I always thought the saddest episode was “Opies Charity”. He was scolded by Andy for not putting money in the church collection plate because he was saving money to buy Charlotte a coat because hers was looking thread worn and her family was poor.
My favorite episode after the First season Christmas episode. The writing during the banter between Opie and Andy about "half a boy" was brilliant and a highlight for the series. These shows were examples for Americans in suburbia. Lessons for kids to follow to know right from wrong. And occasionally they would be lessons for parents as well. Don't prejudge your kids before you know all the facts. Andy was given this lesson a few times during different episodes. The Mister McBeeve episode was another that comes to mind.
Personally, I think the episode where Opie kills the mama bird is the saddest episode. I never make it through that one dry eyed. The reunion episode is more cathartic than sad - bullies get theirs in the end. Just one gal's thought...
Did Barney expect Thelma Lou to wait for him after he moved away to Raleigh? She had to get on with her life. However, Thelma Lou's marriage was short and she and Barney would tie the knot in "Return to Mayberry" in 1986.
@@jdsundstrom do you think the writers of "Return To Mayberry" wrote in that divorce BECAUSE fans were not happy that she married someone else in this episode? Or maybe more practically did it because they could not get back the actor for her husband?
Saddest episode is when Opie and the other kid work as delivery boys for the grocery store....When Opie quits when he heard the boy was working because his dad was sick....Andy starts to yell at him for quitting his job...then Opie explains why....Ron Howard man oh mighty...gets me bawling every time that episode is on....my 2nd is the Christmas Episode where Ben Weaver wants to get arrested...the look he has when Aunt Bea gives him a plate.
I always think the episode in which Opie accidentally kills a mother bird with his slingshot is the saddest. It ends well, as Opie raises the babies until they are able to fly away, but I lose it when he is tossing the mother bird's body into the air, begging her to fly again. Then Andy scolds him, opening Opie's window. angrily telling him to listen to those baby birds crying for their mother... Ack!
Loved your commentary on this one. It reflects what truly makes the Andy Griffith show timeless. SO many episodes had some life lesson connected to them. As the world's values have diminished, watching Andy Griffith has the great power to take you back to a magical time when life was simpler.
Thanks Dave. I'm glad the episode exists as well. On a side note, it was both nice and sad to see Phyllis Coates in the 'frndly' ad. She was my favorite Lois, and the same age as my mother, wish she could have made it to 100. She was the last of The Adventures of Superman, hard to believe they're all gone now.
That was a sad episode. I'm not a fan of the color shows, either, but I do like this episode. Overall, one of the many things I love about Don Knotts is how he could make you laugh one second at his buffoonish behavior and then break your heart the next, sometimes literally in the same scene.
Betty Linn said in an interview that she was very upset when she first read the script for this episode. She told the producers/ head person in charge that Thelma Lou would never do this to Barney. They replied something to the effect that:"Yes she would if she wants to keep her job!" Betty was very saddened by his episode & having to leave Mayberry.
One funny scene was when Barney realizes Thelma Lou is married he is drinking punch and acting like he is getting drunk. Andy points out to him that there isn't any alcohol in the punch. lol
@@jdsundstromWhen they made the Return to Mayberry movie in 86 or so I thought it was strange that Thelma Lou's husband had been killed in an accident not long after they were married. Why didn't she call Barney and let him know?
Wow, great video Dave, with some wonderful words of wisdom. There were so many emotional scenes throughout AGS. This one is memorable because Don Knotts was such a great actor. You *_felt_* his pain just from his body language. And your assessment of the bigger picture was very insightful. Some of the saddest scenes are times when Andy doubts Opie and Little Ronnie Howard melts your heart. That kid could act. Honorable mention to Francis Beavier in the scene where she didn't get the birthday present she had hoped for but swallowed the pain and carried on. That's the best "serious" AGS episode, i.m.o.
I was glad that Thelma Lou had found love elsewhere. Like you, I thought Barney was stringing her along and had basically dumped her when he moved to Raleigh and didn't either propose or visit her frequently.
Will never forget when I came back from my 1st semester of College! Called up the young lady whom you could say was the one 'I always thought I'd end up together with someday'... & she told me she was getting married! (To someone else, I should point out!) So ya... I can relate!
One of the darker elements of the show that I didn’t recognize when I was younger is that the show heavily implies that Barney was cheating on Thelma Lou with Juanita. I used to think it was an innocent infatuation, but several episodes suggest that they may have been intimate. If true, Thelma Lou was right to leave him.
Did you ever watch the show? First, where is it ever implied that they were "intimate"? I don't remember any sexual innuendo in any episode, between anybody. Second, Thelma Lou did not leave him. Barney left Mayberry.
@@NCMemoryMakerslol, maybe not “INTIMATE”, but I do think during this time frame, dating, hand holding and a kiss would be a betrayal to the woman he considers to be “his girl”. But it was never clear if Barney even got that far. It sounds like he would call her and stop by the diner, maybe have some flirtation, but nothing transpired. Lol…for some reason, I think Juanita played along and boosted his ego, but it sounds like she knew what he was about, and she knew that Thelma Lou was in the picture, so she didn’t take him seriously. And am I speculating? Yes I am…lol
@@ElevenElevenSaturday Not arguing the point that Barney wasn't exactly being faithful to Thelma Lou. That is a given. But seriously...To imply a sexual innuendo into a show that always steered clear of that, is not appropriate. There was no hint of that, even between Andy/Barney and their actual girlfriends. Not everything has to be dirty, Sir. I'm pretty thankful for shows that aren't. There are too few of them today.
I always thought the episode where Aunt Bea thought she was in the way of Andy getting remarried and started dating this repulsively boring town businessman to possibly marry so she could move out, and at the end when Opie asked her if she loves the man she is going to marry, Aunt Bea turns away to say yes, then Andy senses something is wrong by her voice and asks her again, she turns toward him with tears in her eyes and tries to lie again , it is a tear jerker scene about family love
Oh, yes, I agree. It was breaking my heart when Clara made Aunt Bea think she was standing in the way of Andy's happiness. So, Aunt Bea started seeing the dry-cleaning man; so not a good match. Aunt Bea thought she was doing what was expected of her; getting out of Andy's home so Andy could make way for a wife. When Andy gently tells her she would always be welcome and that he "wouldn't have it any other way," it always brings tears to my eyes that he truly meant it. What a loving family trio were Andy, Aunt Bea, and Opie. Lesson learned: We should always make sure our older family members feel loved and wanted, and to NEVER push them aside. We need them just as much as they need us. God bless.
I feel like the class reunion episode in Season 3 is saddest because of the way it ends, seeing all those people you used to know as kids get older. The tears on my pillow do bespeak the pain that is in my heart.
Thanks for bringing that one back. Your probably right on saddest episode, although the one with Buddy Epson when he made believe he stole Aunt Bees's pocket book to let Opie think he was a bad person could be a close 2nd. Thanks 👍👍
Another sad Barney Fife color episode was when he return to Mayberry the same time his high school sweetheart who became a Hollywood actress returned home for her world movie premiere.She took Barney to the premiere and they made national news together and Barney regained feelings for her only to get heartbroken again when she left back to Hollywood the next morning without saying goodbye to him.He return to Raleigh only to find he suddenly became a eye candy to the ladies at his job all because his high school sweetheart is a Big Movie Star.😢😢😢
That episode definitely pulled at the heartstrings! I knew something wasn't quite right, and you're spot on about the black and white capturing a certain feel the color episodes lacked. The Andy Griffith Show is simply the best. Pluto TV reruns are a lifesaver for reliving Mayberry magic!
Great insights, Dave. Barney clearly took Thelma Lou for granted and ended up paying a price for it. Sadly, this is not so uncommon in real life relationships.
Dave, I like your comment about not wasting time and opportunities. You never know when someone else is counting on you and hoping you will make the right decision. I still watch The Andy Griffith Show a few times a week. It’s still head and shoulders above most other shows. I’ll have to watch this episode, but I will have to be emotionally prepared
I'll never forget the episode when Thelma Lou learned that Barney said he had her "wrapped around my little finger!", & she taught him a lesson, but one that went right out of his other ear!
I also love the color episodes but, the black and white episodes leaves things to one’s imagination. There’s something about movies filmed in black and white.
I couldn’t agree more, but this is somewhat typical. Remember how MASH started taking itself too seriously, especially after Wayne Rogers left, it was all downhill.
I’m not sure but when Barney left the show went to color. It wasn’t color that made the storyline slow down it was the lack of Barney. Am I right? Did Barney leaving and color start at the same time?
Can't forget the "Man in a Hurry" episode. Always ready to bawl here at the end when the salesman is asleep in the rocking chair with the peeled apple.
I prefer the black and white episodes, but since MeTV runs two episodes weekdays (meaning they run through all B&W episodes fairly quick and restart from the beginning) I'd settle for some color episodes just to have a change!
TV Land runs 6 episodes a day, 5 days a week. I think they might run a few late night/early morning. The afternoon 6 pack is always the black and whites.
Barney was afraid of commitment with Thelma Lou. She was the one who was willing to put 💯 of herself into a relationship and when she realized Barneys future plans didn't include her she had to move on with her life. Fortunately when The Return to Mayberry Movie came out there was a ending for those 2 even though it took about 2 decades. 😊
Every episode after Barney left is nearly unwatchable. Remember Opie and his pal convincing Goober that a dog could talk? Stupidest half hour in TV history ! And any episode with "Howard Sprague" in it was as painful as stepping on a Lego in your bare feet. How about Howard's "swinging" party where all the guys danced with Helen Crump until she was worn out? What a knee slapper that one was !!! They even made an entire show about Howard catching a carp at the lake ??!! Just awful !! Compare those episodes to B&W ones like "The Fun Girls" or any one with Ernest T. Bass. Color + Barney leaving + Howard Sprague and Emmett the Fix it Guy = the beginning of the end.
It was indeed sad. Another sad episode was when Barney returned from the big city and you can see he misses Mayberry although he acts like he’s got it made!
Totally agree with you and black and white shows my favorite. It was a surprising twist with Thelmz Lou, but sometimes a gal can't wait forever for ❤, sorry Barney. Good video.
Funny that, in 1963, they did a high school reunion episode for the class of 1945, which included Andy and Barney. Did they graduate TWICE from Mayberry Union High?
I think the writers on the show believed that viewers had short memories. Additionally, I don't think they could have ever imagined how long the show would play in reruns.
Thanks, Dave for talking about this episode about Barney and Thelma Lou when he had many chances in tying the not. I’ve always liked Don Knotts when he appeared in movies with Tim Conway. Since this was a High School Reunion Sheriff Andy Taylor connected towards the end with his High School sweetheart a girl by the name of Sharon. When the reunion movie took place in 1986 towards the end Barney and Thelma Lou tied the knot.
That's kinda what I do. I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy the video, Melody. The good news is I believe you can watch the entire episode over on Pluto TV (should you desire). Best wishes, Dave
@@jdsundstrom Well I don't mean to be harsh, you have a nice voice and I did enjoy the video. However, I kinda wanted to see how the actual episode played out since I've never seen it before, that's all. ❤️
I remember watching the show as a kid and thinking to myself "Barney - are you f'ing kidding me? Look at Thelma Lou, then look in the mirror." He should have put a ring on that finger when when he had the chance. IIRC, he ends up hooking up with another woman at the party and all is right with the universe, but still .. It is just a TV show after all, but a lot of fans like me were shaking their heads.
Barney strung Thelma Lou along too long. I guess he thought she'd always wait for him. I'm glad she got married. But I'm also glad they had Return to Mayberry if only for Barney and Thelma Lou to finally get married. 🎉 ❤
Another episode I found sad was the "Loaded Goat" episode. It was the final scene with Barney and Andy leading the goat over a hill. Watching it after both actors had died, I felt like we were really saying good-bye as they "walked into the sunset."
One observation is that this wasn't their 20th high school reunion since they graduated in '48 according to the sign, and the episode aired in early '66. I remember thinking that detail was a bit odd.
Another sad aspect of this episode is when Barney admits to Andy that his job isn’t really as great as he makes it out to be. You can tell that he really regrets taking the job and leaving Mayberry.
She seemed to be a " babe " only in comparison to the other women on the show....who else was there, Aunt Bee? Clara ? Emmet's wife ? If she was on Charley's Angels, she would not be picked out as the ' BABE "
Yes she was. I fell in love with her when I was 14. She was so pretty! I was a truck driver 2000- 2018. I went to MT. AIRY, NC a few times but never got to meet her.( she lived there till she died in 2021) Betty Lynn. A lovely woman!!
@@lynnpoole7830 I was a truck driver and mostly I was at the trk stp.outside of town off I77. They had a lot of mayberry collectables which I have. I did drop my trlr and drive into town for a haircut at Floyd's barber shop!! There really is a Floyd's barber shop. Very beautiful town, lots of wonderful people. Just like my home town, Clinton, Tn
I've only seen this episode once and still remember Barney's heartbreak when he finds out Thelma Lou is married. I did feel it was Barney's fault for the way he treated her during the previous seasons and leaving Mayberry without a thought for her or keeping in touch.
another sad one was when the lady who so cheerfully volunteered to help out with the beauty contest won, everyone was upset because their family member didn't win and they all left her all alone without saying anything to her
😢Yes, it was a sad one, but I don't believe it was the saddest. When Opie ran away from home because of his Grades. That was a REAL TEAR JERKER too!!!!
I spoke to Betty Lynn herself about this scene and she said and I quote….i did not wish to do this, but the writers insisted, she said she had to fight through this part.
It was a very sad episode, but Barney was to blame for the outcome. I never much liked the color episodes either. It was always a treat when Don Knotts made a guest appearance though.
Barney Fife was a great character but, let's face it, he was a jerk. Totally oblivious to his own incompetence, he was a whiny braggart, completely self centered, reliant on Andy for pretty much everything (even most of his meals), and incapable of even the simplest act of kindness without making it about him. Don Knotts was brilliant. I would imagine he got tired of playing the boob constantly.
He aimed right at it from about 20 feet away. Just didnt think a rock about half the size of the bird at a 1000 miles an hour would kill it!! Lol. Kids!!
A sad episode and one of the truest to the way life really goes sometimes. Barney took TL for granted throughout the years and she did what people do. She moved on with her life.
I agree with others. "Opie the Birdman" was the saddest show. I can still hear those little baby birds (Winkin, Blinkin, and Nod) just chirping away, calling for their mother, who will never return. Darn that Opie! Darn him!
I love the continuity issues with the show. I don't even see them as flaws -- I just love noticing them. In the [FANTASTIC] episode "Class Reunion", Thelma Lou is not among their classmates. What's more, in another episode, Barney states that he and Thelma Lou met at a funeral. I really don't blame the show. Writers back then didn't worry much about these things and had no idea that we'd still be watching the show and analyzing it 60 years later.
I never regarded that particular episode as being all that sad. I thought it was poetic justice for Thelma Lou. I was in grade school when this episode aired and I remember thinking that it was crazy of Barney to assume that after years of not seeing or even keeping in contact with Thelma Lou, that she'd be chomping at the bit to settle down with him.
The tearjerker episode for me will always be “Opie’s Hobo Friend,” guest starring Buddy Ebsen. Opie befriends a hobo named Mr. Dave and begins to idolize him and his capricious way of life. While Opie marvels at Mr. Dave’s tall tales and wayward philosophies (such as, “Why do today what you can put off till tomorrow”), Andy worries about the negative influence Dave will have on Opie in the long run. Even though Dave promises to move along down the tracks, Andy lets him know that just leaving town won’t dissuade Opie from following in his footsteps. So Dave decides to break Opie’s heart by stealing Aunt Bee’s handbag - but Andy isn’t fooled. He realizes it’s an old purse of Aunt Bee’s that Dave took out of the trash. Opie doesn’t know that though, and he gives Dave back his magic fishing lure and walks away. Andy gives Dave a knowing look, a silent thanks for letting Opie down, and as a train whistle blows in the distance, hobo Dave sets off for the railroad yard. 💔
It's such a beautifully crafted episode that really showcases the complexities of childhood admiration and the lessons that come with it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
But in that episode, Barney found a former classmate, Nettie Albright, that really liked him. So I think that really lifted Barney's spirits after he found out that Thelma Lou was married.
I only watch the shows that are black and white. That's the ones I like, but my wife likes the ones in color also, so I have to do something else until the finale. Then it's time to start over and I'm happy.
Let's face it, Barney had some serious psychological issues. He was a ball of anxiety...an egomaniac with an inferiority complex. All of that made for great comedy, and the Barney Fife character is one of the greatest in TV history, but Thelma Lou dodged a bullet by not ending up with Barney.
Helen Crump was very unappealing, both with her looks and her personality. Never understood why Andy didn't simply dump her. It was a great show, however.
I think Helen had the whole “stern school teacher” thing going on, which I guess can be off putting. She pretty much reminded me of every teacher I had in elementary school 😄
In the first episode of Mayberry RFD, Andy finally married Helen. Barney was the best man. When the pastor asked if anybody objected, Barney was clearing his throat. Jealous maybe?
I always thought the saddest episode was “Opies Charity”. He was scolded by Andy for not putting money in the church collection plate because he was saving money to buy Charlotte a coat because hers was looking thread worn and her family was poor.
My favorite episode after the First season Christmas episode. The writing during the banter between Opie and Andy about "half a boy" was brilliant and a highlight for the series. These shows were examples for Americans in suburbia. Lessons for kids to follow to know right from wrong. And occasionally they would be lessons for parents as well. Don't prejudge your kids before you know all the facts. Andy was given this lesson a few times during different episodes. The Mister McBeeve episode was another that comes to mind.
Once Don Knotts left the show and the episodes were made in color, it just wasn't the same.
Agreed.
Agree 100%
True. It lost its small town feeling.
I agree. I did not like the color seasons.
Some of the Knotts episodes in color were better stories.
Great advice about cherishing loved ones. You never know when your last visit may truly be your last.
Personally, I think the episode where Opie kills the mama bird is the saddest episode. I never make it through that one dry eyed. The reunion episode is more cathartic than sad - bullies get theirs in the end. Just one gal's thought...
Another very sad episode for sure!
I agree 💯 %. The bird episode was heartbreaking.
I agree the bird episode was by far the saddest one. I've only watched it once. I will never watch again.
But aren’t the trees nice and full?
"Next time I go tiger hunting I'm going to take my tweezers." lol
Did Barney expect Thelma Lou to wait for him after he moved away to Raleigh? She had to get on with her life.
However, Thelma Lou's marriage was short and she and Barney would tie the knot in "Return to Mayberry" in 1986.
Yep. Her marriage didn't last. She was, after all, destined to be with Barney.
@@jdsundstrom do you think the writers of "Return To Mayberry" wrote in that divorce BECAUSE fans were not happy that she married someone else in this episode? Or maybe more practically did it because they could not get back the actor for her husband?
@@user-we3me3dg1yYep. Thelma Lou was fine.
Thelma Lou. Got married to Ernest T bass !!
Maybe Thelma Lou's husband died.
Saddest episode is when Opie and the other kid work as delivery boys for the grocery store....When Opie quits when he heard the boy was working because his dad was sick....Andy starts to yell at him for quitting his job...then Opie explains why....Ron Howard man oh mighty...gets me bawling every time that episode is on....my 2nd is the Christmas Episode where Ben Weaver wants to get arrested...the look he has when Aunt Bea gives him a plate.
I agree.
Lot's of great episodes but every Ernest T. Bass episode is a riot !! ...all he ever wanted was a uniform. Ha.
No he wanted his diploma in an episode....I want to write my sent tence...
I always think the episode in which Opie accidentally kills a mother bird with his slingshot is the saddest. It ends well, as Opie raises the babies until they are able to fly away, but I lose it when he is tossing the mother bird's body into the air, begging her to fly again. Then Andy scolds him, opening Opie's window. angrily telling him to listen to those baby birds crying for their mother... Ack!
Loved your commentary on this one. It reflects what truly makes the Andy Griffith show timeless. SO many episodes had some life lesson connected to them. As the world's values have diminished, watching Andy Griffith has the great power to take you back to a magical time when life was simpler.
Good work. My great uncle did lighting on Andy G. He told us that Andy was the nicest man to the workers on the show. Yeah this is a sad one.
How cool is that?!!? Thanks for sharing.
I always thought Thelma Lou was above Barney's pay-grade. Such a sweetie.
She definitely was!
Thanks Dave. I'm glad the episode exists as well. On a side note, it was both nice and sad to see Phyllis Coates in the 'frndly' ad. She was my favorite Lois, and the same age as my mother, wish she could have made it to 100. She was the last of The Adventures of Superman, hard to believe they're all gone now.
I liked her better too, but we are in the minority
She's my favorite Lois as well.
I agree, Phyllis Coates was my favorite & I enjoy her in other TV shows. Her Lois had more spunk & I like spunk 😉. Sorry Lou
That was a sad episode. I'm not a fan of the color shows, either, but I do like this episode. Overall, one of the many things I love about Don Knotts is how he could make you laugh one second at his buffoonish behavior and then break your heart the next, sometimes literally in the same scene.
Agreed. The look on Barney's face as Thelma Lou introduces her husband...
Judy8
Betty Linn said in an interview that she was very upset when she first read the script for this episode. She told the producers/ head person in charge that Thelma Lou would never do this to Barney. They replied something to the effect that:"Yes she would if she wants to keep her job!" Betty was very saddened by his episode & having to leave Mayberry.
One funny scene was when Barney realizes Thelma Lou is married he is drinking punch and acting like he is getting drunk. Andy points out to him that there isn't any alcohol in the punch. lol
@@jdsundstromWhen they made the Return to Mayberry movie in 86 or so I thought it was strange that Thelma Lou's husband had been killed in an accident not long after they were married. Why didn't she call Barney and let him know?
Wow, great video Dave, with some wonderful words of wisdom.
There were so many emotional scenes throughout AGS. This one is memorable because Don Knotts was such a great actor. You *_felt_* his pain just from his body language. And your assessment of the bigger picture was very insightful.
Some of the saddest scenes are times when Andy doubts Opie and Little Ronnie Howard melts your heart. That kid could act.
Honorable mention to Francis Beavier in the scene where she didn't get the birthday present she had hoped for but swallowed the pain and carried on. That's the best "serious" AGS episode, i.m.o.
Thanks for sharing. Love your perspectives!
Barney got what he deserved you can’t wait forever He didn’t even think about taking her with him
I agree; lapse of good writing!
I was glad that Thelma Lou had found love elsewhere. Like you, I thought Barney was stringing her along and had basically dumped her when he moved to Raleigh and didn't either propose or visit her frequently.
Thank you for sharing this. You made an excellent point about holding on to those you love.
Will never forget when I came back from my 1st semester of College! Called up the young lady whom you could say was the one 'I always thought I'd end up together with someday'... & she told me she was getting married! (To someone else, I should point out!) So ya... I can relate!
Thanks for sharing, Bob. Of course, you won the lottery with Mrs. Thrash. 🙂
@@jdsundstrom Most Definitely!
Aww ❤
@@tracyroth-myers5574 Thanks Miss Tracy... but definitely for the best!
@@jdsundstromwell it ain’t the movie monster a go go 😅
Yep. I was just thinking about the Lineman episode the other day. 'Mr. McBeevy' All about having trust and belief in your kids 😢
One of the darker elements of the show that I didn’t recognize when I was younger is that the show heavily implies that Barney was cheating on Thelma Lou with Juanita. I used to think it was an innocent infatuation, but several episodes suggest that they may have been intimate. If true, Thelma Lou was right to leave him.
Yep. Barney had a thing for Juanita.
Yeah, his two-timing always aggravated me. The old “one girl to fool around with, one girl to marry” theory 🙄
Did you ever watch the show?
First, where is it ever implied that they were "intimate"? I don't remember any sexual innuendo in any episode, between anybody.
Second, Thelma Lou did not leave him. Barney left Mayberry.
@@NCMemoryMakerslol, maybe not “INTIMATE”, but I do think during this time frame, dating, hand holding and a kiss would be a betrayal to the woman he considers to be “his girl”. But it was never clear if Barney even got that far. It sounds like he would call her and stop by the diner, maybe have some flirtation, but nothing transpired. Lol…for some reason, I think Juanita played along and boosted his ego, but it sounds like she knew what he was about, and she knew that Thelma Lou was in the picture, so she didn’t take him seriously. And am I speculating? Yes I am…lol
@@ElevenElevenSaturday Not arguing the point that Barney wasn't exactly being faithful to Thelma Lou. That is a given.
But seriously...To imply a sexual innuendo into a show that always steered clear of that, is not appropriate. There was no hint of that, even between Andy/Barney and their actual girlfriends.
Not everything has to be dirty, Sir. I'm pretty thankful for shows that aren't. There are too few of them today.
This was a great show. A really thoughtful and good take on this episode, Dave. Good job!
I always thought the episode where Aunt Bea thought she was in the way of Andy getting remarried and started dating this repulsively boring town businessman to possibly marry so she could move out, and at the end when Opie asked her if she loves the man she is going to marry, Aunt Bea turns away to say yes, then Andy senses something is wrong by her voice and asks her again, she turns toward him with tears in her eyes and tries to lie again , it is a tear jerker scene about family love
Thanks for sharing.
Oh, yes, I agree. It was breaking my heart when Clara made Aunt Bea think she was standing in the way of Andy's happiness. So, Aunt Bea started seeing the dry-cleaning man; so not a good match. Aunt Bea thought she was doing what was expected of her; getting out of Andy's home so Andy could make way for a wife. When Andy gently tells her she would always be welcome and that he "wouldn't have it any other way," it always brings tears to my eyes that he truly meant it. What a loving family trio were Andy, Aunt Bea, and Opie. Lesson learned: We should always make sure our older family members feel loved and wanted, and to NEVER push them aside. We need them just as much as they need us. God bless.
I feel like the class reunion episode in Season 3 is saddest because of the way it ends, seeing all those people you used to know as kids get older. The tears on my pillow do bespeak the pain that is in my heart.
Yes, I agree with you, that episode always stuck with me as quite melancholy.
The thought of being intimate with Barney Fife is stomach-churning. 😱
Haha...she didn't have a clue who he was...the bartender...haha
Thanks for bringing that one back. Your probably right on saddest episode, although the one with Buddy Epson when he made believe he stole Aunt Bees's pocket book to let Opie think he was a bad person could be a close 2nd. Thanks 👍👍
You're right. That one is super sad as well!
Yeah, but a year later he was rich from oil, so Opie would be really confused! 😉
That name you can't spell is Buddy "Ebsen".
@@lancasterritzyescargotdine2602 _That name can't spell is..._ Ok, but now let's talk about grammar.
@@brianarbenz1329 Thank you - I needed that!
Another sad Barney Fife color episode was when he return to Mayberry the same time his high school sweetheart who became a Hollywood actress returned home for her world movie premiere.She took Barney to the premiere and they made national news together and Barney regained feelings for her only to get heartbroken again when she left back to Hollywood the next morning without saying goodbye to him.He return to Raleigh only to find he suddenly became a eye candy to the ladies at his job all because his high school sweetheart is a Big Movie Star.😢😢😢
Thelma Lou was never "in Barney's pocket"
Very true
haha
Calm down Karen.
That episode definitely pulled at the heartstrings! I knew something wasn't quite right, and you're spot on about the black and white capturing a certain feel the color episodes lacked. The Andy Griffith Show is simply the best. Pluto TV reruns are a lifesaver for reliving Mayberry magic!
Great insights, Dave. Barney clearly took Thelma Lou for granted and ended up paying a price for it. Sadly, this is not so uncommon in real life relationships.
'sigh', The spirit was already gone then. 😞
Dave, I like your comment about not wasting time and opportunities. You never know when someone else is counting on you and hoping you will make the right decision. I still watch The Andy Griffith Show a few times a week. It’s still head and shoulders above most other shows. I’ll have to watch this episode, but I will have to be emotionally prepared
Thanks for sharing!
I'll never forget the episode when Thelma Lou learned that Barney said he had her "wrapped around my little finger!", & she taught him a lesson, but one that went right out of his other ear!
She didn't overhear it, that darn Gomer ratted Barney out!
Love that episode! Yep, Gomer has some very loose lips.
When she kissed Gomer when he gave her a ride to Mount Pilot .
I agree completely with you about liking the black and white episodes better. I don't know what happened when the show went color. Just not the same.
The network threw a ton of money at Andy to do the final 3 seasons...but his heart wasn't in it.
@@jdsundstromI love the color episodes.
I also love the color episodes but, the black and white episodes leaves things to one’s imagination. There’s something about movies filmed in black and white.
I couldn’t agree more, but this is somewhat typical. Remember how MASH started taking itself too seriously, especially after Wayne Rogers left, it was all downhill.
I’m not sure but when Barney left the show went to color. It wasn’t color that made the storyline slow down it was the lack of Barney. Am I right? Did Barney leaving and color start at the same time?
Can't forget the "Man in a Hurry" episode. Always ready to bawl here at the end when the salesman is asleep in the rocking chair with the peeled apple.
I’ve NEVER seen this episode, and I’ve watched most of the over and over again!
You can watch it for free right here: pluto.tv/on-demand/series/the-andy-griffith-show/season/6/episode/the-return-of-barney-fife-1966-6-17?
One of my fav episodes was wen aunt bea was getting drunk off that elixir..lol
_Chinatown, that Chinatown!_ 🎹🎶
I prefer the black and white episodes, but since MeTV runs two episodes weekdays (meaning they run through all B&W episodes fairly quick and restart from the beginning) I'd settle for some color episodes just to have a change!
The Sundance Channel plays the later seasons. Not sure why MeTV choose to play them only very rarely.
I agree 5 seasons go rather quickly, showing 2 episodes a day
TV Land runs 6 episodes a day, 5 days a week. I think they might run a few late night/early morning. The afternoon 6 pack is always the black and whites.
I think it is strange how many of the shows during that period had the main character as a widow or widower.
The single parents were all widowed because d-i-v-o-r-c-e was a no no, something not wished fir or wanted by lead characters
I find it weird they never showed a bathroom !
Barney was afraid of commitment with Thelma Lou. She was the one who was willing to put 💯 of herself into a relationship and when she realized Barneys future plans didn't include her she had to move on with her life. Fortunately when The Return to Mayberry Movie came out there was a ending for those 2 even though it took about 2 decades. 😊
I was happy to see them finally tie the knot in the TV movie.
Every episode after Barney left is nearly unwatchable. Remember Opie and his pal convincing Goober that a dog could talk? Stupidest half hour in TV history ! And any episode with "Howard Sprague" in it was as painful as stepping on a Lego in your bare feet. How about Howard's "swinging" party where all the guys danced with Helen Crump until she was worn out? What a knee slapper that one was !!! They even made an entire show about Howard catching a carp at the lake ??!! Just awful !! Compare those episodes to B&W ones like "The Fun Girls" or any one with Ernest T. Bass. Color + Barney leaving + Howard Sprague and Emmett the Fix it Guy = the beginning of the end.
Thanks for sharing.
Yeah, Howard was one of my least favorite characters on the show. Floyd was one of my favs.
"Hark! How the sailor's cry joyously echoes nigh."
It was indeed sad. Another sad episode was when Barney returned from the big city and you can see he misses Mayberry although he acts like he’s got it made!
The best episodes from the final three seasons were whenever Don Knotts made an appearance.
@jdsundstrom I love the legend of Barney but I wish they would have referred back to black and white episodes of Barney's victories
@@wb3381 would have.
Don’t forget the woman that Barney gave the police escort across the street to the post office after she smiled at him.
After The Andy Griffith show Betty Lynn played on some Family Affair episodes as Bill Davis secretary.
Also played Steve Douglas's secretary on My Three Sons
Totally agree with you and black and white shows my favorite. It was a surprising twist with Thelmz Lou, but sometimes a gal can't wait forever for ❤, sorry Barney. Good video.
Thanks for sharing!
Funny that, in 1963, they did a high school reunion episode for the class of 1945, which included Andy and Barney. Did they graduate TWICE from Mayberry Union High?
I think the writers on the show believed that viewers had short memories. Additionally, I don't think they could have ever imagined how long the show would play in reruns.
Barney was a jerk to a lot of people. So he never understood why people looked down their noses at him at times.
Yes I though it was sad also. I as a little boy. Thought it was sad that he had to leave. I was a big fan of Barney Fife. Aka Don Knotts!
@stevengreco -Yeah, it was NEVER the same after Don't Knott's left. Andy even said in a interview that Barney was the "Heart Of The Show"!!!!
Thanks, Dave for talking about this episode about Barney and Thelma Lou when he had many chances in tying the not. I’ve always liked Don Knotts when he appeared in movies with Tim Conway. Since this was a High School Reunion Sheriff Andy Taylor connected towards the end with his High School sweetheart a girl by the name of Sharon. When the reunion movie took place in 1986 towards the end Barney and Thelma Lou tied the knot.
OMG I thought you'd show the actual episode!! You talked thru the whole thing OMG!!!
That's kinda what I do. I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy the video, Melody. The good news is I believe you can watch the entire episode over on Pluto TV (should you desire). Best wishes, Dave
@@jdsundstrom Well I don't mean to be harsh, you have a nice voice and I did enjoy the video. However, I kinda wanted to see how the actual episode played out since I've never seen it before, that's all. ❤️
No worries. Totally get it. 🙂
One of the biggest heartbreaks in my entire life
I sent her a birthday card on her last birthday before she passed, she lived in Mayberry…. Mt Airy, NC
I remember watching the show as a kid and thinking to myself "Barney - are you f'ing kidding me? Look at Thelma Lou, then look in the mirror." He should have put a ring on that finger when when he had the chance. IIRC, he ends up hooking up with another woman at the party and all is right with the universe, but still ..
It is just a TV show after all, but a lot of fans like me were shaking their heads.
Barney strung Thelma Lou along too long. I guess he thought she'd always wait for him. I'm glad she got married. But I'm also glad they had Return to Mayberry if only for Barney and Thelma Lou to finally get married. 🎉 ❤
Let's not forget the cop out ending where another woman at the reunion none of us ever heard of says she had a crush on Barney for many years.
You're right. A total cop-out. I don't think the writers could come up with a fitting way to end the episode...but, that wasn't it.
Another episode I found sad was the "Loaded Goat" episode. It was the final scene with Barney and Andy leading the goat over a hill. Watching it after both actors had died, I felt like we were really saying good-bye as they "walked into the sunset."
Barney was very insecure, had low self esteem & was very socially awkward.
One observation is that this wasn't their 20th high school reunion since they graduated in '48 according to the sign, and the episode aired in early '66. I remember thinking that detail was a bit odd.
The show was quite loose with certain timelines.
I'm surprised more people didn't feel feel exactly as I did when I first saw that episode....Barney got exactly what he deserved.
He definitely did!
Watched Andy Griffith every day with my mom during the last month of her life. I’m not sure she enjoyed it; she was very sick.
I really liked this episode very much. Just goes to show life is very short.
😊
Time, truly is, fleeting.
These realistic, sad stories are critically important. We need all types of drama and comedy in order to process all kinds of emotions.
So true! It’s like we need both the tears and the laughs to make sense of this wild ride called life!
Another sad aspect of this episode is when Barney admits to Andy that his job isn’t really as great as he makes it out to be. You can tell that he really regrets taking the job and leaving Mayberry.
Sorry Barney when you lag you lose. Good for you Thelma Lou.
Even in black and white, Thelma Lou was a looker. Betty Lynn was one pretty lady.
💔Barney strung Thelma Lou far to long.. Good for her for finding love.😒💞
Betty Lynn was a real BABE!
She seemed to be a " babe " only in comparison to the other women on the show....who else was there, Aunt Bee? Clara ? Emmet's wife ? If she was on Charley's Angels, she would not be picked out as the ' BABE "
Yes she was. I fell in love with her when I was 14. She was so pretty! I was a truck driver 2000- 2018. I went to MT. AIRY, NC a few times but never got to meet her.( she lived there till she died in 2021) Betty Lynn. A lovely woman!!
@@glenandrews2839 I live in central NC and regret I never went to one of the Mayberry Days get togethers where I could of met Betty Lynn.
@@lynnpoole7830 I was a truck driver and mostly I was at the trk stp.outside of town off I77. They had a lot of mayberry collectables which I have. I did drop my trlr and drive into town for a haircut at Floyd's barber shop!! There really is a Floyd's barber shop. Very beautiful town, lots of wonderful people. Just like my home town, Clinton, Tn
She was lovely and Barney did not deserve her.
I've only seen this episode once and still remember Barney's heartbreak when he finds out Thelma Lou is married. I did feel it was Barney's fault for the way he treated her during the previous seasons and leaving Mayberry without a thought for her or keeping in touch.
Thanks for sharing!
another sad one was when the lady who so cheerfully volunteered to help out with the beauty contest won, everyone was upset because their family member didn't win and they all left her all alone without saying anything to her
Yikes! I don't remember that one...but it does sound sad. 🙁
😢Yes, it was a sad one, but I don't believe it was the saddest. When Opie ran away from home because of his Grades. That was a REAL TEAR JERKER too!!!!
i disagree that he was a jerk to her. the character was unique and over and over he showed his affectionate toward her
I spoke to Betty Lynn herself about this scene and she said and I quote….i did not wish to do this, but the writers insisted, she said she had to fight through this part.
The point of this episode was 'Sometimes you don't get a 2nd chance'..Or in Barney's case a 100th chance.😮
Barney irritated me so much! He thou 6:25 ght he was sooo smart, if it wasn't for Andy covering for him he would not have made it as a deputy!!
It was a very sad episode, but Barney was to blame for the outcome. I never much liked the color episodes either. It was always a treat when
Don Knotts made a guest appearance though.
Barney Fife was a great character but, let's face it, he was a jerk. Totally oblivious to his own incompetence, he was a whiny braggart, completely self centered, reliant on Andy for pretty much everything (even most of his meals), and incapable of even the simplest act of kindness without making it about him.
Don Knotts was brilliant. I would imagine he got tired of playing the boob constantly.
Yep. Don Knotts was brilliant. Despite all of those horrible character traits, he somehow made us care about the character.
Barney was a jerk.
The saddest episode is the one in which Opie accidently killed a mother bird.
He aimed right at it from about 20 feet away. Just didnt think a rock about half the size of the bird at a 1000 miles an hour would kill it!! Lol. Kids!!
I loved the show the timing was always spot on especially for Barney.
A sad episode and one of the truest to the way life really goes sometimes. Barney took TL for granted throughout the years and she did what people do. She moved on with her life.
Yeah Barney Blew It…So Thelma Nipped It Nipped At The Bub ! 😂
Nipped it IN THE BUD.
Great video. Thank you. It was sad. Melanie
You're very welcome. 🙂
I agree with others. "Opie the Birdman" was the saddest show. I can still hear those little baby birds (Winkin, Blinkin, and Nod) just chirping away, calling for their mother, who will never return. Darn that Opie! Darn him!
I love the continuity issues with the show. I don't even see them as flaws -- I just love noticing them. In the [FANTASTIC] episode "Class Reunion", Thelma Lou is not among their classmates. What's more, in another episode, Barney states that he and Thelma Lou met at a funeral. I really don't blame the show. Writers back then didn't worry much about these things and had no idea that we'd still be watching the show and analyzing it 60 years later.
I never regarded that particular episode as being all that sad. I thought it was poetic justice for Thelma Lou. I was in grade school when this episode aired and I remember thinking that it was crazy of Barney to assume that after years of not seeing or even keeping in contact with Thelma Lou, that she'd be chomping at the bit to settle down with him.
Sad but life lesson learned...we all make that mistake at one time or another.
The tearjerker episode for me will always be “Opie’s Hobo Friend,” guest starring Buddy Ebsen. Opie befriends a hobo named Mr. Dave and begins to idolize him and his capricious way of life. While Opie marvels at Mr. Dave’s tall tales and wayward philosophies (such as, “Why do today what you can put off till tomorrow”), Andy worries about the negative influence Dave will have on Opie in the long run. Even though Dave promises to move along down the tracks, Andy lets him know that just leaving town won’t dissuade Opie from following in his footsteps. So Dave decides to break Opie’s heart by stealing Aunt Bee’s handbag - but Andy isn’t fooled. He realizes it’s an old purse of Aunt Bee’s that Dave took out of the trash. Opie doesn’t know that though, and he gives Dave back his magic fishing lure and walks away. Andy gives Dave a knowing look, a silent thanks for letting Opie down, and as a train whistle blows in the distance, hobo Dave sets off for the railroad yard. 💔
It's such a beautifully crafted episode that really showcases the complexities of childhood admiration and the lessons that come with it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
There are so many inconsistencies regarding the timeline...Andy said he was in France during the war, which ended in 1945.
Great episode 😊
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE..,HE LOST A DIAMOND..NOT IN THE ROUGH BUT A BRILLIANT DIAMOND FROM HEAVEN TO MAYBERRY AMEN.DR.BRYANT LANE.
But in that episode, Barney found a former classmate, Nettie Albright, that really liked him. So I think that really lifted Barney's spirits after he found out that Thelma Lou was married.
Thelma Lou was the prettiest girl in Mayberry.
Much prettier than Helen Crump for sure!
I only watch the shows that are black and white. That's the ones I like, but my wife likes the ones in color also, so I have to do something else until the finale. Then it's time to start over and I'm happy.
I'm with you. The black and white ones are better. That said, there are a few of the color episodes, like "The Return of Barney Fife", that I enjoy.
Let's face it, Barney had some serious psychological issues. He was a ball of anxiety...an egomaniac with an inferiority complex. All of that made for great comedy, and the Barney Fife character is one of the greatest in TV history, but Thelma Lou dodged a bullet by not ending up with Barney.
Barney said he had Thelma Lou in his hip pocket she must of gotten out
2:38 Sums it up well. I agree. Sorry, i don't feel sorry for him.
Helen Crump was very unappealing, both with her looks and her personality. Never understood why Andy didn't simply dump her. It was a great show, however.
Cause she had a hot body
I always wanted him to continue dating Ms. Peggy, played by JoAnna Moore
I think Helen had the whole “stern school teacher” thing going on, which I guess can be off putting. She pretty much reminded me of every teacher I had in elementary school 😄
@@TraciShirahI loved Peggy. She was so pretty and a total Boss Babe
I AGREE 100 % THIS EPISODE WAS THE SADEST EVER.
Thanks Dave.
Betty Lynn was the last adult cast member of the show to pass and thatcwas quite recently.
It was tough to see her leave us.
Very
Also , the Mr. Mcbeeve one where Andy says I believe in Opie, almost always makes me cry. I think that was the hallmark episode of the series….
I believe both Andy and Barney strung both of their girlfriends along.
In the first episode of Mayberry RFD, Andy finally married Helen. Barney was the best man. When the pastor asked if anybody objected, Barney was clearing his throat. Jealous maybe?
The saddest story is Opies when he accidentally killed the bird .
That's another sad one...and a truly great episode.
In the episode Thelmalou tells Barney how good he looks etc. yet Barney never ever complimented her. He didn't deserve her.