Mayberry R.F.D. (1968) was one of CBS' victims of the network's infamous "rural purge" in the early 1970s, along with such shows as The Beverly Hillbillies (1962), Petticoat Junction (1963), and Green Acres (1965). At the time, close analysis of demographics indicated that these shows appealed only to those who lived in rural areas and older people. Then head of CBS and his new chief of programming Fred Silverman decided to cancel them, even though they were all still hugely popular and got high ratings, in favor of more politically correct shows that were targeted toward a younger more hip audience. An often-told joke that passed into legend is that "CBS canceled every show with a tree in it."
Essentially a continuation of The Andy Griffith Show (1960). In fact, the series premiere featured the wedding of Andy to his long time girlfriend Helen Crump, and Barney Fife can briefly be seen serving as Andy's best man.
The characters of Andy Taylor and Helen Crump get married in the pilot episode of this show and later in the series, have a baby. However, in the television reunion movie, Return To Mayberry (1986), the same characters return as a long married couple, but make no reference to this child.
R.F.D. stands for Rural Free Delivery.
The first ten notes of the show's theme music are the same notes as the beginning of the theme to F Troop (1965), which was Ken Berry's previous television show.