The Andy Griffith Show (TV Series) Otis the Artist (1966) User Reviews

Mondo Otis

[zsenorsock · 7/10 · 13 June 2007]

This script appears to be more a leftover from season five than season six. Substitute Barney for Warren and you have a pretty solid AGS episode.

But alas, Don is off making "The Reluctant Astronaut" or some other such classic, so it is Warren who meets Otis for the first time and gets the idea to cure him of his drinking by getting him a new hobby: mosaics. Surprisingly, Otis takes to making mosaics and forgets all about drinking. The problem is, he's a terrible artist.

It's too bad characters like Otis, Ernest T. and the Darlings were so rarely seen after this season. Otis did not reappear on the show again until one final appearance about 25 episodes later. They were colorful characters that were far more interesting than Howard Sprague and Emmitt. Hal Smith is terrific in this episode and its a shame he didn't get a chance to appear more as Otis.

Warren's Passion

[Hitchcoc · 6/10 · 24 December 2019]

Warren clashes with Otis when Otis makes on of his customary forays into inebriation, blocking his way to his accustomed cell. Warren has been working on mosaic art and feels if he can get Otis an avocation (from drinking), the man will see the error of his ways and come clean. That's the premise anyway. Things eventually go awry. Otis is still fascinating. We find out in this episode that works at a glue factory during the week. Never knew that.

Clicked from beginning to end.

[vitoscotti · 10/10 · 16 July 2022]

One of the better color episodes. The art theme worked well. Opie's "even kids need a valve" was one of the better lines. 2 funniest scenes are when Otis' bad mosaic is revealed, and when Otis staggers into the art show as a guest speaker blind drunk. Andy is consistently nonchalant about Otis' drinking problem. The writers have always made him hands off on the subject as not to interfere with it's comedy. A top Hal Smith showcase episode. Aunt Bee's watercolors look done by a true gifted painter not a novice like her. I don't think Opie would be dumb enough to hurt Otis' feelings and reveal the mosaic was in the closet. A rare instance of Otis drinking to drown his sorrows, not party it up. Nice blooper Bee saying "goodbye Andy" to Opie. A very enjoyable episode.