I've been watching some of them on ME TV for the 1st time and they're not too bad. Even though it's not the same with everything in color, no Barney and Opie being older but you get used to that. I just can't get used to Warren though. I can see why they dropped the character.

Did they ever say what happened to him?

I've been watching some of them on ME TV for the 1st time and they're not too bad. Even though it's not the same with everything in color, no Barney and Opie being older but you get used to that. I just can't get used to Warren though. I can see why they dropped the character.

Did they ever say what happened to him?

I read somewhere that forWarren was still on the force after the Wyatt Earp episode, we just didn't see him and that after Andy left, he stayed on as Sheriff until he died a year prior to the events of the Return to Mayberry movie. However if that's the truth, it contradicts Mayberry RFD, which said that after Andy left, Goober took over for Law Enforcement(one MRFD episode The Caper centered around why this was a bad idea)

As for my view on the color episodes, I think that the thing that would have made them better would have been for Aaron Reuben to have still been with the show. Bob Ross just didn't have the same eye for quality that Aaron did, which meant that episodes that Aaron would have probably axed got pressed in for production

Warren went to Wally's Filling Station for a bottle of pop. They were out of Strawberry Smash, so he left town.

I have set my tv to show the color episodes in B&W before. It doesn't change the episodes, but it does let one see them in a different light. I think sometimes I just automatically think the color episodes are worse, but if I see them in B&W, it just changes things a little.

I have set my tv to show the color episodes in B&W before. It doesn't change the episodes, but it does let one see them in a different light. I think sometimes I just automatically think the color episodes are worse, but if I see them in B&W, it just changes things a little.
I have tried that before, too. It does kind of help, believe it...or not.

I see TV Land will be airing the colored Andy Griffith starting today. I wonder how long that will last?

I see TV Land will be airing the colored Andy Griffith starting today. I wonder how long that will last?

I'm enjoying it for the time being. I've made a little goal of finding Mr Schwamp in all of the episodes he is claimed to appear. And those appearances are mostly in the color era.

It's surprising how brief and incidental some of those appearances are. Take "The Cannon" episode for instance, I just yesterday found him, after trying at least a half dozen times, previously.

I've still got to get: Otis the Artist, Aunt Bee learns to drive, The Barbershop Quartet, Don't Miss A Good Bet, Floyd's Barbershop, Barney Comes To Mayberry, Aunt Bee and the Lecturer, The Church Benefactors, Barney Hosts a Summit Meeting, Mayberry RFD, & Sam for Town Council.

So, TV Land's current focus is a help.

One of these days I still hope to find Schwamp in the B&W episode "The Luck of Newton Monroe", but I have looked and looked, with zero results, and I'm starting to suspect TV Land has cut that appearance out, to make room for commercials

Yes, TV Land really butchers TAGS much more than MeTV. And they rarely show the epilogue.

Aunt Bee Learns to Drive aired yesterday.

Local TV is showing the color episodes now, and they never show the tag scene. I just saw the talking dog one the other day. I figured Andy lectured Opie in the tag scene.

TV Land is probably showing them because it's summer--non-ratings time.

I just saw the talking dog one the other day. I figured Andy lectured Opie in the tag scene.
Goober plays walkie-talkie with the kids. He says, "come in FBI dog Spot". Then, the dog barks back to him. Love the color episodes.

Goober plays walkie-talkie with the kids. He says, "come in FBI dog Spot". Then, the dog barks back to him. Love the color episodes.

Today I saw Aunt Bee learning to drive, and Opie not wanting to go to a dance.

Poor Bee, having to learn on a standard transmission. Goober slumped over the wheel after the first lesson.

No Warren in either of these.

Today I saw Aunt Bee learning to drive, and Opie not wanting to go to a dance.

Poor Bee, having to learn on a standard transmission. Goober slumped over the wheel after the first lesson.

Maybe she should have used Andy's squad car.

I see TV Land will be airing the colored Andy Griffith starting today. I wonder how long that will last?

They only showed 2 or 4 color episodes but then stopped right?

They should show them all like they do the black & white episodes.

I read somewhere that forWarren was still on the force after the Wyatt Earp episode, we just didn't see him and that after Andy left, he stayed on as Sheriff until he died a year prior to the events of the Return to Mayberry movie. However if that's the truth, it contradicts Mayberry RFD, which said that after Andy left, Goober took over for Law Enforcement(one MRFD episode The Caper centered around why this was a bad idea)

As for my view on the color episodes, I think that the thing that would have made them better would have been for Aaron Reuben to have still been with the show. Bob Ross just didn't have the same eye for quality that Aaron did, which meant that episodes that Aaron would have probably axed got pressed in for production

That would be a lot of years to never see or even hear tell of Warren... I think he made an exit, but it seems there would need to be a Deputy on duty, stil think either Jerry Van Dyke, Don Rickles or Barney's cousin Virgil would have made good deputies.

That would be a lot of years to never see or even hear tell of Warren... I think he made an exit, but it seems there would need to be a Deputy on duty, stil think either Jerry Van Dyke, Don Rickles or Barney's cousin Virgil would have made good deputies.

LOL..Don Rickles would've been ideal to replace Barney as Deputy! He would've been different than Barney but still funny.

They only showed 2 or 4 color episodes but then stopped right?

They should show them all like they do the black & white episodes.

They were showing a couple colored episodes at the start of the block, then switching to black and white for the rest of the block. But I see they are back to all black and white starting next week.

They were showing a couple colored episodes at the start of the block, then switching to black and white for the rest of the block. But I see they are back to all black and white starting next week.

On MeTV they've been showing nothing but black & white Andy Griffith episodes. I've been watching some of them but check on all of their descriptions.

The few color episodes they showed were back in May.

Yes, TV Land really butchers TAGS much more than MeTV. And they rarely show the epilogue.

Aunt Bee Learns to Drive aired yesterday.

Just spent another half hour glued to the tube trying to find Schwamp in "The Luck of Newton Monroe"...didn't miss a second of the TV land broadcast.

And man.....either TVLand has cut that portion out, or it is a very very brief section of a couple walking down the sidewalk when Andy and Barney first confront Don Rickles working out of the trunk of his car.
But the passing is so brief, I don't see how anyone could positively identify Schwamp to begin with. Face obscured in part by a brimmed hat, visible for less than 2 seconds.

I see that my local library has the DVD collection, I guess I'm gonna have to check that out and do a frame by frame search. Like chasing a unicorn. :confused:

The older I have gotten, the more I appreciate the color episodes. Pluto TV appears to be showing all the color episodes.

I think the color episodes would do better if they were packaged differently. Attempting to show them in chronological order doesn't work. Pick the best episodes, they can be either clustered together as the best of the rest and use them in light rotation gently mixed in with the black and whites.

LOL..Don Rickles would've been ideal to replace Barney as Deputy! He would've been different than Barney but still funny.

Maybe, but I could see Don Rickles getting as annoying as Warren pretty fast.

The older I have gotten, the more I appreciate the color episodes. Pluto TV appears to be showing all the color episodes.

Agreed, the color episodes aren't as "cutting edge" as the early "golden age" but they do have a certain nostalgic charm, as I grow older.

Maybe, but I could see Don Rickles getting as annoying as Warren pretty fast.

Warren who??

Warren who??

I'm watching "Deputy Otis' from season 7 right now.

:)

My local channel is showing season 8 right now. Friday they showed the one where Howard moved to the tropical isle--for a few days.

I like most of the color episodes.

I noticed TV Land will be airing color episodes starting tonight.

I watched last nights episodes "Opie's Job" and "Andy's Rival". Thought both were really good episodes. Aunt Bee was funny in "Andy's Rival". Both would have fit in the BW years easily.

I'm a big fan of the color episodes. Without Don Knotts' brilliance they had to rely more on clever scripts and unique guest stars. Lots of great episodes in my opinion. But, when an episode theme was a dud there were certainly some bad episodes. Watching a season straight through I'm surprised that some of the color episodes I remember as bad are much better viewing after many years. 2 examples last 2 episodes of season 6 The Battle of Mayberry & A Singer in Town.

I agree about the color episodes not being as bad as I remember. There are some really great ones in the last 3 seasons. However, when they were bad they were bad. Even the BW episodes had some really bad episodes. Barney helped cover them up.

Pretty cool today too, watching Clara Edwards and the other old crows at the beauty parlor "gaslighting" poor old aunt Bee because they were jealous of her mink coat, and other prizes she won.

One of the reasons I like watching the color episodes is that it gives me a glimpse of what Mayberry would look like "in real life." Like, if I somehow traveled interdimensionally into Mayberry and would see it as a real place, I would see it in color.

I agree about the color episodes not being as bad as I remember. There are some really great ones in the last 3 seasons. However, when they were bad they were bad. Even the BW episodes had some really bad episodes. Barney helped cover them up.

I've always liked most of the color episodes. They always got a bad rap, even from the stars of the show.

In no particular order, my favorite color episodes are probably the following:

Big Fish in a Small Town - I like the premise
A Visit to Barney Fife - IMO the best color Knotts ep as guest
Mayberry R.F.D. - love the arrival of the Italian family
Aunt Bee, the Juror - memorable Jack Nicholson appearance
Goober Goes to an Auto Show - good characterization for Lindsey

The others I always enjoy seeing are the ones that guest-starred Ruta Lee, Whitney Blake, Arlene Golonka, Nina Shipman, Elaine Joyce, Nancy Malone, Alberta
Nelson, and Evan (Joanna) McNeil, all hotties.

, Arlene Golonka, hotties.

It's surprising to me what a "hottie" Arlene Golonka really was. I only knew of her as the decidedly milque toast Milliie in Mayberry...for years.

And only later in life learned to pull these character actors out from other roles they performed.

Golonka portrayed a very convincing hooker in movies staring both Henry Fonda and Clint Eastwood....va vaa. VOOM!

One thing I've noticed about the color era, is how the sets go through distinct color themes. First there is the green era, and later come grey as well as beige eras. And the Taylor household sports the very same shades as the courthouse.

Forces one to wonder if perhaps the good sheriff might be skimming off the county?

Hi. I am a newbie and am hoping some can help me.

I read thru all 249 episodes of the Andy Griffith show and I can not locate my all time favorite one.

Barney is renting a room in a house with a Maw and her two adult sons. They are crooks and they rob grocery store cash registers at night.

Barney tells them which if three sections of the city where the cops will be doing a stakeout, so naturally the robbers strike in a different part of the city.

Each day Barney comes home, the Ma and her sons trick Barney into revealing where that next stake out will be.

It is hilarious. Great writing.

This episode had to be in the first five seasons but I can not find it listed.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Floyd (Howard McNear) is given a lot of screen time in the color episodes. He was still cranking out some classic comedy despite his poor health. A lot of the lesser known color episodes I haven't seen in years so it's great seeing Floyd highlighted as in "Aunt Bee's Crowning Glory". Also the Opie the pest theme I hadn't seen in a long time. Where he spills the beans, or eggs on a situation much to Andy's displeasure. Andy & Opie tangle quite a bit with Andy trying to shoo him off. "A Singer in Town" is a great one for Opie the pest.

Well, TVLand appears to have gone back into a rotation of B&W episodes starting today.

That's disappointing. I was hoping they would continue with the rest of color episodes before going back to the beginning.

Normally, I don't care much for the color episodes, and have felt like I was being "force fed" them whenever TVLand would switch over to them.

But the last couple years they have so over played the B&W seasons, I was actually looking forward to a run through the color seasons...for a little break. Plus, I still have 4-5 episodes out of the color era thatI have yet to find Mr Schwamp.....So I was hoping to close that up.

But it never fails, whatever I want, that's what they won't do.

Free Pluto TV has a 24/7 TAGS channel. Appears the whole series is played through. My collection I bought was missing an episode and was able to use Pluto to watch it. Aren't any record FF or RW options. They also have other on-demand shows and more show channels. I use the Judge Judy channel regularly. Commercials little heavy not horrible. Will go pip on phone with mute. Might be an option for posters.

Well, it looks like TV Land will be airing the color episodes starting at 7:30 pm EDT tonight and all next week. It will be interesting to see how far they go this time.

Well, it looks like TV Land will be airing the color episodes starting at 7:30 pm EDT tonight and all next week. It will be interesting to see how far they go this time.

Agreed!! I hope they go the full run. I'm particularly anxious to see episodes from season 7 episode 16, and thereafter ;)

While watching season 7 episodes this week, I noticed Floyd appeared quite frequently, and not just cameos which were typical for him post-stroke. I also noticed his speech was sounding a little slurred, apparently his health was starting to decline at this time.

They must schedule episodes week by week, because the following week's episodes of all TV Land shows are just placeholders.

So we don't know if these color episodes will complete--they are in season 8 now, but I hope so--we'll know next week.

9/12/22. Saw season 8 color episodes on TV Land this afternoon. Haven't seen these in decades. Nobody ever shows them. Personally, I don't like season 6 with Warren. But seasons 7 and 8 are not bad at all. And I've been watching Andy and his mood in particular. In season 8 it's not bad at all. I've read that in many color episodes his mood is harsh and that may be in season 6 when Warren was there. Can't have been a happy time for him right after Barney left. Speaking of Barney, there's an old saying that everyone can be replaced, but not Barney Fife. He could not be replaced.

I've been watching the color episodes more closely than I have in years. And will have to concede that Warren appears in far fewer episodes than memory seemed to recall.

Warren's trademark "huh, yeah" bit got old real fast.

Right, he wasn't in many episodes--IMDb shows 11 (of 30).

Well, TVLandwise, it was a "once thru" run of the colored eps... they go back to season 1 after the season 8's conclude today

It may be that the the point has been reached that more of the younger set values color vs. black and white, than value episodes that include Barney.

If/when the ratings back that up, we'll see more color episodes for sure.

For me (but I'm old) they could run seasons 3 thru 8 and I'd be happy.

I missed the last few season 8 eps today so I guess it will be years before anyone runs them again. Drats!

For me (but I'm old) they could run seasons 3 thru 8 and I'd be happy.

LOL, your well known disdain for "happy go lucky" Andy is showing. ;)

My willingness to at long last "embrace" the color episodes most likely is a result of TV Land burning me out on the B&W episodes...which may have been their intent all along. Personally, I am far LESS a fan of Barney now than I was for the 50 years leading up to the daily 4 hour blocks that are the norm

Country-bumpkin Andy--a little goes a long way.

Ernest T., fun girls, Miss Lydia, the three wishes, the haunted house--all that great stuff came later.

I thought in the color episodes, EVERYONE was "meaner", not just Andy. Goober could be a bit of a jerk at times, I thought.... The 1 or 2 episodes Ernest T was in, he came off as a rogue kinda instead of a loveable hayseed who likes to bust windows. I thought the episode with the Darlings sorta brought back the feel of the b&w episodes... and Andy sorta reverted to his old self when Barney visited

I missed the last few season 8 eps today so I guess it will be years before anyone runs them again. Drats!

Fear not. The color episodes are starting again today on TV Land.

Yep, Andy sure is a lot angrier in the few color episodes I've seen so far.

Yep, Andy sure is a lot angrier in the few color episodes I've seen so far.

Yeah. His oft-repeated phrase to Opie, when he piped up with something, was (angrily): You got somethin' to do?"

And to Goober: "When I get thru eating my third (or whatever) spaghetti supper, I'm gonna come back here and I'm gonna kill you!"

I'm glad they are at least showing the color episodes. However, they keep showing the same ones that were just aired a few weeks ago. Show all 3 seasons in full.

I'm glad they are at least showing the color episodes. However, they keep showing the same ones that were just aired a few weeks ago. Show all 3 seasons in full.

I'm pretty sure they showed all of the color episodes a few weeks ago.

I'm pretty sure they showed all of the color episodes a few weeks ago.

I agree. I remember watching the last 4 episodes of season 8.

They might, however, skip an episode now and then...not sure why.

If they don't come out even before Nov., they'll probably skip some color episodes. I'm betting Nov. will be all b/w--ratings month.

I just saw the episode Big Brother from season 7. Elizabeth MacRae aka Lou Ann Poovie from Gomer Pyle appeared. She talked normally, no southern accent.

I watched the episode Howard's Main Event from season 8. It seemed like they just re-worked the script from Barney's Uniform from season 5. It featured Allan Melvin as Clyde Plaunt in a role very similar to Fred Plummer.

Am watching "Don't Miss a Good Bet" on local TV now. Andy's at his nastiest in this one.

"Dinner at Eight" is on next--he's really mean in this one--but it's understandable.

TV Land has been showing the color eps for a few weeks now and I'm enjoying them. Prefer seasons 7 and 8 to 6. Like it when Barney visits. The show was evolving and getting a little bit more modern by season seven. Opie was growing up. Wish more stations would feature the color episodes and that seasons 6, 7 and 8 would be released to DVD.

One thing I noticed, that Helen Crump is sooo untrusting of Andy's fidelity. She gets on my nerves.

TV Land has been showing the color eps for a few weeks now and I'm enjoying them. Prefer seasons 7 and 8 to 6. Like it when Barney visits. The show was evolving and getting a little bit more modern by season seven. Opie was growing up. Wish more stations would feature the color episodes and that seasons 6, 7 and 8 would be released to DVD.

One thing I noticed, that Helen Crump is sooo untrusting of Andy's fidelity. She gets on my nerves.
Seasons 6, 7 and 8 ARE on dvd and have been for years.

I see the color episodes on TV Land are wrapping up today. In time for ratings month.

One thing I noticed, that Helen Crump is sooo untrusting of Andy's fidelity. She gets on my nerves.

You're not the only one.

Am watching "Don't Miss a Good Bet" on local TV now. Andy's at his nastiest in this one.

.

I've watched all 26 episodes that Mr Schwamp is alleged to appear in, with the specific intent of verifying his presence. I've found him in 25 of those. "Don't Miss a Good Bet" being the exception.
I really think the bloggers documenting Schwamp have made a mistake on this one. I believe I know the segment they made their mistake in, there is a brief segment between Andy and Goober in the restaurant, and Floyd and Goober in the Barbershop....that shows the stranger walking down the sidewalk.....but that's NOT Schwamp seated on the bench.

I've even gone as far to track down a copy over at Daily Motion and watched it, out of consideration that TVLand might have edited the Schwamp segment out...but no go.
I don't think he is in there. :mad:

Seasons 6, 7 and 8 ARE on dvd and have been for years.

Thanks. I did not realize this. I'll check it out.

I see the color episodes on TV Land are wrapping up today. In time for ratings month.

Yep, you called that one, perfectly.

Listened to a 1½ Ken Berry interview from '15. It was very interesting. I listened mostly if he'd talk about TAGS, Andy Griffith, or his dreadful final 4 TAGS episodes finishing the series in season 8. Not a ton of TAGS talk. He played every thing straight and ultra positive. He said AG and Frances Bavier liked each other and got along which contradicts everything I've read. Clint Howard was on the interview series and said the opposite talking with brother Ron and father Rance. He said something I've never heard. In TAGS final episode "Mayberry RFD" the Italian family was supposed to stay on with MRFD but the network pulled the plug on the idea and went more TAGS cast. He did mention AG was very involved in overseeing the TAGS writing rewrites and touchups which Ken Berry said he wasn't in MRFD. He was about 82 at the time of the interview and still quite sharp.

Yeah I watched the last couple of season 8 last evening and did not care at all for the episode where Sam brought in the Italian family to the farm. Just seemed like fish out of water. Not a good fit for the nature of the program. I did like that Ken Berry was in the last several episodes of season 8. It made a nice transition to Mayberry RFD.

LOL..Don Rickles would've been ideal to replace Barney as Deputy! He would've been different than Barney but still funny.

I am a big Don Rickles fan and thought he was sort of wasted in his guest episode. I would have basically had Don's character be Don and have him make fun of everyone in town. Barney, Otis, Floyd, Gomer (or Goober whoever was on the show at the time) getting the Don Rickles treatment. Only Andy wouldnt put up with his follishness and puts him in jail with Rickles making fun of the jail, the hicks and Andy. "Make yourself at home Ang, spank your kid!" Andy "Now that's enough!"

On local TV this morning they showed Helen the Authoress episode. The funniest part of this episode is Mavis Neff! Telling Andy his lap wrinkles drive her wild! With Helen boiling in the next booth.

They needed to make more use of her.

I see the color episodes on TV Land are wrapping up today. In time for ratings month.

Well, I see they are going from season five right back into season one yet again... a third time thru since November first , without the color era now

I have a hard time watching the season one episodes with Andy's country bumpkin accent. And I think Barney was trying to do a southern accent. I guess I'll have to wait til they get to season two.

I personally believe that 4 hours per day is overkill. They have taken a show that I would gladly watch whenever it's on, and turned it into something I only use as "back ground" while tending other priorities, and only seriously stopping to watch when a personal favorite episode is running.

Me personally,..."bumpkin" Andy doesn't bother me all that much. I have considerable antipathy for cops in general, so early Andy's lackadaisical nature makes a nice "foil" for Barney being so full of himself.

In fact, I use the expression "Barney Fife" as a metaphor for "foaming at the mouth" zealotry among cops, when I find one who has gone a little overboard in the execution of his duties. In contrast, I find "Bumpkin" Andy to be a grounding rod of sorts.

AKA, the guy who is NOT trying to emulate Dragnet is the one who generally sees the light, slays the dragon, saves the day, kisses the pretty girl...etc

I re-watched a few of the color episodes recently. I found the production values on "Big Fish in a Small Town" (Season 7) were very good, like the aquarium shown for "Old Sam" the fish. There were some nice little touches in the script, like Howard's leftover potato salad being the bait that landed Sam. In other episodes, I like how the writers utilized Clara, singing "Some Enchanted Evening" from "South Pacific" in the church organ episode and playing piano with Opie's little rock band in another.

It's a little ironic that I tend to enjoy most the color episodes in which Griffith's role is anywhere from minimal to totally non-essential, despite this being his show -- so for me then with Mayberry RFD, his absence is not as damaging a change as it may be argued.

In other episodes, I like how the writers utilized Clara, singing "Some Enchanted Evening" from "South Pacific" in the church organ episode and playing piano with Opie's little rock band in another.



My opinion of Hope Summers improved as well, during the color era. To the point where when I find her guesting on other shows, I enjoy watching her.

My question is WHY don't more of the stations run the color episodes as a natural progression from the 5th season when they get to that point of the cycle? What do they have against the color episodes? Granted they're not quite as good as the original B&W, but still worth watching.

The color-era seasons of”TAGS” drew high ratings, with the final season ranking number one. And they were shown on weekday afternoons in the pre-cable network era along with the black-and-white ones. When did the idea that the color era series was inferior become “common knowledge”?

My opinion of Hope Summers improved as well, during the color era. To the point where when I find her guesting on other shows, I enjoy watching her.

I warmed up to Hope's appearances when she assisted Andy and Bee with Opie and his music group. Andy got over his grumpy self at the end and told Clara how much he appreciated her help.

This is just my opinion,, of course...but I believe that people are saying different things in their overall assessment of the show's color era.

For one, I suspect the "high ratings" enjoyed by the color era (and by extension the RFD era) were in part a result of the dedicated fans not wanting to let go of their treasure. Most had cherished memories stemming from the first 5 seasons, and continued to watch hoping to regain the magic.

But conversely, when people trash on the color years, I believe a part of that is the viewer registering their unwillingness to accept Warren as a substitute for Barney, Nurturing instead a view of the black and white era as "vintage Mayberry"....much the same as certain vintage years of wine is regarded as superior.

And, I think that pretty well describes me. I watched the color years back during the first runs, not wanting to "let go" of a valued part of my life.

But ever since feeling somehow shortchanged when "force fed" the color episodes in syndication.

And, being completely honest, would likely still feel that way, if not for TVLand "carpet bombing" the schedule with 4 hours per day these past few years. The variety presented by the color era has become a "hook" for me. YMMV

The color episodes (still offered a lot of humor) could of been called Mayberry RFD being a reboot after Don Knotts left. The actual MRFD could of been called The Ken Berry Show. It was such a poor spin-off.

The color TAGS episodes offered quite a few aspects I teally liked.

- Hot tempered Helen. We'd never have Mavis Neff (Elaine Joyce) or Floyd's (Howard McNear) hysterical comments about the home wrecker.
- Opie the pest. Ron Howard could spill the beans and be brutally honest at the worst time to create uncomfortably funny situations.
- Aunt Bee the pain in the neck.
- Brilliant Warren (Jack Burns) episodes.
- Andy put into uncomfortable situations (having a pretty much normal reaction) to make up for lack of Don Knotts. A lot of times this is wrongly called "grumpy Andy". Conspiracy buffs try to link this to Andy Griffith's personnel life.
- Lots of great Floyd screen time.
- Back stabbing Clara & Myrtle.

Interesting observation about Opie in the color years. Another funny episode in those years is Andy being forced into at least three spaghetti dinners (which no one could realistically eat) due to Goober's mixed up phone messages.

At Helen's, Opie joins the last dinner and recaps Andy's earlier lecture about finishing one's food, really adding to the comedy.

Re Jack Burns: as I probably mentioned before, to me one of Warren's best episodes is the sleepwalking one, where he becomes Romeo with Helen.

Another thing I missed in the color years besides the great Don Knotts being gone was the absence of Thelma Lou (Betty Lynn). I always liked her character and wish they could have kept her on the show but obviously with Barney gone it wouldn't have worked.

With respect to the color episodes, let's start on January 4, 2015, the day this thread began. Treky started the thread and based on his comments it appears METV was in fact showing the color episodes. So what happened? The network doesn't show them now, the only reasonable conclusion we can draw, significantly lower ratings. That was 8 years ago, so it's not that far back. TV Land has apparently been showing them recently so more up to date numbers exist, if we start seeing them on METV it would suggest the color episodes are now performing better, but if we don't...

The problem with the color episodes is simple, a lot of them are very bad and not funny at all. Also, and this is no small factor, the performance of Griffith is at times off the chart. He's way too intense and nasty in some episodes and other times seems almost bored. The show appeared to give up on comedy once the part of Warren failed to deliver. It became more slice of life oriented, telling light hearted stories with no particular desire to get laughs. The episodes are no where near as good, and the vast majority of fans just don't want to deal with them.

Another thing I missed in the color years besides the great Don Knotts being gone was the absence of Thelma Lou (Betty Lynn). I always liked her character and wish they could have kept her on the show but obviously with Barney gone it wouldn't have worked.

Interesting comment. I think there is some very circumstantial evidence that suggests the Thelma Lou character might have been written out of the series even if Don stayed. Many of the Warren episodes were obviously written for Knotts and adapted for Jack. The episode Girl-Shy in which Warren becomes a sleepwalker and makes a play for Helen stands out in my mind. The concept would have been a homerun for Don, this material is right in his wheelhouse, but I don't think it would have worked if Thelma Lou was still a character in the series. This is episode 15 for season 6, episode 17 is the high school reunion episode which to some extent is a reworking of episode 82, Class Reunion. They could easily have inserted an offscreen breakup of Barney and Thelma Lou and play these two episodes as written, maybe using that as an explanation for the sleepwalking. The writers would also have been freed up to do stories about Barney's hunt for a new love interest. Jack Dobson was once asked why were there so many single people in the series, his response, it makes it easier for the writers to develop story angles.

Don (Barney) was now carrying the comedy load on his own, the relationship between Barney and Andy had changed over the years. Andy had turned into a more serious character no longer engaging in the teasing and joking with Barney that was so much a part of the early seasons. Having Barney play the field would have allowed Don to bring comedy elements into the series that he could work without Andy needing to be part of the routines.

The Don Knotts b & w classic Barney episodes are TAGS best of the best. I always had an appreciation of some of the better color episodes. As the years have gone by I've grown to cherish most of the color episodes also appreciating the classic comedy they also offer. Especially with the demise of sitcoms (last classic sitcoms Seinfeld, Becker, King of Queens) the color TAGS episodes are pure gold. Andy Griffith's color episode's performances show a brilliant step in his comedic acting range. AG deserves a lot of credit for the quality of the color episodes after Don Knotts leaving.

Interesting comment. I think there is some very circumstantial evidence that suggests the Thelma Lou character might have been written out of the series even if Don stayed. Many of the Warren episodes were obviously written for Knotts and adapted for Jack. The episode Girl-Shy in which Warren becomes a sleepwalker and makes a play for Helen stands out in my mind. The concept would have been a homerun for Don, this material is right in his wheelhouse, but I don't think it would have worked if Thelma Lou was still a character in the series. This is episode 15 for season 6, episode 17 is the high school reunion episode which to some extent is a reworking of episode 82, Class Reunion. They could easily have inserted an offscreen breakup of Barney and Thelma Lou and play these two episodes as written, maybe using that as an explanation for the sleepwalking. The writers would also have been freed up to do stories about Barney's hunt for a new love interest. Jack Dobson was once asked why were there so many single people in the series, his response, it makes it easier for the writers to develop story angles.

Don (Barney) was now carrying the comedy load on his own, the relationship between Barney and Andy had changed over the years. Andy had turned into a more serious character no longer engaging in the teasing and joking with Barney that was so much a part of the early seasons. Having Barney play the field would have allowed Don to bring comedy elements into the series that he could work without Andy needing to be part of the routines.

Good insight here. I wonder why Andy Griffith changed in his character so much by the 4th or 5th seasons not joking around as much with Barney? Definitely in seasons one and two, Andy was playing it more the hick country sheriff (I didn't say not intelligent), just more country like.

Was there ever an explanation as to why Thelma Lou left? Or did she just kinda phase out the same time Barney did? If so, we might assumed they got married and moved away

I don't recall hearing a reason for Thelma Lou's departure. As you suggested, we'll have to assume she and Barney moved away together and of course married since this was 1965-1966.

I thought one of the later episodes when Andy visited indicated he was living at the Y.

I don't think Thelma Lou and Barney got married until the reunion movie. Is there a color episode where it mentioned that she got married? That could be the reunion movie though.
One reason I enjoy the color episodes is because they have played the B&W ones to death. I don't think they are better because I miss Barney but it is a nice change.

I think in the episode where they reunited at a dance, she told Barney she was engaged. It shook him up quite a bit, but after all, he had left town. That was probably in mid season 6 and was her final appearance.

Was there ever an explanation as to why Thelma Lou left? Or did she just kinda phase out the same time Barney did? If so, we might assumed they got married and moved away

I haven't viewed the color episodes in decades so I apologize in advance if any of the statements I'm about to make are incorrect.

I don't believe there were any references to Barney or Thelma Lou prior the episode "The Return of Barney Fife", nothing unusual about that in 60's TV. Barney returns to Mayberry to attend the class reunion, during the course of conversation Thelma Lou is referenced by Barney and Andy comments, "she left town right after you did". The viewer is required to fill in the details using their imagination concerning what transpired between the two of them given the information we were now just learning; one, they are not together; two, they had not stayed in contact.

Willbo said:

"I don't think Thelma Lou and Barney got married until the reunion movie. Is there a color episode where it mentioned that she got married? That could be the reunion movie though".

stevea said:

"I think in the episode where they reunited at a dance, she told Barney she was engaged. It shook him up quite a bit, but after all, he had left town. That was probably in mid season 6 and was her final appearance".

In the episode "The Return of Barney Fife" season 6 episode 17, Barney returns to town to attend a class reunion. In this episode we get an update on what Barney is doing now and what happened with respect to his relationship with Thelma Lou:

During the course of a conversation between Barney and Andy we learn that Thelma Lou left town right after Barney did. The viewer is required to fill in the details using their imagination concerning what transpired between the two of them given the information we were now just learning; one, they are not together; two, they had not stayed in contact.

Over the course of episode Barney gets excited when he's informed Thelma Lou will be attending the reunion, obviously hoping to rekindle the relationship. The viewer familiar with the relationship of Barney and Thelma Lou over the years, and familiar with the ups and downs of Barney Fife are of course hoping for the same thing. Part of the series folklore is that things somehow work out for Barney in the end, so the viewer knows where the story is going, the fun is watching how the story gets us there. At the class reunion Barney and Thelma Lou meet up and things seem to be going along fine, the viewer isn't tipped off that a shock is coming until Thelma Lou indicates she has someone she wants Barney to meet (I think Andy is standing there with him). Barney is commenting positively expecting sparks to fly when Thelma Lou returns and drops a bomb introducing her new husband! I think the audience at the time must have been shocked along with Barney.

This is without question my favorite episode of the color years. I think it's one of the best episodes of the series, and in fact one of the best episodes of any series in the 1960's. 60's TV was all about things working out in the end. If something bad happened to a character it was always in episode, resolved by the end of the episode, with the reset button hit in time for next episode. That didn't happen here, the audience was taken in a different direction and a real life lesson was learned, there are consequences for actions, and they can be negative consequences, and they can be permanent.

Willbo said:

"I don't think Thelma Lou and Barney got married until the reunion movie. Is there a color episode where it mentioned that she got married? That could be the reunion movie though".

stevea said:

"I think in the episode where they reunited at a dance, she told Barney she was engaged. It shook him up quite a bit, but after all, he had left town. That was probably in mid season 6 and was her final appearance".

In the episode "The Return of Barney Fife" season 6 episode 17, Barney returns to town to attend a class reunion. In this episode we get an update on what Barney is doing now and what happened with respect to his relationship with Thelma Lou:

During the course of a conversation between Barney and Andy we learn that Thelma Lou left town right after Barney did. The viewer is required to fill in the details using their imagination concerning what transpired between the two of them given the information we were now just learning; one, they are not together; two, they had not stayed in contact.

Over the course of episode Barney gets excited when he's informed Thelma Lou will be attending the reunion, obviously hoping to rekindle the relationship. The viewer familiar with the relationship of Barney and Thelma Lou over the years, and familiar with the ups and downs of Barney Fife are of course hoping for the same thing. Part of the series folklore is that things somehow work out for Barney in the end, so the viewer knows where the story is going, the fun is watching how the story gets us there. At the class reunion Barney and Thelma Lou meet up and things seem to be going along fine, the the viewer isn't tipped off that a shock is coming until Thelma Lou indicates she has someone she wants Barney to meet (I think Andy is standing there with him). Barney is commenting positively expecting sparks to fly when Thelma Lou returns and drops a bomb introducing her new husband! I think the audience at the time must have been shocked along with Barney.

This is without question my favorite episode of the color years. I think it's one of the best episodes of the series, and in fact one of the best episodes of any series in the 1960's. 60's TV was all about things working out in the end. If something bad happened to a character it is was always in episode, resolved by the end of the episode, with the reset button hit in time for next episode. That didn't happen here, the audience was taken in a different direction and a real life lesson was learned, there are consequences for actions, and they can be negative consequences, and they can be permanent.

Interesting! Yes, Barney missed the boat on that one. Thelma Lou was a great girl.

Yes, so true! Of course Barney always had a lit bit o' Juanita on the side.

I'd forgotten T. L. had actually married the guy.

oh yea, Juanita......Juanita.......Juanita......as Barney said on the phone once.

Was sure hoping TV Land was going to start with season 6 yesterday when the final episode of season 5 had aired the other day. But no, they start over at Season 1, episode 1. I love this show, but I also want to see more of the color seasons, particularly season 7, which was good.

Oh boy, season 1 again with country bumpkin Andy and "cousin" Barney.

Was sure hoping TV Land was going to start with season 6 yesterday when the final episode of season 5 had aired the other day. But no, they start over at Season 1, episode 1. I love this show, but I also want to see more of the color seasons, particularly season 7, which was good.

They'll probably roll them out again sometime after ratings month is over.

Was sure hoping TV Land was going to start with season 6 yesterday when the final episode of season 5 had aired the other day. But no, they start over at Season 1, episode 1. I love this show, but I also want to see more of the color seasons, particularly season 7, which was good.

MeTV has been running the color episodes, seemingly in order.

When is METV running the color ones? I only see the B&W ones in the evenings at 7:00 PM Central time.

I meant MeTV seems to be running the episodes in chronological order, not very long ago I saw the color episodes up to the final one, when the Italian family moved in with Sam Jones, then after that started the run over with the first (black and white) episode.

Unless they've changed this pattern, I expect it to repeat.

MeTV runs seasons 1 thru 5. They only occasionally run seasons 6 thru 8--last time might have been during a stunt for the Summer of Me a few years ago. Possibly the channel formerly known as Decades ran them. See next post though--that's possible. Here I know the alternate MeTV feed was Mayberry RFD for quite awhile.

TV Land occasionally runs the color episodes, but you never know when. Never in a ratings month though.

I imagine most stations that have TAGS in local syndication run them all. Here channel 4.2 runs them all in production order; 4.1 uses them as filler once in awhile.

“N/A” for my area….but isn’t it true that in markets where TAGS is shown on a local station, that MeTV runs only the color episodes?

I thought that I read that. Also I think “Mayberry RFD” was also running in that slot years ago.

cd

“N/A” for my area….but isn’t it true that in markets where TAGS is shown on a local station, that MeTV runs only the color episodes?


Not the case here, We've got a local station running the B&W, plus the TVLand blocks, plus METV running B&W

I think you're right and I misremembered the details.

One of my local stations runs AGS every day after the local news, at 6:30. This may be where I've been catching the color episodes, rather than the slightly later MeTV ones, from 8-9.

I'll take a look at Channel 3 WRBL today and see what's happening there.

I think you're right and I misremembered the details.

One of my local stations runs AGS every day after the local news, at 6:30. This may be where I've been catching the color episodes, rather than the slightly later MeTV ones, from 8-9.

I'll take a look at Channel 3 WRBL today and see what's happening there.

I think the last 3 seasons focused on character development which is why fans continued to tune in despite the absence of comedy and hijinks from Barney. Even a grumpier Andy didn't sour the fans. I think the great turmoil and a need for escapism pumped up the ratings.

I think the show did well capturing the small town squabbles like the statue for Seth Taylor and the church organ. Granted these story lines are mundane compared to funnier ones from the B&W classic seasons, but these stories eventually grow on you. I think Howard was a great addition after Knotts left the show.

Welp, still no colored Andy on TV Land. They are going back to season 1 tonight with country bumpkin Andy keeping busy with chicken thieves and what not.

Welp, still no colored Andy on TV Land. They are going back to season 1 tonight with country bumpkin Andy keeping busy with chicken thieves and what not.

Yep, I noticed that yesterday evening also. Damn shame. I have rarely seen the color seasons and really like seasons 7 and 8. Don't care much for the episodes in S6 with Warren. Nothing personal against him, but one just can't replace Barney Fife.

A lot of people don't like the Warren character, but he was in only 11 episodes, a little more than a third of the episodes from season 6. "Girl-Shy," with Warren, is one of the funniest episodes in that season.

Most of the time, for me, that Huh - Yeah routine got old really fast.

Yep, I noticed that yesterday evening also. Damn shame. I have rarely seen the color seasons and really like seasons 7 and 8. Don't care much for the episodes in S6 with Warren. Nothing personal against him, but one just can't replace Barney Fife.

Correct. Barney was one of a kind. I was wondering, after Warren left, was there any mention of where he went, like did he get another job elsewhere?

If I recall correctly Warren was never referred to again.

Warren's last appearance is the Wyatt Earp Rides Again.

There doesn't seem to be any more references about Warren working at the courthouse or being on patrol.

I think it's kind of sad because his "Huh" routine was greatly toned down and he was coming across as a normal character who belonged in Mayberry (not an outsider).

I am sure that the 2 episodes where Barney returned for the class reunion sent the ratings off the chart.

I wonder how long from Knotts returning did Burns know that his character was being written out of the show.

Warren's last appearance is the Wyatt Earp Rides Again.

There doesn't seem to be any more references about Warren working at the courthouse or being on patrol.

I think it's kind of sad because his "Huh" routine was greatly toned down and he was coming across as a normal character who belonged in Mayberry (not an outsider).

I am sure that the 2 episodes where Barney returned for the class reunion sent the ratings off the chart.

I wonder how long from Knotts returning did Burns know that his character was being written out of the show.

"Wyatt Earp Rides Again" was one of the worst episodes, hate to see that one when it airs again.

:)

When and why did it become the norm to ignore the colored episodes (https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/when-did-the-rebellion-against-the-color-episodes-of-andy-griffith-show-start.1174803/)?

When and why did it become the norm to ignore the colored episodes (https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/when-did-the-rebellion-against-the-color-episodes-of-andy-griffith-show-start.1174803/)?

Luckily for West Georgia and East Alabama, our local station WRBL TV-3 shows the complete run, one a day, at 9am.

They're back to the very early episodes again now but at this rate they're moving, chronologically, they'll be back to the color episodes by early 2024.

Luckily for West Georgia and East Alabama, our local station WRBL TV-3 shows the complete run, one a day, at 9am.

They're back to the very early episodes again now but at this rate they're moving, chronologically, they'll be back to the color episodes by early 2924.

We get them twice in Indy, daily at 8am/8:30am, WTTV 4.2, full run. Right now they just started season 8. The episodes are edited; one thing for sure they always do, is to remove the tag scene at the end.

As for why certain channels skip the color seasons, most notably MeTV and often TV Land, that's a good question. TV Land must have ratings data, but I'm not sure about MeTV, since they have never run the color episodes in prime time, unless there was some stunt involved like summer of Me.

We know Andy did not like them, since they were always given short shrift on retrospective specials. The only one I remember in a special was the full Dinner at Eight episode, since it was George Lindsey's favorite episode. I think that was in a WTBS (at the time) retrospective special.

I saw the episode "Opie and Mike" today on local TV--one of the few episodes near the end, where Ken Berry was introduced. Opie was 14 by this episode and he's playing the typical know it all teenager. Opie at his most annoying.

I saw the episode "Opie and Mike" today on local TV--one of the few episodes near the end, where Ken Berry was introduced. Opie was 14 by this episode and he's playing the typical know it all teenager. Opie at his most annoying.

True, if the series had continued with the Taylor family it would have no doubt have evolved into a bit of a Happy Days setting. Lots of episodes with Opie and his pals at the diner and so on.

Henry Winkler would have made a good deputy character, come to think of it.

I kid, I kid.

😃

We get them twice in Indy, daily at 8am/8:30am, WTTV 4.2, full run. Right now they just started season 8. The episodes are edited; one thing for sure they always do, is to remove the tag scene at the end.

As for why certain channels skip the color seasons, most notably MeTV and often TV Land, that's a good question. TV Land must have ratings data, but I'm not sure about MeTV, since they have never run the color episodes in prime time, unless there was some stunt involved like summer of Me.

We know Andy did not like them, since they were always given short shrift on retrospective specials. The only one I remember in a special was the full Dinner at Eight episode, since it was George Lindsey's favorite episode. I think that was in a WTBS (at the time) retrospective special.

Well, they're definitely not as "hip" and laugh out loud hilarious as the earlier black and white classics, as my friend Larry says, the color episodes are more "morality plays" often trying to make some moral or social point rather than the almost anything goes surreal humor of Don Knotts and the others.

The color seasons are awesome.

I just noticed TV Land is running the color episodes in the early morning. They are in S8 this week and will return to S6 around next Wed.

Don't know how long this has been going on.

10 Reasons Why the Colorized Episodes of Andy Griffith Show Sucked (http://juniorspacecadet-brainsquish.blogspot.com/2009/12/10-reasons-why-colored-episodes-of-andy.html)

And as a counterpoint:
The Color Seasons of Andy Griffith Show are Great and Here is Why (http://www.metv.com/lists/the-color-seasons-of-the-andy-griffith-show-are-great-and-heres-why)

https://www.metv.com/lists/the-color-seasons-of-the-andy-griffith-show-are-great-and-heres-why

https://www.metv.com/quiz/how-well-do-you-remember-mayberry-in-color

Could MeTV actually be thinking of showing the color seasons? This sure is a lot of publicity for them.

https://www.metv.com/lists/the-color-seasons-of-the-andy-griffith-show-are-great-and-heres-why

https://www.metv.com/quiz/how-well-do-you-remember-mayberry-in-color

Could MeTV actually be thinking of showing the color seasons? This sure is a lot of publicity for them.

The articles you linked are years old. One is from December 2015 (almost 9 years ago), the other is from April 2017 (over 7 years ago). I didn't have METV in those days so I'm not sure of this but I believe METV may have had the color episodes in regular rotation at one time. I thought the network might consider giving them another run by rolling them out in the extra Sunday afternoon slot that just opened up. The problem with the color episodes is the fact that there are so many bad ones. I think between 20 and 30 episodes can be culled out and put into a best of the rest package. If they were shown like that it might work.

I believe METV may have had the color episodes in regular rotation at one time.

I think there was a summer where they put a color episode and a Happy Days episode back-to-back in the always unsuccessful 6 pm ET slot.

I think there was a summer where they put a color episode and a Happy Days episode back-to-back in the always unsuccessful 6 pm ET slot.

They must have finally solved their 6 pm problem with MASH 4X.

I don't remember the 6:30 thing, but I do remember a pre-summer thing during May a few years back when they showed a few of them at varying times during the week, along with Mayberry RFD.