View Full Version : Gomer Pyle USMC vs. The Andy Griffith Show


Jack Gomez
09-03-2014, 09:47 AM
I have both series on DVD and thought it would be fun to watch them in broadcast order. Going back and forth between the two I have to say Gomer is the funnier show. Once Don Knotts left The Andy Griffith Show it just lost a whole lot of it's humor and the replacement characters never were up to Don Knotts' level. The Warren episodes in particular were hard to get through and I found the Darling episodes to be hit and miss. Wish they had used Ernest T. Bass more. He was great.

Gomer Pyle on the other hand I find funny throughout it's entire run and that's probably do to the fact that neither Jim Nabors or Frank Sutton ever left the series. Both actors were hilarious and I have trouble at times deciding who was funnier. It's also harder to tell what season is what once it goes to color. I was surprised to learn one of my favorite episodes Dynamite Diner was during the final year.

I do love both shows, but one makes me laugh more. The Andy Griffith show was the classier of the two, but I guess I prefer the silliness of Gomer Pyle USMC more.

tlc38tlc38
09-03-2014, 10:42 AM
I like the Barney episodes of Andy more than U.S.M.C. but I like U.S.M.C. more than the episodes of Andy without Barney, especially the Warren episodes.

comedyfreak
09-04-2014, 04:59 AM
I liked both shows the same they had the characters in different situations.

Samme
09-04-2014, 08:36 AM
I'd rate the Griffith show higher for its b&w shows, although I'm not as fond of the first season. I didn't like Gomer's first season quite as much either. For color seasons, I think Gomer was more consistently funny. They're two of the most fun shows ever. Another thing they had in common was that Aaron Ruben ran GPUSMC during its full run and the Griffith show during the b&w years.

Zoneboy
09-04-2014, 10:45 AM
Gomer is my favorite but both went downhill when the color episodes started airing. My biggest gripe with Gomer is the addition of Lou Ann Poovie, I didn't mind the character so much but that voice Elizabeth MacRae used was very annoying. I've seen her on other shows including TAGS and she spoke normal so why not here? I'm also no fan of the Carol Burnett episodes. Warren , Howard & Emmett from TAGS were too boring and that stupid huh?, yeah, huh? routine got old quick. Both shows had their share of decent color episodes but for me the B&W years are the best.