The Beverly Hillbillies (and other old-school rural fare)

Alright, I must make a confession.

I love The Beverly Hillbillies.

And Petticoat Junction, Green Acres, The Andy Griffith Show, and Hee-Haw. Basically all the old-school rural-themed shows from the 1950's, 1960's, and early 1970's.

Long before CMT became a redneck version of BET, long before Squidbillies, Buckwild, Honey Boo Boo, Swamp People, Mountain Men, or even The Blue Collar Comedy Tour, if you wanted redneck or hillbilly-themed television, the shows I mentioned earlier is what you had. Unlike the more modern exploitative fare of today, the rural shows of the 1960's were more of an affectionate parody at worst, and at best generally took a friendlier view of country folk. Many of these shows were cancelled as a result of the so-called "Rural Purge" that many networks (most notably CBS) took in the early 1970's.

I loved these shows as a kid, watching reruns of them on both local stations and TV Land (back when TV Land was a proper TV oldies channel and not a generic pop culture channel). As someone who grew up in rural Appalachia, I sort of liked the fact that while the hillbillies were generally mocked at times, it was more light-hearted and less mean-spirited, and people like Jed Clampett, The Darling Boys, or the good people of Hooterville were still portrayed as mostly decent people.

These shows were known for goofy comedy typical of 1960's sitcoms and often featured bluegrass and country music (which was also a plus for me, as I am a fan of bluegrass and old-school country), and Hee Haw in particular was noted as a mix of a comedy sketch show and a musical variety show. The Andy Griffith Show featured noted bluegrass and folk band The Dillards as cast members, where they played the members of the Darling Family.

But these sitcoms were also a little campy and feel quaint and dated by today's standards, so there is potential for mockery as well as warm nostalgia.

 

They were certainly excellent shows then as they are now IMO.

 

A buddy of mine and I sat and watched all the Ernest T. Bass episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show" over beer one night, and my sister owns every season on DVD and has them DVR'd as well.

 

I don't know much about the other shows, but my local news station airs The Andy Griffith show every evening since I was a kid at least so I definitely grew up with it. It's kind of funny to think that rural life was such a novelty even back in the 60's that it was an entire genre, but it was.

Edit: well, I did watch quite a few episodes of the Beverly Hillbillies. Gomer Pyle: USMC was a fun show as well.

 

No shame in that.

 

I love all the shows you mentioned, the Beverly Hillbillies being at the top of the ones you listed and thanks to cable TV I got to see reruns on a regular basis as a kid.

Considering I myself live in a pretty rural area of the United States, I have to say that there isn't as much parody in those shows as one might think.

 

I'm sure there isn't.

 

I like Murder She Wrote, does that count?

 

Yes, yes it does.

 

She was up north, but rural up north. It always drove me a lil batty though growing up how she didn't drive, only rode her bike everywhere.

Also, everybody in Mayberry is dumb except for Andy.