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The Best Episodes Written By Bill Idelson

Every TV Episode Written by Bill Idelson Ranked from Best to Worst by Thousands of Voters

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    undefined Season 4 Episode 20 - If They Never Met
    9.5/10(2 votes)

    S4:E20

    Samantha wants to know what life would be like if she and Darrin had never met. Endora shows Samantha that Darrin would have married Sheila and become a part of her millionaire father's family. Darrin likes her, but he doesn't love her. On cue, Darrin meets Samantha and the rest is history.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  2. undefined Season 5 Episode 25 - The Case of the Punch in the Nose
    9.0/10(4 votes)

    S5:E25

    Barney uncovers an old assault case between Floyd the barber and his friend Charlie that never went to trial and ends up re-igniting an old feud that spreads to the whole town. Now Andy has to find a way to resolve the dispute and keep everyone out of court.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  3. undefined Season 5 Episode 6 - Barney's Bloodhound
    8.8/10(4 votes)

    S5:E6

    Barney buys an old bloodhound to help him and Andy track down a prison escapee, but he only succeeds in getting them both taken hostage. That's when Andy remembers the dog's one pet peeve.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  4. undefined Season 5 Episode 16 - Barney Fife, Realtor
    8.5/10(4 votes)

    S5:E16

    Andy catches Opie trying to sell his broken bike to a friend and teaches him a lesson in honest dealing. But when Barney talks Andy into selling his house, the lesson comes to haunt him as Opie points out all the faults of the Taylor house to Barney's potential buyers.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  5. undefined Season 5 Episode 17 - Goober Takes a Car Apart
    8.5/10(4 votes)

    S5:E17

    Andy is horrified to find Goober has brought a car into the courthouse after being left in charge while Andy was away at a sheriff's conference. That's when he learns that a couple of law-enforcement friends from the conference are coming for a visit.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  6. undefined Season 5 Episode 8 - Barney's Uniform
    8.2/10(4 votes)

    S5:E8

    Barney angers a local businessman who threatens to break every bone in his body if he sees him out of uniform, so Barney starts wearing his uniform everywhere. Andy has an idea to help him by changing a little more than his clothes.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  7. undefined Season 5 Episode 13 - Andy and Helen Have Their Day
    8.0/10(4 votes)

    S5:E13

    Andy and Helen end up before a justice of the peace when Andy forgets his fishing license during their picnic. When word reaches Barney, he believes they are getting married and rounds up the whole gang to be there for the nuptials.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  8. undefined Season 6 Episode 13 - Aunt Bee Takes a Job
    8.0/10(2 votes)

    S6:E13

    Feeling bored and lonely in the afternoons, Aunt Bee asks Andy if it would be alright if she get an afternoon job. After looking through the want ads, she gets hired at a printing company, not knowing that her bosses are counterfeiters.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  9. undefined Season 6 Episode 17 - The Return of Barney Fife
    8.0/10(2 votes)

    S6:E17

    Barney Fife returns home to Mayberry for a brief visit only to discover that his former girlfriend Thelma Lou has married. Fortunately for Barney, sweet Nettie Albright a secret admirer from days gone by shows up at Barney's high school reunion dance to save the day.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  10. undefined Season 6 Episode 26 - The County Clerk
    8.0/10(2 votes)

    S6:E26

    Andy and Helen try to play matchmaker for Howard Sprague, the county clerk, but his mother wants to keep him close to home (and to her).

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  11. undefined Season 7 Episode 11 - Big Fish in a Small Town
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    S7:E11

    When Howard goes fishing with Andy, Opie, Goober, and Floyd, he catches the legandary rare carp "Old Sam". After he decides to put the legendary fish in a Raleigh museum, Howard learns a lesson from Opie that "Old Sam" is such an important part of the town's history that he brings the fish back to lakes surrounding Mayberry.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  12. undefined Season 5 Episode 9 - The Korean Surgeon
    7.7/10(6 votes)

    S5:E9

    Instead of turning him in as a prisoner of war, Hawkeye and B.J. pull some strings to get a wounded North Korean surgeon a spot on the staff.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  13. undefined Season 5 Episode 29 - The Luck of Newton Monroe
    7.2/10(5 votes)

    S5:E29

    Andy arrests a traveling salesman for selling faulty merchandise and puts him on work detail, where he manages to botch every job he's given. Now Andy has to restore the man's self-confidence and he may have to sacrifice his front porch to do it.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  14. undefined Season 3 Episode 2 - Viva Smart
    7.0/10(2 votes)

    S3:E2

    Max and 99 are sent to a Latin American republic to rescue a President who has been overthrown and imprisoned by a maniacal army general dictator.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  15. undefined Season 3 Episode 3 - Witness for the Persecution
    7.0/10(2 votes)

    S3:E3

    KAOS is going to stop Smart from testifying against one of their agents.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  16. undefined Season 6 Episode 8 - The Taylors in Hollywood
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    S6:E8

    The Taylors visit Hollywood and get to see the making of Sheriff Without a Gun.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  17. undefined Season 6 Episode 25 - A Baby in the House
    7.0/10(2 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:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  18. undefined Season 7 Episode 18 - A Visit to Barney Fife
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    S7:E18

    Andy visits Barney in Raleigh, and realizes that Barney isn't as successful as he has always claims. Andy is able to help Barney solve a series of supermarket robberies and help him save his job.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  19. undefined Season 2 Episode 22 - Long Distance Call
    6.8/10(24 votes)

    S2:E22

    A young boy find he can communicate with his dead grandmother through a toy phone.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  20. undefined Season 6 Episode 7 - Off to Hollywood
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    S6:E7

    When Andy receives a $1000.00 dollars for the rights to a story about him "Sheriff without a gun" that will be filmed in Hollywood, he wants to put it in the bank. Opie, Aunt Bee and Helen all insist he do something fun with it. When they come up with the idea of a trip to Hollywood, the entire town gets involved in sending them off.

    Director:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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  21. undefined Season 6 Episode 15 - Girl-Shy
    5.5/10(2 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:N/A
    Writer:Bill Idelson

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Bill Idelson Ratings Summary

"If They Never Met" is the best rated episode written by Bill Idelson. It scored 9.5/10 based on 2 votes. It was directed by N/A. It aired on 1/25/1968 and is rated 0.5 points higher than their second-best episode, "The Case of the Punch in the Nose".