One thing that always struck me about the colored episodes was how they seemed to, for lack of a better term, contradict the B&W episodes. An example of this is Opie's girlfriend where the moral of the episode is that girls should pretend to be weak to make men feel better about themselves. This flies right in the face of the Season 1 episode Ellie for Town Council where it's shown that such an idea is stupid and that men and women are on the same platform. There's numerous other episodes like this in the colored seasons where a moral is given that greatly contradicts a better moral in the black and white episodes. It's almost as if the producers were scrambling for ways to make the show appear timeless and the best way to go about it was to be as ridiculously old fashioned as possible.

The show had an entirely different writing and production staff in that period.

I agree that the color episodes were not as funny as the bw episodes. However, I just finished watching season 5 and thought many of those episodes were not funny either. Barney was still there also. Seems like it really started in season 5 as not being as funny.

I agree, I boycotted the color episodes for years but when ME TV started showing them recently I decided to give them a look. All I can say is-I'm glad I boycotted them for all those years!

Yeah, the colors aren't really that good.
Very dry, dull & uninspiring, for the most part.

TAGS became a typical, ordinary, everyday average sitcom.

I think maybe the color years would have seemed better, were TAGS just another sitcom, and had the B/W years not been so incredibly awesome! The show had far to fall, and I think Don's departure hurt too.

I agree that the color episodes were not as funny as the bw episodes. However, I just finished watching season 5 and thought many of those episodes were not funny either. Barney was still there also. Seems like it really started in season 5 as not being as funny.

Interesting, I have access to all the seasons on DVD at my local library, and may bring season five home for research on this.

The show had an entirely different writing and production staff in that period.

It really shows.

I'm still annoyed that they changed Andy and Barney from the Class of 1945 in the black and white years to Class of 1948 during the color era.

One thing that always struck me about the colored episodes was how they seemed to, for lack of a better term, contradict the B&W episodes. An example of this is Opie's girlfriend where the moral of the episode is that girls should pretend to be weak to make men feel better about themselves. This flies right in the face of the Season 1 episode Ellie for Town Council where it's shown that such an idea is stupid and that men and women are on the same platform. There's numerous other episodes like this in the colored seasons where a moral is given that greatly contradicts a better moral in the black and white episodes. It's almost as if the producers were scrambling for ways to make the show appear timeless and the best way to go about it was to be as ridiculously old fashioned as possible.

Ellie was definitely a strong woman, lady druggist at that, as was Helen in the early years.

Shifts in politics could have influenced the show, which opened during the Kennedy era and ended in the early years of the Nixon era.

I agree that the color episodes were not as funny as the bw episodes. However, I just finished watching season 5 and thought many of those episodes were not funny either. Barney was still there also. Seems like it really started in season 5 as not being as funny.

Yes, TAGS seemed to start going downhill in season 5. Gomer was replaced by Goober who was not nearly as endearing. Several episodes were recycled from previous episodes (i.e Barney thinking Andy and Helen are getting married, Barney replacing Andy as sherriff, a suitor for Aunt Bee, etc.). Seeing Ernest T Bass, the Darlings and the Fun Girls brought back yet again was getting tiresome. And Opie was getting older and no longer the cute little boy. The season five opener with Opie falling in love with Helen? C'mon.

I don't get the anger directed at Andy Griffith the man, tags characters Andy Taylor, Helen Crump, and the color episodes.

If I had a choice between watching season 1 or any of the color years, I'd take the color years. I really enjoy most of the color episodes--which I know is a minority opinion--both Andy and Ron Howard supposedly dislike them, as it appears most fans do. So in any of the many clip show specials, they're treated as if they don't exist; one exception--in one special, maybe the TBS one, I think they showed the full "Dinner at Eight," George Lindsey's favorite episode.

I have no problem with either Andy Griffith or his role, but I found his portrayal in season 1 really annoying--from what I read, he disliked it too, thus the change in later years.

In the black and white years, I had no problem with Helen. In the color years, she was written as an eternally jealous, petty woman. So Andy was driven to lie--like about his innocent walk outside the cabin with his old girlfriend, or multiples lie about his visit with the female lawyer.

Season 1 tags is my least favorite. But there are some gem episodes.

Andy Taylor S1 country bumpkin clown didn't work well. Though it was vital to launching Don Knotts' Barney Fife's brilliance.

Helen Crump having a feisty side put Andy in binds which was Andy Griffiths forte in the color episodes. Even in b & w Helen had an edge which worked well. I think pairing her with sweet as pie Thelma Lou and not cloning the two was brilliant. Even so Helen was only a b a tiny percent of her screen time.

Color episodes have some stinkers for sure but also loaded with huge laughs. I enjoy Warren, Opie the pest, increased Floyd screen time, classic tv guest stars and so on.

I don't think characters in the BW years would've taken flying lessons, gone to Hollywood, hosted a TV show in her kitchen, hosted a U.S.-Soviet detente meeting in the Sheriff Taylor household, thought they had heard a talking dog, run a Chinese restaurant, stayed on a Caribbean island, etc.
The plot became too far-fetched.

Yes, TAGS seemed to start going downhill in season 5. Gomer was replaced by Goober who was not nearly as endearing. Several episodes were recycled from previous episodes (i.e Barney thinking Andy and Helen are getting married, Barney replacing Andy as sherriff, a suitor for Aunt Bee, etc.). Seeing Ernest T Bass, the Darlings and the Fun Girls brought back yet again was getting tiresome. And Opie was getting older and no longer the cute little boy. The season five opener with Opie falling in love with Helen? C'mon.

My local station showed the color episode where the Darling family return, this time ready for a shotgun wedding between Helen Crump and Rodney Darling, because the family spotted an owl just before seeing Helen.

Not a bad episode, just nothing really funny about it.

I don't think characters in the BW years would've taken flying lessons, gone to Hollywood, hosted a TV show in her kitchen, hosted a U.S.-Soviet detente meeting in the Sheriff Taylor household, thought they had heard a talking dog, run a Chinese restaurant, stayed on a Caribbean island, etc.
The plot became too far-fetched.

Exactly, not only far fetched, but simply not very funny, either.

I agree, I boycotted the color episodes for years but when ME TV started showing them recently I decided to give them a look. All I can say is-I'm glad I boycotted them for all those years!

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That looks interesting, thanks.