Was Don Knotts the Key?????? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

hoosierelvisfan · 10-06-2005, 08:01 AM

I was watching the TAGS mini-marathon on TV Land yesterday and one of the episodes was also repeated again last night at 8:00PM. It was the episode where Goober has the accident and Aunt Bea and Floyd both convince Goober that he is sick and he ends up thinking he has whiplash and stays at Andy's house. I ended up watching it both times it was on yesterday and it caused me to reflect on this episode in particular but all the "later" episodes in general. As I was watching it, I thought that it was not really that good (IMHO) but then I got to thinking about if this same storyline was done during the first three seasons or so with Gomer instead of Goober, I bet the whole episode would have been much better. Was it a fact that Don Knotts and Jim Nabors were such good actors/comedians and after they left, the show suffered as a result?!? Personally, I think that the later episodes when they were in color were not really very good. They were bearable but they weren't like when they were still in B/W. I've always wondered whether Don Knotts was really the key to that show. I know that it was the Andy Griffith show but in some ways, IMHO, it was Don who made that show and not Andy. Any thoughts on the "later" seasons? On what went wrong in your opinion? Or perhaps some people think that the later seasons were just as enjoyable as the early seasons. What do you think?

Signed,
Respectfully,
Dutch

Americansportzfan · 10-06-2005, 03:08 PM

In my opinion, it was Don Knotts that made the difference. I think Andy would say the same thing. Actually, Andy has said that the show wasn't the same after Don left. The man won 5 emmys as Barney Fife and created a character that ranks in the top 50 TV characters of all time. I also agree that the episode you mentioned would've been done better in the earlier seasons. George Lindsey (Goober) just wasn't a very good actor. Don Knotts was the key to the show. I don't think there's any question. If it had only been Andy from the beginning, I doubt we'd be talking about the show today.

Eidolon · 10-06-2005, 03:30 PM

Andy Griffith admitted on a recent show that he (andy) was originally suppose to be the comedy side of the team but soon realized that would not be the case if they wanted the show to last...Needless to say, Don Knotts became a very famous second banana and the show was a success...If one ever has watched "Matlock", Don Knotts played quite often and Miss. Crump had an occasional role too as a judge..

talltideman@aol.com · 10-06-2005, 05:09 PM

Don was great as Barney. I may be a minority, but I like a lot of the later episodes. I really wasn't a fan of many of the early episodes that centered on Andy's romance with Miss Ellie, or a lot of the episodes that revolved around the jail. The episodes I really like are the ones that center around the town Mayberry itself. I always was fond of Floyd and Aunt Bea episodes. My top 20 in no particular order are.

1. Man in A Hurry
2. Sermon for Today
3. Up in Barney's Room
4. A Deal is a Deal
5. Fun Girls
6. Bargain Day
7. Barney's First Car
8. Convicts at Large
9. Gomer the Houseguest
10. Three Wishes for Opie
11. Andy Saves Gomer
12. Aunt Bee on TV
13. The Church Organ
14. The Ball Game
15. Aunt Bee's Crowning Glory
16. A Trip to Mexico
17.Gomer Pyle USMC
18. Barney Host's a Summit Meeting
19. Only a Rose
20. Opie the Birdman

The last couple years when Floyd had left, and a lot of episodes centered on Howard, Helen Crump, and opie as a teen were pretty bad. I think the show just lost that warm feeling , it became sort of cold, if you knwo what a mean. It is still a great show, and always will be my favorite 60's comedy.

treky · 10-08-2005, 01:34 AM

Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) said on "Inside TV LAND" a few years ago that some of the cast was against the show switching to color.

Mr. Television · 10-08-2005, 01:50 AM

Yea Don Knotts was the key but then so was Andy. They played well off of each other and when Don left it had to effect the show somewhat. I still liked some of the color shows but their's no doubt the black and white shows were better. And then they tried to replace Don with Jack Burns originally and that didn't work out. Don Knotts just couldn't be replaced.

Samme · 10-15-2005, 12:06 PM

Don leaving hurt the chemistry of the show with many of the characters. It seems they felt they
had to make Andy and Aunt Bee whackier to pick up
some of that slack. I think one of the main reasons the show was hurt, and people almost never mention it, is that Aaron Ruben left as producer
that same year for Gomer Pyle. He seems to have
been as important behind the scenes and keeping the show on track as Carl Reiner was to the Dick
Van Dyke Show. But he's never given anywhere near
the credit. It also seems the new producer brought
in a bunch of new writers and the old ones mainly
just returned when Don came back for his episodes.
Big mistake.

JeffRuss1972 · 10-15-2005, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samme

Don leaving hurt the chemistry of the show with many of the characters. It seems they felt they
had to make Andy and Aunt Bee whackier to pick up
some of that slack. I think one of the main reasons the show was hurt, and people almost never mention it, is that Aaron Ruben left as producer
that same year for Gomer Pyle. He seems to have
been as important behind the scenes and keeping the show on track as Carl Reiner was to the Dick
Van Dyke Show. But he's never given anywhere near
the credit. It also seems the new producer brought
in a bunch of new writers and the old ones mainly
just returned when Don came back for his episodes.
Big mistake.

That's very true, because if you look at season 5 eps, even though barney is still on the show, it did seem to be missing something.

showfan · 10-15-2005, 05:01 PM

I certainly liked the B&W episodes over the color ones. However, one can't overlook that the show was #1 for the first time during season 8, it's final season.

Brieannas21 · 10-15-2005, 05:07 PM

I think Don Knotts made The Andy Griffith Show, when he left the show just wasn't the same. I missed the way Barney would mess up but in a good hearted way. I think he's what made the show funny. Let's just say when the show turned to color those weren't the best yrs LOL.

JeffRuss1972 · 10-15-2005, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brieannas21

I think Don Knotts made The Andy Griffith Show, when he left the show just wasn't the same. I missed the way Barney would mess up but in a good hearted way. I think he's what made the show funny. Let's just say when the show turned to color those weren't the best yrs LOL.

Definitely agreed.

danpfd · 11-03-2005, 09:49 AM

Of course Don Knotts as Barney was the best... he was irreplaceable, but there many, many good color episodes without him, too. Bringing Howard Sprague in as a character was a very good move. I found him to be very funny in his own way. Especially the episodes when Howard and his over-protective mother (Mabel Albertson) are featured. Very funny stuff!

TV Watcher · 03-09-2006, 10:32 AM

Don Knott's leaving the show was a big loss plus Aaron Rueben leaving to produce Gomer Pyle was another factor , but I think what made a difference in addition was Andy Griffith who must have been tired with the show ... even with the charecter of Barney still on the show, by season 5 Andy's charecter is already becoming such a grouchy bore that he barely resembles that Andy Taylor of the first 3 seasons (the best ones) .

magellan333 · 03-17-2006, 12:56 AM

It seems to me that in the black and white episodes, Mayberry was a small lively southern town. Mayberry was full life and vigor when in black and white. When the show went to color, it became a sleepy little out of the way place. It made for some boring episodes. The majority of the action took place at Andy's home vs. at his job. There were a few funny moments here and there, but for the most part, the color episodes were dull.

SO Games 4 Us · 03-19-2006, 11:07 PM

The Andy Griffith Show definitely jumped the shark when Don Knotts left the show and seeing all of those new characters being added such as Warren, Howard, Emmett, Sam and Mike Jones, ect. By the seventh season, it felt more like Mayberry R.F.D. than TAGS. The earlier seasons were definitely the best because of Don Knotts. He made the show.

10-06-2005, 08:01 AM	#1
hoosierelvisfan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 16, 2003 Location: I do not like TV Land any longer!!!!! Posts: 467	Was Don Knotts the Key?????? I was watching the TAGS mini-marathon on TV Land yesterday and one of the episodes was also repeated again last night at 8:00PM. It was the episode where Goober has the accident and Aunt Bea and Floyd both convince Goober that he is sick and he ends up thinking he has whiplash and stays at Andy's house. I ended up watching it both times it was on yesterday and it caused me to reflect on this episode in particular but all the "later" episodes in general. As I was watching it, I thought that it was not really that good (IMHO) but then I got to thinking about if this same storyline was done during the first three seasons or so with Gomer instead of Goober, I bet the whole episode would have been much better. Was it a fact that Don Knotts and Jim Nabors were such good actors/comedians and after they left, the show suffered as a result?!? Personally, I think that the later episodes when they were in color were not really very good. They were bearable but they weren't like when they were still in B/W. I've always wondered whether Don Knotts was really the key to that show. I know that it was the Andy Griffith show but in some ways, IMHO, it was Don who made that show and not Andy. Any thoughts on the "later" seasons? On what went wrong in your opinion? Or perhaps some people think that the later seasons were just as enjoyable as the early seasons. What do you think? Signed, Respectfully, Dutch
	__________________ 24; Andy Griffith Show; A-Team; Avengers; Baretta; Battlestar Galactica (Original); Beverly Hillbillies; Bewitched; Bob Newhart; Charlie's Angels; Columbo; Dallas; Dark Shadows; Dukes of Hazzard; Green Acres; Kojack; Kung Fu; Law and Order; Mary Tyler Moore Show; MAS*H; Monty Python; New Avengers; Planet of the Apes; Prisoner; Reno 911; Sanford and Son; Simpsons; Sopranos; Starsky and Hutch; SWAT; Taxi; Three's Company; UFO; Waltons; What's Happening; Wild Wild West; Wonder Woman; Xena

10-06-2005, 05:09 PM	#4
talltideman@aol.com Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 27, 2002 Location: indiana Posts: 30	He was great, but many other wonderful episodes. Don was great as Barney. I may be a minority, but I like a lot of the later episodes. I really wasn't a fan of many of the early episodes that centered on Andy's romance with Miss Ellie, or a lot of the episodes that revolved around the jail. The episodes I really like are the ones that center around the town Mayberry itself. I always was fond of Floyd and Aunt Bea episodes. My top 20 in no particular order are. 1. Man in A Hurry 2. Sermon for Today 3. Up in Barney's Room 4. A Deal is a Deal 5. Fun Girls 6. Bargain Day 7. Barney's First Car 8. Convicts at Large 9. Gomer the Houseguest 10. Three Wishes for Opie 11. Andy Saves Gomer 12. Aunt Bee on TV 13. The Church Organ 14. The Ball Game 15. Aunt Bee's Crowning Glory 16. A Trip to Mexico 17.Gomer Pyle USMC 18. Barney Host's a Summit Meeting 19. Only a Rose 20. Opie the Birdman The last couple years when Floyd had left, and a lot of episodes centered on Howard, Helen Crump, and opie as a teen were pretty bad. I think the show just lost that warm feeling , it became sort of cold, if you knwo what a mean. It is still a great show, and always will be my favorite 60's comedy.

10-08-2005, 01:34 AM	#5
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou) said on "Inside TV LAND" a few years ago that some of the cast was against the show switching to color.
	__________________ the Clampetts are in a fancy Beverly Hills jewelry store. Granny points to a tray of rubies. Granny: "How much fer one o' them red diamonds?" clerk: "Madam, those are rubies." Granny: "OK ask her kin we buy one offa her." clerk: " The ruby I am talking about is not a lady." Granny: "Lissen, how she got them diamonds is her business. I'm just sayin' ask her kin we buy one from her."

10-08-2005, 01:50 AM	#6
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,128	Yea Don Knotts was the key but then so was Andy. They played well off of each other and when Don left it had to effect the show somewhat. I still liked some of the color shows but their's no doubt the black and white shows were better. And then they tried to replace Don with Jack Burns originally and that didn't work out. Don Knotts just couldn't be replaced.
	__________________ Sonny

10-06-2005, 03:08 PM	#2
Americansportzfan Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 19, 2005 Posts: 42	In my opinion, it was Don Knotts that made the difference. I think Andy would say the same thing. Actually, Andy has said that the show wasn't the same after Don left. The man won 5 emmys as Barney Fife and created a character that ranks in the top 50 TV characters of all time. I also agree that the episode you mentioned would've been done better in the earlier seasons. George Lindsey (Goober) just wasn't a very good actor. Don Knotts was the key to the show. I don't think there's any question. If it had only been Andy from the beginning, I doubt we'd be talking about the show today.

10-06-2005, 03:30 PM	#3
Eidolon Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 06, 2005 Posts: 33	Andy Griffith admitted on a recent show that he (andy) was originally suppose to be the comedy side of the team but soon realized that would not be the case if they wanted the show to last...Needless to say, Don Knotts became a very famous second banana and the show was a success...If one ever has watched "Matlock", Don Knotts played quite often and Miss. Crump had an occasional role too as a judge..

10-15-2005, 12:06 PM	#7
Samme Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 01, 2001 Posts: 676	Don leaving hurt the chemistry of the show with many of the characters. It seems they felt they had to make Andy and Aunt Bee whackier to pick up some of that slack. I think one of the main reasons the show was hurt, and people almost never mention it, is that Aaron Ruben left as producer that same year for Gomer Pyle. He seems to have been as important behind the scenes and keeping the show on track as Carl Reiner was to the Dick Van Dyke Show. But he's never given anywhere near the credit. It also seems the new producer brought in a bunch of new writers and the old ones mainly just returned when Don came back for his episodes. Big mistake.

10-15-2005, 05:01 PM	#9
showfan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 24, 2005 Posts: 163	I certainly liked the B&W episodes over the color ones. However, one can't overlook that the show was #1 for the first time during season 8, it's final season.

10-15-2005, 05:07 PM	#10
Brieannas21 Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 05, 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 9,792	I think Don Knotts made The Andy Griffith Show, when he left the show just wasn't the same. I missed the way Barney would mess up but in a good hearted way. I think he's what made the show funny. Let's just say when the show turned to color those weren't the best yrs LOL.

11-03-2005, 09:49 AM	#12
danpfd Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 02, 2005 Location: Philadelphia, Pa Posts: 8	Of course Don Knotts as Barney was the best... he was irreplaceable, but there many, many good color episodes without him, too. Bringing Howard Sprague in as a character was a very good move. I found him to be very funny in his own way. Especially the episodes when Howard and his over-protective mother (Mabel Albertson) are featured. Very funny stuff!

03-09-2006, 10:32 AM	#13
TV Watcher Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 28, 2005 Location: NJ Posts: 57	Don Knott's leaving the show was a big loss plus Aaron Rueben leaving to produce Gomer Pyle was another factor , but I think what made a difference in addition was Andy Griffith who must have been tired with the show ... even with the charecter of Barney still on the show, by season 5 Andy's charecter is already becoming such a grouchy bore that he barely resembles that Andy Taylor of the first 3 seasons (the best ones) .

03-17-2006, 12:56 AM	#14
magellan333 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 26, 2003 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 822	It seems to me that in the black and white episodes, Mayberry was a small lively southern town. Mayberry was full life and vigor when in black and white. When the show went to color, it became a sleepy little out of the way place. It made for some boring episodes. The majority of the action took place at Andy's home vs. at his job. There were a few funny moments here and there, but for the most part, the color episodes were dull.

03-19-2006, 11:07 PM	#15
SO Games 4 Us Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 24, 2004 Posts: 274	The Andy Griffith Show definitely jumped the shark when Don Knotts left the show and seeing all of those new characters being added such as Warren, Howard, Emmett, Sam and Mike Jones, ect. By the seventh season, it felt more like Mayberry R.F.D. than TAGS. The earlier seasons were definitely the best because of Don Knotts. He made the show.