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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

Wednesday Dec 25, 2024
Episode 524–A Very Merry Mix-Up
Wednesday Dec 25, 2024
Wednesday Dec 25, 2024
For the first time on the podcast, we look at a Hallmark Christmas movie. In this 2013 TV movie, Alicia Witt plays an NYC store owner who gets proposed to by the man of her dreams but when she's sent to the airport by herself to meet her family a series of accidents happen and hilarity ensues. Will she find love with the man she believes is her brother or will she stay with the snooty rich fiancee? I think you already know the answer to that question. Merry Christmas everybody!

Monday Dec 23, 2024
Episode 523--Game Boy commercials
Monday Dec 23, 2024
Monday Dec 23, 2024
We're a few days away from Christmas and we thought it would be appropriate and timely to look at commercials for the must-have gift of 1989, an item celebrating its 35th birthday this year--the Nintendo Game Boy.
Here are the commercials in this episode, with links:
Original GameBoy with Tetris - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-ej_8XBwmI
Super GameBoy - https://youtu.be/50qlX1kF2Vc
Donkey Kong - https://youtu.be/s4dinHwO2nU
Super Mario Land - https://youtu.be/yyZ65k3vpSU
Tetris/Qix - https://youtu.be/VeLixGKaij4
F1 Race with 4-Player Adapter (1991) - https://youtu.be/_PJZ6HipNxg
Original GameBoy Commercial from Japan, Part 1 - https://youtu.be/Pe6tW69QAeQ
Part 2 - https://youtu.be/UkOk_E_3J0E
Super Mario Land/F1 Race/Tetris/Dr. Mario - https://youtu.be/6CgGwNJxhHs
Have You Had Your Fun Today? - https://youtu.be/dDXJCf29cSE
Kirby’s Dream Land - https://youtu.be/_Z8ECstDtQg
Super Mario Land 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZm5cXRShO4
Game Genie - https://youtu.be/osJkdIWgBFI
Yoshi - https://youtu.be/4ezEh-GP8do
Spot/7up - https://youtu.be/HldFL4445WI
Zelda: Link’s Awakening - https://youtu.be/w4mdmeMuYo4
Super Game Boy with The Wu-Tang Clan - https://youtu.be/9sfiTMybZTs
Dr. Mario - https://youtu.be/vS4RIOFhyL4
Japanese Kirby Pinball Land - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzi9rWVo4so
Mario’s Picross - https://youtu.be/9DXjZ6UJpKk
Kirby Block Ball - https://youtu.be/xuK7xLJW--k
Pocket Monsters Red & Green - https://youtu.be/z4JeRKo3Rr4
Pokemon Red & Blue - https://youtu.be/qzAo9HzOgtQ
Game Boy Camera - https://youtu.be/gYjU5nE9SbE
Castlevania Adventure - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjrFq2z9PXE

Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Minisode 32--The Folgers brother and sister commercial from 2009
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
In what is a first, we present our first instant minisode. Chico was sent a video of a creepy Folgers commercial from 15 years ago. After bringing it to everybody's attention, a decision was made to cover this immediately, instead of waiting until Christmas 2025. Who knew the addition of one word could turn this commercial from heartwarming to creepy?

Thursday Dec 19, 2024
Episode 522--Family Affair (2002)
Thursday Dec 19, 2024
Thursday Dec 19, 2024
We have seen this time and time again--a network reboots a series which ran for a considerable amount of time, only for it to flop badly. This time, the victim is Family Affair, which The WB felt was worthy of rebooting over 30 years after the original show ended. Against tough competition, this version quietly whimpered away after a half year.

Monday Dec 16, 2024
Episode 521--My Mother the Car
Monday Dec 16, 2024
Monday Dec 16, 2024
It took over 500 episodes, but we are finally talking about what many consider to be the worst television show of all-time. A man's deceased mother gets reincarnated into a 1928 automobile, communicating with her son through the radio. That's the premise. Jerry Van Dyke passed up being Gilligan for this. If all the above isn't unbelieveable enough, one of the world's biggest entertainers did a cover version of the theme song.

Thursday Dec 12, 2024
Episode 520--Flo
Thursday Dec 12, 2024
Thursday Dec 12, 2024
We gave you three selections in our Viewer's Choice vote, and this is the show that came out on top. We have another spinoff show from a popular parent show. Also, we have another spinoff show that got amazing ratings in its premiere season, which fell off in the second and final season. In early 1980, audiences were flocking to see Flo. By 1981, audiences were telling it to kiss their grits.

Monday Dec 09, 2024
Episode 519--The Trading Card Show, Volume 2
Monday Dec 09, 2024
Monday Dec 09, 2024
Years ago, we did our first installment on TV-themed trading cards, focusing mainly on cards from the past. With the resurgence in the popularity of trading cards, we decided to do a second volume, focusing on trading cards, specifically those over the last decade. Some of the biggest franchises offer cards, so you can own a piece of those shows or an autograph of one of the stars.

Thursday Dec 05, 2024
Episode 518--Harper Valley PTA
Thursday Dec 05, 2024
Thursday Dec 05, 2024
In 1968, the song Harper Valley PTA was a number one hit for Jeannie C. Riley. In 1978, the song was the inspiration for a movie with the same title, starring Barbara Eden. Three years later, this show came into being with Eden at the helm, about the battles Eden's character had with the PTA of a fictional Ohio town called Harper Valley.

Monday Dec 02, 2024
Episode 517--Doctor Doctor
Monday Dec 02, 2024
Monday Dec 02, 2024
The year is 1989 and the Max Headroom fad, for the most part, has come and gone. Next up for Matt Frewer is a comedy where laughter is sometimes the best medicine. Doctor Doctor ran two abbreviated seasons, followed by a full final season. The show tackled some very sensitive yet timely topics during its run including AIDS and homophobia, but went away quietly after a ratings nosedive.

Thursday Nov 28, 2024
Episode 516--The 1981 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Thursday Nov 28, 2024
Thursday Nov 28, 2024
Happy Thanksgiving! (For those outside of the United States, happy Thursday.) For this holiday, we jump back 43 years to 1981. What was the hotness that year? A version of Strawberry Shortcake which was reminiscent to the technology used in Malcolm, for one. The video game surge started, though it wasn't represented in the parade. As you prepare to do Black Friday shopping, remember to go to the AT&T phone store and get a Garfield phone.