The Horse Trader

The episode was witty and funny early. For some reason Andy needed to clean himself up mid morning at the courthouse. The council meeting had some great opinion flipping by Mayor Pike (Dick Elliot). Barney & Ellie were a funny duo there also. Then it went all downhill fast. Trying to sell the canon completely bombed. Andy became crooked as a bent nail and dumb as a box of rocks. The shoehorned lesson taught from Opie was rediculous that Andy had blinders on to all that was happening. The horse trading bit with Opie will work better in "Barney Fife, Realtor". Dry as dust canon buyer Ralph Mason (Max Showalter) joined the list of miscast forgettable season 1 one and done actors. Pretty Ellie (Elinor Donahue) has some cute moments. Barney has some mildly humorous scenes. No Howard McNear really showed how important he is. A below average episode.

Andy ends up having to sell a battered old cannon that has become an eyesore in town. In the process he betrays the advice he gave his son, who is doing his own trading. It has a nice lesson and Andy is made to look pretty human.

It's possible this could be the same cannon Warren tries to fire, but the barrel would have to have been replaced or repaired to fix the crack from the direct hit while being pulled up San Juan Hill by Tracy Rupert.