Looking back over the plethora of TV shows that have come and gone, there are too many considered classics to even try and make a list. But only a handful of those classics can lay claim to being considered beloved. One such series, which undeniably sits amongst the top 5 most favored shows, would have to be “The Andy Griffith Show.” Enjoying an 8 season run (1960 – 1968), “The Andy Griffith Show” gave American viewing audiences a glimpse into what small town life should be. Far away from the rat race of big city living, the town of Mayberry, North Carolina was full of people who knew one another and felt safe to walk the streets at night. It was a town that allowed you to have friendly neighbors, yet gave you space enough on every homestead to have time to yourself. You could spend the day talking with your friends at the local barber shop or sit and fish quietly in a little pond. The figurehead of both the town and the series came in the form of Andy Griffith as Sheriff Andy Taylor.

Having been widowed, Andy lived a fairly quiet life with his son Opie (Ronny Howard) and his Aunt Bee (Francis Bavier). Aiding him in his quest to keep the peace was Deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts). By and large Barney was a bit of a bumbler, but when push came to shove, Andy always knew he could count on him.

I believe a big part of why “The Andy Griffith Show” became such a beloved show lay in not only the great cast, but in the excellent writing. The episodes were often simple, much like life in Mayberry, but the writers were able to create a funny without necessarily making fun of the characters. Unlike a lot of the more recent shows about small town life where the tendency was to create satire or stereotypes, “The Andy Griffith Show” was full of believable people finding themselves in believable, yet humorous situations. There was no making fun on the part of the writers, just a lot of fun with the characters.

During the series’ 8 season run, it was never out of the top 10 in the ratings (even hitting #1 in its final season), and Don Knotts was honored with not 1, but 5 Emmy Award wins for his role as Barney Fife. It spawned a couple of spin-offs, including “Gomer Pyle, USMC”, and “Mayberry R.F.D.” as well as the extremely short-lived “New Andy Griffith Show.” The series also gave us Ronny Howard, who of course grew up to become Richie Cunningham on ‘Happy Days” as well as an Academy Award winning film director. And speaking of Gomer Pyle, this is the season that marked the debut of Jim Nabor’s character on the series. He is the cousin of George Lindsey’s Goober Pyle and stayed with the series from 1962 til 1964. (“Well… Go-o-o-o-l-l-ly!”)

Paramount is releasing the third season of the series this week (the first and second seasons are already available), delivering all 32 half hour episodes on 5 discs. And while they are not known for adding a lot of extra features on their TV series releases, we are given a very unusual set in this release. When the shows originally aired, they included little sponsor ads at the end of each episode. Characters from the series would plug some coffee or cereal in order to keep the sponsors happy. You’ll find these little ‘commercials’ on these discs and they are fascinating to watch. The style in which they are done is very interesting and they offer a little bit of a look into TV history.

Its series like “The Andy Griffith Show” that I really get excited about when I see them being released to DVD. “The Andy Griffith Show” is one I can enjoy with my family without having to worry about censoring when the kids are around. Oh, they just don’t make them like this anymore.

Episodes:
Mr. McBeevee
Andy’s Rich Girlfriend
Andy and the New Mayor
Andy & Opie, Bachelors
The Cow Thief
Barney Mends a Broken Heart
Lawman Barney
The Mayberry Band
Floyd, The Gay Deceiver
Opie’s Rival
Convicts at Large
The Bed Jacket
The Bank Job
One Punch Opie
Barney and the Governor
Man in a Hurry
High Noon in Mayberry
The Loaded Goat
Class Reunion
Rafe Hollister Sings
Opie and the Spoiled Kid
The Great Filling Station Robbery
Andy Discovers America
Aunt Bee’s Medicine Man
The Darlings Are Coming
Andy’s English Valet
Barney’s First Car
The Rivals
A Wife for Andy
Dogs, Dogs, Dogs
Mountain Wedding
The Big House

Starring: Andy Griffith, Ronny Howard, Francis Bavier, Don Knotts, Jim Nabors
Extras: Original Sponsor Ads
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: 8/16/2005
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give The Andy Griffith Show: Season 3 a B.