Opie's First Love

The eighth season starts with Opies entrance into that tender age where it's suddenly hard to talk to girls even while it becomes an exponentially important part in a youngster's self image and awareness. I think in that first year of high school us guys sense our female classmates are becoming more interested in the upper class boys making things suddenly tougher. All of this is happening to Opie as he is pursuing a crush as his date to buddy Arnold's birthday party. You gotta love how Opie is feeling insecure to ask his crush, but when she accepts he becomes totally upbeat and confident. That confidence is tender like the age. I think for many of us this stirs up a certain rite of passage in the process of growing up and how brittle it can be. Truly a good idea for the show that really hasn't ever been explored unlike many episodes that have bits and pieces recycled. After a bit of some uncharacteristic early-on ribbing by Andy (and Goober for good measure) it seems it's all coming together nicely when Opie's crush accepts his invitation to be his date, setting up a life lesson. When the chips are down though Andy becomes Opie's true support and confidant. Opie, sensing his dad's advice is spot-on, grows a foot taller. Since this is Mayberry, things take a turn for the best while mimicking something relatable. All in all, a somewhat touching and quite entertaining episode.

Andy & Goober are uncharacteristic in their creepy teasing of Opie. Many of Opie's classmates are noticeably older than he is. Morgan Brittany is 2 years older and a foot taller. Dry as dust Owen Bush is just as bland as a clothier than he was as a printer. Only semi-funny parts are the end and epilogue with the double dating. Almost looked like a pilot for a new show with all the new students shipped in.

I have Paramount, so I watched this episode because it's the first one I'd seen where Opie actually looks like the Richie Cunningham he would become. It was cornball from beginning to end. I know there's a theory out there that the "Andy Griffith Show" is meant to reflect the America of the 1930s instead of the 1960s, but this episode takes that theory literally. Opie is 13, and he's going to his friends "boy-girl" party IN A SUIT AND TIE.. not a sport jacket and tie, mind you, a full on suit and tie!

I never wore a proper suit until college, and if I ever went to a teenage party where the kids were wearing suits and dresses I'd assume I was at a Jehovahs Witness get together. Then, the kids are dancing to music that sounds more like the instrumental swing band music of the 1930s than the pop music of 1967, which is when the episode aired (although in a slight nod to contemporary America they are dancing in a manner that sort of reflects the times, or how squares viewed the times). Finally, Andy chauffeurs Opie and his date (Morgan Brittney who would go onto fame in prime time soaps of the 80s) IN HIS SQUAD CAR!! It's easily the most comfortable looking squad car I've ever seen... if you didn't see the outside you'd think they were in a random "big boat" family sedan of the era. There's no need for an uncomfortable cop car in a town with zero crime!

Which brings me to my point. It's easy to see why the Andy Griffith Show was so popular in the 60s - it portrayed an America that the viewers of the time wanted to believe still existed, but one that in reality left long before television became popular.

It's the old tale of a guy with no sense of fairness taking your girlfriend away. Usually, they are good looking and shallow. Here, Opie gets a lesson in that very type when the girl he asked to a party jumps at the chance to go with someone else. This does play out well because Ron Howard does a really nice job. Things are understated but effective.