Mayberry R.F.D. (TV Series) An Efficient Service Station (1969) User Reviews

Goober's Dilemma

[JordanThomasHall · 7/10 · 28 October 2019]

Goober is approached by Ken Marshall (character actor Woodrow Parfrey), an efficiency expert critical of his laid-back ownership. Mr. Marshall is the district sales manager for Goober's gas supplier, ACME Refining Company, who wants their stations and attendants to present a certain image and make better profits. He instructs Goober to study a book he gives entitled "The Hard Sale Made Easy". If things don't improve, Mr. Marshall informs Goober they will take away his franchise. ACME is the only company in the region that will accommodate small operations, leaving little choice. Goober now is in uniform and strictly business, even to his friends. He confides in Sam that he doesn't know how much more he can take and indeed quits, shutting down the filling station to become a shoe salesman. A visitor to the service station may bring clarity to the situation.

Funny premise, but not very humorous.

[vitoscotti · 6/10 · 31 October 2023]

The highlight was the performance of Woodrow Parfrey as Acme Oil's tyrannical, bad toupeed district manager Ken Marshall. His IMDb filmography is quite impressive even though unfortunately living to only 61.

The comedy never clicked. Mayberry's usual townspeople hinging their existence on the theme of the episode. Of course, the president of Acme Oil (Don Beddoe as G. B. Smith) pulled up coincidentally to the closed gas station Sam Jones (Ken Berry) is trespassing at. Sam like Andy Taylor fixes everything in the end to make a happy ending.

Interesting trivia the Taylor homie is used for Goober's door to door shoe sales to another family. Andy supposedly is still sheriff but AWOL.