Rate the seasons of 'Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.'

Season One: 4.5 stars

Here, we're introduced to the actors & characters that made this series popular. Garry Marshall & Jerry Belson, writers of sitcoms such as "The Odd Couple" & others, wrote a couple of episodes, including the hilarious "Pay Day". "Gomer Overcomes The Obstacle Course" is a personal favorite of mine. With the fact this season's in black & white in no way detracts from the overall enjoyment.

Season Two: 5 stars

A great season - perhaps the best out of the five. The writing is spot on, with fine episodes such as "Gomer Pyle, PFC" - with everyone in the platoon passing their exams except a befuddled & distracted Gomer Pyle. "Third Finger, Left Loaf" is another well-written episode, featuring a wedding ring & myriads of bread loaves. Another reason this season is worthy of a five-star rating, is the introduction of Corporal Chuck Boyle (Roy Stuart). Corporal Boyle's deadpan expressions around Pyle & Carter are priceless & are a genuinely authentic part of the comedic tension.

Season Three: 5 stars

Another great season featuring more fine episodes. Gomer has a tough time convincing his platoon, including Sgt. Carter, that he's met a Hollywood actress named Tina Tracy in "Lies, Lies, Lies", while everyone in the entire platoon catches a flu bug except Gomer in "Gomer The Carrier". The laughs are non-stop when Gomer & Sgt. Carter are a one-man platoon! Gomer & Duke Slater attempt to retrieve some stolen radio equipment in "Follow That Car", while Carter & Boyle play a gag when they plant a spiked watermelon in Pyle's garden in "How To Succeed In Farming Without Really Trying". Overall, a funny season!

Season Four: 5 stars

The laughs continue in Season Four, with Aunt Bee Taylor paying a visit to Gomer in "A Visit From Aunt Bee" - where Sgt. Carter's platoon methods don't sot too well with her, especially when she learns of the sergeant's mistreatment of Gomer. The Mayberry theme continues with "Gomer Goes Home" - where Gomer pays a visit to Sheriff Andy Taylor & family, only to find the Taylors on vacation. Gomer finds himself in the middle of a holdup in the process. Carol Burnett & Denver Pyle guest-star in the respective episodes "Corporal Carol" & "The Price Of Tomatoes" - two excellently written episodes. The highlight of this season is the four-part Washington, D.C. adventure - with Pyle singing in a talent show.

Season Five: 4 stars

The weakest season of the five. Although a fairly strong season overall, the writing & comedy are substantially lacking with the absence of Cpl. Chuck Boyle - a role played the previous three seasons by Roy Stuart. In Stuart's place was the return of Duke Slater (Ronnie Schell), who is now a corporal. Cpl. Slater's serious demeanor doesn't work where Boyle's relaxed, comedic demeanor did work. When Schell's character was a PFC, the character's comedic exploits worked well around Carter & Pyle. Sgt. Hacker (Allan Melvin) has an increased role this season, adding weight to the sitcom's comedic element. This is evidenced in "Car For Sale" - with Hacker playing the foil to Carter's plans after being refused a sale to purchase Carter's car, so he adds & subtracts gasoline to & from the vehicle. The episode where Carter enters his platoon in a singing competition's hilarious as well, with Carter singing! This & "Car For Sale" are the cream of the crop in this final season. Another well-written episode in this final season is the episode featuring "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." executive producer Sheldon Leonard as a director of a motion picture starring Sgt. Carter & the platoon. Carter has immense difficulty & saying one little line! "Two On The Bench" is another fine episode - with Carter attempting to see a sold-out football game. Could this sitcom have endured another handful of seasons? Probably not, as the writers felt they did all they could with Jim Nabors's character. Besides, as another IMDb commenter has said on this message board "...the show was starting to get a little shop-worn...".

To sum it all up, it can be said that not many sitcoms endure very few changes in cast membership & quality of writing throughout its entire run & still be consistently good, & "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." fits this description to a tee. Not even "GP"'s sister sitcom, "The Andy Griffith Show" can lay a stake to that claim, even though "TAGS" is an excellent sitcom in it's own right.


Larry Appleton: "I have..."
Balki Bartokomous: "Oh, God!"
Larry Appleton: "...a plan!'