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.
In our second of two entries related to the upcoming Thor movie release, this episode looks at a TV movie from 1988 where Thor appears in the same universe as The Incredible Hulk...but that's not the Thor we know or remember. Listener discretion is advised, as this was treated like a live watch.
Another Marvel movie will be released soon as we celebrate the return of Thor, so it's time for more entries related to actors and actresses in the MCU. We go back to 1980 for Stephen J. Cannell's first series, with Jeff Goldblum and Ben Vereen playing detectives in the short-lived but fondly remembered Tenspeed and Brown Shoe.
It's another police procedural from the 80s, but this one's different; it has a female lead. And a very big gun. And she wasn't afraid to use it. Lady Blue was one of the most violent shows on TV at that time. Alas, it ran for 14 episodes amongst tough competition.
It's 1985. NBC has a little show called Knight Rider and CBS has Airwolf, while ABC has neither. Give an LAPD cop a high-powered motorcycle during his time off-the-clock and he's ABC's response--Street Hawk, another show that was more popular overseas than domestically.
NBC is on a slow rebound in 1980, after all the catastrophes we have talked about during 1979. The powers that be decided imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, creating their own show similar to the Benji franchise from that era. Here's Boomer was an anthology about a dog crossing the country, helping people in need. While very family-friendly, the show didn't get enough eyes to see this show.
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.
We're starting a month of Marvel universe-related shows, leading up to the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in May. We start with a coming-of-age series about three boys attending an all-girls school from 2000. Opposite Sex had as a supporting character, one of our favorites, Chris Evans.
Kung Fu originally ran for 3 seasons on ABC and made David Carradine a star. Just like any quality show, a network (in this case, CBS) wanted to reboot it. Kung Fu: The Next Generation didn't make it out of pilot stage, but did air on CBS in the summer of 1987. It did give us a glimpse of a future legend in a key role.
It was a movie in 1990, and a successful one at that. Two years later, a Darkman pilot was done for FOX. The password is "expository." And what's the deal with a 16-year-old playing a cop? Listen to this episode and you'll know what we're talking about.
