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

Episode 473--Red Dwarf USA, pilot 2

During last year's pilot month, we covered the 1992 Red Dwarf pilot for NBC in Episode 375.  A second pilot, of sorts, was done shortly after.  Running a mere 11 minutes long including previews of two episodes, this ambitious endeavor looked like it was shot in a broom closet, and that was before the lackluster quality of the video available online.

It Was a Thing on TV Instant Reaction--The EA Sports College Football 25 Trailer

One of the most anticipated sports video games in a long time just released its first gameplay trailer. Mike, Greg, and Chico in this Instant Reaction watch the trailer for EA Sports College Football 25 trailer, the first entry in the EA College Football franchise since 2013. 

Episode 472--Fast Friends (1984 pilot)

As we have said in the past, Jay Wolpert is the master of the overly complex but unique game show format.  In this show, two people build a team of players with the end goal of winning that captain $10,000 and making some fast friends.  Apparently, NBC passed this up for a show that John Davidson predicted would be on for a very long time.

Episode 471--Let's Get Personal (1982 pilot)

1982 was a time of flux at NBC in the daytime.  Game shows were out earlier that year minus Wheel of Fortune, replaced with soaps and sitcom reruns.  NBC had a pilot that was part-game, part-psychological analysis with Let's Get Personal, hosted by a familiar face to NBC game show watchers, but also with an acting troupe of three big names around these parts.  

Episode 470--The Virtual Ed Sullivan Show

In 1998, the variety show as we know it had been a dead format for close to 20 years.  However, what if you could revive one of the greatest variety shows ever with a host who had been deceased for nearly a quarter century?  That was attempted by UPN with a virtual Ed Sullivan, voiced by John Byner.  The result was this one-off pilot which was reminiscent of a more recent format, and with star power packing arenas to this day.

Episode 469--The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin

One of the amazing technological marvels of the mid-1980s was the story telling teddy bear Teddy Ruxpin.  A cartoon was later created around the world of Teddy Ruxpin but before that, a live-action pilot was created.  Coincidentally, this pilot aired in two parts in late 1985, just in time to purchase Teddy Ruxpin as a holiday gift.

View the pilot and follow along at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAyeKcKC4Xs

 

Episode 468--Best of the West

It's a western!  It's a comedy!  It has legends including Joel Higgins, Meeno Peluce, and Leonard Frey!  And occasionally Christopher Lloyd!  It can't fail!  There is one small problem--half the nation didn't see its first episode because of football.  Maybe it would have truly been the Best of the West if the western half of the country saw it.

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 87–College Comedies of 1979

In our newest "Best of" we go back to the Summer of 2020 when we looked at a trio of television shows that looked to capitalize on the popularity of "Animal House". All three shows would premiere around the same time in Early 1979 and would all be canceled by the end of the season.

Let's look back at when we talked about "Delta House", "Brothers and Sisters (1979)", and "Co-Ed Fever".

Episode 467–Rags to Riches

It’s a classic story: member of the 1% needs an image makeover and decides to adopt not one, but six…err, five… girls. The audiences loved them on Sunday, but NBC thought they’d love them even more on Friday. It’s a classic “Rags to Riches” story… that lasted only 20 musically tinged episodes.

The Best of It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 21–The $1.98 Beauty Show

In the newest "Best of" we go back to one of our early episodes from January of 2020.

What do you get when you have the king of the wacky Game Show produce a spoof of beauty contests? You get Rip Taylor, barrels of confetti, and a $1.98. Take a journey back as we look at "The $1.98 Beauty Show".