This is the first episode to feature Parley Baer as Mayor Roy Stoner, an antagonistic character in the mold of local businessman Ben Weaver. This mayor is pushy, bossy, condescending and he makes you want to see how Andy will eventually put him in his place. This episode starts with Andy getting ready to release a prisoner early so he can get his crops in. Andy's common sense approach clashes with the Mayor's "by the book" approach when Stoner forbids Andy to release the man before his sentence is up. Of course Andy lets the man go with the understanding that he return in a few days once he finishes with his crops. In the meantime the Mayor discovers Andy has gone against his instructions and decides to wait in the Sheriff's office with Andy and Barney for the mans return. When he doesn't return at 3pm as promised, the three of them take a ride out to the prisoner's farm to see what happened. In between all this there are funny scenes with Barney who is so intimidated by the new mayor, he reacts nervously every times he comes in contact with him. It has been said that Andy Griffith never liked the character of the Mayor which is probably why he only appears in a half dozen or so episodes. Regardless, this a funny episode that marks the debut of a colorful new recurring character.
8 Reviews
Humorless Jerk
Hitchcoc4 December 2019
The new mayor walks in and decides everything being done at the Sheriff's office is wrong. To rule followers, he has a point. But there is more to it than that. We have seen Andy run his office by the seat of his pants and upstaged several who were on his case (including his own deputy). This episode lacks much fun, but it has a message.
The Mayor has no real say
mloessel25 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
As has already been posted the Sheriff was an elected official and the Mayor has no authority over him. However this episode gives the impression the Mayor does have a say. The Mayor attempts to usurp his authority over the Sheriff's office but in reality he has none. The writers make him look like a fool. The comedy is minimal as the Mayor clashes with the Sheriff telling him what he should be doing. This does not set well with the Sheriff as he placates the Mayor. Parley Baer plays the high strung and overly bossy Mayor with much conviction. I liked the interaction with him and the Sheriff that showed conflict because it was a contrast to the outrageous comedy of Deputy Fife. Baer's depiction of a control freak who had to have his way was a welcomed contrast to Sheriff Taylor's very down to earth matter of fact way of running his office.
Godd Interaction Between Competing Authorities
scottschada@yahoo.com26 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Andy's line to Barney regarding Andy's nonchalance about the meeting "Oh, being new, he'll start on time the first few meetings..." may be my favorite in all the AGS's. It shows how cool Andy is in his role as the sheriff opposite Barney's fear of the beauracy represented by the new mayor.
Andy is definitely the boss in the Andy Griffith Show and Barney is the greenhorn who needs some life lessons. Hopefully Barney learns a few through watching Andy act through these early episodes. If he isn't freaking out about Andy being late for the Mayor's meeting, he's counseling his boss about why Miss Peggy is too classy for him (as does Floyd the barber in another episode).
There is so much to enjoy in these early episodes, I say Just enjoy them in the context of their time. They are great.
Andy is definitely the boss in the Andy Griffith Show and Barney is the greenhorn who needs some life lessons. Hopefully Barney learns a few through watching Andy act through these early episodes. If he isn't freaking out about Andy being late for the Mayor's meeting, he's counseling his boss about why Miss Peggy is too classy for him (as does Floyd the barber in another episode).
There is so much to enjoy in these early episodes, I say Just enjoy them in the context of their time. They are great.
I prefer Mayor Pike
kellielulu12 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
New Mayor Stoner ( what a name!) is determined to micromanage the sheriff and law enforcement in Mayberry . Barney is even more nervous than usual and Andy listens to old Stoner than does what he thinks best. While there may be some reasonable arguments to make in how Andy runs things at times it mostly works for the people of Mayberry . Andy goes for the spirit of the law more than the letter . In fact it's when he tries to do the opposite that things go wrong.
Stoner is overly antagonistic and argumentative and basically a jerk trying to look important.
One thing I always did find a little odd is that Andy let's a prisoner go home for a few days to tend his crops and then finish out his sentence. That's fine it's keeping with Andy's ways but when the farmer Jess is late returning the mayor pushed Andy and Barney to go to the farm but it turns out the reason is a bear has chased Jess up a tree! The mayor doesn't realize the problem and gets too close and is chased up the tree too. The bear ends up in the squad car with Barney and Andy on top of it! This Andy blames on the mayor but he really had no control of the bear. Still maybe Andy had just had enough of Stoner and let him have it.
The ending with the duck pond is funny.
Stoner is overly antagonistic and argumentative and basically a jerk trying to look important.
One thing I always did find a little odd is that Andy let's a prisoner go home for a few days to tend his crops and then finish out his sentence. That's fine it's keeping with Andy's ways but when the farmer Jess is late returning the mayor pushed Andy and Barney to go to the farm but it turns out the reason is a bear has chased Jess up a tree! The mayor doesn't realize the problem and gets too close and is chased up the tree too. The bear ends up in the squad car with Barney and Andy on top of it! This Andy blames on the mayor but he really had no control of the bear. Still maybe Andy had just had enough of Stoner and let him have it.
The ending with the duck pond is funny.
A city mayor has no authority of a county employee
rerunwatcher11 September 2022
Okay, at least where I live the Mayor is an elected official of the CITY and the Sheriff is an elected official of the COUNTY. The Mayor has absolutely zero authority over the Sheriff. This episode annoys me on other levels besides this. The cute small town feel is very much lacking in this episode. The main reason I like to watch The Andy Griffith Show is to forget about political things that is shoved on us from almost every television channel. I want the peaceful, innocent feel of Mayberry. It is very lacking in this lackluster offering from Season Three. And while on I am on the topic of Season Three, I cannot stand Andy's girlfriend Peggy. She is very annoying in my opinion.
Too much Mayor Stoner the tyrant
vitoscotti5 April 2022
I was never a big fan of Parley Baer in a recurring role as Mayor Stoner in big doses. Mayor Pike's (Dick Elliott) bumbling style fit in better with the show. Stoner had such a big role in this episode, he was a roadblock to the comedy flow. Baer's Mayor role is better in future episodes where he's not on screen as much as here. The domineering tyrant is better in small doses. Very funny epilougue about the duck pond.
Get him Andy!
paulhallmark13 February 2024
Would it have been too much to see Andy Punch the blowhard in the mouth and knock him on his keester?
I wanted to punch him in the mouth and I'm not usually a violent person.
I didn't like this episode because it just ticked me off knowing that there are people like this that get away with this kind of behavior all the time.
...go down to the corner where you see the three dogs laying in the road, turn right... then, go a little ways where you see a big rock that looks like a bear and turn left. Go down the crooked road, crookidy, crookidy, crookidy and look for the big oak tree that fell over. If you get to the creek, you went too far.
I wanted to punch him in the mouth and I'm not usually a violent person.
I didn't like this episode because it just ticked me off knowing that there are people like this that get away with this kind of behavior all the time.
...go down to the corner where you see the three dogs laying in the road, turn right... then, go a little ways where you see a big rock that looks like a bear and turn left. Go down the crooked road, crookidy, crookidy, crookidy and look for the big oak tree that fell over. If you get to the creek, you went too far.
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