The It Was a Thing on TV Podcast Network

In the mid-to-late 2000s, VH-1 was looking for a comedic complement to its highly successful Best Week Ever.  One such complement was this show, created by some names who would go on to bigger and better things, where the home audience decided which short series did not cut the mustard, and which ones would see another week because...they were acceptable (dot) tv.

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.

In 1985 and 1986, David Letterman presented two special episodes of Late Night with David Letterman around the holiday season highlighting short films by various celebrities. We analyze these short films and offer our commentary in this holiday episode of It Was a Thing on TV.

1985 segments

"PMS - Premenstrual Syndrome" (Andrea Martin/Catherine O'Hara) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwLTCayIeSw (Uploaded by Darian Glover)

"Angst on a Shoestring" (Bette Midler) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6Jfs8bK6WQ (Uploaded by Darian Glover)

"Dress Cool" (Paul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band ft. Dave) - https://youtu.be/eTRc_IIMtk4?si=qba3H9i_xS-K6aYf&t=92 (Uploaded by the Letterman YT Channel)

"The Making of You Wouldn't Believe Our World" (Harry Shearer ft. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean & Marcia Strassman" - https://youtu.be/eTRc_IIMtk4?si=qba3H9i_xS-K6aYf&t=92 (Uploaded by Darian Glover)

"But I'm Happy" (Michael Keaton ft. Ron & Clint Howard) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq88ORPeQAQ&t=183s (Uploaded by the Letterman YT Channel)

1986 segments

"Feelin' In Love" (Dave ft. Paul Shaffer and Hal Gurnee) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtGaNgZyUUU (Uploaded by Darian Glover)

"My Day With the Stars" (Jonathan Winters) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7LMSRFBKAE (Uploaded by Darian Glover)

"Chris Elliott: A Television Miracle) (Chris Elliott ft. George Takei, Don King & Dave) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgKqko5ZvMA (Uploaded by Darian Glover

"Diane Sawyer's Shocking Expose" (Diane Sawyer ft. Mike Douglas & Andy Rooney) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rweOsVEfI_M&t=146s (Uploaded by the Letterman YT channel)

"The Ice Man Hummeth" (Michael J. Fox ft. Howie Mandel) - https://youtu.be/56lk7cp5Umg?si=O_9gQ6ZDQey2fb5Z&t=93 (Uploaded by the Letterman YT channel)

Almost a decade after the animated version we covered in episode 417, there was a live-action version of Police Academy, 8 years after the franchise's last nationwide theatrical release.  Unlike the animated show, personalities from the Police Academy movies made appearances.  After a season, the powers that be opted to put these cops on desk duty.

(NOTE: We couldn't photoshop the Police Academy logo in the 90's TV so we had to use the Widescreen TV logo and filtered the Police Academy logo as if you were watching a VHS tape on an HDTV.)

In the 70s, Sherwood Schwartz had an idea to introduce a couple with a multiethnic group of kids. The ahead-of-its-time idea was revisited in the mid 80s, but would anybody watch it? And what happens when nobody watches it? On this episode, we break down the strange case of “Together We Stand”…. Or “Nothing is Easy”.

We conclude our trifecta of Dabney Coleman shows by looking back at a show which was a complete contrast to the last two entries, where Coleman played an irritable, cantankerous TV host and an irritable, cantankerous sportswriter.  This time, Coleman portrays an irritable, cantankerous 5th grade teacher.

Dabney Colemania continues with another series fronted by Dabney.  Unlike Buffalo Bill where he played an irritable, cantankerous TV host, Dabney played an irritable, cantankerous sportswriter.  Like Buffalo Bill, The "Slap" Maxwell Story was a critical favorite.  Also like Buffalo Bill, the ratings were not good.

Like Schuckapalooza last year, we're devoting a number of episodes to an actor, this time Dabney Coleman.  First up is a show which didn't get many viewers, despite praise from critics.  It's a show that, after cancellation, Brandon Tartikoff said was one of his biggest regrets.  Coleman plays the prickly title character in the 80s classic Buffalo Bill.

Post-Head of the Class, the person who replaced Howard Hesseman was given a second chance, on another series where he played an educator.  This educator, however, had some issues, the least of which was living with one of his students and the largest of which was living with her to remain in the United States.

Way back in episode 2, we originally covered Mr. Smith, on the basis of Leonard Frey being credited from it and the curiosity of what it was.  Four years later and the upload of over half the series later, in honor of the 40th anniversary of its premiere, we can give Mr. Smith the justice it deserves.  Does an orangutan with an IQ of 256 help fix Washington D.C., or do wacky shenanigans happen because Mr. Smith is into monkey business?