The first season of F Troop (black and white) was a brilliant example of Borscht Belt slapstick and burlesque, heavy on the Yiddish humor.
Then it got hit with a double whammy. First was that everybody loved the idea of a romantic relationship between Ken “Captain Parmenter” Barry and exceptionally beautiful Melody “Wrangler Jane” Patterson, except she had just turned 16.
The second was that political correctness reared its ugly, misshapen and evil head, that depicting Indians in any way was offensive. And, as you might expect, it didn’t matter what actual Native Americans, many of whom loved the show, thought. The Nasty Nellies were still going to be offended on their behalf.
So, the second and last season (color) of the show was softened so much that it died.
Oh, for the days when Don Rickles could be cast as an Indian.
Thanks for filling that in. In that more innocent era I have no doubt our Indians/Native Americans howled like crazy at the F Troop humor.
There are problems with the second season - I love the Mad Magazine title art work but miss the theme song lyrics. Also, it became a hip show and so they started having guest stars like Vincent Price horning in which diluted the exceptionally funny regulars. But I don’t remember it getting pc at all. But I certainly agree about the color.
I just watched an episode in which the Hekawis actually parody the nightmare sequence of the B’way musical Fiddler on the Roof. I assume most audience members don’t get that reference but what a hoot!
We had PC back then?
You don’t notice a lot when you are in grade school other than the USSR and the nuclear bomb? I remember the anti-Goldwater commercial LBJ ran. I was 6 and it scared the crap out of me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbIfVEboAzg
Back then we had 4 stations and every night kids spent the evening with their parents watching TV. No computers, no phone. We pay a price for progress.
Anyway.. Remember F troop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS-Sv_Mthok