What is your favorite patriotic TV show? Brandy Pettigrew offers her Independence Day top seven.
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I am a proud American who is supportive of my military friends and family members. This is evident in everything from the folded flag above my desk to the television shows I’ve watched since I was small. From cartoons to dramas, some of my favorite television shows have been those that show America at it’s best, or funniest, and often they feature our military.
Some of these shows are new favorites, reminders of the pride and might of our great country. Other shows have warm memories, for me, of times spent with loved ones. If you’re staying in this Independence weekend, spend some time with some classics or some new TV friends.
7. Popeye “the Sailor Man” captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world from the moment he walked into the a comic strip in 1929. Popeye became the good guy underdog with bulging forearms, super uppercut, and a penchant for cans of spinach. No child’s Saturday morning would be complete without Popeye, Swee’pea, Wimpy, Bluto, and of course Olive Oyl. Popeye has been a comic strip, a cartoon, and a live action movie through the years. He saved the spinach industry in the 1930s, joined the Navy in the 1940s, became a theme park ride in the 1990s, and was given a 75th anniversary tribute lighting by the Empire State Building in 2004. All of this just goes to show you, we all love our Popeye.
6. Hogan’s Heroes was a TV sitcom that ran from 1965-1971. It was set in a German POW camp during WWII and starred Bob Crane, as Colonel Hogan, who ran a international group of Allied prisoners using the camp as their base of operations to spy and sabotage the Nazis. The prisoners’ resistance group spends their time foiling the inept Colonel Klink and Sergeant Shultz at Stalag 13. TV Guide in 2002 named the show the 5th worst TV show of all time. They accused the show of trivializing the suffering of real life POWs and victims of the Holocaust. However, from my perspective, Hogan’s Heroes showed how a group of people could come together (in a comedic way) to accomplish anything. They were prisoners, but still able to assist in the war effort and continue fighting for their countries. As a kid, I loved watching this show with my dad. The time spent laughing over Hogan’s exploits are some of my fondest memories.
5. Major Dad was a sitcom that ran from 1989-1993 starring Gerald McRaney as Marine Major John D. MacGillis. It follows the life of Mac and his new liberal journalist wife and her three daughters. The newly formed family goes through the normal family ups and downs along with the extra challenges of marine base life. I loved watching this show in my early teens. Major MacGillis reminded me of my uncle who was serving our country far from where I lived. Mac’s advice to his girls reminded me of my uncle’s advice to me and his three daughters, tough but tenderhearted.
4. “24” is a TV drama following Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) through 24 hours in the life of a Counter Terrorist Unit agent. Each series of 12 episodes pits Jack against the clock to thwart terrorist plots, presidential assassination attempts, cyber attacks, government and corporate corruption. The show won numerous awards in its eight seasons including Best Drama Series, Golden Globe Awards, and Prime time Emmy Awards.
3. The Last Ship– What haven’t I already said about this new show? Check it out.. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
2. NCIS is about a team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. This dramatic series stars Mark Harmon as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Gibbs leads a team of investigators who cover major criminal offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. This show is a little CSI, a little bit JAG (which it spun off from), and a bit Law and Order. In 2011 NCIS was voted America’s favorite television show. The show has been nominated for Emmys and People’s Choice Awards. It’s no surprise that NCIS was renewed for it’s twelfth season this year.
1. M*A*S*H Everyone’s favorite cut-ups: “Hawkeye” Pierce (Alan Alda) and “Trapper John” McIntyre (Wayne Rogers) are the doctors of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in Uijeongbu, South Korea during the Korean War. They kept America in stitches from 1972 – 1983 with their pranks. Under the cover of a comedy, the show also questioned America’s role in the Cold War, reminded us all of the hardships of war and military life, and represented the ideals of patriotism and duty to those who watched the characters from the safety of their homes. “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” the show’s final episode was the most watched television episode in U.S. TV history when the show ended on February 28, 1983. For me, the show represented time spent sharing a laugh with my dad when I was growing up, but as I watch re-aired episodes, I’m reminded of the allegory for the Vietnam War (which was still in progress when the show began), and of the reminder to be thankful for our service men and women all over the world.
What’s your favorite patriotic TV show? Did it make my list? If it didn’t, leave me a comment, I’d love to hear your thoughts, maybe you’ll introduce me to a new TV friend.
Many of these I remember watching with my brothers, particularly M*A*S*H. Two other ones that I also enjoyed watching with them were Baa Baa Black Sheep (with Robert Conrad) and McHale’s Navy (with Earnest Borgnine). Great memories!
I think M*A*S*H was questioning more than the U.S.’s role in the Cold War. If I have this right, the show’s content took place amid the Korean War (still recent at the time of the show) and was aired during the Vietnam war. It seemed to be a true product of the 70s in the way it creatively protested war, questioned social norms and emphasized respect for all human life (regardless of race, gender, creed, etc.) I find it interesting that this is being called a “patriotic” show when, if anything, the main characters seem desirous to distance themselves from… Read more »
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