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It was a Thing on TV
Episodes
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
It Was a Thing on TV: Episode 392 - Camp Cucamonga
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
Wednesday Jun 28, 2023
NBC had a thing for summer camp movies with some of the most popular teenage talent at the time. (See Episode 278, Poison Ivy.) Unlike Poison Ivy, Camp Cucamonga wasn't well-remembered, nor was it even that good. Enjoy some stereotypical rapping and a predictable ending with some of your favorite teenage stars from 1990 in this installment.
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Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
It Was a Thing on TV: Episodes 390 & 391 - Blansky’s Beauties/The Flash (1990)
Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
Wednesday Jun 21, 2023
This week on It Was a Thing on TV we look at a failed spin-off and look at a TV show with Barry Allen (no, not THAT one!)
First, we have talked about many failed spinoffs in the past, but this one is unique in the sense that it didn't happen concurrently with the parent show. Rather, this was set in 1977, versus Happy Days' 50s/60s setting. That is just the beginning of the confusion regarding Blansky's Beauties.
Then, before you see the Ezra Miller Flash f' up the DC multiverse for everybody, we talk about the highly bandied about original version of The Flash from 1990 on CBS, which went up against two powerhouse shows on its initially scheduled night, then went up against more tough competition on not such a great night.
But don't feel too bad as this version of The Flash would get closure close to 30 years later in the current version of The Flash on The CW.
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Timestamps
0:40 - Blansky’s Beauties
55:23 - The Flash (1990)
Sunday Jun 18, 2023
It Was a Thing on TV: Live Show 38 - The Kissing Booth 2
Sunday Jun 18, 2023
Sunday Jun 18, 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."
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
This week on It Was a Thing on TV we celebrate the week of National Sex Day with the respect you know we bring to this podcast!
First, we're doing three episodes with related titles, though only this episode is really about the act itself. This short-lived WeTV entry could be summed up as sex therapy in The Cube. We advise listener discretion.
Then, we roll on with a British quizzer for the smartest of the smart, where you can earn the title of Cleverdick. It's not fetch happening; we explain that term in the beginning.
Finally, 20 years ago on June 11th, the finals of the 2002-03 Hardball Hot Seat competition should have aired. It didn't and thanks to our co-host Mike, one of the event's finalists, we provide you the inside scoop about why it didn't air, and other goodies about Mike's experiences at both the original Hot Seat taping in October 2002 and with the finals.
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Timestamps
1:22 - Sex Box
25:15 - Cleverdicks
58:46 - Hardball Hot Seat
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
Wednesday Jun 07, 2023
This week on It Was a Thing on TV we roll the showdown dice before meeting Spidey and his Amazing Friends (but not those ones)
First, the mid-70s was a rotating door of game shows seemingly coming, then going after 13 to 26 weeks. The Big ShowDown was no different, except it was a brilliant dice-themed game of strategy and its host had a memorable entrance on one episode.
Then, in the 70s & early 80s, ABC was riding high with the world's greatest "Superfriends" based on the DC Comics. Marvel, not willing to let this go unchallenged, teamed up the face of the brand with an X-Man & an original character. to form "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends". Before going "Across the Spider-Verse", take a deep dive into a show on NBC that lasted... shorter than you probably remember.
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Timestamps
1:53 - The Big Showdown
40:38 - Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends
Wednesday May 24, 2023
Wednesday May 24, 2023
This week on It Was a Thing on TV we are close to heading home for Pilot Month 2023 and in the next-to-last week we look at a trio of failed pilots.
First, one of the big comics in the mid-to-late 80s was Richard Lewis, known for his neurotic schtick. Two years before a career-defining role in Anything But Love, Lewis starred in this pilot as a doorman at a New York City apartment building.
Next, Batman was a big TV success in 1966. Why not follow it up with a pilot of a similar comic book staple? Dick Tracy was a cut-and-paste job from the Batman playbook, down to the script, the scenery, and even the baddie of the week. Just remember: Dick Tracy, he's a good cop.
Finally, on the surface, Call Her Mom is reminiscent of a certain movie which would be a big hit 6 years later, but with a "den mother" caring for the fraternity. This wasn't just a ratings hit once, but twice. How did it not make it as a regular series?
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Timestamps
0:36 - King of the Building (1987 CBS pilot)
34:29 - Dick Tracy (1967 pilot)
1:07:53 - Call Her Mom (1972 TV movie/pilot)
Sunday May 21, 2023
It Was a Thing on TV: Live Show 37 - The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere
Sunday May 21, 2023
Sunday May 21, 2023
Recorded on Stream Lounge back in March, Greg and Chico livewatch the Season 3 premiere of The Mandalorian as Mando looks for forgiveness for taking his helmet off. In his journey, Mando encounters some old friends along the way back to Mandalore.
Grogu don't go hugging those Anzellans!
Wednesday May 17, 2023
Wednesday May 17, 2023
This week on It Was a Thing on TV we celebrate a 40th Anniversary of a special episode on late-night television while we continue on with Pilot Month 2023 with two pilots featuring well-known TV stars.
First, May 9th, marks 40 years since David Letterman dedicated an entire day to an assistant sound engineer on his show. We go back and relive that day with a beer, a BLT, and another beer.
Next, in 1977, Andy Kaufman was an up and coming comic. ABC cast him as a robot servant in the year 2055 with a distinct voice, one which would become associated with Kaufman on another ABC show a year later, Taxi. Why didn't this work? We blame the mood synthesizers, AKA the "ass toasters."
Finally, as we have mentioned previously, ESP was popular in the 60s and 70s. What happens when a racecar driver starts having psychic visions? Lots of stuff in England, enough to make the casual viewer feel Baffled!
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Timestamps
0:36 - Bob Rooney Day on Late Night With David Letterman
54:10 - Stick Around (1977 ABC pilot)
1:23:47 - Baffled! (1973 NBC backdoor pilot)
Leonard Nimoy totally tripping balls in Baffled! y’all!
Wednesday May 10, 2023
Wednesday May 10, 2023
This week on It Was a Thing on TV we continue Pilot Month 2023 by looking at two ill-fated US adaptations of popular shows and then go overseas to watch something that should not been seen by human eyes.
First, in the last year, one of the most sought after pieces of lost media was discovered. FOX passed on a US version of Sailor Moon in 1994, and all that existed was a brief video from 1995.
Next, here's another case of a show working overseas but failing domestically. The Brit show Red Dwarf has been on the air for a combined quarter century. Could it have worked here? Who knows, thanks NBC smegheads.
Finally, a pre-Doctor Who/Guardians of the Galaxy Karen Gillan appeared in this British pilot, which apparently was the best thing at a certain network's disposal. This was so wrong on so many levels, so much so that we're asking for listener discretion. It did give us 4000-pound breasts.
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Timestamps
0:36 - Sailor Moon (1994 US Pilot)
42:22 - Red Dward (1992 NBC Pilot)
1:21:24 - Stacked (2008 UK Pilot)
Sunday May 07, 2023
It Was a Thing on TV: Live Show 36 - Iron Man
Sunday May 07, 2023
Sunday May 07, 2023
In honor the 15th Anniversary of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and with the recent release of "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania", Greg and Chico go all the way back to the very beginning to live watch 2008's Iron Man!
Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
This week on It Was a Thing on TV we’re Shaqtin’ a fool while going places at the top of the heap.
First, there’s an old saying in Hollywood: “Write what you know.” Two Hollywood writers did that & after that didn’t work, they turned it into a family sitcom. That didn’t work either. See what happens when four actors spend 19 weeks… “Going Places”.
Next, spin off your network's most popular show? Makes sense. Spin off your network's most popular show with characters who have made only a few appearances, and they weren't memorable? It's a disaster waiting to happen. Top of the Heap was the bottom of the barrel material.
Finally, In the past, we have paid respects to Hulk Hogan commercials, Ric Flair commercials, and our annual favorite of hometown commercials. We add another legend to the commercial family with Shaq commercials. Grab your Reeboks and a Pepsi, and prepare for almost 30 years of ads featuring Shaq Diesel.
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Timestamps
2:15 - Going Places
1:20:58 - Top of the Heap
1:55:41 - Shaq Commercials
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
It Was a Thing on TV: Episodes 367 & 368 - I Had Three Wives/A Home Run for Love
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
Wednesday Apr 19, 2023
This week on It Was a Thing on TV we solve crimes with our three ex-wives before we present you with an afterschool special.
First, We've talked about this for over 3 years. Now we're finally talking about the extremely short-lived summer series about a detective and three of his ex-wives solving cases. I Had Three Wives ran for a month before it and CBS went their separate ways.
Then, April 15th marked 76 years since Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. We mark the occasion by watching an afterschool special from 1978 about the bond a young boy makes with an older man over their shared love of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson.
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Timestamps
0:36 - I Had Three Wives
41:32 - A Home Run for Love
Sunday Apr 16, 2023
Sunday Apr 16, 2023
Take a trip back to January as Greg and Chico watch the 49ers and Cowboys rekindle their historic rivalry with a trip to the NFC Championship Game on the line.
If you listened to the live show we did last year involving these two teams this had another ending that had us all going like WTF? #hilarityensues
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
This week on It Was a Thing on TV we’re pushing daisies and crabs in outer space.
First, Star Trek: Voyager was a success for UPN. So was Moesha. The powers that be thought, "Why not combine the two? It'll be a hit!" Spoiler: It wasn't. It did give us The Space Hoopty, for what it's worth.
Then, for our Easter 2023 episode, we're not talking about cutesy-wootsy bunnies this year?! We're talking about someone who can revive the dead. Pushing Daisies was a critical darling but it couldn't come back from a fate worse than the death of a scripted show in 2008.
Finally, in 1984, the San Francisco Giants needed something to get fans' attention away from their poor play on the field. Enter the first ever anti-mascot a crustacean mascot which drew heat from not only the fans, but the Giants and the opposing teams as well. It's all immortalized in one of the best baseball commercials ever.
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Timestamps
1:13 - Homeboys in Outer Space
58:43 - Pushing Daisies
2:11:40 - The San Francisco Giants Crazy Crab Commercial
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
This week on It Was a Thing on TV we celebrate the release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and the start of MLB season.
First, 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.
Then, 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.
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Timestamps
0:36 - NES and Super NES Commercials
1:26:56 - The Bad News Bears
NOTE: Episode 362 - Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling can be heard on the PTB wrestling feed