104.8K
Downloads
661
Episodes
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 Jan 29, 2024
Episode 449--The Cheap Show
Monday Jan 29, 2024
Monday Jan 29, 2024
In an era where game shows were goofy, outrageous, and random, this game show was the goofiest, most outrageous, and the most random. The Cheap Show was ridiculous, messy, and...well...cheap. Sorry for the short episode. There isn't much multimedia out there, nor is there much information about it.
Saturday Dec 23, 2023
It Was a Thing on TV Outtakes: Tom Poston’s Coma
Saturday Dec 23, 2023
Saturday Dec 23, 2023
Today is the 40th Anniversary of Tom Poston's mini-coma at the Super Match on The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour. In honor of this moment we present an outtake between episodes of a taping in 2020 as Mike gives some play-by-play of this legendary moment.
This outtake was heard in Episode 100 but this is the first time we are presenting this by itself.
Thursday Dec 07, 2023
Episode 434--The New Liar’s Club
Thursday Dec 07, 2023
Thursday Dec 07, 2023
One of our current favorite shows from the past is The New Liar's Club, a reboot of the popular game from the late 1970s. The game's the same but the caliber of celebrities was very much Canadian because, as Greg would say, John Barbour's son did all the casting for the show. Maybe all the money was spent getting a Rolls Royce in the show's open...
Monday Oct 16, 2023
Episode 419--Child’s Play
Monday Oct 16, 2023
Monday Oct 16, 2023
We're two short weeks from the pinnacle of the spooky season, so we're pulling out Halloween-themed shows. First, while not spooky in any way, Child's Play shares its name with a well-known horror movie franchise from later in the 80s. Besides being Bill Cullen's last show with Mark Goodson, it may be better known for being replaced by the game which typified the 80s, Press Your Luck.
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
Episode 410--That (Awful) Quiz Show
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
On this installment, Greg and Mike talk about an obscure show which ran very briefly in the early 1980s, hosted by a pair of brothers whose biggest claim to fame was being the shortest pair of twins in the world. The pair made some appearances on movies and TV, including a segment on Real People, which was apparently enough to give them this (awful) hosting gig.
Thursday Jul 06, 2023
Episode 394--The Great American Telephone Trivia Game
Thursday Jul 06, 2023
Thursday Jul 06, 2023
Art Fleming, legendary Jeopardy! emcee, made a very brief return to television in the early 90s with The Great American Telephone Trivia Game. Is it an infomercial? Is it a game show? ¿Por qué no los dos? Is it a bunch of hooey? You bet it is, and it cost just $1.95 per minute!
Listener discretion is advised due to language.
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
Episode 388--Cleverdicks
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
National Sex Day week rolls on with a British quizzer for the smartest of the smart, where you can earn the title of Cleverdick. It's not fetch happening; we explain that term in the beginning.
Monday May 29, 2023
Episode 386--The Big ShowDown
Monday May 29, 2023
Monday May 29, 2023
The mid-70s was a rotating door of game shows seemingly coming, then going after 13 to 26 weeks. The Big ShowDown was no different, except it was a brilliant dice-themed game of strategy and its host had a memorable entrance on one episode.
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Live Show 42–The Cube Season 2 Premiere
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Wednesday May 17, 2023
After a long, long, long wait, The Cube is finally back for a second season on TBS. In the premiere of Season 2, Gabrielle Union and La-La Anthony try to tackle The Cube which has a whole lot of new challenges for the contestants.
Thursday Apr 27, 2023
Episode 373--Pointless (2017 GSN pilot)
Thursday Apr 27, 2023
Thursday Apr 27, 2023
Pilot Month 2023 starts now! Over the next month or so, we will cover 11 pilots. The first pilot is an American adaptation of a popular British game show. Alison Sweeney and a judge from 25 Words or Less take their shot at Pointless.