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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

47 minutes ago
Episode 364--The Bad News Bears
47 minutes ago
47 minutes ago
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.

3 days ago
3 days ago
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

6 days ago
6 days ago
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.

6 days ago
Live Show 39–Dorf on the Diamond
6 days ago
6 days ago
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

7 days ago
7 days ago
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

Thursday Mar 23, 2023
It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--The March 22, 2023 episode of Jeopardy!
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
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.

Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Episode 361--Small Fortune (US)
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
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.

Monday Mar 20, 2023
Episode 360--Australia’s Naughtiest Home Videos and Videos After Dark
Monday Mar 20, 2023
Monday Mar 20, 2023
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.

Sunday Mar 19, 2023
Live Show 38–The Kissing Booth 2
Sunday Mar 19, 2023
Sunday Mar 19, 2023
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."

Saturday Mar 18, 2023
Episode 359--The episode of Dinosaurs where Robbie got jacked on steroids
Saturday Mar 18, 2023
Saturday Mar 18, 2023
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.