Herbie, the Love Bug television series, also known as Herbie the Matchmaker a short-lived American sitcom that aired on in the spring of 1982 . Produced by Walt Disney Productions

By 1982, the Walt Disney studio was facing a crossroads. The theatrical sequels— Herbie Rides Again (1974), Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977), and the critically panned Herbie Goes Bananas (1980)—had diminishing returns. While merchandise and re-runs of the original film kept the character alive, Disney’s new pay-cable channel, The Disney Channel, was desperate for exclusive content.

The Herbie the Love Bug TV series was not a disaster. It was simply a misfire. In an era of The Dukes of Hazzard and Knight Rider , a silent, politically correct Volkswagen didn't stand a chance. Yet, for five weeks in 1982, a new generation of children watched a magical Beetle help a high school teacher find his smile.