The sequel to "The Andy Griffith Show", "Mayberry R.F.D." (Rural Free Delivery) follows life in Mayberry after Andy (Andy Griffith), Helen (Aneta Corsaut), and Opie (Ron Howard) depart the spotlight for a new life. Widower farmer and town council president Sam Jones (Ken Berry, "F Troop", "Mama's Family") raises his young son Mike (Buddy Foster) as he grows through life lessons. The father and son are cared for by their housekeeper Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier, and later Alice, played by Alice Ghostley). Sam also balances his love life with his girlfriend Millie (Arlene Golonka). Comic support comes from Goober (George Lindsey) who now owns Wally's Filling Station, county clerk Howard Sprague (Jack Dodson), and handyman Emmett Clark (Paul Hartman) who still runs his fix-it shop. The series ran for three successful seasons (1968-71) before falling victim to CBS's "rural purge".
Andy Taylor is toasted by his friends at his large bachelor party at the Italian restaurant. He talks with his closest friends afterward about how he and Helen plan to honeymoon in Florida. Goober will be serving as sheriff in his absence. Opie will be going on a camping trip and Aunt Bee is moving back to live with her sister Laura in West Virginia. She feels she's no longer needed with Andy having a wife. Sam's housekeeper has left, leaving him to struggle to care for his son Mike alone. Mike gives his dad the idea to approach Aunt Bee to be their housekeeper like she was for Andy and Opie. She wishes to still live with her sister, however. At the wedding Andy's best man Barney (Don Knotts in his signature salt and pepper suit) nervously makes a scene. After the reception at the Taylor household, Reverend Tucker (William Keene) laments Mayberry's loss of Aunt Bee, but tells her his admiration of how she is motivated by helping others and being needed. The talk makes her reconsider Sam's job offer and she moves into his farmhouse. Aunt Bee is frightened by the farm animals, however, and decides she can't stay- but a talk with Mike may be even harder to walk away from.
This episode is a bit of a mixed bag. It's exciting to have all the beloved figures of Mayberry (sans Gomer and the actors who had passed) together again, and to know we will get to be a part of another era in Mayberry. But the writing here is very uninspired. There's very little made of their first half appearances and it's highly disappointing that the biggest amount of screen time during their scenes seemingly goes to the reverend. It clearly tries to channel the first episode of The Andy Griffith Show, "The New Housekeeper", but misses. There are some laughs (Barney's nervous blunders at the wedding, Aunt Bee and the farm animals- "stampede", and especially the ending before the tag scene) but light otherwise. I'm of the opinion though that any trip to idyllic Mayberry is a worthwhile watch, especially given today's alternatives.