The It Was a Thing on TV Podcast Network

Health clubs and aerobics were all the rage in the early 80s, thanks to Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons.  Eventually, this trend was bound to hit scripted television.  It did, in comedic form with Leslie Nielsen playing a former health show host turned health club owner.  Alas, this show didn't pump up the viewership and its membership was cancelled after just 5 episodes.

With the enduring success of a TV series comes the inevitable spinoff.  The first spinoff of Cheers was this entry about Carla's ex and his new trophy wife, and Carla's two kids.  13 episodes later, it was clear the spinoff went to the wrong character, something which would be righted years later.

You have had your Thanksgiving dinner.  Now it's time for dessert, the final Thanksgiving parade of the 1980s.  As always, highlights of pop culture from the year make appearances, as well as ads for the must-have items for the holiday season.  In 1989, we also get a weird appearance from The Joker (no Cesar Romero and his orange wedges) plus a troupe of dancing chickens.

In honor of Thanksgiving, Greg and Dane go back to 1988 and look at the 2nd Annual WWF Survivor Series from the Richfield Coliseum in 1988. We got a confusing double turn between Demolition and the Powers of Pain, Akeem, Mr. Perfect, The Mega Powers, and so much more on this episode of The Squared Circle Time Machine!

(Also, forgive Greg for working with a hoarse voice in this episode)

A personal favorite show of Greg and Mike's is this spiritual successor to The New Liar's Club, but with various types of lines from movies, songs, and factual statements, and without even a single mention of Shoddy Laroux.  The game is derivative, but the real reason we did the show is because someone wanted to bring up the end theme and its similarities to video games of the era.

It's the latest episode of The Masked Man arc on the SCTM as Hulk Hogan, Sting, and Dave Sullivan team up against the 3 Faces of Fear in a six-man tag team main event ref'd by Mr. T in a nightgown.

We also see a return match between Pretty Wonderful and Stars and Stripes for the WCW Tag Titles and a hoss fight between Dustin Rhodes and Vader! We also learn from Bobby Heenan how devastating the sleeper hold can be!

We're giving you a double dose of McLean Stevenson today, on his 98th birthday.  Next is a very short-lived show with McLean playing a conservative priest who clashes often with a liberally-minded nun.  After 5 low-rated episodes, CBS was having nun of it.

In honor of McLean Stevenson's 98th birthday, we re-examine one of the first shows we covered, one synonymous with NBC's troubles in the late 70s and early 80s, but also one synonymous with Stevenson's failures post-M*A*S*H.  With more visual evidence of the show available, we take a second look at if Hello Larry was that bad, or if it was a victim of circumstance.

In this edition of the SCTM, Greg and Dane look at the in-ring debut of Kurt Angle in TNA Wrestling against the undefeated Samoa Joe at TNA Genesis 2006. There's a lot of good in-ring action and a lot of bad Russo-riffic crap on this show. We do at least get Kevin Nash wanting to win one for Bo ............... Derek.

The newest edition of the SCTM sees a big reveal in the Masked Man storyline as Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair's careers are on the line in a Steel Cage for the WCW title.

Greg and Dane discuss Terry Funk being awesome, Big Boss Man Behaving Badly five years early, and Dave Sullivan's new theme song, among others. Don't *BUTCHER* listening to this episode!

As happens in the TV business, having a successful TV movie equates to a run as a series.  This is no different, holding its own versus some huge 1985 competition.  The later series?  Not so much, against that same competition.  Robert Blake starred as a tough but fair priest in a tough and not-so-fair portion of Los Angeles, trying to make Hell Town not so hellish.

It's October of 1993 in the newest episode of The Squared Circle Time Machine as Greg and Dane look at an episode of Monday Night RAW where Randy Savage and Crush meet head-on to try and settle their issues. Meanwhile, the good folks at the WWF are making us call a 1-900 line to ask us if Shawn Michaels should be reinstated.

Plus, we got a rare Joe Fowler in the WWF sighting on the Podcast! How about that?