It Was a Thing on TV: An Anthology on Forgotten Television
664 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days 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
Live Show 34–Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
January 16, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 105 MBAfter 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
January 14, 2023 08:00 - 8 minutes - 8.24 MBGreg 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
January 12, 2023 05:00 - 59 minutes - 54.8 MBChico'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)
January 11, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 102 MBRecorded 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
January 09, 2023 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBLater 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
January 07, 2023 05:00 - 48 minutes - 45 MBThere 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
January 05, 2023 05:00 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBJanuary 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
January 04, 2023 05:00 - 2 hours - 161 MBToday, 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 ...
Episode 337--January 3, 1983 in game shows
January 03, 2023 05:00 - 1 hour - 76.5 MB40 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
December 31, 2022 08:00 - 1 hour - 71.6 MBIn 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
December 30, 2022 05:00 - 2 hours - 124 MBAnother 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
December 25, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBWhat 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 pre...
Episode 17.5--Mystery Diners Part 2
December 24, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 80.3 MBIn 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
December 22, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 75.4 MBWe 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...
Episode 333--Three’s a Crowd (1984)
December 19, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 61.6 MBWhen 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)
December 16, 2022 05:00 - 45 minutes - 42 MBTraditional 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
December 13, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 57.3 MBThe 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!
December 12, 2022 05:00 - 2 hours - 115 MBDiscussed 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.y...
Episode 330--MacGruder and Loud
December 08, 2022 05:00 - 56 minutes - 52.1 MBIt'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
December 05, 2022 05:00 - 44 minutes - 41 MBReg 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
December 04, 2022 17:28 - 1 hour - 97.3 MBIt'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)
December 02, 2022 08:00 - 1 hour - 70.2 MBNot 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
November 28, 2022 05:00 - 51 minutes - 47.2 MBIt'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
November 26, 2022 05:00 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MBRecently 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...
Episode 326–Alan King’s Thanksgiving Special
November 24, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 66 MBFor 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
November 21, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 90.1 MBIt'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
November 19, 2022 15:22 - 2 hours - 121 MBWe 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
November 17, 2022 05:00 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBMerrill 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
November 14, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 109 MBThey'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
November 13, 2022 05:00 - 57 minutes - 53.4 MBFor 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 di...
Episode 322--The McLean Stevenson Show
November 10, 2022 05:00 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBIt'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
November 07, 2022 05:00 - 38 minutes - 35.8 MBIt'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
November 04, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 77.1 MBIn 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
November 01, 2022 04:00 - 56 minutes - 51.8 MBIt'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
October 31, 2022 04:00 - 57 minutes - 52.8 MBFor 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
October 29, 2022 04:00 - 12 minutes - 11.4 MBWrestling 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
October 27, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 71.5 MBOur 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
October 24, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 77.4 MBIn 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
October 22, 2022 05:00 - 57 minutes - 52.7 MBThe 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 Be...
Episode 316--She-Wolf of London/Love and Curses
October 20, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 66.6 MBWe 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
October 17, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 60.5 MBABC 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
October 15, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 109 MBThis 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
October 13, 2022 04:00 - 55 minutes - 51 MBAfter 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)
October 12, 2022 04:00 - 2 hours - 141 MBSince 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
October 10, 2022 04:00 - 47 minutes - 44.1 MBIt'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
October 08, 2022 04:00 - 15 minutes - 14.3 MBBefore 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
October 06, 2022 04:00 - 38 minutes - 35.8 MBIn 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
October 03, 2022 16:00 - 1 hour - 72.4 MBIn 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
October 01, 2022 04:00 - 2 hours - 111 MBFor 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
September 29, 2022 04:00 - 1 hour - 90.5 MBOur 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!