What Might've Been: In The Beginning (1978)

 In The Beginning brought McLean Stevenson back to CBS three years after leaving M*A*S*H, with a self-titled sitcom for NBC in between.

This time, Stevenson is cast as a Catholic priest, Father Cleary, in what has been described as an update of the Bing Crosby movie, "Going My Way", which had become a series itself in the 60's. Unfortunately, Beginning barely got past a month before CBS executive realized it was losing ratings from its lead-in and stablemate, The Jeffersons. The show aired opposite Dick Clark's ill fated variety show on NBC and ABC's Eight is Enough. Thanks for coming.

Jack Dodson (ex-The Andy Griffith Show, Mayberry RFD) moved over from a recurring role on Happy Days to co-star. Beginning came from the pen of Gy Waldron, who'd strike gold later in the season when his film "Moonrunners" morphed into The Dukes of Hazzard.

Let's take a look at a sample episode.

No rating. I was at church on Wednesdays at this point, and I don't think my folks checked this show out.