This thread discusses the Content article: Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Season 3 DVD

I'm old enough to remember. Gomer had very little to do with the ratings success of the Andy Griffith show. He was a minor character.

I may be wrong, but I think what Paul was saying was that Gomer's presence as a character on the extremely popular Andy Griffith Show helped the ratings of Gomer Pyle, USMC.

One point Paul made that I would offer a contrasting view on: By the time Pyle hit its third season, the Vietnam War was very much front and center of our culture. (I remember it very well, having three uncles who served there and living on an army base at the time.) I think most folks liked Gomer Pyle because it was funny, escapist fare. Because the news didn't shy away from showing at least some of the war's brutality during nightly broadcasts, it was for many of us a pleasant diversion to laugh at silly TV (Green Acres and The Beverly Hillbillies were also huge favorites at roughly this time), and no disrespect toward the military was assumed.