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Partially an oral history of obscure TV shows, partially an oral version of MST3K, and partially a thorough episode guide, It Was a Thing on TV is an anthology podcast about obscure, forgotten, and odd TV shows, commercials, televised events, and almost anyone and anything else that was on television. For the most part, the subjects we cover are from the United States and Canada. We’re just three guys with a love for television. New episodes are generally every Monday and Thursday, sometimes more often.
Episodes
Thursday May 28, 2020
Episode 62--Love, Sidney
Thursday May 28, 2020
Thursday May 28, 2020
It seems Tony Randall was known for two shows--first and foremost, The Odd Couple, and then Love, Sidney. We make the case that it was mishandled from the start by NBC but also that some subject matter might have been material not designed for an early 80s home audience.
Monday May 25, 2020
Episode 61--Primetime starts at 7:30
Monday May 25, 2020
Monday May 25, 2020
In the Fall 1987 television season, NBC tried starting primetime half an hour earlier than normal. The results were generally bad sitcoms and reverting to an 8 PM start time for primetime starting in Fall 1988. We look at why this block failed and Mike talks about a personal connection with someone from one of the five comedies from this block.
Thursday May 21, 2020
Episode 60--Maury episode titles
Thursday May 21, 2020
Thursday May 21, 2020
What was Greg's dive down a rabbit hole after recording a few months ago became this very experimental episode. The Maury staff sure comes up with different ways to describe their DNA and lie detector shows.
Monday May 18, 2020
Episode 59--Wilkins Coffee Commercials
Monday May 18, 2020
Monday May 18, 2020
Brew up some coffee and enjoy this look at Jim Henson ads from the late 50s and early 60s. The commercials were to-the-point and were effective. Sixty years later, they are a blast to watch.
Thursday May 14, 2020
Episode 58--Second Chance (1987)/Boys Will Be Boys
Thursday May 14, 2020
Thursday May 14, 2020
Second Chance had a different premise but was low-rated and given a second chance. It was stripped of its premise and turned into an average teenage boy sitcom called Boys Will Be Boys. After 12 episodes of this retooled show, it was cancelled and not given a third chance.
Monday May 11, 2020
Episode 57--The Duck Factory
Monday May 11, 2020
Monday May 11, 2020
A sitcom with Jim Carrey! It can't fail...can it? (Isn't that why we're here?) The Duck Factory was a comedy about the animation industry with very few animations, a young not-so irreverent Jim Carrey, and an established cast of characters. What went wrong?
Thursday May 07, 2020
Episode 56--Poochinski
Thursday May 07, 2020
Thursday May 07, 2020
For now, we wrap up our look at pilots with a very bizarre one from 1990, where a dead cop's soul enters the body of a bulldog. Poochinski is a weird pilot you have to see at least once. You can view the complete pilot at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LytgLZDzzAY.
Wednesday May 06, 2020
Live Show 1--Dark Side of the Ring, ”Cocaine & Cowboy Boots: The Herb Abrams Story”
Wednesday May 06, 2020
Wednesday May 06, 2020
This is our first live, unedited show. For weeks, we have talked about Herb Abrams and the UWF. We have been anticipating this episode of Dark Side of the Ring so much that we wanted to devote a live episode to the topic. Obviously, it is best if you watch this show while listening to this podcast. There is some minor language used in this show since it was recorded live and is unedited.
Monday May 04, 2020
Episode 55--Lookwell
Monday May 04, 2020
Monday May 04, 2020
Considered by some to be the best show which never made it to TV, Lookwell is a brilliant cop show spoof done by Lorne Michaels, Robert Smigel, and a young Conan O'Brien. You can view this pilot at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBQ3HbB0c8Y.