Mayberry R.F.D. (TV Series) All for Charity (1970) User Reviews

Dancing by Sam & Emmett saved a dud episode.

[vitoscotti · 6/10 · 4 December 2023]

It was hard to make out Millie Swanson (Arlene Golonka) telling Sam (Ken Berry) what part he'd play. Then, finally wow I made it out, "Pan the Shepherd Greek god". In a Christian church play? Wonder what the reaction to this was in 1970?

The series' recipe for comedy seems to have been derailed the last two episodes. Here it was loaded with bland Sam and Mike conflict followed by even blander signature Sam preaching.

Highlights were few. Lots of screen time for pretty Arlene Golonka superbly attired. The 2* episode was elevated to 6* with a cute play and great dancing by Ken Berry and Paul Hartman.

The Wrongs of Spring

[JordanThomasHall · 4/10 · 27 January 2020]

Millie is directing the church's children's pageant entitled "The Rites of Spring". Mike is reluctantly cast as a spring lamb. Emmett, cast as a bird, also doesn't want to do the play, but Sam encourages him that it's for charity. That message is lost on Mike, however. Sam takes his part as an organizer seriously, but when Millie brings him a dancing Pan suit to be in the play, he has the same tone as the others. Mike confronts his father who deflects his attitude as being a different circumstance. The show must go on.

The episode loses interest, in my opinion, because its not believable that Sam could be so much out of character. Plot resolution, questionable if truly any, is weak.

Never would happen in a rural Church.

[rerunwatcher · 3/10 · 18 June 2023]

I grew up in an Evangelical Church in a rural area. So I know for certain about what I am about to write. This is a Church play and it features the Greek god Pan. Now, if this was only a community play it would be one thing. But I ASSURE you in a rural Church there would be outcries of "heathen" if you so much as whispered that a Greek god was in a Church play. The rural area I am from is much like Mayberry. It would never happen. This show was filmed in "city slicker" California so they would not know any better. However aside from this, the dancing by Ken Berry and Paul Hartman was very cute. Ken Berry was a good dancer as was Paul Hartman.