Primetime 1966-1967: The Full Spectrum of Television's First All-Color Season

by Thom “Beefstew” Shubilla

The year 1966 was when many TV viewers all over America discovered the wonders of "in living color." The 1966-1967 primetime television lineup was remarkable not only for the legendary shows that aired, but also because it was the first season in which every show on primetime, across all three major networks, was broadcast entirely in color. Celebrating this iconic year of television, this book covers every scripted episodic show that aired on the ABC, CBS, and NBC networks during the 1966-1967 season in primetime. It includes longtime favorites such as Batman, Bonanza, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea , and The Lucy Show and the notable shows that premiered that year such as Star Trek, The Monkees, Green Hornet, Impossible, It's About Time , and the color revival of Dragnet . Organized by genre, each entry examines a show from conception to cancelation (and sometimes beyond), ratings, critical and fan reactions, and the show's use of color.

241 pages, Paperback

Published May 5, 2022

Reviews

[Sharon Falduto · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a "skim" than a read...this book goes into history and detail of each scripted show that was on network television in '66-67, when everything switched to color. Some shows I just don't care about. A good addition to the collection of books about tv history; I'm not sure how much I learned (after all, I already studied a lot of this stuff as a broadcasting student at the University of Iowa); but it was a good, informative format. I admit I was surprised it didn't have more color photos--it was mostly text.

[Robert Greenberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's the 60th anniversary for this season, noteworthy for not just the switch by all three networks to full-color programming, but also the introduction of numerous series that have gone on to make indelible marks on pop culture. Topping the list are Star Trek and Mission: Impossible, but it was a rich mix of drama and sitcoms.

Thom Shubilla breaks the programming into genres, carving out a section for Southern sitcoms (The Beverly Hillbillies, et al.). Missing was a section devoted to the game shows that were plugged into the prime time lineup when scripted fare faltered. Each show gets some production history, how the reviewers of the day rated it, and how viewers reacted based on ratings data. The book is illustrated more with licensed product images than with show stills, which I suspect was a cost-saving measure.

The writing is perfunctory and lacks an upbeat tone. Some facts are wrong, and others are missing, preventing a fully rounded out write-up for each show.

What confounds me is the utter lack of a programming grid or ratings charts to accompany the survey.

[Kevin Dougherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engrossing, exhaustive look at a historically important juncture in TV history. The 1966-1967 network schedule made a quantum leap to living color. But technical milestones aside, the programs that season reached new heights of high-concept absurdity and candy-colored fantasy. Genies, crime-fighters, time-travelers and secret agents were taking over the world. Westerns and cheery, white picket-fence sitcoms were no longer the de facto programming paradigm. In their place rose an army of strange and now classic characters brought to life by folks like Adam West, Bob Denver, Barbara Eden and William Shatner. The book is equally balanced between well-researched scholarship and fun, behind-the-scenes stories and tales. A must-read for anyone interested in TV history, sitcoms and pop culture.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know that people say that the 1950's were the golden age of television. I disagree. The years of 66-67 truly were.

Thank you Thom for the lovely tome and reminding me of the days of sitting maybe a wee bit too close to the television but none the less enjoying every minute of it.

[CA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice overview about a very specific time in pop culture. However, it felt like the thread tying these entries together (color becoming the standard for tv circa 1966/67) is thrown in as an afterthought most of the time.