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

The FBI was a stalwart on ABC's line-up from 1965 through 1974.  The network kicked the tires on a new, updated version of their venerable classic in 1981 with this show, which featured contemporary storylines and a more diverse cast of characters.  Audiences weren't buying what ABC was selling, as this new version lasted merely a season.

Almost five years ago, we started this podcast.  Now, we are celebrating our 500th episode by going back to an early favorite of ours and revisiting it, mostly for the caliber of guest stars that we didn't recognize back then.  Enjoy as we go back to one of the biggest flops in television history, as we prepare to do the next 500, leading to show 1000.

30 years ago FOX shook up the TV landscape when they grabbed the NFL's NFC television package from CBS. In the process, several CBS stations in NFC markets not wanting to lose out on football jumped ship to FOX and set up a domino effect around the country changing many TV viewers' habits. Some of these changes are still being felt in various markets years later.

Below is a list of links used in this episode, or are relevant to this topic:

KCNC/KUSA/KMGH packages (including the Big Switch on KCNC): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSzqDUOqv75_35MMJd0I4WXyn0TjKg3uK&si=yFrpwVnQ7C6hJpdH

KUSA story on The Big Switch featuring Denver Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCbThe00R3k

Virgil Dominic explains WJW's switch to FOX: https://youtu.be/LNnezBc9Kfk

FOX coming to WJW.: https://youtu.be/-mZr3EkhBVs

WOIO switches to CBS: https://youtu.be/1hmNZALP6sY

WCIX/WFOR swaps with WTVJ, full playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJvbbUTw-Ipy-iKzqb9z24uN4Ftxe_DbK&si=9Co39ZbA5OIk61tZ

CBS comes to WGPR, Fox comes to WJBK, including credits for “The New Dance Show”: https://youtu.be/73n7LdMpIzY

Fox comes to WGHP, ABC comes to WNRW, UPN comes to WUPN: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrGrNOGRw2-8T5xcCw1SardvoPhdlkcWn&si=UpZ6VoA3ddrbvwLl

WTVW Affiliation Switch from ABC to FOX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O48lNDnjqSE

WNDU segment on WSJV and WBND switching between FOX to ABC (ft. Tom Rinaldi): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Baxpw1cNeWY

NBC comes to WCAU: https://youtu.be/5SBdyozNvJM

WCAU “25 Years After the Big Switch Some Viewers Still Confuse NBC10 With CBS”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiPhJJfp1wM

We've talked about this in some past episodes and in this special edition of "It Was a Thing on TV Presents" before the week we celebrate out 500th episode we talk about TV Guide's 50 Worst Shows of All-Time List from 2002.

We talk about why some shows deserved or didn't deserve to be on the list and we add some shows that were either neglected or should be added since TV Guide published the original list back in '02.

We'll revisit this topic again in a few weeks when we rerank the shows and stay tuned throughout the episode because we might ask you listeners to help us out in the rerankings.

In 1988, the film Alien Nation was a theatrical release.  That spawned this televised adaptation of that film.  While only running for a single season, the franchise showed it had popularity and staying power, as televised movies and other forms of media appeared after this show's demise.

NBC was still trying to get their bearings aligned in early 1985.  One midseason replacement which had decent enough ratings against formidable competition was Sara, Chico's submission for the listener vote last year.  Quite a few cast members from Sara went onto much greater things, including a popular Oscar winner, a comedian/pundit, a multi-talented award-winning actress, and everybody's favorite cousin from Mypos.

In our latest "Before the Show" Greg and Mike in Segment 1 go over one of their latest things in the pre-show segments by looking at the College Football announcer pairings for the week. They also discussed Shannon Sharpe's um ........ social media skills earlier this week.

Then in Segment 2, Chico joins on as they discuss the rating system Mike has created for Quinn Martin's opening title sequences and looking ahead as Episode 500 approaches.

Kevin Smith gave us "Clerks", a cult classic indie film from 1994. "Clerks" gave us Jay & Silent Bob. Jay & Silent Bob gave us a lot of laughs.... so ABC gave an order for an animated follow-up. Then America gave it a shot... and ABC gave up after a pair of eps, only for the show to become... a cult classic. Join us as we travel the full circle to the Quick Stop.

Not to be confused with Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, this version was a series of specials throughout the 1977-78 television season with little connection to the original.  The positive of this version is a superstar talent got his first national exposure on this show, among other talents who had lengthy careers in television and elsewhere.  A negative is the producer got sued and lost millions because he didn't have everybody's permission to do this show.

Bob Newhart struck gold with The Bob Newhart Show in the 70s and Newhart in the 80s through 1990.  Could Newhart do it again with another self-titled endeavor?  Bob was a clever and funny show, but it didn't have a certain something that both his previous shows had.  Despite quality names as guests including a future Friend, the show was saddled with bad time slots and only lasted a handful of episodes into its second season.