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Partially an oral history of obscure TV shows, partially an oral version of MST3K, and partially a thorough episode guide, It Was a Thing on TV is an anthology podcast about obscure, forgotten, and odd TV shows, commercials, televised events, and almost anyone and anything else that was on television. For the most part, the subjects we cover are from the United States and Canada. We’re just three guys with a love for television. New episodes are generally every Monday and Thursday, sometimes more often.
Episodes
3 days ago
Episode 513--Max Headroom
3 days ago
3 days ago
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.
Monday Nov 11, 2024
Episode 512--Dan August
Monday Nov 11, 2024
Monday Nov 11, 2024
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.
Monday Nov 04, 2024
Episode 511--A Man Called Sloane
Monday Nov 04, 2024
Monday Nov 04, 2024
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.
Saturday Nov 02, 2024
It Was a Thing on TV Presents: Mike Rips 2024 Allen and Ginter
Saturday Nov 02, 2024
Saturday Nov 02, 2024
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.
Thursday Oct 31, 2024
Episode 510--Nearly Departed
Thursday Oct 31, 2024
Thursday Oct 31, 2024
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.
Monday Oct 28, 2024
Episode 509--Throb
Monday Oct 28, 2024
Monday Oct 28, 2024
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?
Thursday Oct 24, 2024
Episode 508--Kojak (2005)
Thursday Oct 24, 2024
Thursday Oct 24, 2024
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.
Monday Oct 21, 2024
Episode 507--Me and the Chimp
Monday Oct 21, 2024
Monday Oct 21, 2024
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.
Thursday Oct 17, 2024
Episode 506--Blackout
Thursday Oct 17, 2024
Thursday Oct 17, 2024
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.
Monday Oct 14, 2024
Episode 505--Beverly Hills Buntz
Monday Oct 14, 2024
Monday Oct 14, 2024
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.