It Was a Thing on TV: An Anthology on Forgotten Television
644 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★ - 5 ratingsPartially an oral history of obscure TV shows, partially an oral version of MST3K, and partially a thorough episode guide, It Was a Thing on TV is an anthology podcast about obscure, forgotten, and odd TV shows, commercials, televised events, and almost anyone and anything else that was on television. For the most part, the subjects we cover are from the United States and Canada. We’re just three guys with a love for television. New episodes are generally every Monday and Thursday, sometimes more often.
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Episodes
Episode 467–Rags to Riches
April 25, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 60.6 MBIt’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
April 22, 2024 04:00 - 45 minutes - 41.7 MBIn 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
April 18, 2024 04:00 - 34 minutes - 32.2 MBIn 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!
Episode 466: Guess What
April 18, 2024 04:00 - 34 minutes - 32.2 MBIn 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
April 15, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour - 55.8 MBIn 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" o...
Live Show 49–Titanic: The Legend Goes On
April 14, 2024 19:00 - 1 hour - 69.2 MBToday 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
April 11, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 55.3 MBBaseball 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
April 09, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 72 MBIn 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
April 07, 2024 04:00 - 48 minutes - 46.1 MBIt'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
April 04, 2024 04:00 - 44 minutes - 41 MBIn 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
April 02, 2024 04:00 - 54 minutes - 50.6 MBWith 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
March 30, 2024 22:53 - 2 hours - 156 MBThe 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
March 28, 2024 07:00 - 1 hour - 56.4 MBEarlier 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)
March 25, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 69.5 MBWe'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)
March 21, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 61.6 MBThis 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)
March 20, 2024 04:00 - 55 minutes - 51.1 MBIn 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
March 18, 2024 04:00 - 54 minutes - 49.9 MBStarting 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
March 14, 2024 04:00 - 1 hour - 55.8 MBIn 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
March 07, 2024 05:00 - 30 minutes - 28.6 MBThe 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
March 04, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBHugh 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
February 29, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 60.7 MBMike'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
February 26, 2024 05:00 - 47 minutes - 43.7 MBBlack 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!
February 22, 2024 05:00 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MBDemond 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
February 21, 2024 00:43 - 17 minutes - 16 MBGreg 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
February 19, 2024 05:00 - 55 minutes - 51.5 MBBroadway 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!
February 15, 2024 05:00 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MBEllen 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
February 13, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 64.5 MBCBS' 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)
February 11, 2024 22:00 - 1 hour - 57.6 MBBack 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
February 11, 2024 05:00 - 12 minutes - 12 MBLast 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
February 09, 2024 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.7 MBThe 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/gm...
Minisode 30--Catching Kelce
February 07, 2024 05:00 - 15 minutes - 14 MBBefore 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?
February 05, 2024 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.7 MBWe 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
February 01, 2024 05:00 - 1 hour - 103 MBSteven 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
January 29, 2024 05:00 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBIn 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
January 25, 2024 05:00 - 53 minutes - 49.3 MBIn 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
January 22, 2024 05:00 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBBy 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
January 18, 2024 05:00 - 43 minutes - 40.3 MBIn 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
January 15, 2024 05:00 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBIn 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?
January 11, 2024 05:00 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBAfter 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?
January 08, 2024 05:00 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MBThis 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
January 07, 2024 01:00 - 1 hour - 58.2 MBIn 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 headach...
Episode 442--The Tim Conway Show (1980)
January 04, 2024 05:00 - 52 minutes - 47.9 MBTiming 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)
January 01, 2024 05:00 - 58 minutes - 53.5 MBHappy 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
December 31, 2023 00:07 - 1 hour - 78.3 MBWe 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
December 30, 2023 17:12 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MBHistory 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
December 28, 2023 05:00 - 44 minutes - 41.2 MBAs 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 440--The 2023 Year in Review, Part 1
December 28, 2023 05:00 - 44 minutes - 41.2 MBAs 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
December 25, 2023 01:00 - 1 hour - 83.6 MBIn 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....
It Was a Thing on TV Outtakes: Tom Poston’s Coma
December 23, 2023 05:11 - 2 minutes - 2.7 MBToday 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.
December 21, 2023 05:00 - 53 minutes - 49.2 MBIn 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.