The Flying Nun (TV Series) The Reconversion of Sister Shapiro (1968) User Reviews

The Youngest Nun

[JordanThomasHall · 7/10 · 7 August 2018]

Sister Bertrille runs into Carlos at the airport who is meeting his adopted neice Linda Shapiro (Pamelyn Ferdin). Carlos is suddenly called away on a business trip and Sister Bertrille volunteers to look after Linda during her visit. The little girl enjoys her time being out and about with the sister. When a bird falls out of its nest, Sister Bertrille reveals her flying to Linda. When Carlos returns to the convent to pick up Linda everyone is surprised that Linda wants to be a young converted nun. She views Sister Bertrille as her role model. Reverend Mother Placido unsuccessfully explains to Linda the seriousness of such a decision and the life experiences necessary to make it. Linda's parents arrive to calmly try to get her to go home. Sister Bertrille also tries to explain to her, but Linda becomes emotionally hurt and packs to leave. The two have a heart-to-heart with the sister explaining that there are different ways to make a difference in the world. She further states that she didn't always want to be a nun and shows home movies of her in her youth (interestingly, footage from Sally Field's previous sitcom "Gidget"). An uplifting revelation is made.

A sharper episode than most of the first season to this point. There's heart to go along with a nice message and some light comedy. A feel-good offering.

Sweet Story from its day

[hutnicki · 8/10 · 4 November 2021]

Fun episode. Sweet and well acted by all especially the little girl. I just want to respond to Moonspnner55 that was negative about the show especially how they dealt with why the girl couldnt be a nun. Did you notice that they didnt even use the word Jewish once during the episode. Do you think they were really going to get into why should couldnt be a nun or how she could convert later in life. This was 1968, very few Jews existed on TV and if they did, they were from NY and had accents. If you notice this was written by a Jewish couple (who i happen to know) and a Jewish director and this was the best they could with a Jewish theme in a 20 minute light comedy

I especially like that they used clips from Gidget.

Shameless in its pandering to audience satisfaction...

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 2 February 2010]

When a lonesome little Jewish girl comes to stay at the Convent San Tanco while her parents are away on business, Sister Bertrille takes on chief babysitting duties--and perhaps goes too far in the Big Sister department before pre-teen Linda Shapiro announces she wants to become a nun, too. This episode from "The Flying Nun"'s first season is already showing a desperate need to placate the audience with easy humor (to relieve the overwrought non-dramatics). When Linda's parents first see their child happily dressed in nun's garb, they look as if they're about to fall to pieces! No one thinks of simply explaining to Linda that the Jewish religion doesn't include nuns--or, heaven forbid, discuss the notion of possible religious conversion down the line. No, instead we have Sister Bertrille hauling out her home-movies of when she was a youngster, allowing the producers to intercut scenes from their previous series "Gidget". Linda sees that Sister Bertrille took a different path in life, and that it's okay to have various interests before you grow into adulthood (although her worry-wart parents still don't look too happy). Pamelyn Ferdin is an excellent child-actress, and it's nice that Sally Field's Sister doesn't try to hide the fact she can fly from Linda. But the easy-outs taken here are frustrating, and the starchy interplay between the Reverend Mother and her charges doesn't leave much room for witty interaction.