1967-68 Television Season 50th Anniversary: The Rat Patrol (series promo)
1 view • Jul 18, 2024
At one time earlier in the decade, the military themed television series was popular on primetime network television. But by the late 1960s, as the Vietnam War became a fixture on the nightly newscasts, viewers began to tire of the genre.
In the 1967-1968 season, just three military themed series would remain - CBS's comedy Hogan's Heroes, and two from ABC - Rat Patrol (in its second season), and new series Garrison's Gorillas (more on that later this week).
What is surprising looking back at Rat Patrol and Garrison's Gorillas is how violent they were and how early in the evening they were aired. Rat Patrol on Monday nights at 8:30pm, and Garrison's Gorillas at 7:30pm on Tuesday nights.
As television began to get pressure to curb the amount of violence shown on television in the early viewing hours, shows such as Rat Patrol and Garrison's Gorillas were at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Rat Patrol, starring Christopher George, which began its two year run on September 12, 1966, would end its run later in the 1967-1968 season: March 18, 1968.
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