Bringing Up Opie (TAGS Episode)
Episode Info
Bringing Up Opie
- S1.E32
- Filmed: 32
- Aired: 32
- Original Air Date: 1961/05/22
- Writer(s): Jack Elinson and Charles Stewart
- Director: Bob Sweeney
Plot Summary
Opie is banned from the friendly confines of the Mayberry courthouse when Aunt Bee decides it is not an atmosphere conducive to the proper upbringing of a young boy. Andy goes along with Bee's wishes until Opie wanders off and turns up miles away in another town. After his return, Bee agrees that father and son are better off together than apart.
Plot
In this episode, Sheriff Andy Taylor is concerned about the way his son, Opie, is behaving. Opie has been seen playing roughly with other children and not showing respect to adults, particularly to Aunt Bee, who lives with them. Andy believes that Opie is lacking in manners and discipline.
Aunt Bee, who has a more lenient approach to child-rearing, argues that Opie just needs love and understanding rather than strict discipline. To settle the debate, they decide to implement their respective child-rearing methods for a day each to see which one works better.
On Andy's day, he adopts a stern approach, enforcing strict rules and giving Opie chores in an attempt to instill discipline. This leads to Opie feeling somewhat oppressed and unhappy, not understanding why his father is being so harsh.
The next day, it's Aunt Bee's turn. She showers Opie with affection, giving him cookies, letting him skip chores, and allowing him to do whatever he wants. This results in Opie becoming spoiled and unruly, not respecting boundaries or responsibilities.
After seeing the outcomes of both methods, Andy and Aunt Bee come to the conclusion that a balance between discipline and love is necessary. They decide to implement a combined approach, teaching Opie about responsibility while still showing him plenty of love and understanding. This episode showcases the complexities of parenting and the importance of finding the right balance between discipline and warmth in raising a child.
This episode is a good example of the show's focus on community, family dynamics, and the gentle humor derived from everyday situations in Mayberry.
Odd Facts Known by Few
- The episode title is a reference to the Cary Grant/Katharine Hepburn screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby (1938).
- In the scene where Andy explains to Opie why he can't visit the jail house, the close-up images of Andy are "flopped" - this is most easily seen by observing the part in his hair.
- This is the last episode featuring a map of Idaho (right-side-up since the episode "The New Doctor") and a map of Nevada (upside down) on the wall behind Sheriff Andy Taylor's desk. In the first few episodes of Season 2, a map of North Carolina is on the wall behind Andy's desk.
- In this episode, while Opie is at the Johnson Mine, kicking a can and eating apples in the back of a pick-up truck, it is the longest time in the entire series without dialog at 2 minutes and 20 seconds. "The Bed Jacket" (1 minute and 46 seconds) has the second longest run time without dialog.
- Opie falls asleep in the bed of a delivery pickup truck after eating a few apples. The tailgate is down. When the delivery man drives away with the truck, not knowing Opie is in the back, the tailgate is in the up position.
- While Opie is sitting on the truck tailgate eating apples, there's a possible reflection of a crew member in the house window.
- An inverted shot was used in the closeups of Andy sitting on Opie's bed telling him he can't come to the courthouse anymore, and we see the part in Andy's hair has switched to the right side of his head (our left). An inverted shot was also used in the episode "Barney's First Car," when Andy and Barney are standing on the porch watching Mrs. Lesh walk away after selling the car to Barney.
- Aunt Bee’s Unusual Role – While Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier) often took a more nurturing and supportive role, in this episode, she is one of the voices urging Andy to be stricter with Opie, which is a bit of a departure from her usual character.
- Barney’s Influence – Barney Fife (Don Knotts) frequently gave Andy questionable parenting advice throughout the series, but in this episode, his comment about Andy spoiling Opie ends up driving much of the plot, even though Barney himself often acted childlike!
- A Message That Lasts – The moral of the story—about balancing discipline and trust in parenting—resonated with many viewers and remains a relatable theme for parents even today.
Character List
- Andy Griffith - Andy Taylor
- Don Knotts - Barney Fife
- Ronny Howard - Opie Taylor
- Frances Bavier - Aunt Bee Taylor
- Hal Smith - Otis Campbell
- Mike Brent - kid with apples
