Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Whimsical series has upbeat messages, some stereotypes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Flying Nun
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Based on Tere Ríos' 1965 comedic novel, The Fifteenth Pelican, THE FLYING NUN (1967-1970) follows a nun who can fly. When Elsie Ethrington, a.k.a unconventional novice Sister Bertrille (Sally Field) arrives in San Juan, Puerto Rico to join the (fictitious) windy hilltop Convent San Tanco, she immediately throws herself into finding ways to better serve the local residents. She also discovers that, thanks to being a petite person, when she wears her large cornette she becomes aerodynamic. The stern but kind Reverend Mother Plácido (Madeleine Sherwood) and the other sisters, including Sister Jacqueline (Marge Redmond) and Sister Sixto (Will & Grace's Shelley Morrison) know that her ability to take to the skies isn't due to divine intervention, but try to keep her special skills under wraps in order to keep local police captain Gaspar Fomento (Vito Scotti) from finding out. Meanwhile, as Sister Bertrille looks for ways to help the people around her, she often finds herself relying on local casino owner and womanizer Carlos Ramírez (Alejandro Rey) for help.
Is It Any Good?
This whimsical series blends formulaic late-1960s sitcom humor with mild attempts to address the social issues of its era. The Flying Nun joins popular classic TV sitcoms like I Dream of Jeannie and Bewitched in featuring women with extraordinary powers that they must keep hidden. However, The Flying Nun offers a less magical explanation for Sister Bertrille's flying talent, and as plotlines evolved her aerodynamic abilities were largely unnecessary to keep the story going. The show's premise is absurd, but the overall series offers a largely positive portrayal of Catholic nuns, who are eager to serve a low-income community and respect people of diverse backgrounds and religious beliefs. Granted, its portrayals of Puerto Ricans and other Latino people reflect the stereotypical Hollywood tropes of the time.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way Latino people have historically been portrayed in U.S. media. How have these representations evolved over time?
Could The Flying Nun be successfully adapted for today's TV audiences? What challenges might producers face?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 7, 1967
- Cast : Sally Field , Marge Redmond , Alejandro Rey , Madeleine Sherwood
- Network : Tubi
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Book Characters , Faith ( Christianity ) , Friendship , School ( Preschool )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : July 28, 2026
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