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.
This week, we're having our own Schuckapalooza, covering three series starring underrated character actor John Schuck. We start with Schuck playing a robotic police officer in the 13-week wonder Holmes and Yoyo.
Soap was riding high in 1980. Its producers gave who would likely be the 6th most popular cast member on that show her own vehicle, with a cast that includes a comedy icon and a future comedy icon. I'm a Big Girl Now was one (season) and done.
Outer space science fiction was everywhere in the late 70s--in your movie theater, on public television, in primetime, even on Saturday mornings. The crew at Filmation gave us their take on space adventures with Jason of Star Command, which featured a veteran from an outer space classic.
McCormick from Hardcastle and McCormick and Audrey Griswold #3 star in a sitcom about marrying someone to ensure they aren't deported from the country. Of course, hilarity ensues. The best moment of the show came at the very end of the final episode, when everybody knew the writing was on the wall.
Marvel Month concludes with possibly the second-worst season of SNL ever. We talked about probably the worst season of SNL on episode 97, about the 1980-81 era. Now, we look at the 1985-86 season, a transition season of sorts, when most of the cast lasted just this one season if not less, and the writers lasted just as long, ushering in one of the best eras in the show's lengthy history.
Marvel Month nears its end with one of the more recent shows this podcast has covered. Jamie Foxx, David Alan Grier and others showed a lot of promise when this debuted, but the plug was quickly pulled at Netflix. Dad, Stop Embarrassing Me! was just a bland comedy which relied on many tropes.
In honor of what would have been Mr. Fuji's 88th birthday on May 4th, we present perhaps the single greatest thing the legendary WWF manager gave us.
As part of a series of skits on WWF Tuesday Night Titans in 1985, Fuji and his wrestler Don Muraco play Crockett and Tubbs in this parody of the NBC drama. This sketch is so bad it's good.
Bob Saget is playing a widower taking care of his daughters, but it's not Full House. It's the early 2000s, this show is on the WB, and the two daughters on the show went on to much bigger and better things in the upcoming decades. Marvel month rolls on with Raising Dad.
MCU month rolls along with a recent series where Cobie Smulders has a lot of lesbian sex and some other stuff happens in Portland. This was a good show but sadly the pandemic reared it's ugly head forcing the show's premature end. Also, there's a brief discussion spoiling Episode 4 of "Moon Knight" at the start. You've been warned.
"I really got derailed at the lesbian sex part" - Mike
Before he was Thanos and Wade Wilson's sidekick, Josh Brolin in 2003 starred in this NBC political drama about a California Senator. Can a prison teacher turned politician survive in the wild world of D.C. in this modern-day Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?
Also, we briefly touch on one of Mike's adventures involving one of the show's guest stars around this time.
