User Reviews

Howard's "Mayberry Happenings" column in the Mt. Pilot newspaper has caught the attention of the "big brass" who also own the TV station. He's been asked to do a 15-minute TV program called "The Poet's Corner" three afternoons a week. He's introduced by the announcer (Dick Whittinghill) as "The Dream Spinner", a nickname that sticks. Howard dons a sporty leisure suit and sunglasses, and an air of arrogance. Howard receives a woman's fan letter and poem in the mail and plans to use it on his program. He puts down Emmett and Goober's poem suggestion in a manner that leaves them feeling he thinks he's better than them. They decide to trick Howard by writing a fan letter and poem pretending to be a woman named "Melissa". Then they'll gloat when he reads their poem on air. Goober asks Edna (Maggie Mancuso (Peterson)- "The Andy Griffith Show's" Charlene Darling), a new girl at the diner to copy it in a feminine handwriting. She is led to believe it's innocent fun. They have her to do so once again in a letter asking him to touch his mustache on air and blow a kiss. Emmett and Goober give a hearty laugh when he does so. Howard, however, has started falling in love with "Melissa". The joke dissolves into something unexpected.

Howard Sprague (Jack Dodson) reverts back to his TAGS color episode's "Mommy's boy" persona for this episode. Jack Dodson was somewhat amusing how uppity and condescending he was to Goober Pyle (George Lindsey) and Emmett Clark (Paul Hartman). If you can get past the creepiness it wasn't a bad episode.

Highlights were Millie Swanson's (Arlene Golonka) glamorous new hairstyle and Edna (Maggie Peterson). A treat to see Maggie Peterson playing it straight not her usual country shtick.

Episode was quite weird until the charming ending. Howard is really meant to look like a loser falling for someone he's never seen or met.