ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW - DVD review

Season 7 was the second year of color for "The Andy Griffith Show," and the second year without Don Knotts as the irrepressible bumbling Deputy Barney Fife. It was also the year that Frances Bavier was finally rewarded for all those years of fussing over Sheriff Andy Taylor (Griffith) and his son, Opie (Ron Howard). Bavier, whose voice was pitched so that high dogs could hear her miles away, finally won an Emmy, as did Knotts again for one of two episodes he did this season as a special guest. But those episodes only underscored how the real energy and life of this show left when Knotts did, and probably led to Griffith's disenchantment. The star would return for just one more season.

Compared to the shows black-and-white Barney Fife years, the color ones feel lower-key, even lifeless at times. It's clear that Griffith grew tired of playing the folksy North Carolina small-town sheriff-without-a-gun, and his lack of enthusiasm and energy this season was surpassed only by the writers, who were showing signs of running out of ideas. Most of the episodes this season are variations on earlier shows, and just about all of the episodes are so simple and, yes, obvious, that you can see them unfold well in advance. Then again, simplicity was part of the charm of this show, which had the distinction of finishing in the Nielsen Top-10 every single season of its eight-year run. This year it finished Number 3 as the top-rated half-hour sitcom.

Season 7 was a bittersweet one because it was the last time fans would see those lovable bluegrass-playing hill-folk, the Darlings or Floyd the barber (Howard McNear), and the last time that they'd watch town drunk Otis Campbell (Hal Smith) totter into his home-away-from-home jail cell, the last time they'd see mama's boy Howard Sprague (Jack Dodson) try to break free of those apron strings, and the last time they'd see Aneta Corsaut as Andy's "girl," Helen.

The best episodes this final season feature Knotts. In "A Visit to Barney Fife," Andy goes to Raleigh and finds Barney's detective job hanging by a thread. But, of course, with Andy's help, the clueless Fife manages to round up a gang of notorious grocery store bandits (whom he had been living with!). In "Barney Comes to Mayberry," flushed with his recent success, Barney mistakes a full brass-band welcome for him, when the town really turned out to honor a hometown girl who went on to become one of Hollywood's most glamorous stars. It turns out that Barney used to date her in high school, and ends up being used as a public relations ploy.

But there are other decent episodes too. "Big Fish in a Small Town" is an enjoyable fable. An episode in which Otis ends up saving the day (while drunk) is pretty entertaining, as is "The Ball Game." "Opie's Girlfriend" is also pretty decent and shows just how far we've come in thinking about male-female roles since 1966-67. Here's the rundown on the 30 episodes from this season:

1) "Opie's Girlfriend"—When Helen's niece comes for a visit, the competition between Cindy and Opie escalates until the Taylor boy ends up with a black eye.

2) "The Lodge"—Politics and confusion abound in an episode where lodge members vote on whether to accept Howard into their midst.

3) "The Barbershop Quartet"—A good (but recycled and predictable) episode has Andy and his quartet subbing a prisoner when Howard comes down with laryngitis in hopes of winning the big competition for the third straight year even without Howard.

4) "The Ball Game"—When Andy umps a game between Mayberry and archrival Mount Pilot and rules against the home team, all heck breaks loose.

5) "Aunt Bee's Crowning Glory"—Aunt Bee wears a blonde wig to church, and that's all it takes to shake up the town.

6) "The Darling Fortune"—The Darlings come into a huge fortune (which turns out to be $300) and come to town to look for wives for all of the eligible Darling men. And it takes a plan and an owl to keep them from marrying Helen.

7) "Mind Over Matter"—When Goober has a car accident he's fine until he starts hearing about whiplash and decides he's a victim.

8) "Politics Begin at Home"—Aunt Bee runs against Howard for town council, which puts Andy in an awkward position. He talked Howard into running!

9) "The Senior Play"—Helen stages a wild musical from the Twenties to show parents that her high school students aren't bad for wanting to dance rock 'n' roll.

10) "Opie Finds a Baby"—Weird episode has Opie trying to find a good home for a baby he finds, and Andy deciding what to do with it when the boy's parents turn up.

11) "Big Fish in a Small Town"—Novice fisherman Howard catches the legendary carp "Old Sam," and Howard rises to the occasion to restore the legend.

12) "Only a Rose"—Opie breaks off one of Aunt Bee's prize roses that she was hoping to enter in a contest and beat (who else?) Clara (Hope Summers).

13) "Otis the Deputy"—An intoxicated Otis helps foil two bank robbers who have captured Andy and Floyd, inconveniently close to his liquor stash.

14) "Goober Makes History"—When Goober returns from a three-week camping trip with a beard and everyone says how much more intelligent it makes him look, he starts to act like a know-it-all.

15) "A New Doctor in Town"—When Opie needs medical attention, Andy has to decide whether to patronize the new young doctor in town and set a good example or opt for Plan B.

16) "Don't Miss a Good Bet"—A stranger comes to town and gets them all excited about buried treasure. Can you say "con"?

17) "Dinner at Eight"—With Aunt Bee gone, the town takes it upon themselves to make sure that Andy is well fed. Too well fed, it turns out.

18) "A Visit to Barney Fife"—Andy visits Barney in Raleigh and helps him retain his detective's job.

19) "Barney Comes to Mayberry"—When a visiting movie star takes up with Barney, the women of Mayberry take notice.

20) "Andy's Old Girlfriend"—When Andy's old flame comes to town, Helen worries, especially when the two of them get lost in the woods together.

21) "Aunt Bee's Restaurant"—Aunt Bee invests in a Chinese restaurant, but it doesn't spell good fortune.

22) "Floyd's Barbershop"—Howard becomes Floyd's landlord and raises the rent, which forces Floyd to leave and means that Andy has to broker a peace between them in order to get Floyd to come back to Mayberry. One of many episodes which prepared viewers for life after Mayberry.

23) "The Statue"—The town is planning to erect a statue to honor one of Andy and Aunt Bee's ancestors, but Andy and Aunt Bee learn he was a cheat and a swindler, not someone worthy of being bronzed.

24) "Helen, the Authoress"—Andy feels neglected and throws a tantrum after Helen writes a children's book.

25) "Goodbye, Dolly"—When the milkman has to switch from horse cart to truck, his horse refuses to eat until Andy and Opie help out. Another end-of-an-era episode.

26) "Opie's Piano Lesson"—Football vs. piano. What's Opie to do when there's a conflict?

27) "Howard, the Comedian"—Funny episode has Howard entering a talent show in Raleigh and using the Mayberry townspeople as the brunt of his jokes.

28) "Big Brother"—Howard wants to be a good big brother, but that gets tough when he realizes he'd rather spend time with the lad's big sister.

29) "Opie's Most Unforgettable Character"—Andy helps Opie with ideas for a paper, and while the grade turns out just fine, the story isn't very pleasing.

30) "Goober's Contest"—In this frequently syndicated episode, mayhem results when the printer makes a mistake on a "Grab-bag-for-Cash" contest at Wally's Filling Station and leaves Goober holding the bag.

Video: "The Andy Griffith Show" really looks great in color—with surprisingly less grain than I expected, and much more natural colors than in some of the other shows that went from B&W to color. The aspect ratio is, of course, 1.33:1.

Audio: The audio is nothing special—the usual Dolby Digital Mono you get from shows of this era. But the tonal quality is pretty good, with a deep timbre that isn't too full of bass—just enough to give it a round tone.

Extras: Though there are no extras this season, I have to say that the packaging is really pretty fun and creative. Five single-sided discs are housed in three clear keep-cases, and on the cover of each is a picnic scene. Inside, each disc looks like food. Disc one is a pretzel against a gingham tablecloth, disc two is a chocolate chip cookie, disc three is an orange, disc four is a cantelope, and disc five is a tomato. But Aunt Bee, where's the chicken and pie?!

Bottom Line: "The Andy Griffith Show" is one of the top TV sitcoms of all-time, and even a weaker season has enough going for it to make it of interest—especially for fans of the show. "Andy Griffith" finished third in the Nielsen's this year, behind "The Red Skelton Hour" and top-rated "Bonanza." It's last year, "The Andy Griffith Show" would finish at Number 1, which only underscores just how beloved this sitcom was during its eight-year run. Despite the Emmys and the high Nielsen finish, Season 7 is respectable, but not outstanding.