Customer Reviews

The Andy Griffith Show - The Complete First Season

5 star:		(156)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am anxiously awaiting October 12 to view these DVDs. Let's hope Paramount releases quality, like with their boxed set of The Honeymooners. Until then, here's an episode guide for your reference.

First season air dates:
October 1960-May 1961

1. The New Housekeeper: Aunt Bee comes to live with Andy and Opie when their housekeeper Rosie gets married.

2. The Manhunt: State police ask Andy and Barney to step aside while they hunt for a criminal. But Andy tricks the criminal at the end by allowing him to ?escape? in his leaky fishing boat.

3. The Guitar Player: Andy tries to help Jim Lindsey, a young guitar player from the hills, get a job with Freddie Fleet and His Band With a Beat.

4. Runaway Kid: Opie befriends an 8-year-old runaway.

5. Opie?s Charity: Andy becomes upset when Opie contributes a measly three cents to an underprivileged children?s fund.

6. Ellie Comes to Town: Andy becomes interested in the new ?lady druggist,? Miss Ellie Walker (Elinor Donahue).

7. Irresistible Andy: Andy thinks that Ellie is a ?deadly female hunter? out to get him. But Ellie will have something to say about that!

8. A Feud is a Feud: Andy tries to end a feud between two neighboring families.

9. Andy the Matchmaker: To lift Barney?s morale, Andy stages a minor robbery and encourages him to date the shy seamstress in town.

10. Stranger in Town: Mayberry citizens are perplexed by an out-of-towner who seems to know everything about everyone.

11. Christmas Story: Scrooge-like businessman Ben Weaver causes trouble on Christmas Eve, resulting in the gang having to celebrate Christmas at the courthouse.

12. Ellie for Council: Ellie?s decision to run for town council starts a war between the sexes.

13. Mayberry Goes Hollywood: All of Mayberry puts on airs when a film crew decides to shoot a movie there.

14. The Horse Trader: When he tries to sell the old town cannon, Andy disregards advice he had given to Opie.

15. Those Gossipin? Men: After Andy remarks about how women love to gossip, Aunt Bee pulls a prank to prove that men gossip just as much, if not more, than women do.

16. Andy Saves Barney?s Morale: Barney?s overzealous policies enrage Mayberry citizens. Andy steps in to save the day.

17. Alcohol and Old Lace: Andy and Barney think they?ve smashed every still in the county?until they discover that two little old ladies have their own elixir-making machine.

18. Andy the Marriage Counselor: Andy counsels a married couple who constantly bicker.

19. Mayberry on Record: Andy becomes suspicious of a man who says he?s in town to record local music talent for a new folk album.

20. The Beauty Pageant: Andy is chosen to judge a beauty contest, and its contestants include the mayor?s daughter, Floyd?s niece, and Ellie.

21. Andy and the Gentleman Crook: When an infamous, smooth-talking con artist is housed temporarily in the Mayberry jail, he enchants everyone except Andy.

22. Cyrano Andy: When Andy tries to help Barney express his feelings for Thelma Lou, Thelma Lou uses Andy?s involvement to make Barney jealous. (This is the first episode with Thelma Lou.)

23. Andy and Opie, Housekeepers: When Aunt Bee returns from an out-of-town trip, Andy and Opie go to great lengths to prove how much they need her.

24. The New Doctor: A new doctor in town arouses suspicion in Aunt Bee and Barney and jealousy in Andy.

25. A Plaque for Mayberry: The last living descendant of Revolutionary War hero Nathan Tibbs turns out to be the town drunk, Otis Campbell.

26. The Inspector: A by-the-book courthouse inspector condemns Andy and Barney?s lack of rigorous procedure at the courthouse.

27. Ellie Saves a Female: Ellie helps a female farmhand discover and express her femininity.

28. Andy Forecloses: At Ben Weaver?s insistence, Andy must foreclose on a family?s home while they?re experiencing financial difficulties.

29. Quiet Sam: Barney suspects that a mysterious new farmer is growing illegal plants (aka marijuana) on his farm. He?s shocked when he discovers what the farmer is really up to.

30. Barney Gets His Man: An escaped convict vows revenge on the man who was responsible for sending him back to prison, Barney Fife.

31. The Guitar Player Returns: Jim Lindsey returns to Mayberry amidst a hero?s welcome, but Andy suspects there?s trouble.

32. Bringing Up Opie: Aunt Bee declares that the courthouse environment has a negative effect on Opie and forbids him to spend any time there.

I agree with "MB" and his review except for the complaint about the "sponsors" and all. I also disagree with "Barney's Brother" for the following reason: GET A LIFE! We FINALLY get the AGS on quality DVDs from the studio - and they are less than $1 per episode! Can someone get a clue here? I guess you'd like to spend $60 just to get some original commercials? Why nitpick?

"MB" is right on about the quality. The picture is so clear and the sound is great! You can see many things (such as shadows from ceiling mikes) you have never noticed before. Man, it is so much different than watching on TV reruns or the bargain-bin public domain episode DVDs or VHS tapes.

All of each show is here - minus I guess those commercials. Who cares? They are NOT part of the actual show anyway!

Overall I say 5 stars are NOT ENOUGH! This is a dream come true. I cannot wait until they release all the B&W years (first 5 seasons). You can have the color years and characters such as Howard and that new deputy who wouldn't win a talent contest with kindergardener's! Long live Barney Fife!

This first season-a must for anyone even remotely interested in vintage television at its best. While the first episode, technicaly, should be considered an episode of the Danny Thomas Show (originally airing 2/15/1960), the first episode of the actual series (airing 10/3/1960) is well worth the price of the set. This collection introduces us to some of the most unique television characters ever created: Sheriff Andrew Jackson Taylor, Deputy Sheriff Bernard P. Fife, Opie Taylor, Beatrice 'Aunt Bee' Taylor, Floyd Lawson, Otis Campbell, Ellie Mae Walker and Thelma Lou (we never know her last name).
The following is a brief synopsis of each featured episode, with some trivia.

Disc 1
1. The New Housekeeper:
Andy and Opie's housekeeper, Rose, leaves to be married and Opie finds Aunt Bee difficult to accept as Rose's replacement.
**1st of two episodes where Barney is referenced as Andy's cousin.
2. The Manhunt:
State police comb the Mayberry area for an escaped convict, refusing Andy and Barney's offer of help.
**2nd time Barney is referenced as Andy's cousin.
**1st appearance of Otis Campbell, the town drunk.
**Watch for Barney's mother.
3. The Guitar Player:
Andy helps Mayberry's best guitar player, Jim Lindsey (James Best)get a job with Bobby Fleet (Henry Slate) and His Band with a Beat.
4. Ellie Comes to Town:
The "new lady druggist", Ellie Walker (Elinor Donahue), comes to town and has trouble adapting to Mayberry life.
**This is Ellie's 1st appearance.
5. Irresistible Andy:
Andy mistakenly thinks Ellie is a "desperate, determined hunter" eyeing him for matrimony.
6. Runaway Kid:
Opie refuses to answer Andy's questions because of his promise to the runaway boy staying with the Taylors.
**Watch for Andy on trial for a ticket, w/Barney as the judge.
7. Andy the Matchmaker:
An arranged fake hold-up at the drugstore is orchestrated by Andy and Ellie in order to boost Barney's morale and speed-up Barney's courtin' of Miss Rosemary (Amzie Strickland).
8. Opie's Charity:
Andy is upset with Opie for a charity drive donation of "3 miserable, measly pennies" , but realizes his mistake learning of Opie's intensions with his money.
**Watch for the story about 'Horatio, the half a boy'.

Disc 2
9. A Feud is a Feud:
The Wakefields and Carters-2 families feuding "cause we's a feudin'..., cause we's a shootin' at each other", with Andy trying to stop the feud.
10. Ellie for Council:
Ellie runs for town council, 1st time a woman has run in Mayberry.
**This is the 1st time Otis Campbell's wife appesrs.
11. Christmas Story:
In true Scrooge-form, Ben Weaver forces Andy to jail a family on Cristmas Eve.
**This is the 1st appearance of Ben Weaver (Will Wright).
12. Stranger in Town:
A stranger (William Lanteau) arrives in Mayberry and mysteriously knows everything about everyone in town.
**This is the 1st episode with Floyd the barber, BUT played by Walter Baldwin, not Howard McNear.
13. Mayberry Goes Hollywood:
A movie producer (Dan Frazier) decides to make a movie in Mayberry, and the town goes Hollywood-crazy.
**This is the 1st appearance of Mayor Pike (Dick Elliot).
**This is also the 1st appearance of Floyd Lawson played by the classic Howard McNear.
14. The Horse Trader:
Andy and Barney have to sell the town cannon and nobody is interested. Andy then exaggerates to an antique dealer (Casey Adams) to sell it, Opie learns the wrong lesson and Andy has to fix it.
15. Those Gossipin' Men:
A shoe salesman (Jack Finch) comes to town, the men think he's a talent scout and make fools of themselves.
16. The Beauty Contest:
Andy judges the Miss Mayberry Beauty Pageant while bombarded by townsfolk requests for his vote.
**Be ready for Floyd's own song, 'Hail to thee, Miss Mayberry'.

Disc 3
17. Alcohol and Old Lace:
Two elderly sisters, Clarabelle and Jennifer Morrison, run a still out of their greenhouse while helping Andy and Barney arrest moonshiners.
**This is the 1st episode we get to see Barney drunk.
18. Andy the Marriage Counselor: Andy tries to make peace between an arguing couple, Fred and Jeannie Boone, with them taking out their anger on the town. Andy'll fix it.
**This is the 1st episode we witness Barney's passion for the martial arts.
19. Mayberry on Record:
A record producer (Hugh Marlowe) comes to Mayberry to record local music. Townfolk invest in the record to Andy's dismay.
20. Andy Saves Barney's Morale:
Andy goes out of town "for 8 measly, little ol' hours", Barney arrest everybody. Andy comes back and everyone no longer takes Barney seriously, Barney loses his confidence, Andy fixes everything, as usual.
**Be sure to note the upside-down state map of Nevada to Andy's left in the opening scene.
21. Andy and the Gentleman Crook:
A smooth criminal, 'Gentleman Dan Caldwell' (Dan Tobin), visits the Mayberry jail, winning-over everyone, but Andy.
**This is the 1st episode we witness an Opie and Andy story-telling adventure as only Andy can do it.
22. Cyrano Andy:
Andy visits Thelma Lou (Betty Lynn) on Barney's behalf, Thelma Lou then uses it to make Barney jealous.
**This is the 1st appearance of Thelma Lou.
23. Andy and Opie, Housekeepers:
Aunt Bee goes out of town and Andy and Opie trash the house...then it's cleaned, then trashed, then cleaned, then trashed, all for Aunt Bee.
24. The New Doctor:
A new doctor (George Nader) comes to town, Andy gets jealous of the doctor's relationship with Ellie and ends up proposing to her.

Disc 4
25. A Plaque for Mayberry:
A direct decendant of a Revolutionary War hero resides in Mayberry and is to be honored - and it is the 'most spirited' Mayberry resident.
**Be sure to enjoy the "Barney Fife-Peter Piper-nose pinchin' test for drunks".
26. The Inspector:
The state inspector (Tod Andrews) visits Andy and Barney, shocked and amazed by the sheriff department's old-fashioned methods.
27. Ellie Saves a Female:
Ellie helps a farm girl (Edris March) find her 'outer' beauty, to her father's (R. G. Armstrong) dismay.
28. Andy Forecloses:
Andy is forced by mean ol' Ben Weaver to evict a local family who's renting from Ben.
**This is the 1st episode we are 'introduced' to Barney's Juanita Beasley (even though we never see her).
29. Quiet Sam:
Barney suspects a secretive rural farmer (William Schallert) may be a criminal.
**This is the 1st time we see Andy have a cigarette.
**Barney organizes his 1st posse.
30. Barney Gets His Man:
Barney accidentally catches a wanted criminal who vows to "get you deputy!". He then breaks loose and heads for Mayberry.
**This is the last epsidode from Season 1 with Thelma Lou.
31. The Guitar Player Returns:
Guitarist Jim Lindsey (from episode 3) returns to Mayberry bragging of his success. Andy discovers otherwise, and fixes it.
**This is the last episode ever with Ellie.
32. Bringing Up Opie:
Aunt Bee decides that Opie shouldn't visit the courthouse anymore, to Opie, Andy and Barney's dismay.


I have since purchased Seasons 2 and 5 and see no end in sight to the future purchases of Seasons 3 and 4. Like many, I too lose much of my interest beginning with Season 6 (the beginning of the color episodes).

Folks, if you love the Andy Griffith show, you will not be disappointed in this set. I just read the review from Pi and I can't imagine him/her being a true fan of the show and cutting this set down the way they have. It doesn't matter that there are no extras, commercials, etc. Us life long fans of the show pretty much know all the extra stuff from books, interviews, articles etc. What matters most is that these are the complete shows in the best uncut quality that we have ever seen and they are our's to enjoy for life. I've probably seen each episode more than a couple dozen times each and this is like seeing them for the first time. This set is what we've all been waiting for and don't let anyone tell you that it's not. Let's only keep our fingers crossed that the best is yet to come with seasons 2 thru 5.

The first season of the legendary Andy Griffith Show includes a few elements that would change as the series developed. The main change is the character Andy Taylor. In these early episodes, Andy is shown as a goofy hick. Later, Andy would develop into the wise, small-town sheriff and straight man to the comedic genius of Don Knotts. Certain details also reveal that the writers weren't exactly sure where to go with the characters. Barney Fife is introduced as Andy's cousin, for example. Still, the greatness of the series was there from the start. I am surprised that the Make Room for Daddy (Danny Thomas Show) episode that introduced the world to Andy is not included but, still, this set is "really big; Big, Big." Here are the 32 (wow!) episodes from the first season which originally aired in 1960-1:

The New Housekeeper: It's hard to believe that Opie did not like Aunt Bee when she first arrived to replace a beloved housekeeper. Here, Barney is introduced as Andy's cousin. It would not remain that way, of course.
The Manhunt: The state police search for an escaped convict in Mayberry and do not want the local small-town force involved.
The Guitar Player: Andy schemes to get local guitar phenom Jim Lindsey (played by James Best, best known for his role as Rosco Coletrane in The Dukes of Hazzard) in a traveling jazz band Bobby Fleet and his Band with a Beat (once referred to as "Freddie Fleet...").
Runaway Kid: Andy's "Golden Rule" lesson to Opie about never ratting out a friend backfires when Opie brings home an 8-year-old runaway.
Opie's Charity: Andy is furious when Opie donates a "measly three cents" to a children's charity drive. No Barney in this one.
Ellie Comes to Town: Ellie Walker (played by Elinor Donahue formerly of Father Knows Best fame) is introduced as the new "lady druggist" who is unaware how things work in Mayberry, especially concerning Emma Watson's pills. Ellie was my favorite of Andy's girlfriends. She was much more cute and bubbly than the woman Andy ended up with (sour Helen Crump).
Irresistible Andy: Andy thinks Ellie has plans of matrimony for him so he decides to put her "on the scent of other game."
A Feud is a Feud: Andy becomes Fryer Lawrence in his attempt to end an 87-year feud between the Wakefield and Carter families that is interfering with a young couple's wedding plans.

Andy the Matchmaker: Barney shy?! In the beginning he was. Andy tries to get him set up with a librarian-looking old maid known only as Miss Rosemary who refers to her potential suitor as "Mr. Fife." I am glad they did not carry on with this pathetic storyline.
Christmas Story: Ben Weaver is a modern-day Scrooge [perfect casting for this role].
Stranger in Town: A stranger comes to Mayberry who knows everything about the town and its residents and the townspeople are freaked out by it.
Ellie for Council: The men of Mayberry are up-in-arms when they find out Ellie Walker is running for town council.
Mayberry Goes to Hollywood: A movie producer wants to use Mayberry as the back drop for a film. His plans for a small-town setting are dashed when the town guzzies itself up for the occasion. One of my favorites.
The Horse Trader: Ignoring his own advice to Opie, Andy plays fast and loose with the facts when trying to sell the old town cannon.
The Gosspin' Men: Do men gossip? Aunt Bee thinks so when she starts a rumor about a salesman in town.
Andy Saves Barney's Morale: So what else is new? Here, Barney is sheriff for a day--and arrests the whole town.

Alcohol & Old Lace: One of my favorites. Two old ladies (not unlike "the recipe" ladies on The Waltons) knock out their competition by leading Andy and Barney on a still-smashing spree. It's OK to sell the good stuff on special occasions, of course.
Andy & the Marriage Counselor: Andy tries to get the bickering Boones in the habit of getting along. Now the townspeople must be recipients of their pent-up wrath. A favorite of mine.
Mayberry on Record: The folks of Mayberry invest their money in a folk album of local talent. Andy suspects the promoter to be a con artist. Could Andy be wrong about this one? Features bluegrass musicians who would become the Kentucky Colonels.
The Beauty Contest: Another favorite of mine. Andy is sole judge of a beauty contest for Founder's Day and finds out it is a bad position to be in, especially with Floyd's niece and Mayor Pike's homely daughter among the contestants.
Andy & the Gentlman Crook: Con man Dan Caldwell is incarcerated in the Mayberry jail and nearly makes a clean get-away on his "word as a gentleman."
Cyrano Andy: Barney is having trouble with his love life? How can that be?
Andy & Opie, Housekeepers: Andy may be wrong when he thinks Aunt Bee wants to see a clean house when she returns from visiting a relative.
The New Doctor: A handsome young doctor arrives in Mayberry and Barney gets Andy worried that he may have his sites on Ellie.

A Plaque for Mayberry: The townspeople can't await to honor the last descendant of a Revolutionary War hero, until they find out it is the town drunk, Otis.
The Inspector: Another favorite of mine. A by-the-book courthouse inspector does not like what he sees in the Mayberry jail from the frilly doilies in the cells to Andy's way of handling a violent moonshiner. Andy walking right in the line of fire of the armed and scared moonshiner is classic. Andy rules!
Ellie Saves a Female: A female farmhand has never used "female war paint" and perfume to show off her femininity and Ellie wants to change this despite the protest of the farmhand's father.
Andy Forecloses: Ben Weaver insists Andy evict a financially-troubled young couple from their home. Andy decides to open Ben's eyes by being even more cruel than the gruff department store owner.
Quiet Sam: Barney is suspicious of a mysterious farmer until he finds out the reason for the farmer's preoccupation.
Barney Gets His Man: Barney captures an escaped con who vows revenge.
The Guitar Player Returns: Jim Lindsey returns to Mayberry to a hero's welcome after leaving Bobby Fleet to set out on his own. His decision to go solo is not a good one.
Bringing Up Opie: Aunt Bee forbids Opie to spend time at the courthouse because she believes it is a bad influence.

The new DVD release of the Andy Griffith Show looks great!!! Wow!!! Crystal clear, very low noise (only an occasional faint vertical line, very thin and very fast or a small white speck here and there). The picture is so clean and sharp you can see Opie's smallest freckles and Aunt Bee's moles (neck area) and liver spots (hands). In the first three episodes the Mayberry police cruiser looks very used and the paint is badly faded, I never noticed that before but it is clearly evident now. Lots and lots of details that I have never noticed now pop out of the screen. If these aren't the best prints of these shows they have be near the top. I personally haven't seen any other prints that come close, even on TV. All of the original scenes are restored and the fade ins and outs are smooth and silent.

The show's sound is as good or better. Background noise and hiss are nonexistent. The dialog is up front and in your face. I heard birds chirping in the outdoor scenes and at one point in the first or second episode the sound of a plane flying overhead was clearly an unintentional goof. I was at first very disappointed with the opening and ending song tracks. The opening was a little thin and the ending track was definitely different from the one everyone remembers (same song, different version). I thought that they had changed the credit soundtracks for the DVD release. But, by the third episode the opening track was better and the ending track was restored to it's familiar version. I don't know why this is but maybe it's true to the shows original form. I don't know. I was just relieved that the third episode was the right (familiar) version.

During the shows original run the ending credits included pictures of products from the shows sponsors. They do appear in some releases (retail VHS versions in my collection) of the shows. They are not here. To be true to the original (1960's run) format (purist's quibble) they should be included (they are probably removed for copyright/trademark reasons). They may have been superimposed over the ending credits which could mean they were never printed onto the masters. I don't know. It's a very minor point anyway and does not affect the DVD's in any way.

All in all I give it a solid A. The Andy Griffith show has never looked or sounded better.

Those who complain about the lack of extras (cast/crew interviews & voice-overs, etc) should bear in mind that the DVD version has 2-3+ extra minutes of the actual SHOW that haven't been seen for over 40 years! For instance, the scene in "Quiet Sam" where Barney makes a marijuana-growing reference- that's right, Marijuna! This scene has never been shown in the chopped up, money-grubbing syndicated version. Many other great scenes have been hacked off over the years to cram in more commericals- the average sitcom in the 1960s was twenty-six minutes long!
I am a purist and would love to see the original closing credits with the product pictures, but the legal issues involved in this are probably a logistical nightmare, and that version of the credits may be lost or destroyed anyway- after all, this show aired almost fifty years ago! The original opening credits, if I recall, also had a "Brought to You By General Electric" credit that appeared on screen just after Opie tosses the stone across the pond, which is why in syndication the "cut" that ends the opening credits often seems jagged (sometimes it cuts off the "rock toss" scene altogether; other times the cut occurs a second or two after the toss). Just a boring bit of TAGS trivia. BTW, many shows of this era had special little sequenes in the credits that highlighted a major sponsor- "Alfred Hitchock Presents" has a Bristol-Meyers Squibb ad after Hitch's opening monolouge- I've noticed on re-runs they often crudely chop off Hitch's last sentence because the camera starts to pan towards the ad before he's done talking.
Lastly, those who clamor for extras should know that its not a simple matter of just finding the tape of an old promo, commerical, or pilot episode and slapping it on DVD. The primary purpose of ALL television programming is to extract as much money as possible from the content, and thus any piece of film that airs on commerical TV carries with it a vast tangle of complex, contractual legal issues. Resolving these issues takes time and lawyers, which are obviously very expensive. I'd rather pay less and get the shows themselves released faster than have the studio spend 2 years and $200,000 trying to get the rights to some obscure old ads or promos, etc. Just my two cents.

The Andy Griffith Show is loved from coast to coast, but it's especially important to a fellow like me who has spent all of his life in the great state of North Carolina. Around these parts, The Andy Griffith Show is more than just a TV show. Just about everybody under the age of 50 has grown up with Andy, Barney, Aunt Bee, Opie, Floyd, Otis, and the whole Mayberry gang. And, no matter how many times I see a particular episode, I never get tired of watching it. I've seen the 32 shows from Season One more times than I can remember, but watching them again on these DVDs was even better than seeing them for the first time on television. As time goes by, this show actually grows in importance. Mayberry is more than a place; it's a paradise on earth, a way of life many of us yearn for. Heck, I live in a small town now, but it doesn't feel like a small town anymore. I'm all for progress, but no life is as satisfying as the simple life in a calm, lazy town where you not only know everybody, you actually like everybody. Folks is just folks in Mayberry, and I would move there in a heartbeat if I could. Maybe a criminal wanders into town once every blue moon, but old reliable Barney Fife is always there to nip criminal activity in the bud (and Andy is there to see that Barney succeeds despite himself). About the worst thing that ever happens in Mayberry is Aunt Bee deciding to make a run of pickles. This is truly the life, and The Andy Griffith Show The Complete First Season lands a spot smack dab on top of my stack of favorite DVDs.

The first season doesn't have some of the big-name episodes (e.g., the Fun Girls or Citizen's Arrest), but it's my favorite season of them all. It takes a few episodes to settle in, though; in the first few episodes, Andy comes across as a real local yokel, and the comedy sometimes comes at the expense of the South that I love so dearly. Pretty soon, though, the comedy refines itself into good old country humor. The show was never just about making people laugh, though. It's instructive in the way sit-coms used to be. It's not easy for a widower to raise a precocious young'un like Opie, but this father and son learn life's lessons together.

I don't even have to describe Barney Fife, as I can't imagine there is anyone who is unfamiliar with one of TV's greatest characters. Barney wasn't in every episode early on, but it didn't take long for the local deputy sheriff to start stealing the show week in and week out. And just imagine this - week in and week out, a new episode of the show aired. No mid-season reruns here. I don't think we'll ever again see the day when a show airs 32 episodes in a single season. Not only did this show deliver up a new show every week, every single episode was a classic.

I won't try to describe every individual episode; you've probably seem all of them already at some point, anyway. I will, however, emphasize the point that these are the complete, uncut episodes. I had never seen a good many of the short epilogues because those are invariably cut out of syndication - in a number of cases, the story truly isn't complete without the epilogues. And sakes alive, the audio and video quality of these episodes is nothing short of glorious. Gone are the days when you have to buy little DVD collections of random episodes, many of them of questionable quality. The Andy Griffith Show's first 32 episodes look, sound, and play better now than they ever have before.

This is the epitome of good, wholesome, hilarious family entertainment. As far as I'm concerned, The Andy Griffith Show ought to have a place in every household. TV (and now DVD) just doesn't get any better than this.

I have been waiting for years for this.

After being suckered by every unauthorized, bootleg, projector-quality, substitute-theme-song, "best-of", etc... collection, many with different names for the same episodes to mask the fact that you're getting the same "oops, we forgot to renew the copyright" ones over and over again ("dogs, dogs, dogs" - I must have 5 copies in different sets), Paramount has seen the light and released the 1st season.

Most episodes were properly copyrighted and so haven't been released before in any other sets. They are in their original broadcast edits with no cuts for more commercial time. And the quality of the images is great - the best I've ever seen, as if Paramount either got ahold of the original prints or did a really good restoration job (or both). There are a few strange digital effects (Andy's striped tie in "The Inspector" seems to be lit from within, for example) but thankfully nothing more serious.

Some cast/crew/writer interviews might have been a nice addition, but I understand how the TAGS family may have grown tired of it all in recent years, what with multiple specials and books. They are a humble, retiring bunch.

Please, please Paramount - don't stop with Season 1!!!

This is simply fantastic! With so many ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW fanatics out there, I've always been mystified why the show wasn't one of the first things out on DVD. Now we have the ENTIRE first season in gorgeous prints! Sure, there are no extras -- but the bonus is built into each show. Gone are the violated prints that have suffered various forms of butchering over the years. Fellow ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW lovers know exactly what I mean. These classics have at various times been sped up to allow for more commercial time; they've also been edited and had their epilogues cut off for the same reason. Now we can all sit back and enjoy Andy, Barney, Opie, Otis, Aunt Bee, Ellie, Floyd and the rest of the first-season gang in all their early episodes glory. I devoured this box set in record time. How could I not, with such classics as "Manhunt," "Andy the Matchmaker," "Christmas Story," "Mayberry Goes Hollywood," "Alcohol and Old Lace," "Cyrano Andy," "Barney Gets His Man" and so many other gems included in this set? Watching Andy play straightman to Barney is priceless, but Andy also has his very funny moments, as do most members of the cast. The only drawback to this DVD release is that it leaves you starving for SEASON TWO to be released. I can't wait!