>>>But for eight years the people at TAGS managed to show us so much of >>>Mayberry in so much detail. It was such a skillful way of getting us to >>>really feel we were a part of Mayberry and a part of everyone's lives when >>>we were actually invited into their homes and places of business in such >>>detail.<<<
Ken, I'm late in responding to your post because of being out of town, but I do want to comment on it. I agree with your observations. Also, I think the use of the Forty Acres lot plus other outdoor locations (Thelma Lou's house, etc.) is one of the factors that makes Mayberry so REAL to us viewers, even after all these years. Compare this to other TV shows of that period that were shot almost entirely on a soundstage, and you'll get what I mean. For example, when talking about "The Brady Bunch," people often comment about the Astroturf backyard. Also, the lighting tends to be very flat on shows (especially color) that were shot only on sets. To today's viewers, this looks fake. But TAGS never looks that way. It has a more realistic appearance, much of which can be credited to the extensive use of location shooting. I think even the lighting, especially in the black and white episodes, has more dimension and direction that most other shows of that period (which may partly be the result of using a one-camera instead of a three-camera setup). All this gives viewers, even in this day and age, the impression that Mayberry is a real place. I wonder if this was part of the thinking of those responsible for the production of the show. It has certainly helped the show to age well, in my opinion. Thelma Lou (Janet) _______________________________________________ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
