I always loved this episode and was prompted to write this review seeing the only other IMDb review of this show was by someone who hated it.
We get a look at the slow-paced life of the citizens of Mayberry on a Sunday—slow-paced until they get inspired by a visiting preacher's message to "Slow Down" and everyone gets all worked up trying to put on a band concert that very night—driving them all batty until the end when they return to normal.
Along the way, we see Aunt Bee unable to get off the phone despite prodding from Andy, worried she's going to make them all late for church. At the service, we see Opie catching a fly in his hands, until Andy shakes his head. Gomer falls asleep trying to listen to the preacher and Barney sort of does too, but he fights it off more. I loved the bit as they were leaving church and everyone's telling the minister about his fine sermon on taking life at a slower pace. Then Barney tries to compliment him but he was only semi-conscious for most of it so he gives a standard type of compliment, proving he didn't hear it by saying, "That's one subject you can't talk about enough—sin." After dinner, we see them sitting on the front porch, a common scene in this series and in much of America in that era, not so much now. Andy and Barney spend forever debating who's going to get ice cream without anyone actually going. Then Aunt Bee chastises them for "running down to get ice cream" ignoring the sermon about not being in a rush. They get to talking about the fine band concerts they had years ago and before you know it—everyone's frantically trying to get a concert on for that very night.
Bee and Clara try to sew up the old band uniforms, Andy gets the boys together for practice and if you remember the episode where Andy conned the mayor into financing a trip to Raleigh, you will say they sound as bad as ever. Barney and Gomer try to fix up the band stand, with Gomer quite worried about getting bitten by a spider. Everyone winds up arguing about everything and they finally give up, realizing they just can't get it done.
Back to the porch where they sit around, worn out from all their frantic work, and here comes the visiting preacher, who promised to stop by for coffee but says he can't even stay long enough because he has to rush back to New York. Andy chides him using a line from that morning's sermon, asking, "What's your hurry?" I think my favorite line came from Aunt Bee—which is perhaps the only time I can say that. Andy is going on before they leave for church about how he doesn't like having a visiting minister, saying, "We've been taking from Rev. Tucker for a long time and I don't see why we have to have this other guy " Bee interrupts to say, "Andy they're on the same side!" I laughed more than at most episodes, which puts this in as a 9 in my book.
We get a look at the slow-paced life of the citizens of Mayberry on a Sunday—slow-paced until they get inspired by a visiting preacher's message to "Slow Down" and everyone gets all worked up trying to put on a band concert that very night—driving them all batty until the end when they return to normal.
Along the way, we see Aunt Bee unable to get off the phone despite prodding from Andy, worried she's going to make them all late for church. At the service, we see Opie catching a fly in his hands, until Andy shakes his head. Gomer falls asleep trying to listen to the preacher and Barney sort of does too, but he fights it off more. I loved the bit as they were leaving church and everyone's telling the minister about his fine sermon on taking life at a slower pace. Then Barney tries to compliment him but he was only semi-conscious for most of it so he gives a standard type of compliment, proving he didn't hear it by saying, "That's one subject you can't talk about enough—sin." After dinner, we see them sitting on the front porch, a common scene in this series and in much of America in that era, not so much now. Andy and Barney spend forever debating who's going to get ice cream without anyone actually going. Then Aunt Bee chastises them for "running down to get ice cream" ignoring the sermon about not being in a rush. They get to talking about the fine band concerts they had years ago and before you know it—everyone's frantically trying to get a concert on for that very night.
Bee and Clara try to sew up the old band uniforms, Andy gets the boys together for practice and if you remember the episode where Andy conned the mayor into financing a trip to Raleigh, you will say they sound as bad as ever. Barney and Gomer try to fix up the band stand, with Gomer quite worried about getting bitten by a spider. Everyone winds up arguing about everything and they finally give up, realizing they just can't get it done.
Back to the porch where they sit around, worn out from all their frantic work, and here comes the visiting preacher, who promised to stop by for coffee but says he can't even stay long enough because he has to rush back to New York. Andy chides him using a line from that morning's sermon, asking, "What's your hurry?" I think my favorite line came from Aunt Bee—which is perhaps the only time I can say that. Andy is going on before they leave for church about how he doesn't like having a visiting minister, saying, "We've been taking from Rev. Tucker for a long time and I don't see why we have to have this other guy " Bee interrupts to say, "Andy they're on the same side!" I laughed more than at most episodes, which puts this in as a 9 in my book.