Ron Howard was as cute as a button and such a good actor. In this episode, he begins to use language from the jail. He stops and sees his dad and Barney (and Otis) after school. Andy tells him great stories and he has a blast. Unfortunately, Aunt Bee thinks the jail and courthouse are a bad influence. Soon he is force to come home right after school and stay away from his dad. The ending is really pretty touching.
4 Reviews
We all did it!
greggaver8 February 2019
Never fails just when Opie is having a good time Aunt Bee thinks he talks like a small adult. So to keep Opie from the surroundings of the jail she has him start a garden. Of course this becomes boring & like pulling weeds when I was his age we find something else to get into. Andy & Barney think at first it is a good idea but miss Opie coming around & wonder what he is up too. Good example of what a 7 year old will get into kicking a can & looking for something to do. Runs into another boy with apples & starts eating not thinking about time falls asleep in the back of a truck. Next thing you know no one has seen Opie & everyone gets worried & upset. Thank goodness the owner of truck finds him asleep in the back & calls Andy to let him know. How many times that use to happen back than go play all day & forget the time & your friends mother would call your house & tell your parents you were there. Of course that didn't always stop a whipping.But all ends on a good note & Opie can come back to the jail anytime which makes him Happy! Liked this episode brought back memories & wish for those times again!
Great lesson for the adults here
FlushingCaps3 March 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This episode begins in the courthouse, where Opie stops by after school to visit his Paw. He hears the end of a fairy tale from Andy, gets a little "Quick Draw" play with Barney--who only raises his finger-gun, of course, leaving his revolver in his holster--and speaks briefly to Otis, who is in a cell, drunk again, or, as Opie put it, "You got a snoot full again, Otis?" Unfortunately for Opie, Aunt Bee has stopped by and saw most of this action. That evening, she persuades Andy that the jail is not a proper place for a boy to frequent. Andy has a nice talk with Opie, telling him he wants him to stay away from the courthouse. Opie agrees, but immediately realizes that what Andy wants him to do instead doesn't sound like much fun.
In the ensuing days, Opie plants and waters a small garden of spinach, and tries not to be bored. He winds up kicking a can way out into the country, almost going in an abandoned mine, and falling asleep on the back of a pickup truck.
Andy gets a call from the man with the truck and brings Opie home late that night. As he is about to figure out how to punish Opie, Aunt Bee interjects to let him know she has changed her mind, now realizing that the ability to spend some time with his father after school is a very good thing for any boy. With a couple of changes--like staying away on the days when Otis is "resting," Opie is again welcomed at the courthouse.
This episode featured some really nice scenes between Andy and Opie, and I also liked one when Opie was not allowed in the courthouse. Andy was clearly unhappy to not be able to visit with his son, and Barney also showed that he missed the boy's visits.
I think this episode, as much as any, solidified in the minds of most people that Ronny Howard was a really fine actor even at a young age. Throughout the series, he talks and thinks like a real boy far more than most people his age do in other series.
I cannot give this a score higher than a 7--a very good episode because it wasn't all that funny, but it was a nice show that helped endear the cast to us and the lesson learned by Aunt Bee, and Andy, was certainly one that other parents would benefit from, then and now.
In the ensuing days, Opie plants and waters a small garden of spinach, and tries not to be bored. He winds up kicking a can way out into the country, almost going in an abandoned mine, and falling asleep on the back of a pickup truck.
Andy gets a call from the man with the truck and brings Opie home late that night. As he is about to figure out how to punish Opie, Aunt Bee interjects to let him know she has changed her mind, now realizing that the ability to spend some time with his father after school is a very good thing for any boy. With a couple of changes--like staying away on the days when Otis is "resting," Opie is again welcomed at the courthouse.
This episode featured some really nice scenes between Andy and Opie, and I also liked one when Opie was not allowed in the courthouse. Andy was clearly unhappy to not be able to visit with his son, and Barney also showed that he missed the boy's visits.
I think this episode, as much as any, solidified in the minds of most people that Ronny Howard was a really fine actor even at a young age. Throughout the series, he talks and thinks like a real boy far more than most people his age do in other series.
I cannot give this a score higher than a 7--a very good episode because it wasn't all that funny, but it was a nice show that helped endear the cast to us and the lesson learned by Aunt Bee, and Andy, was certainly one that other parents would benefit from, then and now.
All Opie's Friends and activities magically disappeared.
vitoscotti16 October 2022
The good is there's a lot of screen time for Opie (Ron Howard). The writers give Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier) more parenting influence in Opie's life than she typically has. Opie's time spent at the jail is exaggerated. Then he's made to have no outside interests other than being at the jail. Other than Ron Howard's strong acting the episode is below average with not one funny scene. Opie is best when he's well rounded and being himself. Andy is made weak and pliable to concerns generated by worrywart Aunt Bee. No Ellie (Elinor Donahue), Floyd (Howard McNear) or other regular supporting characters.
Weak episode ends an inconsistent season 1. Season 1 is truly impactful though because it ended the dreadful Andy with the exaggerated Southern accent country bumpkin bit. This will set up many future brilliant episodes making Barney (Don Knotts) the lead funny man with his brilliant comedic genius. Bumpkin Andy's bit dragged down a lot of the season's episodes. Once the problem got fixed the show cranked out some very good episodes. I rated season 1 lowest of the 8 with a 6.1* rating.
Weak episode ends an inconsistent season 1. Season 1 is truly impactful though because it ended the dreadful Andy with the exaggerated Southern accent country bumpkin bit. This will set up many future brilliant episodes making Barney (Don Knotts) the lead funny man with his brilliant comedic genius. Bumpkin Andy's bit dragged down a lot of the season's episodes. Once the problem got fixed the show cranked out some very good episodes. I rated season 1 lowest of the 8 with a 6.1* rating.
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