Tonight is the first night of my Christmas TV and movie reviews. We'll be looking at the "Christmas Story" episode of The Andy Griffith Show, which first aired December 19, 1960.
In this episode, Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife are getting ready to celebrate Christmas with friends and family, when shopkeeper Ben Weaver runs in local man Sam Muggins for moonshining. Old, cantankerous Weaver is not in the Christmas spirit, and doesn't care if locking up Sam separates him from his family for the holidays.
Andy, ever resourceful, makes the best of the situation, "arresting" Sam's wife and children as "accessories" to his moonshining so they can be together for Christmas. Andy even moves their whole Christmas party into the jail (with Barney dressed as Santa) so everyone can celebrate together.
Weaver, meanwhile, finds himself caught up in the Christmas spirit but can't bring himself to join in the celebrations without cause, resorting to getting himself arrested just so he'll have an excuse to be at the party. A good time is had by all, with Weaver drinking up the only evidence of moonshining he had against Sam Muggins.
…
I very much enjoy The Andy Griffith Show. I think what I like best is its' attitude about trying to see and find the best in people. In a modern sitcom environment where humor is derived from hateful behavior between characters and a generally inaccurate understanding of irony, TAGS' humor is radical in its willingness to just let its' characters say and do funny things. The humor is derived from the situation and how the characters respond rather than simply letting them make inane smart-aleck remarks that almost gleam with lack of creativity or inventiveness.
Also, TAGS also depicts something you'd never see on a modern sitcom: people singing hymns. This episode featuring the characters singing "Away In A Manger", whereas a modern Christmas show would probably feature "Jingle Bells" or some other secular Christmas song. I'm always a little surprised when I hear an actual hymn on a TV show.
…
Come on back tomorrow; I think I'll tackle the Christmas episode of Three's Company.
No comments:
Post a Comment