The It Was a Thing on TV Podcast Network

Episode 614--Joey

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Here is yet another case of a spinoff of a hit show being an utter disaster. Joey Tribbiani moved to L.A., away from his friends. Nobody told him spinning off from the flagship show was gonna be this way. After two lackluster seasons, this series ended up as one of the biggest spinoff flops in history.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 43 - TNA Destination X 2010

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In the newest episode of the SCTM, we continue with our look at 2010 TNA with Destination X 2010. In this PPV we get a great four-way ladder match, a Destination X match between The Motor City Machine Guns and the (not) Young Bucks, and the funniest ending of a Main Event of all-time according to Greg and Dane!

Feel the power of the Hulkster's HOF Ring, Brother!

Episode 613--Wait Till Your Father Gets Home

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 03:00:00 -0500

Mike's birthday happened earlier in the week. As is tradition around these parts, during birthday time, each host picks an episode they want to cover as their Money in the Bank. Mike chose this cartoon which was critical of the times in the 70s during season 1, but reverted to an animated sitcom with no controversial bite in subsequent seasons.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 42 - TNA Impact (03.08.10)

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

It's for reals this time as TNA Impact goes head-to-head against WWE RAW on Monday Night's in 2010 headlined by a tag team main event between The Hulkster and Abyss against Ric Flair and AJ Styles! We also got two championship matches on this special Impact, a big debut, and WHAT DID SCOTT HALL SAY OUT LOUD?!?!

Episode 612--The First Annual Miss Dog Pageant

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

They’re beautiful. They’re talented. They’re poised. They’re competing on a grand stage for $10,000 and the title of Miss… Dog. FOX arrives with another idea where one didn’t exist, only for it to be neutered after one go.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 41 - WWF Wham Bam Bodyslam!

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Greg and Dane return to the WWE Vault channel for this episode of the SCTM as they review the 1994 Coliseum Video "Wham Bam Bodyslam!" We get some goodies from the New Generation Era in the WWF, including a Bret vs. Owen lumberjack match where we get chaos! We also have a banger between Alundra Blayze and Bull Nakano for the WWF Women's Championship, along with Doink and Dink clowning around at Titan Tower. BTW, boy did Pat Patterson let himself go!

Episode 611--What's Happening Now!!

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Usually, we don't cover shows that ran for more than two seasons. An exception was made not because this was bad but rather the plethora of changes which arose, primarily with talent wanting raises. Despite that, What's Happening Now!! actually had a longer run than the original series.

Episode 610--Police Squad!

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

We're a little late to the 100th birthday celebration of Leslie Nielsen. Surely, you'll forgive us. (And don't call us Shirley.)

After the success of Airplane!, its producers brought a show with similar humor to the small screen with Police Squad! The show was not a success for several reasons, but it was loved so much that it spun off into four movies over the last 40 years.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 40 - TNA Against All Odds 2010

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

In the next chapter, Greg and Dane continue their look at 2010 TNA, which is a review of TNA Against All Odds 2010. We have an 8-Card Stud Tournament to determine the #1 contender for the TNA World Title; meanwhile, AJ Styles faces Samoa Joe for the TNA championship with Eric Bischoff as the Special Guest Ref.

Special Thanks to Tim Taylor at Place to be Nation for creating the new logo for the podcast.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents (02.18.26)

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0500

It's a midweek edition of It Was a Thing on TV Presents. First, Greg and Mike go over Super Bowl LX and talk about the Winter Olympics among various sports topics. Then, Greg invites Dane in Segment 2 to talk about the Wrestling Observer awards and oh boy, they got a lot to say about it.

Episode 609--Strike It Rich (1986)

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Our tribute for Joe Garagiola's birthday takes us back almost 4 decades, to a show that has been forgotten, for good reason. Kline and Friends' second endeavor was not good, though we know one way a current generation could have gotten into it: #nobanditnobandit. (We have had a little too much fun with that lately.)

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Live Show 13 - Cool Runnings

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

With the Winter Olympics happening right now in Italy, we present our first-ever "Best of" involving a Live Show as we re-release Greg and Chico's live watch from the Stream Lounge era involving the 1993 Disney movie "Cool Runnings" recorded during the last Winter Olympics in 2022.

Episode 608--Get a Life Revisited

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

When we placed this on the schedule, it was to coincide with a 24/7 stream of the show. A few days before we recorded, the stream ended. To make matters worse, due to technical difficulties, the original Revisited show had to be scrapped. Finally, it became a reality. Relive the fun of Duke Moosekian, The Handsome Boy Modeling Agency, SPEWEY, and much more as we finally revisit Get a Life properly.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 39 - WWF Monday Night RAW (02.24.97)

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -0500

The Squared Circle Time Machine heads to the Manhattan Center as Monday Night RAW returns to the building where it all started as Jerry "The King" Lawler has issued a challenge to Paul E. and ECW to show up in this memorable episode of RAW.

Episode 607--The Super Bowl XXIII Diet Pepsi Talent Challenge

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 01:00:00 -0500

Ever wanted to know the secret talents of NFL players? No? Well, NBC Sports thought otherwise and gave us this competition during the pregame of Super Bowl XXIII, which features four guys and Reggie White showing off their hidden talents to win money for charity with an all-star panel of judges, along with Ahmad Rashad and the star of the box-office hit of 1989, "Who's Harry Crumb?" John Candy? What?

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 38 - Superstars on the Superstation

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:00:00 -0500

In honor of this event's 40th anniversary this week, we look at a special episode of World Championship Wrestling on Superstation WTBS at The Omni in Atlanta. We have a loaded show with four competitive matches, including the Rock 'n' Roll Express facing the Midnight Express for the NWA World Tag Team titles and Ric Flair putting the NWA World Title on the line against Ronnie Garvin.

Also, we get a cameo from Willie Nelson sitting with Dusty Rhodes and Tony Schiavone at a pool, and an appearance from Gaylord Perry for some reason?

Episode 606--Monday Night Quarterback

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

This Sunday, the 60th installment of "The Big Game" is occurring. We have pulled up some gridiron gems to commemmorate this event. First, in 1970, football became more popular due to the AFL/NFL merger that year, the start of Monday Night Football, and the booming popularity of "The Big Game." Earlier that year saw Where's Huddles? (See episode 451.) Later, Bob Stewart of Password and Pyramid fame came up with this prediction game where a celebrity and a pro player play "You Make the Call."

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 242 - Get a Life

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 02:00:00 -0500

As you all know, we were supposed to bring you the Revisited episode of Get a Life today, but as Mike mentioned earlier this week, technical issues in the recording forced us to scrap it and redo it two weeks from now. However, since we have no episode this week, we are releasing our original episode of "Get a Life" from 2022 as a "Best of" for you this week. So enjoy Greg saying "Duke Moosekian".

404'd: Podcast Not Found

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

We recorded episode 606 over the weekend. There was one problem--Mike's computer was acting up, disconnecting from the web after a few minutes. Since we utilize the web quite a bit in our preparation and recordings, this was a huge issue. Mike went to his Surface as a back-up. The results were horrible, with the audio skipping every few seconds. Hence, we decided it was best to shelve this episode for now, though we will re-record it as episode 608. For the record, Mike thinks he has solved his computer issues.

We'll release a "Best of" on Friday to hold you over. The new episode 606 will be released on Tuesday, February 3rd.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 37 - WCW Clash of the Champions XXX

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

It's the finale of the Masked Man arc storyline on the SCTM as Greg and Dane look at the 30th Clash of the Champions from Caesars Palace in Vegas as the Hulkster and the Macho Man take on The Butcher and Kevin Sullivan in a tag team main event. If Vader doesn't ruin the main event and break his retraining order while paying $350 for ringside seats.

Mike Tries Arthur Treacher's for the First Time in 35 Years

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Part of the conversation in Episode 605 was about the once-prevalent fish and chicken franchise Arthur Treacher's, which only has 4 locations as of the time of recording. Mike is about 10 miles away from their newest location. He took the trip to try their offerings, to see how they stack up from what Mike remembers from his youth. Was it a good value? Would Mike go back? Dive on in to this It Was a Thing first.

Episode 605--You're in the Picture

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

It has taken us over 6 years and over 600 episodes to finally cover one of the biggest turkeys in television history. You would think anything a person nicknamed "The Great One" touches would, by default, be amazing. This show is proof that is not true. Jackie Gleason hosted one full episode of this, then gave the TV audience a grand apology the following week because what worked in runthroughs did not transition over that well to television.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 36 - TNA Genesis 2010

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

It's the first TNA PPV of the Hogan/Bischoff era, brother! We had six sides, and it only got us so far jack! We got some debuts on this PPV while AJ and Kurt have their rematch from the January 4th Impact from the last episode for the TNA World Title. And whose side is the Nature Boy on?

Episode 604--Blacke's Magic

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 03:00:00 -0500

Continuing with the magic theme from the last installment, our birthday boy Chico has selected this show as his annual Money in the Bank. Instead of Bill Bixby as a master magician/crime solver, it is Hal Linden. The results were similar--one season and done, but this has a place in our hearts.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 35 - TNA Impact (01.04.10)

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

As we near a new era with TNA Impact about to debut on AMC, we go back 16 years to when TNA launched a new era to start the 2010's on the January 4th, 2010 episode of Impact on Spike TV.

We have the debut's of Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff running the Impact Zone, Brother! Along with some great suprisements that Dixie Carter has in store for us. Also, why is the security for TNA so bad we ask throughout this episode?

It Was a Thing on TV Presents: Before the Show IX

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

On the newest edition of Before the Show, Mike and Greg look at the controversy with the first week of the new CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil and how we aren't saluting it or him. They also look at some of the recent purchases they made on eBay and the ineptness of David Stearns running the New York Mets.

Then Chico joins in during Segment 2 as they talk about Miami's win in the Fiesta Bowl and some of the seeding in the NFL Playoffs. Also, how exactly do Chip and Dale, along with Lisa Hartman, fit into this episode, you're wondering? That's a good question and you'll have to listen to find out!

Episode 603--The Magician

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

To start 2026, we look at a show which many consider one of the best one-season wonders in television history. What happens when you get a playboy who lives in a plane and drives a white Corvette, performs magic, and solves crimes? You get The Magician, an enjoyable series from 1973-4.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 34 - WWF Monday Night RAW (01.01.96)

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

With the bowl season going on in College Football, Greg and Dane look at this one-time event from the New Year's Day 1996 episode of Monday Night RAW featuring a Fatal Four-Way Tag Team match down with football-style rules known as the RAW Bowl. The winning team in this match is gonna receive the Lombardi trophy, but it's not what you think it is! Also, we see a preview of the upcoming Royal Rumble, hyping a big debut in the WWF!

Episode 602--The 2025 Year in Review

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 12:00:00 -0500

Congratulations! We have successfully completed another orbit around the sun! As we have done for the last 5 years, we have summarized the year in television, this time in one part and in under 2 hours, spanning from Netflix buying everything to the disasterous year with CBS/Paramount. Thanks as always for listening in 2025. We have many more goodies in store for 2026!

Episode 601--It Happened One Christmas

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 12:21:38 -0500

Happy holidays! Our gift to you this holiday season is a television movie from 1977, which was a carbon copy of the Christmastime favorite It's a Wonderful Life, but gender-swapped. Included in the cast is one of our favorite names, as well as the person Warren Beatty said is the best in Hollywood at something.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 33 - WCW Starrcade 1994

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Greg and Dane head to the next-to-last chapter of The Masked Man arc on the SCTM as Hulk Hogan takes on his former best friend in the whole world Brutus "The Butcher/Barber/Booty Man/Disciple/Man With No Name or Face" Beefcake for the WCW Championship. We also have Macho Man Randy Savage making his WCW PPV Debut as he will either shake the Hulkster's hand or slap him in the face!

Plus, we get a visit from Santa Claus, although he looks awfully familiar, HMMMMMMMMMMMM!

Live Show 54--Bevo Home for the Holidays

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

A Longhorn Network tradition becomes an It Was a Thing on TV holiday tradition as we watch the University of Texas' live mascot, Bevo, in his natural habitat to muzak of songs from the holiday season. We also share some fun facts about Bevo and the University of Texas while watching Bevo.

You can follow along with us at the following link from the Longhorn Network website. - https://watch.longhornnetwork.com/video/651299

Episode 600--Joanie Loves Chachi

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 18:00:00 -0500

We did it! 600 episodes! As we do with milestone episodes, we cover a very special topic. No topic is more special or more appropriate for this podcast than one of television's biggest bombs ever. People thought the Happy Days magic would last via another spinoff. Audiences initially said yes, but that quickly changed to a no, and the storybook relationship between Joanie and Chachi would end just as it began.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 32 - WWF Capital Carnage

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 20:00:00 -0500

Greg and Dane go all the way to the UK for this edition of the SCTM filled with "great surprisements" as we have a fatal four way match between Stone Cold, Mankind, Undertaker, and Kane with Vinnie Jones as a guest enforcer. We also got Vince at Oxford University, D'Lo Brown touring London, and Christian teaming up with Sable?

Buckle up because it's gonna be emotional!

Episode 599-The Little Rascals Christmas Special

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

The Little Rascals shorts were very popular in syndication during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, to the extent that NBC ordered an animated Christmas special based on the shorts in 1979. Spanky and Porky have to retrieve a coat that their mother sold with the help of the gang, but all sorts of hilarity ensue. Can the gang get Spanky and Porky's mother's coat back in time for Christmas?

Episode 598--Big John, Little John

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

As we have done for years, we let you, the listeners, decide which of three series will be covered through our Viewer's Choice vote. You have spoken loud and clear that you want us to talk about a live action kid's show from 1976 where a science teacher has a little sip from The Fountain of Youth while visiting Florida. At that moment, he gained the ability to become a younger version of himself, but had no control over when the transformation happened. The trademark Sherwood Schwartz hilarity definitely ensued.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 31 - Pro Wrestling This Week (11.29.86)

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In the latest edition of the SCTM, Greg and Dane look at the Thanksgiving 1986 Episode of the syndicated wrestling newsmagazine show "Pro Wrestling This Week" hosted by Gordon Solie and Joe Pedicino, looking at the various wrestling territories around the world.

In this episode, we get reports on Ricky Steamboat's injury at the hands of Randy Savage, Bill Apter's thoughts on Starrcade '86, Jimmy Snuka in a neckbrace cutting a hilarious promo on Col. DeBeers, a $100K tag team battle royal in Continental, a pre-Typhoon Uncle Fred in Memphis, a Gary Hart editorial on the dangers of drugs, Gordon Solie conducting a poolside interview, and a ladies battle royal in blindfolds! OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

You can follow along with the episode at this link on YouTube (Credit: 4WrestlingFans) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvSrtGOfNOk

Episode 597--Shaping Up

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Health clubs and aerobics were all the rage in the early 80s, thanks to Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons. Eventually, this trend was bound to hit scripted television. It did, in comedic form with Leslie Nielsen playing a former health show host turned health club owner. Alas, this show didn't pump up the viewership and its membership was cancelled after just 5 episodes.

Episode 596--The Tortellis

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

With the enduring success of a TV series comes the inevitable spinoff. The first spinoff of Cheers was this entry about Carla's ex and his new trophy wife, and Carla's two kids. 13 episodes later, it was clear the spinoff went to the wrong character, something which would be righted years later.

Episode 595--The 1989 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 12:00:00 -0500

You have had your Thanksgiving dinner. Now it's time for dessert, the final Thanksgiving parade of the 1980s. As always, highlights of pop culture from the year make appearances, as well as ads for the must-have items for the holiday season. In 1989, we also get a weird appearance from The Joker (no Cesar Romero and his orange wedges) plus a troupe of dancing chickens.

Episode 594-The 1983 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Revisited

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Way back when, in the first year of the Podcast back in 2019, we covered the 1983 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Episode 9, and we've done the following year's edition every year since. Given we've now had a set formula for covering these parades since, we decided this year to do a "Revisited" for the 1983 edition.

We got Shirt Tales, Jon Bauman, Yogi Bear, Charley Pride, the Superman balloon that hides in the corner depressed, Woody Woodpecker, a drunken Bullwinkle, Leonard Frey, and Mr. Smith!

Plus, we also get some hot Atari 2600 commercials and some early info on buying VCRs for Black Friday 1983 during the parade! The second part of our Thanksgiving Day Parade Extravaganza will be posted at 12 Noon later today when we discuss The 1989 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 30 - WWF Survivor Series 1988

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In honor of Thanksgiving, Greg and Dane go back to 1988 and look at the 2nd Annual WWF Survivor Series from the Richfield Coliseum in 1988. We got a confusing double turn between Demolition and the Powers of Pain, Akeem, Mr. Perfect, The Mega Powers, and so much more on this episode of The Squared Circle Time Machine!

(Also, forgive Greg for working with a hoarse voice in this episode)

Episode 593--The Next Line

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

A personal favorite show of Greg and Mike's is this spiritual successor to The New Liar's Club, but with various types of lines from movies, songs, and factual statements, and without even a single mention of Shoddy Laroux. The game is derivative, but the real reason we did the show is because someone wanted to bring up the end theme and its similarities to video games of the era.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 29 - WCW Clash of the Champions XXIX

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 12:00:00 -0500

It's the latest episode of The Masked Man arc on the SCTM as Hulk Hogan, Sting, and Dave Sullivan team up against the 3 Faces of Fear in a six-man tag team main event ref'd by Mr. T in a nightgown.

We also see a return match between Pretty Wonderful and Stars and Stripes for the WCW Tag Titles and a hoss fight between Dustin Rhodes and Vader! We also learn from Bobby Heenan how devastating the sleeper hold can be!

Episode 592--In the Beginning

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 18:00:00 -0500

We're giving you a double dose of McLean Stevenson today, on his 98th birthday. Next is a very short-lived show with McLean playing a conservative priest who clashes often with a liberally-minded nun. After 5 low-rated episodes, CBS was having nun of it.

Episode 591--Hello Larry Revisited

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In honor of McLean Stevenson's 98th birthday, we re-examine one of the first shows we covered, one synonymous with NBC's troubles in the late 70s and early 80s, but also one synonymous with Stevenson's failures post-M*A*S*H. With more visual evidence of the show available, we take a second look at if Hello Larry was that bad, or if it was a victim of circumstance.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 28 - TNA Genesis 2006

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 20:00:00 -0500

In this edition of the SCTM, Greg and Dane look at the in-ring debut of Kurt Angle in TNA Wrestling against the undefeated Samoa Joe at TNA Genesis 2006. There's a lot of good in-ring action and a lot of bad Russo-riffic crap on this show. We do at least get Kevin Nash wanting to win one for Bo ............... Derek.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents: TV Guide's 50 Worst Shows of All-Time List (Part 2)

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Last year, we went over TV Guide's 50 Worst Shows of All-Time list from 2001 and thought about which shows should be removed from the list and what shows we would add from the last 20+ years since the list was released.

This year, Mike, Greg, and Chico present their re-rankings of what they think are the 50 Worst Shows of All-Time based on what they kept from TV Guide's 2001 list and what shows they added from Part 1.

For new listeners, you can listen to Part 1 of this special from last year at this link. - https://www.itwasathingontv.com/e/it-was-a-thing-on-tv-presents-tv-guides-50-worst-shows-of-all-time-list-part-1/

Episode 590--Babes

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Over the years, overweight people were ridiculed on television and in the movies as slow, messy, dumb, lazy, and were often the butt of jokes. One show avoided those stereotypes, showing a trio of overweight sisters trying to improve themselves health-wise and career-wise, and being empathetic souls looking out for their fellow men. Credit Babes for attempting to dispel the outdated stereotypes, though the series only lasted a single season.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 27 - WCW Halloween Havoc 1994

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The newest edition of the SCTM sees a big reveal in the Masked Man storyline as Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair's careers are on the line in a Steel Cage for the WCW title.

Greg and Dane discuss Terry Funk being awesome, Big Boss Man Behaving Badly five years early, and Dave Sullivan's new theme song, among others. Don't *BUTCHER* listening to this episode!

Episode 589--Hell Town

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 03:00:00 -0400

As happens in the TV business, having a successful TV movie equates to a run as a series. This is no different, holding its own versus some huge 1985 competition. The later series? Not so much, against that same competition. Robert Blake starred as a tough but fair priest in a tough and not-so-fair portion of Los Angeles, trying to make Hell Town not so hellish.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 26 - WWF Monday Night RAW (10.18.93) (The Savage/Crush Summit)

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0400

It's October of 1993 in the newest episode of The Squared Circle Time Machine as Greg and Dane look at an episode of Monday Night RAW where Randy Savage and Crush meet head-on to try and settle their issues. Meanwhile, the good folks at the WWF are making us call a 1-900 line to ask us if Shawn Michaels should be reinstated.

Plus, we got a rare Joe Fowler in the WWF sighting on the Podcast! How about that?

Episode 588--Hometown Commercials, Volume 6

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We have returned with another batch of those wacky commercials from all parts of the U.S. Ladies (and guys), let's have a Hometown Commercial party.

Here is a list of links to the ads featured in this installment:

We Are the Spitzer Shuffling Crew: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vxx-v2S7YRA
Another Spitzer ad, with bad CGI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP9yVuD38Ac
Little John’s Derby Jewelry - Super Gold Man Returns - https://youtu.be/HXYmeeijUJM?si=h-upU0j-rlNRTGAO
Neil’s Finance Plaza - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LmQVxl5hP4
Lawson Boxing - February 2006 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npF-vbm8Rzc
Smoking Santa (Toledo) - https://youtu.be/gz-3cL0V5-o?si=_mKteB3x65xCpgqY
Pizza Pan Jeopardy: - https://youtu.be/sEIZp7D9Ks8?si=2SrVxnjc3a3hV3pn
Gordo’s Chimichangas - https://youtu.be/OF77D8a3nmI
KWBB Texas: WB Family Night at Lamar University - https://youtu.be/YvTd-1Yt9z4
Mr. Belvedere Commercial with Robot (Detroit) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9hDmJuARok
South Bay Toyota - Wack it! - https://youtu.be/qVWBOXM61Tw?si=Cqn8WZp1uNYCEfoU
JTM Beef Taco Filling Commercial with Cris Collinsworth - https://youtu.be/x9H-ESBm6Vc?si=8O2eHKW4646oZfMA
Fretter Appliance 11 Hour Sale (1983) - https://youtu.be/QPeNrTZWrPA
Denvil Crowe - Pay Me Now - https://youtu.be/lANJc_QIXU0?si=gxOVDkTmNiWZBSPS
Save A Lot (Frankie Flight) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1t3_Exjyoc
Carvel (Cookie O’Puss) - https://youtu.be/f7wj9UmcjYk
Burger Ranch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVgrRjt82gw
Crazy Bruce’s Liquors - https://youtu.be/SNkK-aQEtMI?si=00YHPmXwoTdukibX
Jim “The Hammer” Shapiro (Rochester, NY) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zToHQ8oQvgA
Dodd’s Serta Trek - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cip0TY91sjI
Mayflower Buffet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQlfxI8r9jM
Red House Furniture - Black and White People (Rhett & Link) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnOyMSEWNTs
Grand Finale - Mr. Submarine Commercial with Scottie Pippen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40YkCQcMCpQ

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 25 - TNA Bound for Glory 2010

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 01:07:24 -0400

With TNA Bound for Glory 2025 happening tonight, as of the posting of this episode, we look back on the 15th Anniversary this week of a date that only comes once a Century! 10.10.10! Greg and Dane look at TNA Bound for Glory 2010!

Greg and Dane look at various things on this show, including a Lethal Lockdown match between EV 2.0 and Fortune, Mickie James' TNA debut, RVD and Abyss in a Monsters Ball match, and the three-way match for the vacant TNA World Title between Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, and Mr. Anderson.

THEY want you to listen to this episode!

Episode 587--Fridays

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 01:00:00 -0400

Our SNL 50th birthday celebration wraps up with a contender to the throne which was a direct rip-off of SNL; the head of ABC admitted as much! Fridays had its moments, but it sorely missed making recurring characters who would be remembered nowadays. It also had thrilling guest hosts like Henny Youngman! Grab a bite to eat, as this is one of our longest shows to date.

Episode 586--Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In Fall 1975, two different shows named Saturday Night Live premiered--the one we know, albeit without the Live moniker, and this show, a variety/talk show hosted by arguably ABC's biggest personality (and definitely ABC's biggest mouth) at the time. Despite its deserving role as one of the worst shows in television history, very little footage of this series exists...which may be a good thing.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 24 - WCW Main Event (10.09.94)

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 12:00:00 -0400

The Masked Man arc continues on the SCTM as Greg and Dane go to Center Stage in Atlanta for a special live episode of the WCW Main Event as Hulk Hogan and Dave Sullivan team up against Ric Flair and a mystery partner.

We also react to Ric Flair putting his career on the line against Hogan's at the upcoming Halloween Havoc PPV, along with discussion regarding the Honky Tonk Man, the Sega 32X, and a young Road Dogg as a jobber for Double A.

Episode 585--Saturday Night Live Season 20

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The 50th anniversary of Saturday Night Live's premiere is happening next week, on October 11th. As the 51st season of SNL starts tomorrow night, we decided to look at another disastrous SNL season, having covered Season 6 (episode 97) and Season 11 (episode 265) previously. SNL was at a time of weakness, having lost key contributors in the previous year. The show lost even more contributors in S20. To add insult to injury, there would be a new kid on the block on another network.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 23 - WCW Fall Brawl 1994

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The Squared Circle Time Machine gets ready for war as Dusty and Dustin Rhodes team up with The Nasty Boys to do battle with Col. Parker and his Stud Stable in the War Games Match at Fall Brawl 1994.

We also continue the arc with The Masked Man from Episode 18 and see if he enters into the picture as Hulk Hogan tries his best to get Ric Flair back into the ring for a rematch at Halloween Havoc, brother!

Episode 584--Work It

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Last year, Greg put this show up in the annual Viewer's Choice vote. It did not win. As always, we cover the shows that didn't win the vote in the following year. After seeing this, Greg regretted ever picking this. We all make mistakes, just like ABC did in 2012 after picking up this show which was like Bosom Buddies, but that's where the comparisons end. The complete series aired, but not domestically, for some reason. Suffer along with us, won't you?

Episode 583--It's Your Move Revisited

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In episode 34, we first talked about the Jason Bateman classic sitcom, It's Your Move, with very little video of the show at that time. Fast forward five and a half years where some intrepid individual(s) uploaded all the episodes. We felt it was time to give this show a proper revisiting.

Episode 582--Roll Out!

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

CBS had a slew of hits in the early 70s, including a wartime comedy called M*A*S*H. CBS went to the wartime well again in 1973 with this comedy about a battalion of primarily African-American soldiers in France during World War II. As bad as the ratings were, that may not have been what got the show cancelled so quickly. It's not good when your lead and a supporting cast member were arrested during the show's brief run.

Episode 581--It's Not Easy

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The title of this series unintentionally goes deeper than the premise of the show. It's not easy to keep the kids together after a divorce. It wasn't necessarily easy to replace two actors who starred in this show's pilot, one of whom passed away to tragic circumstances. It also wasn't easy for this show going up against two relatively new shows on TV, two favorites from the 1980s. Certainly, it wasn't easy for one of the show's stars to balance this show with another gig he had at the time.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 22 - TNA Hardcore Justice 2010

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0400

We had ECW One Night Stand from WWE in 2005, and then WWE did it again in 2006, followed by the blah revival of ECW, so when most of the OG ECW roster jumps from WWE to TNA by 2010, what happens? Dixie Carter decides she'll have her own One Night Stand! WITH BLACKJACK! AND HOOKERS!

Greg and Dane look at TNA Hardcore Justice 2010, where they go over dance-offs with the Full Blooded Italians, Raven and Tommy Dreamer having the most cringe hardcore match ever, a lightsaber fight and RVD facing Sabu in the Main Event!

Be sure to thank Dixie for this episode everybody, because this wouldn't be possible without her (heavy sarcasm).

Episode 580–Paper Dolls

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of our annual Star Trek Day, we have that moment when Jadzia Dax was an up-and-coming model working for someone whose assistant was Will Riker. Because it’s the 80s, it’ll be a melodramatic rise to the top. Lucky for her, she’s got the world’s top teenage fashion model in her corner. We go inside the world of two “Paper Dolls” and why they managed to… fold… so quickly.

Episode 579--The 2005 Miami/Florida State Game

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

College football officially kicked off last week. Years ago, we looked at what might be the worst Monday Night Football game ever. 20 years ago today (September 5), what might have been the worst college football game between two true collegiate football powerhouses occurred. Get used to the phrase "three and out." It is used with frequency this episode.

"The game that killed the Golden Era of Miami-Florida State" (Worst Game Ever) (Colton Denning) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5GRxnKbOyY

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 21 - WWF Spectrum House Show (02.19.83)

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of the Eagles' start of the defense of their Super Bowl title, Greg and Dane on the SCTM go back to February of 1983 for a big WWF House Show at the Philadelphia Spectrum on PRISM.

We got a big 10-Man Tag Team Match featuring Andre the Giant, Superstar Billy Graham, Pedro Morales, Jimmy Snuka, Don Muraco, and others. We also got Bob Backlund defending the WWF title against Big John Studd, along with a fun brawl between The Wild Samoans and the Strongbows for the Tag Team titles!

Plus, we also meet our new favorite ring announcer, THE ZINC! COME BACK ZINC! COME BACK!

Episode 578--3-South

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Over the last 30 plus years, MTV has had some decent cartoons, most notably Beavis and Butthead and Daria. 3-South isn't on that list, but it holds a place in the heart of at least one of us. Goofy and stupid but with some notable contemporary voice talents, this show might be best known as one of the gigs Brian Dunkleman took after the first season of American Idol.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 20 - WWF SummerSlam 1994

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Continuing from the last episode of the SCTM, Greg and Dane look at the first-ever event held at Chicago's United Center in WWF SummerSlam 1994.

Leslie Nielsen will solve the mystery of the two Undertakers while Bret and Owen Hart battle in an epic Steel Cage match for the WWF title. Also, we got Sweetness himself, Walter Payton, helping Razor Ramon regain the Intercontinental title against the now two-belt Big Daddy Cool Diesel!

Make sure Anvil isn't sitting behind you during this episode.

Episode 577--Maury episode titles, Volume 2

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Over 5 years and 500 episodes ago, we tried a "concept" episode where Greg read actual titles to episodes of Maury. (Episode 60, if you want to visit that show.) We are back with a second compilation from shows which aired after our initial May 2020 episode. How many ways can Maury's staff describe DNA test episodes? The answer is 'many.'

Episode 576--The Joe Schmo Show: The Full Bounty

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In prior episodes, we have talked about the first two iterations of The Joe Schmo Show. While it is an often funny and unpredictable format, one can't go to the well with that format too often, due to the familiarity of the personnel and the wacky (and suspicious) scenarios which unfold. After a hiatus of over a decade, the format returned with the same host, the same crazy situations, actors trying to sell their characters, and Lorenzo Lamas? Wearing next to nothing?!

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 19 - WWF Sunday Night Slam (08.21.94)

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

It's eight days before SummerSlam 1994, and on the latest episode of The SCTM, Greg and Dane look at this USA Network special hyping the PPV.

They look at Leslie Nielsen's search for The Undertaker, the possibility of Lex Luger selling out to Ted DiBiase, and Bret Hart fat-shaming Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart.

Make sure to eat a Domino's Pizza before you listen to this episode.

Episode 575–Elvis and the Beauty Queen

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

You’ve heard many stories about Elvis… his music, his moves, his crappy movies, but have you listened to the one where he invites Miss Tennessee to a kung fu movie and then starts a relationship? In 1981, Stephanie Zimbalist was the beauty queen, and Don Johnson was her King in a made-for-TV tragedy about the last few years of his life.

Episode 574--The New Perry Mason

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In this installment, we have yet another revival whose shelf life was incredibly short. Was it because of the competition? Was it because all the major characters were played by new actors? Was the original series too fresh in the minds of viewers? No matter the answer, The Case of the Quickly Cancelled Show got a swift verdict from viewers and CBS executives.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 18 - WCW Clash of the Champions XXVIII

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Greg and Dane begin their first real-time arc here on The Squared Circle Time Machine as they review a storyline from 1994-95 WCW. It's the August 1994 episode of the Clash of the Champions featuring the big rematch from Bash at the Beach between Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair for the WCW title!

But this rematch may be ruined by a man in a mask pulling a Nancy Kerrigan on the Hulkster brother! Can Hogan walk five blocks from the hospital to his match with the Nature Boy in time? We also got Dusty and Dustin Rhodes battling Col. Rob Parker's Stud Stable, along with an epic US title match between Ricky Steamboat and Steve Austin among others!

Episode 573--Quark

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 17:00:00 -0400

A long time ago in a galaxy far away, there was a crew of space garbage pickers before previous installment Salvage 1. (See episode 399.) NBC aired the pilot episode with little fanfare and little success. However, something happened within two weeks of the pilot airing which gave NBC a reason to turn this pilot into a full-fledged series, albeit for just a smattering of episodes.

Episode 572--Baby Talk

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Here is another case of taking a successful movie and turning the general premise into a lackluster TV show. Though there is no connection between this show and Look Who's Talking, outside of slightly changed names, the similarities are there. Despite being called the worst show on TV in its first season, the show got a second season and remained bad.

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 82 - Blind Justice

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In the newest "Best of", we go back to Episode 82 when the gang covered this ABC drama from Steven Bochco from 2005 that was his big follow-up to "NYPD Blue".

It's about a NYC Police Detective who gets shot, he becomes blind, and he solves crimes! That's the show, everybody! But hey, it's the first episode we covered that has future show HoFer Rena Sofer in it! That counts for something, right? RIGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHTTTTTTTTTTTT?

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 17 - WWE SmackDown (07.25.02)

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 15:00:00 -0400

The newest episode of the SCTM looks at a big episode of Smack-Smack-Smack-Smack-Down! It's Stephanie McMahon's first episode as SmackDown GM, and she's booked a big show that features a Steel Cage-Steel Cage-Steel Cage Match between Edge and Chris Jericho-Jericho-Jericho.

Also, we got the WWE Debut of Rey Mysterio-Rey Mysterio-Rey Mysterio! And we got the SmackDown debut of The Next Big Thing-The Next Big Thing-The Next Big Thing, Brock Lesnar-Lesnar-Lesnar!

But can Stephanie face the specter of Raw GM Eric Bischoff hanging over her head as Eazy E tries to poach talent from her roster?

Episode 571--The Couch Potato Workout with Larry "Bud" Melman

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

104 years ago on July 23, one of our favorites, Calvert Deforest AKA Larry "Bud" Melman, was born. In honor of this milestone, we are watching a VHS release of a workout video for those who think Jazzercise is too strenuous. Sit back, grab your remote, as well as a cold one and your favorite snack for Larry "Bud" Melman's workout for couch potatoes.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 16 - WCW Great American Bash 1991

Sat, 19 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In the latest episode of The Squared Circle Time Machine, we look back at one of the worst pay-per-views of all time in the 1991 Great American Bash from WCW.

In this episode, we are joined by HypSports legend RickinBaltimore, who was at the Baltimore Arena in July of 1991, and we get his first-hand perspective on the crowd's reaction to Ric Flair leaving WCW and how they took their anger out during the entire show.

We also get some funny stuff, including the debut of Eric Bischoff in WCW, Kevin Nash as Oz, a Scaffold Match with capture the flag rules, and El Gigante coming out to the ring with four little people!

"WE WANT FLAIR! WE WANT FLAIR! WE WANT FLAIR!"

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 47 - The Kids Guide to the Internet

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In our latest "Best of" we go back to Episode 47 and look at an instructional VHS tape put out in 1997 called "The Kids Guide to the Internet". Take a look at what all the kids in 1997 were doing when putting a web search on Yahoo! All the kids in 1997 wanted to surf to MTV dot com, get their sports scores, write an e-mail to Bill Clinton and watch Mister Ed in a pixelated small QuickTime video surfing!

YOU'RE GOING SURFING ON THE INTERNET!

Episode 570–The 1981 MLB All-Star Game

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In 1981, Major League Baseball held its All-Star Game at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Early August following a players' strike which cancelled two months of the season. There was a lot of mystery surrounding the game and how the fans would react to the players upon returning to action. What we got at the 1981 MLB All-Star Game was a lot of exciting action, plus a cameo for Morgana: The Kissing Bandit!

It was also the first All-Star Game for several Hall of Famers, including Ozzie Smith and Andre Dawson. Enjoy as we look back on the 1981 MLB All-Star Game.

Episode 569--The Magnificent Marble Machine

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

One thing all three of us enjoy is a good game of pinball. With the 50th anniversary of this show happening earlier this week, it was a natural for us to cover this show. What may have looked good on paper was not, for reasons ranging from the machine often broke down to the physics which made traditional pinball fun were non-existent.

Episode 568--The Adventures of Superpup (1958 pilot)

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of the cinematic release of the new version of Superman, we look at a pilot that was sort of the spiritual successor to The Adventures of Superman, after its 6 season run. This is one of those pilots that makes you ask why, between the premise of the pilot, the creepy costumes, and the overall cheapness in quality. This time, we don't have a dog of a show for you. We have a superdog!

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 15 - Georgia Championship Wrestling (07.03.82)

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of the 4th of July, we take a look at the go-home show for Georgia Championship Wrestling on SuperStation WTBS, before their big 4th of July show at the Omni in Atlanta. In this episode, we get to see Tommy Rich, Don Muraco. Paul Orndorff, Ole Anderson and Stan Hansen among others.

We also get to see Gordon Solie conduct a face-to-face interview with NWA Champion Ric Flair and WWWF Champion Bob Backlund before their big Champion vs. Champion match at the Omni show.

As if that wasn't enough, Greg and Dane also have fun watching all the 1982 commercials during the show. Just be sure you don't have to call a different number in New Jersey when ordering.

This episode of Georgia Championship Wrestling is available to watch on YouTube thanks to the Retro Wrestling Archive at this link. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnIVfvwQSB8

Episode 567--Goodnight Beantown

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

This time, we look at another anomaly that got cancelled despite good ratings like Bridget Loves Bernie. Maybe CBS cooked Goodnight Beantown because the network wanted to go a different route on Sunday nights. Maybe a single mother having relations with her neighbor/co-worker was a bit too much. Maybe it's because the penultimate episode ruined sexual tension between the two main characters. There is no definitive answer in our research.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents: Before the Show VIII

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 21:00:00 -0400

In our newest edition of "Before the Show", we look at the Italian Bowl in Toledo and a hurdler having multiple wardrobe malfunctions in Segment 1.

Then, in Segment 2, we are joined by Chico as we discuss the lack of ticket sales of Hulk Hogan's Real American Wrestling at Cleveland State, along with an update on Greg's progress on "Knots Landing", before talking about the selection of movies on Bounce.

Episode 566--The Popcorn Kid

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Summer movie season is upon us. This installment, we look at a very short-lived comedy about an old time movie theater and its cast of high school-aged workers, specifically one employee who dreams of making it big in the movies one day. The show died a quick death, in part, because it aired, ironically, on a day when many people go to the movies.

Episode 565--Charles in Charge, Season 1

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

First-run syndication in the 1980s was a blessing for numerous sitcoms that might not have gotten a fair shake from the networks--Too Close for Comfort, Mama's Family, Out of This World. Charles in Charge had a similar fate. It didn't find enough eyes on CBS, but give it a year and a half, and it would become a comedy staple of the late 80s and early 90s. Alas, Jamie Widdoes did not make it to the successful syndicated run.

Episode 564--Temperatures Rising

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We celebrate the 99th anniversary of Paul Lynde's birth with this effort from the early 70s. (Lynde didn't join the cast until season 2.) Hospital hijinks happen with a wacky staff of nurses and orderlies working under a no-nonsense chief of staff. ABC must have had faith in the show, despite getting beaten in the ratings by multiple top 10 shows in its run.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 14 - WCW Monday Nitro 10.02.95

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of the late Steve "Mongo" McMichael and since the official WCW YouTube channel has posted some of the early Nitro's, Greg and Dane look at the fifth episode of WCW Monday Nitro from October of 1995.

We go over Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko being so amazing, Kevin Sullivan dressed as a women, Randy Savage's colorful outfits and the Dungeon of Doom shaving off the Hulkster's mustache, brother!

Get on a wild ride on The Squared Circle Time Machine.

Episode 563--Shangri-La Plaza

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Pilot Month 2025 comes to a conclusion with this entry about a shopping plaza whose occupants communicate primarily through song and dance. It sounds like Cop Rock (see Episode 450), but with significantly more singing and music. The open may give off a different sort of vibe. Regardless, this oddity is the perfect way to close up the pilot vault for a year.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 13 - AAA/IWC When Worlds Collide 1994

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

With AAA and WWE's NXT brand presenting "Worlds Collide" this week, we look at the last time AAA presented a PPV/PLE with that title, as in 1994, they partnered with IWC and WCW to present this PPV event.

Greg and Dane in this episode of "The Squared Circle Time Machine", talk about Minis, La Parka, Tito Santana still in his El Matador get-up, the greatness of Eddie Guerrero and Art Barr, and Konnan being a Mexican soap opera star?!

Announcement about the future of It Was a Thing on TV

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Mike has some announcements about the future of the podcast. (No, we're not ending, at least now.) We hope you embrace some of the forthcoming changes to the podcast.

Episode 562--Good Morning, Miss Bliss (pilot)

Thu, 29 May 2025 03:00:00 -0400

Before it was a single season wonder on The Disney Channel and way before it became a stalwart on NBC Saturday mornings as Saved by the Bell, Good Morning, Miss Bliss had an aired pilot in summer 1987, with a different focus compared to the later series and an entirely different cast of students, which is a who's who of known actors. A little retooling, then a little more retooling after the Disney era, and you got a beloved part of the childhoods of most every current 40-something.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 12 - WWF World Tour 1990

Tue, 27 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Greg and Dane travel the world from New York to London to Paris to Tokyo on this old WWF Coliseum Video VHS, which was recently uploaded to the WWE Vault YouTube channel.

We'll see Bret Hart face Dino Bravo, Hulk Hogan face Randy Savage in Paris, and see TEMU Jewel Staite in a pink wig?

NOTE: We recorded this episode last Tuesday before AEW Double or Nothing 2025, so for fun, hear our thoughts about how we thought the card was gonna go in the current wrestling discussion at the start.

Episode 561--Escapade

Mon, 26 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

One of the more successful imports in the 60s and 70s was The Avengers. An American version was bound to happen, and it did from the genius that was Quinn Martin. The leads were played by a name mentioned on this podcast a bit the last few weeks, Granville Van Dusen, and Morgan Fairchild. CBS took a pass, but the Avengers franchise (non-MCU version) lives on to this day.

Episode 560--Every Guest Star on Hotel

Sat, 24 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

A couple of years ago, we did an episode about all the guest stars who appeared on "The Love Boat". For Greg's "Money in the Bank", we look at all the guest stars who appeared on Aaron Spelling's other show that featured a variety of guest stars in "Hotel".

In this episode we encounter some old podcast favorites and discover some potential new ones! Take a visit to the St. Gregory's in San Francisco as we go through the entire guest list on "Hotel".

Live Show 53–Meet the Deedles

Thu, 22 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Back when we reviewed "Throb" last year, Greg and Chico were reminded of this movie a pre-Fast and the Furious Paul Walker did back in 1998. Two loser surf brothers from Hawaii are sent by their father to Yellowstone, where they are mistaken for park rangers and have to do battle with a paranoid Dennis Hopper doing weird Dennis Hopper things.

We probably think this is the first time in Disney+ history that more than one person watched this movie at one time.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 11 - The WWF SmackDown Pilot

Tue, 20 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In 1999, the World Wrestling Federation and UPN teamed up to give us a network special that would become a regular series later in the fall with WWF SmackDown!

Greg and Dane discuss the newly turned face Rock, the Corporate Ministry, X-Pac and Kane, the black wedding with Stephanie, and so so much more. Listen to this episode because later it will be forbidden by The Undertaker, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Episode 559--Herndon and Me

Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In 1983, as Laverne and Shirley came to an end and as Happy Days was wrapping up its run, Garry Marshall came up with this series about high school friends, one of whom became a computer millionaire and the other becoming his assistant. The show came across as more of a showcase of Michael Richards' brand of physical comedy than anything else. The best part of this pilot was the ads before and throughout the show.

Minisode 35--The 1985 NBA Draft Lottery

Sat, 17 May 2025 15:35:54 -0400

This week, 40 years ago, the NBA held the first-ever draft lottery in New York City. The seven non-playoff teams from the 1984-85 NBA season watched to see if their team would end up with the services of Georgetown's Patrick Ewing.

However, even 40 years later, controversy continues around this event. Did the NBA happen to rig the draft so that the team in the country's largest market could end up with Ewing? Also, we look at how one of the teams that missed out on Ewing ended up scoring big later in the '85 Draft.

Episode 558--Star Words

Thu, 15 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The year is 1983. Game shows are rebounding after going through a tough spell from 1980 through 1982. Nipsey Russell, a friend of the genre, is in a period of hosting different shows from different genres. Why not give Nipsey a crack at a game show? CBS and Mark Goodson Productions did just that with at least 3 pilots. Unfortunately for Nipsey but fortunately for passionate game show fans, it appears that CBS passed on Star Words, and opted for one of the most popular games in history, Press Your Luck.

Episode 557--The Saint in Manhattan

Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

25 years after The Saint with Roger Moore first appeared on television, an attempt at a revival was made. As you might imagine since this is pilot month, the reboot was unsuccessful. It was the first pilot ever shown on CBS's Summer Playhouse series. Despite not making past the pilot stage, the show received an overwhelmingly positive review from the home audience.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 10 - WWF In Your House I

Sun, 11 May 2025 12:00:00 -0400

In honor of Mother's Day, Greg and Dane go back 30 years to when the WWF on Mother's Day held the first of a series of budget PPV's. Not only that but the WWF as part of the lead-up to the show advertised that they were giving away a house in Florida to one lucky fan! Make sure Dok Hendrix gets a tee time at the golf course because remember It's Live Pal!

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 22 - Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time

Sat, 10 May 2025 14:40:45 -0400

With the new season of Doctor Who happening right now on Disney+ and the BBC, we look back at one of our earliest episodes in 2020 when we looked at when Doctor Who did a special crossover with EastEnders in honor of the 30th Anniversary of Doctor Who. Also, Noel Edmonds is involved for some reason.

Episode 556--Rex is Not Your Lawyer

Thu, 08 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Pilot month resumes with this entry about a lawyer who has a habit of having panic attacks while litigating cases. The cast was loaded. It had potential. Unfortunately, beyond panic attacks, this show had an identity crisis and did not make NBC's fall schedule in 2010.

Episode 555--Ewoks and Droids Adventure Hour

Mon, 05 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Yesterday, May the Fourth have been with you. Because of the unofficial holiday, this installment will cover a facet of the Star Trek universe. (How many of you checked out after that intentional faux pas?) The Ewoks were the breakout stars of the 3rd released movie of the Star Wars franchise, while droids were a big part of the series from the start. Combine the two in separate Saturday morning cartoon franchises, and that means kids will want the toys, adding gobs of money into several coffers. The cartoons themselves? Typical disposable Saturday morning fare.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 9 - Paul Bearer's Hits from the Crypt

Sat, 03 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In the newest edition of "The Squared Circle Time Machine" Greg and Dane return to an old WWF Coliseum Home Video recently uploaded onto the WWE Vault YouTube channel. Paul Bearer in this VHS tape selects some of his favorite matches while giving us a tour of an old theater where he and The Undertaker hang out. Also, we get Stan Lane and Gorilla Monsoon not giving two f**ks who's watching this tape!

Episode 554--In the Lion's Den (1987 pilot)

Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

It's the start of our annual Pilot Month and we're starting off with a pilot two of the three of us didn't see much of, so one of us took one for the team. There's a kids show with a lion puppet and Marcia Gay Harden is involved. That's about all we cared for. It was a CBS Summer Playhouse entry, so it was earmarked for failure. We promise it gets better from here.

The ”It Was a Thing on TV” Hall of Fame Class of 2025

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 09:22:35 -0400

It's our fourth annual Hall of Fame class here at "It Was a Thing on TV" and we induct 17 worthy inclusions to our Hall. They include a non-human, a former James Bond, and someone who wants to know what was in that danish.

Episode 553-Shell Game

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

None of us take responsibility for selecting this show and putting it on our schedule, which must say how bad this show is. Two ex-cons produce a TV show about protecting people from scams, which makes sense; who'd know more about the scamming business than two reformed ex-cons? This show's shelf life was very short and for obvious reasons. At least a young Marg Helgenberger is in this.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 8 - WWF WrestleMania IX

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

With WrestleMania in Las Vegas this weekend, Greg and Dane look at the last Mania held in Vegas in WrestleMania IX from Caesar's Palace! It's a double main event with the Hulkster returning with Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake to face Money Inc. for the WWF Tag Titles and Bret Hart defending the WWF World Title against Yokozuna!

Also, we ask ourselves were there two Doink's? How did Hogan get that black eye? What the hell was that body suit for Giant Gonzalez about? Get ready to put your money dance on and put on a Toga for WrestleMania IX on The Squared Circle Time Machine!

Episode 552--Exposed! Pro Wrestling's Greatest Secrets

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

At the height of the professional wrestling boom in the late 1990's, NBC aired a special "exposing" the "secrets" of the industry. Did you know in wrestling, there are good guys and bad guys, and that a guy arranges who wins and who loses? No? Did you also know that signs are planted and given to fans, and that a stunt granny gets pushed by one of the wrestlers every night? Prepare to blow your mind as Greg and Chico discover the secrets!

Episode 551--David Cassidy: Man Undercover

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The 70s were a heck of a time. Anybody could get their own variety series and a pretty boy teen idol from earlier in the decade could play a undercover cop? Keith Partridge himself was the lead in this series, a complete 180 to singing and playing the guitar not 5 years prior. Ultimately, this cop show was handily defeated by another cop show, one which aired for most of that decade.

Live Show 52–Dorf Da Bingo King

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

A couple of years ago, on a Live Show, we watched Tim Conway, in one of the many Dorf VHS tapes, play Baseball. Now, in our latest Live Show, we see him try to teach us how to play Bingo. Is this one of the most painful things we've ever had to sit through? Get your dabbers ready as we watch Dorf Da Bingo King!

Here's a link to download or watch the program if you want to follow along via archive.org - https://archive.org/details/vintage-vhs-dorf-da-bingo-king

Episode 550--Coy and Vance Duke

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 03:00:00 -0400

As you surely know, the occasional personnel change on a TV show occurs for various reasons, ranging from health issues and death to just going in a different direction. In 1982, one of television's most popular shows, The Dukes of Hazzard, experienced such a change over salary issues. Out were the popular Bo and Luke Duke, in were Coy and Vance for a lackluster season, before Bo and Luke returned.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 7 - WWA Inception/WWA Revolution

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In late 2001, Australian promoter Andrew McManus tried to capitalize on the lack of a strong number two promotion in pro wrestling after the death of WCW with World Wrestling All-Stars.

Greg and Dane look at the first pay-per-views from this short-lived promotion, where they discuss Mark Madden's bad commentary, Norman Smiley being awesome, Bret Hart refusing to have Montreal Part II on his watch, Puppet, and, of course, REVOLUTIONAH! REVOLUTIONAH! REVOLUTIONAH! REVOLUTIONAH!

Episode 549--Bay City Blues

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

We are a week into the 2025 baseball season. We chose this very short-lived series from 1983 about minor league baseball as our tribute to America's Pastime. This series featured an amazing 20 people who appeared on every episode, covering all the bases from the players, the coaches, their partners, and even the mascot. As one might guess with an entry on this podcast, the series got benched after a brief period of time.

Live Show 51–The UFL 2025 Season Opener

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 00:08:49 -0400

The United Football League kicked off the 2025 season in Houston on Friday as the Houston Roughnecks hosted the St. Louis Battlehawks. In this live show we look at what notable names are in the UFL this season along with some discussion about NCAA March Madness and Opening Day in MLB.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 6 - GCW (Georgia) Atlanta Omni House Show 02.26.84

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 16:30:45 -0400

Thanks to the WWE Vault YouTube Channel, Greg and Dane look at this early 1984 Georgia Championship Wrestling House Show from The Omni in Atlanta that was recently unearthed.

Among some of the discussion, differences in wrestling crowds then compared to now, Tommy Rich in a mask, Referee Gary Ewing, the greatness of Brad Armstrong and King Kong Bundy as a babyface?

You can watch the full show on YouTube at this link. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B-jsn9tXGg

Episode 548--Eisenhower & Lutz

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 03:00:00 -0400

Some shows age like a fine wine. Others age like bad milk. This show falls under the latter, a show which would never see the light of day in 2025 but did get 13 episodes in 1988. Scott Bakula stars in this series as a new hotshot lawyer who has a way with the ladies, a year before Bakula would hit it real big. In true 1988 "don't give a darn" fashion, there was enough misogyny and quasi-racism to go around.

Episode 547--$h*! My Dad Says

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The 21st century has brought new forms of inspiration for TV shows. This show is an example of that, taking one social media user's rants about his father as the basis of a comedy series. In what we believe is beautiful casting, the father is played by William Shatner, whose 94th birthday is coming this Saturday. With the Shat, you never know what $h*! he may say.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 5 - The Twisted Mind of Mr. Bob Backlund

Sat, 15 Mar 2025 00:21:15 -0400

Greg and Dane, in Episode 5 of The Squared Circle Time Machine, do a deep psychological dive into their favorite maniac, Mr. Bob Backlund, who has never eaten Mary Jane!

They go back to 1982 when Superstar Billy Graham destroyed his WWF championship belt to his loss to Sheiky Baby in '83 to him holding a cardboard championship belt to cope with his loss and finally to the events after he snapped when he lost to Bret Hart in 1994.

Enjoy as we explore The Twisted Mind of Mr. Bob Backlund!

Episode 546--All American Ultra Quiz

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Our second and last entry into our annual foray into shows that were lost in translation takes us to this Japanese import, where a show that started with almost 1000 competitors whittled the competition until one person survived, all while traveling around the world. Sounds sort of like contemporary shows Beast Games or Squid Game? Nope. Over 4 decades ago, Ultra Quiz was the biggest game in Japan. Naturally, an American version followed. After one attempt and two shows, the extravagant American version was grounded.

Episode 545--Amanda's (by the Sea)

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

It's Lost in Translation time on the podcast! To start, we look at the second attempt to Americanize the classic British comedy Fawlty Towers, but with Bea Arthur as the lead. It followed a stinker of a show. (Condo, see episode 79.) However, it also was up against one of the most popular series of the 1980s. Despite being evicted after 13 episodes, that number is still more than the number of episodes of Fawlty Towers.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents: Before the Show VII

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 13:07:31 -0400

In the newest edition of Before the Show, Greg and Mike discuss the shocking heel turn of an invisible man at the WWE Elimination Chamber PLE last week in Toronto. Mike also talks about the recently released Cheers trading card set from Rittenhouse.

Then Chico joins us for Segment 2 where they discuss the Sun Belt Gauntlet, Doug Gottlieb's Reign of Error in Green Bay, and the recent passing of George Lowe the voice of Space Ghost before they preview what's to come this week on the podcast.

Download this or Dwayne will threaten to take our souls!

The Squared Circle Time Machine - Episode 4 - WCW Uncensored 1995

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of this PPV, Greg and Dane are bringing you an unauthorized, unsanctioned, and UNCENSORED episode! WCW Uncensored 1995 is a show that has it all! It has a King of the Road match that transcends space and time! A Martial Arts Match! A Boxer vs. Wrestler Match! A Concession Stand Brawl! And most importantly Ric Flair in drag!

Get the leather strap ready and prepare for an episode of The Squared Circle Time Machine like no other!

Episode 544--The Episode of Murder, She Wrote with Bryan Cranston and Linda Hamilton

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Our celebration of Bryan Cranston’s nice birthday continues with a tennis match gone wrong, Linda Hamilton with a frank & vivid illustration of the state of mental health in the mid-1980s, and in the middle of it all? Mystery writer and reluctant true-crime aficionado Jessica Fletcher. It’s one of his three appearances on Murder, She Wrote. Can she solve the mystery before another car blows?

Episode 543--The Episode of Airwolf with Bryan Cranston

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In honor of a very nice birthday coming up for Bryan Cranston we honor two guest appearances this week that he did early in his acting career. The first is a 1986 episode of "Airwolf" in a villain of the week turn in which he confronts his ex-girlfriend at a sorority reunion on the Queen Mary! Can the Airwolf crew manage to save the day?

In this and the next episode with Mike away, Greg and Chico are joined by an alternate this week in Aaron Sica as he shares his reaction to watching an episode of "Airwolf" for the first time.

You can watch this episode of "Airwolf" for free on the Roku Channel at the following link. - https://therokuchannel.roku.com/watch/c06ccc7c174151a6830c05c8839bde70

Episode 542--Sledge Hammer!

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

This coming Monday, Mike is celebrating his birthday (the big 5-0) and he chose this as his Money in the Bank pick, a cult classic about a police inspector with a hair trigger temper, as well as a hair trigger on his very large Magnum gun. It was good enough to squeak by for two seasons. As for this selection, trust Mike. He knows what he's doing.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 3 - WWF St. Valentine's Day Massacre

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:26:53 -0500

With love having recently been in the air Greg and Dane go back to 1999 and head to MEMAPHIS TENANASEE! for WWF St. Valentine's Day Massacre as Stone Cold and Mr. McMahon battle in a steel cage match for the WrestleMania XV title shot.

Among some of the things discussed are Ken Shamrock's beef with Val Venis over his sister, the birth of Hardcore Holly, Corporation vs. Ministry shenanigans, and Ivory with that damn scarf.

Episode 541--When Things Were Rotten Revisited

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

We first talked about this series 472 episodes ago. (Do the math.) We felt it was worth a revisit since it can now be seen every Saturday night on Catchy Comedy.

In short, this show is the beta version of Robin Hood: Men in Tights, also from the brilliant mind of Mel Brooks. It couldn't be too bad since it has rerun on A&E, TV Land, Decades, and now Catchy Comedy. Thus, When Things Were Rotten is hardly a thing that is rotten.

Episode 540--On Our Own (1994)

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In a podcast first, we found a premise so flimsy that it almost broke the three of us...and this was deemed as okay to air during the family hour (and later on TGIF) on ABC?! This was a vehicle for the Smolletts, six kids in all, including that one. The less said about this train wreck, the better.

Episode 539--Lime Street

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

As a belated tribute to Robert Wagner's 85th birthday, this installment covers a show which ran for a short period of time on ABC, and later shown in full on Lifetime. Beyond the regular struggles involving viewership, Lime Street also suffered a tragedy involving one of the cast members before debuting, unrelated to the show itself.

Episode 538--Me and the Boys

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Steve Harvey’s a big deal nowadays, but even he had humble beginnings. Take this story of Steve as a widower balancing a 90s video store & three boys with the help of his mother-in-law. Entertaining as it was, time slots were not kind for “Me and the Boys”

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 2 - The First NWA-TNA PPV from 2002

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 20:27:07 -0500

Greg and Dane return for Episode 2 of The Squared Circle Time Machine where they look back at the birth of TNA when it was part of the National Wrestling Alliance back in 2002 with their first weekly Pay-Per-View.

Among the topics discussed Jeff Jarrett, Scott Hall, Jackie Fargo, Don West, Flying Elvises and a pair of Wrestling Johnson's. But please make sure we don't forget about Konnan!

Episode 537--The New Odd Couple

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

As we have said time and time again, a good format for a TV show never really dies, it goes away for a time and returns with a new twist. In this case, the timeless Neil Simon play The Odd Couple went from the Broadway stage to the big screen, then to the small screen with Tony Randall and Jack Klugman. Less than a decade later, it returned in this form, with Ron Glass and Demond Wilson playing the lead roles.

Minisode 34–The Silent Minute at Super Bowl XX

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Before you gear up to watch the seemingly twenty-hour pregame show on "Super Sunday" we look back to 1986 when NBC decided to kill some time during the pregame of Super Bowl XX by literally showing nothing but a black screen for an entire minute!

Episode 536--The World Football League

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Our lead-up to "The Big Game" continues with this look at a mid-70s competitor to the NFL, a league which actually got big names to join its league. Like start-up competitors from the past and the future, the league had a very short life for a number of reasons, one of which is not the dickerod.

Episode 535--The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

"The Big Game" is coming up this Sunday. By coincidence, this installment is about a Disney made-for-TV movie centered around one of this year's "Big Game" participants, the Philadelphia Eagles. What happens when Tony Danza goes from being a garbageman to the team's place kicker? It's an ending only Hollywood could write in more ways than one.

The Squared Circle Time Machine: Episode 1 - The First Five WWF Royal Rumble's (1988-1992)

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 01:44:58 -0500

Greg and Dane are back with the first episode of their new wrestling podcast "The Squared Circle Time Machine" here on the IWATOTV Podcast feed. Greg and Dane look back at the first five Royal Rumble's and share some of their favorite memories including Ric Flair's epic title win in '92, Demolition going one-on-one to start the '89 Rumble, and lots and lots of stalling at the early Rumble's!

Just don't forget to put that cigarette out!

Episode 534--To Tell the Truth, 1990 version

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

It's hard to keep a good format down. A decade after the Robin Ward-helmed version of To Tell the Truth (see episode 139 for more), the show returned with a mix of old and new panelists, the tried-and-true format, but also a total of five hosts, including the pilots. A formidable reboot lasted 3/4 of a year in a time when game shows as a whole were a dying breed.

Episode 533--Mega Man: The Animated Series

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Arcade games exploded onto the scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with several shows, animated or otherwise, airing on TV. Jump ahead to the 1990s and video games left the arcade, going to living rooms everywhere. One popular franchise, still popular to this day, was and is Mega Man, which had an animated show from the masters of adapting video games to television, Ruby-Spears, the minds behind cartoons like Pac-Man, Saturday Supercade, and Dragon's Lair.

Episode 532--Chicken Soup

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

The show covered in this episode shares many of the same traits as episode 531, Bridget Loves Bernie--the trials and tribulations of an interfaith couple, the good ratings, but also the swift cancellation. Social mores changed quite a bit from 1972 to 1989, meaning this show didn't get the criticism from religious leaders. What happened? You'll have to dive into this heaping serving of Chicken Soup to find out.

Episode 531--Bridget Loves Bernie

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 18:00:00 -0500

Falling in love and becoming a couple have long been a staple of television series. In 1972, CBS, after the overwhelming success of a controversial sitcom in All in the Family, added this show, another controversial entry which was about an interfaith relationship. Despite superb ratings, the series lasted one year due to said controversy.

Episode 530--Team Knight Rider

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Chico's birthday is coming up and he chose this as his Money in the Bank. In 1982, NBC had an upstart sci-fi drama starring David Hasselhoff and a talking car. Fast forward 15 years and the franchise now had quintuple the vehicles, with quintuple the drivers. Do more talking cars mean more success? (We're covering it. There's your answer.)

Minisode 33--The Many Formats of the Chain Reaction (1980) bonus game

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Today, January 14, marks 45 years since the premiere of the original Chain Reaction on NBC. In honor of this anniversary, we look at the many (three) bonus rounds from this series which ran 5 months, where Fred Grandy once declared, "Ten bucks!"

Episode 529--The Reel to Reel Picture Show

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In our previous episode, episode 528, we covered one of the first shows on a new network, The WB. This time, we're covering one of the first shows on PAX in 1998, an adaptation of a Canadian board game about movies. The whole production had one major issue, one which led to the show's demise just over a month after its premiere.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents (01.12.25)

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 12:58:55 -0500

There were a lot of things happening with the wrestling on TV that Greg wanted to do an It Was a Thing on TV Presents to discuss them. But for this edition of presents, Greg brought along a guest as his pal Dane Woychuk comes on to talk about RAW on Netflix, NJPW Wrestle Kingdom, TNA's improved TV coverage in Canada, and AEW being AEW.

Episode 528--Muscle

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

When The WB started out, it had two hours on Wednesday night with three funny favorites, but there was a need for a fourth comedy. It needed something the pushed boundaries but also felt familiar. It needed something with gags and a storyline. The WB muscled up to the plate with this 13 episode and done wonder.

Episode 527--The Charmings

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Once upon a time, a television network aired a show about Snow White and Prince Charming living in comtemporary times, complete with a family and a magic mirror. Alas, the enemy in this fairy tale come true was the counter-programming and the absurd premise. After about a year, the show bit the poison apple and was sent to television heaven. The end.

It Was a Thing on TV Outtakes: The Gang Looks at Lookwell's Ratings

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 01:01:07 -0500

Since we'll briefly mention Adam West in our upcoming episode on Thursday, we figured we'd post this outtake from when we covered Lookwell in Episode 55. Needless to say, Greg struggles to try and figure out what the hell FOX was airing in 1991.

Episode 526--C.P.O. Sharkey

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 01:00:00 -0500

The military has long been a staple of comedic television, see The Phil Silvers Show, McHale's Navy, and M*A*S*H. In late 1976, NBC joined the fray with an insulting, caustic chief petty officer running the ship, portrayed by the most insulting and most caustic comedian playing the role.

Episode 525--The 2024 Year in Review, Part 2

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 18:00:00 -0500

We put a bow on the year 2024 with a look back at the shows which ended this year, as well as those we lost in 2024. Party on and have a great 2025!

Episode 525--The 2024 Year in Review, Part 1

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

As we do every year between Christmas and New Year's, the three of us look at the news and happenings of the previous 12 months. This first installment covers The Worst of 2024, the big television happenings over the last 12 months, and our favorite programs which debuted in the past year.

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--The 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl Post Game

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:23:20 -0500

The 2nd Annual Pop-Tarts Bowl saw Iowa State defeat Miami in the last few moments but the real fun was just beginning. Game MVP Rocco Becht had to choose which three of the Pop-Tarts Bowl mascots would be cooked to be eaten. Mike and Greg came on following the game to give their live reaction to the cooking along with providing play-by-play to the end of the Bengals/Broncos game. Remember "FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!"

Episode 524–A Very Merry Mix-Up

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 12:00:00 -0500

For the first time on the podcast, we look at a Hallmark Christmas movie. In this 2013 TV movie, Alicia Witt plays an NYC store owner who gets proposed to by the man of her dreams but when she's sent to the airport by herself to meet her family a series of accidents happen and hilarity ensues. Will she find love with the man she believes is her brother or will she stay with the snooty rich fiancee? I think you already know the answer to that question. Merry Christmas everybody!

Episode 523--Game Boy commercials

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

We're a few days away from Christmas and we thought it would be appropriate and timely to look at commercials for the must-have gift of 1989, an item celebrating its 35th birthday this year--the Nintendo Game Boy.

Here are the commercials in this episode, with links:

Original GameBoy with Tetris - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-ej_8XBwmI
Super GameBoy - https://youtu.be/50qlX1kF2Vc
Donkey Kong - https://youtu.be/s4dinHwO2nU
Super Mario Land - https://youtu.be/yyZ65k3vpSU
Tetris/Qix - https://youtu.be/VeLixGKaij4
F1 Race with 4-Player Adapter (1991) - https://youtu.be/_PJZ6HipNxg
Original GameBoy Commercial from Japan, Part 1 - https://youtu.be/Pe6tW69QAeQ
Part 2 - https://youtu.be/UkOk_E_3J0E
Super Mario Land/F1 Race/Tetris/Dr. Mario - https://youtu.be/6CgGwNJxhHs
Have You Had Your Fun Today? - https://youtu.be/dDXJCf29cSE
Kirby’s Dream Land - https://youtu.be/_Z8ECstDtQg
Super Mario Land 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZm5cXRShO4
Game Genie - https://youtu.be/osJkdIWgBFI
Yoshi - https://youtu.be/4ezEh-GP8do
Spot/7up - https://youtu.be/HldFL4445WI
Zelda: Link’s Awakening - https://youtu.be/w4mdmeMuYo4
Super Game Boy with The Wu-Tang Clan - https://youtu.be/9sfiTMybZTs
Dr. Mario - https://youtu.be/vS4RIOFhyL4
Japanese Kirby Pinball Land - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzi9rWVo4so
Mario’s Picross - https://youtu.be/9DXjZ6UJpKk
Kirby Block Ball - https://youtu.be/xuK7xLJW--k
Pocket Monsters Red & Green - https://youtu.be/z4JeRKo3Rr4
Pokemon Red & Blue - https://youtu.be/qzAo9HzOgtQ
Game Boy Camera - https://youtu.be/gYjU5nE9SbE
Castlevania Adventure - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjrFq2z9PXE

Minisode 32--The Folgers brother and sister commercial from 2009

Sun, 22 Dec 2024 18:38:11 -0500

In what is a first, we present our first instant minisode. Chico was sent a video of a creepy Folgers commercial from 15 years ago. After bringing it to everybody's attention, a decision was made to cover this immediately, instead of waiting until Christmas 2025. Who knew the addition of one word could turn this commercial from heartwarming to creepy?

Episode 522--Family Affair (2002)

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

We have seen this time and time again--a network reboots a series which ran for a considerable amount of time, only for it to flop badly. This time, the victim is Family Affair, which The WB felt was worthy of rebooting over 30 years after the original show ended. Against tough competition, this version quietly whimpered away after a half year.

Episode 521--My Mother the Car

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

It took over 500 episodes, but we are finally talking about what many consider to be the worst television show of all-time. A man's deceased mother gets reincarnated into a 1928 automobile, communicating with her son through the radio. That's the premise. Jerry Van Dyke passed up being Gilligan for this. If all the above isn't unbelieveable enough, one of the world's biggest entertainers did a cover version of the theme song.

Episode 520--Flo

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

We gave you three selections in our Viewer's Choice vote, and this is the show that came out on top. We have another spinoff show from a popular parent show. Also, we have another spinoff show that got amazing ratings in its premiere season, which fell off in the second and final season. In early 1980, audiences were flocking to see Flo. By 1981, audiences were telling it to kiss their grits.

Episode 519--The Trading Card Show, Volume 2

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Years ago, we did our first installment on TV-themed trading cards, focusing mainly on cards from the past. With the resurgence in the popularity of trading cards, we decided to do a second volume, focusing on trading cards, specifically those over the last decade. Some of the biggest franchises offer cards, so you can own a piece of those shows or an autograph of one of the stars.

Episode 518--Harper Valley PTA

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In 1968, the song Harper Valley PTA was a number one hit for Jeannie C. Riley. In 1978, the song was the inspiration for a movie with the same title, starring Barbara Eden. Three years later, this show came into being with Eden at the helm, about the battles Eden's character had with the PTA of a fictional Ohio town called Harper Valley.

Episode 517--Doctor Doctor

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The year is 1989 and the Max Headroom fad, for the most part, has come and gone. Next up for Matt Frewer is a comedy where laughter is sometimes the best medicine. Doctor Doctor ran two abbreviated seasons, followed by a full final season. The show tackled some very sensitive yet timely topics during its run including AIDS and homophobia, but went away quietly after a ratings nosedive.

Episode 516--The 1981 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Happy Thanksgiving! (For those outside of the United States, happy Thursday.) For this holiday, we jump back 43 years to 1981. What was the hotness that year? A version of Strawberry Shortcake which was reminiscent to the technology used in Malcolm, for one. The video game surge started, though it wasn't represented in the parade. As you prepare to do Black Friday shopping, remember to go to the AT&T phone store and get a Garfield phone.

Episode 515--The 1988 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

As we do around these parts for Thanksgiving, we look at at least one Thanksgiving Day parade. This time, we go back to 1988, to see what were the big shows on Broadway, to see what TV stars would appear on floats, to see what the big gifts of 1988 were, to see what headwear Willard Scott was donning, and to see the grand ending of the parade--Santa Claus!

Episode 514--The Max Headroom Incident

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In 1987, the signals of both WGN and WTTV in Chicago were overtaken by two brief unknown signals, both showing an unknown figure wearing a Max Headroom mask. To this day, there are more answers than questions about these incidents: Who did this? How did they do it? Why did they do it? To this day, these brief interruptions remain one of the biggest mysteries to occur on U.S. broadcast television.

WMAQ Max Headroom Prank on Mark Giangreco - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KePTSntPRtM

Episode 513--Max Headroom

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

One of the biggest pop culture sensations in the 1980s was an omnipresent personality for the computer generation named Max Headroom. Not only was Max Headroom a talk show host, a soda pitchman, and visible on different mediums in the latter half of the 80s, but this phenomenon even got a scripted television show which ran over two seasons, a show about a post-apocalyptic dystopia reminiscent of 1984.

Episode 512--Dan August

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

As listeners may know, we love our Quinn Martin-produced shows. In this episode, we go back to one of his earliest crime drama efforts, with a lead who would be the biggest movie star by the end of the 1970s. Dan August had all the hallmarks of a great series, but there was one key item missing--viewership. Come for Burt Reynolds and non-comedic Norman Fell, stay for an astounding number of quality guest stars.

Episode 511--A Man Called Sloane

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

James Bond was probably at its most popular in the late 1970s. NBC, seeing an opportunity to right the ship after many unsuccessful shows to end the decade, jumped on the Bondian spy bandwagon with A Man Called Sloane which, like the Bond movies, had numerous attractive females, working both for the good guys and the bad ones. What had promise quickly bottomed out in the ratings, making this a 3-month wonder.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents: Mike Rips 2024 Allen and Ginter

Sat, 02 Nov 2024 14:01:52 -0400

As faithful listeners may know, Greg and Mike enjoy their trading cards. Greg has opened junk wax packs in the past. Mike prefers more recent (and more expensive) cards. This week, Mike's favorite series, Allen and Ginter, dropped its 2024 series of cards, which contain not just athletes, but celebrities and oddball subsets. Enjoy as Mike rips open a 24-pack hobby box of the 2024 Allen and Ginter series.

Episode 510--Nearly Departed

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Today is Halloween, and to commemorate the event, we went back to a very short-lived show. Even nowadays, there have been shows where ghosts inhabit a house but can only be seen by select individuals. NBC tried this in 1989 with Eric Idle. Within a month, Nearly Departed was wholly departed from the network.

Episode 509--Throb

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The late 80s was an era where the syndicated sitcom ruled the airwaves, primarily on FOX and independent affiliates, also primarily on the weekends. One such show starred podcast favorite Diana Canova, a single mother who worked at a record label. Despite being on the air for two seasons, very little of this show exists online. Maybe viewers didn't have the heart to record and retain Throb?

Episode 508--Kojak (2005)

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Over the years, we have talked about revivals and sequels, which are almost never as successful or popular as the original. This is another case of that. Update a beloved franchise without any of its original cast and give that show an undesirable time slot, and it is bound to fail quickly. After less than a dozen episodes, this update of Kojak enjoyed its last lollipop, quickly going to dustbin of bad TV updates.

Episode 507--Me and the Chimp

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In this installment, we look at another show which was rated as one of the worst shows of all-time. Was Me and the Chimp justifiably the 46th worst show ever? Maybe if audiences went bananas over the ridiculous plot, we wouldn't be talking about this show almost 53 years later.

Episode 506--Blackout

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Daytime games in the 80s were a strength of NBC. CBS had a stable roster of shows, though the block was only two hours compared to three at NBC. For some reason, CBS canceled the venerable $25,000 Pyramid for this show. This show did not live up to expectations, so much so that its replacement was the same show it replaced.

Episode 505--Beverly Hills Buntz

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

NBC tried spinning off one of its most successful shows from the 80s, the drama Hill Street Blues, into a comedy/drama Beverly Hills Buntz. The first episode brought great ratings, but that was thanks to a cushy time slot. Naturally, the audience didn't carry over after moving to a not-so-cushy time slot and the show ended with 4 episodes still in the can.

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--Greg Opens Junk Wax, Volume 2

Sat, 12 Oct 2024 13:17:21 -0400

In celebration of the Mets reaching the NLCS, Greg decides to open some of his junk wax packs to share with Mike and Chico. Enjoy the talk about Tom Candiotti, Todd Zeile and Glenn Braggs.

Episode 504--The Ropers Revisited

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

It's time for another Revisited episode. This time, we're looking at a show that, in recent months, has appeared on-demand and airs with regularity on a FAST channel. We're checking in again with The Ropers and questioning whether it truly is one of the 50 worst shows in TV history. You be the judge, but we think it does not deserve that moniker.

Episode 503--Partridge Family 2200 AD

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Numerous successful scripted television shows made their way to Saturday mornings in the mid-70s, like I Dream of Jeannie, Gilligan's Island, and Star Trek. The Partridge Family got the same treatment in 1974, but with a catch--it's set over 200 years in the future. Also, some key components in the Partridge Family universe were missing. If you see the show image, it looks awfully similar to a venerable Hanna-Barbera series, and for good reason.

It Was a Thing on TV Delayed Reaction--The Mets Wild Week in Atlanta & Milwaukee

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 12:00:00 -0400

The New York Mets had a nutty last week and a half going from Atlanta to Milwaukee to Atlanta to Milwaukee as they clinched in a playoff spot in dramatic fashion on the last day of the regular season and advanced to the NLDS in a thrilling three-game Wild Card round.

Greg shares with Mike in this delayed reaction his thoughts regarding the week that was and at the end, they look at the upcoming Division Series match-ups.

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 72–Go

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 00:00:54 -0400

Thursday, October 3rd marked the 41st Anniversary of the premiere of the short-lived 1983-84 NBC game show "Go" from Bob Stewart Productions. To mark the occasion this edition of "The Best of It Was a Thing on TV" goes back to Episode 72 when we discussed it back in the Summer of 2020.

Episode 502--Hometown Commercials, Volume 5

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

We're back with another batch of goofy and bizarre hometown commercials.

Here is the line-up for this installment of Hometown Commercials:

Unique Creations: https://youtu.be/9T_GZeZyYqU
Shift It: https://youtu.be/1gYE5TyijxE
West Palm Loan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XHUGEVMa8I
Zachary’s Night Club: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvyS8dY2kQA
Beacon Plumbing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M2F4-QRUdw
Reckon and Reckon Plumbing: https://youtu.be/HS7yCO9_h_E
Lowell “The Hammer” Stanley: https://youtu.be/lF7FhuhyA8c
Bryan Wilson, The Texas Law Hawk: https://youtu.be/HL3MxAH-kDI
Pete Ellis Ford: https://youtu.be/J3Ezn8eLfm8
Fast Eddy: https://youtu.be/9nyS-B7_MyY
Paolini’s Pizza: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edPBN4GghvY
Stewart Olds Nissan Suzuki: https://youtu.be/otGuj7Z73bg
Comet Burgers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBSCrOa-aUM
China Star: https://youtu.be/Ez0jnbeOe_I
Frankie & Johnny’s: https://youtu.be/XI7jC57GuZM
N.Y. Men’s Clothing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usAzhVErnEg
Lincoln Carpeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch
Excalibur Sports: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3IqqycBy-o

Episode 501--Today's FBI

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The FBI was a stalwart on ABC's line-up from 1965 through 1974. The network kicked the tires on a new, updated version of their venerable classic in 1981 with this show, which featured contemporary storylines and a more diverse cast of characters. Audiences weren't buying what ABC was selling, as this new version lasted merely a season.

Episode 500--Supertrain Revisited

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Almost five years ago, we started this podcast. Now, we are celebrating our 500th episode by going back to an early favorite of ours and revisiting it, mostly for the caliber of guest stars that we didn't recognize back then. Enjoy as we go back to one of the biggest flops in television history, as we prepare to do the next 500, leading to show 1000.

Episode 499--The 30th Anniversary of The Big Switch

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

30 years ago FOX shook up the TV landscape when they grabbed the NFL's NFC television package from CBS. In the process, several CBS stations in NFC markets not wanting to lose out on football jumped ship to FOX and set up a domino effect around the country changing many TV viewers' habits. Some of these changes are still being felt in various markets years later.

Below is a list of links used in this episode, or are relevant to this topic:

KCNC/KUSA/KMGH packages (including the Big Switch on KCNC): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSzqDUOqv75_35MMJd0I4WXyn0TjKg3uK&si=yFrpwVnQ7C6hJpdH

KUSA story on The Big Switch featuring Denver Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCbThe00R3k

Virgil Dominic explains WJW's switch to FOX: https://youtu.be/LNnezBc9Kfk

FOX coming to WJW.: https://youtu.be/-mZr3EkhBVs

WOIO switches to CBS: https://youtu.be/1hmNZALP6sY

WCIX/WFOR swaps with WTVJ, full playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJvbbUTw-Ipy-iKzqb9z24uN4Ftxe_DbK&si=9Co39ZbA5OIk61tZ

CBS comes to WGPR, Fox comes to WJBK, including credits for “The New Dance Show”: https://youtu.be/73n7LdMpIzY

Fox comes to WGHP, ABC comes to WNRW, UPN comes to WUPN: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrGrNOGRw2-8T5xcCw1SardvoPhdlkcWn&si=UpZ6VoA3ddrbvwLl

WTVW Affiliation Switch from ABC to FOX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O48lNDnjqSE

WNDU segment on WSJV and WBND switching between FOX to ABC (ft. Tom Rinaldi): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Baxpw1cNeWY

NBC comes to WCAU: https://youtu.be/5SBdyozNvJM

WCAU “25 Years After the Big Switch Some Viewers Still Confuse NBC10 With CBS”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiPhJJfp1wM

It Was a Thing on TV Presents: TV Guide's 50 Worst Shows of All-Time List (Part 1)

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

We've talked about this in some past episodes and in this special edition of "It Was a Thing on TV Presents" before the week we celebrate out 500th episode we talk about TV Guide's 50 Worst Shows of All-Time List from 2002.

We talk about why some shows deserved or didn't deserve to be on the list and we add some shows that were either neglected or should be added since TV Guide published the original list back in '02.

We'll revisit this topic again in a few weeks when we rerank the shows and stay tuned throughout the episode because we might ask you listeners to help us out in the rerankings.

Episode 498--Alien Nation

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In 1988, the film Alien Nation was a theatrical release. That spawned this televised adaptation of that film. While only running for a single season, the franchise showed it had popularity and staying power, as televised movies and other forms of media appeared after this show's demise.

Episode 497--Sara

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

NBC was still trying to get their bearings aligned in early 1985. One midseason replacement which had decent enough ratings against formidable competition was Sara, Chico's submission for the listener vote last year. Quite a few cast members from Sara went onto much greater things, including a popular Oscar winner, a comedian/pundit, a multi-talented award-winning actress, and everybody's favorite cousin from Mypos.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents: Before the Show VI

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0400

In our latest "Before the Show" Greg and Mike in Segment 1 go over one of their latest things in the pre-show segments by looking at the College Football announcer pairings for the week. They also discussed Shannon Sharpe's um ........ social media skills earlier this week.

Then in Segment 2, Chico joins on as they discuss the rating system Mike has created for Quinn Martin's opening title sequences and looking ahead as Episode 500 approaches.

Episode 496–Clerks: The Animated Series

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Kevin Smith gave us "Clerks", a cult classic indie film from 1994. "Clerks" gave us Jay & Silent Bob. Jay & Silent Bob gave us a lot of laughs.... so ABC gave an order for an animated follow-up. Then America gave it a shot... and ABC gave up after a pair of eps, only for the show to become... a cult classic. Join us as we travel the full circle to the Quick Stop.

Episode 495--Laugh-In

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Not to be confused with Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, this version was a series of specials throughout the 1977-78 television season with little connection to the original. The positive of this version is a superstar talent got his first national exposure on this show, among other talents who had lengthy careers in television and elsewhere. A negative is the producer got sued and lost millions because he didn't have everybody's permission to do this show.

Episode 494--Bob

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Bob Newhart struck gold with The Bob Newhart Show in the 70s and Newhart in the 80s through 1990. Could Newhart do it again with another self-titled endeavor? Bob was a clever and funny show, but it didn't have a certain something that both his previous shows had. Despite quality names as guests including a future Friend, the show was saddled with bad time slots and only lasted a handful of episodes into its second season.

Episode 493--1970s and 1980s 15-minute educational shows on PBS

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

It's time for the final entry of Back to School 2024. This time, we're focusing on educational shows. Everybody remembers shows like 3-2-1 Contact, The Electric Company, and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. But do you remember some of the 15-minute shows like Wordsmith and Math Wise? If not, we have you covered in this episode about educational shows which generally ran from about 9 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon from the 1970s through the early 1990s.

To see many of the shows mentioned in this episode and more, visit https://libraries.indiana.edu/agency-instructional-technology-ait.

Episode 492--Roomies (It's no Classholes.)

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Before Brian Griffin created a series about two oddball roommates on an episode of Family Guy, that premise was used in a short-lived NBC series which paired up a 14-year-old with an ex-Marine in his 40s in a college dorm. Ratings were amazing for the premiere episode, but the show still lasted only 8 shows. Find out why in this installment.

Episode 491--Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 09:00:00 -0400

It's time to go back to school for the next three installments! We start with someone who is teaching until he gets his big break in acting, hooking up with seemingly every single lady along the way. Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher brought some realities teenagers went through (and still go through) at the time, in addition to being a light-hearted comedy.

Episode 490--The Video Game Show Vol. 4: A New Hope

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

After the last video game show (episode 201), we said it would be our last look at video games based on TV shows. We lied! We found nine more games worthy of covering for what we believe will truly be the final video game show we cover. This time, we found some truly bad games from a variety of genres, from dramedy to animation to action shows.

Episode 489--Platypus Man

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

It's the mid-90s and two startup networks are looking for programming. A flavor of the month at the time was giving stand-up comics their own shows, see Seinfeld, Life with Louie, and Roseanne, and later The Drew Carey Show and Everybody Loves Raymond. The new network was UPN and the comic was Richard Jeni, who took a concept from his stand-up show and loosely molded it into a Seinfeld-like TV show.

Episode 488–The First Episode of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (US)

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Tomorrow (August 16th) marks the 25th anniversary of the premiere episode of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? on ABC. The gang shares their memories and expectations leading up to the first episode while looking at some of the questions from the premiere.

Some of the questions in the premiere seemed easy in 1999 while some questions that looked hard in 1999 would be considered easy in 2024.

Episode 487--George

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The 1990s was a renaissance for George Foreman, between regaining the WBA heavyweight championship, and the creation and rise in popularity of what became the George Foreman Grill. Before those events, Foreman helmed a self-titled short-lived sitcom. Happy 78th birthday, Susan St. James!

Episode 486--The Magic Hour

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In the television landscape of 1998, there was a need for late night programming on FOX and other channels not part of The Big Three networks, something to fill the void when The Arsenio Hall Show ended. Enter the NBA hoopster with a million dollar smile and the energy to match. Unfortunately, said hoopster didn't have the chops to host. It didn't help the show's sidekick got the boot during the 3rd episode.

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 182–Man vs. Beast

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

As the 2024 Paris Olympics come to a close later this week, we go back again to our 2021 Olympics series of shows for this special "Best of" with one of our favorite episodes. Back in 2003-04, FOX presented a series of specials with man going against members of the animal kingdom.

Come for Kobayashi eating hot dogs against a bear, stay for the focused zebra that must realize that it's in a race!

Episode 485--The Dream Team vs. Angola at the 1992 Olympics

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In 1988, the U.S. Men's basketball team finished with a disappointing bronze medal, after having won the gold in almost every other previous Olympiad. For that reason or because some teams had professional players, the Olympics opened the games to professionals. The United States loaded up their squad with 11 of the NBA's best, plus Christian Laettner. The first game was against Angola which, to put it kindly, was slaughtered by the Americans.

Episode 484--Oddities at the Olympic Opening Ceremonies

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

As the Olympic Games are ready to start in Paris, the podcast will devote the next two episodes to happenings in previous years. We start where each Olympics start--the opening ceremonies. Each Olympic host city has their idea of what would be the perfect opening ceremony. In retrospect, those ideas, while good in theory, were not for one reason or another. The ceremonies also gather attention for who participated, and is amplified due to social media, see one specific Tongan athlete who stole the hearts of millions of women.

Episode 180--The Olympics Triplecast (Extended Cut)

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The 2024 Paris Olympics are coming up. To celebrate, we give you this extended cut of a previous episode we did back in 2021 that started our Olympics series of shows celebrating the Tokyo Olympics. The Olympics Triplecast for the 1992 Summer Olympics on NBC was a Pay-Per-View series of networks where you could watch all the Olympics you could handle. It turns out nobody in 1992 was willing to pay $125 for what you can probably get for about $13.99 on Peacock in 2024.

Episode 483--Viva Laughlin

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

We put closure on this installment of Marvel month celebrating the release of "Deadpool & Wolverine" with a show that has been described not only as one of the worst shows of the 2000s, but in the history of television. There isn't much good you can say about a show which, mercifully, lasted 2 episodes. The best part of this installment of the podcast is the introduction of a new character, thanks to MeTV Toons.

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--Greg Plays EA Sports College Football '25 for the first time

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 22:47:24 -0400

EA Sports College Football '25 is now out digitally (the physical version comes out Friday 7/19) so Greg hitched a one-month subscription of EA Play on PS5 just to play the free trial. Here are some of his reactions to the game so far in this Instant Reaction.

Episode 482--Don't

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

As we continue our Deadpool and Wolverine month, we cover a recent show which rewarded participants for not doing stuff, though they really were doing stuff in a backwards way. Despite a well-known actor hosting and a certain superhero narrating, the viewers followed in a way consistent with the premise of this show--don't watch.

Episode 481--We The People 200: The Constitution Parade

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Every year when we celebrate the United States' birthday, we offer up a patriotic show. This Independence Day is no different, except the event covered in this episode happened in September 1987, to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution. This parade didn't offer much in terms of celebrities, but it gave viewers a look at how things were done in 1787.

It Was a Thing on TV Delayed Reaction--Guillermo Rodriguez on Celebrity Name Game

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 18:00:00 -0400

Mike shared a little nugget with the other guys earlier this week. That message became the seed of this Delayed Reaction, reacting to events which happened close to a decade ago. Dynasty? Really?

Episode 480--Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place, the two seasons with the titular pizza place

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Under normal circumstances, a popular show which lasted 4 seasons would not be fodder for this podcast. For our Marvel shows leading up to the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, we're making an exception. Anyway, we think the show got worse once the pizza place part of the premise was abandoned. Just to reiterate, this is only about the first 2 seasons with the pizza place.

Episode 479--Fifteen

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

We begin our salute to the upcoming release of Deadpool & Wolverine with a show so bad it almost made Deadpool quit acting altogether. Imagine a run of the mill high school where “another day, another drama” isn’t just a saying, it’s a way of life. It really is an awkward stage and a difficult age when you’re… Fifteen.

(Note: Apologies for some background noise you might hear. Me and Chico recorded on Skype and you might hear a popcorn-ish sound which is the sound of my wood chair creaking. - Greg)

Episode 478--That Puppet Game Show

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The Brits seem to try just about anything when it comes to game shows. Case in point, this entry from just over a decade ago, a primetime endeavor which combined game show elements with Henson Alternative puppets. The end result was That Puppet Game Show, which ran for only 8 episodes. Even though it aired overseas, listeners on the other side of "the pond" can watch it on a semi-frequent basis.

Episode 477--The Girl with Something Extra

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In the past, we have talked about the ESP fad in the 60s through the early 80s. A 1973 comedy used the sixth sense as a premise, one that was used less as time went on, turning the show into just another TV show. Despite two great leads, The Girl with Something Extra was not a show with anything out of the ordinary.

Live Show 50–Who Killed WCW? Part 1

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 23:38:18 -0400

We covered a wrestling documentary series on VICE in our first live show and for our 50th live show, we cover another wrestling documentary series on VICE.

From the people who gave you Dark Side of the Ring along with The Rock and Dani Garcia comes the first part of a four-part documentary series covering the rise and fall of World Championship Wrestling. Witness the rise of Eric Bischoff in WCW along with bringing in Hulk Hogan and the start of the Monday Night Wars!

Join Greg and Chico as they try to find the answer to the question "Who Killed WCW?"

Episode 476--Twisters (1982 pilot)

Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

We close the door on yet another pilot month with this amalgamation of pieces and parts from various game shows from the Bob Stewart family, mixed with the theme from a past and future Stewart show, and add a shuffleboard table for good measure. The end result was Twisters, a truly unique concoction that didn't make NBC's schedule in late 1982/early 1983.

Episode 475--How I Met Your Dad

Mon, 27 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Hot off the heels of How I Met Your Mother’s finale—and 8 years before appearing on Hulu—CBS & Fox began work on the next chapter, involving original creators Carter Bays & Craig Thomas, a future Oscar-nominated writer, a Golden Globe-nominated actress, a night of hard partying, a blue typewriter, and a girl named Cricket.

Episode 474--Just Our Luck

Thu, 23 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

It's Greg's 40th birthday and to celebrate the occasion, Greg has chosen the short-lived comedy from 1983 about a guy who buys a lamp which has a genie in it, who causes all sorts of mischief. Maybe it was Just Our Luck that this show ran for only 13 episodes.

This episode is uncensored. Listener discretion is advised.

Episode 473--Red Dwarf USA, pilot 2

Mon, 20 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

During last year's pilot month, we covered the 1992 Red Dwarf pilot for NBC in Episode 375. A second pilot, of sorts, was done shortly after. Running a mere 11 minutes long including previews of two episodes, this ambitious endeavor looked like it was shot in a broom closet, and that was before the lackluster quality of the video available online.

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--The EA Sports College Football 25 Trailer

Sun, 19 May 2024 12:00:00 -0400

One of the most anticipated sports video games in a long time just released its first gameplay trailer. Mike, Greg, and Chico in this Instant Reaction watch the trailer for EA Sports College Football 25 trailer, the first entry in the EA College Football franchise since 2013.

Episode 472--Fast Friends (1984 pilot)

Thu, 16 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

As we have said in the past, Jay Wolpert is the master of the overly complex but unique game show format. In this show, two people build a team of players with the end goal of winning that captain $10,000 and making some fast friends. Apparently, NBC passed this up for a show that John Davidson predicted would be on for a very long time.

Episode 471--Let's Get Personal (1982 pilot)

Mon, 13 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

1982 was a time of flux at NBC in the daytime. Game shows were out earlier that year minus Wheel of Fortune, replaced with soaps and sitcom reruns. NBC had a pilot that was part-game, part-psychological analysis with Let's Get Personal, hosted by a familiar face to NBC game show watchers, but also with an acting troupe of three big names around these parts.

Episode 470--The Virtual Ed Sullivan Show

Thu, 09 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In 1998, the variety show as we know it had been a dead format for close to 20 years. However, what if you could revive one of the greatest variety shows ever with a host who had been deceased for nearly a quarter century? That was attempted by UPN with a virtual Ed Sullivan, voiced by John Byner. The result was this one-off pilot which was reminiscent of a more recent format, and with star power packing arenas to this day.

Episode 469--The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin

Mon, 06 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

One of the amazing technological marvels of the mid-1980s was the story telling teddy bear Teddy Ruxpin. A cartoon was later created around the world of Teddy Ruxpin but before that, a live-action pilot was created. Coincidentally, this pilot aired in two parts in late 1985, just in time to purchase Teddy Ruxpin as a holiday gift.

View the pilot and follow along at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAyeKcKC4Xs

Episode 468--Best of the West

Thu, 02 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

It's a western! It's a comedy! It has legends including Joel Higgins, Meeno Peluce, and Leonard Frey! And occasionally Christopher Lloyd! It can't fail! There is one small problem--half the nation didn't see its first episode because of football. Maybe it would have truly been the Best of the West if the western half of the country saw it.

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 87–College Comedies of 1979

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In our newest "Best of" we go back to the Summer of 2020 when we looked at a trio of television shows that looked to capitalize on the popularity of "Animal House". All three shows would premiere around the same time in Early 1979 and would all be canceled by the end of the season.

Let's look back at when we talked about "Delta House", "Brothers and Sisters (1979)", and "Co-Ed Fever".

Episode 467–Rags to Riches

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

It’s a classic story: member of the 1% needs an image makeover and decides to adopt not one, but six…err, five… girls. The audiences loved them on Sunday, but NBC thought they’d love them even more on Friday. It’s a classic “Rags to Riches” story… that lasted only 20 musically tinged episodes.

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 21–The $1.98 Beauty Show

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In the newest "Best of" we go back to one of our early episodes from January of 2020.

What do you get when you have the king of the wacky Game Show produce a spoof of beauty contests? You get Rip Taylor, barrels of confetti, and a $1.98. Take a journey back as we look at "The $1.98 Beauty Show".

Episode 466–Guess What

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of the 80th birthday of Canadian TV personality and host of former entry To Tell the Truth from 1980 (episode 139), we present another show hosted by Robin Ward, one which looked incredibly dated, plus had a miniscule budget. Guess what the answer is and you might take home hundreds of dollars Canadian on Guess What!

It Was a Thing on TV Presents: Before the Show V

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 03:00:00 -0400

In the latest "Before the Show" Greg and Chico in segment one give their thoughts about WrestleMania XL where Cody Rhodes was crowned the new WWE Champion ending Roman Reigns' three-year title reign.

They also talk about AEW airing the backstage footage of CM Punk and Jack Perry from All In London 2023. The less said about that the better.

Then Mike comes in for segment two where they discuss various topics including the recent renewal of "Press Your Luck", "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant" on Discovery Life, and the finale of "Curb Your Enthusiasm".

Live Show 49–Titanic: The Legend Goes On

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 15:00:00 -0400

Today is the 112th Anniversary of the Titanic hitting the iceberg and as is tradition at "It Was a Thing on TV" we honor this event as only we can ...... by talking about a rapping dog.

This Italian animated movie tries to tell the story of the Titanic while also ripping off multiple Disney and Don Bluth animated movies.

Hilarity ensues? Possibly? Join Greg and Chico as it's PARTY TIME!

Episode 465--The Baseball Bunch

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Baseball season started a few weeks ago. In honor of the start of a new season of America's pastime, we look back at sports-related edutainment from four decades ago, starring a Hall of Fame backstop, who was joined by a Hall of Fame manager and an iconic character from the game. We have a hunch you'll enjoy The Baseball Bunch.

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 138–The Powers of Matthew Star

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In memory of Lou Gossett Jr. we bring you our latest "Best of" the time we looked at the 1982-83 NBC show "The Powers of Matthew Star"

It was a show so bad that it almost brought one of us to near tears. Also in what other episode of "It Was a Thing on TV" will you hear us bring up Tommy Heinsohn?

The ”It Was a Thing on TV” Hall of Fame Class of 2024

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

It's our third Hall of Fame show here at "It Was a Thing on TV" and we are inducting 17 new members into the Hall. They include some TV legends, some show favorites, and some legendary guys from "that thing".

Episode 464--How Ken Jennings Almost Didn't Happen

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of the 60th anniversary of Jeopardy! this past Saturday, we talk about how one of the greatest players in the show's history almost didn't happen. A somewhat lenient response and a rule change allowed Ken Jennings to become the show's all-time wins leader and eventually the host of the show.

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 50–Tag Team

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

With WrestleMania XL coming up this weekend in Philadelphia, we are happy to bring to you in this week's "best of" one of our favorite shows we covered in our first Pilot Month back in 2020.

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Jesse "The Body" Ventura play a pair of ex-wrestlers turned cops in an hour of action-packed mayhem! We almost got this as a series if not for financial issues involving the studio that produced this pilot (sigh).

Live Show 48–The UFL (2024) Premiere Week

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 18:53:02 -0400

The merged league that has come out of the USFL and XFL is finally here! Mike and Greg watch some of the action from the new United Football League's first day while finding out about various things like what a former Penn State QB is doing now in 2024, Denver Nuggets Super Mascot Rocky, and Brown Energy!

Don't ask about the Brown Energy.

Episode 463--(Filmation's) Ghostbusters

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 03:00:00 -0400

Earlier in March, the movie Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire hit theaters. To mark the occasion, we re-released episode 216, about the unrelated show The Ghost Busters from 1975, earlier this week. In addition, this episode is about the unrelated to the hit movie franchise yet also a continuation of the original TV series (Filmation's) Ghostbusters, where the two main characters' kids continue their dads' business.

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 216–The Ghost Busters (1975)

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

We're talking about the animated sequel series this coming Thursday with "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" now in theaters.

But back in 2021, we talked about the original live-action series from the 70's when "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" came out. Unrelated to the later movie franchise with the same name, this Saturday morning show with Forrest Tucker, Larry Storch, and a #GORILLER was a cult favorite but was cancelled despite having high ratings in 1975-76.

Episode 462--Life on Mars (US)

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

This year's Lost in Translation block concludes with an import from the UK about a police detective who was hit by a car in 2008, but ends up in 1973 after regaining his consciousness. Life on Mars was part of a powerful ABC Thursday night line-up, but lasted only one season.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents (03.20.24)

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In the newest edition of It Was a Thing on TV Presents, Greg goes over his NCAA Tournament bracket and makes his choices for this year's Final Four.

Afterward, we go to before the recording of this week's episode where the gang talks about Messi the Dog, Minor League promotions, and the return of Joey Gallo on an MLB roster in 2024.

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 235–Mr. Bogus

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Starting on Mondays during the one-a-week's until August we will be airing some of our best episodes from our back catalog.

We look back in this "Best of" on when we met Mr. Bogus and hilarity ensued. Seriously how did this show last three seasons?!?!

Episode 461--Iron Chef USA

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In the late 90s and early 2000s, one of the surprise cult classic hit TV shows was the original Iron Chef from Japan. Naturally, an American network had to take their stab at a domestic version. The end result was two episodes where William Shatner got more screen time than the food itself. Unfortunately, the charm of the original version was lost in translation when it originally went across the Pacific.

Episode 460--Days Like These

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The annual Lost in Translation episodes start with another British adaptation of a beloved American sitcom. Despite American scripts being localized for a UK audience, Days Like These didn't click. Maybe it needed a catchy phrase in its opening like "Hello Luton!"

Episode 459--Easy Street

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Hugh Wilson and Loni Anderson worked together on a popular series in the late 70s and early 80s, WKRP in Cincinnati. They tried to parlay that magic into another series four years after WKRP's end, one where a former showgirl, played by Anderson, married her wealthy husband, who died. When you're battling family members who want that money, life isn't so easy on Easy Street.

Episode 458--The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Mike's birthday is this weekend and he played his Money in the Bank on this short-lived cartoon that, while absolutely hilarious, aired at the wrong time slot and/or aired either a few years early or a few years late. Celebrate Mike's birthday by getting completely mental with Ed Grimley and those in his universe.

Episode 457--Charlie & Company

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Black History Month 2024 concludes with a comedy starring a comedic legend, trying to capitalize on the success of a similar show on another network. Despite pulling the stops to make it popular including adding a familiar face later in its sole season, Charlie & Company is just a footnote in history.

Episode 456--Baby...I'm Back!

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Demond Wilson's first post-Sanford and Son role was in this series, as a husband who abandoned his wife and family for seven years and was legally declared dead. Not only was Wilson back on TV after a short time away, but baby, he's back for his family.

It Was a Thing on TV Delayed Reaction--The 2024 NHL Stadium Series

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 19:43:05 -0500

Greg is 48 hours removed from attending the 2024 NHL Stadium Series game between crosstown NY rivals the Rangers and Islanders at MetLife Stadium. Greg shares in the first-ever It Was a Thing on TV Delayed Reaction his experience at the game along with some of the exciting action including a fight and a wild late comeback.

Episode 455–Melba

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Broadway legend Melba Moore was given a starring vehicle for her own CBS sitcom in Early 1986. Sadly, it had the misfortune of premiering the same day as a tragic news story.

However, was the news story the reason the show failed or something else entirely?

Episode 454--Cleghorne!

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Ellen Cleghorne was a groundbreaking talent when she was on Saturday Night Live. The WB gave her her own show, which was gone in months. Was the problem that Cleghorne! was on The WB, or was it something else?

Episode 453--Frank's Place

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

CBS' most hyped show in 1987-88 was Frank's Place, about an academic who inherits a New Orleans restaurant. There was so much publicity for it that its two main stars hosted CBS' series of unsold pilots in Summer 1987. Despite the hype and critical acclaim, it was done in a season. There was one big name who admits to liking it and recording it.

Episode 27–The Bud Bowl (Extended Cut)

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 17:00:00 -0500

Back in 2020 before Kansas City and San Francisco played on "Super Sunday" we covered The Bud Bowl in one of our early episodes.

Today in honor of both teams returning to "The Big Game" we bring you this extended cut featuring over 15 minutes of new materials including radio spots from Bud Bowl IV, the Bud Light players doing their own version of the "Super Bowl Shuffle" and the Basher's foul mouth.

Minisode 31–The Fanduel Kick of Destiny

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Last year on "Super Sunday" former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski was involved in an ad campaign for Fanduel where he'd attempt to make a 25-yard field goal in the Arizona desert in a live commercial during the game. We'd soon find out that this attempt was about as accurate as a three-dollar bill.

"The BIGGEST SCAM in Super Bowl Commercial HISTORY (JaguarGator9) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61Fc-KzjouA

Episode 452–The Commercials of Super Bowl XXXIV

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The 2000 edition of "Super Sunday" pitted the St. Louis Rams and the Tennessee Titans in the first Super Bowl of the new millennium. TV viewers were treated in-between action with commercials for Budweiser, trucks, and many dot-com companies! Most of which came and went less than a year following the game. We'll go over some of them in this episode.

Microsoft "Flight Annoucement" - https://adland.tv/microsoft-flight-announcement-2000-030-usa

GMC Yukon XL "Agility" - https://adland.tv/gmc-yukon-xl-agility-2000-030-usa

Disney Tony Hawk "Tarzan" VHS commercial - https://adland.tv/disney-tony-hawk-tarzan-2000-030-usa

Disney "Why do we love the mouse?" with Leonard Nimoy and Shaq - https://adland.tv/disney-why-do-we-love-mouse-2000-030-usa

Charles Schwab Retirement - https://adland.tv/charles-schwab-retirement-2000-030-usa

Pizza Hut/CD Now Commercial with Carson Daly - https://adland.tv/pizza-hut-cd-now-carson-daly-2000-030-usa

Budweiser "Fred is Great" - https://adland.tv/budweiser-fred-great-2000-030-usa

Monster.com "The Road Less Traveled" - https://adland.tv/monstercom-road-less-traveled-2000-030-usa

Motorola "Snake" - https://adland.tv/motorola-snake-2000-030-usa

E*Trade - Halftime Show Teaser - "Massage" - https://adland.tv/etrade-halftime-show-teaser-massage-2000-010-usa

Bud Light "Elevator" - https://adland.tv/bud-light-elevator-2000-030-usa

MicroStrategy "Stock Alert" - https://adland.tv/microstrategy-stock-alert-2000-030-usa

Budweiser "Rex's Motivation" - https://adland.tv/budweiser-rexs-motivation-2000-060-usa

Netpliance "Webhead" - https://adland.tv/netpliance-webhead-2000-030-usa

7 Up "Show Us Your Can" with Orlando Jones - https://adland.tv/7up-show-us-your-can-2000-030-usa

Volvo "Gus" - https://adland.tv/volvo-gus-2000-030-usa

Oxygen "I'm a Girl" - https://adland.tv/oxygen-im-girl-2000-030-usa

Our Beginning "Invites" - https://adland.tv/our-beginning-invites-2000-030-usa

FedEx "Wizard of Oz Lollipop Guild" - https://adland.tv/fedex-wizard-oz-lollipop-guild-2000-60-usa

Pets.com "If You Leave Me Now" - https://adland.tv/petscom-if-you-leave-me-now-2000-030-usa

Lifeminders "The Worst Commercial" - https://adland.tv/lifeminders-worst-commercial-2000-030-usa

E*Trade "Wasted $2 Million" - https://adland.tv/etrade-wasted-2-million-2000-030-usa

Minisode 30--Catching Kelce

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Before two victories in "The Big Game", before almost all of his Pro Bowl nominations, and before his current squeeze (you know who), Travis Kelce looked for love on a reality program. Catching Kelce didn't catch on with viewers and neither did Kelce's catch on the series. What would Taylor say?

Episode 451--Where's Huddles?

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

We are a week away from The Big Game and, as always, we have some good content lined up. First up, in a similar spirit to The Flintstones and The Jetsons, Hanna/Barbera created a cartoon about the work and home lives of a family. This time, as you'd expect this week, the husband was a quarterback on a football team. Where's Huddles? aired in Summer 1970, then in non-primetime reruns the following year.

Episode 450--Cop Rock

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Steven Bochco, the genius behind hit shows including Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and Doogie Howser, created Cop Rock, which was labeled as being revolutionary and potentially changing the landscape of television. Despite tons of promotion, the show ran 3 months and has been deemed one of the biggest failures in television history. Not only do we cover the series as always, but we will feature one song from each episode.

Episode 449--The Cheap Show

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

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.

Episode 448--Hail to the Chief

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In 1984, history was made after Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman to be on a major party Presidential ticket. Possibly piggybacking on this historic occasion, the people behind Soap developed a show about a female President trying to balance her work life with running the most powerful country in the world. After a short run, this entry didn't get a second term, and its replacement became one of the iconic sitcoms of the 1980s.

Episode 447--Chuck E. Cheese in the Galaxy 5000

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

By the time you hear this, Chico will have celebrated his birthday. As is tradition around here, Chico gets to pick a special birthday topic. He selected this movie which could only be acquired at your local Chuck E. Cheese's redemption center in 1999. And it's for the best you could only get it there.

Episode 446--Acceptable.tv

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

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.

Episode 445--The Overmyer Network AKA The United Network and The Las Vegas Show

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In television history, there have been several attempts at becoming a viable competitor to ABC, NBC, and CBS. Some have succeeded (FOX), while others were not so lucky (MyTV, PAX). In this installment, we turn the clock back to the mid-60s where a mogul in the warehouse industry started his own network which had a name change before going to air, aired one series in its existence, and lasted a month.

Episode 444--What happens when a star dies?

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

After covering the passing of a character in episode 443, we look at the more tragic side of what happens when someone on a show passes away in real life. This episode gets into some potentially disturbing topics. Listener discretion is advised.

Episode 443--What happens when a character dies?

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This week, we're taking a look at what happens when deaths occur on TV shows. To start, we look at a handful of incidents where a character dies in a TV show, why the character dies, and how a show handles such an occurrence. This episode does not talk about actual actor passings; we will cover that subject on Thursday.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents: Before the Show IV

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 20:00:00 -0500

In the fourth edition of It Was a Thing on TV Presents: Before the Show, Mike and Greg discuss the recent news of the merger between the USFL and the XFL as the new version of the United Football League (UFL).

They also discuss "Steamboat Willie" and the OG Mickey Mouse entering the public domain along with the really bad horror attempts with Mickey along with Greg recently getting a PS5.

Then, Chico joins in for Segment 2 where they talk about Ric Flair shilling crypto, the latest headaches at ESPN, and Hulk Hogan with the cast of "Silver Spoons"?

Episode 442--The Tim Conway Show (1980)

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

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.

Episode 441--The Good Life (1994)

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Happy 2024! We start the new year with a show that debuted 30 years ago this week. It only ran the typical 13 episodes. Comparisons were made to more successful shows on TV at the time, though at least one of us saw a very raw version of a show which would become a hit two seasons later with one of the show's performers.

Episode 440--The 2023 Year in Review, Part 2

Sat, 30 Dec 2023 19:07:46 -0500

We wrap up 2023 by talking about some of the people who made bad decisions this year, a selection of our favorite shows of the year, and looking back at those who we lost.

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--The Pop-Tarts Bowl

Sat, 30 Dec 2023 12:12:25 -0500

History was made on Thursday Night as Kansas State and NC State played in the first-ever Pop-Tarts Bowl! Hilarity ensued as the winning team not only won a trophy with Pop-Tarts sticking out but the game's mascot a six-foot tall Pop-Tart was eaten at the end of the game! Mike, Greg and Chico saw this and had to share their reaction to this incredible moment!

Episode 440--The 2023 Year in Review, Part 1

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

As is tradition on this podcast, we look at the news, events, and happenings in 2023 to close out the year. In this part, we cover the news and some of the shows which ended in 2023.

Episode 439–The David Letterman Holiday Film Festival

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 20:00:00 -0500

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)

It Was a Thing on TV Outtakes: Tom Poston’s Coma

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 00:11:45 -0500

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.

Episode 438--The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In our annual episode where you pick the topic, we gave you 3 shows from which to choose. The show with the most votes was this one, a one-season classic about an Old West bounty hunter avenging his father's death, with science fiction and steampunk elements.

Episode 437--Man from Atlantis

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Our mini-tribute to the new Aquaman cinematic release comes to an end with this series which was marine-adjacent about the last survivor from an underwater civilization. Four TV movies were made, with decent enough ratings to merit a series, one that lasted an additional 13 entries.

Episode 436--Aquaman (2006 pilot)

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In theaters soon is a new Aquaman movie and in honor of its release, we have two special episodes dedicated to it. First, we start with a pilot which should have made it to air but the timing may have been horrible, plus the price tag on the pilot was astronomical. Greg spent his hard-earned money to see this pilot and offers up a thorough recap.

Episode 435--That’s My Line

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In honor of what would have been Bob Barker's 100th birthday on the 12th of December, we talk about one of his lesser-known ventures.

In 1980, both ABC and NBC had popular reality shows in the forms of That's Incredible! and Real People, respectively. CBS wanted a piece of this reality action. The result was a show somewhat based on a title which was successful for the network for almost 20 years.

Due to language, listener discretion is advised.

Live Show 47–Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Director’s Cut)

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

It's the final voyage with the OG Trek crew as the Federation and Klingon Empire are close to intergalactic peace. However, Kirk and the Enterprise crew must deal with Klingon Christopher Plummer and a potential traitor on board the ship. Join Greg and Chico as they head second star to the left and straight on til morning.

Episode 434--The New Liar’s Club

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

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...

Episode 433--The Colbys

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

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.

Episode 432–The Frank Reynolds Centennial

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Today (November 29th) marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of legendary ABC News anchor Frank Reynolds. Although this man has not been with us for the last 40 years he left a great legacy of journalism on TV that lives on today with World News Tonight as one of the program's three founding co-anchors. We will showcase some of his great moments on this special episode of It Was a Thing on TV.

Sargent Shriver Interview (1965) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGVMfce5bJk

ABC 1968 Race to the White House - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJeozETBpYU

Issues and Answers Opening (1968) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkSI07FQniM

Remembering JFK (11/22/68): - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRFEIHSOg9Q

Apollo Program (1968-69) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL3SMbWGtWc&t=1941s

Neil Armstrong Profile - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pceDTbCNlQ

Frank Reynolds’ farewell to the ABC Evening News (1970) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGT-Bolt7N8

World News Tonight Premiere (7/20/78) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5OrVbxAL4g

Frank reporting on the Solar Eclipse (1979) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrz-_4CFOuE

Frank at work on ABC Network line (1980) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qdmrvL4DyI

Anchoring World News Tonight during Mount St. Helens Eruption (1980) - https://youtu.be/5izisUIqO2s?si=qZkRivtS6eUYAEiB&t=636

KTVK-TV 3 Arizona World News Tonight Promo (1981) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5df74Xw4QSo

ABC Reagan Attempted Assassination Snippets from the Oddity Archive’s Breaking News video - https://youtu.be/1hQSxVsdY78?si=eSWQLuWA5l8Uopy7&t=1424

Special Report within World News Tonight (1981) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YJFGncyMPI

Frank Reynolds Remembered - ABC News Nightline (7/20/83) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d259RtOMBnk

Frank Reynolds: A Man Who Cared (7/24/83) - https://archive.org/details/ABC_News_Frank_Reynolds_A_Man_Who_Cared_1983

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--Doctor Who: The Star Beast

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The first of the three Doctor Who specials for the 60th Anniversary aired on the BBC and Disney+ this past weekend. Chico watched the first of the specials and pops on in this Instant Reaction about the return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate to the TARDIS. Did RTD's first episode back as Executive Producer of Doctor Who recapture the magic from his first stint? You'll have to listen to find out. Meep, Meep.

Episode 431--Doctor Who: The Curse of Fatal Death

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

We cap our celebration of the Doctor Who 60th anniversary with a look at “The Curse of Fatal Death”, a Red Nose Day special from 1999. The Doctor’s looking to settle down but can’t stop regenerating, the Master is rebuilt with Dalek spare parts, and it’s all going down on a planet with a special form of communication. The BBC got some amazing talent for this one-off that foresaw a lot of things.

Minisode 29--Leon Lett’s Thanksgiving ’93 blunder

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 20:00:00 -0500

We hope you have enjoyed your Thanksgiving as you prepare to watch some Thanksgiving night football. Thirty Thanksgivings ago, Leon Lett committed one of the most boneheaded plays in NFL history. Oddly enough, less than a year earlier, Lett previously committed another one of the most boneheaded plays in NFL history, on the biggest stage of them all.

Episode 430--The 1982 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The holiday tradition at the podcast now starts its trek going back in time, starting with the 1982 edition of The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. How does it compare to what we have seen from later in the 80s and why are so many kids expressing their emotions?

Episode 429–The 1987 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

It's an It Was a Thing on TV tradition like no other. Every year since 2019, we have looked at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in chronological order, starting with the 1983 parade. We're up to the 1987 parade. What characters will star in this parade? What products will advertisers shove down our throats? And did Charlie Brown ever get a growth spurt!

Episode 428--The missing episodes of Doctor Who

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

"Doctor Who" has had a storied history these past 60 years, but thanks to the economics of television at the time, it - much like that of any TV show at the time - is sketchy at best. But recently, the BBC has ramped up efforts to find and restore episodes long lost to tape wiping by any means necessary. We look at how this piece of TV history is being preserved and what is still missing media.

Episode 427--Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

By the mid 1980s, Doctor Who had emerged as one of the BBC’s longest-running brands, but even then it was getting long in the tooth. In 1986, they tried something big - a season-long arc, resulting in “The Trial of a Time Lord”. Will the Doctor be brought to justice? Will audiences be brought to watch?

Episode 426--Time Express

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Vincent Price wanted to bring Doctor Who to the States, with an American version. When that failed, he decided to make his own version aboard a train. Time Express was a limited series, starting while Supertrain was still airing. Both shows got derailed in May 1979.

Episode 425--The Stranger

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Doctor Who was an instantaneous sensation that, in 1964, the ABC in Australia commissioned a show similar to yet different from The Doctor. Thought to be lost for decades, The Stranger found its way to the Internet in 2019. Judge for yourself as we continue our tribute to the Doctor's 60th anniversary.

Episode 424–Class

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Our tribute to Doctor Who continues with an entry that picks up where it all began. Join the students of Coal Hill Academy as they team up with an alien prince and the teacher/warlord he’s psychically tethered to as they protect the school from otherworldly threats for all of 8 episodes. “Class” is in session.

Episode 423–Gracepoint

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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?

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--Greg Recaps the Jets/Giants Game

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 17:43:13 -0400

Greg just finished watching maybe one of the worst games of football he's ever seen in the Battle of New York between the Jets and the Giants and he's here to give his instant reaction to it. What happens when one team is down to their third-string center and the other team is down to their third-string QB? #hilarityensues

Episode 422--The ESPN Halloween Derby

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

On Halloween Eve 2006, ESPN got several fans involved in a unique event where the fans were dressed as Monday Night Football personalities. This happened once and never again. Were fans creeped out by a big-headed Chris Berman racing down a football field? Could it be because several of the big heads almost fell off? Join Greg and Mike as they look at this one-time experiment.

Episode 421--Second Chance (2016)

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 420--Invitation to Hell

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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!

Episode 419--Child’s Play

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 418--Police Academy: The Live Action Series

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.)

Episode 417--Police Academy: The Animated Series

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

A favorite comedy movie franchise around these parts is the Police Academy series. Between installments 5 and 6, an animated series aired in syndication, following the exploits of those crazy cops...and talking police dogs?! All the characters from the series appeared, but with none of their movie talent counterparts.

Episode 416--Together We Stand/Nothing is Easy

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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”.

Episode 415--Drexell’s Class

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 414--The ”Slap” Maxwell Story

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 413--Buffalo Bill

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents: Before the Show 3

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 21:33:05 -0400

In our third edition of Before the Show, Mike busts open a box of Topps Allen and Ginter 2023 and goes over with Greg some of the various cards in this year's set.

Afterward, Chico joins Mike and Greg for the second half of the show as they discuss the programming (or lack of) on the soon-to-be defunct Longhorn Network including an annual Christmas tradition involving the University of Texas' mascot Bevo.

Finally, Mike talks about his trip last weekend to Buffalo to see Marc Summers' one-man show.

Episode 412--Billy (1992 comedy)

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 411--Mr. Smith Revisited

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 01:00:00 -0400

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?

Episode 410--That (Awful) Quiz Show

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents (09.12.23)

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 23:10:26 -0400

Mike and Greg recap a wild Week 1 in the NFL on a special It Was a Thing on TV Presents.

Among the things discussed are the debuts of Bryce Young and CJ Stroud, Tyreek Hill's great game against the Chargers, the Giants laying an egg against the Cowboys, Aaron Rodgers' season-ending injury, and the Jets' walk-off win against Buffalo.

Episode 409--Booger McFarland and Jason Witten on Monday Night Football

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Tonight is the first Monday Night Football game of the 2023 season. There have been many legendary characters behind the mic in the 50+ year history of MNF, from Howard Cosell to Frank Gifford to Joe Buck and Troy Aikman nowadays. For a brief period, the announcing crew consisted of the highly capable and competent Joe Tessitore and two people wet behnd the ears--the fish-out-of-water Jason Witten, and the human obstruction known as Booger McFarland.

Live Show 46–The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 20:51:07 -0400

After a long wait, Greg and Chico finally deliver on giving you this livewatch of the second chapter of Phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Bruce Banner (looking nothing like Mark Ruffalo) has to deal with the problems of trying to control his rage while General Ross and the military try and use him for their own means.

Join us as we watch The Incredible Hulk! SMASH!

Episode 408–The Colts/Broncos Thursday Night Football Game from 2022

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Tonight is Opening Night for the NFL, in this episode we look at a game from last year that was so bad that we had to cover it for the podcast right away. What happens when two veteran QB's get traded to different teams in a marquee match-up in the debut season of Thursday Night Football on Prime Video? You get this epic crapfest.

Episode 407--Mrs. Columbo AKA Kate Columbo AKA Kate the Detective AKA Kate Loves a Mystery

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

(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.

Live Show 45–Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: S1 E1 - Day of the Dumpster

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of the 30th anniversary of the Power Rangers franchise, Greg and Chico go back to 1993 and take a look at where it all began with the premiere episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in this special live show.

Episode 406--Galaxy High School

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

A bookish girl & a jock are selected to attend high school in space. An up-and-coming movie scribe & a legendary anime studio are chosen to bring them to life. What started as a Saturday morning failure turned into a cult classic. Strap in and hold on as we round out this year’s Back to School special with a trip to Galaxy High School.

Episode 405--The Waverly Wonders

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Legendary NFL quarterback Joe Namath's last stop in his illustrious career brought him to Los Angeles, with the Rams in 1977. The next year, one of his first post-retirement gigs was on The Waverly Wonders, which was very reminiscent of a popular show on another network at the time. Just over a month later, the show got cancelled. Its replacement, however, would last over 7 years.

Episode 404--Jennifer Slept Here Revisited

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Early on in this podcast's life, we originally covered Jennifer Slept Here, but it was one of the few episodes Greg missed. He had things to say about this show. Thus, we are revisiting another episode from early on.

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--Greg Opens Junk Wax, Volume 1

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In this special Instant Reaction, Greg opens packs of old sports cards as Mike and Chico react to some of his cards. Can Greg pull a possible PSA 10 Emmitt Smith Rookie from Score 1990 Football?

Episode 403--Dynaman

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Thirty years ago, Haim Saban brought the Super Sentai to the US, and Power Rangers was born... but before THAT, a similar series was brought to the US purely for laughs and/or played-up stereotypes. We look back on the show that was Dynaman, who brought it to life, and what exactly a main squeeze is.

Episode 402--Skooled

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

It's that time of the year when kids are going back to school. In this installment, we look at a Canadian reality show where the roles are reversed--the teenagers are the teachers and the adults are the students. It's time to do some learning on Skooled.

And for the first time in podcast history, we talk to someone who took part in the show, about his Skooled experiences among other things.

Episode 401–The Shockmaster

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

What was supposed to be a grand debut in WCW for the former Tugboat/Typhoon of the WWF turned into one of the biggest botches on live TV. All we have to say is this episode will shock the world because we talk about none other than THE SHOCKMASTER! (BOOM!) (Uncle Fred then trips through the wall as his helmet comes off) I TOLD YOU! OH GOD!

Live Show 44–Uh Oh! (The Movie)

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of Susan St. James' upcoming 77th birthday, Greg and Chico look at this 2004 straight-to-DVD movie about a down on his luck clutz who teams up with a sea captain to find a sunken treasure. Also, Lou Rawls and Richard Moll are trying to stop them for some reason. We're also pretty sure that The Dove Foundation which "approved" this movie didn't actually watch this.

Episode 400--Tequila and Bonetti

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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?!?!

Episode 399--Salvage 1

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

The late 70s experienced a sci-fi kick in theaters and on television. Someone had the idea to create a show which crossed science fiction with Sanford and Son, somewhat. Salvage 1 was about a crew who went to the moon to bring lunar junk back to Earth, but they did everything but that. What was Andy Griffith thinking?

Episode 398--J.J. Starbuck

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 397--Pepper Dennis

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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”.

Episode 396--Angie

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In 1979, Angie was bound for great success. Then ABC meddled with the schedule a number of times and despite being a top 5 show the season before, Angie found its way to cancellation a year later.

Minisode 28--The Tom Emanski Baseball World Commercials

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

The Baseball Hall of Fame inductions will be happening in a matter of weeks. One of the enshrinees this year is slugger Fred McGriff. While most people know him as a basher for a number of MLB teams, others remember him from appearing in frequently aired ads for baseball skill videos. We look back at the videos, and discover something amazing about those ads about a quarter century later.

Episode 395--Hometown Commercials, Volume 4

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 03:00:00 -0400

It's a podcast tradition like any other. We have found more ads from podcast favorites like Marc Norton, Rhett & Link, and Darryl Isaacs. We have also discovered new favorites. By the end of this episode, you'll know what we do.

Tim Misny - https://youtu.be/LLshVZ6mzqc
Pines Motor Lodge - https://youtu.be/6ExEKKShxrI
River Fair at River Mall - https://vimeo.com/340782677
1982 Public Insurance San Diego Commercial - https://youtu.be/_p9mEFTaQwI
Apple Auto Sales - https://youtu.be/X1XilfKuYaQ
Gebco Commercial featuring Jonathan Ogden - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjmXkWJN1FM
Christopher Knight for Rockingham County School Board - https://youtu.be/nLi5B0Iefsk
Len’s Mill Stores (watch to the end) - https://youtu.be/AqqSCVT4Fkc
Darryl Issacs (Big Trucks) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp9nGolQI5k
Darryl Issacs (Hit the Bullseye) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9IGe9isYws
Image Auto Detailing (Fairbanks, AL) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ACG5MjOe5Q
Santa’s Village - https://youtu.be/Ok3ACI6kuDI
The Diamond Center - https://youtu.be/7O84dpaJu3c
“Paul from The Diamond Center is not my Uncle” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v5wmJzBvX8
Vern Fonk Insurance (2003) - https://youtu.be/tL0Z2dZCqys
Christmas at Old Tucson - https://youtu.be/z4U2gDgMHA0
Leader TV/VCR (Rochester, NY) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H8Brhl-ykM
Rocco Gaetano D’Angelo Fine Cigars Ltd - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgwjB8fpzCw
Benjamin Franklin: The Practical Plumber: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNKhsWGqNlo
Marc Norton “Devils” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtIHGHvvhqk
WKFT CounterForce 40 - https://youtu.be/3hHYEJolrAU
Sports Cards Unlimited - https://youtu.be/Saeh5res7Ik
Schuylkill Mall Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbo7UKb-Ckc
Michigan Power Rodding - Horror of Clogged Pipes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wQPExKw--U
Italian Oven - https://youtu.be/ENQ6GIhKy6o
Frankie & Johnny’s Furniture with Free Chicken (Closed forever) - https://youtu.be/gD-KZYy1UHM
Crazy Gideon Funny Farm (1986) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlUYmMLDgtk
Crazy Gideon TV Ad from BizBOX TV - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTxxV_BiKtE
Crazy Gideon 2008 Recession Ad - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5x6CCDWs00
All-New Pelham Cafe (Frankie Flight) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPUp0oO_CLc
Gilliard Day (Frankie Flight) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iyjL1QYuS4
Rhett & Link - Grand Finale - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0LSkX46dS4
The Professionals - Insurance Comp. with Doug Llewelyn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ4H_O-qU4U

It Was a Thing on TV Presents: Before the Show 2

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

We did this for the first time last November. So much stuff happened in the last week that we decided to do it again. In this "Before the Show" conversation, among other things, we talk about what might be the greatest episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the start of Threads, "Super" SNES games, and Secret Invasion on Disney+.

Episode 394--The Great American Telephone Trivia Game

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 393--Tales of the Gold Monkey

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 392--Camp Cucamonga

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

NBC had a thing for summer camp movies with some of the most popular teenage talent at the time. (See Episode 278, Poison Ivy.) Unlike Poison Ivy, Camp Cucamonga wasn't well-remembered, nor was it even that good. Enjoy some stereotypical rapping and a predictable ending with some of your favorite teenage stars from 1990 in this installment.

Episode 391--The Flash (1990)

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Before you see the Ezra Miller Flash f' up the DC multiverse for everybody, we talk about the highly bandied about original version of The Flash from 1990 on CBS, which went up against two powerhouse shows on its initially scheduled night, then went up against more tough competition on not such a great night.

But don't feel too bad as this version of The Flash would get closure close to 30 years later in the current version of The Flash on The CW.

Episode 390--Blansky’s Beauties

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

We have talked about many failed spinoffs in the past, but this one is unique in the sense that it didn't happen concurrently with the parent show. Rather, this was set in 1977, versus Happy Days' 50s/60s setting. That is just the beginning of the confusion regarding Blansky's Beauties.

Episode 389--Hardball Hot Seat

Sat, 10 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

20 years ago on Sunday, the finals of the 2002-03 Hardball Hot Seat competition should have aired. It didn't and thanks to Mike, one of the event's finalists, we provide you the inside scoop about why it didn't air, and other goodies about Mike's experiences at both the original Hot Seat taping in October 2002 and with the finals.

Episode 388--Cleverdicks

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Minisode 27--Sex Box

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

National Sex Day is happening on Friday of this week! (6/9...nice) We're doing three episodes with related titles, though only this episode is really about the act itself. This short-lived WeTV entry could be summed up as sex therapy in The Cube. We advise listener discretion.

Live Show 43–The Kissing Booth 3

Sat, 03 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

“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.

Episode 387--Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In the 70s & early 80s, ABC was riding high with the world's greatest "Superfriends" based on the DC Comics. Marvel, not willing to let this go unchallenged, teamed up the face of the brand with an X-Man & an original character. to form "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends". Before going "Across the Spider-Verse", take a deep dive into a show on NBC that lasted... shorter than you probably remember.

Episode 386--The Big ShowDown

Mon, 29 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 385--Carlton Your Doorman (1980 CBS pilot)

Sat, 27 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Our 4th annual Pilot Month concludes with an animated spin-off of a live-action show which ended two years earlier?! Welcome to a day in the life of Carlton Your Doorman.

Episode 384--18 Wheels of Justice

Thu, 25 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

We're celebrating another of our birthdays! Greg's getting a year older, and he wants to cover a show we have talked about for years but there was little footage of it in English until recently. We're finally covering 18 Wheels of Justice. Can a man in the witness protection program avenge the loss of his wife and daughter by taking down organized crime and G. Gordon Liddy with the help of his big-wheeled truck?

NOTE: Chico used a new microphone for this and the next episode so his audio may drop in and out at points. It should be corrected by next week.

Episode 383--Howie (1962 CBS pilot)

Mon, 22 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

A decade before The Paul Lynde Show (see episode 103), a pilot for CBS was done which was reminiscent of the latter show. Lynde plays the father-in-law to his new son-in-law, the "smartest man in the room though he's actually the dumbest" Howie.

Episode 382--Call Her Mom (1972 TV movie/pilot)

Sat, 20 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

On the surface, Call Her Mom is reminiscent of a certain movie which would be a big hit 6 years later, but with a "den mother" caring for the fraternity. This wasn't just a ratings hit once, but twice. How did it not make it as a regular series?

Episode 381--Dick Tracy (1967 pilot)

Thu, 18 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Batman was a big TV success in 1966. Why not follow it up with a pilot of a similar comic book staple? Dick Tracy was a cut-and-paste job from the Batman playbook, down to the script, the scenery, and even the baddie of the week. Just remember: Dick Tracy, he's a good cop.

Live Show 42–The Cube Season 2 Premiere

Wed, 17 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 380--King of the Building (1987 CBS pilot)

Mon, 15 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

One of the big comics in the mid-to-late 80s was Richard Lewis, known for his neurotic schtick. Two years before a career-defining role in Anything But Love, Lewis starred in this pilot as a doorman at a New York City apartment building.

Live Show 41–The 2023 XFL Championship Game

Sun, 14 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

The 2023 XFL has made it farther than its second incarnation by making it to the Championship Game! Can the title game fare better than the original XFL's 2001 Championship Game? Greg and Chico live watch the 2023 Championship between DC and Arlington from the Alamodome as they smell what The Rock is cooking.

Episode 379--Baffled! (1973 NBC backdoor pilot)

Sat, 13 May 2023 13:00:00 -0400

As we have mentioned previously, ESP was popular in the 60s and 70s. What happens when a racecar driver starts having psychic visions? Lots of stuff in England, enough to make the casual viewer feel Baffled!

Episode 378--Stick Around (1977 ABC pilot)

Thu, 11 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In 1977, Andy Kaufman was an up and coming comic. ABC cast him as a robot servant in the year 2055 with a distinct voice, one which would become associated with Kaufman on another ABC show a year later, Taxi. Why didn't this work? We blame the mood synthesizers, AKA the "ass toasters."

Episode 377--Bob Rooney Day on Late Night with David Letterman

Tue, 09 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Today, May 9th, marks 40 years since David Letterman dedicated an entire day to an assistant sound engineer on his show. We go back and relive that day with a beer, a BLT, and another beer.

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3

Sun, 07 May 2023 10:35:00 -0400

This weekend Marvel Studios released the final chapter of James Gunn's "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy. Greg had a chance this weekend to see the movie and give his thoughts on if it measured up to the two previous films and if it was better than some of Marvel's recent theatrical releases.

NOTE: There's a discussion about the end credits scene, which will spoil the movie. Greg will give a warning followed by a few seconds of silence to let you stop the recording and go back later if you plan to see the movie.

Episode 376--Stacked (2008 UK pilot)

Sat, 06 May 2023 01:00:00 -0400

A pre-Doctor Who/Guardians of the Galaxy Karen Gillan appeared in this British pilot, which apparently was the best thing at a certain network's disposal. This was so wrong on so many levels, so much so that we're asking for listener discretion. It did give us 4000-pound breasts.

Episode 375--Red Dwarf (1992 NBC pilot)

Thu, 04 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Here's another case of a show working overseas but failing domestically. The Brit show Red Dwarf has been on the air for a combined quarter century. Could it have worked here? Who knows, thanks NBC smegheads.

Episode 374--Sailor Moon (1994 US pilot)

Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In the last year, one of the most sought after pieces of lost media was discovered. FOX passed on a US version of Sailor Moon in 1994, and all that existed was a brief video from 1995.

Episode 373--Pointless (2017 GSN pilot)

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

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.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents (04.26.23)

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

What was supposed to be a live show involving The Incredible Hulk turns into an impromptu live episode of It Was a Thing on TV Presents. Watch as Greg and Chico view WWF Invasion '92 on Peacock as they discuss some things as Virgil fights the Million Dollar Man for all the breadsticks.

They include Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3's upcoming release, Wrexham AFC's promotion to EFL League Two and the Jeopardy! Masters Tournament on ABC.

Link to watch WWF Invasion '92 on Peacock to follow along (start at 00:05 after Greg gives the countdown) - https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/playback/vod/GMO_00000000385948_01/218ad2fd-3d68-3911-80c6-9df7a99dd1eb

Episode 372--Whiz Kids

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In the early 1980s, one of the most popular pieces of electronics was the home computer. (Spoiler: It's still popular to this day!) In the era of the movies Tron and WarGames came the show Whiz Kids, which may have hit a little too close to home for adults.

Episode 371--Shaq Commercials

Sat, 22 Apr 2023 03:00:00 -0400

In the past, we have paid respects to Hulk Hogan commercials, Ric Flair commercials, and our annual favorite of hometown commercials. We add another legend to the commercial family with Shaq commercials. Grab your Reeboks and a Pepsi, and prepare for almost 30 years of ads featuring Shaq Diesel.

Shaq Reebok Commercial (1993) - https://youtu.be/taKQHlEAeNE

Shaq Attack Toy Commercial - https://youtu.be/uBMi037Oh60

Shaq All-Sport Commercial “2044” (1994) - https://youtu.be/DEqp3tN7muE

Shaq Fu Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrwWXqlhEN8

Pepsi Big Slam - https://youtu.be/tPiMvRrISlc

Reebok Shaq vs. Shaq (1995) - https://youtu.be/-CYOjklUEBU

Taco Bell Double Decker Taco with Hakeem Olajuwon (1995) - https://youtu.be/FVmaYNtgu4g

Reebok Olympic Commercial with Emmitt Smith (1996) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ABstuWWHJE

Taco Bell Taco Neck (1997) - https://youtu.be/CsGwPyrSNVE

Pepsi Commercial (1997) - https://youtu.be/N4M_OcgP2ko

Pepsi Commercial with Michael J. Fox (1997) - https://youtu.be/dTyyGgiMCAU

NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC for Midway (1999) - https://youtu.be/88SePMME0r4

Burger King Shaq Pack - https://youtu.be/EXweq5wKOd

RadioShack Commercial with Carmelo Anthony (2004) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3Xh_-Olq7I

NBA on TNT “Spanish Class” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzJbTuidtZo

Vitamin Water “Horsin’ Around With Shaq” Super Bowl XLII Commercial - https://youtu.be/ti4aCoikJBE

This is SportsCenter “Hero” - https://youtu.be/FZdplRRmCQ0

Icy Hot Dance Moves - https://youtu.be/IOTsV-ydJ_0

The General Commercial (Truck) - https://youtu.be/Fwc1bGbcerI

The General “Best Friends” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNUxsqvl3dg

The General Trampoline - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEb3UG-EuII

The General with Michael Buffer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j8L0BQZd2k

Harbin Beer (China) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH2146LMdkE

Nestle Crunch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQEDwrpwJ6M

Alkaline 88 Water - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqnf-2-1PuE

Age of Beard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwr73cCo3KA

Frosted Flakes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGmvlaKFyCc

Papa John’s Stuffed Crust - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYOwqAtaNvg

Oreo Acrobat Commercial (2017) - https://youtu.be/u6CKP47CIQ

Epson EcoTank for Epson Canada - https://youtu.be/rMtEGc7u71g

Gold Bond Compilation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGERvTGQvwc

Episode 370--Top of the Heap

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 01:00:00 -0400

Spin off your network's most popular show? Makes sense. Spin off your network's most popular show with characters who have made only a few appearances, and they weren't memorable? It's a disaster waiting to happen. Top of the Heap was the bottom of the barrel material.

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 16:19:57 -0400

The 30th-anniversary special for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers titled "Once & Always" just dropped on Netflix. Our resident Power Rangers fan here at the podcast Chico Alexander sat down to watch the special and is dropping this instant reaction regarding his thoughts.

Episode 369--Going Places

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

There’s an old saying in Hollywood: “Write what you know.” Two Hollywood writers did that & after that didn’t work, they turned it into a family sitcom. That didn’t work either. See what happens when four actors spend 19 weeks… “Going Places”.

Episode 368--A Home Run for Love

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

This Saturday marks 76 years since Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. We mark the occasion by watching an afterschool special from 1978 about the bond a young boy makes with an older man over their shared love of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson.

Episode 367--I Had Three Wives

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

We've talked about this for over 3 years. Now we're finally talking about the extremely short-lived summer series about a detective and three of his ex-wives solving cases. I Had Three Wives ran for a month before it and CBS went their separate ways.

Live Show 40–Titanic II

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

This epic cinematic masterpiece from Dick Van Dyke's grandson comes from the same people who brought you those straight-to-video mockbusters! Titanic II!

Originally released by The Asylum back in 2010, Titanic II is set in the far-off future of 2012! A wealthy billionaire builds his own version of the Titanic (with blackjack and hookers!) but little do they know that history is about to repeat itself!

Can Brooke Burns and Bruce Davison save Greg and Chico from boredom in this movie? Just remember never to let go!

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 22:49:44 -0400

This weekend Universal Pictures, Illumination and Nintendo released the long anticipated Super Mario Bros. Movie in theaters. Chico finally got a chance to see it and gives his thoughts about it. Was it faithful to the game series? Let's a go listen!

Minisode 26--The San Francisco Giants Crazy Crab Commercial

Sat, 08 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In 1984, the San Francisco Giants needed something to get fans' attention away from their poor play on the field. Enter the first ever anti-mascot a crustacean mascot which drew heat from not only the fans, but the Giants and the opposing teams as well. It's all immortalized in one of the best baseball commercials ever.

Love that Crazy Crab!

Episode 366--Pushing Daisies

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

This Sunday is Easter and we're not talking about cutesy-wootsy bunnies this year?! We're talking about someone who can revive the dead. Pushing Daisies was a critical darling but it couldn't come back from a fate worse than the death of a scripted show in 2008.

Episode 365--Homeboys in Outer Space

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Star Trek: Voyager was a success for UPN. So was Moesha. The powers that be thought, "Why not combine the two? It'll be a hit!" Spoiler: It wasn't. It did give us The Space Hoopty, for what it's worth.

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--Final Four Saturday/WrestleMania 39 Night 1

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 00:39:48 -0400

Greg comes on for an instant reaction after a wild Saturday night with the Final Four and Night 1 of WrestleMania 39 as he talks about San Diego State's wild comeback and Rey Mysterio slapping hands with Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Episode 364--The Bad News Bears (1979 series)

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

The start of a new baseball season has arrived and we celebrate by looking back at the TV version of a movie from 3 years prior, about a rag-tag group of underdogs. The toughest competition for The Bad News Bears didn't come from opponents on the field, but from its competition on other networks.

Episode 363--NES and Super NES Commercials

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of the upcoming release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in theaters next week, we present this episode dedicated to commercials to our favorite 8-bit and 16-bit systems.

NES Commercials

NES “Will You Be the One” with Rob and the Zapper (1985) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-CwI14vaL0

NES “You Are About to Come Face to Face” (1986) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gP1XYki8Ew

NES “Will You Be the One” Commercial with Super Mario (1986) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uSOESHNhHY

NES “What Will the Future Bring?” (1986) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMroWPYQD9A

The Legend of Zelda Rap Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c17DYpe1APU

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72Z6PW9HhFY

Konami NES Commercial (1987) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_dNjJKsBOI

RBI Baseball from Tengen (1988) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXkv2Y_d_yA

NES Power Set with Power Pad (1988) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdXW5i1cjXY

Top Gun from Konami - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNtnyivyK-M

Anticipation Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KXTqPKXi2o

Super Mario Bros. 2 Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-oxEaddsUY

Acclaim Remote Controller - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cyZZIcdQCQ

Double Player System from Acclaim - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWMwfJ5hEO4

Tetris from Nintendo (1989) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUeQttn23Rk

Back to the Future from LJN (1989) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEtdLs85J4k

Power Glove from Mattel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po1IfM6nA6s

DuckTales from Capcom - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zroYGD7iGV4

WWF WrestleMania from Acclaim - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BOmloRumKI

WWF WrestleMania Challenge UK Commercial (Nintendo World News) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLEypfdVMT4

Zelda II: The Adventure of Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSaHaIAYBgU

Supersonic The Joystick from Camerica - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxPoD2V6B7U

Fester’s Quest - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEOPztGblf4

Little Nemo the Dream Master from Capcom (1990) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNoAujWCIPM

Bases Loaded II Second Season from Jaleco - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqRR7eJSWxA

Super Mario Bros. 3 Commercial (1990) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZex2enPtNs

StarTropics from Nintendo (1991) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CE-pOTbrrA

Star Wars from JVC (1991) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zetkiWhvi8c

Game Genie from Galoob - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4wwXyKFeFA

Super NES Commercials

Toys R Us Super NES Commercial with Alan Kalter Voiceover - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUpKdkZ6QZo

Super NES Commercial with Paul Rudd (1992) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSBFw93V3Rg

Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Commercial (JPN) - https://youtu.be/cjpHzLYHkwA

Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Commercial (US) - https://youtu.be/7yjfTQ009ms

F-Zero commercial - https://youtu.be/c_i2caefzJ0

Street Fighter 2 Turbo commercials (JPN) - https://youtu.be/zmc1p3e0hc8

The same (Edited for the US market) - https://youtu.be/Eg-VGKEPNMw

Super Mario Kart commercial - https://youtu.be/5Wxklxi1lGs

Super Mario All-Stars commercial - https://youtu.be/XSiciyc20Sc

Super NES/Pepsi commercial with Bo Jackson - https://youtu.be/DBwbQU_3My0

StarFox Commercial - https://youtu.be/8FTZD-lljaU

Super Scope 6 commercial - https://youtu.be/CtvFZhwoGCE

SNES Super Set Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw8g9I3fHD8

Turbo Touch 360 Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOYmnTTwp8g

TMNT Tournament Fighters - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMVyN6qQA7Y

Final Fantasy III commercial (or Final Fantasy VI if you want to get super official about it) - https://youtu.be/hk5RLCIhtMo

Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball Commercial with Cito Gaston - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnFEBLSwHt8

Super Punch-Out!! Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4lkRbAyhMo

Troy Aikman NFL Football - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_eTdrhTSdM

Super Mario RPG Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOzVQUOgSnk

Yoshi’s Island Commercial -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFHUyqDBmZQ

SNES 1996 “Now $99” Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNPtCVzBNyQ

Episode 362--Hulk Hogan’s Rock ’n’ Wrestling

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Back in the day, you know you made it, in a pop culture sense, if your product had a Saturday morning cartoon. In 1985, pro wrestling reached that pinnacle with Hulkamania running wild, wrestling scattered throughout the TV landscape, and the cartoon Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling.

Live Show 39–Dorf on the Diamond

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 10:19:52 -0400

In honor of MLB Opening Day coming up, we present this special live show recorded on Stream Lounge as Mike, Greg and Chico watch Tim Conway as that loveable Dorf try to show us how to play baseball and root, root, root for the home team!

Dorf on the Diamond - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKyCLX5eb10

Episode 30--The XFL (2001 and 2020) (Extended Cut)

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 18:00:00 -0400

With the XFL having returned last month for it's third version, we felt it was right to release a special extended edition of our XFL episode released around the launch of the 2020 XFL.

This time we've added a few additional segments on the 2001 version but we've also recorded an hour of new footage regarding the 2020 XFL.

Grab a cup to add onto the beer snake cause THIS IS THE XFL!

Timestamps

0:56 - The XFL (2001)

1:40:02 - Segment recorded in March of 2020 for Place to be Nation regarding the cancellation of the XFL 2020 season due to COVID-19

1:41:59 - The XFL (2020)

"The DC Defenders' beer snake is the XFL's greatest tradition" (SBNation) - https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2020/3/9/21171937/dc-defenders-fans-beer-snake-xfl-2020

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--The March 22, 2023 episode of Jeopardy!

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 10:05:18 -0400

Because of last night's episode of Jeopardy!, we have a new type of show. Mike felt the need to talk about last night's episode of Jeopardy! and what could be called an historic moment.

Episode 361--Small Fortune (US)

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Lost in Translation Week 2023 continues with a small show whose promotion was equally small and, not surprisingly, whose audiences and ratings were just as small. Small Fortune didn't last long in the UK, yet it was still imported to the States where its run was equally short.

Episode 360--Australia’s Naughtiest Home Videos and Videos After Dark

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

The concept of home videos shows originated in Japan in the late 1980s and branched out all around the world. In 1992 in Australia, a show aired which used footage deemed too racy or of questionable taste, titled Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos. It didn't make it through one airing. Fast forward to 2019, where a similar version was tried in America, titled Videos After Dark. At least that ran for the full airing.

Due to language and questionable content, listener discretion is advised.

Live Show 38–The Kissing Booth 2

Sun, 19 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

A few months ago, Greg & Chico covered the beginning of an era with "The Kissing Booth". The era continues as Elle & co. juggle senior year, long-distance relationships, college applications, and something that is similar to but legally distinct from Dance Dance Revolution. Pucker up as we talk about "The Kissing Booth 2."

Episode 359--The episode of Dinosaurs where Robbie got jacked on steroids

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 11:55:20 -0400

In this installment, we watch a very special episode that we have referred to on and off throughout the podcast. Find out why drugs are bad when Robbie gets hooked on thornoids on Dinosaurs. Remember you can't say steroids Friday nights on ABC in 1993.

Episode 358--Uncle Croc’s Block

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Did you ever notice some people have some shows essentially omitted from their resumes? We had never heard about Charles Nelson Reilly on Uncle Croc's Block until Mike went down a rabbit hole one night. And after seeing this and its associated cartoons, you can't blame CNR from forgetting this misstep.

Episode 357--Two of a Kind

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Three years after the end of Full House and nearing the end of the original TGIF lineup, ABC brought back The Olsen Twins as tweens in this one-season vehicle, whose legacy lasted well beyond its one year.

Live Show 37–The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 09:33:20 -0400

After over two years (if you don't count his appearance in "The Book of Boba Fett") Din Djarin and Baby Grogu are back for Season 3 of The Mandalorian on Disney+.

Greg and Chico livewatch the premiere as The Mandalorian looks for forgiveness for taking his helmet off as he encounters some old friends along the way back to Mandalore.

Grogu don't go hugging those Anzellans!

The ”It Was a Thing on TV” Hall of Fame Class of 2023

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Last year, our first class of inductees was admitted to the show's Hall of Fame. Now, we're adding 17 new entries into the Hall, ranging from podcast favorite actors to one-time appearances that left a mark on us.

Episode 356--That 80s Show

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

That 70s Show was getting good ratings, so it was inevitable a spin-off would happen. But that show was less of a spin-off and more of its own separate unrelated entity. That 80s Show was gone as quickly as it arrived. Bummer, dude!

Episode 355--New Monkees

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Hey hey, everybody is familiar with The Monkees, who have entertained people since the late 60s. They had a resurgance in popularity in the mid-to-late 80s, which gave someone the idea to create a new version of the band. The powers that be tried to make fetch happen, but the new version fizzled after 13 episodes.

Episode 354--Madame’s Place

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

It's time for Mike's annual Money in the Bank selection. This year, he went with a comedy set around a puppet, her life, and her TV show. Madame's Place was racy and had big guest stars. But when you're going up against late night fare like Carson, it won't end well.

Episode 353--Tucker’s Witch

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Detective shows were big in the early 80s, see Cagney & Lacey, Simon & Simon, Magnum P.I., Hill Street Blues, and others. But what if one of them was a witch? Tucker's Witch tried that. In the end, CBS made it disappear.

Live Show 36–Iron Man

Sat, 25 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In honor the 15th Anniversary of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and with the recent release of "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania", Greg and Chico go all the way back to the very beginning to live watch 2008's Iron Man!

Episode 352--The Royal Family

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

It was CBS' new hotness in 1991, one of the best new shows on television. Then tragedy happened and retooling had to occur. There are some "what ifs" regarding The Royal Family, specifically around its star.

Episode 351--That’s My Mama

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

We begin our weeklong celebration of Black History Month with a short-lived classic from 1974. Clifton Davis was a free-spirited bachelor barber. He had friends and family who loved him, including Theresa Merritt, known for having an opinion on anything and everything. What else could he say except… “That’s My Mama!”

Minisode 25--The Golden Dollar Commercials from 2000

Sat, 18 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In honor of Presidents' Day we at It Was a Thing on TV present another example of someone trying to make fetch happen.

When the US Treasury Department launched the new golden dollar coin in the year 2000, they commissioned the father of our country to help promote the new coin along with getting Batman himself Michael Keaton to voice him.

Episode 350--The Slap (US)

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

We've reached another milestone, with the release of episode 350! The Slap isn't known for much more than the titular slap, delivered by Spock?! What the hell Zachary Quinto?

Episode 349--Finder of Lost Loves

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and we're talking about a real-life finder of lost loves, who became the main character in this drama from 1984-5. The series is loaded with guest stars, which is unsurprising since this was an Aaron Spelling production.

Episode 348--How to Pick Up Men aka The Art of Meeting Men

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Valentine's Day is around the corner and we know all the single ladies out there want to know the secrets of finding that dream date. This VHS tape from 1984, How to Pick Up Men, has all the answers to getting the man of your dreams. It involves a dog named Boaz, not knowing where the post office is, and asking supermarket cashiers when the most single men shop. Plus flirt, flirt, flirt!

Full video on YouTube courtesy of the Oddity Archive. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWIO8d31E4M

Episode 347--”The Big Game” XLVII (aka The HarBowl or The Blackout Bowl)

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

In this year's "big game," for the first time, we have a set of brothers playing against each other for a title. Ten years earlier, we had a set of brothers coaching against each other for a title. What was a great battle that came down to the end was overshadowed by a lengthy power outage.

Episode 217--The 1985 Macy‘s Thanksgiving Day Parade (Director’s Cut)

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Originally recorded back in Thanksgiving of 2021, it's the final edition of our Director's Cuts that we released over at the Place to be Nation POP Experience with over 20 minutes of new material not in the original cut.

We bring you this special Director's Cut of the 1985 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which features Mike ranting about Your Numbers Up being preempted, a Cabbage Patch Kids commercial with Estelle Harris and a poster involving former New York Jets QB Ken O'Brien?

OH NEAT!

Episode 346--Superdome

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

We're nearing The Big Game and we're talking about a made-for-TV movie about a serial killer who takes out people associated with the two teams playing for it all. A star-studded cast struggles to make it to Super Sunday in the 1978 flick Superdome.

Episode 345--Good Sports

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Imagine you were on a show with your ex, playing anchors on a sports program. It happened here with Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal. They were truly Good Sports about this short-lived entry from 1991.

Episode 344--Free Spirit

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Free Spirit got its first exposure on the premiere of the TGIF block. It was then placed on another night, where it was replaced by a show which has been on for over 30 years. Was this show with a witch cursed? Possibly. But it gave us one of our favorites, Alyson Hannigan.

Episode 343--Lotsa Luck!

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

A comedy starring Dom DeLuise and created, in part, by Carl Reiner? Sounds like a winner to us! But it's going up against a strong police procedural and a stalwart from the early days of television? All we say is Lotsa Luck!

Live Show 35–The 49ers/Cowboys 2023 NFC Divisional Round Game

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 22:13:56 -0500

Last year we covered the 49ers and Cowboys in the Nickelodeon Wild Card game with an ending that had us all like WTF?

This year we came back to watch the rematch as both teams faced off with a trip to the NFC Championship Game on the line.

Episode 342--Tic Tac Dough without Wink Martindale

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

One of the most beloved games of the late 70s through the mid-80s was Tic Tac Dough. The show had lives before and after that halcyon period. Unfortunately, it was rigged, hosted by an imbecile, then hosted by a bigger imbecile, and recently went to pilot, but did not get picked up.

Live Show 34–Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

After the highs of Star Trek IV, Harve Bennett turned to another member of the Star Trek cast to try his hand at the directing chair. Surely with Captain Kirk at the helm, Star Trek V would reach even higher profits at the box office right?

Yeah, about that .......... Greg and Chico try to take a look at went wrong and try to answer what does God need with a starship?

Minisode 24--The Morgan and Morgan Metaverse Commercial

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 03:00:00 -0500

Greg saw this commercial one day and felt it was deserving of a minisode. Did you ever feel the Metaverse deserved it's own law firm? We didn't either.

You can view the commercial at this link. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmDaT1hnDlw

Episode 341--Double Trouble

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Chico's birthday is coming up and he's playing his Money in the Bank on this gem from the 1980s with twins. One is good and the other is troublesome...at least in the first season. Also, Greg comes up with an idea for a prequel for Jake and the Fatman.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents (01.11.23)

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Recorded on Monday on Stream Lounge, Greg records this special live episode of It Was a Thing on TV Presents discussing big things in his life over the last week while watching an old WWF Boston Garden House Show from 1986 on Peacock.

Link to the episode of WWE Old School on Peacock to follow along with Greg. - https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/playback/vod/GMO_00000000381023_01/78d1563a-8edf-34ca-87ae-0fb0182a6c32

Episode 340--Sirota’s Court

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Later this month, a long awaited reboot of Night Court will debut. In honor of the event, we are going back to a show which could be considered the inspiration for the original Night Court. Sirota's Court has a similar feel, but it only lasted several months in 1976 and 1977. There were reasons, including a controversial plot line and going up against the biggest miniseries ever.

Episode 339--Scorch

Sat, 07 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

There have been a variety of shows with puppets which have been successful--The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, ALF, Thunderbirds, and Fraggle Rock, to name a few. CBS tried their hand with a puppet-centric show with Scorch, about a dragon who slept for 100 years before waking up in 1992 Connecticut.

Episode 338--Hey! Spring of Trivia

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

January 4 was National Trivia Day. In honor of the event, we look at a Japanese show which made the translation to American television about weird and wonderful trivia. Give a listen to Hey! Spring of Trivia and there may be some melon bread in it for you, and the melon bread is shaped like a brain.

Live Show 33–WCW Starrcade 1995

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Today, New Japan Pro Wrestling has its annual January 4th supershow at the Tokyo Dome in Wrestle Kingdom 17. In celebration, Greg and Chico record their first live show with Peacock as they look at WCW Starrcade 1995, which features New Japan taking on World Championship Wrestling in the World Cup of Wrestling!

Also, Sting, Lex Luger and Ric Flair battle in a triangle match, with the winner meeting the Macho Man for the WCW championship in the main event! This show is, so action-packed you may need to snap into some Slim Jim's!

Episode 337--January 3, 1983 in game shows

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

40 years ago today (the day this episode became available), there were four landmark events on daytime television in a two-hour span. Three game shows (Sale of the Century, Hit Man, and Just Men!) premiered and what is undoubtedly The Price is Right's most famous pricing game, Plinko, debuted.

Episode 336--The 2022 Year in Review, Part 2

Sat, 31 Dec 2022 03:00:00 -0500

In the second part of our year-end special, we start with shows which ended in 2022, then wrap up the year with the people we lost over the course of the year, starting at the 9:05 mark.

Episode 336--The 2022 Year in Review, Part 1

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Another annual end-of-year tradition for this podcast is to look at the happenings on television for the year. It's such a big review that it's broken up into 2 parts.

1:55 The worst of 2022
1:09:59 The top TV stories of 2022
1:52:11 Our favorite shows of 2022

Episode 335–Santabear’s High Flying Adventure

Sun, 25 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

What started in 1985 as a popular Christmas toy tradition at a midwest department store, Santabear became so popular that two years later, CBS gave him his own primetime special on Christmas Eve 1987.

Santabear must help the residents of the South Pole discover the magic of Christmas while facing off with Santa's former helper Bullybear. With the help of a lady bear named Missy, Santabear goes on a high flying adventure to save Christmas for everyone before Bullybear can destroy all the presents.

Seriously, who hires a bear that calls himself Bullybear?

Episode 17.5--Mystery Diners Part 2

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

In 2019, we introduced you to Charles Stiles and his show Mystery Diners. As an early Christmas gift to you, we're revisiting the world of Mystery Diners by looking at 15 more installments of one of our favorite series. Sorry, no more drones. We have a roller cam this time!

Episode 334--Atari 2600 Commercials

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

We have brought you shows on Hulk Hogan commercials, Ric Flair commercials, and three separate installments of Hometown Commercials. Our early Christmas present to you is a look at ads for something everybody wanted under the tree from 1979 to 1982--the Atari 2600 VCS, and games for the system.

Atari 2600 Commercial (December, 1977) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJNbhekKShI

Atari VCS Commercial with Pete Rose, Pele and Don Knotts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs34_7_kC64

Atari VCS Commercial with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Carol Channing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lexverCcFFk

1978 Atari Commercial with Billie Jean King, Bobby Riggs and Jack Palance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ary-G-GYO60

Space Invaders (1980) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct_I2C_9Kf8

Kaboom - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkNztWEVxD4

Activision Ice Hockey with Phil Hartman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=celKZ-vwsCc

RealSports Baseball with Billy Martin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SI7zqsVoas

Atari Test Facility commercial with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mario Andretti and Pele - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0cSWi1V_wI

Laser Blast (1981) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SWzv

9Ses2U

Atari Toys R Us Asteroids Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFciGLGHiY4

Sears 1981 Christmas Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqBlPdz0G-M

Atari we don’t need a babysitter commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krGlnXY4HaY

Atari UK Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMLhvlAxsPw

Beany Bopper (1982) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OK5COuF6xg

Spider-Man (1982) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-usbQDfTIqE

Pac-Man Commercial with Mr. Hooper!!! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxsUCRSoUrE

Solar Fox with Jane Krakowski - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgUTq5pL3gE

Pole Position - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhRIneQFmHA

Ms. Pac-Man with Don Pardo voiceover - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKM5-k8uD7Q

Ms. Pac-Man Australian Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp1CKap2v28

Donkey Kong (1982) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzFCXfjuNjI

Donkey Kong Jr. (1983) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNTpXX43QxY

Dig Dug (1983) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VFjbPlq_nw

Pitfall! with Jack Black - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfLgSdAAHMA

Moon Patrol - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1fp8g3yimU

Sega Star Trek with Ernie Anderson voiceover - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28r4iGf7M98

Atari Sesame Street Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnQrQE4Y6Ow

Atari Christmas 1983 Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z2nyvfJDwk

1984 Atari 2600 Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1ZLov8Xne0

Urban General Atari 2600 Commercial (1984) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLryP7IrM1A

1986 Atari 2600 Commercial (The Fun is Back) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp1CbPpaWKw

Episode 333--Three’s a Crowd (1984)

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

When a character in a series is popular, networks want to ride that character's popularity as long as possible. When ABC canceled Three's Company, the network retained Jack Tripper, but placed him in a new series with a new love...and her father. Hilarity tried to ensue.

Episode 332--The Joker’s Wild (1990)

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Traditional daytime TV shows were on the decline in the early 1990s, in an era ushered by Maury Povich, Jerry Springer, and Jenny Jones. The Joker's Wild in 1990 tried to rejuvenate a show which showed its age in the mid-80s, in an era where it was handily beaten by Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! The core of the game drastically changed but kind of reverted to its original format, but it was too late.

Episode 331–The Facts of Life, Season 1

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

The Facts of Life is one of NBC's big hits from the 1980s and a true sitcom classic. But there was a time where not only was it unbelievably different, it was in danger of being canceled after the first four episodes! Join the guys as they talk about the first season and how & why half of the cast were forced out of Eastland Academy.

Live Show 32–The Star Wars Holiday Special Live!

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Discussed back in Episode 16, Greg and Chico give The Star Wars Holiday Special it's due by revisiting it in a special live show.

We cover everything from Itchy's holographic boner to Art Carney to Jefferson Starship to the Boba Fett cartoon. We even cover that Flying High commercial where Pam had that great layover with Bobby Sherman!

May the Force be with you and Happy Life Day!

Video to follow along (sync to 0:48 and pause before Greg gives the five second countdown) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8MrPe6i5YU

Episode 330--MacGruder and Loud

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

It's 1985 and ABC wants to capitalize on Cagney & Lacey and Hill Street Blues, which were big hits on other networks...but let's make them married! MacGruder and Loud premiered after "The Big Game" in 1985, but barely made it to Spring 1985.

Episode 329--Time Machine

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Reg Grundy was on a hot streak in the mid-1980s with Sale of the Century and Scrabble. (See what we did there?) NBC took a chance on a third Grundy show, which was a blatant ripoff of The Price is Right with history. After 16 weeks, 2 different formats, and 3 versions of the final round, this show, like its subject matter, became history. But we did get John Davidson's first game show hosting gig.

Live Show 31–Santa With Muscles

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 12:28:28 -0500

It's the holiday season brother! In the latest Live Show, Greg and Chico watch the 1996 movie "Santa With Muscles" where the Hulkster plays an insane health food pitchman who gets amensia and now thinks he's Santa Claus! The Hulkster then has to save an Orphanage from a germophobic Ed Begley Jr.!

It's up to the Hulkster to save Garrett Morris, Robin Curtis and young Mila Kunis from the Zodiac killer brother!

Episode 328--E/R (1984 CBS comedy)

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 03:00:00 -0500

Not to be confused with its slashless namesake, E/R had two people in common with the more popular show, including a young George Clooney. The cast was diverse and talented, but this wonder lasted just a season after much early promise. You can't blame George for this one.

Episode 327--Hot Potato

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

It's the week after Thanksgiving and we're getting rid of our holiday leftovers. Hot Potato was a Family Feud ripoff, but with better technology and the dean of hosts. Unfortunately, this potato's shelf life was very short, becoming a celebrity show in 13 weeks, with outright cancellation a few months later.

Live Show 30–The Goonies ’R’ Good Enough Music Video

Sat, 26 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Recently featured in the third season premiere of Young Rock on NBC, we look at the Cyndi Lauper music video from the 1985 classic "The Goonies".

Can Cyndi save her family's gas station from the evil clutches of Roddy Piper, Iron Sheik and company while also trying to find pirate treasure? Just watch out for One Eyed Willie's booby traps.

Links to follow along.

"The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" Music Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhPujiA9BRY

Taffy Butt (Bob's Burgers) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9hCvuxgyuE

Episode 326–Alan King’s Thanksgiving Special

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

For our second Thanksgiving episode this year, we watch this NBC special hosted by comedian Alan King from 1980. Alan along with Dick Van Patten, McLean Stevenson and Angie Dickinson try to help us answer the question that's on our minds this season "what have we got to be thankful for?"

Episode 325--The 1986 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

It's an It Was a Thing annual tradition! For the 4th straight year, we're celebrating Thanksgiving by watching balloons down Broadway, Pat Sajak & Stepfanie Kramer calling the action from Herald Square, and guests including Phyllis Diller and the Lawrence Brothers.

Superman! What happened to you this year?

Amateur video from the 1986 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (Thomas Kerwick on YouTube) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEaZGcj0-Ec

Live Show 29–Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 10:22:55 -0500

We reach the conclusion of the Trek Trilogy as Greg and Chico make the voyage to 1986 San Francisco with the Enterprise crew as they look for some humpback whales and get into all sorts of crazy shenanigans in the past.

Episode 324--Hollywood Squares derivatives

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Merrill Heatter found his greatest success with Hollywood Squares. After it was cancelled in 1980 (see episode 68), Heatter tried the Squares format, but with some twists. In this show, we briefly cover 4 titles--Battlestars, The New Battlestars, All-Star Blitz, and the unsold 1993 pilot Hollywood Teasers.

Episode 323--Infomercials from the 1990s

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

They're a staple on TV today, specifically in the overnight hours. Half-hour infomercials came on the scene in the early 90s, filling holes in television schedules at all hours of the day. In this installment, we look back at 9 such infomercials from the 1990s and talk about how cheesy they were and memories we had watching them.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents: Before the Show

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

For the first time ever here on Podbean, we bring you the preshow we do before the show. There's been so much going on in the past week that we have to talk about it to you right here. Enjoy as we discuss the dumpster fire going on at Twitter, Newlywed Game '96 on BUZZR and the time Johnny Olson won a Boy George look alike contest!

Timestamps

0:03 - Intro/Twitter is a dumpster fire

3:16 - FTX goes bankrupt as the Crypto market crashes

7:28 - We get an Instagram comment

9:14 - PAX/ION discussion

14:39 - Kevin Conroy's passing

17:29 - Old timey radio style podcasts

18:56 - Omnibus goes down from two episodes a week to one

20:36 - Mike gets sick over last weekend

21:45 - Supermarket discussion

25:24 - Gallagher's passing

29:32 - Gary Kroeger's Newlywed Game airs on BUZZR/MG90 discussion

35:57 - Who will buy Twitter after Elon Musk ruins it?

40:00 - Previewing this week's episodes on the podcast

45:59 - Discussion on the time that Johnny Olson won a Boy George look alike contest on The Price is Right

55:27 - Previewing the next live show (Star Trek IV) and closing

Episode 322--The McLean Stevenson Show

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

It's been a while since we have talked about the patron saint of this podcast. McLean's birthday is coming soon, so we felt the time was appropriate to talk about his first series after he left M*A*S*H. To be fair, you can't fully blame McLean for this show's downfall.

Episode 321--The Starland Vocal Band Show

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

It's listener request time once again! This time, we look at a 1977 summer replacement variety show with the band behind one of 1976's biggest songs. The Starland Vocal Band Show may have centered around a one-hit wonder, but it starred some future star power.

Episode 320--Fish

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In October, we asked you to vote on which of three candidates you wanted us to cover as our Election Day episode. Your winner was Fish, the spin-off of Barney Miller about Phil Fish's home life with his wife and five precocious scamps.

Episode 319--Mr. President

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0400

It's the start of November and election time is around the corner. We felt it was appropriate to visit this relevant dramedy turned comedy with George C. Scott from FOX's early days.

Live Show 28–Werewolf by Night

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

For Halloween, we present this It Was a Thing on TV "special presentation." Greg and Chico take a look at the Marvel Studios Disney+ special "Werewolf by Night."

Ted suggests that you give this a listen.

Minisode 23--The Opening to WCW Halloween Havoc 1993

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Wrestling fans tuned into the WCW Halloween Havoc 1993 Pay-Per-View expecting a night of exciting wrestling and what happened in the first four minutes was so weird that it's been on Greg's mind for the last 29 years.

Find out if a bunch of trick-or-treaters from Atlanta can be scared by Tony Schiavone.

Episode 318--Eerie, Indiana

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Our final Halloween episode for this year is about a show which could be considered Twin Peaks for kids. Originally, it lasted a season but found life after its demise on several networks, including a follow-up series and a series of young adult books. Prepare yourself for the bizarre world of Eerie, Indiana.

Episode 317--The Episode of Saturday Night Live preempted by Game 6 of the 1986 World Series

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In 1986, NBC expected to air Saturday Night Live in its usual post-news time slot. The New York Mets had other plans, forcing SNL's hand to record that night's show in the dead of night, and causing the episode to air weeks later.

Live Show 27–Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction - Season 3, Episode 9

Sat, 22 Oct 2022 01:00:17 -0400

The gang returns to the world of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction for this episode which has a Halloween theme in one of the segments.

Is one man actually being haunted by a meddling trick or treater who's pretending to be the grim reaper on Halloween night?

Can a mysterious drifter help Roy from The Office find love with his wife?

Is it possible that two people who are about to be married can turn out to be seperated at birth?

These mysteries will be answered as we once again go Beyond Belief!

"Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction - Season 3, Episode 9" (Full Episode) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erlZFCBEL3Y

Episode 316--She-Wolf of London/Love and Curses

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

We start Halloween off looking at an obscurity from the early 90s which apparently has a small cult following. Originally, this was called She-Wolf of London but due to budget cuts and production moving from London to Los Angeles, the show underwent a format change and went by Love and Curses.

Episode 315--Camp Wilder

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

ABC went against the grain with some of their TGIF offerings. First, Dinosaurs aired during TGIF. Second, it was followed by Camp Wilder, an untraditional family sitcom loaded with future star power.

Live Show 26–The Kissing Booth

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

This past summer we encountered through IMDB in one of our episodes this Netflix teen romantic comedy based on a YA book.

Greg and Chico sit through the movie that started an era that both of them had no idea even was an era.

Can young Elle end up with her best friend Lee's hot brother? Can Greg and Chico make it through this movie in one piece?

Follow the rulebook as Greg and Chico enter the The Kissing Booth.

Episode 314--Beyond Westworld

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

After Westworld, the movie but before Westworld, the HBO series, there was a very brief TV series titled Beyond Westworld. In 1980, CBS attempted to continue the story of robots gone amok, the agents hired to stop them, and their creator from taking over the world.

Episode 198–Fall TV Campaigns (Director’s Cut)

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Since the new fall TV season has gotten underway, we thought it was time to release the Director's Cut version of our Fall TV Campaigns episode from last year.

We have about 45 minutes of new material added from the original version that we released over on the Place to Be Nation last year.

So let's all be there for this look back at one of our best episodes as we give you the touch.

Episode 313--The Brady Brides

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

It's the early 1980s and the Brady kids have grown up and are ready to begin adulthood. Two of the Brady daughters got married, the couples moved in together, and Alice joined them for some reason. Typical Sherwood Schwartz hilarity ensued...briefly.

Minisode 22--Ball, Get Out of My Nachos

Sat, 08 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Before baseball season began in 1999, during a viewer mail segment, a viewer asked David Letterman how Letterman prepared for opening day. The response was the first of three appearances of this segment, Ball, Get Out of My Nachos.

Episode 312--The Introduction of the Compact Disc, on ABC Australia’s Towards 2000

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In this installment, we mark the 40th anniversary of the compact disc by going down under and all around the world for ABC Australia's coverage of the breakthrough technology. Someone should have warned people in 1982 to not touch the bottoms of CDs.

"Towards 2000: Introducing the Compact Disc" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Tx6TYnPat8

Episode 311--The Baseball Network

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 12:00:00 -0400

In 1994 and 1995, both ABC and NBC had a joint venture where they'd air primetime baseball. It went sideways after some markets did not get regional coverage. It didn't help there was a strike which cut short both seasons, including no World Series in 1994.

Live Show 25–Mac and Me

Sat, 01 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

For the 25th Live Show, Greg and Mike look at the 1988 ET ripoff "Mac and Me". A little alien is stranded on Earth away from his family where he befriends a little boy (does this look like anything?). Also, he and his family need Coke to live for some reason.

But yes, folks nothing about this movie would be complete without talking about Paul Rudd's favorite scene. Grab a Big Mac and listen to Greg and Mike watch the cinematic masterpiece that is "Mac and Me".

Episode 310--Whew! Revisited

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Our 4th show revisited is a show that was beloved among fans for decades, which unexpectedly turned up on BUZZR in 2021. Before then, roughly 15 episodes were available. We felt we needed to revisit this classic since we now know much more about Whew!

Episode 309--Half Nelson

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

NBC might have made a big comeback in the mid-1980s, but there was one huge weakness for them--Friday nights at 9 PM against shows like Benson and Dallas. Half Nelson was another Friday at 9 victim, succumbing after a month and a half. But it had a lot of big names!

Live Show 24–Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Greg and Chico's livewatches of the original Star Trek movies continue as they join Kirk and company in The Search for Spock.

In this journey to the Genesis planet we meet Klingon Doc Brown, Captain James B. Sikking and Phil Morris (wait, what?). Enjoy as we see the events that made John Schuck say that those Starfleet regulations were outrageous!

Minisode 21--SNL Funny Cars at Worcester Centrum

Sat, 24 Sep 2022 03:00:00 -0400

Next week, Saturday Night Live starts it's 48th season on NBC. In this special minisode we look back at a weird commercial parody making fun of monster truck shows where those boring funny cars turn out in the ad to be sentient beings able to achieve perpetual motion. Sadly those monster trucks are not amused by what these funny cars manage to accomplish.

Episode 308--Mindreaders

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

As we've said many times, NBC in 1979 was desperate for anything that would draw eyes. Mindreaders was helmed by a former NBC primetime personality, trying to capitalize on an ESP craze at the time. If only the people behind this show had ESP and could see this show not lasting all that long...

Episode 307--Split Personality

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

This week, both episodes are previous entries from BUZZR's annual "Lost and Found" marathon, which usually happens this time of year. (No details about this year's marathon, BUZZR?) The week starts with a show from the 1950s, hosted by podcast favorite Tom Poston. Split Personality didn't last long, though it technically aired in the 50s and 60s.

Episode 306--Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

35 years ago, a series blended gritty stories, wartime allegories, and cutting edge special effects. If it wasn’t the violence that people were against, it was the toy tie-ins. A show that was ahead of its time could not have come at a worse time. Prepare for the Metal Wars as we talk about Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future.

Episode 305--Good Morning, Miss Bliss

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

We revisit school briefly for this episode. Before Saved by the Bell, some of its characters were in a short-lived Disney Channel show set in a middle school in Indianapolis. Good Morning, Miss Bliss was a precursor to the popular series from the 80s and 90s. One thing remained the same: Zack Morris is trash.

Live Show 23–Obi-Wan Kenobi - Episodes 5 & 6

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Greg and Chico finish the final two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+ as they look to see if Obi-Wan can protect Luke and Leia before the Empire does and the answer is ................ well, obviously yes, because you know what happens later on.

But hey prepare yourself for the most why the hell were you in that place the whole time? cameo at the end of Episode 6.

Timecodes in case you are following the episodes along with us on Disney+.

Episode 5 - 4:08 (Start the stream at 0:03 in the timecode on the episode)

Episode 6 - 44:44

Live Show 22–Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction - Season 2, Episode 4

Sat, 10 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Mike, Greg and Chico are back for their second livewatch of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction.

We watch another episode from Season 2 as Jonathan Frakes shows us stories about a retiring pro wrestler, a haunting VHS tape, a woman haunted by the ghost of her dead mother at a clothing store, an insurance scam and an escaping prisoner.

Play along with Mike and Chico as they determine what is truth and what is downright bullfunky.

"Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction - Season 2, Episode 4" (Full Episode) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYdVJarunuI

Episode 304--The T.Ocho Show

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Tonight (September 8) is the start to the National Football League season and we mark the occasion with a look at a short-lived reality/discussion show starring the two biggest diva football players of the early 2010s. Also, Mike tries taking their Twitter handle and...hilarity ensues.

Episode 303--Star Trek: The Animated Series

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Later this week is Star Trek Day, and we're talking about what is considered a continuation of the original series, done four years after the original's cancellation. Is this true Star Trek canon? Judge for yourself as we dive into Star Trek: The Animated Series.

Live Show 21–Friday Night Lights: Season 1, Episode 1

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of the start of High School and College Football, Greg and Chico look at the Pilot episode of "Friday Night Lights" from 2006 as they look at and examine the cast of characters that surround the Dillon Panthers football team.

Also, we're here for that Mack Brown cameo in the middle of the episode with Coach Taylor.

Episode 302--Teachers Only

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

We wrap up our annual Back to School week by turning the tables, focusing not on a TV show about the students, but rather the educators themselves. Teachers Only had a short first season, but underwent a major overhaul of the cast (and even a new theme) for a slightly longer second season.

Episode 301--Ferris Bueller (1990 series)

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

It's back to school week! We start this week talking about why some movies should not make the transition to TV shows. Ferris Bueller had very little in common with the movie, and the title character makes that known in the first 2 minutes of the pilot. But it did have Jennifer Aniston.

Episode 300--Automan Revisited

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 01:00:00 -0400

This is it! We have reached another milestone, this time looking back at the show covered in the second half of episode 3. Unlike the first time, Chico is with us this time and thankfully can make the trip with us to Zippers?!?! Also, Greg has a major announcement which is truly a game changer. What is the major announcement? You have to listen to Episode 300 and find out!

Episode 299--Manimal Revisited

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In our second 'revisited' episode, we go back to the first half of episode 3 and take a second look at the short-lived NBC perennial bomb Manimal. We get deeper into the show, the guests, and we have Chico present this time around.

Live Show 20–Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Director’s Cut)

Sat, 20 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Greg and Chico continue their livewatches of the original Star Trek movies as they look at what is regarded as the best Trek movie in The Wrath of KHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

Just a note this livewatch will be looking at the Director's Cut of the movie and not the Theatrical Cut. If you have the Director's Cut of the movie on either DVD, Blu-ray or Digital, Greg will give you instructions at the start on how to follow along with the episode.

Episode 298--Hometown Commercials, Volume 3

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

On episode 98, we gave you Hometown Commercials. On episode 202, we gave you a second helping. They're back for 298, more of the local commercials that are so bad, they're good. In the third edition we are introduced to new favorites including a man who sells gold, another lawyer, a taxidermist and a guy who wants to get serious about selling you windows.

Horrible Insurance Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l0ZmTLdy-A
Hoot Wireless - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DMt3OMwArU
Go Wireless! Kansas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8ivjjuo508
All E Gators Restaurant (1985) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XauJZlXtCwA
Golden Heart Utilities - Grease Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yscAsXED8jI
Greenfield Video Laserdiscs - Laserdiscs - YouTube
Big Al’s Pizza with Owl - https://youtu.be/dQZvtVafFqs
Jeff Martin The Heavy Hitter - https://youtu.be/rJ6fecmCWmY
Jeff Martin Dog Damage - https://youtu.be/VP8PRMIDmLQ
Red Devil Games PSA - https://vimeo.com/1062144
Ford Man Kansas - https://youtu.be/J06IWemV1U4
Futon Max - https://youtu.be/msxEUhBdNPY
Ojai Valley Taxidermy TV Commercial (Rhett and Link) - https://youtu.be/LJP1DphOWPs
Mazda Commercial Tennessee (1992) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6BiDlx9UrY
J&P Auto Mart - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN3nUcLs-Qc
Taste of Art Auction 2006 “Celebrity Squares” Commercial - https://youtu.be/VzoNlVsZ8Fg
Cecil Myers Rap - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WX207oDywA
Eastern Motors with Willis McGehee - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXW62k1aQNI
The Pizza Planet 1984 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AljsZSY2sPw
Hoy Trial Lawyers - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3WuHTn2qXs
The Furniture Company in Lake Worth (2002) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkY3kTKGOjM
Primetime Automotive Advertising with Gary Busey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCFflhzfi1A Summer Ad - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWL2A8Lw7Os
Little Johns Derby Jewelry Super Gold Man - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4eJNtFG10U
Super Sash Window Co. (Chicago) (1982) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJy9EFf-tiM
Crazy Gideon (“I’m Back!”) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56szyOQUA-U
Crazy Gideon (“I Declare War!”) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wOCzf6HTrU
Grand Finale (Rhett and Link) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYYdF0zcuSI&t=1s

Episode 297--The CBS Friday Night Block Party (Meego and The Gregory Hines Show)

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In 1997, CBS took the bold steps of putting together a 2-hour comedy block on Friday nights versus ABC's TGIF, and even took two of TGIF's stalwarts in the process. The two former TGIF shows were on its last legs. We're here to talk about the two original shows to the Block Party--Meego and The Gregory Hines Show.

Live Show 19–Obi-Wan Kenobi - Episodes 3 & 4

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Greg and Chico resume their livewatch of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+ as they look at the middle episodes as Obi-Wan and Young Leia encounter a not-so friendly alien truck driver, imperial spies and Ice Cube's kid.

Here are the timecodes to sync up with Episodes 3 & 4, if you are following along on Disney+.

Episode 3 - 1:46

Episode 4 - 45:35

Minisode 20--George Peppard’s rant on Password Plus

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In 1979, early on in Password Plus' run, George Peppard made an appearance as a celebrity player. On the first show, Peppard put his foot in his mouth, while ranting about forms NBC (and presumably other networks) had people sign. As a result, Peppard never played another game.

Episode 296--Uh Oh!

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Susan St. James' 75th birthday is happening this Sunday, and we mark the occasion the only way we know how--by utilizing a running gag on this show. Uh Oh! was a Canadian game show for kids, despite an antagonist who looks like he should be running a sex dungeon. A kid's show with who appears to be a dungeon master ran for six seasons in Canada!

Episode 295--Shasta McNasty

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

UPN tried throwing almost anything on their schedule in the late 90s. Shasta McNasty is no exception. It was so bad that the title was cut in half to just Shasta during the show's run. Even cross-promotions with WWF Smackdown couldn't lure viewers. This was basically the most 1999 TV show that ever 1999'd.

Episode 294--Marblehead Manor

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In episode 61, we talked about the season when NBC owned and operated stations had primetime starting at 7:30. We talked about one of those 5 shows, We Got it Made, in episode 66. Another show from that experiment is this show's focus. Marblehead Manor follows the antics of a wealthy family and their staff at their palatial residence.

Episode 293--A League of Their Own (1993 series)

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In anticipation of the upcoming Amazon Prime series, this episode takes a look at the "blink and you'll miss it" television version of one of the breakout movie hits of 1992. A League of Their Own had a handful of characters reprising their roles in one-off appearances and its TV fate may have been set in stone by a certain organization.

Episode 292--A Year at the Top

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Norman Lear's 100th birthday celebration continues with possibly his most obscure series, airing for just 5 episodes in 1977. A Year at the Top followed the Faustian formula of selling one's soul to the devil for instant success. Audiences gave it a month at the bottom of the ratings.

Episode 291--Hot l Baltimore

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

This week, we're celebrating Norman Lear's 100th birthday by looking at two of his less successful shows. We start with Lear's adaptation of a play about a seedy hotel with even seedier residents, Hot l Baltimore. Most of the players were relative newcomers, and three went on to much greater success in the decades that followed.

Episode 290--Stumpers! and 50 Grand Slam

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

We're giving you two shows for the price of one this episode. These shows premiered on the same day, the shows aired consecutively on NBC, and both looked technologically amazing for late 1976. Alas, technology couldn't save the pair, as their final shows aired on the last day of the year.

Episode 289--Mr. Merlin

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

What if Merlin the Magician lived in the 20th Century instead of during Arthurian times? In 1981, CBS gave us an answer to that question when Merlin lived in San Francisco and owned an auto repair shop. It appears CBS had faith in the series, but it went up against difficult competition from the start.

Episode 288--The episode of Rescue 911 that aired during the 1990 MLB All-Star Game rain delay

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

We previously talked about the 1990 MLB All-Star Game, with its long rain delay. Now, we're talking about what happened during that delay. CBS fired up an episode of its freshman hit Rescue 911. It was a bit of an odd selection, maybe more so because this episode had a gruesome event, during a jovial event (The All-Star Game.)

Episode 287--The 1990 MLB All-Star Game

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 02:00:00 -0400

Our journey to this year's All-Star festivities continues with the 1990 edition, one with great pitching, first appearances by several baseball legends, and a lengthy rain delay. We'll continue talking about the rain delay on Thursday.

Episode 286--The 1st Annual Cracker Jack Old Timers Classic

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

We're rounding the halfway mark in the baseball season and we have three special episodes lined up for the occasion. First, we watch dozens of legends participate in an old timers game whose participants span almost 50 years of Major League Baseball, the oldest of whom pulls off the highly improbable.

Episode 285--The Return of The Incredible Hulk (aka The Incredible Hulk Returns) (1988 TV movie)

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 01:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 284--”The Gang Wrestles for the Troops”

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

The Fourth of July is coming early next week. To celebrate, we look at one of our favorite episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, where the gang puts on a wrestling event with a little support from Rowdy Roddy Piper's character.

Episode 283--Tenspeed and Brown Shoe

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Live Show 18--Personal Injury Court - Nugent v. Rodriguez

Sat, 25 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

We're sticking with the courtroom theme in this surprise live show where we go back to a show covered in Episode 117 as we look at a special episode of Personal Injury Court.

In this episode, Gino gives us the legal sauce in a case where a lady gets blinded in an eye by a bag of peanuts at a baseball game thrown by the team mascot.

Let's just say that the costume of the mascot is something that has been seen to be appreciated.

You can watch the episode and follow along at the official YouTube channel for Personal Injury Court. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXfEgepI5UA

Episode 282--Gary Busey: Pet Judge

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Early in COVID times, a lot of odd shows came down the pipe to entertain audiences stuck at home. Gary Busey, Pet Judge was one of them. Take fake court cases, presided by a fake judge, complete with fake plaintiffs and defendants, and throw in an obviously fake court reporter and...hilarity ensues?

Live Show 17--Obi-Wan Kenobi - Episodes 1 & 2

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 01:15:38 -0400

Greg and Chico watch the first two episodes of "Obi-Wan Kenobi" the latest Star Wars series on Disney+.

In Ewan McGreggor's epic return to the role of our favorite Jedi master, Obi-Wan has to deal with failing in his training of Anakin back in "Revenge of the Sith".

Meanwhile, a certain Princess from Alderaan is kidnapped and it's up to Obi-Wan to save her from the clutches of the Empire and his former Padawan turned Sith Lord.

Here are the timecodes on when to play Episodes 1 & 2 to sync up with us if you are following along on Disney+.

Episode 1 - 3:31

Episode 2 - 55:23

Episode 281--Lady Blue

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 280--Women in Prison

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

FOX was the newcomer on the block in 1987, specifically when it came to primetime programming. They threw a lot of stuff against the wall, to see if much stuck. Women in Prison was one such program that just didn't click. But that theme song!

Episode 279--Street Hawk

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 278--Poison Ivy (1985 TV movie)

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

It's viewer request time again! You wanted us to watch this sort-of spiritual successor to High School U.S.A. (Episode 158) and we did! Why did this movie about a summer camp originally air in the not-so summer month of February 1985? We know why it reran in July 1985, besides it was summer.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents (06.08.22)

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In an experimental solo episode that Greg does somewhat live from his car after work, Greg talks about the shows he's been watching so far as the summer starts to heat up.

Greg talks about the new season of Stranger Things along with Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+. He also talks about how he thinks the finale of Barry Season 3 will go down.

Afterwards, Greg looks ahead talking about future episodes of the podcast along with memories of playing NES including Bases Loaded, Dusty Diamond's All-Star Softball and that horrid LJN Back to the Future Game.

Episode 277--What a Country!

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

It's the mid-80s, the Cold War rages on, and a comedian from Soviet Russia makes it big with appearances on Carson and on the stand-up circuit, and as a semi-regular on Night Court. In 1986, he got his own vehicle, What a Country! Listen to who was cast as the macho ex-Marine turned principal.

Episode 276--The WTF Prizes of Press Your Luck

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

"The Whammy" is your guide to one more episode related to Press Your Luck. This time, Greg and Mike talk about some of the oddball prizes from all versions of Press Your Luck, including the current version, Whammy!, and the one-off Game Show Marathon episode.

Episode 275--Second Chance (1977)

Mon, 30 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400

One of our favorite revivals in recent years is returning for a 4th season. This week, both shows are related to Press Your Luck. To start, we look at the OG version, 6 years before the popular 80s version. Second Chance had no whammies, had a boring board, had a weird question structure, and lasted a little over 4 months in 1977 on ABC.

Episode 274--The Noid

Sat, 28 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In the mid-80s, the pizza wars fueled up between primarily Pizza Hut and Domino's. Pizza Hut had a successful campaign aimed at students, with the Book It! project. Domino's promoted fast and hot delivery, and incorporated a Claymation spokesfiend named The Noid.

Live Show 16--Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction - Season 2, Episode 11

Fri, 27 May 2022 01:00:00 -0400

In the most recent taping session, we brought up Jonathan Frakes and the cult classic Late 90's/Early 2000's FOX show "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction".

In this special live show, Greg presents an episode featuring three potential show Hall of Famers in the five stories in this Season 2 episode. At the end of the episode, Mike and Chico will determine if these five stories pass the smell test.

Since this is a live show there were some problems with Mike's speaker system where the show audio was playing on his external speakers but that was quickly fixed.

If you want to play along you can watch this episode on the Filmrise True Crime YouTube channel. Make sure to pause after each segment when Mike and Chico give their review of the segment before moving on.

"Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction - Season 2, Episode 11" (Full Episode) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54Qv2FHRTWE

Episode 273--Here’s Boomer

Thu, 26 May 2022 01:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 272--The Famous Teddy Z

Mon, 23 May 2022 03:00:00 -0400

It's almost Greg's birthday and this is his Money in the Bank show. A very young Jon Cryer plays the titular character in this show, as someone who goes from working in a mail room to being a big-time agent.

Episode 271--Turnabout

Sat, 21 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Schuckapalooza ends with one of the most forgettable shows we have ever covered. Despite very little video available, Turnabout is one of the most painful series we have recapped, from the awkward premise to story lines which are ridiculous and even somewhat sexist. John Schuck and Sharon Gless deserved so much better.

Episode 270--The Munsters Today

Thu, 19 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Schuckapalooza forges on with this reboot of a 1960s classic with our hero this week playing Herman Munster, a role made famous by Fred Gwynne. In this sequel series, the Munster family wakes up from a 22-year sleep and has to mostly deal with Grandpa's crappy inventions.

Episode 269--Holmes and Yoyo

Mon, 16 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400

This week, we're having our own Schuckapalooza, covering three series starring underrated character actor John Schuck. We start with Schuck playing a robotic police officer in the 13-week wonder Holmes and Yoyo.

Episode 268--I’m a Big Girl Now

Thu, 12 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Soap was riding high in 1980. Its producers gave who would likely be the 6th most popular cast member on that show her own vehicle, with a cast that includes a comedy icon and a future comedy icon. I'm a Big Girl Now was one (season) and done.

Episode 267--Jason of Star Command

Mon, 09 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Outer space science fiction was everywhere in the late 70s--in your movie theater, on public television, in primetime, even on Saturday mornings. The crew at Filmation gave us their take on space adventures with Jason of Star Command, which featured a veteran from an outer space classic.

Episode 266--I Married Dora

Sat, 07 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400

McCormick from Hardcastle and McCormick and Audrey Griswold #3 star in a sitcom about marrying someone to ensure they aren't deported from the country. Of course, hilarity ensues. The best moment of the show came at the very end of the final episode, when everybody knew the writing was on the wall.

Episode 265--Saturday Night Live Season 11 (1985-86)

Thu, 05 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Marvel Month concludes with possibly the second-worst season of SNL ever. We talked about probably the worst season of SNL on episode 97, about the 1980-81 era. Now, we look at the 1985-86 season, a transition season of sorts, when most of the cast lasted just this one season if not less, and the writers lasted just as long, ushering in one of the best eras in the show's lengthy history.

Episode 264--Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!

Mon, 02 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Marvel Month nears its end with one of the more recent shows this podcast has covered. Jamie Foxx, David Alan Grier and others showed a lot of promise when this debuted, but the plug was quickly pulled at Netflix. Dad, Stop Embarrassing Me! was just a bland comedy which relied on many tropes.

Minisode 19–Fuji Vice

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of what would have been Mr. Fuji's 88th birthday on May 4th, we present perhaps the single greatest thing the legendary WWF manager gave us.

As part of a series of skits on WWF Tuesday Night Titans in 1985, Fuji and his wrestler Don Muraco play Crockett and Tubbs in this parody of the NBC drama. This sketch is so bad it's good.

Episode 263--Raising Dad

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Bob Saget is playing a widower taking care of his daughters, but it's not Full House. It's the early 2000s, this show is on the WB, and the two daughters on the show went on to much bigger and better things in the upcoming decades. Marvel month rolls on with Raising Dad.

Episode 262--Stumptown

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400

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

Episode 261--Mister Sterling

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 260--Selfie

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Marvel Month resumes here at It Was a Thing on TV. In the past, we have had many modern-day adaptations of plays on both television and in movies--West Side Story, The Odd Couple, You Can't Take It with You, and the list goes on. In 2014, a modern take of Pygmalion/My Fair Lady titled Selfie aired on ABC. Despite having devoted fan base, only a handful of episodes aired on the network before being burned off online.

Minisode 18--Titey

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 18:00:00 -0400

For the 109th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking last year, we looked at S.O.S. Titanic, a TV movie from 1979 with Susan St. James among others. (UH OH!) This year for the 110th anniversary, we're covering a much more light-hearted take, answering the question "What if Disney made a movie about the Titanic?" Thanks to Robert Smigel, we think it might look a little like Titey.

Episode 259--Don’t Scare the Hare

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Happy Easter!

In 2011, the BBC, the gold standard of TV networks in the UK, aired a late weekend afternoon game centered around a robotic rabbit in its own underground habitat. I wish this was a late April Fools joke. Don't Scare the Hare is as bizarre as TV shows come and, unsurprisingly, didn't have a very long shelf life.

Live Show 15--Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director’s Edition

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Greg and Chico go to warp speed in the newest It Was a Thing on TV Live Show as they look at the recent 4K restoration for The Director's Edition of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" on Paramount+.

To follow along on Paramount+ pause the stream at the 1:17 mark and start after Greg says "play" following the five second countdown.

Episode 258--Opposite Sex

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 257--Face the Music

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Combine elements of Name That Tune and Password Plus, add an emcee with very limited hosting ability, throw in a singer and a band, and enter a legendary cheapskate of a producer and what do you get? One of the most memorable cult classic shows from the golden age of cable, Face the Music.

Episode 256--Electra-Woman and Dyna-Girl (2001 pilot)

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0400

The WB (and now, The CW) like their superhero shows. In 2001, The WB piloted a reboot of a mid-70s superhero duo, but brought them to the modern day including making the main character (we're not joking) a 50-year-old divorcee who lives in a trailer and is a raging alcoholic. Needless to say, The WB said thanks but no thanks to Electra-Woman and Dyna-Girl.

Episode 255--Kung Fu: The Next Generation

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 254--The Grudge Match

Sat, 26 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In the early 90s, if you had a beef with someone, you couldn't necessarily take them to a TV courtroom. Enter a show with boxing, trash cans, and feather dusters, where combatants took their issues to the ring. The Grudge Match is a show we have wanted to cover for some time and thanks to another podcast, a full episode made its way online recently.

Episode 253--Top Secret (1988 pilot)

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Pyramid was cancelled months earlier, Blackout wasn't getting the viewers, and CBS had Family Feud waiting in the wings in early 1988. Enter Wink Martindale with his format Top Secret which didn't crack CBS' lineup but had its own board game. Be warned there is some whispering, followed by louder audio. Respect your eardrums.

Episode 252--Darkman (1992 pilot)

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 251--What’s Alan Watching? (1989 pilot)

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0400

CBS was having a tough go in the late 80s, in an era dominated by NBC. They gave a pilot not unlike UHF spearheaded by Eddie Murphy a chance, but it was one and done. Don't change that channel and discover What's Alan Watching?

Episode 250--Genesis II/Planet Earth

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0400

It's the early 70s. Gene Roddenberry hit it big with Star Trek and is looking to create the next big thing. He pitches Genesis II to CBS in 1973, who is not interested. He tinkers with the format a bit, pitches it to ABC as Planet Earth in 1974, and is shut out again. There was a third pilot with this format pitched a year later and guess what? Three strikes and you're out.

The ”It Was a Thing on TV” Hall of Fame Class of 2022

Sun, 13 Mar 2022 15:00:00 -0400

This is the first (of hopefully many) It Was a Thing on TV Hall of Fame ceremonies. Our inaugural class of 12 includes some known names, a definite unknown, and even an animal.

Episode 249--Fluppy Dogs

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0500

In 1986, Disney did what Disney does best--make money, specifically with a new cartoon that already had a line of plush dolls. But the direction Disney went was unconventional. Fluppy Dogs were not dogs. Rather, they were interdimensional travelers. It's not your average Disney cartoon.

Fluppy Dogs - History of Disney Television Animation (Toonamp) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oNfB1biUnc

Episode 248--Wonder Woman (2011 NBC pilot)

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0500

We start our 3rd annual pilot month with a look at a potential revival of the Wonder Woman franchise from 2011. And we thought the worst part was Dr. Phil, Nancy Grace, Jeffrey Toobin and Alan Dershowitz in the first 5 minutes. This isn't your Lynda Carter Wonder Woman.

Episode 247--The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 00:01:00 -0500

It's Mike's birthday and he played his Money in the Bank on this?! Take three musical brothers who gained a modicum of popularity in the 70s despite having no big musical hits and add a cast of zany characters including the future Unknown Comic. What do you get? A repetitive and derivative show which lasted 16 shows.

Episode 246--Power Rangers: Dino Thunder Bad American Dubbing Episode

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0500

The Power Rangers franchise has made bank off of taking an existing Japanese series and creatively editing it for an American audience. On one occasion, they took it another step. Was it a parody? Was it a tribute? Who knows? Lost in Translation Week continues with… “Lost & Found in Translation,” the Bad American Dubbing episode.

Episode 245--Kath and Kim (2008 US version)

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

We start our 2nd annual "Lost in Translation" week with a hit comedy from Australia which bombed in the States in 2008. Kath and Kim was to be the next big NBC Thursday night comedy. Despite a plum time slot, a great cast, and a plethora of great guests, it was sent packing after 17 episodes.

Live Show 14–Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Sat, 26 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Greg and Chico on the latest It Was a Thing on TV Live Show cover one of the big movie hits of last year in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. There's all sorts of fun involving bus battles, floating water, dragons, weird magic creatures and Ben Kingsley being awesome!

If you have Disney+ follow along and hit play right after Greg gives the five second countdown.

Episode 244--The Joe Schmo Show, Season 2

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Back 219 episodes ago (episode 25, if you can't do the math), we talked about the original reality show with one contestant and everything was created with him in mind. Now on episode 244, we're talking about the sequel with new actors, twice the Schmoes, and a falcon.

Due to some mature subject matter, listener discretion is advised.

Episode 243--Life with Lucy

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Without question, Lucille Ball is a legend. Unfortunately, even legends make missteps. Life with Lucy in 1986 was Lucy's misstep. Thirteen episodes were shot and only eight aired. In this episode, we look at the reasons why this misfired, was it because ABC was that desperate for a hit? was it because audiences were weary of Lucy's physical comedy at her age? was it because the executives were afraid to say no to Lucy?

On a lighter note, enjoy our discussion of a Pre-Life Goes On Kelle Martin on Card Sharks in 1986.

Episode 176–The Bicentennial Minute (Director’s Cut)

Sat, 19 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

It's Presidents' Day 2022 weekend and to honor it here on It Was a Thing on TV, we are finally releasing on our Podbean feed the Director's Cut of one of our longest and most researched episodes "The Bicentennial Minute".

We have included over 20 minutes of new material that was either missed or left on the cutting room floor in the original version of the episode. In this Director's Cut, you'll learn from one of the producers of the segment about how the ideas from some of the segments came about.

Also, enjoy Greg performing a Bicentennial Minute if Tony Curtis recorded it in the style of "Hollywood Babylon".

April 1975: Janet Leigh (Partial) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tWIoa1lhuk

Episode 242--Get a Life

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

One of this podcast's favorite people is Chris Elliott. Post-Letterman, Elliott starred in the FOX sitcom Get a Life. While hilarious and brilliant, it might have been a little too out there, even for the hip and relatively new network. This episode has been Handsome Boy approved.

Episode 241--Abby’s

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

With only The Office and Parks & Recreation leading off its comedy portfolio, NBC would put their fortunes in a sitcom manned by producers for both (and one from How I Met Your Mother) would come together to form a Voltron of the next great sitcom. So... how come nobody watched "Abby's"? Belly up to the bar as we try and answer this question.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents (02.13.22)

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

It's Super Bowl Sunday! You could sit and listen to bunch of so-called "experts" tell you who's gonna win between the Rams and the Bengals or you could listen to Greg and Mike talk about who they think will be the key players in Super Bowl LVI. And also they talk about if the Bengals can win this game for the sweet prince Harambe!

They also discuss in the second half of the show the David Letterman YouTube channel, the NFL Draft and the Puppy Bowl!

Live Show 13–Cool Runnings

Sat, 12 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

In honor of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, Greg and Chico do a special live show on Stream Lounge as they watch the 1993 Disney classic "Cool Runnings".

Enjoy as we learn the fine art of bobsledding from John Candy while Sanka tries to keep that lucky egg in check. We can only hope to one day live in Buckingham Palace like Yul Brenner which is the dream for all of us.

Be sure to start your stream of Cool Runnings on Disney+ by hitting play right after Greg gives the five second countdown.

Episode 240--The Other Super Bowl Commercials of Darryl Isaacs

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

In Hometown Commercials Volume 1 back in Episode 98, we featured some ads from Kentucky attorney Darryl Isaacs. We thought so much of them that we are dedicating an entire episode to "The Kentucky Hammer." This time we showcase the best of his Super Bowl commercials from years past including a special celebrity cameo from a football icon.

2007 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AF6772n6Xc

2008 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZl_7XwT8H4

2013 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6Tns7fBnac

Mission Impossible Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI4AZ7GOnUU

2016 with Special Guest - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgMhajkf5-s

2017 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hQxbDZJHBU

2018 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv5QdNBO-_o

Tug of War Commercial (2019) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3eKxCVW2mg

2020 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J08lxz-z5DU

Episode 239--The Super Bowl XX halftime show with Up With People

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

"The Big Game" is coming up in less than a week. Therefore, it's time for our annual look at different happenings related to the game. First up is a halftime show so bad and disjointed, Pete Rozelle said he never wanted to see Up With People again. He got his wish and Up With People never did another halftime show after 1986.

Minisode 17--Lingo (1987)

Sat, 05 Feb 2022 15:00:00 -0500

In the last month and a half, the game Wordle has taken the internet by storm. Many people don't realize that the game Wordle is similar to the Game Show Network show Lingo. Even fewer people realize that Lingo got its start as a Canadian production in 1987. Also, Greg makes a big declaration at the end of the minisode!

Episode 238--The Class

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 00:00:00 -0500

It's 2006 and How I Met Your Mother was CBS' sophomore hit featuring 20- and 30-somethings. Why not follow that with a series with people around the same age who all went to school together decades earlier? It can't miss! It did. But at least most of the cast of this show went on to bigger and better things.

Episode 237–The How I Met Your Mother Super Bowl Episode

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

In tribute to Bob Saget, the premiere of "How I Met Your Father" on Hulu and the upcoming Super Bowl, we look at a classic episode from the second season of "How I Met Your Mother".

Ted and his friends get stuck going to a funeral on the night of Super Bowl XLI and have to go the next 18 hours avoiding spoilers for the game. But the question is how is everybody going to avoid not knowing what happened in the game and why did Barney blow all his money betting on the Chicago Bears?

Episode 236--Brotherly Love

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Who doesn't love a Lawrence brother? Who wouldn't love a show with three Lawrence brothers? Apparently the TV viewing public didn't show it some brotherly love, as this comedy starring three Lawrence brothers lasted two seasons on two separate networks.

Episode 235--Mr. Bogus

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

This show is so bad that none of us made it past 15 minutes into the first episode, yet it somehow lasted for 3 seasons?! Apparently Freddie Freaker's cousin gets into situations and hilarity ensues.

Minisode 16--Betty White Destroys The Magic Toaster

Sat, 22 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

In 1989, Betty White got to do something on the final episode of Super Password which many people wanted to do and Bert Convy accidentally did--destroy "The Magic Toaster", aka the device which held a check and the password to win that check.

Live Show 12–Peacemaker Premiere

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Greg and Chico watch the premiere episode of the new HBO Max show "Peacemaker" from the twisted mind of James Gunn and starring an invisible man. In the first episode, Peacemaker is fresh off his mission in "The Suicide Squad" where he has to deal with his father, Amanda Waller's squad, Vigilante's voicemails and a crazy lady who he hooked up with at a bar.

A note Chico's stream on the Stream Lounge App was a minute and eleven seconds longer than on Greg's end so if you're starting to follow along you can either do it before the start your stream either at the beginning or at the 1:11 mark.

Episode 234--Photon

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

It's Chico's birthday and he played his Money in the Bank submission on this show from the mid-80s. Take the rapidly-growing 80s sport of laser tag, throw in some budget special effects, some rubber monster suits, a plot plucked straight out of The Last Starfighter, and a banging 80s soundtrack, and you get... something that was gone after one season despite turning a profit. Watch as we attempt to break down the demise (and as we try to wrap our collective heads around the allure) of this largely-lost 80s kids show.

Episode 233--Betty White’s Pet Set

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Today would have been the 100th birthday of the legendary Betty White. In tribute to that milestone, we present Pet Set, a light-hearted show where Betty talks with celebrity guests about their animal companions, and talks with other guests about animal-related topics like saving the tigers and talented animals.

Live Show 11–Nickelodeon’s Coverage of the 2022 NFL Wild Card

Sun, 16 Jan 2022 21:00:56 -0500

Nickelodeon's coverage of the NFL Wild Card was one of the big surprises of 2021 and ended up being a fun broadcast. Like last year we're live watching all the fun as the slime cannons are back in full force!

Greg watches the start of the second half of the 49ers/Cowboys game with Mike joining about a half-hour in as they watch this game go down to the wire with a final playcall that had both of them scratching their heads.

But let's all appreciate the fact we now have a NVP award winner named after a character on a show that we've covered on this show!

Episode 232--It Had a Pinball Machine, Volume 2

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

We're back with our second (and likely last) edition of the pinball machine show. We talk about 9 more TV-themed pinball machines, mainly from the last 15 years.

Episode 231--CBS Sports ’90: The Dream Season

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Desperate times call for desperate measures. CBS' ratings were languishing in the late 1980s and early 1990s, so they spent a lot of money to acquire almost every major sporting event of 1990, plus the Winter Olympics of 1992 and 1994. Most of the events weren't that thrilling, the return on investment wasn't what was expected, and the Dream Season of 1990 was closer to a nightmare.

Episode 230--One in a Million

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

We've seen it before--a star almost immediately gets a new show after the end of a popular show. Shirley Hemphill of What's Happening! was in just this position after the end of that show. She rebounded with One in a Million with podcast favorites Richard Paul and Carl Ballantine for all of 13 episodes.

Episode 229--The BCS on FOX

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Remember when FOX started airing college football games and took both a pro approach (in its personnel in front of the camera) and an amateur approach (with every other aspect)? We do. We're near the end of the bowl season and look back at a tumultuous 4 years of BCS coverage on the network.

Live Show 10--The Book of Boba Fett Premiere

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 18:06:47 -0500

"The Book of Boba Fett" the long awaited spin-off of "The Mandalorian" from Robert Rodriguez has finally premiered on Disney+.

In this live show Greg and Chico do a livewatch of the first episode on their first broadcast through the Stream Lounge app on PC. You can follow along to this Live Show (after at botched first attempt) by synching your Disney+ stream of the first episode at 0:05 and then hitting play when you reach the 4:10 mark of the episode.

We'd also like to thank the good folks at Stream Lounge for allowing us to do this livewatch. You can go to their website at www.streamlounge.io to watch other livestream broadcasts.

Episode 228--2021 Year in Review, Part 2

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

We continue with our recap of 2021 with our favorite shows from the year, shows which came to a close in 2021, and our in memoriam section for those who left us in 2021.

Episode 228--2021 Year in Review, Part 1

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

We've completed another orbit around the Sun, which means we're doing our 2nd annual Year in Review show. In this first installment, we talk about the best and worst of 2021.

Episode 227--Rudolph’s Shiny New Year

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

We bring 2021's recaps to a close with yet another Rankin-Bass holiday special, Rudolph's Shiny New Year. We also sing a bad rendition of a popular theme song, we talk about both the 1976 and 1985 Detroit Pistons, and we hypothesize about if New Year's Eve failed to exist after 1976 and about how we'd be celebrating the 46th year of 50 Grand Slam.

A reading of ”The Golden Girls ’Twas the Night Before Christmas”

Sat, 25 Dec 2021 20:05:29 -0500

We present to you Mike reading from the 2018 literary classic The Golden Girls 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. Enjoy and happy holidays.

Episode 226--‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (1977, with Paul Lynde)

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Merry Christmas! This show, we're watching an interpretation of a holiday classic, as show favorite Paul Lynde portrays the patriarch of a family in a star-studded 1977 adaptation of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Into the Spidey Movieverse: Episode 9 - Spider-Man Far From Home (2019)

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

It's finally here, the last episode of Into the Spidey Movieverse before No Way Home. Greg and Chico discuss 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home. Some of the things discussed include the aftermath of Infinity War/Endgame, the romance between Aunt May and Happy, the greatness of JB Smoove, Night Monkey, Brad being a jerk and what the heck happened to Peter Billingsley's hair?!?! Also we have a special surprise segment near the end when we talk about the Blu-ray/DVD releases. Let's just say you better hope Edward Bay's Price is Correct. Brace yourselves!

Episode 225--The Leprechauns‘ Christmas Gold

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

We continue this year's look at holiday treasures with a Christmas tale about leprechauns? The Leprechauns' Christmas Gold aired in 1981 and really has nothing to do with the holidays minus a scant few mentions of Christmas. However, some big names lent their voices to this special.

Episode 224--Japanese Spider-Man (live action series from the late 70s)

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Last show, we took a look at a live action version of Spider-Man from the late 1970s. This episode, we took a look at a live action version of Spider-Man from the late 1970s...from halfway around the world. Japan did their own take on the superhero, one that Stan Lee loved.

Into the Spidey Movieverse: Episode 8 – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

We’re heading into the home stretch on Into the Spidey Movieverse as we now hit the movie that this very show is named after.

This time Greg and Chico discuss 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse while exploring the journey Miles Morales takes into becoming Spider-Man.

And also you get John Mulaney voicing an animated pig, I mean how can you go wrong with that?

Episode 223--Spider-Man (late 70s live action series)

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Coming to theaters this weekend is the newest installment in the Spider-Man film franchise "No Way Home". We look at two televised versions of the franchise from the past. We start with an episode about the live-action version from 1977 to 1979 that aired on CBS which was good but like many shows we've covered, was mishandled at the network level.

Episode 222--He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

'Tis the season for your annual batch of oddball holiday fare! We start this season with a Christmas special from an animated icon of the 1980s, which has very little to do with Christmas. Get ready for He-Man's take on the holidays with much of the He-Man universe of characters, including sister She-Ra!

Ghetto Amusement Park He-Man & Skeletor (Wrestlecrap Radio) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZDg2VkSgG8

Into the Spidey Movieverse: Episode 7 - Venom (2018)

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

It's another edition of Into the Spidey Movieverse as Greg and Chico are hitting the homestretch on the way to No Way Home.

This time the two look at 2018's "Venom" starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock. They look at how Sony could possibly make an origin story for Venom work without Spider-Man and shockingly succeed at doing it. Among the things discussed include Eddie and Anne's relationship, the disgust at how we were lied to as kids as to how fun space would be, how far it is to get from East Malaysia to San Francisco and the joy of taking a bath in a lobster tank.

Episode 221--The Last Precinct

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

It's another story about a show that premiered after the "Big Game" and died not long after. The show was in the same vein as Police Squad! and Brooklyn Nine-Nine and it came from Stephen J. Cannell. But was America ready for an hour-long police comedy? Obviously not.

Minisode 15--Mr. Delicious

Sat, 04 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

In the early 90s, the fast food chain Rax thought outside the box with its mascot, selecting an animated spokesperson who was middle-aged, bland, monochrome, and going through multiple life crises, in order to attract the adult population. The campaign failed badly; Rax filed for bankruptcy 3 months later. Dickety-dee.

Episode 220--Every Guest Star on The Love Boat...Almost

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

We have had this on our list for a while. A recent YouTube discovery pushed it to the front of the line. We give you in almost entirely alphabetical order, every guest star on The Love Boat...almost.

Into the Spidey Movieverse: Episode 6 – Spider-Man Homecoming (2017)

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 00:00:00 -0500

In Episode 6 of Into the Spidey Moviveverse, Greg and Chico look at the first solo adventure of Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with 2017’s Spider-Man Homecoming.

Some of the matters discussed include the greatness of Michael Keaton, how Mr. Harrington keeps his job as a teacher despite being clumsy, hot Aunt May and the fly hat that Ned wears during the movie.

Here’s hoping you pass the test that Tony Stark gives Peter after you listen to this episode. Just be sure MJ doesn't give you the finger though.

Episode 219--The 1981 Sears Tele-Shop Laserdisc Catalog

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Laserdisc technology was new and hot in the early 80s. One time in 1981, Sears put out a catalog on laserdisc. We're not talking about it because of the technological innovations, nor are we here to talk about the general fashions of the day. We're primarily here to talk about one person, a key figure in this disc.

Episode 218--The 1985 All-American Thanksgiving Parade on CBS

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

NBC wasn't the only network showing a parade on Thanksgiving 1985. CBS brought us parts of 5 different parades in its All-American Thanksgiving Parade, with TV stars in American locales including New York City, Detroit, Philadelphia, Hawaii, and...Toronto?! Each location had its own style, and some parades put more energy and creativity into their work than others.

Into the Spidey Movieverse: Episode 5 – The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

It’s on again as Greg and Chico return with Into the Spidey Movieverse as they finish the two Amazing Spider-Man movies with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 from 2014.

Sony tried to set-up things in this movie that they ultimately could not cash in order to compete with the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the duo take a deep dive into this movie and what ultimately happened to the franchise.

The two go over many things including Ghost Denis Leary, Jamie Foxx’s nerdy get-up, Dane DeHaan doing whatever the hell that performance he did in the movie was and a giant Blu-ray collector’s edition for the movie featuring Electro’s blue head.

Episode 217--The 1985 Macy‘s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Happy Thanksgiving, pilgrims! We do our annual look at a Thanksgiving Day parade from the past by viewing the 1985 Macy's Parade. As always, we have bands, floats, and celebrities, but there was a little something extra as a postscript to this parade. It'll make you yell "Oh neat!" Just remember, the Paramus Toys'R'Us store is closed on Sundays.

Episode 216--The Ghost Busters (1975 live action show)

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

One of the more fascinating and entertaining Saturday morning shows in the mid-70s was The Ghost Busters, starring Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch, who worked together in the 60s on F Troop. Unrelated to the movie franchise of the same name, it got a second life in the 80s thanks to that movie, but that's another episode. It was cancelled for a reason we haven't covered thus far on this show, but you'll have to listen to find out.

Into the Spidey Movieverse: Episode 4 - The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Greg and Chico are coming at you with the newest edition of Into the Spidey Movieverse this time covering The Amazing Spider-Man from 2012. A new story, a new Spider-Man, a new love interest and still Uncle Ben can't stop dying. The two go over the movie to see if this entry is as mediocre as most remember it being. Also discussed are Peter's sick basketball moves, the questionable police methods of Captain Stacy, Spider-Man web shooting criminals right in the balls, collectable Spider-Man masks and why the hell Peter Parker is using Bing to search for stuff on the Internet?

Episode 215--Your Number‘s Up

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Your Number's Up may be a blip on the map of television history, but it holds a place in our hearts. Nipsey Russell hosted it! All the geriatrics in Burbank loved it. Need we say more?

Episode 214--The Jesse Ventura Story

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Jesse Ventura did the improbable in 1998, being elected Minnesota's governor. Of course, someone had to jump over that story and create a made-for-TV movie. Unfortunately, little fact checking was done and many creative liberties were taken. And to add a creepy twist, this aired the same night as one of the most tragic events in pro wrestling history.

Into the Spidey Movieverse: Episode 3 – Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Get on up and dance because Greg and Chico are here to deliver their thoughts on the conclusion to the Sam Raimi Trilogy by looking at Spider-Man 3 on this edition of Into the Spidey Movieverse.

The duo discusses the many plots of this movie which include Harry’s amnesia, Mary Jane dealing with rejection, Eddie Brock being a real jerk, JJJ trying to weasel some little girl’s camera and Peter just wanting to dance under the influence of the symbiote.

Episode 213--The Master

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0500

You voted on what show you wanted us to cover this week and we delivered.

It's 1984 and NBC is riding high on The A-Team so, of course, they had to capitalize on that trend. Mix The A-Team with martial arts and you get The Master...sort of. It didn't work, getting the heave-ho off the schedule after 13 shows. But it did get immortalized somewhat thanks to Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Minisode 14--Rob Tussin

Sat, 06 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0400

One of our favorite shows from the mid-2000s was MXC: The Most Extreme Elimination Challenge. When the show debuted, it started with a bang...or is that an almost snap of someone's neck? One contestant called Rob Tussin tried making a glorious entrance but it almost ended in catastrophe. And he jumped right up and continued with the game!

Episode 212--The Battle for the White House 2020 Infomercial

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Advertisers will try to sell you most anything. At the same time, buyers will purchase most anything. At least one of those statements is true when it came to a chess set related to the hotly-contested 2020 Presidential election. Yes, there was a chess set dedicated to a Presidential election and it had its own half-hour infomercial! When we saw this infomercial, we knew we had to talk about it.

Into the Spidey Movieverse: Episode 2 – Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Greg and Chico are back to present the second episode of Into the Spidey Movieverse, this time they look at the middle chapter of the Raimi Trilogy in Spider-Man 2. Greg and Chico share their memories of the sequel along with talking about some of the key plot points of the movie which include Peter's troubles with trying to be Spider-Man while trying to MJ he loves her. Also the duo takes time to appreciate the greatness that is Alfred Molina as Doc Ock. Greg and Chico also talk about the classic Spider-Man 2 video game (admit it, you love the Pizza Time music). Plus how many future celebrities or semi-famous celebrities have cameos in this movie?!?! So hang on tight and try not to let the train go over the cliff as Greg and Chico take another deep dive Into the Spidey Movieverse.

Episode 211--Dan Rather on Election Night 2000 and 2004

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Dan Rather is one of the most respected newsmen in media history. However on two election nights, Rather went off the rails with some of his commentaries and metaphors. We look back at some of the highlights from the Election Nights of 2000 and 2004.

Election Night Dan Rather Quotes - https://www.liveabout.com/funny-dan-ratherisms-4067687

Episode 158–High School U.S.A. (1983 TV movie) (Director’s Cut)

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

It's finally here the Director's Cut of one of our favorite episodes. The 1983 NBC TV Movie "High School U.S.A." featuring Michael J. Fox, Nancy McKeon, Anthony Edwards, Crystal Bernard and Todd Bridges leading an all-star cast ...... and Tom Villard.

We've got fifteen minutes of new material for this Director's Cut. Just hope Otto's Robot doesn't steal any of your change to use in the soda machine while you listen.

Episode 210--The David S. Pumpkins Halloween Special

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

We wrap up our Halloween trifecta of shows with some humor, straight from the minds at Saturday Night Live. In 2016, David S. Pumpkins appeared on a Halloween sketch. He proved to be so popular that he got his own half-hour special the following year.

ANY QUESTIONS?!?!

Into the Spidey Movieverse: Episode 1 – Spider-Man (2002)

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

On the first official episode of Into the Spidey Movieverse as we lead up to “Spider-Man: Far From Home” coming out in December, Greg and Chico look back on the first Spider-Man movie from 2002 directed by Sam Raimi.

They discuss some of their favorite scenes and moments from the film along with talking about giant life-size statues of Spider-Man that you could win at Blockbuster. Also on what other podcast will you hear a discussion about Superbit DVD’s?

So if you’re something of a scientist yourself, this is worth a listen.

BTW, if Greg's voice sounds hoarse during the show keep in mind this was recorded the day after the WrestleMania 2 episode (UH-OH!)

Episode 209--Dead of Night

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Our Halloween Trifecta of Terror continues with a one-off three-part anthology from 1977 titled Dead of Night. Overall, it is pretty insignificant, though some big names were involved with it. However, the first story does star one of our favorites, a young Ed Begley Jr.

Episode 208--Kolchak: The Night Stalker

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

We start our Halloween 2021 extravaganza with what might be considered the ultimate short-lived cult classic. Kolchak: The Night Stalker has been remade several times, became a comic book series, and is a progenitor to similar later shows, but its original series only lasted a season. With a celeb-laden line-up, what happened?

Into the Spidey Movieverse Pilot

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

For the first time on the It Was a Thing on TV Podbean feed, Greg and Chico bring you their monthly podcast from Place to be Nation POP on the Spider-Man movie franchise to get you ready for Spider-Man: No Way Home in December.

Greg and Chico in this series will recap and review each of the nine movies released since 2002 that feature either Spider-Man or Spider-Man related characters that have been featured on the silver screen.

In the pilot episode to get you ready for the series, Greg and Chico look at all the adaptations to get Spider-Man to the big screen that almost were.

They all involve Roger Corman, Cannon Films, James Cameron and …… James Bond?

Episode 207--Casino Royale (1954 episode of Climax!)

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Recently, the 25th James Bond cinematic release hit theaters. But would you believe there was a James Bond, er, Jimmy Bond to grace the small screen before Sean Connery? In 1954, the CBS anthology series Climax! had an episode based on the Ian Fleming work Casino Royale.

Episode 206--Too Many Cooks

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Simultaneously one of the most brilliant things on TV the last decade and one of the most bizarre, Too Many Cooks aired in the dead of night on Adult Swim. Within days, it was viral and repeated often. We offer a live commentary while watching the show and get into details about some of the production, and what happened to some of the actors and actresses.

Episode 20–WWTBAM? wannabes from 2000 (Remastered)

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

It's the final edition of the It Was a Thing on TV remastered series and we're closing it with a look back at Episode 20 and the attempts to capitalize on the success of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? back in 2000.

We look at It's Your Chance of a Lifetime, Winning Lines and the 2000 version of Twenty-One. The gang talks about the greatness of the Wonderwall on Winning Lines and Mike talks about the time he auditioned for Twenty-One back in late 1999.

Episode 205--Musical Chairs

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

It only lasted 19 weeks but 1975's Musical Chairs was a landmark television program, as it was the first game show with an African-American emcee, in Adam Wade. It also had a fun theme song, a great cast of guests, and the cushy time slot after Match Game 75. It was also recorded at The Ed Sullivan Theater!

Live Show 9--The Legends of the Hidden Temple (2021) premiere

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 21:36:31 -0400

This is one show we have been anticipating for some time. Greg (for 20 or so minutes), Chico, and Mike watch the debut episode of the Legends of the Hidden Temple reboot. Since it is a live show and we like keeping as much of the show intact as possible, you'll hear the same technical difficulties we experienced.

Minisode 13--Turn-On

Sat, 09 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In was TV's most popular show in 1969. The people behind it tried capitalizing on its popularity with a related show called Turn-On. There were instant regrets, as ABC turned it off before the first episode aired in full.

Episode 204--The MLB vs. celebrities softball game from 1967

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

We're going to the ballpark for this installment, as some of 1967's brightest Major League Baseball players went against celebrities back in the day on the softball diamond, with some very special celebrities handling the duties behind the mic and two legends acting as managers.

Episode 19–Super Jeopardy! and Monopoly (Remastered)

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The next-to-last edition of the It Was a Thing on TV remastered series looks at one of ABC's first experiments with summer game shows back in 1990 with Super Jeopardy! and Monopoly.

This episode has it all four player Jeopardy! games, stories of when Mike and Chico faced off against form Jeopardy! champions, Monopoly's way too complicated ruleset and the lady who played Lumpy in the Star Wars Holiday Special!

Episode 203--American Gladiators ripoffs

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Recently, word came out that American Gladiators is being rebooted...again. By coincidence, we had this show slotted for this week in our schedule. We talk about 4 shows which tried riding the coattails of the Gladiators--Knights and Warriors, Blade Warriors, Battledome, and Wild West Showdown. There are other shows of varying success we mention at the end. Put on your Spandex and get ready to take down some larger than life figures in this installment.

2:43 Knights and Warriors
32:50 Blade Warriors
40:11 Battledome
1:09:34 Wild West Showdown
1:26:36 Acknowledging other shows

Episode 202--Hometown Commercials, Volume 2

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

We've scoured the Internet and found more of the crazy, cheap, and just bad local commercials, enough for this second helping. From Dirt Cheap Liquor to our personal favorite Crazy Gideon, these ads have gone viral for a reason.

NOTE: There may be some flaky audio briefly in a few parts of this episode.

Frankie and Johnny Furniture - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI7jC57GuZM
Dirt Cheap Liquor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1jbS6VJYEU
Horrible Insurance Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l0ZmTLdy-A
Sutherland’s Kansas City - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN-sNsZo-1A
97 cent Bowling - https://youtu.be/TVln73mCIrg
Phil Rizzuto for the Money Store - https://youtu.be/gS27G_Cj5qQ
TDM Motors High Point - Cuban Gynecologist, American car salesman - https://youtu.be/7b5CKSqlz60
Dominos Pizza Alaska Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLvUHiJoUGU
Helena, Arkansas McDonalds Commercial (1995) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P5JsN4H00Q
Burl Robinette - https://youtu.be/cLfmqQePqCU?t=31
Eastern Motors with John Witherspoon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eD73Mx35jE
Eastern Motors with Brian Orakpo and Gilbert Gottfried - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcw8LjGMiDQ
East Hills Mall (Back to School) - https://youtu.be/6bnanI9jXps
East Hills Mall (Mall Pretty) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfz4dsiERxg
Tint World Medford, NY - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y8fmjyQMag
Pizza N Go Rap Commercial - https://youtu.be/aYo8ITYMjaU
Mormon Haircuts (Rhett & Link) - https://youtu.be/9XLshEBvYdw
Crazy Gideon - https://youtu.be/QbVkTk9nvt0
Crazy Gideon (When the Rooster Crows…) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNnTXq90Xgc
Crazy Gideon (They Say I’m Crazy) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu8zby_4Dxk
Crazy Gideon Arts District Brewing Co. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qA5YxFVs5o

Episode 18–First Night 2013 (Remastered)

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

In the latest edition of the remastered series we look back to our New Year's Eve 2019 episode. We look at one of the biggest television disasters of all-time in First Night 2013 presented by Jamie Kennedy.

Enjoy as we talk about a lot of very 2012-ish things in this episode like Psy, Angry Birds, the Mitt Romney 47% tape and that Pepsi commercial with Drew Brees and One Direction.

Episode 201--The Video Game Show, Part 3: The Final Insult

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

One of our most popular series of shows is back for a third (and final?) installment. The three of us look at more video game adaptions of TV shows, one going back almost 40 years. Grab your controller and press start on The Video Game Show, Part 3.

Episode 200--The Weird Al Show

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

This is it! The big 2-0-0! We look back at a great, short-lived show from the late 90s with a great cast of characters and array of guests, which got mishandled by the network during a time when there was a push towards educational and informational television on Saturday mornings.

Episode 17–Mystery Diners (Remastered)

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

It's time to release the drone in the newest edition of the It Was a Thing on TV remastered series as we go back to our Christmas 2019 episode covering the Food Network series (Charles Stiles) Mystery Diners.

We cover some of our favorite moments of (Charles Stiles) Mystery Diners including drag queen trivia shows, a grilled cheese eating contest and memorabilia mishaps in a diner.

Episode 199--Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

It's listener request time! We received a request to cover Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa months ago, and we finally found a spot for it on our schedule. When a comet lands in the Old West, the end result is anthropomorphic cows. Enjoy their adventures in this ABC cartoon from the early 90s.

Episode 198--Fall TV Campaigns

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The new Fall TV season is here! We're looking back at some classic Fall TV campaigns from the different networks, from reaching to the stars to insisting that we should all be there.

Episode 16–The Star Wars Holiday Special (Remastered)

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

It's time to fight the frizzies in the newest edition of the It Was a Thing on TV Remastered series. This time we go back to Episode 16 and the Star Wars Holiday Special from 1978 on CBS.

Relive Harvey Korman pouring a drink over a hole in his head, an alien chef with multiple arms, the debut of Boba Fett and whatever the hell Itchy was viewing in his helmet.

Episode 197--Jeopardy! ties

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The 38th season of Jeopardy! begins tonight and we felt it appropriate to talk about show rarities over the years. We discuss various oddball tied games over the years, specifically games where contestants tied at zero or games in which a tiebreaker was used.

Episode 196--Saved by the Bell: The College Years

Sat, 11 Sep 2021 12:50:00 -0400

Screech, Slater, and Zack have all graduated from Bayside. What's up next for the recent grads? College, of course. They're up to their usual mischief with the occasional familiar face and some new faces. And most importantly, Bob Golic.

Episode 195--Major Charles Ingram

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

20 years ago this week, a game show scandal broke in the UK, as Major Charles Ingram, his wife, and another contestant collaborated and coughed their way to £1,000,000. The trio later went to trial over the matter. Listen to this episode and judge for yourself whether the money was hard earned or hardly earned.

Episode 15–Flying High (Remastered)

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Our second part of an interconnected trilogy of episodes. This edition of the It Was a Thing on TV Remastered series goes back to Episode 15 as we look at CBS' attempt to get in on that sweet Love Boat action with the comedy "Flying High"

Featuring Connie Selleca, Pat Klous and someone who had a great layover with Bobby Sherman according to the commercials for the Star Wars Holiday Special.

Episode 194–The First Appearance of Aqua Teen Hunger Force on Space Ghost: Coast to Coast

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

With this week being the 20th Anniversary of Aqua Teen Hunger Force as a regular series on Adult Swim, we take a look back at the very first appearance of our favorite trio on Space Ghost: Coast to Coast.

The Aqua Teens looked a lot different when they paid a visit to Space Ghost, Zorak and Moltar. We explain the differences between this and the regular series as the course of classic rock is changed forever in this episode, thanks a lot Space Ghost!

Live Show 8--The Whew! preview marathon on BUZZR

Sun, 05 Sep 2021 19:34:15 -0400

We've been waiting for this day to happen for weeks. For the first time in over 41 years, Whew! has aired on US broadcast television. Mike is here for the entire 3 hours, while Chico hops in about an hour and 45 minutes into the show. Charge your way to listening to a day none of us ever thought would happen.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents (09.03.21)

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Greg and Chico are back with a new edition of It Was a Thing on TV Presents here on Podbean as they give their thoughts on James Gunn's DC movie "The Suicide Squad".

They have discussions about Harley Quinn's morals, the greatness of King Shark and his sad attempt at a fake mustache and just how the actors performed around someone who was invisible!

Then they talk about the recent teaser trailer for "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and where they believe things are going to shake up as far as the rumored castings of the movie are going.

Lastly, they finish by talking about a pair of trainwrecks in the situation with Bishop Sycamore on ESPN and the Mike Richards disaster over at Jeopardy!

Episode 193--All Star Rock ‘N‘ Wrestling Saturday Spectacular

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The new TV season is nearby. One of our favorite shows back in the day was the Saturday morning cartoon preview show that generally aired the night before the premiere of the new fall Saturday morning lineups. In 1985, CBS went all out, producing an hour-long show with Rowdy Roddy Piper and celebrities ranging from Pee Wee Herman to Herve Villechaize to Captain Lou Albano to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Who knew CBS' Saturday morning cartoons ran until 2 PM!

Episode 14–Supertrain (Remastered)

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0400

ALL ABOARD! In the latest episode of the It Was a Thing on TV Remastered series we look back on the legendary 1979 NBC flop Supertrain.

Thanks to Alonzo P. Hawk we got a train that can go cross-country in 36 hours and runs on Time Lord technology.

Just make sure you don't get kidnapped by Billy Barty and a magician before you have to play Roddy McDowell in a closed circuit broadcasted poker game.

Episode 192--Domestic Life

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

A short-run show from 1984, Domestic Life involved a number of big stars including Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, and Martin Mull. Some members of the media knew it was good, but it was just too late. And it had Bob Ridgely!

Minisode 12--The McDLT commercial with Jason Alexander

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 13:24:40 -0400

Before Jason Alexander was George Constanza, he was in a popular commercial for the McDLT, a McDonald's sandwich from the 80s. Greg and Chico talk about the ad, future offerings from McDonald's, a Filipino commercial for one of those sandwiches, and a very special ending with another McDLT commercial.

Episode 191--The 4th Annual Collegiate Cheerleading Championship

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Last year, we gave you the 3rd Annual Collegiate Cheerleading Championship with Magic Johnson, Jayne Kennedy, Catherine Bach, and Gallagher. We're back with the championships from a year later with John Davidson, Marilyn Michaels, Mary Ann Mobley, Andy Gibb, and Victoria Principal.

YouTube link via FuzzyMemories - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9C_IW48a-M

Episode 13–The Tommy Westphall Universe (Remastered)

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The It Was a Thing on TV Remastered series resumes as we start the second half with one of the first concept episodes we ever did on the podcast.

We take a look at the Tommy Westphall Universe and some of the weird and various connections that the final episode of St. Elsewhere has impacted on the world of television.

At this point we probably think of Tommy Westphall as the OG He Who Remains from Loki. Where were those prune sticks when we needed them back in Late 2019?

Minisode 11--Gene Snyder

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The 80s show Press Your Luck had an iconic cast of characters as contestants, including a future American Gladiator, a future talk show host, and an ice cream truck driver who broke the bank. One of our favorites is a gentleman named Gene Snyder, the subject of this minisode.

Episode 148–WrestleMania 2 (Director's Cut)

Sat, 21 Aug 2021 20:00:00 -0400

In honor of SummerSlam being today, we present to you the Director's Cut of the WrestleMania 2 episode that we released on the Place to be Nation wrestling feed back in April.

We've got over 20 minutes of new material in this episode which means more Susan St. James (UH-OH!) that you can handle. Also with 100% more Iron Sheik!

Episode 190--Herb

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The 1980s contained many wars--The Cold War, the war on drugs, The Cola Wars, and The Fast Food Wars. Wendy's struck first with Clara Peller and her catch phrase, "Where's the Beef?" McDonald's had its own game plan with the McDLT. Burger King went with a geeky guy who had never eaten at Burger King before named Herb? Herb had a very short life span, but he did get around in 1985 and 1986.

Episode 189--aka Pablo

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Norman Lear tried bringing a Latino-centric family comedy to network television in 1984 with limited success. Paul Rodriguez would go on to bigger and better things, as well as one of his nephews.

Live Show 7–Money Plane

Sun, 15 Aug 2021 22:30:38 -0400

What started out as a joke in the pre-shows with Greg when he found out about this straight-to-DVD movie starring Kelsey Grammer and the WWE's Adam "Edge" Copeland turned into an obsession when we saw a recent episode of Honest Trailers on YouTube about the plot of this film.

Now, we present to you a special Live Show about this movie brought to you by the youngest Lawrence brother (WHOA!)

Two warnings for this episode.

1. Lots of language throughout the course of this episode.

2. Tons and tons of (tense dramatic music).

Episode 188--Disco Demolition Night

Sat, 14 Aug 2021 19:31:59 -0400

In 1979, your run-of-the-mill baseball doubleheader between the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox turned into one of the most infamous promotions in sports history, leading to chaos, arrests, a White Sox forfeit, and many shards of vinyl on Comiskey Park's field. In this episode, we revisit Disco Demolition Night.

Super Disco Demolition: The 40th Anniversary Compilation (Fuzzy Memories) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqDkBM9vxw8

Local News Coverage of Disco Demolition Night (stellamasters) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpQfCcsqQ0E

CSN Chicago 30th Anniversary Disco Demoliton Night Retrospective from 2009 (SoxDrawer) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97lgR41qZC8

Episode 187–Ric Flair Commercials

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Last year we did Hulk Hogan commercials and this year we're covering the Nature Boy Ric Flair in the various commercials he's done over the years.

We talk about weird spots he's done like promoting car insurance to promoting Nature Boy bites to promoting scratch-off lottery tickets. Ric has done it all including wrestling a Russian Bear and we're gonna talk about them in this episode! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

1. 1986 Great American Bash VHS Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS7uV4o2Id0

2. TBS “TBYES” Commercial with Ric Flair and Jimmie Walker - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1it5jEWx738

3. Ric Flair TBS NWA Main Event Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmRqbSHUhtU

4. WCW Galoob Action Figures Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9cMeBsgVsM

5. North Carolina Lottery Ric Flair Scratch Off Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OnB_jalI4U

6. North Carolina Lottery Ric Flair Scratch Off “Wooooo II” Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOPyOUxvUz8

7. Fuel in a Bottle Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuV08PGFmFU

8. US Auto Sales - Papa Flair’s Used Cars - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkRJdDZtJQI

9. Snickers Make It Happen with Ric Flair Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dZuzuhsjOs

10. Cumberland Farms Cold Brew - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYQXsjm-HD0

11. Nature Boy Bites - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMv4chKY6E4

12. WCW Clash of the Champions XXIII Promo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDzyIfFa6Ps

13. TickPick No Extra Flair - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5Vyh6GWfrc

14. Jake’s Fireworks - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0Go9_6Zcp4

15. Ric Flair vs. Bear (EA Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KS9jSQmc3yY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00piCzD9WIU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62i0nhOTZ6E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSF9ozpwnuo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTcVKmQprrc

16. Sabra Hummus Super Bowl LIV Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9NTkInOe3Y

17. CarShield - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNawmH0a5hk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga6x3JzAb60

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVtWTEYoXaM

18. WWE Colonel Rumble - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1T1sJOcgCM

19. Four Horsemen Vitamins - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SISHqfcrQdk

Episode 186--Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

What happens when you have a fun game format on ABC and you import one of Britain's most popular TV personalities? You get Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak, a show up against two daytime powerhouses. 13 weeks later, it was gone. At least one person from this show got their big break just a few months later.

Episode 185--The New Adventures of Beans Baxter

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 20:40:40 -0400

If you thought a high schooler couldn't also double as a secret agent trying to find his father, you don't know Beans. Come for the Beans, stay for the plethora of references to HBO's Encyclopedia Brown from the early 90s and the clip from Mac & Me.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents (08.03.21)

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Greg and Chico are back with a new edition of It Was a Thing on TV Presents as they discuss the latest MCU Disney+ series Loki which recently wrapped up a couple of weeks ago. They discuss the series and where they believe things from the MCU will shape up after the end of Season 1 of the series.

Afterwards, they discuss stuff like Sex Sent Me to the ER on Discovery Life, Bill the Serial Killer from Too Many Cooks and a possible future entry for the regular podcast on HBO Max.

Episode 184--Dan and Dave

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The Olympic Triplecast wasn't the only big flop in 1992. Reebok ran an ad campaign with two highly touted athletes, only for one to not make it to Barcelona. One ended up eventually winning gold four years later though and hey at least it sold a lot of Reebok Pump's.

Episode 183--Man vs. Bear

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Our games continue with men battling bears in bear-themed competition. That's it. We talk about other things like Bil Dwyer and Matt Vasgersian because...it's just men battling bears. Did you know Honey Bump is a bear? IMDb says so!

Episode 182--Man vs. Beast

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The Olympic Games have started, and we start our games by bringing you athletes and normal people competing against animals in two FOX specials--Man vs. Beast. Come for Olympic runners going against jungle animals, stay for little people battling an elephant in a test of strength.

Episode 181--What Would Ryan Lochte Do?

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Our Olympic extravaganza continues with a look into the life and loves of Ryan Lochte, the semi-quotable and infamous star of the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympic games. The first half of the show is about What Would Ryan Lochte Do?, while the second half is mostly about Lochte's wit and wis-dumb including interviews and quotes said by the man himself. Jeah!

Ryan Lochte is Good at Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dlyCTswYH0

Episode 180--The Olympics Triplecast

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Over the next 2+ weeks, we will cover Olympic-themed topics. Starting off our coverage is one of the biggest flops of all time. Three channels of 24/7 Olympic coverage for $125 in 1992? What's the catch? There are a few. At least those who bought in to the Olympic Triplecast have a Triplecast remote control which likely doesn't do anything nowadays.

Episode 179--The Larry "Bud" Melman Centennial

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400

We have honored TV celebrities in the past. This episode, we pay tribute to an icon from the 80s and 90s, Larry "Bud" Melman. Not only was he a comic foil on Letterman's shows, he had bit parts in other TV shows and movies, he was a writer, he was a spokesman, and he even had his own workout video...sort of. Grab your Toast on a Stick and enjoy this installment of It Was a Thing on TV.

Episode 178--Voyagers!

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400

We're back after just one episode last week. We offer you this epic episode about the 1980s time traveling cult favorite Voyagers! This could have lasted more than a season, but NBC did a boneheaded move in 1983. You can hear more about that decision in this episode.

Episode 177--Telly...Who Loves Ya, Baby?

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Everybody had a variety show in the 70s, or at least it seemed that way. Telly Savalas was no exception, starring in this one-off special with Diahann Carroll, Barbara Eden, and Cloris Leachman. Grab a sucker and contemplate the question, "Who loves ya, Baby?"

Episode 176--The Bicentennial Minute

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The butt of many a joke in its day and even into the 21st century, The Bicentennial Minute was an occasionally bland but also occasionally interesting minute-long segment delivered by a celebrity about what happened in U.S. history 200 years ago that day. Celebrate your Fourth of July holiday listening about this patriotic throwback to the 70s.

"Lucy's Bicentennial Minute" - https://papermoonloveslucy.tumblr.com/post/175503525253/lucys-bicentennial-minute

Betty Ford Bicentennial Minute Materials (Gerald Ford Presidential Library and Museum): - https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/document/0126/1489543.pdf

Press Release for Congressman Butler Derrick's (D-SC) appearance on the Bicentennial Minute on November 12, 1975 (University of South Carolina Library) - https://digital.tcl.sc.edu/digital/collection/derrick/id/89/

August 24, 1975: Congresswoman Bella Abzug (D-NY) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsnFrd63j4k

August 31, 1975: Jessica Tandy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUoto1lsX50

January 8, 1976: Laurence Luckinbill - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir6pabr4CD0

January 22, 1976: Gary Lockwood - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hai2OxMwl9w

March 9, 1976: Jim Hutton - https://youtu.be/zgwiC4TT9aM?t=499

March 18, 1976: Val Avery - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93s5mXL0WZk

May 7, 1976: Otto Preminger - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1HwX6TdHbk

May 12, 1976: Mitchell Ryan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TpBK7tZc2k

May 20, 1976: Zubin Mehta - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7bt3SNBOrw

May 27, 1976: Garson Kanin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgxOYH7fHX4

June 4, 1976: Senator Fritz Hollings (D-SC) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHDXxzuXBok

July 22, 1976: Will Rogers Jr. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfG8LHyRlNY

December 20, 1976: Emlyn Williams - https://youtu.be/8nUKzWGVWe4?t=1671

December 31, 1976: President Gerald Ford (Last 42 Seconds) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0TB76tc5Tg

Episode 175--National Anthems: The Good and the Bad

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

We're showing off our patriotic side this week as we near the United States' 245th birthday with a look at some of the best and the worst renditions of The Star Spangled Banner. The good are iconic. Some of the bad are iconic as well, for all the wrong reasons. Stay to the end for a little rant about an episode from last week.

Episode 174--Ohara

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Pat Morita was a star in the late 80s, thanks to two Karate Kid movies. He got the title role in this ABC police procedural. Ultimately, Ohara got his butt kicked by, in part, 4 old ladies who lived in Miami.

Minisode 10--The time Andy Richter visited the Mets spring training camp in 1995

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

1995 was a tough time for baseball, in the middle of a strike and using replacement players in spring training. Andy Richter lightened the mood by visiting the Mets in Port St. Lucie, FL, interviewing replacement players, informing people about the real St. Lucie, and visiting Butterfly World.

Also, we meet, the man, the myth, the legend, DIESEL!

Episode 173--The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Our tribute to Conan O'Brien continues with his rough and all too brief era hosting The Tonight Show back in 2009. We look at some of the memorible moments of this era of Conan from the Twitter Tracker to Shatner recites Palin to In The Year 3000.

All in all, Jeff Zucker did Conan real dirty, all because of a certain Mr. Black (Not THAT one, the OTHER one). You all know who we're talking about.

Minisode 9--The time Conan went to Houston to watch his show at 2:40 AM

Sat, 19 Jun 2021 15:01:30 -0400

Houston's NBC affiliate did Conan real dirty, airing his show at 2:40 AM local time for a period. Conan went deep in the heart of Texas to see it for himself, and encountered some interesting characters in the process.

Complete segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQs_oRJtcno

Episode 172--The episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien with an audience full of kids

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

In 1997, Conan O'Brien had an audience of just kids. What kind of mayhem could happen? Just don't end up in Naughty Land and don't awaken the Boredom Monster.

Complete episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFHKnq5MQb0

Episode 171--The premiere episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of Conan O'Brien's TBS show coming to an end, we're devoting most of the next two weeks to the legend. We start at the beginning, with the first episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien. He was nervous, he was unfinished, but some of what was seen was the Conan O'Brien comedy fans would love for over a quarter century.

The First Episode of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q471WB5Tgw

Conan O'Brien on Late Night with David Letterman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJKKy2X4mb0&t=939s

Episode 170--It Had a Pinball Machine

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

We have had two episodes devoted to TV themed video games (with a third coming in the future) and we have done a trading card show. Now, we venture into pinball machines, virtual and real.

1988 Monday Night Football pinball open: https://youtu.be/C8Lpd0R1keM?t=19

Doctor Who Pinball Tutorial (PAPA Pinball): https://youtu.be/iawmrs69jrQ

Episode 169--Misfits of Science

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Misfits of Science might have been a little ahead of its time. It sort of resembles a show from 20 years later, Heroes. It had a cushy time slot between Knight Rider and Miami Vice. Yet, it was still gone by February of 1986. At least one of its stars went on to much bigger and better things.

The Story & Tragedies of The Misfits of Science (Toy Galaxy) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fupb6I07Xtk

Episode 12–Hello, Larry (Remastered)

Sat, 05 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The first half of the remastered series wraps up with Episode 12 looking at show favorite McLean Stevenson and his 1979-80 NBC vehicle Hello, Larry. In this episode, the crew tries to find reasons as to why this show was considered one of the worst shows ever and if it was justified.

Episode 168--Thunder in Paradise

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Put Hulkamania in a Baywatch setting with a boat like KITT but also like the TARDIS and it will bring the viewers! But it didn't. Thunder in Paradise lasted one season, but it ran long enough or was popular enough to justify a CD-i game. If you listen to nothing else, listen to the last 15 minutes (starting at 1:07:05) about what happened to the boat.

Episode 167--Now You See It (1975 and 1989 versions plus the 1985 unsold pilot)

Mon, 31 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Now You See It is another beloved Goodson-Todman classic that doesn't get enough credit, partially due to a year run, then a 15-week return fourteen years later. But OMG, those sets, those hosts, and that music. We also talk about the 1985 pilot hosted by Jack Clark.

Episode 11–Pitfall (Remastered)

Sun, 30 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

It's time to take a visit back north of the border for the latest episode of the remastered series. This time we go back to Episode 11 and Pitfall. A Canadian game show that ended up stiffing everybody from Alex Trebek to the contestants.

Live Show 6--The Cube (US) sneak peek

Sat, 29 May 2021 20:32:55 -0400

A week and a half before the official series premiere of The Cube, all three of us watched a sneak peek episode after TNT's coverage of the NBA playoffs. Going in, at least one of us had high expectations for this much anticipated series. Were we left fulfilled after the show? Enjoy the first episode of this long-running UK series.

Episode 166--Counterstrike

Thu, 27 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Generally, we do not cover shows that ran as long as this one. (Hello, Charles Stiles Mystery Diners.) We could not avoid this show because of its two leads--the legendary Christopher Plummer and It Was a Thing on TV favorite Simon MacCorkindale.

Live Show 5–Press Your Luck, 3rd season premiere

Wed, 26 May 2021 21:23:11 -0400

Press Your Luck is back for another season and just like last year we're doing a special live show for the start of Season 3. Enjoy as we finally learn just what the heck a Flokati Rug is, what we'd do with a hot dog cart and figure out why Dan O'Toole did an awkward run-in on our live show thanks to Greg hitting the wrong button on his phone.

Episode 165--The Return of the Shaggy Dog

Mon, 24 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Greg uses his Money in the Bank pick on this sequel to The Shaggy Dog, which aired on ABC in 1987 as part of The Disney Sunday Movie. In this sequel to the Disney classic we learn some things like can dogs wear pajamas?

Episode 10–The Chimp Channel (Remastered)

Sun, 23 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The newest edition of the remastered series goes back to Episode 10 and a topic Greg wanted to cover at the start of the podcast. The 1999 TBS spoof The Chimp Channel about a network made up of monkeys. Somebody get Chimp Larry Zbyszko a banana.

Minisode 8--Wheel of Fortune, the 1952 edition

Sat, 22 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Everybody knows about the timeless Wheel of Fortune, but there was a show with that same title in the early 50s which had to do with rewarding good samaritans.

Episode 164--Wink Martindale's Interactive Games on The Family Channel

Thu, 20 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The mid-90s were a big period for game shows on cable, between Game Show Network's start, a possible Game Show Channel, and a foundation for that Game Show Channel--interactive game shows from Wink Martindale et al. We look at the quartet of games which could be played at home on a telephone keypad. Mike also shares his story about how he almost won some big prizes from one of those games.

Episode 9–The 1983 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (Remastered)

Wed, 19 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Our next edition of the remastered series goes back to Episode 9 and The 1983 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Relive Mike, Chico and Greg talk about the Superman balloon that won't show his face, Charley Pride showing off his new album to the crowd, the meeting of the two America's Asses and Joey Lawrence (WHOA!).

Episode 163--RollerGames

Mon, 17 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

It's the late 80s and action sports are big, like wrestling and American Gladiators. Take roller derby and combine it with certain aspects of wrestling, then add a dash of rock and roll flair. The result is 13 glorious episodes of the late 80s favorite RollerGames. Go for the wall but avoid the alligator pit.

Episode 8–Judge Wapner's Animal Court (Remastered)

Sat, 15 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Our next edition of the remastered edition goes back to Episode 8 when Mike, Chico and Greg took a look at this weird entry in the exploding courtroom genre in the late 1990's. Somehow, Animal Planet didn't bother to bring back Doug Llewelyn for Judge Wapner's Animal Court even though they had the money for Rusty the Bailiff.

Episode 162--At Last the 1948 Show

Thu, 13 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

We're going way back with this one, but it's a goodie. At Last the 1948 Show only ran for two series, but it was a primitive version of one of television's classic comedy sketch shows, one Monty Python's Flying Circus.

BBC Time Shift - Missing, Believed Wiped (2003) featuring At Last the 1948 Show - https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvum24

Episode 161--Doctor Who (1996 TV movie)

Mon, 10 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

7 years after the Doctor Who last aired, Whovians got some closure in the form of the Seventh Doctor regenerating into the Eighth Doctor, whose lifespan was, more or less, this movie. The ratings weren't that great, a revival was passed upon, and the franchise would be dormant for another 9 years.

Episodes 6 & 7–Meow Manor and Lidsville (Remastered)

Sun, 09 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Today you get a special treat in the latest edition of our remastered series. You're getting two episodes for the price of one! (and because Episode 6 is less than 20 minutes which is what we'd consider a Minisode today)

First, Mike and Greg look at Meow Manor a weird show with cats that came from Iceland which aired on UPtv around 2017. It's Big Brother with cats basically.

Then, they took a look at what they considered at the time to be one of the most offensive topics covered (oh if only they knew what else was to come) on the podcast in Lidsville. A trippy show from the minds of Sid and Marty Krofft which stars Charles Nelson Reilly!

Minisode 7–The Exploding Oregon Whale

Sat, 08 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

In November of 1970, a story aired on KATU news in Oregon about a beached whale being exploded with dynamite to dispose of it. It ended up being one of the most unusual and memorable local news reports of all-time.

Original KATU news report - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6CLumsir34

NewsNation on the 50th Anniversary of the report with Paul Linnman - https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/west/50th-anniversary-of-viral-beach-whale-explosion/

Episode 160--The Coneheads (1983 animated pilot)

Thu, 06 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The Coneheads was a staple of the early days of SNL and it was later a cinematic release, but there was an animated pilot in 1983 which was a one and done. Get your sensor rings at the ready as we look at the wacky adventures of Beldar, Prymaat, and Connie Conehead.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents (05.05.21)

Wed, 05 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Now that WandaVision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier's runs on Disney+ have wrapped up, Greg and Chico are here to give their thoughts on both series in this edition of It Was a Thing on TV Presents.

The two go over their favorite moments and least favorite moments of each show (coughmostofthewandavisionfinalecough).

Afterwards, they discuss other things going on that include the guest hosting carousel on Jeopardy!, Season 3 of Dark Side of the Ring on VICE, weird moments at the NFL Draft and WWE's Most Wanted Treasures on A&E.

Episode 159--High School U.S.A. (1984 TV pilot)

Mon, 03 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

You heard about the TV movie in the previous episode. The powers that be at NBC felt it was so successful that a pilot was made a year later. It had its moments but alas, no Michael J. Fox, no Todd Bridges, and no Nancy McKeon only got High School U.S.A. to pilot stage, one which aired.

Episode 5–That’s My Dog and Think Like a Cat (Remastered)

Sun, 02 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Our next edition of the remastered series goes back to Episode 5 as we looked at two pet-centric game shows. That's My Dog which had a four-year run on The Family Channel and Think Like a Cat a one-off special that aired on GSN back in 2008.

Let's just say that Sega CD-ish animated open for That's My Dog is one of the best things we've ever talked about on this podcast.

Minisode 6–KXAS NBC-5's Live Coverage of Nolan Ryan's 7th No-Hitter

Sat, 01 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Today marks the 30th Anniversary of Nolan Ryan's 7th and final No-Hitter for the Texas Rangers against the Toronto Blue Jays at Arlington Stadium.

On that night for some odd reason the game wasn't carried locally in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, however the local NBC station in Dallas thought it would be a good idea to carry the 9th inning live on-air to start the 10 O'Clock News. Enjoy as we listen in on this strange simulcast and explain the strange story as to why this occurred which wasn't revealed until recently.

Hardline - The Ticket (Dallas) Friday Fun on this broadcast: https://omny.fm/shows/the-ticket-top-10/hardline-friday-fun-nolan-ryans-7th-no-hitter-call

Terry Briggs and Norm Hitzges Talk NBC Airing Nolan 7th No Hitter Commentary: https://player.fm/series/the-ticket-top-10-2166161/hardline-terry-briggs-and-norm-hitzges-talk-nbc-airing-nolan-7th-no-hitter-controversy

Episode 158--High School U.S.A. (1983 TV movie)

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

NBC's young stars came out to shine in this NBC TV movie, which also acted as a reunion of sorts for two other much older TV shows. It was had star power, it was funny, it had too many plots, and most importantly, it has a connection to our pilot month. Stay tuned...

(Note this is best enjoyed while watching the movie on YouTube, starting at about the 26:55 mark in the episode. We give about an hour of commentary while watching the movie.)

Episode 157--Mockingbird Lane (2012 pilot)

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Around Halloween 2012, a pilot to a rebooted version of The Munsters aired. If you were expecting campy humor that worked in the 1960s, you're solely mistaken. Mockingbird Lane was a very dark comedy which was not your Munsters from 50 years ago.

Episode 4–Jennifer Slept Here (Remastered)

Sun, 25 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Our next episode in the remastered series is the final episode of our initial series of shows covering 1983 NBC with Jennifer Slept Here.

Two noteable things as of April of 2021 it's the only episode with a guest in Kris Lane and the only time Greg has not appeared in an episode (although he explains why in the cold open before the start of the remastered episode).

Anyways, here's hoping one day you see the most beautiful woman in the world who previously was making a living (get it?).

Episode 156--The 1978 Science Fiction Film Awards

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

1977 was a big year in science fiction movies, thanks to two little movies called Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Those films might have been the big winners that night, but The 1978 Science Fiction Film Awards also gave us one of the most memorable performances in history.

Episode 155--K-9 and Company (1981 aired pilot)

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Doctor Who has had its fair share of successful spinoffs. One whose pilot aired but didn't get picked up was K-9 and Company in 1981 at the Beeb. It looked good and they brought back Elizabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith for it, but something happened...

Episode 3–Manimal and Automan (Remastered)

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

It's the second edition in the remastered series of our early episodes. This time we go back at Episode 3 where Mike and Greg looked at two of Glen Larson's 1983 outings Manimal and Automan.

Listen as Greg enjoys the greatness of Simon McCorkindale and his Falcon as Mike shakes his head while they visit a little place called ZIPPERS?!?! BTW, Cursor is still a little pervert.

Episode 154–S.O.S. Titanic

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

With today being the 109th Anniversary of the sinking of the legendary ship, we take a look at S.O.S. Titanic. A made-for-TV movie that aired on ABC in 1979 which until it's Blu-ray/DVD release last year hadn't been seen by many in it's original broadcast length.

It's a star-studded TV movie featuring David Warner, Ian Holm, Helen Mirren, Cloris Leachman, David Janssen and Susan St. James (UH-OH!).

S.O.S. Titanic Movie Promo (KSAS FOX-24 Wichita) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOf01rd7BUs

Episode 153--TKO (1989 pilot)

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Does this remind you of anything? Does this remind you of many things? Mark Goodson's last original format, TKO was a little bit of a number of shows, from Jeopardy! to Blockbusters to Couch Potatoes.

Episode 2–Mr. Smith (Remastered)

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

We at It Was a Thing on TV are happy to announce we are improving the audio quality of some of our early episodes. So if you've started listening to us recently, it's a good chance for you to hear how the show has evolved to what it is now.

For the first remastered episode, we go back to the second episode of the podcast when we covered Mr. Smith. This episode is historic as it's the first appearance of Chico on the podcast and the first time Greg ever did the RAWR!

Seriously, Paramount+ please put Mr. Smith on the service! WE BEG YOU!

Episode 152--The Amazing Screw-On Head (2006 pilot)

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 19:25:41 -0400

It's time for some revisionist history on a sci-fi channel with The Amazing Screw-On Head. A star-studded cast couldn't get this out of pilot stage. Maybe it was ahead of its time?

Episode 151--The Nerd (1989 NBC pilot)

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Pilot Month 2 continues with a show submitted just based on its ridiculous open. It may have been the most entertaining part of The Nerd, a pilot for NBC done in 1989 which aired on the network. It didn't air in 1989, though.

Episode 120–The Video Game Show, Part 2: Electric Boogaloo (Director’s Cut)

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

As an Easter gift to you our fans, we present our third Director's Cut episodes originally released on Place to be Nation POP for you to enjoy. This time we bring to you the Director's Cut of The Video Game Show, Part 2.

We've added fifteen minutes of additional material in this episode as we go in-depth on some of the questionable choices for helmets in ABC Monday Night Football on Super NES along with looking at YouTube playthroughs of The Price is Right for DOS and Thunder in Paradise on CD-i.

Episode 150--Not Another High School Show

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

A favorite movie of ours from 2001 was Not Another Teen Movie. So what happened when Comedy Central tried bringing it to the small screen six years later? It was an unorganized mess which was nowhere as entertaining as the movie. One plus is it had numerous stars, in 2007 and in the future.

Episode 149--Legends of the Superheroes

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0400

If you took a short nap back in 1979, you likely missed this two episode wonder. It was like Superfriends became a live action show with a horrible laugh track. If you thought the laugh track was bad, wait until you hear about the production values.

Episode 148–WrestleMania 2

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0400

It's the second of our two wrestling themed episode this week. In 1986, the World Wrestling Federation held the sequel to the first WrestleMania and tried to top that event's success holding it in three different venues and jamming it with celebrities all over the place. Join us as we talk about the color commentary of Susan St. James (UH-OH!) and the expert boxing judging of G. Gordon Liddy.

Episode 147--Quantum Leap, Heart of a Champion - July 23, 1955

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0400

It's a week of wrestling episodes, starting off with a very special episode of Quantum Leap where Sam leaps into a wrestler's body in the deep south and takes one for the (tag) team.

Episode 146--Married for Life

Sat, 20 Mar 2021 15:25:22 -0400

Married with Children lasted over 10 years and 259 episodes in the United States. When it was exported to the UK as Married for Life, it lasted 7 episodes, utilizing the same scripts as the original version, modified with British references. Talk about another show which got lost in translation.

Episode 145--Coupling (US)

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0400

This is our first of two "Lost in Translation" episodes, covering popular shows which failed in other countries. This time, we look at the import from the UK, Coupling, which was to be the next big thing after Friends, but was off the schedule after just 4 episodes.

Episode 144--The Story of the Crichton (Alabama) Leprechaun

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0400

This leprechaun story was one of the first viral YouTube videos, from back in 2006. This story got significant media attention and was soon spoofed on shows including Key and Peele and South Park. Was it really a leprechaun? Find out in this St. Patrick's Day special!

Bob and Dan (BAD) Radio Dallas: "Dan Finds The Leprechaun" - https://www.theunticket.com/dan-finds-the-leprechaun/

The REAL Story Behind The Alabama Leprechaun (wavywebsurf) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJcz37ERPKQ

Episode 143--The Golden Palace

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0500

It looked good on paper. Minus Dorothy, it was, for the most part, its predecessor. But hoo boy, Urkel roflstomped The Golden Palace into foreclosure.

Episode 142--The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Happy Mario Day this Wednesday! (Get it, MAR10?) We pay our respects to this non-holiday by looking at the unforgettable Super Mario Bros. Super Show! One of us never watched this on Fridays for reasons.

Just a note there were some audio issues during the recording of this and the next episode with hot mics, they've mostly been fixed in post, but they'll show up at a few points here and there.

Episode 141--You Don't Know Jack

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0500

It was to be Paul Reubens' bounce back role after Pee Wee's Playhouse was cancelled. You Don't Know Jack is but a blip in TV history, a deviation from what TV audiences were used to seeing. Mike used his Money in the Bank on this and by the end of this episode, he regrets selecting this show.

Episode 140--Ace Crawford...Private Eye

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Tim Conway is a legend but it seems he's only best known for The Carol Burnett Show and Dorf on Golf. One of his post-Burnett flops is Ace Crawford...Private Eye, a detective show in a similar vein to Police Squad!, but with a horrible laugh track.

Episode 139--To Tell the Truth, 1980 version

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500

To Tell the Truth is seemingly eternal, having been on television every decade since the 1950s. We look at the 80s version, which didn't last long despite some quality central characters and visits from numerous old friends on the panel. We also make a plea for Betty White to get on a game show before she turns 100.

Episode 138--The Powers of Matthew Star

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500

This show tried to be something at first, but then the format changed halfway through its only season. Apparently the only power Matthew Star had was to become a footnote in history. But hey, at least we got Louis Gossett Jr. on this show.

Episode 137--The Alliance of American Football

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 00:10:58 -0500

There have been numerous attempts at football outside of the NFL season. None exist any longer. A recent attempt in 2019 was the Alliance of American Football (AAF), which we remember fondly.

Listen as we blame the owner of Chico’s favorite hockey team for the demise of the league.

5 Ridiculous Stories from the last days of the AAF (FlemLo Raps) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZI0Sam7gGI

Minisode 5--The Barack Obama Commemorative Gold Plate Commercial

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500

We continue the President's Day theme by looking at a commercial for an inaugural keepsake. There's something about a gold plated commemorative plate of Barack Obama which we find odd.

Episode 136--Lil' Bush

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500

We thought Lil' Bush would be a fair topic for a President's Day episode. Boy, were we wrong. For the most part, this aged like bad cheese. What seemed like a good idea in the 2000s ended up having a very short shelf life, running on one-note political gags from 15 years ago. We apologize in advance.

Episode 135--Bzzz!

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500

The Valentine's Day week tribute continues with a fun little game that didn't have the run it deserved, the late-90s Annie Wood speed dating game Bzzz!

Episode 134--Goddess of Love

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Vanna White was everywhere in the late 80s--Wheel of Fortune twice a day, touring the country by train, a best-selling writer, and scantily clad in an adult magazine. NBC tried to capitalize on her success with a made-for-TV movie starring Vanna called Goddess of Love, which was downright bad.

Episode 133–Super Bowl Shuffle Parodies and Knockoffs

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500

In 1985, the Chicago Bears earned a place in pop culture history with their iconic song and music video during their Super Bowl winning season. Over the years, several teams and companies outside of football have tried to replicate the Bears magic with not much success. We cover a variety of these songs in the longest episode of the podcast yet!

The Patriots & We - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEOj-IoIgXo

L.A. Rams Ram It Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZO8Zeye5K0

Washington Thanks To The 12th Man - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCt2pVq-RCw

Philadelphia Eagles: Buddy’s Watching You - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkTmMF3pa0M

L.A. Raiders Silver and Black Attack Music Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-FKpWiHijo

Cleveland Browns Masters of the Gridiron - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHx6-ekmawk

N.Y. Giants Music Video - https://youtu.be/hMLYSyCS1p0

https://youtu.be/0Wv9gR3FTRY

https://youtu.be/2yXzKEZeuc4

AWA Wrestlerock Rumble - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOSFpzPlO4Q

East/West Bowl Rap Showdown (Key & Peele) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsRrEx0Cntg

KSL Studio Shuffle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyTTX-Y6NDA

The Shiva Bowl Shuffle (The League) - https://youtu.be/r6Z40VK0O9M

Sex Offender Shuffle - https://youtu.be/VfCYZ3pks48

Super Broker Shuffle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW-GhCeqkk4

Super Broker Shuffle Parody - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugNZfyRmQA0

Barrington Snow Storm Shuffle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl6Whm1fqgo

The BoostMobile Shuffle - https://vimeo.com/40389988

Episode 132--The Super Bowl XXIII halftime show, Bebop Bamboozled in 3D

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 00:00:00 -0500

It's the week of The Big Game! You know which one, that Superb Owl. Like last year, we're looking back at something regarding that event. The 1989 edition had a halftime show which wasn't the marching bands or Up With People from years past. It also hadn't reached the era of epic musicians. Instead, it was magic tricks and 50s music, all in glorious 3D.

Episode 131--"Mr. Food" Art Ginsburg

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Famous TV chefs include Julia Child, "The Galloping Gourmet" Graham Kerr, and "The Frugal Gourmet" Jeff Smith. One chef whose legacy is as good as the above people but wasn't as big of a name is Art Ginsburg, who went by the moniker "Mr. Food." We spend this installment looking at the career of this underrated icon, as well as some of the secrets to his 90-second cooking segments.

Episode 130--It Was a Thing on TV with Trading Cards

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

I'll trade you my Fonzie for your Vinny Barbarino! We offer a primer to TV trading cards, a smattering of shows which made their way to cardboard, and what types of cards are available nowadays.

Episode 129–WBNB-TV

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

From 1961 to 1989, CBS affiliate WBNB-TV served TV audiences in the U.S. Virgin Islands with an eclectic mix of programming. Sadly the station went dark permanently due to Hurricane Hugo, but the station's legacy lives on YouTube thanks to an ex-employee who saved various clips from the station.

YouTube Channel of Ex-WBNB Employee Matt Locker

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw88tiXi8FAPoHMUagJfqsg

Episode 128--Saturday Supercade

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Who didn't love cartoons and video games in the early 80s? Pac Man was successful. But the anthology with cartoons of Pitfall, Space Ace, and Kangaroo? Not as much. We talk about the cartoon cavalcade called Saturday Supercade in this installment.

Minisode 4–Don Johnson's Heartbeat Music Video

Sat, 16 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

The 1980's was the age of MTV and Miami Vice. So naturally the star of Miami Vice, Don Johnson would try his hand at music with an album called Heartbeat.

The song from the album of the same name would be featured on MTV and it's one of the weirdest music videos we've ever seen.

Follow along to the video at this link as we do a live watch of it. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CR4lSORZ_Q

Episode 127--Trivia Trap

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

When is a right answer not a right answer? When it's a trap! That was the original premise of Trivia Trap. Once that format was viewed as flawed, most of the game changed. It didn't help; the show was gone in 6 months.

Episode 126--Oh Madeline

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Oh Madeline had plenty of quality guests, the versatile and multi-talented Madeline Kahn, and had its moments. It also had three unique theme songs and was revamped in its sole season. It was Carsey-Werner's first TV series, before they hit it big a year later with The Cosby Show.

Live Show 4–Nickelodeon's Coverage of the 2021 NFL Wild Card

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 20:20:26 -0500

When we found out Nickelodeon was simulcasting the NFL Wild Card game between the Saints and the Bears, we knew this had future entry written all over it.

And the broadcast was everything we hoped it would be. Join us in a live watch of the second half as we see how many Nickelodeon shows Nate Burleson can punch on your bingo card.

Episode 125--Jeopardy, not the original run nor the current version

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Everybody knows about the current version of Jeopardy! and some remember the original version. We're not talking about those shows. We talk about the nighttime version from 1974-5 and, to a great extent, the 1978-9 NBC version.

Also in this episode...

* The 1977 CBS Jeopardy! pilot

* Password Plus' frequently changing time slot

* Arte Johnson meets Bobby Riggs

Episode 124--The Ropers

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

When the worst shows of all-time are mentioned, The Ropers makes that list with frequency. Is it justified? We state our cases that it was an average show and that there are many shows worse, and we have covered a lot of them.

It Was a Thing on TV Presents (01.02.21)

Sat, 02 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

On this off-topic episode here on Podbean, Greg and Chico do a recap on the second season of The Mandalorian which recently finished on Disney+.

They discuss their favorite moments from Season 2 along with The Child's ..... let's just say taste in food.

Afterwards the duo then turns to recent developments in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with WandaVision launching later this month.

Episode 97–Saturday Night Live ’80 (Director’s Cut)

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500

Happy New Year! We're releasing the second of our two Director's Cut versions from Place to be Nation POP to start 2021 with a bang!

The SNL Doumanian Season Episode is presented with extended bits from the season to add proper context to the episode including the legendary Al Franken "Limo for the Lame-o" sketch.

Episode 123--The 2020 Year in Review

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

We ring out what has been an absolute disaster of a year with a look at what was on TV in 2020, changes due to COVID, shows that ended in 2020, and those we lost in 2020, among other things. Here's to a great 2021!

Episode 122--The Morton Downey Jr. Show

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Over two years, The Morton Downey Jr. Show took the nation by storm. It was all over by Fall 1989, maybe because it was too controversial but also because the new late night show on the block at the time also took the nation by storm, The Arsenio Hall Show.

Episode 71–Herb Abrams’ Universal Wrestling Federation (Director’s Cut)

Fri, 25 Dec 2020 09:00:00 -0500

For Christmas/New Year's we're releasing as our present to you the Director's Cut versions of two of our more popular episodes originally released on the Place to be Nation POP version for the first time on our regular feed.

We start with Herb Abrams' Universal Wrestling Federation as we look at a time when old Herb tried to insert himself into an angle along with a special eBay Price is Right in the Director's Cut segments.

Episode 121–Tiger King

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

On this Christmas Eve we look back at what was the binge watching hit at the start of the COVID lockdown this year in Tiger King on Netflix. We look at the insane cast of characters including Joe Exotic, Jeff Lowe and yes that b***h Carole Baskin!

Due to some strong subject matter in the show, listener discretion is advised.

Episode 120--The Video Game Show, Part 2: Electric Boogaloo

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Earlier this year, we looked at 9 bad video games based on television shows. We found 9 more and felt it appropriate to cover them before the Christmas holiday. With any luck, we'll find 9 more and do a 3rd installment in 2021.

Episode 119--Davis Rules

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Davis Rules is one of our favorite short-lived shows. It was funny and it had Jonathan Winters, yet it ran on two networks over 15 months. Also, we question if there is any situation in which Parker Lewis can lose.

Episode 118--Ernie Anderson

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Ernie Anderson is among our favorite announcers. We decided to dedicate an episode to his life and career, going back to his radio days after World War II. He might be the only announcer to have an annual fest in honor of one of his TV characters.

The Complete Ghoulardi Clip Collection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34c4k23JNTk

WEWS-TV5 News Promo with Ernie Anderson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r2JMa3mHzE

Star Trek TNG Premiere Promo Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiFXVyeBf9w

America's Funniest Home Videos VCR Board Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlfXZrp5y3k

Ernie Anderson on Letterman, March 21, 1983: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp0gGWRHIqQ

WrestleMania VI L.A. Coliseum Bid Promo Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwYopEoNUvY

Adam and Eve clips from Animaniacs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgZMaSEoacQ

Live Show 3--A Recipe for Seduction

Sun, 13 Dec 2020 13:52:10 -0500

When this lit up the socials last week, we made the decision that not only was it worth submitting but it was also worthy of live show status. Put a Lifetime Christmas movie, a KFC infomercial, and romance in a Vitamix and this would be the result.

The complete "A Recipe for Seduction": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9mgD1DpmZ8

Episode 117--Personal Injury Court

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

One of the more recent shows on our list, Personal Injury Court was clearly not real, between nobody apparently having health insurance to the ridiculous amounts of money people for which people sued. Let's dive head first into the legal sauce with this installment.

Episode 116--It Ran One Season Too Long

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

In this installment, we look at shows we believe lasted one season too long. (Your mileage may vary.) Mostly, we cover comedies which lasted a year too long. Continuing a trend from last week, Greg continues his basketball coach namedropping streak.

Episode 115--Caesar's Challenge

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

The last NBC daytime game show was a good one, a true challenge. Caesar's Challenge had Ahmad Rashad, gladiators, and a rotating cage of letters. Also in this episode, the guys rattle off the name of everyone in Arizona in 1993 they can think of.

Episode 114--Carter Country

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Who knew racism could be so funny...?! Carter Country somehow ran two seasons, despite a character who was an out-and-out racist. Only one of us three could make it through an entire episode, and for good reason. File this one under "doesn't age well."

Minisode 3–The Gobbledy Gooker

Sat, 28 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

The Undertaker wasn't the only person who celebrated the 30th anniversary of their debut in WWE this past week. At the 1990 WWF Survivor Series a heavily overhyped giant egg was set to hatch and out of it came ....... a man in a turkey suit. Listen as The Gobbledy Gooker and Mean Gene Okerlund try to excite a bored crowd in Hartford by dancing to Turkey in the Straw.

Episode 113--The 1984 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

It's a tradition unlike any other here at It Was a Thing on TV. Last year, we looked at the 1983 Thanksgiving Day parade. This year, we jump to 1984, a time with Avril the Eccentric, creepy Cabbage Patch Kids, and a Fraggle with permanent sex face.

Episode 112--The Mouse on the Mayflower

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Rankin-Bass' first holiday cartoon was this highly fictitious take on the traditional and now-highly outdated take on the first Thanksgiving, involving a mouse who saves everything with a printing press?! All the talent in the world couldn't save this antiquated relic, given what we know now.

Episode 111--The episode of Boy Meets World where Shawn worked for the mafia

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

A personal favorite of ours, what happens when you combine a Christmas episode with a naive teenager, then sprinkle in two of the goofiest mafiosos you'll ever meet? You'll get a very special episode with one heck of a takeout business.

Episode 110--Makin' It

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

It's another show from the late 70s which tried capitalizing on the disco craze. Unfortunately, timing is everything. Makin' It even had a Travolta, just not that one. Also this installment, we return to full strength.

Episode 109–1-900 Numbers

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

1-900 numbers were a staple of television advertising back in the 1980's and 1990's. It seems you couldn't go one half-hour back in the day without seeing a commercial for a 1-900 number. Chico and Greg go through some of the best(?) of these ads for you in this episode.

Freak Phone - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq97QAYDDoI

Elvis Hotline - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBhLWiU4rSs

Boglins Hotline Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21OJlhs0Obg

Dial an Insult - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fMTGImPh-8

Hot Hints - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxfeaUHCHWI

Mac and Me Hotline - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IELT_qAuyw

1-900 Spell It Hotline Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvWcHXHP3Zw

1-900 Cry - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRiNuB_Y1qY

Corey Hotline - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk2CKwJ3hGo

MC Hammer Hotline https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWg-BTIUFDg

Tiffany 1-900 Commercial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kERC9t9BOiw

Fresh Prince Hotline - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o932cAf3t1U

KISS 1988 Hotline - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExQ09g7I82g

Twin Peaks Hotline - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrpfProfqbM

Let’s Make a Deal Hotline - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBrUJ6nfiFg

Santa’s Rap Hotline - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeS9TBzEkfs

Grandpa Munster’s Junior Vampires of America - https://youtu.be/KjQKkUaVOVY

Freddy Krueger Hotline - https://youtu.be/lZpiCSrEtgI

Captain Lou Hotline - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkcaYw_Y8DE

Rhonda’s Private Fun Line - https://youtu.be/Z0OalcRlAeg

Mean Gene Hotline - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs-hdGYUycI

Episode 108–Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

In honor of the upcoming reboot on Peacock, we look at the time the Bayside gang spent their summer vacation for a nice relaxing trip to Hawaii at Kelly's grandfather's hotel. Over the course of the trip they encounter Hawaiian natives, greedy hotel owners, shady lawyers and yes Mr. Belding. Also, Zack Morris being trash tries to hook up with a women who works at the rival hotel. You won't believe what happens.

Episode 107–A Case of Spring Fever

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

As chosen by our listeners on our Facebook page we present possibly the craziest subject on our podcast yet. Featured in the 10th season of Mystery Science Theater 3000, A Case of Spring Fever is a 1940 educational short subject about a man who has a problem with springs and wishes to never see another spring again. Don't say we didn't warn you about what happens next. NO SPRINGS! TEEHEEHEEHEEHEE!

Episode 106–That's My Bush!

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

In 2001, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone created a send up of television sitcoms involving the then brand new presidency of George W. Bush. It had the brilliance that the duo is known for, so why did this show only get eight episodes? Chico and Greg try to find out the reasons why in this episode.

Episode 105–The Episode of Mister Ed where he played against the L.A. Dodgers

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

We're covering our second baseball episode of the month. In Episode 54 we covered the 2004 reboot pilot of Mister Ed so now we're covering one of our favorite episodes from the original series.

For the show's fourth season premiere in 1963, our favorite horse and Wilbur pay a visit to Dodger Stadium to see their favorite team along with legendary coach Leo Durocher. This episode answers the question can a HAWSE go deep against the great Sandy Koufax?

Episode 104–The Paul Lynde Halloween Special

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

In our previous episode we discussed Paul Lynde's self-titled sitcom at ABC in 1972-73. After another failed sitcom with Paul in a starring role at ABC, Paul did various guest spots on shows to fulfill his contract with the network. In 1976, Fred Silverman decided to give Paul his own primetime special for Halloween and in true Paul Lynde fashion he made it his own.

Listen as Paul is trapped in a haunted mansion with The Wicked Witch of the West and Wilhemina W. Witchiepoo while having to battle with Tim Conway. Also it's got KISS, Betty White, Billy Barty and Florence Henderson singing disco, how can you go wrong?

Episode 103–The Paul Lynde Show

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Paul Lynde is one of the all-time legends of television from his zingers on The Hollywood Squares to playing Uncle Arthur on Bewitched. In 1972 after the cancellation of Bewitched, producer William Asher gave Paul his own self-titled sitcom based on a play that he had performed years earlier. Despite playing against type, he managed to make the best of it, sadly everything else around him didn't work, we look at the reasons why.

Episode 102–The Alfred Hitchcock Presents contest on Nick at Nite

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Nick at Nite was a staple of our childhood's back in the 1980's and 1990's. One popular show on the early Nick at Nite lineup was Alfred Hitchcock Presents. It was so popular that the powers that be at Nick at Nite decided to run a marathon on Halloween Week 1990 along with a contest for the viewer to guess how many people kick the bucket during said marathon to win a murder mystery cruise. Also, you're probably wondering why Wink Martindale is involved in this based on the image right?

Accompanying Nick at Nite 35th Anniversary article with some details about this contest via The Retro Network.

https://theretronetwork.com/35-years-of-nick-at-nite/

Episode 101–The Episode of Punky Brewster where Punky and Henry went to the 1984 NLCS

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of the World Series, we look back at a classic baseball episode of one our favorite shows on the podcast. In 1984, the Chicago Cubs went to their first postseason in almost 40 years and a new NBC sitcom set in the Windy City capitalized on Cubs Fever. In this classic episode of Punky Brewster, Henry has to battle crazed fans, radio call-in contests and scalpers all in an effort to get Punky to see the Cubbies in the playoffs. Also how does someone from one our previous entries get involved in all of this?

Episode 100–Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour Revisited

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

It Was a Thing on TV proudly celebrates it's 100th episode! In honor of this occasion we're going back to where it all started as we revisit The Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour. We know more about this topic from the reruns on BUZZR than we did around this time a year ago when we started. We look at the different celebrities that appeared on the show, the contestants and many memorable moments over the show's nine months on the air. Also, we've sprinkled many fun audio easter eggs over the course of the 100th show. Thanks to everyone for your support over the last year of this podcast.

Episode 99–Kamelion on Doctor Who

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 00:01:00 -0400

Doctor Who has had many memorable characters in it's almost 60-year history on the BBC. However, not every character can be Sarah Jane Smith, Amy Pond or even K-9. Meet Kamelion, a robot who's apparently not a robot. A character so bad he only appeared in two televised Doctor Who serials but has since appeared in many spin-off Doctor Who books and audio dramas in which some of the plots of them will leave you confused.

On a serious note, our co-host Mike recently had a serious trip to the hospital which we address in the cold open of the episode. To help out with his medical expenses a GoFundMe has been set-up which you can donate to at tinyurl.com/klaussiestrong.

Episode 98--Hometown Commercials

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Who doesn't love a good hometown commercial? They're goofy, they're low-budget, they're corny, and often they're viral. We look at over a dozen such ads. Greg also raves about The Sega Channel and Mike talks about his run-in with presumably the star of one of these ads.

Commercials in this episode, in order:
Right Price Furniture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BdDpV5eI94
Ieuter and Secor Insurance Agents: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5l0ZmTLdy-A
TCI Cable Brookhaven: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clxl56hsP2k
Monterey-Salinas Transit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmgpguQbEjQ
Norton Furniture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2z1YroJTRE
Frank Communications: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPaYx8eWWPI
Attorney John Orcutt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7k7nDyzjRY
Shirley Auto Group: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4ub0oB_07M
Mike Slocum, The Alabama Hammer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H1jxzmdWwo
Darryl Isaacs, The Kentucky Hammer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOlYOUzOpOM
2019 Darryl Isaacs Super Bowl commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_LUKFsIpvk
The Hot Tub Factory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg1I8yUlzv8
Cullman Liquidation Center: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-RLqLx1iYI
Eagle Insurance--Eagleman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4-e4nlfdRI
Eagle Insurance--Eaglewoman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL1QUmeEZQc
Marc Norton Being Born: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd8BrfhASDU

Episode 97--Saturday Night Live: The Doumanian Season

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Every bad show has a bad season, it seems. We will cover such bad seasons in future episodes. For now, we are dedicating an entire show to one such season, Saturday Night Live's 6th season. Almost nothing from the show's 5th season carried over, and it showed.

Episode 96--Utopia

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

It's another social experiment gone wrong, in multiple ways. Utopia didn't last two months and it cost FOX $50 million in just acquiring its rights. Surely some heads rolled. And what's the deal with the cartoonist as host?

Episode 95--Kid Nation

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

A world run by kids--no curfews, unlimited candy, and no homework...right? Here's a social experiment from 2007 which sought out to see how 40 children would run their own society, CBS' entry Kid Nation.

Episode 94--Into the Sanfordverse, Part 2

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Before returning you to your regular universe, we have two more visits in the Sanford and Son family--the very short-lived series which replaced the parent show, titled Sanford Arms, and an early 80s attempt to revive the franchise in Sanford.

Episode 93--Into the Sanfordverse, Part 1

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Over the next two episodes, we will explore the three spinoffs of Sanford and Son, as well as the show which caused Sanford and Son to end. In part one, we look at the first spinoff, Grady, as well as the show which effectively killed the mothership, The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour.

This episode and the next may have low volumes. Some of our microphones acted really weird when we recorded. We're sorry about that.

Episode 92--The worst Monday Night Football game ever from 2007

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

The NFL season starts tonight! (Who knows how long it will last...) In celebration of the start of the new season, we look at what is considered the worst Monday Night Football game, a 2007 affair between the Miami Dolphins and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Though Miami had a forgettable team that year, that wasn't the primary reason this game was bad.

Episode 91--Double Dare (1985)

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

It's not the Double Dare from 1976 which was previously covered, nor is it the Double Dare on Nickelodeon a year later. This Double Dare was a cop show in the vein of Miami Vice which lasted just over a month on CBS, starring TV's Wiseguy and the guy who is as cool as the cool side of the pillow.

Episode 90--Golden Balls

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

From the era of Deal or No Deal, we get a game of luck, truth telling, psychology, some memory, and lots of balls. 2/3 of us didn't like it. If you like it, you likely will really enjoy Golden Balls. It was popular for a brief period of time, but quickly faded away to obscurity.

Link to weirdest Split or Steal round ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0qjK3TWZE8

Episode 89--Learning the Ropes

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 88--AfterMASH

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

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?

Episode 87--College Comedies of 1979

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

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?!

Minisode 2--Mr. Microphone

Sat, 22 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 86--Playboy's Roller Disco and Pajama Party

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 85--The Third Annual Collegiate Cheerleading Championships from 1980

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

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?

Episode 84--Steve Martin's The Winds of Whoopee

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 83--David Letterman Shows Within the Show

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 82--Blind Justice

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Episode 81--Tribute to Regis Philbin

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Minisode 1--Taskmaster US

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0400

The CW will start airing reruns of the amazing UK version of Taskmaster, starting on Sunday, August 2. It isn't the first appearance of the creative competition show. Comedy Central had a series of 8 episodes in 2018 which quickly disappeared. If it's so good, what happened?

Episode 80--The Noel Edmonds Show

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

In 1986, Bruce Forsyth wasn't the only UK entertainer to be imported by ABC. For one week, UK legend Noel Edmonds had his own self-titled talk show following Nightline. Even throwing out a gaggle of superstar guests didn't get the show a longer run.

Episode 79--Condo

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Two families tied together through relationships struggle with each other on an ABC sitcom in the early 80s. Where have we heard that? Soap, but also this entry from people who brought you Soap--the McLean Stevenson vehicle Condo. Could this series have gotten a popular emcee his iconic hosting gig?

Episode 78--The Hollywood Game

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

From a listener request, we look at the very short-lived CBS entry from summer 1992, The Hollywood Game, where your knowledge of movies past and present could pay off handsomely.

Episode 77--The WTF stories of Unsolved Mysteries

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Everybody loves Unsolved Mysteries. In honor of the recent reboot on Netflix, we look at a dozen of the more bizarre stories from the original series including stories involving a magic rock, lightning strikes, and a death chair.

Episode 76--Xavier: Renegade Angel

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

This show is likely the most bizarre show we will cover. Greg took copious notes on each of the 20 episodes of this Adult Swim series which makes Aqua Teen Hunger Force look straight-laced.

Warning: The language is inappropriate occasionally in this episode.

Episode 75--Video Power

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Video Power--is it a video game cartoon or a video game game show? ¿Porque no los dos? This might be the only show we will cover which can be classified as a show in two different genres, while keeping the general premise intact.

Video Power contestant interview: https://lakupo.com/grblitz/video%20power.htm

Episode 74--Password All Stars and Password in 1975

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Password is a timeless classic which came off as dated in 1974. What's a show to do? Raise the stakes, upgrade the set, and for a brief while in 1974 and 1975, turn it into a celebrity tournament. These changes didn't help, as the show was off the air by mid-1975.

Episode 73--The first episode of 20/20

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

20/20 has been a television staple for over four decades. Its start was a different beast than the 20/20 we have seen for years, from a graphic expose to words and their definitions to Claymation animations.

Episode 72--Go

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Go was in the death slot of Noon and had a very short life, despite being a exciting, action packed game. All 3 of us look at how the game was played with the assistance of Funko Pop dolls. (You wish this episode was a video podcast.) Also bad impersonations of Johnny Olson.

Episode 71--Herb Abrams' Universal Wrestling Federation

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

In May, our first live show was on the Dark Side of the Ring installment about Herb Abrams. On this episode, we go a bit deeper into this feeble attempt to topple the WWF (now WWE) empire.

Episode 70--The Nutt House

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

14 years after prior installment When Things Were Rotten, Mel Brooks returned to TV with The Nutt House. It had Mel Brooks behind it. It had Cloris Leachman. It had Harvey Korman. Yet it lasted all of 5 episodes.

Episode 69--When Things Were Rotten

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Mel Brooks is a legend, both for his work in film and on television. He had something in Fall 1975 with When Things Were Rotten, but it had rotten luck and a rotten time slot versus two powerhouse shows plus it might have been a little ahead of its time.

Episode 68--The Game Show Finales of June 20, 1980 and The David Letterman Show

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

This week 40 years ago saw the temporary ends of three game shows, each of which would return to TV by 1987. That week also saw the birth of a legend, though he made his mark in late night. We look at the three NBC game show finales of June 20, 1980 and their replacement, The David Letterman Show in this timely installment of the podcast.

Episode 67--Break the Bank (every US version)

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Three completely different shows, one title--Break the Bank. One was good, one was basic, and one was a mess. And how does one Mrs. Mickey Kennedy Branson play a role in all of this?

Episode 66--We Got it Made

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

We Got It Made was a dog of a show in 1983-84 that NBC tried to get people to watch by having the cast show up on NBC broadcasts. Yet, it got a second season for the Primetime Starts at 7:30 block in 1987.

Episode 65--Supermarket Sweep, Season 1 in 1990

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Everybody loves the action and fun on Supermarket Sweep. The show we know and love was quite different in its first season, a bare bones version with some odd additions that didn't last long. Come for the caviar, stay for Mr. Yuk.

Episode 64--Open All Night

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

This show was brought to our attention by Greg, as he stumbled across a cameo in the 4th episode. Open All Night is not a bad show, just short-lived because it aired on Saturday nights. But that theme song.

Episode 63--The Moneymaze

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400

1975 was an amazing year for game shows, good and gimmicky. One of the gimmicky games involved people running around a giant maze, trying to win cash and prizes. It sounds corny but The Moneymaze is a fun show to watch.

Live Show 2--Press Your Luck, 2nd season premiere

Sun, 31 May 2020 22:35:58 -0400

We're back with our second live show, this time while watching the second season premiere of Press Your Luck.

Episode 62--Love, Sidney

Thu, 28 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400

It seems Tony Randall was known for two shows--first and foremost, The Odd Couple, and then Love, Sidney. We make the case that it was mishandled from the start by NBC but also that some subject matter might have been material not designed for an early 80s home audience.

Episode 61--Primetime starts at 7:30

Mon, 25 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400

In the Fall 1987 television season, NBC tried starting primetime half an hour earlier than normal. The results were generally bad sitcoms and reverting to an 8 PM start time for primetime starting in Fall 1988. We look at why this block failed and Mike talks about a personal connection with someone from one of the five comedies from this block.

Episode 60--Maury episode titles

Thu, 21 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400

What was Greg's dive down a rabbit hole after recording a few months ago became this very experimental episode. The Maury staff sure comes up with different ways to describe their DNA and lie detector shows.

Episode 59--Wilkins Coffee Commercials

Mon, 18 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Brew up some coffee and enjoy this look at Jim Henson ads from the late 50s and early 60s. The commercials were to-the-point and were effective. Sixty years later, they are a blast to watch.

Episode 58--Second Chance (1987)/Boys Will Be Boys

Thu, 14 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Second Chance had a different premise but was low-rated and given a second chance. It was stripped of its premise and turned into an average teenage boy sitcom called Boys Will Be Boys. After 12 episodes of this retooled show, it was cancelled and not given a third chance.

Episode 57--The Duck Factory

Mon, 11 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400

A sitcom with Jim Carrey! It can't fail...can it? (Isn't that why we're here?) The Duck Factory was a comedy about the animation industry with very few animations, a young not-so irreverent Jim Carrey, and an established cast of characters. What went wrong?

Episode 56--Poochinski

Thu, 07 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400

For now, we wrap up our look at pilots with a very bizarre one from 1990, where a dead cop's soul enters the body of a bulldog. Poochinski is a weird pilot you have to see at least once. You can view the complete pilot at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LytgLZDzzAY.

Live Show 1--Dark Side of the Ring, ”Cocaine & Cowboy Boots: The Herb Abrams Story”

Wed, 06 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400

This is our first live, unedited show. For weeks, we have talked about Herb Abrams and the UWF. We have been anticipating this episode of Dark Side of the Ring so much that we wanted to devote a live episode to the topic. Obviously, it is best if you watch this show while listening to this podcast. There is some minor language used in this show since it was recorded live and is unedited.

Episode 55--Lookwell

Mon, 04 May 2020 00:00:00 -0400

Considered by some to be the best show which never made it to TV, Lookwell is a brilliant cop show spoof done by Lorne Michaels, Robert Smigel, and a young Conan O'Brien. You can view this pilot at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBQ3HbB0c8Y.

Episode 54--Mr. Ed (2004 pilot)

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0400

This is exhibit A on why classic shows should not be rebooted. Mr. Ed was piloted in 2004 for FOX but like almost anything on FOX, this show had an edgy FOX twist. Also, the computer graphics in this show were horrible, even for 2004. You can see this pilot at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze5IBEMoUR0.

Episode 53--Where's Rodney?

Sun, 26 Apr 2020 19:00:00 -0400

We continue our look at pilots with the NBC entry from 1990, Where's Rodney?, where Rodney Dangerfield plays a confused teenager's confidant. You can see this pilot with commercials at https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6kk335.

Episode 52--Infiltrator

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 23:59:00 -0400

Next up in our cavalcade of unsold pilots is a sci-fi show not unlike previous installment Automan. A pre-Quantum Leap Scott Bakula is merged with a probe to become Infiltrator.

Episode 51--The High Court with Doug Benson

Sun, 19 Apr 2020 23:59:00 -0400

In honor of 420, we present you with submission #420. The High Court with Doug Benson was like any other court show with a marijuana twist. Blink and you missed it because it went up in smoke fast.

Episode 50--Tag Team

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 23:59:00 -0400

Combine wrestling with a cop show and what do you get? You get a show which almost made ABC's lineup in the early 90s, Tag Team. You can watch the episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1Gf3gXvZ-k and follow along with this installment. We even included commentary about the commercials.

Episode 49--Greg the Bunny

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 23:59:00 -0400

In an episode which is sort of timely with Easter just happening, we look at a world where puppets and humans coexist on Greg the Bunny.

Episode 48--Malcolm

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 23:59:00 -0400

What happens when you mix Alex Trebek and a crudely animated sidekick? You get the unaired pilot Malcolm, a show done for NBC in 1983. This is a short show because there's not much meat on this bone.

Episode 47--The Kids Guide to the Internet

Sun, 05 Apr 2020 23:59:00 -0400

Remember 1997, when the Internet was exciting, new, and informational? We do, as do the Jamison family. The Jamison kids share all the cool things you can do on the VHS cassette Kids Guide to the Internet.

Episode 46--Retired Price is Right Pricing Games

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 19:00:00 -0400

Pricing games on The Price is Right can be hit or miss. You can have winners like Plinko, Rat Race, and Master Key. You can also have misses like the dozen games we will cover in this installment.

Episode 45--Rip Taylor in Time

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 12:00:00 -0400

(Please note, this was an April Fools Day joke. 98% of what you hear in this episode is fake.)

While searching for material on a previous episode, we stumbled upon information about a very brief BBC comedy from 1980 capitalizing off of the popularity of Doctor Who and The $1.98 Beauty Show. Combine the two and you get a series in which nothing outside of blurbs of the episodes exists, Rip Taylor in Time.

Episode 44--Comedy Central's TV Funhouse

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 19:00:00 -0400

Comedy Central's TV Funhouse was from some of the minds associated with an entry from last week, The Dana Carvey Show. It looked like a kid's show, but it was definitely not for the kids.

Episode 43--Hulk Hogan commercials

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 19:00:00 -0400

We look at ads Hulk Hogan has done over the years, from the conventional to the bizarre.

For your benefit, here is an ordered list of the ads covered and where to view them. All links will open up in a new tab.

Honey Nut Cheerios Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3YTvB11JbY
Hulk Hogan Workout Set - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyuKfO5wUHs
800-LoanMart - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogx3GaZoYgo
Right Guard Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCwzdzA-01Q
Pastamania Promo on WCW Nitro - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MqesGatCgg
MTV Commercial (The Big …. Show) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVjY93xqsYc
Pummax - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SfF69Tenq4
10-10-220 ad with ALF - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzTqHAljNtQ
10-10-220 ad with Terry Bradshaw - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ryT61OfKIM
10-10-220 ad with Mike Piazza - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR_VU4vfTWI
Hostamania - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ss_DNXNweQ
Hitachi Japanese Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdViUfe2IFg
Harris Teeter paper towel commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRPt7n8bkso

Episode 42--The Dana Carvey Show

Sun, 22 Mar 2020 19:00:00 -0400

The Dana Carvey Show had future superstars among its supporting cast and a who's who of comedy writers but why did it fail so quickly, besides the absurd show airing immediately after a very special episode of Home Improvement? We look at why this show was truly too funny to fail. Warning: There is some language which is not appropriate for everybody.

Episode 41--Double Dare (1976 game show)

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 19:00:00 -0400

Take a risk! Take a chance! Take a dare! We double dare you to listen to this episode about the short-lived quizzer Double Dare.

Episode 40--The Cool Kids

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 19:00:00 -0400

We look at one of the most recent entries on our list, The Cool Kids. It was co-created by Charlie Day, it had brilliant writing and casting, and it was loaded with TV legends. What could go wrong?

Episode 39--Night Stand with Dick Dietrick

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 19:00:00 -0400

We talk about the ultimate spoof of daytime talk shows, Night Stand with Dick Dietrick. Topics in this show include successes (and a failure) which came for most of the people behind Night Stand, the time there was an accidental wardrobe malfunction, and what happened when Mike wrote an e-mail to the show.

Episode 38--The Critic

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 19:24:35 -0400

We start our look at short-lived shows we loved by looking at one of our favorite series from the 1990s, The Critic. This show bounced around a bit, but had a lengthy life in reruns and even was revived as a brief web series in 2000.

Episode 37--Video games based on TV shows

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 18:59:00 -0500

The three of us have played video games for decades. We decided to dedicate an episode to bad video games based on television programs. If you like this, fret not; a second video game show will be coming later this year.

Episode 36--Pink Lady (and Jeff)

Sun, 01 Mar 2020 18:59:00 -0500

By coincidence, one of the biggest flops in TV history debuted 40 years ago today. It was the epitome of Fred Silverman's tenure at NBC. What do you get when you cross a Japanese pop duo with a comedian and turn it into a variety show? You get Pink Lady.

Episode 35--The Mad Dash

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 19:00:00 -0500

Did you ever want to win a disco date or a dinner for 2? You could on the classic Canadian series The Mad Dash! In this episode, we look at this life-sized board game adaptation from the 1970s and 1980s.

Episode 34--It's Your Move

Sun, 23 Feb 2020 19:00:00 -0500

One of the most requested shows in this podcast's short life has been It's Your Move. We look at why this brilliant series had such a short life, how it was a predecessor of future shows, and what exactly The Dregs of Humanity has to do with this show.

Episode 33--The $50,000 Pyramid

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 23:59:00 -0500

The $50,000 Pyramid is the forgotten version of the Pyramid franchise and for good reason. We talk about the changes to the short-lived version and the celebrities on this version, including at least one whose only time playing the Pyramid was in this version.

Episode 32--Bill Cullen Centennial Tribute

Sun, 16 Feb 2020 23:59:00 -0500

February 18 marks the 100th birthday of The Dean of Game Shows, Bill Cullen. We look at three of his less successful shows--Winning Streak, The Love Experts, and Pass the Buck.

Episode 31--CBS Daytime in 1979 (Beat the Clock and Whew!)

Wed, 12 Feb 2020 23:59:00 -0500

We look at two memorable shows from Fall 1979, albeit memorable for differing reasons. Beat the Clock was quite a departure from previous versions of that show, and Whew! was funny and engaging but had a confusing rule set. Ultimately, both shows died in part to a common desperate last gasp attempt to gain viewers--making the shows celebrity-based.

Episode 30--The XFL (2001)

Sun, 09 Feb 2020 23:59:00 -0500

The new and vastly improved iteration of the XFL began play this weekend. We look back at the original XFL from 2001 and where it went wrong, from being too much like the WWE to the absolute lack of decent players. Almost 20 years later, we're wonder who exactly hated "He Hate Me."

Episode 29--Tom Poston game show tomfoolery

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 23:59:00 -0500

Tom Poston was a beloved television fixture for decades, ranging from The Phil Silvers Show in the 1950s through The Suite Life of Zack & Cody in the 2000s. Poston also appeared on many game shows through the years. We look at three times in the 1980s when Tom Poston's game play wasn't exactly stellar, though we do not put the entire blame upon Tom.

Episode 28--Cheap Cheap Cheap

Sun, 02 Feb 2020 23:59:00 -0500

UK celebrity Noel Edmonds finished hosting their version of Deal or No Deal on Channel 4 in 2016, after over 11 years. In 2017, he return to Channel 4 with a game show/sitcom hybrid called Cheap Cheap Cheap, which was just weird weird weird. We look at this bizarre hybrid which has been compared to Twin Peaks.

Episode 27--The Bud Bowl

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 21:30:00 -0500

People enjoy seeing ads during the Super Bowl sometimes as much as the game itself. In the late 1980s through the late 1990s, The Bud Bowl was likely the most popular series of Super Bowl ads. We reflect on The Bud Bowl's growth and eventual demise.

Episode 26--Banzai

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 23:59:00 -0500

"Banzai" was a British show which eventually aired on four different networks in the United States. Why would such a show be bounced around? Could it be the controversy that followed it? We look at this bizarre and offensive show.

Episode 25--The Joe Schmo Show, Season 1

Sun, 26 Jan 2020 23:59:00 -0500

Spike TV took a chance on a different type of reality show, one in which everybody was an actor but one person, who the entire show was built around. "The Joe Schmo Show" was a memorable and fun unique endeavor which we remember quite fondly. We will cover the other seasons in the future.

Episode 24--The Meaning of Life CD-i infomercial

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 23:59:00 -0500

We look at an infomercial for the CD-i entertainment system from the mid-90s, while spending a significant amount of time talking about the system's titles, versatility, and technological downfalls.

Episode 23--Joe Millionaire

Sun, 19 Jan 2020 23:59:00 -0500

One of the most hyped series of 2003 was "Joe Millionaire." It lasted two seasons, and was off TV by the end of 2003. We look at this flash-in-the-pan which briefly made a star out of a construction worker/underwear model.

Episode 22--Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 23:59:00 -0500

"Doctor Who" has been a television staple for close to 6 decades. One of the oddest entries in the "Doctor Who" canon happened in 1993 with its 2-part special titled "Dimensions in Time."

Episode 21--The $1.98 Beauty Show

Sun, 12 Jan 2020 23:59:00 -0500

Chuck Barris was the king of the bizarre in the 1970s. His spoof of beauty pageants, "The $1.98 Beauty Show," proves just that from the low stakes to the oddball host, Rip Taylor.

Episode 20--Who Wants to be a Millionaire wannabes from 2000

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 23:59:00 -0500

After Who Wants to be a Millionaire became an overnight smash, every network tried to find a series to capture similar lightning in a bottle. We look at three of these shows--It's Your Chance of a Lifetime, Winning Lines, and Twenty One. Mike also shares details about his tryout for Twenty One in 1999, including the rules to the game at that time.

Episode 19--Super Jeopardy! and Monopoly

Sun, 05 Jan 2020 23:59:00 -0500

The Jeopardy! tournament to discover the greatest player of all time is not ABC's first foray into airing Jeopardy. We look at Super Jeopardy! from summer of 1990, including the times Chico and Mike played against Super Jeopardy! participants. The majority of this episode is devoted to its companion show, Monopoly. We hope you have patience for complex rules!

Episode 18--First Night 2013

Mon, 30 Dec 2019 23:59:00 -0500

Due to questionable subject matter, listener discretion is advised for this episode.

Happy New Year! Ring in 2020 by looking back at 2012/2013 and the hurried mess of a New Year's Eve celebration called "First Night 2013."

Episode 17--Mystery Diners

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 23:59:00 -0500

Merry Christmas and release the drone! Our gift to you is an extended episode where we look at the Food Network show "Mystery Diners" and talk about our favorite episodes from the series.

Episode 16--The Star Wars Holiday Special

Mon, 23 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0500

Happy holidays! Our first gift to you this week is a look at an attempt to capitalize off of "Star Wars" mania in 1978. Don't forget to stick around for the 11 PM news where they talk about fighting the frizzies.

Episode 15--Flying High

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0500

In the last episode, we looked at land travel. Now, we're up In the air. "Flying High" brought the jiggle and the giggle, one of which might have been responsible for its brief life.

Episode 14--Supertrain

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 13:38:16 -0500

ABC had one of its big shows in the late 70s on the sea. NBC tried to duplicate that popularity on the rails. Instead, it became regarded as one of the biggest disasters in television history, almost bankrupting NBC. Hop aboard as we delve into "Supertrain," including music cues which were recycled years later.

Episode 13--The Tommy Westphall Universe

Tue, 10 Dec 2019 17:54:01 -0500

Mike, Chico, and Greg look into what the Tommy Westphall Universe entails, some of the weird connections including many involving a fictional brand of cigarettes, and we discover what could conceivably be a plethora of new entries.

Episode 12--Hello, Larry

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 14:37:31 -0500

The guys peek into the Alder work and family life as they look into "Hello, Larry." Was it as bad as critics make it sound? Can they find anything redeeming about one of the worst shows ever? Just remember, Portland is a long way from LA.

Episode 11--Pitfall

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 09:34:49 -0500

Pitfall definitely had its ups and downs, and we're not talking just the elevators. Some people might have gotten their earnings while others, including the host, only got the shaft.

Episode 10--The Chimp Channel

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 11:42:02 -0500

What happens when monkey business is combined with show business? The Chimp Channel, TBS' first attempt at original comedy. Someone get Greg a banana.

Episode 9--The 1983 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 12:54:41 -0500

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, we look back at the 1983 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. If you were someone on NBC in 1983, odds are you were there.

Episode 8--Judge Wapner's Animal Court

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 12:52:59 -0500

Talk about a kangaroo court! Remember that time Judge Wapner had a court show on Animal Planet? We do. We take a brief look at this early attempt at programming besides nature documentaries.

Episode 7--Lidsville

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:23:19 -0500

Things get really trippy as Greg and Mike look at the early 70s televised acid trip known as "Lidsville."

Episode 6--Meow Manor

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:20:14 -0500

In our shortest episode to date, we look at Big Brother...with cats. And it came from Iceland!

Episode 5--That's My Dog and Think Like a Cat

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 12:00:30 -0500

This podcast officially goes to the dogs...and cats. We look at two pet-centric game shows from yesteryear, and Greg gives us his thoughts regarding the subject of last week's installment, "Jennifer Slept Here."

Episode 4--Jennifer Slept Here

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 13:51:22 -0500

Our look at NBC disasters from 1983 wraps up with the show wedged between the previous two entries on NBC's Friday night schedule, a supernatural sitcom starring Ann Jillian titled "Jennifer Slept Here." We are joined by our first special guest, Kris Lane.

Episode 3--Manimal and Automan

Mon, 28 Oct 2019 11:19:41 -0400

It's Automan! It's Manimal! It's Automanimal! Mike and Greg look at these two connected shows from 1983/4. #HologramsCannotWearSuits

Episode 2--Mr. Smith

Sun, 20 Oct 2019 20:32:25 -0400

Mike, Greg, and the third contributor to this endeavor, Chico Alexander, look at one of the most hyped shows in 1983, one that didn't make it to 1984.

Episode 1--Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour

Sat, 12 Oct 2019 21:35:36 -0400

Mike and Greg take a look at Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour which, until recently, had not been seen on television in over 35 years.

Episode 0--It Was a Thing on TV preview

Fri, 11 Oct 2019 21:10:37 -0400

Mike and Greg introduce the podcast and preview the first official installment of It Was a Thing on TV.