What is it? The Andy Griffith Show, complete series, 249 episodes on 39 discs from Paramount Home Video
When? Tuesday
How much? $84.98
Who's Andy Griffith? Surely everyone has heard of The Andy Griffith Show. Ever since its "backdoor pilot" as an episode of The Danny Thomas Show in 1960, it has been a major part of the television culture.
Andy Taylor (Griffith), wise, level-headed and moral but not stuffy, is the sheriff in the tiny town of Mayberry, N.C. There he's aided (but more often hindered) by his stalwart deputy, Barney Fife (Don Knotts). Barney is high-strung, inept but thoroughly dedicated to keeping the peace.
Generally, that means keeping an eye on Otis (Hal Smith), the town drunk, or watching out for the occasional appearance of the trouble-making Darling family. Otherwise, days are spent interacting with townspeople like Floyd (Howard McNear) the barber or simple-minded mechanic Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors) and dealing with minor crises that come with small-town living.
At home, Andy is a widower bringing up his son, lovable Opie (Ron Howard), with help from his Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier). Andy has a couple of girlfriends along the way, like schoolteacher Helen Crump (Aneta Corsaut) and pharmacist Ellie Walker (Elinor Donahue).
How does it hold up? Extremely well. It's goofy without being stupid, folksy without being simple, wise without being preachy and familiar without being dull. Even at more than 55 years old, it still stays relevant and is a great blend of hilarious and heartwarming.
The show is full of classic characters, with Fife as a prime example of a wacky and lovable comic foil. And as Opie, the young Howard gives one of the most natural, nonobnoxious child performances ever on TV. That's a big plus.
Sometimes it seems like it's a lost art, making family friendly series that are good and good for you. So often, G-rated series are cloying, bland or just shoddily done. The Andy Griffith Show is a lesson in how to do it right.
Not that the show didn't slip some. In later seasons, especially after the departure of Knotts, the quality goes downhill, but in all, it's a show that's worth the time.
Hasn't this been released before? Yes, it has. But this re-release is part of a plan to put old series back out on the market with slimmer, shelf-friendly packaging. If you already own the full series, there's really no reason to double-dip. But if you haven't bought it yet, this makes a good, cost- and space-effective option.
Are there extras? Not really. Seasons 2 and 3 have the original commercials, but that's about it. It's pretty bare-bones.
New this week: The Beast, complete series; The Brady Kids, complete series; Bump in the Night, complete series; Frankenstein, miniseries; Girls, Season 4; Republic of Doyle, complete series; Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, complete series; Togetherness, Season 1.
Next week: Fargo, Season 2; The Gumby Show, The '60s Series, Vol. 1; The Irish R.M., complete series; Jesus of Nazareth, miniseries; Shaun the Sheep, Season 2; Warehouse 13, complete series.
Style on 02/14/2016