10 Ridiculous TV Premises You Won't Believe Were Real
5. The Flying Nun
How many episodes of a sitcom about a particularly svelte nun with the power of flight do you think you’d be likely to watch? If you answered “more than eighty”, then you may be an American TV viewer circa 1967 - 1970.
The Flying Nun sounds like the punchline to a tasteless gag, but it in fact proved a remarkably fertile premise for a successful high concept sitcom. Starring Sally Field as the titular airborne woman of God, Sister Bertrille was able to take to the skies thanks to her oversized habit and lightweight frame.
Fearing reprisal from the church, the producers brought a team of Catholic watchdogs on board to ensure the sacrilege was kept to a minimum, but ultimately The Flying Nun was a light and fluffy affair, unlikely to raise the ire of even the most devout.
For Field, the whole thing was a nightmare - she recalled being treated like a prop as she was suspended from a crane for long periods of time, and considered the whole affair an embarrassment. Needless to say, the future Oscar winner had the last laugh.