Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

I was 10 years old in 1962 and remember watching many episodes. I wanted to be at a military school. When my mother, who must have noted my delight with the show, a few years later asked if I'd like to go to high school at one in Tennessee, I was certainly eager! My years at Sewanee Military Academy were certainly life-changing for me. Coaches and teachers who became "father figures" helped me grow up. I still draw from my experiences during that time. About 20 years ago I used to live in Long Beach, California and I can see in some of the outdoor footage of the show what appear to be hills in the background that remind me of Signal Hill. There used to be a military school located in that area and I wonder if the producers used it. Was it "Southern California Military Academy"?

I was surprised to read Scott's review, because it echoes my feelings, and life, exactly. I remembered the show fondly, but vaguely, but it formed my first impression of the Military Schools that I saw advertised in Boys Life. I asked my parents if we could investigate them, and coupled with my impressions of Westfield from the TV show, I ultimately attended New York Military Academy. This led to ROTC (with a full scholarship) and 20 years in the US Army Reserve. The effects of this short lived show made a major change in my life. I have to admit that I turned into the personification of McKeever and his antics and learned a great many life lessons as a result.

I was maybe four years old when this was shown in syndication. It was broadcast after a local daily cartoon show for a few months. The only thing I remember was the intro, which was done with stop-motion animation. It seemed odd to me as a tot, because it involved a gag in which two boys accidentally "kiss" by bumping heads.This show made no sense to me. Nothing made sense to me then. I was four! The animation stuck in my head, though.For years I thought this was called "Calvin and the Colonel", which caused much confusion. "Calvin" was a prime-time cartoon, with Amos'n'Andy voices. The characters were animals, though, not Negro gentlemen. Negroes are noble!

For some reason, this short-lived show really imprinted on my psyche. I was only seven when it premiered, but I have always remembered it fondly. I don't remember many specifics, but the whole ambiance remains clear to me. The one plot I do remember is one where the Colonel decides to keep McKeever out of trouble by making him a Military Policeman. The MP gig does not work out the way the Colonel expected, of course.Jackie Coogan was great as the sympathetic sarge. I think the show influenced my whole life; I went to a military school, became an army officer, and am now retired from the service.Thanks, Scott.