New Housekeeper, The (TAGS Episode)
Contents
Episode Info
The New Housekeeper
- S1.E1
- Filmed: 1
- Aired: 1
- Original Air Date: 1960/10/03
- Writer(s): Jack Elinson and Charles Stewart
- Director: Sheldon Leonard
Plot summary
In the premiere, Andy asks Aunt Bee to come to Mayberry and help raise his son, Opie, after Rose, their old housekeeper, gets married. Opie refuses to accept Aunt Bee because she does things differently than Rose. Just as Aunt Bee is about to leave the Taylor home, Opie stops her because he realizes that she needs him.
Plot
In the quaint, sleepy town of Mayberry, North Carolina, Sheriff Andy Taylor, a man of many hats who also serves as the town's Justice of the Peace, found himself amidst preparations for a wedding. The bride and groom were Wilbur and Rose, the latter being Andy's trusted housekeeper. Rose's impending marriage meant she would no longer be able to care for Andy and his young son, Opie, who was just six years old.
The wedding ceremony, however, did not go as smoothly as planned. Little Opie, overcome with emotion and a child's misunderstanding, voiced his objections during the proceedings. He believed that Rose's marriage meant she no longer loved him. The adults tried to soothe him, explaining that love doesn't disappear but can expand to include others.
Just as the dust was settling from the wedding and its unexpected interruption, Andy's Aunt Bee arrived in Mayberry. Aunt Bee had led a life of caring for children and they had all grown and moved along. She was happy when Andy contacted her to ask if she might move in with he and Opie, filling the void left by Rose's departure.
Opie, still grappling with the changes in his life, initially struggled to accept Aunt Bee. He saw her as a replacement for Rose, not another person who could love and care for him. Andy, ever patient and understanding, tried to help Opie adjust. He encouraged Opie to spend time with Aunt Bee, hoping they would bond.
Aunt Bee, for her part, also made an effort to connect with Opie. She tried to learn about his interests, even attempting to learn how to fish and play baseball, activities Opie loved. Despite their efforts, Opie remained resistant. He longed for things to go back to the way they were, with Rose by his side.
One day, a mishap occurred that pushed Opie's resistance to its limit. Aunt Bee accidentally left the cage door open, and Opie's beloved pet bird, Dickie, flew away. Opie was heartbroken and blamed Aunt Bee for the loss. Aunt Bee, feeling guilty and unwanted, considered leaving Mayberry.
Seeing Aunt Bee's distress and realizing the pain he had caused, Opie's heart softened. He understood that Aunt Bee was trying her best and that he had been unfair to her. He also realized that he could teach her about the things he loved, just as Rose had taught him.
Opie decided to give Aunt Bee another chance. He took it upon himself to teach her how to play baseball, fish, and even hunt for frogs. Opie discovered that Aunt Bee had her own unique qualities and that he could love her in a different way than he loved Rose.
Dickie, Opie's bird, eventually returned, bringing further joy to the household. And as the sun set on another day in Mayberry, Andy strummed his guitar, filling the house with warm melodies. The music seemed to symbolize the harmony that had finally returned to their lives.
Odd Facts Known by Few
- The first episode of each season has a pilot featuring Opie.
- Barney is the first person seen with a musical instrument in the series. He almost plays the harmonica for the opening wedding.
- Opie mentions his dog Gulliver. As a boy, Ron Howard had a dog named Gulliver.
- Opie's pet bird was named Dickie.
- During a scene up in Opie's bedroom, about fifteen minutes into the episode, the moving shadow of a boom microphone is visible for several seconds on the wall next to the bed as Andy enters and lies across the bed. Later, as Andy gets up and walks to a table, the shadow reappears moving up and onto the back wall and top of the door and settles near the center of the door.
- At about 5:40 into this episode, Andy and Barney call each other cousins. This is the first of three times; the other two references are also first season episodes The Manhunt and Runaway Kid. Their relationship was never mentioned in later seasons.
- Barney's first arrest seen on The Andy Griffith Show was of Emma Brand for jaywalking.
- The role of "Wilber Pines", Rose's fiance, was played by Frank Ferguson, who would later in the first season play the role of "Sam Lindsey" in two episodes (Ellie for Council and The Beauty Contest), and in later years would play "Charlie Foley", the kind-hearted butcher who would offer to store Aunt Bee's meat from Diamond Jim's free of charge (Bargain Day) and would later get punched in the nose by Floyd (The Case of the Punch in the Nose).
- Actress Mary Treen also portrayed the part of Sam's wife in the TAGS episode, Ellie For Council.
- It has been erroneously reported over the years that a publicity photo of a young Frances Bavier is seen on the wall of the Taylor living room as Andy walks from the kitchen to the front door. It will be seen in several first season episodes. As pointed out by Randy Turner in his fantastic collection of essays, Mayberry Firsts, the picture is in fact a print of the painting Child With An Apple by the French artist of the 18th century Jean-Baptiste Greuze.
Notes
- The first line of The Andy Griffith Show is: "Anybody here know why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."
- Barney talks as though he was recently hired. The length of time he had been on the force varies over the coming seasons.
- This episode was filmed in March 1960, if you look closely at the calendar in the courthouse.
- The pickup truck that Andy drives in this episode is never seen again in the series. The yard with the truck and garage door is also not used again.
- Barney mentions that he wants to be known as "Reliable Barney Fife," a moniker he would refer back to many times in the series.
- The first song Andy plays in the series on his guitar is "The Crawdad Song."
More Information
Character List
- Andy Griffith - Andy Taylor
- Ronny Howard - Opie Taylor
- Don Knotts - Barney Fife
- Frances Bavier - Aunt Bee Taylor
- Cheerio Meredith - Emma Brand
- Frank Ferguson - Wilbur Pines
- Mary Treen - Rose
