He was a rube on both shows, but he seemed to be a lot less of one on Gomer Pyle USMC. If he had acted like he did on Andy Griffith in the Marines, you’d think they would have sent him to the motor pool where he would be competent as a mechanic. He had a blank look on his face most of the time on AG, and was just a naive bumpkin when he moved to his show.
Every show needed one character as its moral center. Gomer had to assume that role instead of simply comic relief
My Daddy was a drill instructor in the Corp.
He said many times Private Pyle would’ve been shipped home, around the 4th day of boot camp.