China Beach

Overview

Created by William Broyles Jr. and John Sacret Young, the series looks at the Vietnam War from the perspectives of the women, military personnel, and civilians who were present during the conflict. John Wells and Lydia Woodward joined the writing staff for China Beach beginning with the second season. Many of the show's cast members appeared later on another Wells production, ER.

Set at the fictitious 510th Evacuation Hospital and R&R facility (the "Five-and-Dime"), the series' cast of characters includes US Army doctors and nurses, officers, soldiers, Red Cross volunteers' and civilian personnel (American, French, and Vietnamese). The series also features the experiences of the characters when they return to the United States, either on leave or at the end of their tours of duty. The show does not shy away from showing the brutality of war; it provides a gritty view of the experience and its aftermath.

The show was inspired in part by the book Home Before Morning (1983) written by the former U.S. Army Nurse Lynda Van Devanter. The show's character Nurse Colleen McMurphy roughly follows Van Devanter's experiences as a nurse in Vietnam. The book takes the reader from Van Devanter's wish to serve her country through the adventure she thought her deployment to Vietnam would be, her culture shock upon returning to "the States", and her struggles with PTSD. The show was cancelled before it could fully address McMurphy's PTSD issues. Van Devanter died in 2002.

Cast

• Dana Delany as First Lieutenant (later Captain) Colleen McMurphy, USA – a Catholic girl from Lawrence, Kansas, and army nurse with the 510th Evac Hospital in Vietnam during the late 1960s. A composite of various real-life Vietnam War nurses, the character illustrates her courage, kindness, and sacrifices during the war, as well as the severe emotional scarring of noncombatant personnel during and following military service; several episodes feature the veterans in their own words, intercut with the storyline. Delany won two Emmy awards for the role.
• Nan Woods as Cherry White (seasons 1–2) – a naive Red Cross volunteer ("Doughnut Dolly") from Iowa, she comes to China Beach to search for her brother Rick, a Marine infantryman, who was reported missing in action (MIA). She dies midway through the second season during the Tet Offensive in January 1968.
• Michael Boatman as SP5 Samuel Beckett, USA – a draftee and a preacher's son from North Carolina, he works in the graves registration unit at China Beach. His job makes him unpopular with most of the other servicemen.
• Marg Helgenberger as Karen Charlene "K.C." Koloski – a cynical part-time prostitute and civilian volunteer, she comes to China Beach seeking to make her own wealth and fortune.
• Robert Picardo as Captain Dick Richard, USA – a head surgeon dealing with being drafted into the Army and away from his family, he worked as an OB-GYN when he was a civilian.
• Tim Ryan as Captain Bartholomew "Natch" Austen, USAF (regular in season 1; recurring in season 2) – a jet fighter pilot and McMurphy's love interest.
• Concetta Tomei as Major Lila Garreau, USA – a World War II veteran, she is the career Army commanding officer of China Beach.
• Brian Wimmer as Corporal Boonwell "Boonie" Lanier, USMC – the friendly China Beach lifeguard and manager of the Jet Set Club.
• Jeff Kober as Sergeant Evan "Dodger" Winslow, USMC – a moody Marine Force Reconnaissance operative, he serves and fights in the jungle mainly to keep other servicemen in his platoon alive. He constantly displays the "thousand-yard stare", a blank facial expression common among soldiers who have seen too much death and destruction in battle. He is a friend of Boonie, McMurphy, and Cherry.
• Chloe Webb as Laurette Barber (season 1) – a USO singer from Paoli, Pennsylvania, she is determined to make it big.
• Megan Gallagher as Airman Wayloo Marie Holmes, USAF (season 2) – a reporter for the Armed Services Network, she is seeking a career as a world-famous reporter.
• Nancy Giles as Private Franklin "Frankie" Bunsen, USA (seasons 2–4) – a female private, she was assigned to the China Beach motor pool.
• Ned Vaughn as Specialist Jeff Hyers, USA (season 3; guest appearances in seasons 2 and 4) – a good-natured combat medic from Georgia, he is killed in action midway through the third season during a routine patrol.
• Troy Evans as Sergeant First Class Bob Pepper, USA (seasons 3–4) – a World War II veteran, he is a driver, mechanic, and non-commissioned officer in charge of the motor pool. He becomes romantically involved with Lila Garreau, whom he later marries.
• Ricki Lake as Holly "Donut Dolly" Pelegrino (season 3) – a sharp-witted Red Cross volunteer.

Episodes

Main article: List of China Beach episodes

Over four seasons from 1988 to 1991, the series aired 61 episodes and one pilot movie.

Production

The title sequence theme song was "Reflections" by Diana Ross and the Supremes (the episode "Phoenix" instead used "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" by Eric Burdon with Katrina and the Waves).

Reception

China Beach was a critically lauded, but poorly rated series. ABC persisted with the show for four seasons, but the final season was put on hiatus in December 1990 and did not air its finale until July 22, 1991. As a result of the scheduling, Dana Delany was eligible for (and ultimately won) a Best Actress Emmy Award in August of 1992, a year after the series broadcast its final episode and over a year and a half after many of the scenes were filmed.

Awards and nominations

Syndication

China Beach debuted in rerun syndication on Lifetime, on November 4, 1991.

Home media

Before being released on DVD, the series's only home video release was the 97-minute pilot movie on Warner Home Video in 1990 (cat no. 11971).

In December 2012, it was announced that the series, among the most-requested television shows not available through either VHS or DVD following its broadcast run, would be issued on DVD in a box set (including new interviews with cast members and various bonus features) and released on April 15, 2013, through StarVista Entertainment (affiliated with TimeLife). The collection includes 302 songs heard during the series. To mark the show's 25th anniversary, a 21-disc collector's set was released October 1, 2013.

Music rights long delayed the release on DVD. More than 250 songs were licensed; seventeen could not be, and were either deleted or replaced.

Possible follow-up novel

John Sacret Young stated before the show's October 2013 DVD release that he was working on a follow-up novel, titled Reflections, in which Colleen, now in her 60s and recently widowed, returned to Vietnam and reconnected with the retired Dick Richard and venture capitalist K.C. Koloski. Young had also hoped to adapt it into a TV movie. However, the novel was never published.

References

References

1. Johnson, Kay. (March 23, 2003). (March 23, 2003). "Detour: China Beach, Vietnam". [[Time (magazine).
2. Ha, Thu. "Da nang beach is introduced as "China Beach"". July 23, 2012.
3. (October 24, 1968). "Sailors, Commander Tell of Race Fights (AP)". [[The Milwaukee Journal]].
4. Ives, Mike. (October 30, 2011). "Vietnam's Da Nang a Surf City in Asia". [[Los Angeles Times]].
5. Bragg, Rebecca. "China Beach now secure with beer and sandwiches". [[Toronto Star]].
6. "In Memoriam: Lynda Van Devanter".
7. MacMinn, Aleene. (September 24, 1991). "Television". LA Times.
8. Lambert, David. (February 26, 2012). "China Beach - New 'Complete Collection' Press Release has Music List, Finalized Box!".
9. Elavsky, Cindy. (September 15, 2013). "Celebrity Extra". [[King Features]].
10. Heldenfels, Rich. (February 6, 2013). "More About "China Beach" DVD". The HeldenFiles Online.
11. Keck, William. (September 23, 2013). "Keck's Exclusives: Back To ''China Beach''". TV Guide.
12. "Elizabeth Ann Scarborough: A Magical Incantation".