The It Was a Thing on TV Podcast Network

You are the network with the most watched show on television. What do you do? Create a spin-off. But not just any spin-off, a sequel, to outdo anything the mother program ever did, up to and including alien abduction. That’s what ABC did with Dynasty and The Colbys. We break down why that was a mistake with the help of a special guest.

We start our celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Doctor Who by looking at this American adaptation of "Broadchurch". Adapted from the ITV drama created by future Doctor Who EP Chris Chibnall the American version brought back the Tenth Doctor himself David Tennant in the lead role. Did this limited event series find an audience on FOX in 2014 or was it another victim of Lost in Translation?

We talked about the Second Chance from 1977 and the Second Chance from 1987.  This Halloween season, we're covering a third entry with that name, from 2016.  This version was loosely based on Frankenstein but it was "depressingly awful" and couldn't hold viewers after a decent lead-in show, albeit against tough competition.

In 1984, the same year horror master Wes Craven gave us "A Nightmare on Elm Street" he directed this ABC TV Movie starring Robert Urich, Joanna Cassidy, and Erica Kane herself Susan Lucci.

In this made-for, Susan plays a devilish dame who tries to tempt ol' Spenser for Hire with power if he can just join this hot country club that just about everyone at his company works for. Join us on an Invitation to Hell!

(Yes, this show went by all of those titles.)

Columbo was an NBC staple in their Mystery Movie rotation throughout most of the 70s.  When the network went on a huge decline at the end of the decade, NBC tried anything to get viewers including a non-canonical spinoff.  At least we got to see a young Captain Janeway.

We have reached 400!  This time, we're talking about a show whose formula worked in theaters as Turner and Hooch, but the dog can talk?!  And Italy enjoyed this so much, they revived it in 2000?!?!

J.J. Starbuck fit a formula one prolific producer had used repeatedly and successfully.  It got good ratings, despite being moved multiple times, though the ratings weren't good enough for the most popular broadcast network at the time.  It also got beaten three separate times by a person who has problems with cheese.

Single female news journalist! Having lots of sex!

She had everything going for her… Looks, talent, intelligence, the right people surrounding her (even if one of them was “the best sex she ever had” who ended up taking her job). There was one problem… she was on a dead network. This week, we go to the newsroom to investigate the life and career of… “Pepper Dennis”.

Coming to theaters this week is the fifth and final outing of Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. In 1982, ABC aired a show similar to *BUT* legally distinct from Raiders of the Lost Ark and it came from TV legend Donald Bellisario. It had action and excitement but could it capitalize on the adventure fever of Raiders? Weeeeeellllllllllllllllll, you'll have to listen to find out.

“It’s the end of an era… and the beginning of everything else.” What college will Elle pick, the one with her heartthrob or the one with her bestie? Can they pull off the best summer ever with Mario Kart and DDR? And will this girl ever learn to say no? Greg & Chico answer most of these questions as we round out The Era with The Kissing Booth 3.