Barney could never accidentally fire his gun. (especially around Opie)

They could never show an episode where they are in church. (especially singing "Christian" songs)

Feminists would complain that Andy has Aunt Bee for a Slave!

Gypsies would cry racism and slander!

Gomer could never be told to "take that gun out of your mouth!"

It may be true no new show today would be able to show some scenes like you mentioned, but the AGS is at least not banned on TVLand or other independent stations that air it.

Other things that wouldn't be shown in any 'similar' show today [and it's probably almost impossible for that in itself-- a small southern town where the sheriff protects unlearned peoples' feelings more than anything else]:

There would be no town drunk who stumbles around saying funny things-- alcoholism as comedy is now 'unkosher'; in fact, that's why in Return to Mayberry, shot in 1986(?), Otis was sobered up and was the ice cream man.

There would be more black people shown. In fact, there are seldom any shown in the original series; unlikely for a small southern town. And when they are shown (as in "Gomer Joins the Marines" or the one where Opie's football team gets a black coach) no issue is made of race, which is also unlikely for the 1960's. But until All in the Family no comedy series dealt with the country's racial problems.

They might be shown in church, but only to mock Christianity. And the preacher(s) would be presented not as learned caring men, as in the original series, but as leacherous hypocrites. Actually the original series does touch upon some hypocrisies involved with church (Aunt Bee's concern about whether she and her friends should wear hats and makeup just because an out-of-town preacher is coming; Andy saying the minister is "dry as dust" to others but acts all respectful to his face), but no mockery of the church or its mission is made, and that would be the case now if the church was part of any episodes at all.

Arguably most significant, there would have to be more constraints on how a bumbling law enforcement person is presented. It's not just Barney's firing off his gun accidentally in the holster, but drawing it just because he sees a light on at night in a town shop, or definitely about overtly disobeying Andy's orders to not try his silly 'undercover' schemes and get cracked over the head by them. For that matter, it's hard to see any sheriff keeping his job if he kept someone like Barney on his "force"; nowadays a county would be sued repeatedly with a klutz who thought himself such a sharp officer.

Isn't it amazing what good 'ol political correctness has done over the years. It's true that the things mentioned here probably wouldn't be shown today. They wouldn't have time to include this stuff in today's shows anyway because there wouldn't be room for characters going half naked, having sex, talking about sex, having same sex kissing, and saying words that would have been banned on TAGS. Which show would you rather ban? I'll watch TAGS any day. By the way, this is not to jump on anyone here; I think you made some really good points. It just got me to thinking about how much our society has changed over the years.

I've seen shows that are on today that has been set in a church and music had been played. So I disagree on that one.

I wasn't even old enough to watch Andy Griffith when it first aired. I discovered it in college in the late 80's. I wish the shows of today were more like the shows of that time. I can't tell you the last time I watched a "current" television show other than sporting events.

Barney could never accidentally fire his gun. (especially around Opie)

Not today with school shootings and such, I don't think people nowadays take that to lightly different times.

They could never show an episode where they are in church. (especially singing "Christian" songs)

Obviously you haven't seen a any of the Shows on CW Monday nights. Also I have seen plenty of shows on primetime that showed people in Church, King of Queens, Desperate Housewives to name a few that didn't so much "mock" the Church but was fitting to the Character

Feminists would complain that Andy has Aunt Bee for a Slave!

She was the Opie's Grand Aunt helping to take care of him which was clearly outline. I don't think "feminists" viewed Aunt Bee as an "woman surpressed by her nephews Andy showed her respect.

Gypsies would cry racism and slander!

If they deem an episode racist & consider an episode a slander they have a right to complain the same as any other group.

Gomer could never be told to "take that gun out of your mouth!"

Gomer would never be told that because it would have been taken out of the script, again I know what you are trying to say but in light of all the shootings and such would you really believe that a grown man in the south would be that irresponsibale with gun loaded or unloaded in 2007?

back when the show was being made; Sheldon Lenoard and some others used to bring up the question about hardly any blacks being shown. But; if they did show them they wouldn't be able to show what it was really like for black people in a small southern town in the 60s. You know, seperate bathrooms, having to sit in the back of the bus, etc.


And this has nothing to do with it, but did anyone ever notice that they never mentioned the vietnam war; even though it was going on at the time?
I heard, though, that Aunt Bee may have mentioned it in a color episode. In one scene she's talking to a preacher and after he says something she says, "Just like that terrible war in Asia".

back when the show was being made; Sheldon Lenoard and some others used to bring up the question about hardly any blacks being shown. But; if they did show them they wouldn't be able to show what it was really like for black people in a small southern town in the 60s. You know, seperate bathrooms, having to sit in the back of the bus, etc.


And this has nothing to do with it, but did anyone ever notice that they never mentioned the vietnam war; even though it was going on at the time?
I heard, though, that Aunt Bee may have mentioned it in a color episode. In one scene she's talking to a preacher and after he says something she says, "Just like that terrible war in Asia".


Very few shows of the era mentioned the war. I don't think it was ever mentioned on Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C., and he was in the Marines!!!

I don't think it would be banned, but yeah, a lot of the scenes would be changed all in the name of political correctness and/or so called "tolerance".
And that would suck.

back when the show was being made; Sheldon Lenoard and some others used to bring up the question about hardly any blacks being shown. But; if they did show them they wouldn't be able to show what it was really like for black people in a small southern town in the 60s. You know, seperate bathrooms, having to sit in the back of the bus, etc.


And this has nothing to do with it, but did anyone ever notice that they never mentioned the vietnam war; even though it was going on at the time?
I heard, though, that Aunt Bee may have mentioned it in a color episode. In one scene she's talking to a preacher and after he says something she says, "Just like that terrible war in Asia".

I remember Andy Griffith saying on E!THS that he did not want any mentioning of the fact that there was a war going around during that time. He said that he wanted a fun wholesome show that would take everybody's mind off of the problems of the world. Boy did he deliver!

I remember Andy Griffith saying on E!THS that he did not want any mentioning of the fact that there was a war going around during that time. He said that he wanted a fun wholesome show that would take everybody's mind off of the problems of the world. Boy did he deliver!
I think that's what most of the sitcoms in the 60's did. I don't know if any of them ever mentioned The Vietnam War.

In that case, thank goodness for DVDs!!

Barney could never accidentally fire his gun. (especially around Opie)

They could never show an episode where they are in church. (especially singing "Christian" songs)

Feminists would complain that Andy has Aunt Bee for a Slave!

Gypsies would cry racism and slander!

Gomer could never be told to "take that gun out of your mouth!"

...and another thing that could probably not be shown today: My husband was given a DVD set for Christmas, and I noticed in one episode Andy lighting up a cigarette (which I had never realized before, though I am of the generation which saw this show in its original run)!

...and another thing that could probably not be shown today: in one episode Andy lighting up a cigarette

I agree. It's not likely smoking would be shown in a similar sitcom produced today. Andy smoked now and then and even had an ashtray on his courthouse desk. In Quiet Sam, Andy steps out on Sam's porch for a smoke, in the McBeeVee episode both Andy and Mr. McBeeve smoke, in The Clubmen episode, Andy tosses a cigarette out of a car at the very beginning of the episode. Other characters smoked: Otis had a cigarette in one episode, the Medicine Man smoked a cigar in Andy's house, Barney smoked a cigar, Malcolm Tucker, the Man in a Hurry smoked a cigar and tossed the live butt into Andy's lawn. I don't remember anyone smoking in the color episodes.

...and another thing that could probably not be shown today: My husband was given a DVD set for Christmas, and I noticed in one episode Andy lighting up a cigarette (which I had never realized before, though I am of the generation which saw this show in its original run)!
Yeah, I think Andy probably smoked only a couple of times total. He seemed awkard whenever he did. In fact I don't think anyone else on the show (except a bad guy maybe) ever smoked. Of course there were no blacks in Mayberry either (or illegal aliens).

The episode where a guy's house is going to be torn down for a highway, and they find moonshine in his basement. The chicken is supposed to be drunk but you can see fishing line around the chickens neck with somebody pulling it. The animal rights people would be all over that now. In the episode "High Noon in Mayberry" Andy keeps his gun on top of the cabinet and he starts to load it when Luke Comstock is coming. People now would call him irresponsible to do that with a kid running around the house. Feminist would be upset about "A Wife for Andy" when Barney parades the women around so Andy can take his pick.

Yeah, I think Andy probably smoked only a couple of times total. He seemed awkard whenever he did. In fact I don't think anyone else on the show (except a bad guy maybe) ever smoked. Of course there were no blacks in Mayberry either (or illegal aliens).actually; I DID see a black person on the show once. In the episode "CITIZENS ARREST" in the scene where Barney and Gomer are arguing and a crowd of people are gathered, there's a black person.

actually; I DID see a black person on the show once. In the episode "CITIZENS ARREST" in the scene where Barney and Gomer are arguing and a crowd of people are gathered, there's a black person.

Rockne Tarkington appeared in the 7th season episode "Opie's Piano Lesson" as the football coach.

You can't have a show that shows a southern conservative male in a positive light especially one who likes to hunt damn political correctness.

I didn't think of it back when this thread was newer and going strong, but Andy Griffith's show, Matlock, is probably a good example of what changes would be made to a Mayberry show today. I'm sure Matlock is classified as a drama, but it's kind of a tongue-in-cheek drama much of the time. But Matlock's partner, per se, in his law business is his daughter, the main investigator who works for him is black, and of course half, or close to it, of the police officers, prosecutors, judges, et al, are black and/or female and/or appearingly foreign. I know some of TAGS cast members appeared on the show, but I never really watched it enough to note their characterizations. I do know a running joke was about Matlock being so tight with this money for a high-priced lawyer; refusing to buy a sandwich if he thought it was quarter overpriced, and such. I don't know if Matlock was an avid hunter and shooter, if he had gay friends or relatives, or if he went to church or sang gospel songs, but I tend to think these qualities may have been shown at least once or twice.

There were black people in the episode "Barney's Replacement" when Barney's horn gets stuck on the car and the new deputy has to fix it.

I think the reason The Andy Griffith Show is so popular today is that we all wished we lived during that time. The world now seems so crazy. We have no idea what the future holds for our nation. We do not know who is going to be President, we don't know what group of people will be in charge soon and it is, well, quite frightening. The heart of America is dying and The Andy Griffith Show is like a moving postcard of a time long gone and a time that will never be again.

I'd give anything to go back to the 60s... the innocence of the time, that is. I sure like the conveniences and technology of 2008, however!

I'd give anything to go back to the 60s... the innocence of the time, that is. I sure like the conveniences and technology of 2008, however!


Really? You have you read books and seen documentries about America during the 60's have you? Trust me it was no more "innocent" then as it is now. The Andy Griffith show was a distraction to what was going on at the time. A good show yes but I wouldn't do history report based on it.

There was a part of the sixties that were like Andy. If you grew up in a small town, you would have noticed a lot of similarities. I remember being a kid even in the 70's, early 80's where we would do a lot of the stuff like riding our bikes all day long all over town and not worry about being abducted. We explored old houses, caves, cellars, whatever we could find to get into. We left our doors unlocked all day whether we were at home or not. We weren't afraid to wave down a car and hitch a ride into town. Small-town America did have a lot of similarities to the Andy Griffith show.

I live in a small town today and it is much like Mayberry. People are still friendly, crime is low, there's no such thing as a "wrong part of town," it's laid back, and so on. I wouldn't live in a big city if they gave it to me because I wouldn't want to trade those qualities away.

It may be true no new show today would be able to show some scenes like you mentioned, but the AGS is at least not banned on TVLand or other independent stations that air it.

Other things that wouldn't be shown in any 'similar' show today [and it's probably almost impossible for that in itself-- a small southern town where the sheriff protects unlearned peoples' feelings more than anything else]:

There would be no town drunk who stumbles around saying funny things-- alcoholism as comedy is now 'unkosher'; in fact, that's why in Return to Mayberry, shot in 1986(?), Otis was sobered up and was the ice cream man.

There would be more black people shown. In fact, there are seldom any shown in the original series; unlikely for a small southern town. And when they are shown (as in "Gomer Joins the Marines" or the one where Opie's football team gets a black coach) no issue is made of race, which is also unlikely for the 1960's. But until All in the Family no comedy series dealt with the country's racial problems.

They might be shown in church, but only to mock Christianity. And the preacher(s) would be presented not as learned caring men, as in the original series, but as leacherous hypocrites. Actually the original series does touch upon some hypocrisies involved with church (Aunt Bee's concern about whether she and her friends should wear hats and makeup just because an out-of-town preacher is coming; Andy saying the minister is "dry as dust" to others but acts all respectful to his face), but no mockery of the church or its mission is made, and that would be the case now if the church was part of any episodes at all.

Arguably most significant, there would have to be more constraints on how a bumbling law enforcement person is presented. It's not just Barney's firing off his gun accidentally in the holster, but drawing it just because he sees a light on at night in a town shop, or definitely about overtly disobeying Andy's orders to not try his silly 'undercover' schemes and get cracked over the head by them. For that matter, it's hard to see any sheriff keeping his job if he kept someone like Barney on his "force"; nowadays a county would be sued repeatedly with a klutz who thought himself such a sharp officer.

Andy did almost lose his job over Barney at least three times, possibly more.

There was a part of the sixties that were like Andy. If you grew up in a small town, you would have noticed a lot of similarities. I remember being a kid even in the 70's, early 80's where we would do a lot of the stuff like riding our bikes all day long all over town and not worry about being abducted. We explored old houses, caves, cellars, whatever we could find to get into. We left our doors unlocked all day whether we were at home or not. We weren't afraid to wave down a car and hitch a ride into town. Small-town America did have a lot of similarities to the Andy Griffith show.

True, I grew up in the deep South in the 1960s and the life depicted in Mayberry was quite realistic.