Best tv show transition from black & white to color

[caj]

Around 1965, most tv shows transitioned from black & white to color. For a lot of shows, it was nice but not necessarily all that beneficial.

What show(s) benefited the most with the change to color?

[Android 17]

I’d give my vote to Bewitched.

Love the black and white seasons but when it changed to color the sets and costumes looked even better.

Not to mention Elizabeth Montgomery was radiant in color.

[j9ac9k]

"The Avengers" - Diana Riggs's outfits alone...

[Jokerz79]

The Wild Wild West.

James West outfits alone needed to be seen in Color.

[Indian Ink]

All good ones mentioned. I'd add I Dream of Jeannie.

[Indian Ink]

I can think of one where I think the reverse is true.

[caj]

Gilligan's Island just because of the plants, flowers, lagoon, and scenery.

[ChrisIII]

It wasn't necessarily a huge upgrade from a visual standpoint as the show still used a lot of flat tones in season 7 (This changed somewhat in season 8 where the show in general became lighter in more colorful) and Pertwee's outfits were mostly dark colors at first (Imagine if he wore something like Colin Baker's outfit though!) but the Pertwee era of Doctor Who largely started what many consider the "golden age" of classic Doctor Who (Most of the 70s), also establishing UNIT and the Master as major parts of the series.



Also maybe going OT a bit, but I'm guessing the two pilots for Star Trek were made with viewers in mind still using black and white TV sets judging by the flatly colored 'turtleneck' uniforms. When the show got the greenlight this seemed to switch to the way more colorful uniforms, lighting and sets, perhaps to help sell color TVs/networks with programs in color in general. There's also stories that Star Trek was one of the highest rated color programs, although that might be a bit of a myth depending on how you look at the ratings.






By the time of the movies of course color TV was no longer really a premium thing necessarily so they switched to dull colors again to be more "realistic".




Although the Maroon outfits from TWOK were of course an improvement and more vivid they weren't exactly going for a huge color boost there either.

[j9ac9k]

I can think of one where I think the reverse is true.

Is it "The Munsters?"

[Android 17]

Is it "The Munsters?"

Definitely would be “The Munsters” lol.

I feel like it’s a sin to watch that in color.

[Kirby101]

It didn't transition, but there was one episode from the last season of Perry Mason that was in color. It was interesting, but I think the noir feel of the b&w worked for the show.

[Jokerz79]

It wasn't just the move to Color but tone, but I think Lost and Space and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Lost something when they went to color and became camp.

Also Dark Shadows made a good transition but the transition definitely hurt Jonathan Frid IMO Barnabas was supposed to be a young man when turned into a vampire and B&W help to hide Frid's age which was mid 40's but once they went to Color you could see every wrinkle amd crow's nest on his face.

[JBatmanFan05]

The British show Danger Man (1960-1968), starring McGoohan, transitioned to color at the very end and it worked well enough. I'm glad The Prisoner (some think it a pseudo sequel to Danger Man) emerged only with color as the vibrant psychedelia of the show required the color.

[Jokerz79]

Gunsmoke transitioned well into Color. But I prefer the B&W Episodes of Wagon Train mostly due to that being the Ward Bond era of the show.

[Gaastra]

Lost in space did well in color. (And gave us the evil carrot episode! The pain. The pain.)

Disneyland not only did well they did a whole episode about going into color when they did.

Flintstones of course looked better in color.

And yes, munsters did not look as good in color.