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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
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Monday Jan 15, 2024
In television history, there have been several attempts at becoming a viable competitor to ABC, NBC, and CBS. Some have succeeded (FOX), while others were not so lucky (MyTV, PAX). In this installment, we turn the clock back to the mid-60s where a mogul in the warehouse industry started his own network which had a name change before going to air, aired one series in its existence, and lasted a month.
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
Episode 442--The Tim Conway Show (1980)
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
Thursday Jan 04, 2024
Timing can and very might have been the reason The Tim Conway Show did not have a longer life, even going from an hour to a half an hour for season 2. As is most anything with Tim Conway, it was entertaining. The rest of the cast was great. Unfortunately, the variety show was a dying breed in 1980.
Monday Nov 07, 2022
Episode 321--The Starland Vocal Band Show
Monday Nov 07, 2022
Monday Nov 07, 2022
It's listener request time once again! This time, we look at a 1977 summer replacement variety show with the band behind one of 1976's biggest songs. The Starland Vocal Band Show may have centered around a one-hit wonder, but it starred some future star power.
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
Episode 247--The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
It's Mike's birthday and he played his Money in the Bank on this?! Take three musical brothers who gained a modicum of popularity in the 70s despite having no big musical hits and add a cast of zany characters including the future Unknown Comic. What do you get? A repetitive and derivative show which lasted 16 shows.
Thursday Nov 25, 2021
Episode 218--The 1985 All-American Thanksgiving Parade on CBS
Thursday Nov 25, 2021
Thursday Nov 25, 2021
NBC wasn't the only network showing a parade on Thanksgiving 1985. CBS brought us parts of 5 different parades in its All-American Thanksgiving Parade, with TV stars in American locales including New York City, Detroit, Philadelphia, Hawaii, and...Toronto?! Each location had its own style, and some parades put more energy and creativity into their work than others.
Monday Nov 22, 2021
Episode 217--The 1985 Macy‘s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Monday Nov 22, 2021
Monday Nov 22, 2021
Happy Thanksgiving, pilgrims! We do our annual look at a Thanksgiving Day parade from the past by viewing the 1985 Macy's Parade. As always, we have bands, floats, and celebrities, but there was a little something extra as a postscript to this parade. It'll make you yell "Oh neat!" Just remember, the Paramus Toys'R'Us store is closed on Sundays.
Monday Jul 05, 2021
Episode 177--Telly...Who Loves Ya, Baby?
Monday Jul 05, 2021
Monday Jul 05, 2021
Everybody had a variety show in the 70s, or at least it seemed that way. Telly Savalas was no exception, starring in this one-off special with Diahann Carroll, Barbara Eden, and Cloris Leachman. Grab a sucker and contemplate the question, "Who loves ya, Baby?"
Friday Jan 01, 2021
Episode 97–Saturday Night Live ’80 (Director’s Cut)
Friday Jan 01, 2021
Friday Jan 01, 2021
Happy New Year! We're releasing the second of our two Director's Cut versions from Place to be Nation POP to start 2021 with a bang!
The SNL Doumanian Season Episode is presented with extended bits from the season to add proper context to the episode including the legendary Al Franken "Limo for the Lame-o" sketch.
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
Episode 104–The Paul Lynde Halloween Special
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
In our previous episode we discussed Paul Lynde's self-titled sitcom at ABC in 1972-73. After another failed sitcom with Paul in a starring role at ABC, Paul did various guest spots on shows to fulfill his contract with the network. In 1976, Fred Silverman decided to give Paul his own primetime special for Halloween and in true Paul Lynde fashion he made it his own.
Listen as Paul is trapped in a haunted mansion with The Wicked Witch of the West and Wilhemina W. Witchiepoo while having to battle with Tim Conway. Also it's got KISS, Betty White, Billy Barty and Florence Henderson singing disco, how can you go wrong?