The Flying Nun opening credits

Yes, it is unsettling, but imagine how America felt when it first laid its eyes on an actual flying nun. And I mean its FIRST glance, during these opening credits, as Sr. Betrille is coming right at you, practically bursting through your twenty-one-inch, American-made color TV set.

How did America respond? By collectively jerking its head backward, as if watching a 3D movie? In 1967, hadn't America had enough surprise and shock? And now this?

Sally Field portrays her as we expect Sally would: accepting, bemused by her flying fate. The wind is blowing through her hair (well, her wimple) and the green screen behind her shows the intense, monstrous beauty that is Puerto Rico. Yet shouldn't she be a bit more horizontal when she flies, instead of looking like she's standing up? Well, it worked for Mary Poppins.

The reaction shots are gold, Jerry. Here you can learn how actors successfully convey well-rehearsed expressions of complete amazement and intense delight, as well as ill-timed double takes (where exactly is Carlos looking when Sr. Betrille crashes through a window? The perspective is completely wrong. He's outside; she's inside.). Watch them slowly shake their head in wonder. We do too.

The theme song is diggable in that it's "flying music," where a full-blown orchestra invokes images of scurrying and nervous rushing about, which is Sally Field in a nutshell.

Pitch meeting to ABC: "we have a series about a nun, based in Puerto Rico, who flies." Laugh all you want, but the show ran for two years and forever in reruns. The Lord do work in mysterious ways.