Shark Bytes

Glad to hear somebody liked my China Beach"/ "Lost" comparison. And you're right. Kate does remind me of McMurphy. (She isn't quite as self-righteous). It's also interesting to me that both shows feature many characters that have killed other human beings and how that has affected them. So that's another similarity in addition to the similar physical setting. I guess I like shows where people are thrown into a situation where all reference points are lost. (I had that feeling when I went through military training many years ago. I felt like I woke up on another planet!) I must point out another favorite episode not often shown. It's called "The Gift" and its A storyline is actually about Lila, my favorite character on the show. Truly a unique character in the history of Television, with a nod to Margaret Hoolihan on "MASH." It was nice to see Colleen in a B story, and that worked very well and seamlessly merged with the main story.

But, as I said before, every episode has some gold moments, that overcomes the sometimes turgid and soap opera elements of McMurphy's love life. And the attempt/ambition of the final season, while not always successful, was very noble and beautifully wrought, for the most part. I hope I get to see this show on DVD someday!

A good point about the romance, but does Richard have to end up being such a sad, pathetic character at the end?

Never jumped

The one thing that could have casued it to jump would have been a McMurphy/dr Richard romance and they thankfully resisted that

Never jumped. This was a GREAT series! No other show has had so many stars go on to other shows.

Never watched the show very much, but I absolutely melt over Dana Delaney. Hot, sexy and an incredibly beautiful face.

Found out she's now on "Desperately Slutty Housewifes" or whatever it's called. Might have to start watching it again after football season.

I happened upon this website and am so pleased to see all the positive opinions on my all-time favorite show...CHINA BEACH. As someone else said, I still miss it, and remember how I looked forward to each episode, and after watching it each time was amazed at how real the writers and cast made the Vietnam war seem, and how thought provoking it was about the futility of wars, and the lifetime residual effect it has on the people who serve. Dana Delaney as Mc Murphy was not only a natural beauty, she was flawed, human, sensitive, and in a war that she agonized over the meaning of. I too cannot believe Hollywood didn't make better use of her talent, and failed to find her others ways to showcase her gifts as an actress. Men and women loved her equally. "Dodger" was my second favorite character, and although I've seen Jeff Kober in a few other roles, he too is missed. I truly feel this show never "jumped", and I would have watched it for many more years to come, had they left it on. If it does come out on DVD, I would be the first to purchase it. I was a young wife during the Vietnam war and I knew many people who lost their lives there; my ex-husband was badly injured while serving there. People never seem to learn that wars do not solve anything, cost countries precious lives, and those who do mange to make it through are traumatized and changed until the end of their days. Yet the politicians sleep well at night on their pillow top mattresses. In my humble opinion, that is why we need TV shows like China Beach...to show us the reality of war, and its long-term effects. I commend anyone (including Clint Eastwood for the Iwo Jima movies) who manage to do that in such a powerful fashion. I hope reruns will be rebroadcast again, as I did not know the History Channel was showing them.

I had never thought about the comparison of 'China Beach' to 'Lost' but that is so on key! Also, Colleen McMurphy was in a lot of ways the person Kate seems like she wants to be. And they both lost major characters early on, Cherry and Shannon.

The show didn't, but the nation did.

(The episode with unzipping the body bags of mostly black soldiers ... was not "compatible" with Iraq, Act I.)

War was no longer "safely" in the past, and a show like "China Beach" had to be slipped into the background (suspended, then hidden on Saturday, wrapped up and sealed). Without the critical acclaim, it would have disappeared much faster.

(SEMI-RELATED ASIDE: After 9-11, "La Femme Nikita" reruns were quickly phased off the air on USA -- perhaps "inspired by" the end-of-season-two episode which "illustrated" that taking Saddam Hussein out of power would lead to worldwide destruction: somewhat "incompatible" with the flow toward Iraq, Act II. )

Excuse what may seem to be excessively political commentary ... but some kinds of shows are susceptible to their timing and world events. A work of art about Vietnam can't help but be effected.

Dana Delany just burst of scean in this role. I think many a male had unpure thoughts about her.

This show never jumped, but Dana Delaney made my shark jump!!!! What a Fine lokin' woman. I can't tell you how many impure thoughts this woman imparted in my 11 year old mind!!

I don't believe this program ever jumped. This was an attempt to come to grips with what those of us who served in Vietnam went through.

The music was also very good, certainly "We Gotta Get Out of This Place", and certainly the "Chao Ong" episode with Nancy Sinatra.

Comcast has decided to deny me my China Beach fix. I enjoyed the show, and it reminded me about my time in the Air Force. I served my tour stateside, even though most of my buds went to Utapao in Thailand.

Does anybody know if this is being aired on some obscure channel? It used to be on American Life Network, and Comcast decided to can that channel. I do not see it on either Dish or Direct.

I am serious about finding this show. I would gladly tell Comcast where to go and why I mean it if I could only find the show somewhere else.

I know the show is available as Grayware. I am reluctant to buy DVDs this way as no benefits flow back to the original artists,and I do respect their equity interests in getting paid.

Post any ideas, or email me on lkpears@hotmaiol.com.
Lloyd

Dana Delnay was the most stuning and best actress in TV on this show. However, the thrid season was not all that watchable.

A truly revolutionary show, in particular the brave attempt in the third season to give glimpses of the characters' post-war lives. It didn't always work (Did every man in Vietnam have to be in love with McMurphy?), but due to the excellent writing and acting, they pulled it off and the show never jumped! Outstanding episodes: "One Giant Leap" "I Could Have Danced All Night, But Didn't" "The Big Bang" "Ghosts" "Through and Through" "One Small Step" "F.N.G." "Holly's Choice" "Where The Boys Are" "The Quiet Earth" "Hello Goodbye" (Series Finale) "Who's Crying Now?" "Crossing the Great Water" "Tet '68" "Escape" "Phoenix" "A Rumour of Peace" "Strange Brew" & "Twilight". Every episode had at least one or two great moments, if overall they were sometimes uneven. My only disappointment with the 3rd season was the overemphasis on McMurphy's post-war scars as opposed to the other characters, and the show lost some of its ensemble appeal. I realize that she was always the lead character and Dana Delany always made her watchable and interesting, but I suppose I wanted to know more about everyone else. In a way, "Lost" reminds me of "China Beach" as you have a lot of various characters from many diverse backgrounds and personalities thrown together in a kind of survival situation and how each character's journey of self-discovery is altered by the experience. The characters in "Lost" is about their pre-island experience, in "China Beach", it's their post-war experience. So "Lost" is an inversion of "China Beach". I hope this show comes on DVD with many features and extras because it has a lot to offer and it deserves a long legacy.

This show was one of the most brilliant shows on TV, It never jumped, it did what it needed to do. I am so tired of the negative comments on Ricki Lake. The episode told in flashback when she had the abortion was extremely well acted, written, directed, AND edited. This show rocked!