selfish in the episode titled "Dogs, Dogs, Dogs."
Will post more comments over time regarding my view that this show is the best conceived, produced, directed, and acted series that commercial TV has ever provided.
Was Barney a virgin? The same regarding Don Knotts, himself?
ReplyDeleteDid Andy ever carry a firearm?
What is the single greatest episode and why?
Why is Andy Griffith such a dick in real life?