# The Andy Griffith Show (1960)

> A widowed small-town sheriff and his son navigate the gentle everyday comedy of Mayberry, North Carolina.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/93

## Facts

- Seasons: 8
- Episodes: 249
- Episode runtime: 25 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy, family
- Created by: Sheldon Leonard, Danny Thomas
- Network: CBS
- Cast: Howard McNear, Hope Summers, Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Frances Bavier, Don Knotts, Aneta Corsaut, Jim Nabors
- TMDB rating: 8.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053479/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: subtle
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: wholesome, gentle, comforting, witty, nostalgic

## What critics say

Viewers broadly regard the series as a warm, acclaimed classic whose early seasons are its strongest, with later seasons rated lower.

## Synopsis

The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968) is a CBS American small town sitcom created by Sheldon Leonard and Danny Thomas. Andy Griffith plays Andy Taylor, the widowed sheriff of the fictional community of Mayberry, North Carolina, raising his young son Opie (Ron Howard) with the help of his spinster Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier). His inept but well-meaning deputy Barney Fife (Don Knotts) supplies much of the chaos, while local ne'er-do-wells, bumbling pals and temperamental girlfriends like schoolteacher Helen Crump (Aneta Corsaut) test his patience. Each episode is a self-contained half-hour built around a small problem that snowballs through misunderstanding and pride before being settled by Andy's folksy common sense. The result is a warm, gentle, wholesome comedy set in a rural 1960s southern town, full of easy laughs and affectionate observation of neighborly life. Its eight seasons and 249 episodes made it a touchstone of television americana. Fans of Gilmore Girls and Lassie will find the same comforting small-town resonance, and the show remains a cozy rewatch for families of all ages.

## Shows like The Andy Griffith Show

- [Barney Miller (1975)](https://ember.film/tv/3095)
- [The Dukes of Hazzard (1979)](https://ember.film/tv/369)
- [The Munsters (1964)](https://ember.film/tv/1610)
- [The Beverly Hillbillies (1962)](https://ember.film/tv/1822)
- [The Lucy Show (1962)](https://ember.film/tv/2033)
- [Gilmore Girls (2000)](https://ember.film/tv/4365)
- [Happy Days (1974)](https://ember.film/tv/3659)
- [Gilligan's Island (1964)](https://ember.film/tv/1813)
- [The Brady Bunch (1969)](https://ember.film/tv/2015)
- [Green Acres (1965)](https://ember.film/tv/575)

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