1988: ABC Puts a Primetime Spin on the Vietnam War
In 1988, ABC debuted
China Beach, a Vietnam-era medical drama set on a U.S. base in the South China Sea. The show didn't shy away from the realities of war, yet managed to fit in a fair share of romance and '60s rock music. Headlined by current
Body of Proof star Dana Delany, China Beach also starred CSI's Marg Helgenberger, Robert Picardo, Michael Boatman and Concetta Tomei.