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

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.

Episode 505--Beverly Hills Buntz

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.

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--Greg Opens Junk Wax, Volume 2

In celebration of the Mets reaching the NLCS, Greg decides to open some of his junk wax packs to share with Mike and Chico. Enjoy the talk about Tom Candiotti, Todd Zeile and Glenn Braggs.

Episode 504--The Ropers Revisited

It's time for another Revisited episode.  This time, we're looking at a show that, in recent months, has appeared on-demand and airs with regularity on a FAST channel.  We're checking in again with The Ropers and questioning whether it truly is one of the 50 worst shows in TV history.  You be the judge, but we think it does not deserve that moniker.

Episode 503--Partridge Family 2200 AD

Numerous successful scripted television shows made their way to Saturday mornings in the mid-70s, like I Dream of Jeannie, Gilligan's Island, and Star Trek.  The Partridge Family got the same treatment in 1974, but with a catch--it's set over 200 years in the future.  Also, some key components in the Partridge Family universe were missing.  If you see the show image, it looks awfully similar to a venerable Hanna-Barbera series, and for good reason.

It Was a Thing on TV Delayed Reaction--The Mets Wild Week in Atlanta & Milwaukee

The New York Mets had a nutty last week and a half going from Atlanta to Milwaukee to Atlanta to Milwaukee as they clinched in a playoff spot in dramatic fashion on the last day of the regular season and advanced to the NLDS in a thrilling three-game Wild Card round.

Greg shares with Mike in this delayed reaction his thoughts regarding the week that was and at the end, they look at the upcoming Division Series match-ups.

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 72–Go

Thursday, October 3rd marked the 41st Anniversary of the premiere of the short-lived 1983-84 NBC game show "Go" from Bob Stewart Productions. To mark the occasion this edition of "The Best of It Was a Thing on TV" goes back to Episode 72 when we discussed it back in the Summer of 2020.