No place is an island and kids are like sponges to changing times and varied outside influences. Mayberry seems to be a kind of island however, and Opie, Andy's pride and joy, has been the perfectly adjusted child in a slow to change environment. Enter rock and roll music. Music can be the great divider, especially when a dramatic shift like amplified rock occurs. I assume the producers of TAGS wanted to "modernize" the show with something both parents and their kids could kind of relate to. While the "amplified rock" here is milquetoast, it serves the purpose as a bookmark for those changes between the generations and a mindful tolerance of both. As this is still TAGS we get a nice reconciliation recognizing both sides. Mayberry ain't going Haight-Asbury! I imagine the young audience at the time likely enjoyed this episode that seems pretty innocent actually. It kind of brings up thoughts in my head that as a viewer I liked the time of the first three seasons of the show best. Opie at that age wasn't going to last for unlimited episodes and TAGS was going to have to address it. I think it was done pretty well here.
Review of Opie's Group
