
Of course not. The idea of a truly safe town is a myth. And realistically, no one would create an eight-hour show with a cliffhanger ending about a place where nothing bad ever happens. Even in a seemingly peaceful town like Mayberry, Sheriff Taylor occasionally had to deal with trouble. In American culture, suburbs and small towns are frequently used as settings to explore hidden problems, sadness, shocking events, and even humor. Think of the works of John Cheever, the novels of Stephen King, and shows and movies like “The Stepford Wives,” “Blue Velvet,” “Twin Peaks,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and even last year’s “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” – the list goes on and on. These stories all use small-town settings to explore the darker side of life.