It Was a Thing on TV: An Anthology on Forgotten Television

Episode 514--The Max Headroom Incident

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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.