If you grew up flipping channels back in the late 60s, there’s a pretty good chance you landed on The Flying Nun at least once… and probably did a double take. I mean, a nun that could fly? Even as a kid, you knew this one was a little different. The show starred a very young Sally Field as Sister Bertrille, a small, light nun whose cornette—those big winged headpieces—would catch the wind just right and lift her right off the ground. And just like that, she was flying over the convent in Puerto Rico like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Now looking back, it was one of those shows that didn’t try too hard to explain itself, and honestly, that was part of the charm. It ran from 1967 to 1970, right in that era where TV was full of quirky, feel-good concepts. And believe it or not, Sally Field wasn’t exactly thrilled about the role at the time, but it ended up being the stepping stone that launched a pretty incredible career. For a lot of us, though, it’s just one of those “you had to be there” kind of shows—simple, a little goofy, and something the whole family could sit around and watch together.