After the second episode, it was never mentioned again. Barney always called Andy his friend after that.

Originally posted by nerrad
After the second episode, it was never mentioned again. Barney always called Andy his friend after that.

I noticed that and wondered the same thing! Lolac
:eek:

I think I read somewhere that the writers didn't like the idea of Andy and Barney being cousins after the first few episodes and decided to play it down after that. They wanted to show them as "best friends" rather than family members. It made their relationship much more meaningful in the long run.

I think around the third season Barney said they'd been hanging around together since the fourth grade.:)

Maybe the issue of nepotism was the reason they decided to drop it.

Not cousins. It was put in an early episode for the benefit of one joke, but later dropped because the whole idea behind Andy and Barney became their friendship. Not us thinking they were close because they were cousins.

So this is the same episode where Barney's mother shows up, also?

I am glad they were not cousins after all.

In the fourth season's "Andy and Opie's Pal" Opie becomes jealous of his new friend Trey. During dinner Andy and Barney talk about becoming friends in the fourth grade. I think that was meant to really explain the beginning of their friendship and replace that hastily done cousin bit from the first season.

All I remember about Barney's mother showing up is it was an early season, probably the first, and her line "But, Barney, I'm your mother."

So this is the same episode where Barney's mother shows up, also?

Yes, it was season 1 episode 2 The Manhunt in which Barney is stopping and frisking motorists, including the mayor and his mother.

I wonder why Barney's mother never appeared in any other episodes?

they made Andy and Barney cousins at first as sort of an inside joke because sometimes in small southern towns in the early 60s family members would sometimes work together. But after or 4 times they realized the joke wasn't working so ..they dropped it.