There’s a reason why The Andy Griffith Show is one of the most beloved sitcoms in history. The small town CBS show had as much heart as it had humor and Mayberry’s finest helped teach millions of viewers some valuable life lessons. Choosing a favorite of the series’ 249 episodes, from the pilot (“The New Housekeeper”) to the finale (“Mayberry RFD”), is no easy feat. But even the show’s stars are partial to certain storylines.
Ron Howard, who famously portrayed Opie Taylor, said his favorite episode was one that hit close to home: “The Ball Game.”
“A lot of people talk about the bird one [Opie the Birdman], but I like one that was based on real life,” Howard said during an interview on Larry King Now. My dad actually wrote the story for it. It was a thing where Andy was umpiring and he calls Opie out at home and Opie is sure he was safe and he’s just shattered and pretty pissed off. Well, that had happened to me and my dad. He called me out at home on a ballgame that was on my birthday. It was just a pickup game. But I couldn’t believe he called me out. My dad thought that was hilarious that I was so upset about it. He took the idea to Andy and they made an episode out of it.”
Don Knotts (Deputy Barney Fife) chose fan-favorite “The Pickle Story” as his personal favorite, while Andy Griffith (Sheriff Andy Taylor) was partial to “Barney’s First Car.”
Read on to see our rankings of the best episodes of the iconic comedy classic, featuring Floyd the barber (Howard McNear), Goober Pyle (George Lindsey), Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors), Otis Campbell (Hal Smith) and more.
10. The Arrest of the Fun Girls
In this memorable episode, the “Fun Girls” from the big city of Mount Pilot, Daphne and Skippy, drop in to see Andy and Barney. Knowing that their girlfriends, Helen Crump and Thelma Lou, wouldn’t approve of the men spending time with the girls, they hatch a plan for Barney to stay at the courthouse with Daphne and Skippy, but hilarity ensues when Helen and Thelma Lou find Andy and Barney seemingly having a party at the courthouse with the women.
9. Three Wishes For Opie
In this 1964 episode, Barney purchases a fortune-telling game and lets Opie try it. Strangley, all of Opie’s wishes begin to come true.
8. Citizen’s Arrest
In this season 4 episode, Barney writes Gomer a ticket for an illegal U-turn and later gets a taste of his own medicine via Gomer’s “citizen’s arrest.”
7. My Fair Ernest T. Bass
Andy attemtps to turn the wild hillbilly Ernest T. Bass into a gentleman in this season 4 classic. Though he only appeared in a handful of episodes (remember “The Education of Ernest T. Bass”?), Howard Morris’s character is one of the show’s most memorable.
6. Opie’s Charity
In this sweet season one episode “Opie’s Charity,” Andy is dissapointed when he finds out Opie only donated three cents to a fundraiser. Later on in the episode, we learn that Opie has been saving his money to buy his girlfriend a coat because her family is poor.
5. The Darlings Are Coming
In season 3, Briscoe Darling and his family band of mountain musicians arrive in Mayberry, introducing viewers to the lovable Darlings. Briscoe’s four sons were portrayed by real life musicians The Dillards.
