~~~Background~~~

In the 50's and 60's there were a plethora of now legendary family comedies centring on everyday life and the funny situations parents and children often find themselves in. Parents were firm but fair, Dad worked and Mum was a fabulous homemaker, and the children were mildly mischievous but generally respectful…an idealised view of life perhaps, but one that was very true for many middle class youngsters of the period. Growing up in mainly in the Deep South, this was a beloved after school show, and one I wished my own young family to enjoy. Many of these family comedies were exported here to the UK and are currently in British syndication, but this show was one that fell through the cracks and was never aired in the UK despite the very broad appeal. Luckily, Amazon is only a click away, and I can import this myself to view at home.

~~~Series premise~~~

Set in contemporary to the series' airdate time (series 1 is in 1960), the show revolves around the widowed sheriff, Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith), and his young son Opie (Ron Howard), Andy's Aunt Bea (Francis Xavier) who keeps house and helps with Opie, the deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts), and their life in a small town in North Carolina named Mayberry. Barney Fife is incompetent, but there is not much lawbreaking going on in the sleepy little town, so he usually stirs things up by going over the top (such as trying to write tickets to sweet elderly ladies for crossing the road away from the crossing points). Andy is also the Justice of the Peace, so often marries people and holds court for traffic offenders and such. Andy's refusal to carry a gun or rifle unless completely necessary (such as when bank robbers tried to rob the town bank) also make for some of the plots, as Barney is very gung ho about carrying his gun, but is made to carry the one bullet for it in his pocket as he usually shoots the floor, ceiling or a wall rather than anything he wants to actually hit. His view on weapons and reliance on common sense and friendliness to maintain order rather than fancy techniques and carrying a gun also cause the state police and FBI to look down upon him when they have cause to operate in his area, but he often demonstrates that without his local knowledge, they do not have a good chance of success.

The occasional crime features, but the longest running thread through the entire programme is Andy's relationship with his son, Opie. He helps Opie learn about personal responsibility and doing what's right, and he himself makes mistakes in how he relates to his son, leading them both to grow together and forge a tight family bond. The second longest thread is on the adult relationships. By this I am not only referring to Andy's dating, but the relationships in the community with neighbours and friends. Situations arise that give Andy and his family and friends pause for thought and they each carry away a deeper understanding of community and friendship without being overly preachy.

~~~The Cast~~~
As you read the cast list, no doubt you will find a few familiar faces. The first season main cast are:

Sheriff Andy Taylor - Andy Griffith
Opie Taylor - Ron Howard (as Ronny Howard)
Deputy Barney Fife - Don Knotts
Aunt Bea - Frances Bavier
Ellie Walker - Elinor Donahue

Andy Griffith is spot on in his portrayal of a laid back father and small town sheriff. He has a genuine, easy smile that makes you want to smile right back, and his joking manner with his cousin and deputy ring with the warmth and familiarity you would expect fro a long term association, and his gentleness with his son is one that radiates affection. Francis Bavier is a delight. Her maiden aunt is played to perfection, with demonstratable affection and lends honesty to her middle aged insecurities. To be quite honest, many of her foibles remind me very much of my own mother in law today, so it goes to show times may change, but people do not. Don Knotts superbly lends his comic talents to his role as the over eager but rather incompetent deputy, but without being over the top. his facial expressions are subtle and lend realism to his hyper active deputy’s antics. Young Ron Howard also shines here, showing his early promise as a talented actor. No wooden child actor here, reciting cadence like lines. Elinor Donahue plays Ellie walker with just the right amount of chip on her shoulder, as the new female chemist fresh from university who feels she has something to prove in the male dominated professional world, and who often gets into a mess romantically with her assumptions as to motivation. because of it All in all, a fine ensemble cast that display a fine tuned cohesion without any jarring notes to ruin your viewing pleasure.

~~~The Box Set~~~

As this was not aired in Europe, this is only available as a Region 1 import. You can order it from Amazon or DVD Stars quite easily. It is RCE encoded, so the usual caveats apply regarding multiregion DVD players and RCE encoding. That is, if your DVD player is made by a company who also makes films and DVDS, then it likely will not play this.

As it was filmed in 1960, it is full screen and in black and white. Being in black and white has not diminished its watch ability even by the youngest members of the family, ages 3 and 5. Indeed, they actually ask for us to watch at least one episode during family TV time in the evenings. The picture transfers are clear and crisp without any distortion, having been remastered with great care. The sound is Dolby Digital, but as it was mono originally, it still is. This means you will likely need to turn your TV set up a bit to hear it best, though it is not muffled sounding.

The set has 4 discs, each in its own case, and the series is complete with all 32 episodes in correct order present. For an episode guide list, you can visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Andy_Griffith_Show_episodes#First_ Season_.281960-1961.29 . It also gives a brief outline of the plots.

The first series' box set does not have any extras of any sort on them, though later series' do have the original sponsor's spots using the cast. It would be nice if Paramount reissued this series with the same, and perhaps some archived material such as old interviews or even stills of old TV Guide articles for us to read onscreen.

When all is said and done, this is a lovely series to watch. Buy this set and come home to Aunt Bea's delicious home cooking, and pondering the art of being a parent with Andy, and let your children (if you have any!) learn about life with Opie, and how to do your small part in making a friendly community. You will not regret a single moment.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12