Briscoe Declares for Aunt Bee

Very bizarre episode. Never explained how Aunt Bee is kidnapped. She couldn't of gone easily. Then, Andy turns a blind eye to the felony kidnapping. Not a lot of laughs. Briscoe then Opie hollerin' "tators", and "meat" for more refills was a funny scene. Cute line by Briscoe "Miss Bee your kisses are mighty valuable, but just not worth the pain". A rare Denver Pyle actually singing serenading Aunt Bee. Few memorable moments, but only a so-so episode. Don Knotts sorely missed.

The producers of TAGS must have lost a bet to include the Darlings/Dillards so much.

This is a typical TAGS episode that mocks the beliefs of others; in this case Briscoe Darling.

The solution, as set into motion by Sheriff Taylor, is enough to hoodwink the bumpkins but it's not clever not that entertaining.

It's clear that by Season Four, possibly sooner, this show was on its last legs. Perhaps it kept going because of Andy's fondness for some of the actresses who were on set while Andy and Barney were away from their wives?

Anyway, there are many episodes of TAGS that are slightly better than this, but more that are much worse.

I'm one of those who got a kick out of the Darlings when they first appeared. It's too bad we had to see them two more times. Throw in Ernest T. and it gets really tiresome. This one has the patriarch taking a fancy to Aunt Bee. But the old gal has some tricks up her sleeve. There are so many other possibilities in this series. Sometimes I think it's just a way to get to hear the Dillards do their bluegrass.

While dining at the Taylors', Briscoe Darling forms the mistaken impression that Aunt Bee is sweet on him and takes to wooing her despite her protestations. This is an imaginative premise, and it is carried out with great charm and humor; one hardly misses the absence of Barney. The songs of the Darlings play an important part in the episode, which starts to feel like a musical at times (though with no detriment to the plot). In one scene, Briscoe and his boys stand outside Aunt Bee's window serenading her; actor Denver Pyle plays this scene with a clean-faced sincerity which is utterly winning. While TAGS fans have varied feelings about the Darlings, I always welcome them. Mayberry was richer for the presence of these "outsiders" and their unusual ways.

The Andy Griffith Show producers and writers sure recycled a lot of "guest" characters: Jim Lindsey, the Fun Girls, Ernest T., Malcolm Merryweather, the Darlings...they were all good the first time, but got more and more tiresome with each repetition. Then they started combining them (example: Ernest T. And Malcolm TOGETHER (Ugh!), Ernest T. And the Darlings TOGETHER (double Ugh!)). All of these characters were fine and funny one-offs - nothing about them was worthy of an encore.

The Andy Griffith Show producers and writers sure recycled a lot of "guest" characters. Ernest T., Malcolm Merryweather, the Darlings. All of these characters were fine and funny one-offs - nothing about them was worthy of an encore.