If you consider TAGS revolved around Andy, Barney, Aunt Bee, Opie, & Floyd in most every episode you'd be pretty correct. You might say Goober after Barney left became a staple, but you get the gist of it. Of course Barneys absence lingered, but this episode signals yet another great loss to the core cast. Floyd the barber, or more specifically Howard McNear. More than in previous episodes the failing health of McNear is painfully obvious. It's not the lines, though we're told he couldn't remember them readily, It's the delivery. Howard as Floyd could be hysterically animated without much physical effort at all save for his expressions and arm movements. Here he's totally flat delivering the lines and always seated with nary any movement, especially the exaggerated expressions with hand and arm movements. Being the trooper he was he stayed until the 11th hour to finish season seven. That's just poignant to all of us who absolutely loved the way McNear brought such a unique character like Floyd to life. If Mayberry was that place we all wanted it to be Floyd would always be there killing us viewer with his sing-songy comments and reflections. Though not much stands out about the episode it will always be important to us fans as McNear soldiered on to finish out his run.
Review of Goober's Contest
