
Behold a modest season of sitcom entries, comprising 29 of the 99 television helpings offered. Genres which were on display during this tumultuous year were sitcoms, westerns, superhero franchises, soap operas, newscasts, dramas, action dramas, movie nights, some reality fares and variety shows. 1967 was a volatile year in history. The Vietnam War accelerated in urgency, civil race riots engulfed troubled towns like Detroit and Watts, and civil rights became a pressing issue as movements for equality were front and center. The youthful counterculture movement questioned the logic of traditional American values, leading to hippies, progressive music, the Women's Lib movement and war protests against the draft and conflict.
In the wake of America being in a tumultuous state, several tuned into their newly colorized televisions to take an escape with simple laughs. Andy Griffith lead the charge, making a 7th consecutive season of traditional values a welcome departure as folks yearned for their towns to be as happy as Mayberry, North Carolina. The Lucy Show landed in 4th Place and drilled CBS into 1st Place for a 12th consecutive season. Lucy took on the urban slapstick, while her sitcom neighbors such as The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, Petticoat Junction and Gomer Pyle placed silly laughs in an urban setting. The only silly-com sent to the cancellation pasture was Gilligan's Island, which managed to live on in syndication success.
ABC had their own success stories to write to viewers' homes with as Bewitched delivered a successful 3rd season. Batman cooled after a red-hot debut the previous season as both entries fell out of the top 30. Nonetheless, the show delivered successful ratings. Marlo Thomas' That Girl became the next sensation to sweep the 3rd network, and F-Troop plummeted. NBC's comedy fortunes paled compared to its competition as only Get Smart cracked the top 30. The network's 2nd place success rest in other genres.
Sources
1. http://fbibler.chez.com/tvstats/by_5_yr_period/top_programs_1965-1970.html
2. American Television History, August 1967 -- http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Television-Magazine/Television-1967-Aug.pdf
3. http://startrekfactcheck.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-truth-about-star-trek-and-ratings.html