The Best Episodes Directed By Alan Rafkin

Ernest T. Bass returns to Mayberry to get an education so his girlfriend will marry him. But when he meets his new teacher Helen, he falls in love with her. Now Andy has to help Helen give Ernest all the facts he needs, including the one about the true object of his affection.

General Korshak wants Hawkeye to be his personal practitioner, despite his constant snottiness. And Radar helps take care of a soldier's half-Korean baby after he is shipped back home.

Bob experiences pangs of jealousy when Emily's handsome new tennis instructor comes to see him with an emotional problem, namely, his inability to turn down the women who are all uncontrollably attracted to him.

Andy is offered a job in Minnesota so Barney decides to run for sheriff in the upcoming election. But when Andy's job offer falls through, he returns to Mayberry to find Barney with a case of campaign fever, aiming to unseat Andy.

Barney sets up a sting operation to catch a crook who may be returning to Mayberry for some stolen loot and ends up arresting an undercover FBI agent instead. But a suspicious Andy realizes Barney's operation may not have been as far off as he thought.

Jill and Stan Pembroke are a working couple whose uncertain schedules propel them into hiring a nineteen-year-old college student, Charles, to move in and help them with their three children: Lila 14; Douglas, 12; and Jason, 10.

Cousin Elliot shows up at the Pembroke house. His ideas on how to deal with children do not coincide with Charles' opinions.

Charles and Gwendolyn had a fight over something rather trivial, and he feels he doesn't want to deal with the whole WOMEN issue.

Stan comes home expecting Jill to be ready to go to the Vice President's reception, but home has turned into "Little Crisis Central".

It is Christmastime and Grandma Irene, Stan's mother, is expected for her yearly three-week-stay with her grandchildren.

Jason and Douglas come in the back door carrying a dog, and they are blaming each other for 'killing' the animal.

Feeling unfulfilled as a woman, and having just passed her 29th birthday, Carol quits her job as Bob's receptionist. After having been gone for a while, Carol suddenly shows up at one of Bob's group-therapy sessions and creates a situation in which Bob finds himself more of a patient than a doctor.

With Carol on vacation, Emily is elected to fill in as the receptionist. Everyone loves the idea—except Bob.

The Kravitzes and Stephens participate in a program that allows orphaned children to stay with adults for the holidays. When the Stephens' young charge reveals that he does not believe in Santa Claus, Samantha takes him to the North Pole.

Mary and Rhoda find out that divorcees at the Better Luck Next Time club can get group rates on cruises and decide to join. However, Mary proves a hit with the club's members and gets elected to its board.

Rhoda's mother, Ida, comes visiting and Rhoda refuses to see her. Ida stays with Mary but drives her crazy.

Bob wants to watch football every Monday night. Emily feels this is unfair: their other activities allow the couple only two nights each week to be together, and she thinks they should do something that they both enjoy. This leads to an unresolved, all-night argument that ends only when the two participants become exhausted.

Following an offer of promotion made by Master Sergeant Woodruff at a poker game, Radar is promoted to the rank of lieutenant. Finding this position awkward, Radar opts to return to his position as an enlisted man.

A lover's spat between Barney and Thelma Lou blows out of proportion and ends up involving Andy and Helen. Soon all four are not speaking and it's up to Barney to fix things, but he'll have to make up with Thelma Lou first.

Goober starts to annoy Andy and Barney by hanging around during their dates with Helen and Thelma Lou. They decide to set him up with a girl he likes, only to find they now have twice the trouble.

Bob finds it extremely difficult to tell his mother that he loves her.

Bob decides that for his own mental well-being, he needs some peace and quiet. He moves into a hotel room by himself, leaving a confused Howard Borden thinking that Bob and Emily have split up.

Jerry decides there is something wrong with him because he never becomes serious about any of the girls he dates. He asks Bob if he can become one of his patients. Bob agrees, but they have to abandon the plan when it begins to interfere with their friendship.

Bob refuses to wear the beautiful gold watch Emily gave him for his 40th birthday after he learns just how expensive it was.

At Jerry's urging, Bob hires a business manager to handle his money. He ends up living on a meager allowance that affords him only such luxuries as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch.