This week's discussion is Convicts at Large.... "If those hamburgers burn I'm not going to be responsible".

My very favorite Floyd episode. "She dances with Al".

This scene with Floyd eating the banana is priceless! He seems to be having the time of his life.

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/6792/andyconvicts2.jpg

this is a classic!!!
Love the line- "you're a treasure" and "I can't stand crowded ballrooms"
This had some funny one-liners in it

I love it when Floyd tells where Barney's bullet is. "Well its an emergency!" ;D

An odd line:  "You're makin' 'em all rare!!"  It refers to the burgers.  How can you tell??  All burgers are rare to start with. 

I think Al is enjoying himself.

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z74/BARRY7X/dance.jpg

Dancin' in the land of rhythmic pleasure!

on TAGSRWC facebook page, you can get access to regular Tuesday night podcasts with our principal. A recent one was on an interview with Jean Carson and she made some comments about this episode. very interesting!!

It's also the last show Howard McNear filmed before his stroke.

I'll Handle It !
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/9/29/2121750/maude/newyear_maude.flv

Maude will know how to handle it. She's smart.

"There's nobody here!"

stagnation_water wrote on Mar 14^th, 2010 at 8:40pm:

It's also the last show Howard McNear filmed before his stroke.

There was speculation that getting cracked over the head with
that vase prompted his stroke. Personally, I don't believe it.

My favorite episode!   :)

Daddy you are soooo right!

HEY CHUCK!!

The bigger they come the nicer they are!

I think this episode was one of Howard McNear's best work. His mannerisms, His expressions, His lines, His actions and reactions, they were all priceless. Wonderful actor-just wonderful.

Truer words have not been spoken about Howard. On the other hand, sometimes he thought of himself as a wretch, an awful wretch.

In a lot of ways, Howard McNear was funnier than Don Knotts on TAGS.

You may be right Sue. You know that everytime he is in a scene, it is for a laugh. I talked to Hal Smith once and he said that everytime that he thought of Howard, he would let out a big chuckle. He also said that he would sit on the set and be making everyone laugh all the way up to the camera started rolling. I would love to see those extended scenes!

Sue Grigsby wrote on Mar 16^th, 2010 at 7:05pm:

In a lot of ways, Howard McNear was funnier than Don Knotts on TAGS.

I never thought about that Sue, but now that you have mentioned it, I think you are probably right.

Ole_Sam wrote on Mar 17^th, 2010 at 12:51pm:

funnier than Don Knotts

but who won all the awards? i'm just saying...

widow bradshaw wrote on Mar 17^th, 2010 at 2:19pm:

but who won all the awards? i'm just saying...

Both hilarious... in different ways.  Loved to watch them play off each other, like in this episode.

widow bradshaw wrote on Mar 17^th, 2010 at 2:19pm:

Ole_Sam wrote on Mar 17th, 2010 at 12:51pm: funnier than Don Knotts  but who won all the awards? i'm just saying...

It's got nothing to do with the awards!   I'm just saying... ::)

If Howard's role was as prominent as Don's role was, he may have very well won many of those awards.

while i admit that awards and talent rarely go hand-in-hand , Don played an annoying , unlikable character . And played the part well. Howard played a lovable , kind, uncle part. and played it well. as far as their ability to act , mr. Knotts could crack me up with a simple facial expression but mr. McNear usually had to speak before i cracked up! both great actors playing great roles , on a great television show. IMHO :)

widow bradshaw wrote on Mar 21^st, 2010 at 11:54am:

Don played an annoying , unlikable character

Wow.  :(

widow bradshaw wrote on Mar 21^st, 2010 at 11:54am:

Don played an annoying , unlikable character .

Annoying? Yes he could be at times but unlikeable? Other than the lawbreakers he encountered, most everyone in Mayberry thought a lot of Barney.

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/201/andybarnsmirk.jpg
                                Unlikable Barney Fife

i like the barney fife character but don't think as highly of people i meet in day-to-day life that display barney characteristics. they 'annoy' me and i find them hard to 'like'. ;)

I guess if you separate Barney's characteristics; sometimes selfish, sometimes cowardly, sometimes thinks he has Thelma-Lou in his hip pocket (etc.)  - then you're right.  Those are pretty darn unlikable traits.  If I met someone like that, I wouldn't want to be around that person.

But we get to know Barney and see him from Andy's point of view.  That, and the fact that Don Knotts was able to infuse true likability into the character, certainly makes the character tolerable. 

It also helps to think of Barney as a child.  In fact, Barney's more Andy's son than Opie is! 

Squad Car wrote on Mar 21^st, 2010 at 8:57pm:

Don Knotts was able to infuse true likability into the character

Well said.

Don Knotts was a wonderful comedic actor.  He developed Barney Fife from a clutzy, 2-dimensional
character in the early episodes to a hilarious, short-tempered but very likeable character in later
episodes. 

The funniest part of Barney's personality was his totally transparency.  He was never able to hide
his feelings.  Nearly everything he was thinking showed right on his face.  A perfect example is to
watch him circling the desk while Mr. Masters, Aunt Bee and Andy are trying to think of a new
tenor for the choir.  This was Don Knotts' great skill.

I like most of the TAGS characters... but Don Knotts definitely makes TAGS unique.

  I like most of the TAGS characters... but Don Knotts definitely makes TAGS unique.

Amen to that Phil

Simply put...without Don Knotts TAGS wouldn't be what it is!

Phil Sunkel wrote on Mar 22^nd, 2010 at 12:01am:

Don Knotts definitely makes TAGS

So , who was more funny Floyd or Barney ? they both had great moments and we are blessed because we got to watch those moments on TV !

Hey, in the spirit of the season, let's do an NCAA bracket of who is funnier. You know, the first round
Andy Vs Otis
Bee Vs Clara
Emmett vs Howard

Well, maybe not. When you combine all of the ingredients of the stew we call TAGS, it is mouthwaterin'. Let's leave it at that.

Barney is funnier though.

Andy Paul Lawson wrote on Mar 23^rd, 2010 at 10:46am:

Barney is funnier though.

hence , all the awards!