It’s been almost 25 years since the television show China Beach was on the air (can it really be that long?) and in that time since, television has certainly not shied away from showing the Vietnam War in all its brutality. But China Beach was different, instead of showing the horrors of war through a soldier’s eyes, its focus was on the female point of view, those in the military and the few civilians who chose to work in conditions that were in no way “chick-friendly”.
And it wasn't something that mainstream America was completely ready for at the time of its airing back in the late 80's (judging by its poor ratings) even though the show managed to win Emmys, Golden Globes and a Peabody during its 4 year run.
The introduction to the China Beach starts with a pilot that feels like a series finale with Dana Delany’s First Lieutenant Colleen McMurphy finishing up her tour of duty as a nurse at the 510th Evac Hospital (known as the Five and Dime), which serves as a base for the R and R facility known as China Beach.
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