Summary[]
The musical mountain family descends upon Mayberry.
Plot[]
This episode introduced the Darling family, an impoverished and eccentric musical family from the Mountains. The family consists of patriarch Briscoe Darling, his daughter Charlene Darling, and his four mostly silent sons, known collectively as The Darling Boys. They arrive in Mayberry to meet the bus, due the next day, because Charlene's fiancé, Private First Class Dudley A. ‘Dud’ Wash. is supposed to be on it. Charlene is less than enthusiastic, as she and Dud, while childhood sweethearts, haven't seen each other in a few years and the engagement was more her father's idea than hers.
Andy notices the family using the Mendelbright Memorial Horse Trough in the town square to rehydrate their old truck, which is a violation of city ordinance. He lets them go with a warning, since it's their first visit, but Charlene is obviously attracted to Andy, whom she dubs "the pretty man.” Briscoe immediately becomes suspicious that he is trying to seduce her, though he expresses no interest in the much-younger Charlene.
Later, Andy must warn the family again when Briscoe checks into a single room at the Mayberry Hotel, but then sneaks the rest of the family in while clerk John Masters is out to dinner. When Andy hears the whole family playing music and knocks on the door, everyone but Briscoe escapes out the window. He and John concoct a plan - Andy waits outside, while John knocks on the door again. Andy catches all the boys and Charlene as they climb out the window, and Charlene immediately embraces him, causing Briscoe to accuse him of "Tantalizing" her. They set off to find a new place to sleep.
After dinner, Andy and Aunt Bee hear bluegrass music playing in the distance. He follows the noise and discovers the Darlings are bedded down for the night in an abandoned shop. Andy, regretfully, tells them that this is a violation of city ordinance too, and Briscoe thanks him for all his warnings. He offers to 'arrest' them, so they can sleep in the jail, and they accept, eating some of Aunt Bee’s cooking and allowing Andy to play his guitar along with them during a few songs. Charlene keeps making eyes at Andy, who tries to ignore her.
The next day, the family goes to meet the bus, only to discover that Charlene is not with them. She, meanwhile, has sneaked back to the jailhouse, and is in the act of literally chasing Andy around the building, finally catching and embracing him just as Briscoe comes in. Accusing Him of playing hard to get, Briscoe demands Andy fist-fight Dud for Charlene. He goes to the bus stop to explain matters to Dud, only for Dud to show Charlene how he kept every letter and memento she ever sent him in his belt pouch the whole time he served. Her love for Dud rekindled, Charlene decides to marry him after all, much to Andy's relief.
Notes/Trivia[]
- The only lines ever spoken by The Darling Boys occur in the jail scene. Mitch Jayne can be heard to say, "About to pop" and Doug Dillard can be heard saying, "Great beans, Aunt Bee.”
- This episode was voted one of the top 10 fan-favorite episodes.
- First appearance of The Darlings.
- The inscription on the trough reads: DAVID MENDELBRIGHT 1870-1933/LET NO HORSE GO THIRSTY HERE. He may be related to Barney's landlady Mrs. Mendelbright.
- When the family first arrives in town due to the truck overheating, Charlene asks her Pa "How many hat fulls does it usually take?" Briscoe says it usually takes 11 hat fulls, but he puts in 5 before they leave.
- The Darlings are in violation of Municipal code 907, "Dipping your hat in a horse trough.”
- Sundance TV airings and the 50th Anniversary DVD set restore the missing epilogue
- As shown in "Mountain Wedding,” when Andy married Charlene and Dud, Barney and his mother were on a bus trip to Charlotte.
- Mr. Darling breaks the fourth wall by saying that the bus should be here in 5 minutes, when there was about 5 minutes left in the episode.
- Don Knotts does not appear in this episode.
- In this episode the boy's names are Oether (on mandolin), Jebbin (on banjo), Ward (on guitar), and Frankie (on stand-up bass). Ward and Frankie's names however are not mentioned on TV.
Goofs[]
- A wire (presumably for a microphone) can be seen coming from the bottom of Andy's trouser leg in the opening scene as he approaches the Darling's truck.
- Two of the Darling boy's names are given Oether and Jebbin but in the episode The Darling Fortune Oether's name is Dean and Jebbin's name is Doug. Offscreen the other two boy's names are Ward and Frankie. Ward being Rodney and Frankie being Mitch.
Music[]
The songs in this episode are in order:
- "Old Joseph"
- "Doug's Tune"
- "Dooley"
- "Cold Trailin'"
- "Hickory Hollow"
- "Banjo in the Hollow"
- "Salty Dog" (cut out in syndication)
- "Cindy" (cut out in syndication)
Quotes[]
Briscoe: Your words say no; your eyes say yes.
Andy: Mind if I play along with you?
Briscoe: I didn't know you strang!
Andy: A little. What key?
Briscoe: Just jump in where you can and hang on!
Andy: Goodnight, Mr. Darling.
Briscoe: More power to you.
Andy: In reference to eating 4 bowls of white beans, Andy says, "eatin' speaks louder than words.” Briscoe says the same thing while in jail for committing a 317 (Occupancy of private property without permission of the owner). After eating 4 bowls, he says, "eatin' speaks louder than words.”
Charlene: I sent him a fruitcake!
Charlene: At the end of the show, she says to Dud, "You're the sweetest boy whatever grow'd.”
Gallery[]
Behind the Scenes[]
