This is the SADDEST Episode of Andy Griffith EVER!

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  • Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
  • Here's why “The Return of Barney Fife” from season six is the saddest episode of The Andy Griffith Show.
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    This video is not intended for children under the age of 14. Quite frankly, kids...I'm just some random old dude talking about nostalgic TV and movie stuff from a really long time ago and I highly doubt that it is going to interest you.
    #classictv #thegoodstuff #davesundstrom

КОМЕНТАРІ • 724

  • @NotMe-st8qc
    @NotMe-st8qc 10 місяців тому +66

    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.

    • @stevet7487
      @stevet7487 2 місяці тому +1

      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.

    • @athorpe630
      @athorpe630 2 місяці тому +1

      True he was to hard on Opie.

    • @HonoringGeneralG.S.PattonJr
      @HonoringGeneralG.S.PattonJr 2 місяці тому

      Didn't Andy think he was saving the money for himself to buy something he wanted?

    • @stevebragg4256
      @stevebragg4256 Місяць тому +2

      Barney married Thelma Lou years later on Return to Mayberry.

  • @robertjolly3021
    @robertjolly3021 10 місяців тому +13

    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 👍👍

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  10 місяців тому +1

      You're right. That one is super sad as well!

    • @brianarbenz1329
      @brianarbenz1329 3 місяці тому +1

      Yeah, but a year later he was rich from oil, so Opie would be really confused! 😉

    • @lancasterritzyescargotdine2602
      @lancasterritzyescargotdine2602 3 місяці тому +1

      That name you can't spell is Buddy "Ebsen".

    • @brianarbenz1329
      @brianarbenz1329 3 місяці тому

      @@lancasterritzyescargotdine2602 _That name can't spell is..._ Ok, but now let's talk about grammar.

    • @lancasterritzyescargotdine2602
      @lancasterritzyescargotdine2602 3 місяці тому

      @@brianarbenz1329 Thank you - I needed that!

  • @scottgetty5547
    @scottgetty5547 11 місяців тому +67

    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.

    • @brendawilliams3197
      @brendawilliams3197 10 місяців тому +4

      I agree.

    • @kevinstogner9477
      @kevinstogner9477 10 місяців тому +4

      Lot's of great episodes but every Ernest T. Bass episode is a riot !! ...all he ever wanted was a uniform. Ha.

    • @scottgetty5547
      @scottgetty5547 10 місяців тому +3

      No he wanted his diploma in an episode....I want to write my sent tence...

    • @texas2step266
      @texas2step266 3 місяці тому +1

      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!

  • @tonystephens6858
    @tonystephens6858 11 місяців тому +234

    Once Don Knotts left the show and the episodes were made in color, it just wasn't the same.

  • @cjsansoo7
    @cjsansoo7 Рік тому +44

    Great advice about cherishing loved ones. You never know when your last visit may truly be your last.

  • @kevinstogner9477
    @kevinstogner9477 10 місяців тому +42

    I always thought Thelma Lou was above Barney's pay-grade. Such a sweetie.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  10 місяців тому +4

      She definitely was!

    • @Mr.Buzzcut
      @Mr.Buzzcut 2 місяці тому +2

      They were ALL above Barney's pay grade!

    • @paladin7429
      @paladin7429 2 місяці тому +2

      @@Mr.Buzzcut Well, maybe not the Fun Girls. Haha.

    • @Mr.Buzzcut
      @Mr.Buzzcut Місяць тому +4

      @@paladin7429 I dunno, that girl Barney was with was pretty cute. "Oh Bernie, you're a scream......hih hih hih hih"

    • @wyattdean5658
      @wyattdean5658 Місяць тому

      ​@@Mr.Buzzcut Barney 😁

  • @notmyrealname6150
    @notmyrealname6150 Рік тому +136

    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
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +23

      Yep. Her marriage didn't last. She was, after all, destined to be with Barney.

    • @glenn_r_frank_author
      @glenn_r_frank_author Рік тому +9

      @@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?

    • @notmyrealname6150
      @notmyrealname6150 Рік тому

      @@user-we3me3dg1yYep. Thelma Lou was fine.

    • @chrissullivan5752
      @chrissullivan5752 Рік тому +2

      Thelma Lou. Got married to Ernest T bass !!

    • @paulacunningham20
      @paulacunningham20 Рік тому +3

      Maybe Thelma Lou's husband died.

  • @Irished58
    @Irished58 Рік тому +23

    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.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +4

      How cool is that?!!? Thanks for sharing.

  • @bluemouse5039
    @bluemouse5039 10 місяців тому +10

    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

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  10 місяців тому

      Thanks for sharing.

    • @kathy6222
      @kathy6222 3 місяці тому

      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.

    • @sherri2463
      @sherri2463 20 днів тому

      @@bluemouse5039 it’s Mr GOZ the annoying dry cleaner. Yes very sad but happy at the end

  • @dalanandrews166
    @dalanandrews166 11 місяців тому +9

    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.

  • @tealelliott3870
    @tealelliott3870 Рік тому +268

    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...

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +15

      Another very sad episode for sure!

    • @jstnxprsn
      @jstnxprsn Рік тому +22

      I agree 💯 %. The bird episode was heartbreaking.

    • @0045551
      @0045551 Рік тому +26

      I agree the bird episode was by far the saddest one. I've only watched it once. I will never watch again.

    • @PoesRaven73
      @PoesRaven73 Рік тому +23

      But aren’t the trees nice and full?

    • @douglassmith1466
      @douglassmith1466 Рік тому +6

      "Next time I go tiger hunting I'm going to take my tweezers." lol

  • @TraciShirah
    @TraciShirah 11 місяців тому +21

    Yep. I was just thinking about the Lineman episode the other day. 'Mr. McBeevy' All about having trust and belief in your kids 😢

    • @Bullwinkle-h7b
      @Bullwinkle-h7b Місяць тому +1

      The Mr.Mcbeevy episode is one of my favorites.

  • @thrashpondopons8348
    @thrashpondopons8348 Рік тому +64

    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!

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +4

      Thanks for sharing, Bob. Of course, you won the lottery with Mrs. Thrash. 🙂

    • @thrashpondopons8348
      @thrashpondopons8348 Рік тому +4

      @@jdsundstrom Most Definitely!

    • @tracyroth-myers5574
      @tracyroth-myers5574 Рік тому +5

      Aww ❤

    • @thrashpondopons8348
      @thrashpondopons8348 Рік тому +4

      @@tracyroth-myers5574 Thanks Miss Tracy... but definitely for the best!

    • @only257
      @only257 Рік тому +1

      @@jdsundstromwell it ain’t the movie monster a go go 😅

  • @williamwelch7
    @williamwelch7 Рік тому +22

    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.

    • @dangeroreilly2028
      @dangeroreilly2028 Рік тому +7

      I liked her better too, but we are in the minority

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +5

      She's my favorite Lois as well.

    • @markw208
      @markw208 Рік тому +3

      I agree, Phyllis Coates was my favorite & I enjoy her in other TV shows. Her Lois had more spunk & I like spunk 😉. Sorry Lou

  • @dwayneeutsey8162
    @dwayneeutsey8162 Рік тому +56

    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.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +11

      Agreed. The look on Barney's face as Thelma Lou introduces her husband...

    • @davidlavallee6715
      @davidlavallee6715 Рік тому

      Judy8

    • @kerridillon3120
      @kerridillon3120 11 місяців тому +3

      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.

    • @vanmoody
      @vanmoody 11 місяців тому +2

      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

    • @vanmoody
      @vanmoody 11 місяців тому +1

      @@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?

  • @MrMarshEnglishClass
    @MrMarshEnglishClass Рік тому +21

    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.

    • @Brother_D_therail
      @Brother_D_therail 11 місяців тому +2

      Yes, I agree with you, that episode always stuck with me as quite melancholy.

    • @susann.1618
      @susann.1618 11 місяців тому +4

      The thought of being intimate with Barney Fife is stomach-churning. 😱

    • @scottgetty5547
      @scottgetty5547 11 місяців тому

      Haha...she didn't have a clue who he was...the bartender...haha

  • @mikel5582
    @mikel5582 Рік тому +8

    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.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +1

      Thanks for sharing. Love your perspectives!

  • @beatdiabetes3
    @beatdiabetes3 4 місяці тому +7

    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.

  • @tonym9635
    @tonym9635 11 місяців тому +4

    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!

  • @tj921able
    @tj921able Рік тому +6

    Thank you for sharing this. You made an excellent point about holding on to those you love.

  • @dk60ish
    @dk60ish Рік тому +13

    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!

    • @mathiasringle6972
      @mathiasringle6972 Рік тому +6

      She didn't overhear it, that darn Gomer ratted Barney out!

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +2

      Love that episode! Yep, Gomer has some very loose lips.

    • @waldoparsnip1025
      @waldoparsnip1025 11 місяців тому

      When she kissed Gomer when he gave her a ride to Mount Pilot .

  • @donc7354
    @donc7354 4 місяці тому +5

    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.

  • @markw208
    @markw208 Рік тому +9

    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

  • @JTRocks1
    @JTRocks1 10 місяців тому +6

    'sigh', The spirit was already gone then. 😞

  • @randyharris5195
    @randyharris5195 7 днів тому +2

    Barney was a day late and a dollar short with Thelma Lou.

  • @scottmcgraw3749
    @scottmcgraw3749 Рік тому +4

    This was a great show. A really thoughtful and good take on this episode, Dave. Good job!

  • @kinglord7707
    @kinglord7707 Рік тому +11

    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.😢😢😢

  • @gayleepling7995
    @gayleepling7995 10 місяців тому +3

    I’ve NEVER seen this episode, and I’ve watched most of the over and over again!

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  10 місяців тому

      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?

  • @ub1953
    @ub1953 11 місяців тому +20

    Thelma Lou was never "in Barney's pocket"

  • @figmo397
    @figmo397 Рік тому +42

    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.

  • @winterwhitechocolate
    @winterwhitechocolate Рік тому +48

    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.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +9

      The network threw a ton of money at Andy to do the final 3 seasons...but his heart wasn't in it.

    • @jaymike3302
      @jaymike3302 Рік тому +1

      ​@@jdsundstromI love the color episodes.

    • @joegongora2200
      @joegongora2200 Рік тому +6

      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.

    • @LKaramazov
      @LKaramazov Рік тому +4

      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.

    • @richardthomas754
      @richardthomas754 Рік тому +8

      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?

  • @RobertWalker560587
    @RobertWalker560587 7 днів тому +2

    Well Barney when you snooze you lose.

  • @timothym.salley3602
    @timothym.salley3602 2 місяці тому +4

    My saddest episode of the show was when Andy thought Aunt Bea wanted to be married bc she thought she was getting in the way of Andy's happiness.

  • @juliedixson335
    @juliedixson335 Рік тому +43

    Barney got what he deserved you can’t wait forever He didn’t even think about taking her with him

  • @RJR1975
    @RJR1975 Рік тому +13

    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.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +1

      Thanks for sharing.

    • @Mr.Buzzcut
      @Mr.Buzzcut Місяць тому

      Oh, come on, I got a kick out of Howard. I loved the episode where he went on TV to do his comedy routine and based it on his friends in Mayberry, thereby pissing them all off where they wouldn't speak to him. "Around Mayberry there's three kinds of communication - telephone, tellagraph and TELL Floyd!"
      *Floyd:* Ehhhhhhh, is he calling me a big mouth?"

    • @Elmerkeith-c5g
      @Elmerkeith-c5g Місяць тому +1

      I agree with you exactly about Howard... Barney was the comedy in the show , with Andy as the straight man setting Barney up for the laughs. Without Barney, the show went down because there was no funny guy for laughs

    • @RJR1975
      @RJR1975 Місяць тому

      @Mr.Buzzcut - Even when you watch the color episodes today, they're just terrible. The film jumps around, the voices get distorted, and the story lines feel like they were phoned in. There was once particularly bad episode where a bunch of the guys went to Howard's "bachelor pad", complete with room separating hanging beads, and took turns dancing with Helen Crump til she was tired. A real knee slapper, that one was !! Compare that to "The Fun Girls" or "Opie the Birdman." Any show in color / no Barney is unwatchable trash.

  • @ralphus44
    @ralphus44 Місяць тому +3

    It was sad seeing Barney's reaction to Thelma Lou getting married, but within a few minutes, an old classmate hits on him and seemingly all is forgotten. Pluto TV has the entire episode in its entirety with no commercials.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Місяць тому +2

      You watched it on Pluto TV without commercials? Lucky you! I've never watched anything on that service without a couple of commercial breaks.

    • @ralphus44
      @ralphus44 Місяць тому +2

      @@jdsundstrom *shrug* Maybe it was an introductory ad-free episode. I'm not sure I had ever accessed that site before. I just followed the IMBD link and it took me right to it. No ads, just the whole show.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Місяць тому +1

      Sweet!

  • @josephvlogsdon
    @josephvlogsdon Рік тому +45

    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.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +9

      Yep. Barney had a thing for Juanita.

    • @vickieleggett386
      @vickieleggett386 Рік тому +9

      Yeah, his two-timing always aggravated me. The old “one girl to fool around with, one girl to marry” theory 🙄

    • @NCMemoryMakers
      @NCMemoryMakers 11 місяців тому +6

      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.

    • @ElevenElevenSaturday
      @ElevenElevenSaturday 11 місяців тому +6

      @@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

    • @NCMemoryMakers
      @NCMemoryMakers 11 місяців тому +3

      @@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.

  • @mrBILL-sr2cu
    @mrBILL-sr2cu Рік тому +18

    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!

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +2

      The Sundance Channel plays the later seasons. Not sure why MeTV choose to play them only very rarely.

    • @wb3381
      @wb3381 Рік тому +2

      I agree 5 seasons go rather quickly, showing 2 episodes a day

    • @LarryGonzalez00
      @LarryGonzalez00 11 місяців тому

      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.

  • @dskyyksd
    @dskyyksd 10 місяців тому +4

    "Hark! How the sailor's cry joyously echoes nigh."

  • @Kenny-r7m
    @Kenny-r7m 11 місяців тому +9

    One of my fav episodes was wen aunt bea was getting drunk off that elixir..lol

  • @LPS-pf6kr
    @LPS-pf6kr 2 місяці тому +4

    In the episode Thelmalou tells Barney how good he looks etc. yet Barney never ever complimented her. He didn't deserve her.

  • @phylliswurm9473
    @phylliswurm9473 Рік тому +6

    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.

  • @joannehardin4868
    @joannehardin4868 2 місяці тому +4

    Barney was the show, when he left it was just another sad sitcom.

  • @bruce8808
    @bruce8808 Рік тому +9

    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. 😊

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +1

      I was happy to see them finally tie the knot in the TV movie.

  • @williamlangan5902
    @williamlangan5902 Рік тому +11

    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!

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +4

      The best episodes from the final three seasons were whenever Don Knotts made an appearance.

    • @wb3381
      @wb3381 Рік тому +3

      ​@jdsundstrom I love the legend of Barney but I wish they would have referred back to black and white episodes of Barney's victories

    • @jamessilva7991
      @jamessilva7991 Рік тому

      @@wb3381 would have.

  • @user-oh9yc5mt3o
    @user-oh9yc5mt3o Місяць тому +4

    The fun girls were always a blast to watch

  • @greydovegardens7688
    @greydovegardens7688 Рік тому +7

    I think it is strange how many of the shows during that period had the main character as a widow or widower.

    • @kathyhuse9743
      @kathyhuse9743 Рік тому +2

      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

    • @Randy-ry9ss
      @Randy-ry9ss 3 місяці тому

      I find it weird they never showed a bathroom !

  • @nathanbarger3449
    @nathanbarger3449 11 місяців тому +7

    Barney was a jerk to a lot of people. So he never understood why people looked down their noses at him at times.

  • @rexoates4484
    @rexoates4484 10 місяців тому +2

    Don’t forget the woman that Barney gave the police escort across the street to the post office after she smiled at him.

  • @deeceea9488
    @deeceea9488 Рік тому +6

    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.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +2

      Yep. Don Knotts was brilliant. Despite all of those horrible character traits, he somehow made us care about the character.

    • @patmelton43
      @patmelton43 10 місяців тому +2

      Barney was a jerk.

  • @tanyahardy5065
    @tanyahardy5065 11 місяців тому +3

    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."

  • @stevengreco7132
    @stevengreco7132 Рік тому +7

    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!

    • @libertygiveme1987
      @libertygiveme1987 10 місяців тому +1

      @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"!!!!

  • @lynnpoole7830
    @lynnpoole7830 Рік тому +13

    Betty Lynn was a real BABE!

    • @heleneneiman7820
      @heleneneiman7820 Рік тому

      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 "

    • @glenandrews2839
      @glenandrews2839 11 місяців тому +1

      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
      @lynnpoole7830 11 місяців тому +1

      @@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.

    • @glenandrews2839
      @glenandrews2839 11 місяців тому

      @@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

    • @patmelton43
      @patmelton43 10 місяців тому +1

      She was lovely and Barney did not deserve her.

  • @beethoven3567
    @beethoven3567 Місяць тому +2

    Saddest episode for me was A Dark Day for Mayberry because towards the end Barney seems to have a moment when he realizes just what a hack of lawman he really is. In most episodes something happens to help him save face, but in that episode his overall unprofessional handling of the gold-truck operation was a day of reckoning for him.

  • @GhostofMrsMuir1443
    @GhostofMrsMuir1443 10 місяців тому +3

    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.

  • @joegongora2200
    @joegongora2200 Рік тому +1

    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.

  • @auvet1986
    @auvet1986 11 місяців тому +2

    One of the biggest heartbreaks in my entire life

  • @scripta4812
    @scripta4812 Місяць тому +2

    Time is fleeting........so true. I almost lost the love of my life stringing her along. But my reasons was mainly financial. I didn't have much, so I thought I couldn't provide, however, we struggled through it all and did really well.

  • @deborahharp1756
    @deborahharp1756 11 місяців тому +5

    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!!

  • @marlenepearson3936
    @marlenepearson3936 Рік тому +6

    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. 🎉 ❤

  • @docadams7099
    @docadams7099 11 місяців тому +3

    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?

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  11 місяців тому +1

      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.

  • @MrLangDog
    @MrLangDog Рік тому +3

    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.

  • @markbrusberg9808
    @markbrusberg9808 Рік тому +5

    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.

  • @libertygiveme1987
    @libertygiveme1987 10 місяців тому +1

    😢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!!!!

    • @HowardJones-j7c
      @HowardJones-j7c Місяць тому

      That wasn't the one where Opie goes to visit Gomer Pyle, is it?

    • @libertygiveme1987
      @libertygiveme1987 Місяць тому

      @HowardJones-j7c I don't think so.

  • @athorpe630
    @athorpe630 2 місяці тому +3

    Barney waited to long to marry her. No one is going to wait forever.

  • @TerriHolt-om6gj
    @TerriHolt-om6gj Місяць тому +2

    I thought the saddest episode was A date for Gomer, when Gomer ran out, my heart broke for Grace.

  • @NotData
    @NotData Рік тому +3

    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.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  Рік тому +3

      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.

  • @robertwalegir8677
    @robertwalegir8677 3 місяці тому +2

    It was pointless and traumatic just because you can doesn’t mean you should!!! Barney’s character was always very sensitive because of his lack of awareness. This is a Just another situation or moment in time, or his lack of awareness, had a very profound effect upon him!!!

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  3 місяці тому

      Thanks for sharing your perspective, Robert.

  • @cjpreach
    @cjpreach 3 місяці тому +1

    These realistic, sad stories are critically important. We need all types of drama and comedy in order to process all kinds of emotions.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  3 місяці тому

      So true! It’s like we need both the tears and the laughs to make sense of this wild ride called life!

  • @docadams7099
    @docadams7099 Місяць тому +2

    I loved Thelma Lou and Barney. I would have enjoyed seeing them tie the "Knotts" in the series, but at least they did that in Return to Mayberry. All's well that ends well. And Andy served as best man to boot.

  • @ttuny1412
    @ttuny1412 7 місяців тому +2

    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.

  • @jeffjanulis2411
    @jeffjanulis2411 2 місяці тому +2

    There are so many inconsistencies regarding the timeline...Andy said he was in France during the war, which ended in 1945.

  • @sekenamcmurren2217
    @sekenamcmurren2217 Рік тому +10

    💔Barney strung Thelma Lou far to long.. Good for her for finding love.😒💞

  • @megnakamura7652
    @megnakamura7652 11 місяців тому +1

    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.

  • @tracyroth-myers5574
    @tracyroth-myers5574 Рік тому +12

    I really liked this episode very much. Just goes to show life is very short.

  • @dwade6322
    @dwade6322 Рік тому +5

    The point of this episode was 'Sometimes you don't get a 2nd chance'..Or in Barney's case a 100th chance.😮

  • @brendafuller907
    @brendafuller907 11 місяців тому +4

    Barney was very insecure, had low self esteem & was very socially awkward.

  • @Drmoemoe
    @Drmoemoe Місяць тому +2

    Sad episode. Your true love marries another man.😊

  • @MelodyJ_123
    @MelodyJ_123 3 місяці тому +1

    OMG I thought you'd show the actual episode!! You talked thru the whole thing OMG!!!

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  3 місяці тому +1

      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

    • @MelodyJ_123
      @MelodyJ_123 3 місяці тому +1

      @@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. ❤️

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  3 місяці тому

      No worries. Totally get it. 🙂

  • @Ronadams5272
    @Ronadams5272 Рік тому +4

    I sent her a birthday card on her last birthday before she passed, she lived in Mayberry…. Mt Airy, NC

  • @dstrau7987
    @dstrau7987 10 місяців тому +1

    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.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  9 місяців тому

      The show was quite loose with certain timelines.

  • @sherri2463
    @sherri2463 2 місяці тому +1

    Thelma Lou had every right to go off and get married. Barney treated her badly and 2x on her so no this isn’t sad. There are several sad ones that come to mind. OPIE and his birds
    But I think it’s the one, a color episode, where OPIE destroys Aunt Bees Rose with a football, but then surprises her with a picture of her Rose but the Clara gives her ribbon to Aunt Bee. It’s more bittersweet than sad but still makes me cry.

  • @zorro149
    @zorro149 7 місяців тому +3

    Even in black and white, Thelma Lou was a looker. Betty Lynn was one pretty lady.

  • @rafaelmillan5800
    @rafaelmillan5800 2 місяці тому +3

    Sorry Barney when you lag you lose. Good for you Thelma Lou.

  • @1939otto
    @1939otto 10 місяців тому +2

    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.

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  10 місяців тому +1

      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.

  • @Tom-m2g9o
    @Tom-m2g9o 2 місяці тому +2

    Barney was so funny. But he was also an idiot for taking a million years to commit to a great gal like Thelma Lou. Life is too short for that. It passes right by before you know it. When you know you have someone special, don't be a fool like Barney. Grab that gal and love her for the rest of your life!

  • @doglvr1
    @doglvr1 Місяць тому +2

    The show was great with Barney. The guy who replaced him as deputy wasn’t funny.

  • @user-oh9yc5mt3o
    @user-oh9yc5mt3o Місяць тому +2

    Earnst T Bass was a great character

  • @scottarivett496
    @scottarivett496 4 місяці тому

    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.

  • @Robert08010
    @Robert08010 24 дні тому +2

    Even if I disagree with you from time to time, you DO make great content. You'll ALWAYS get a thumbs up from me!!

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  24 дні тому +1

      I truly appreciate that! And...I personally think it's great that you can disagree with me at times and still enjoy my videos. Thanks for commenting!

    • @Robert08010
      @Robert08010 23 дні тому

      @@jdsundstrom These days with all the AI generated crap, we have to make a point of supporting actual creators!!

  • @billr3724
    @billr3724 9 днів тому +1

    I remember this episode. Thelma Lou shows up at the reunion looking great, while her husband is parking the car. She and Barney were excited to see each other and she agreed to slow-dance with him. Minutes later she approached Barney and Andy to introduce her husband. It seemed intentional by Thelma Lou.

  • @santor318
    @santor318 6 місяців тому +1

    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

    • @jdsundstrom
      @jdsundstrom  6 місяців тому

      Yikes! I don't remember that one...but it does sound sad. 🙁

  • @j-marie4006
    @j-marie4006 Рік тому +4

    Sad but life lesson learned...we all make that mistake at one time or another.

  • @TravisWhite-m3r
    @TravisWhite-m3r 4 місяці тому +1

    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.

  • @TaDarling1
    @TaDarling1 10 місяців тому +1

    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.

  • @jeffjanulis2411
    @jeffjanulis2411 2 місяці тому +2

    Opie Birdman is saddest for me

  • @broncobilly4029
    @broncobilly4029 Рік тому +1

    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!

  • @benitanichols8136
    @benitanichols8136 11 місяців тому +2

    The saddest episode is the one in which Opie accidently killed a mother bird.

    • @KnockOffBeingFat
      @KnockOffBeingFat 2 місяці тому

      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!!

  • @myrtleborodziuk7163
    @myrtleborodziuk7163 Рік тому +1

    I loved the show the timing was always spot on especially for Barney.

  • @trekzilladmc
    @trekzilladmc 15 годин тому

    I remember during an interview, Betty Lynn said that she had a hard time having to follow through with the story because she didn't believe Thelma Lou would do something like that to Barney.