Opie's friend Arnold decides to throw a party for all of his friends, one where they will all have dates and dancing and the like. Opie asks Mary Alice Carter to go as his date and is really happy when she says yes. This is a big deal for Opie and Andy buys him a new suit for the occasion. Out of the blue however, Mary Alice informs him that she will not be going to the party with him after all as she is now going with another more popular boy, Fred Simpson. Opie's enthusiasm for the party fades and when Andy hears why, he realizes that if he does nothing to reinforce Opie's self-confidence and self-esteem, it could scar him for life.

Opie isn't too happy when Helen's niece Cynthia comes to visit and Andy tells him that he has to play with her. It also turns out that she is better at most things than he is whether it be jumping, running or playing football. Things go from bad to worse when she punches him and he gets a black eye. Andy and Helen realize that something has to be done but Andy is feeling a bit sensitive himself recently after Helen beat at bowling for the first time and he takes some good- natured ribbing from Floyd and others. Cynthia comes up with her own solution.

鳏夫治安官安迪·泰勒和他的儿子奥皮，住在北卡罗来纳州梅伯里安迪的姨妈比家。由于几乎没有任何罪行需要解决，安迪的大部分时间都花在哲学和冷静下来，他的堂兄副巴尼法夫。

Andy is not very pleased with Opie when the boy comes home and tells him he crashed his bicycle into a tree wrecking the front wheel. Andy tells him he has a mind to make him pay for the repairs and Opie takes his comments to heart and starts looking for a part-time job. He's not having much luck but Aunt Bee steers him in the direction of the grocer who is advertising for a delivery boy. When Opie shows up at the store, there's another boy, Billy Crenshaw, who also wants it. They both get hired for a week and Opie is thrilled at the end of it when he gets the job permanently. When he hears why Billy wants the job however, he reconsiders.

Opie develops a crush on a secret girlfriend, and gets advice on what kind of present to get her. When he comes up with a pair of nylon stockings, Andy intercedes, suggesting something less personal, like flowers. Later, Andy discovers that the secret girl is Opie's teacher, Helen Crump. Andy informs Opie that he doesn't appreciate him cutting in on his girl, and Opie relents.

Opie is having a grand old time with his new slingshot. His father had warned him to be careful with it but when he inadvertently kills a bird, he is genuinely heart broken. He finally breaks down and tells his father what he has done but the real problem is that there are three newborns in the nest. Opie decides that he is going to raise them and he meticulously cares for them. He eventually comes to the realization however that he will also have to let them go free.

After Barney's embarrassment at mistaking Opie's imaginary horse Blackie for real, both Andy and Barney take Opie's announcement of a man he met in the woods as imaginary, too, especially when described as walking atop trees, jingling as he strides, blowing smoke from his ears, carrying twelve extra hands on his belt, and wearing a big, shiny silver hat. Andy's problem comes when Opie starts bringing home gifts from his supposed imaginary friend. Opie refuses to deny Mr. McBeevee's unprovable existence, even in the face of corporal punishment for not being able to distinguish fact from falsehood, becoming a crisis in parenting for Andy.

Andy is curious as to why Opie asked Aunt Bee for a nickel for milk and then came and asked him for another. Inquiring later as to why he needed two, Opie ducks and dodges the issue and Andy gives up when the boy pretends to be asleep. The next day, the mystery deepens when he discusses the problem with Barney who reveals that Opie stopped by and asked him for a nickel. Barney decides to find out for himself by following Opie home from school and discovers that one of the older kids has threatened to give Opie a knuckle sandwich every day if he doesn't produce a nickel. Barney is outraged and suggests to Andy that he give Opie some lessons in how to fight. Andy figures that this is not an issue of fighting but an issue of overcoming fear and decides that he needs an indirect way of getting Opie to stand up for himself.

在这部广受赞誉的三集纪录片中，著名电影历史学家凯文·布朗洛（Kevin Brownlow）和大卫·吉尔（David Gill）（曾制作《未知的卓别林》《巴斯特·基顿：难以超越的表演》）讲述了 D.W. 格里菲斯（1875 - 1948）令人感慨的故事：他是第一个将艺术和抱负带入电影的人，在拖着不情愿的美国电影业走向国际 prominence（这里可能原词有误，推测是“显赫地位”prominence）之后，却发现这个行业对他……

Mark and Jeremy are back for a new series. Life is looking up for Mark who has asked Dobby to move in with him, but first Jeremy has to move out...