Not all of my picks are obvious ones. For example, I didn’t list “Citizen’s Arrest,” named on many such lists, despite the fact that I can mimic Gomer saying “citizen’s uh-ray-est” with the best of them. I just never liked how Barney and Gomer argued. See what you think of my list:
1. “A Christmas Story”
Season 1, Episode 11, December, 1960
Synopsis: Curmudgeonly businessman Ben Weaver has moonshiner Sam Muggins arrested at Christmas but when Andy invites Sam’s family to the jail for a holiday celebration, Weaver tries to get arrested himself so he can join them.
IMDb rating: 9.2 stars
Reason this episode made the list: It makes your heart go pitter-patter.
2. “The Pickle Story”
Season 2, Episode 11, December 1961
Synopsis: No one will admit that Aunt Bee’s homemade pickles are face-puckeringly awful. Andy switches them with store-bought pickles to make Aunt Bee think hers are being eaten but her decision to enter them in the county fair presents a dilemma.
IMDb rating: 9.4 stars
Reason: This episode is on nearly every list of favorite episodes. There’s just something about the faces people make when eating bad pickles…
AL.com File Photo
3. “The Haunted House”
Season 4, Episode 2, October 1963
Synopsis: Opie and his friend lose a ball in the old Rimshaw place, said to be haunted. When Barney and Gomer try to retrieve it, they are spooked by strange occurrences inside.
IMDb rating: 9.2 stars
Reason: Pure spook-house fun, a great outlet for Barney Fife’s nervousness and terrified expressions, and the inspiration for the feature film, “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken.”
4. “The Darlings are Coming”
Season 3, Episode 25, March, 1963
Synopsis: The musical mountain family make their first appearance in Mayberry. Hilarity ensues.
IMDb rating: 8.3 stars
Reason: Briscoe Darling commits a 10-17, dipping a hat in a horse trough, but tells Andy: “There ain’t a horse in sight. But if one comes along, I’ll give him the right of way.”
CBS publicity photo | Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
5. “Convicts-at-Large”
Season 3, Episode 11, December, 1962
Synopsis: Barney and Floyd are held hostage in a cabin by three escaped female convicts who are armed and dancing.
IMDb rating 9.4 stars
Reason: The only one you need is the woman who keeps calling Barney “Al.”
6. Three Wishes for Opie”
Season 5, Episode 14, December, 1964
Synopsis: Opie makes three wishes on a supposedly magic lamp Barney bought. Eerily, they come true.
IMdb rating: 9.0 stars
Reason: The spooky atmosphere and the name, “Count Istvan Teleky.”
7. “My Fair Ernest T. Bass”
Season Four, Episode 17, February, 1964
Synopsis: Andy and Barney try to help Ernest T. Bass learn some manners so he can find a girlfriend.
IMDb rating: 8.6 stars
Reasons: The very quotable quote: “How do you do, Mrs. Wiii-lee?” And then this conversation:
Ernest T.: “I’ve tried courtin’ Hog Winslow’s daughter; Hogette.”
Barney: “Pretty name.”
Ernest T: “Hogette is French. French name … Well, I courted her as proper as proper can be. First off I wrote her a love note asking her to go on out with me. And then I tied it on to the prettiest rock ya ever did see. And then I give it the prettiest toss ya ever did see… right through the front window!”
Andy: “Well, did Hogette come on out with ya?”
Ernest T.: “Couldn’t. Caught her right there.” [points to a spot above his left ear] Seven stitches.
8. “Opie’s Charity”
Season 1, Episode 8, November, 1960
Synopsis: “When Andy hears Opie only gave three cents to a school charity, he thinks the worst.
IMDb rating: 8.6 stars
Reason: The half-a-boy.
Andy: “Why, I was reading here just the other day where there’s somewhere like four hundred needy boys in this county alone, or… or-or one and a half boys per square mile.”
Opie: “There is?”
Andy: “There sho’ is.”
Opie: “I never seen one, Pa.”
Andy: “Never seen one, what?”
Opie: “A half a boy.”
Andy: “Well, it’s not really a half a boy. It’s a ratio.”
Opie: “Horatio who?”
Andy: “Not Huh-ratio; uh-ratio.
9. “Dogs, Dogs, Dogs”
Season 3, Episode 30, April 1963
Synopsis: Opie brings 11 stray dogs to the courthouse just as a state inspector is supposed to arrive. Andy and Barney take the dogs to a field but then it begins to storm.
IMDb rating: 8.2 stars
Reason: For one reason only, Barney’s speech in which he explains to Opie the dogs would be safe in the field, “And you know dogs have a way of keeping dry. You know that? They’re insulated, you see, they’ve got this fur … it keeps them cool in the summer and warm and dry in the winter. They’re really set up better than human beings as far as that goes. (Thunder rumbles). And as far as the little one goes … why, the big ones, they’ll take care of him … the little trembly one … (more thunder). And they’re short, you see, close to the ground, that way they can’t get struck by lightning. Now if they was giraffes they’d have been hit by now, uh…, but dogs are short and they take care of their own. Giraffes don’t. No, giraffes don’t at all. Boy, giraffes are selfish, just run around looking out for number one, getting hit by lightning, but dogs…. (more thunder; Barney looks at Andy) You just gonna sit there or you coming with me??
10. “Mountain Wedding”
Season 3, Episode 31, April, 1963
Synopsis: Briscoe Darling comes to town to ask Andy to stop Ernest T. Bass, who has decided to court Briscoe’s daughter, Charlene, and throws rocks through the windows of the Darling’s cabin to get her attention. Charlene is already married to Dud Wash but Ernest T. doesn’t recognize the marriage because it wasn’t performed by a preacher.”
IMDb rating: 8.5 stars
Reason: It’s Ernest T’s first appearance on the show. Plus, you get to see Barney in a wedding dress.
CBS publicity photo | Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
11. “The Loaded Goat”
Season 3, Episode 18, January, 1963
Synopsis: A goat that ate dynamite is being housed in the jail. Problems arise when Otis shows up.
IMDb rating: 8.4 stars
Reason: A quote from Andy. “You would show up today, Otis! About one loaded goat at a time’s all we can handle.”
