Raising Barney's morale


I thought there was a prior post about it but could not find one. Was it in Barney's interest for Andy to minimize Barney's foul ups when they happened. More than once Barney let a felon slip out of the Mayberry jail. Doc Malloy (played by Allan Melvin) was dangerous and captured Horton played by character actor Ken Lynch after Barney bungled his holding at the jail house. Then there were times Barney would activate Gomer and/or Otis as temporary deputies. Barney in short order let the world know that a gold shipment (to their knowledge) was coming through Mayberry. I know it is television but it seems that Andy should have steered Barney into work that he was suited for such as sweeping Weaver's Department Store.

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I was just pondering this question myself. Andy was a good friend to Barney, never embarrassed him when he messed up. But perhaps a GREAT friend would've been straight with Barney and told him that he wasn't suited for police work!

Barney loved the law and w anted to see lawbreakers put in jail. To that end, maybe Barney should've been a lawyer, paralegal or maybe just a crossing guard! haha

Barney was so honest himself that he simply had no guile about him and he was constantly fooled by con men. He needed to develop a tough, cynical shell like Det. Andy Sipowicz on NYPD Blue. Barney was more like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm with a badge.

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