Mr. Ruben dismissed the idea that a show like "The Andy Griffith Show" would work today. Perhaps. But one factor I think made the show work was how strong the characters were. Even peripheral characters like the Floyd the Barber and Ernest T. Bass are unforgettable. Of course, they are broadly drawn characters as is often the case in a sitcom but unforgettable nonetheless.
Then you have the element of great casting and certainly Andy Griffith and Don Knotts had a wonderful chemistry together as did the rest of the cast.
It seems that the producers of some of today's sitcoms have lost sight of these key elements. In this, Aaron Ruben knew exactly what he was doing and is why "The Andy Griffith Show" is a textbook example of what makes a sitcom a classic.
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