The Flying Nun: Season 01 (1967)

The two-part opening episode of The Flying Nun introduces Sister Bertrille (Sally Field), a spunky young American novice stationed at Convent San Tanco in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Not long after discovering that her light weight and her winglike coronet enable her to take flight whenever the trade winds blow, Sr. Bertrille earns the undying gratitude of local bistro owner Carlos Ramirez (Alejandro Rey) by helping him collect an old gambling debt -- which he promptly donates to the convent. In subsequent episodes, Sr. Bertrille tries to keep her flying abilities under wraps on the orders of her superiors, the Reverend Mother (Marge Redmond) and Sister Jacqueline (Madeleine Sherwood), but the dictates of the various plotlines just plain won't let her do so. The best of the first-season episodes include "Flight of a Dodo Bird," guest-starring John Astin as a young priest-psychologist who is convinced that the Reverend Mother's tales of a flying nun are signs that the old dear is a few bricks shy of a full load; "Days of Nuns and Roses," in which Sr. Bertrille and the other nuns begin selling "sea-grape juice" to raise funds; "The Dig In," featuring future "alternative" filmmaker Henry Jaglom as an embittered derelict who is trapped with Sr. Bertrille in a cave-in; "With a Friend Like Him," wherein our heroine comes to the rescue of hopeless bumbler Brother Paul (Rich Little); "My Sister, the Sister," in which Carlos falls in love with Sr. Bertrille's obstetrician sister, Jennifer (Elinor Donahue); and "Reconversion of Sister Shapiro," which finds Sr. Bertrille gently attempting to dissuade a Jewish girl from renouncing her religion and joining the convent. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi