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).