....at least we get to see what color everything was, LOL. I didn't like the color shows much though. When I was young, I always wanted know the color of the town. Can you imagine I Love Lucy being in color?

I wouldn't have minded one or two episodes being done in color to checkout things out of curiosity, but I still have to side with Andy Griffith that it took away from the laidback, "homey" feel of the town.

It's like the classic To Kill A Mockingbird - I don't think it would have had the powerful impact if it had been filmed in color. Sometimes the black and white feel is more effective imo

Goober really gets going in color. His girlfriend, Flora Malherbe, shows up in the color episodes. The town is fleshed out. Sure the B&W were better, but the color gave us three more years of watching Opie grow up, watching Andy and Helen, getting to know Goober, Flora, Emmett and Howard... and getting to see what Barney was up to occasionally. The B&W just aren't the same without the color eps to finish things up! :D

Years ago I read an article about shows filmed in B&W (It might have been about TAGS, I don't remember) and it mentioned that the color of paint used on sets wasn't as important as how it looked on black and white film so there might be doors and jambs painted purple or other unusual colors. In B&W all the other colors would just be different shades of gray.

The show did work better in b&w but I like to watch the color shows too in they just have a
more "real life" feel to them. It's nice to see
see everyone in color and basically good health
so you can almost pretend that's how they still
are. It seems they could all still be with us.
B&W always seems like we're watching the past
and we're looking back...but we know it's gone.
Color sometimes feels better and less like watching just a memory.

B&W always seems like we're watching the past
and we're looking back...but we know it's gone.
Color sometimes feels better and less like watching just a memory.

Good point!

Speaking of the color episodes, I mentioend Goober and his girlfriend Flora. Here is a tribute page for Flora:
Alberta Nelson as Flora (http://www.geocities.com/barbieintn/Alberta_Nelson_as_Flora.html)

Having "To Kill a Mockingbird" in color would defeat the undertow of racism prevalent at the time.

Some fans say they don't watch the color episodes, but i do. They may not be as good as the B&W ones, but i still enjoy them.

Years ago I read an article about shows filmed in B&W (It might have been about TAGS, I don't remember) and it mentioned that the color of paint used on sets wasn't as important as how it looked on black and white film so there might be doors and jambs painted purple or other unusual colors. In B&W all the other colors would just be different shades of gray.
I remember reading somewhere; once that in the black and white episodes of "THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN" Supermans cape, shorts, and boots were really brown because that showed up better on black and white film.

There is little doubt the color episodes don't quite live up to the B&W episodes, but they still have plenty of good clean comedy and good values. I like them as a continuation of the Mayberry story and characters, much as I do Mayberry RFD, also in color. :)

Flora
http://mayberryusa.yuku.com/