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Forums: The Andy Griffith Show: Why Did Andy Change in the Later Seasons?

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Missynotprissy
1. 05/17/2006 8:39am
member since: 09/08/05
level: 2
rank: Sweat Hog
posts: 82
Even though Barney was normally the scene stealer, Andy was also very funny in the early years always picking at Barney, etc. However, the last couple of years, he rarely smiled and became very serious. Anyone know why?
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knock7785
2. 05/17/2006 4:01pm
member since: 06/15/05
level: 10
rank: Holy Level 10!
posts: 11
It is my understanding from what I have read that Andy Griffith had decided that his time on the show was coming to a close so the scripts were written that explored the other characters more and placed Andy in more of a straight-man role. The first season or so Andy had all the Southern charm and witticisms which were further diluted as the show progressed. (Please don't get me wrong- this is one of my favorite shows, even the color episodes!)
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tornadochaser
3. 05/25/2006 12:27pm
member since: 08/25/05
level: 4
rank: Thighmaster
posts: 18
Yes and in addition to that, the friction between Andy and Francis Bavier (Aunt Bee) continued to grow. Combine this with a loss of Barney's contagious hilarity that�helps to offset Andy's troubles�and it becomes more and more difficult for Andy not to get irritable.
Edited on 05/25/2006 12:29pm
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McLarenDude1
4. 08/27/2007 11:06am
member since: 08/11/07
level: 6
rank: Small Wonder
posts: 918
I noticed
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tvking1
5. 08/27/2007 5:01pm
member since: 11/08/05
level: 28
rank: Disco Stu
posts: 659
I have always noticed this myself, and was going to start a thread on this same subject.
All the reasons submitted here are probably relevant, and in addition I've always suspected that Helen had something to do with it. Andy seemed a little more serious around women, and this became more noticable when she came along, and especially as their relationship grew. To be honest, I didn't really like her. She was too serious herself, at least at first, though in the later episodes she seemed to fit in better, even as Andy seemed to grow more apart.
I started a similar thread on the Gomer Pyle guide about Sgt. Carter, whose situation seemed to be the opposite of Andy's.
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revbucky
6. 07/17/2008 9:13am
member since: 06/27/08
level: 20
rank: Cow Bell
posts: 719
Yes, you can definitely see a change over the years. I like the early Andy best.
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millerem99
7. 07/24/2008 7:45pm
member since: 06/26/07
level: 31
rank: Blues Brother
posts: 1,179
It's bizarre to contrast the later seasons Andy to the first. In Season One, he's portrayed as much more backwoods, often leaping to false conclusions, buffoonish, even a simpleton at times. In the last season, he's refined, subdued, and charming. TV Land went from playing the last season's episodes tonight to the first, and it's uncanny. Characters naturally evolve in a series, but he actually took on a whole new personality!
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