Should Barney and Thelma Lou have gotten married or not?

I think that Barney and Thelma Lou should have got Married

In the TV-movie "Return to Mayberry," Barney and Thelma Lou (whose first
husband had passed away) finally did wed. Better late than never, I guess.

I sure wish that Return to Mayberry would come out on DVD

it IS on DVD-but only availible as an "extra" with the box set of the complete series.

In the TV-movie "Return to Mayberry," Barney and Thelma Lou (whose first
husband had passed away) finally did wed. Better late than never, I guess.

I didn't know there was a movie where they got married. Thats pretty neat. Were all of the main cast in the movie?

I didn't know there was a movie where they got married. Thats pretty neat. Were all of the main cast in the movie?
I know Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Don Knotts, George Lindley, Aneta Corsaut, Howard Morris, Jack Dodson, Jim Nabors, Betty Lynn and Hal Smith were all there. Frances Bavier wasn't due to health problems (she passed a couple of years later).

^ That sounds like most of the main cast was in the movie. I can't believe that I didn't get to watch it.

"Return to Mayberry" featured no less than sixteen of the original cast members (which must be some kind of record for a TV reunion movie/special):
Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, Ron Howard, Hal Smith, Betty Lynn, Aneta Corsaut,
Jim Nabors, George Lindsey, Jack Dodson, Howard Morris, Denver Pyle, Margaret Ann Peterson, and The Dillards (as the Darling boys; Doug Dillard, Rodney Dillard,
Dean Webb and Mitch Jayne). Although she didn't appear in the film, Frances Bavier's voice was
heard when Andy paid a visit to the cemetery. I recall reading that it scored very high in the
ratings when it first aired (in 1986).

yea; it was NBCs highest-rated TV movie for that year (1986). They were going to make a sequel to it for Xmas; but; unfortunately they couldn't get everyone back. Also; Andy was just starting "Matlock" at the time and I don't think he wanted to revive Andy Taylor again. Also, even though Gomer was back, they didn't even mention his stint in the marines.

It's a shame they never did that sequel; that would have made a good Christmas movie.

There's a thread in this forum where a lot of people posted things about it.

you didn't acutally see them get married, though. It was just mentioned.



But speaking of that movie; I remember reading at the time that Ron Howard surprised a lot of "hollywood insiders" when he came back and revised Opie again; since he had just started his directing career at the time. But; I also remember reading an interview with him at the time where he said that he agreed to do it because; years before; when he left the show he said that if they ever did a reunion, he'd "drop everything" to come back to the role.

In the movie was Opie married? I really wish I'd gotten to see it.

[QUOTE=treky]you didn't acutally see them get married, though. It was just mentioned.

The wedding of Barney and Thelma was shown in the last few minutes of
"Return to Mayberry." In attendance were Opie, Andy, Helen and Gomer.
(There may have been others, but those were the ones in the photo that I
have from the movie.)

I really do not remember what happen in the movie

In the movie was Opie married? I really wish I'd gotten to see it.
I believe Opie was married and his wife was expecting...it's been a long time since I've seen the movie, so my mind is a bit fuzzy on the details.

no; you're right. he was married and his wife was pregnant.

Something I've always wondered about it, though. I wonder if Ron Howard was bald at the time, (like he is now) and was wearing a toupee in that? And if his moustache in the movie was real?

[QUOTE=treky]you didn't acutally see them get married, though. It was just mentioned.

The wedding of Barney and Thelma was shown in the last few minutes of
"Return to Mayberry." In attendance were Opie, Andy, Helen and Gomer.
(There may have been others, but those were the ones in the photo that I
have from the movie.)
that's right! (I haven't seen it in YEARS)

no; you're right. he was married and his wife was pregnant.

Something I've always wondered about it, though. I wonder if Ron Howard was bald at the time, (like he is now) and was wearing a toupee in that? And if his moustache in the movie was real?
I think he was losing his hair while he was still on Happy Days. So I do think that was a hairpiece, for sure.

In the TV-movie "Return to Mayberry," Barney and Thelma Lou (whose first
husband had passed away) finally did wed. Better late than never, I guess.


And this is ironic because in one episode (where they have the Mayberry High School reunion) Thelma Lou shows up with her husband. This of course devastates Barney, until he later is approached by a bond who said she always had a crush on him (the girl who played Goober's girlfriend).

Having characters marry really creates problems for the writers who have less material than if they stay single. Of course it seemed knd of silly for Mayberry (a small town in the 50- 60's) to have so many single men and women.