Mayberry R.F.D. is an American television series produced as a spin-off and direct continuation of The Andy Griffith Show. When star Andy Griffith decided to leave his series, most of the supporting characters returned for the retitled program, which ran for three seasons on the CBS Television Network from 1968 to 1971. During the final season of The Andy Griffith Show, widower farmer Sam Jones and his young son Mike are introduced and gradually become the show's focus. Sheriff Andy Taylor takes a backseat in the storylines, establishing the new premise. The show's first episode, "Andy and Helen's Wedding", had the highest ratings in recorded television history up to that point. Sheriff Taylor and newlywed wife Helen made guest appearances on Mayberry R.F.D. until late 1969 before they relocated with Opie. Mayberry R.F.D. was popular throughout its entire run, but was canceled after its third season in CBS's "rural purge" of 1971.
Plot and characters
Father and son stories involving Sam and Mike Jones are reminiscent of the episodes that starred Andy Griffith. Both characters are introduced in the last season of The Andy Griffith Show, beginning with Sam's election as head of the town council. Most of the town folk from TAGS continued their roles. Loyal Mayberry citizens Goober Pyle, Clara Edwards, Emmett Clark and Howard Sprague are seen regularly. Sheriff Andy Taylor and his sweetheart, Helen Crump, marry in the new title's first episode. Both make additional appearances, then leave the series in late 1969 with a move to Charlotte, North Carolina, as the explanation. Aunt Bee becomes Sam's housekeeper but leaves after the second season to be replaced by Sam's cousin, Alice Cooper. Don Knotts as Barney Fife and Ronny Howard as Opie Taylor respectively, appear in the first episode. Actress Arlene Golonka becomes Sam's love interest in the retitled seasons. A recurring character named Ralph lives with a teen daughter and pre-teen son next to the Jones farm. Mary Lansing appeared occasionally as Emmett's wife, Martha. As with its predecessor, Mayberry R.F.D. continued under the sponsorship of General Foods and its products.
Will Geer played Captain Wolford in "Aunt Bee's Cruise".
Natalie Schafer played Cornelia Willoughby in "Goober the Housekeeper".
An NBC reunion movie, Return to Mayberry, was produced in 1986 and featured many original performers from TAGS. Ken Berry, Buddy Foster and Arlene Golonka don't appear in the movie, nor do TAGS regulars Frances Bavier, Elinor Donahue, and Jack Burns. Nevertheless, Return does share continuity with the R.F.D. storyline, by maintaining that Andy and Helen are married. However, Andy and Helen's son, Andy Jr. is never mentioned.
The social upheaval that occurred during The Andy Griffith Show's 1968 season had much of the nation wistful for a more stable, idealistic America. The final episode of The Andy Griffith Show was titled "Mayberry RFD", which added an Italian-American family to the Sam Jones homestead. The series bowed out as the number one-rated show. The producers, however, chose to forgo a big overhaul and instead stuck with the winning premise of a widower, his son and the matronly Aunt Bee. Therefore, the series was much the same as The Andy Griffith Show, without Andy Taylor and son Opie. Mayberry R.F.D. was consistently in the top ten in the Nielsen ratings the first two years of its run, but dropped to number 15 during its third and final season. That year CBS, seeking a more urban image, canceled all its rural-themed shows including Green Acres, Hee Haw and The Beverly Hillbillies in what became known as the "rural purge".
