Class Reunion

This little episode shows how life can drag us by the nose into a future we never thought about. When Andy finds the old high school yearbook, he wonders what happened to all those people. He and Barney, with the help of some who have remained in Mayberry, plan a reunion. It works reasonable well. The only problem, other than the obvious "you can't go home again," is the hostility felt by people who go unrecognized. Name tags certainly would have helped. But the conclusion involves Andy hooking up with his first love. They were cutest couple two years in a row, but why did they part? There are some truly touching scenes here that all of us can relate to.

In this episode, Andy is reunited with his high school sweetheart. We learn that they drifted apart after high school. At some point after that, Andy fell in love with a nameless woman, married her, had a son with her, and lost her for unknown reasons. The interesting thing is while Andy and his old girlfriend are catching up, there is no mention of his son or lost wife. At some points in the series, it's almost like it never happened.

You've heard the phrase: you can't go back". It's catchy and in it is some kind of bigger universal truth we'll all face on different levels. Here's another popular phrase: "time waits for no one". Time is the separator of what was, what is, and what will be. I can see why Pink Floyd wrote a song simply about it on an elemental level. It's a constant that all of existence must bow to. Well, enough of that and back to that you can't go back. In fact, you can, and folks constantly do with functions like class reunions. In the end what the bottom line is you can't go back save for all those great, even painful, memories...but, you must move forward as that is what life is all about. Great episode that makes one ponder a big question.

This episode has everything that makes the Griffith show so enjoyable to watch starting with an event that brings the towns people together. Barney and Andy start reminiscing when they find Barney's old high school yearbook, and wonder what happened to all their schoolmates. This leads to a plan to have a high school reunion, so those that are still in town send out invitations to those that have moved on and the anticipation begins.

Of course, one of those who left town after high school is Andy's original high school sweetheart who now lives in the big city. By the time of the reunion, no one has heard from her so Andy's feeling a little disappointed, but the celebration goes on anyway with live music and dancing.

Andy and Barney are manning the punch bowl and refreshments table trying to recognize everyone based on memory and usually goofing up their names thanks to Barney misreading the photos in the yearbook. There is also a funny side story about a girl that wrote a loving verse in Barney's yearbook who is now married with children and has no recollection of him whatsoever. Eventually, Andy's high school sweetheart arrives at the entrance to the party, and he spies her from across the room. The two dance and talk before going outside to the garden to reminisce. It doesn't take long for the old flame to rekindle, and eventually we learn Andy's philosophy of happiness. And then ,of course we also learn that everyone's interpretation of happiness is different.

A very good episode with an insightful message and as usual lots of funny scenes and funny asides.

This episode is just ok. It's certainly shows there wasn't much continuity in the series. Later, in the color episodes Andy and Barney go to a class of '48 reunion. (huh?). Thelma Lou comes back, married. Hmmm.