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The Worst Episodes of The Andy Griffith Show

Every episode of The Andy Griffith Show ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of The Andy Griffith Show!

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Andy Taylor is the widowed sheriff of the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina. His life is complicated by an inept, but well-meaning deputy, Barney Fife, a spinster aunt and housekeeper, Aunt Bee, and

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  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    The Andy Griffith Show Season 8 Episode 30 - Mayberry R.F.D.
    4.5/10(316 votes)

    S8:E30

    Sam brings over one of his Italian friends from the war--but unbenowst to him the friend brings over his elderly father and sister--and this creates mayhem in his family and business.

    Director:Peter Baldwin
    Writer:Bob Ross

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  2. The Andy Griffith Show Season 6 Episode 20 - Wyatt Earp Rides Again
    5.8/10(263 votes)

    S6:E20

    A wild west show comes to town featuring a wimpy man who is said to be related to Wyatt Earp.

    Director:Alan Rafkin
    Writer:Jack Elinson

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  3. The Andy Griffith Show Season 6 Episode 25 - A Baby in the House
    5.8/10(255 votes)

    S6:E25

    Aunt Bee is thrilled to be able to help out her niece by babysitting her infant baby. Unfortunately the baby cries only when Aunt Bee picks her up and not when anyone else does it. This makes Aunt Bee terribly upset until a minor crisis occurs and she finally understands what she was doing wrong.

    Director:Alan Rafkin
    Writers:Sam Bobrick, Bill Idelson

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  4. The Andy Griffith Show Season 6 Episode 15 - Girl-Shy
    5.9/10(250 votes)

    S6:E15

    Warren is truly shy around women except when he is sleep walking. When he sleepwalks he turns into a Lothario of the first order--and his new conquest-to-be is Helen!

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writers:Sam Bobrick, Bill Idelson

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  5. The Andy Griffith Show Season 8 Episode 26 - The Wedding
    5.9/10(257 votes)

    S8:E26

    Howard's mother decides to get married and move to Mt. Pilot. Howard is so glad to have the house to himself that he decides to throw a couples party, but Helen ends up being the only female there.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writer:Joseph Bonaduce

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  6. The Andy Griffith Show Season 6 Episode 6 - A Warning from Warren
    6.0/10(259 votes)

    S6:E6

    Warren is convinced he has e.s.p. and feels that Andy and Helen are in grave danger if they go to the lake. He tries to warn them but they do not take him seriously. He takes it upon himself (with Goober's help) to "protect" them.

    Director:Alan Rafkin
    Writers:Fred Freeman, Lawrence J. Cohen

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  7. The Andy Griffith Show Season 6 Episode 11 - The Cannon
    6.2/10(256 votes)

    S6:E11

    The governor comes to town for founders day. The mobile state museum is brought to town for the event. Goober and Warren are supposed to guard the museum and end up firing the old Civil War cannon at two crooks who are attempting to burglarize the museum.

    Director:Alan Rafkin
    Writer:Jack Elinson

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  8. The Andy Griffith Show Season 6 Episode 12 - A Man's Best Friend
    6.2/10(265 votes)

    S6:E12

    Opie makes friends with Tommy, the new kid in town. Tommy is a bit mischevious, climbing up on the roof of Andy's building, and taking out a gun from Andy's gun rack even after Andy warns him TWICE not to. Goober gets a dog which he names ""Spot"" (because there are no spots). Tommy hides one of his walkie-talkies in Spot's collar and he and Opie lead Goober on to thinking that Spot can talk. The tables are turned, however, when Andy uses Tommy's love of horses to teach him a lesson.

    Director:Alan Rafkin
    Writers:Art Baer, Ben Joelson

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  9. The Andy Griffith Show Season 5 Episode 32 - Banjo-Playing Deputy
    6.3/10(401 votes)

    S5:E32

    Andy feels responsible when a banjo player loses a job at the carnival, and tries to help him get back on his feet. The man only succeeds in making a mess of things and quickly loses his self-confidence, until he hears about a couple of purse robbers who are on the loose at the carnival.

    Director:Coby Ruskin
    Writer:Bob Ross

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  10. The Andy Griffith Show Season 6 Episode 16 - Otis the Artist
    6.3/10(238 votes)

    S6:E16

    Warren decides that Otis needs some contructive rehabilitation acitivity-so he has him take up art. Otis works hard on a large mosaic of a cow that he is proud of-and he gives it as a gift to the Taylors. Much to Andy's embarrassment, Otis wants them to hang it up on their living room mantel!

    Director:Alan Rafkin
    Writers:Fred Freeman, Lawrence J. Cohen

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  11. The Andy Griffith Show Season 6 Episode 23 - The Gypsies
    6.3/10(257 votes)

    S6:E23

    Andy orders a group of gypsies out of town after they bother the residents. They soon set up camp outside of Mayberry and place a "curse" on the area in the form of a drought. Everything's later revealed to be nothing more than a hoax, as the gypsies are using a radio to enact their scheme.

    Director:Alan Rafkin
    Writer:Roland MacLane

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  12. The Andy Griffith Show Season 7 Episode 29 - Opie's Most Unforgettable Character
    6.3/10(208 votes)

    S7:E29

    Opie has a hard time finishing one of his homework assignments.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writers:Seaman Jacobs, Michael Morris

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  13. The Andy Griffith Show Season 8 Episode 20 - The Church Benefactors
    6.3/10(230 votes)

    S8:E20

    The Church Members must decide what to purchase with the $500 that's willed to the church. The choice is between Choir robes and repairing the church's foundation.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writers:Robert C. Dennis, Earl Barret

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  14. The Andy Griffith Show Season 8 Episode 27 - Sam for Town Council
    6.3/10(222 votes)

    S8:E27

    Sam runs against Emmett for office.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writers:Perry Grant, Dick Bensfield

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  15. The Andy Griffith Show Season 6 Episode 5 - The Bazaar
    6.4/10(262 votes)

    S6:E5

    Warren, enforcing a gambling ordinance to the letter of the law, arrests Aunt Bee and her women friends (meaning, most of Mayberry) for running a Bingo game. Everyone's furious at Warren, particularly Andy, who becomes even more frustrated when Warren resists pleas to drop the charges (in fact, the deputy really digs into his position). Aunt Bee and her friends soon demand a trial. Later, the men of Mayberry (with their children in tow, some of them crying) bother Andy and Opie at home when Warren still won't drop the charges. Eventually, the charges are dropped and Aunt Bee's good name is cleared once more.

    Director:Sheldon Leonard
    Writers:Art Baer, Ben Joelson

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  16. The Andy Griffith Show Season 7 Episode 9 - The Senior Play
    6.4/10(253 votes)

    S7:E9

    Helen and the students of the senior class put on a play but the principal objects to it--and to Helen's involvement with such "scandalous" things--until she figures out a way to show him that what is scandalous is all relative.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writer:Sid Morse

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  17. The Andy Griffith Show Season 8 Episode 10 - Aunt Bee and the Lecturer
    6.4/10(213 votes)

    S8:E10

    A visiting professor is attracted to Aunt Bee because she resembles his deceased wife.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writers:Seaman Jacobs, Michael Morris

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  18. The Andy Griffith Show Season 8 Episode 18 - Emmett's Brother-In-Law
    6.4/10(224 votes)

    S8:E18

    Emmett's brother in law wants him to leave the fix it shop and join him in selling life insurance.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writer:James L. Brooks

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  19. The Andy Griffith Show Season 6 Episode 14 - The Church Organ
    6.5/10(243 votes)

    S6:E14

    Clara pleads for a new church organ and Andy gets everyone to pledge money to help buy one, but when the pledges come due no one wants to pay up.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writer:Paul Wayne

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  20. The Andy Griffith Show Season 6 Episode 30 - A Singer in Town
    6.5/10(253 votes)

    S6:E30

    When a famous singer visits Mayberry, Aunt Bee and Clara see their ticket to stardom!

    Director:Alan Rafkin
    Writers:Stan Dreben, Howard Merrill

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  21. The Andy Griffith Show Season 7 Episode 1 - Opie's Girlfriend
    6.5/10(240 votes)

    S7:E1

    Helen's niece comes for a visit and proves to be both very pretty and very talented in athletics. Trouble is that she beats Opie in almost every sport there is. She actually really likes Opie as a BOY and needs her Aunt Helen to help her to get Opie to like her.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writer:Budd Grossman

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  22. The Andy Griffith Show Season 7 Episode 14 - Goober Makes History
    6.5/10(229 votes)

    S7:E14

    Goober grows tired of being the most ignorant one in town; he goes away fishing and accidentally grows a beard. The beard makes him believe he is smart--and he becomes an unbearable bore to everyone in Mayberry.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writers:John L. Greene, Paul David

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  23. The Andy Griffith Show Season 7 Episode 20 - Andy's Old Girlfriend
    6.5/10(224 votes)

    S7:E20

    Andy's old high school sweetheart moves back to town and has to stay with the Taylors while her house is being fixed. This creates tension between Helen and Andy.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writer:Sid Morse

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  24. The Andy Griffith Show Season 7 Episode 23 - The Statue
    6.5/10(216 votes)

    S7:E23

    When Howard suggests Mayberry erect a statue of Andy’s ancestor Seth Taylor in honor of all the work he did to make the town the quaint place it turned out to be. However, after a local artist completes the statue and earns the praise of the Taylor’s and everyone else in town, Andy and Aunt Bee get a big shock when Mr. Simmons lets them in on a secret that Seth Taylor worked with his ancestor to swindle the town out of a large amount of money. At first Andy and Bee want to keep this secret under raps, but she soon admits what Seth did during the unveiling speech. In the end, Floyd saves the day by saying that while Seth wasn’t the hero everybody thought he was; he still played a large part in making Mayberry the town what it is today.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writer:Fred S. Fox

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  25. The Andy Griffith Show Season 7 Episode 24 - Helen the Authoress
    6.5/10(229 votes)

    S7:E24

    Helen begins to write books for children.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writer:Doug Tibbles

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Mayberry R.F.D." is the worst rated episode of "The Andy Griffith Show". It scored 4.5/10 based on 316 votes. Directed by Peter Baldwin and written by Bob Ross, it aired on 4/1/1968. This episode scored 1.3 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Wyatt Earp Rides Again".