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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 Aug 31, 2020
Episode 89--Learning the Ropes
Monday Aug 31, 2020
Monday Aug 31, 2020
When late 80s family sitcoms and wrestling overlap, the end result is the short-lived Canadian entry Learning the Ropes, starring Lyle Alzado. We also determine the Canadian equivalents of TV shows it seems everything goes back to.
Thursday Aug 27, 2020
Episode 88--AfterMASH
Thursday Aug 27, 2020
Thursday Aug 27, 2020
M*A*S*H is one of television's most popular shows ever, yet its spinoff AfterMASH lasted less than a season and a half. Was it too derivative from the parent show's plot? Did it just run its course?
Monday Aug 24, 2020
Episode 87--College Comedies of 1979
Monday Aug 24, 2020
Monday Aug 24, 2020
We're going back to school with three shows from early 1979, which tried capitalizing off the success of Animal House. All three were busts, though each show produced quality future talent. Also in this show, Mr. Whipple typecasting and ZIPPER?!
Saturday Aug 22, 2020
Minisode 2--Mr. Microphone
Saturday Aug 22, 2020
Saturday Aug 22, 2020
As an homage to the recent Omnibus podcast episode about Ronco, we look at commercials for what is likely Ronco's most popular product, Mr. Microphone. Greg's dad also proposes new rules to football.
Thursday Aug 20, 2020
Episode 86--Playboy's Roller Disco and Pajama Party
Thursday Aug 20, 2020
Thursday Aug 20, 2020
Join two of the top playboys from the 1970s, Hugh Hefner and Richard Dawson, for a night of roller skating, disco music, and tastefully done Playboy photo shoots in this 1979 special which epitomizes the late 70s nicely.
Monday Aug 17, 2020
Episode 85--The Third Annual Collegiate Cheerleading Championships from 1980
Monday Aug 17, 2020
Monday Aug 17, 2020
Like many things in the 70s and 80s, minor happenings were turned into celebrity-laden events for television. It happened to collegiate cheerleading in 1980, infusing it with such personalities as Magic Johnson, Catherine Bach, and...Willie Shoemaker?
Thursday Aug 13, 2020
Episode 84--Steve Martin's The Winds of Whoopee
Thursday Aug 13, 2020
Thursday Aug 13, 2020
This episode is shorter than usual because under half of it is online and it is more of a retrospective than anything. But really, that title is why we're here.
Monday Aug 10, 2020
Episode 83--David Letterman Shows Within the Show
Monday Aug 10, 2020
Monday Aug 10, 2020
Who doesn't enjoy late night television's comedy bits between the monologue and the first guest? We like them so much, we are devoting episodes to such segments which we affectionately call "shows within the show." Our first look at late night shows within the show is David Letterman, running the gamut from a troubled teen who is clearly not a troubled teen, to a spoof of one of the most popular and controversial shows of the day.
Thursday Aug 06, 2020
Episode 82--Blind Justice
Thursday Aug 06, 2020
Thursday Aug 06, 2020
In 2005, ABC was breaking new ground with Desperate Housewives and Lost. Another show in the mix which absolutely bombed was the Steven Bochco police procedural Blind Justice. This is the first show where all three of us gave up on it. It's that bad.
Monday Aug 03, 2020
Episode 81--Tribute to Regis Philbin
Monday Aug 03, 2020
Monday Aug 03, 2020
As we mentioned in episode 80, while we were recording that episode, word broke that Regis Philbin passed away. We felt we should honor the television legend both by looking back at one of his more forgettable shows, The Neighbors, but also by offering up our memories and favorite Regis moments, including Regis on Password Plus with someone from a previous entry.