The It Was a Thing on TV Podcast Network

Merrill Heatter found his greatest success with Hollywood Squares.  After it was cancelled in 1980 (see episode 68), Heatter tried the Squares format, but with some twists.  In this show, we briefly cover 4 titles--Battlestars, The New Battlestars, All-Star Blitz, and the unsold 1993 pilot Hollywood Teasers.

They're a staple on TV today, specifically in the overnight hours.  Half-hour infomercials came on the scene in the early 90s, filling holes in television schedules at all hours of the day.  In this installment, we look back at 9 such infomercials from the 1990s and talk about how cheesy they were and memories we had watching them.

For the first time ever here on Podbean, we bring you the preshow we do before the show. There's been so much going on in the past week that we have to talk about it to you right here. Enjoy as we discuss the dumpster fire going on at Twitter, Newlywed Game '96 on BUZZR and the time Johnny Olson won a Boy George look alike contest!

Timestamps

0:03 - Intro/Twitter is a dumpster fire

3:16 - FTX goes bankrupt as the Crypto market crashes

7:28 - We get an Instagram comment

9:14 - PAX/ION discussion

14:39 - Kevin Conroy's passing

17:29 - Old timey radio style podcasts

18:56 - Omnibus goes down from two episodes a week to one

20:36 - Mike gets sick over last weekend

21:45 - Supermarket discussion

25:24 - Gallagher's passing

29:32 - Gary Kroeger's Newlywed Game airs on BUZZR/MG90 discussion

35:57 - Who will buy Twitter after Elon Musk ruins it?

40:00 - Previewing this week's episodes on the podcast

45:59 - Discussion on the time that Johnny Olson won a Boy George look alike contest on The Price is Right

55:27 - Previewing the next live show (Star Trek IV) and closing

It's been a while since we have talked about the patron saint of this podcast.  McLean's birthday is coming soon, so we felt the time was appropriate to talk about his first series after he left M*A*S*H.  To be fair, you can't fully blame McLean for this show's downfall.

It's listener request time once again!  This time, we look at a 1977 summer replacement variety show with the band behind one of 1976's biggest songs.  The Starland Vocal Band Show may have centered around a one-hit wonder, but it starred some future star power.

In October, we asked you to vote on which of three candidates you wanted us to cover as our Election Day episode.  Your winner was Fish, the spin-off of Barney Miller about Phil Fish's home life with his wife and five precocious scamps.

It's the start of November and election time is around the corner.  We felt it was appropriate to visit this relevant dramedy turned comedy with George C. Scott from FOX's early days.

For Halloween, we present this It Was a Thing on TV "special presentation." Greg and Chico take a look at the Marvel Studios Disney+ special "Werewolf by Night."

Ted suggests that you give this a listen.

Wrestling fans tuned into the WCW Halloween Havoc 1993 Pay-Per-View expecting a night of exciting wrestling and what happened in the first four minutes was so weird that it's been on Greg's mind for the last 29 years.

Find out if a bunch of trick-or-treaters from Atlanta can be scared by Tony Schiavone.

Our final Halloween episode for this year is about a show which could be considered Twin Peaks for kids.  Originally, it lasted a season but found life after its demise on several networks, including a follow-up series and a series of young adult books.  Prepare yourself for the bizarre world of Eerie, Indiana.