Top Ten #428

1) Fish: The Top Ten comes to you a little later this week because we had to stop the presses and adjust for breaking news: Tubi has added FISH to its streaming library. Several episodes are missing, and for some reason it's presented as one single season instead of two, but, hey, at least, as the song goes, we got Fish for supper.

2) World Series: 40 years ago tonight, the Red Sox faced the Mets in Game 1 of a memorable World Series. There is no truth to the rumor that FanDuel is taking action on this.

3) Weekend Special: Liberty and the Littles: This 3-part sequel to the Here Come the Littles movie premiered 40 years ago on ABC and had the gang going to the Statue of Liberty. Statue Fever was everywhere in 1986!

4) Amelia Earhart: Yet another expedition is confident it will track down the missing aviatrix, who we discussed in this episode. I tell you what, if they do find her and she can tell everyone what happened to her, Mike and I will do an emergency pod.

(BTW, speaking of that In Search Of... episode, should we be devoting less resources to finding Earhart and more to finding Nessie?)

5) That's My Mama: The official Sony YouTube channel just uploaded a full episode, "Cousin Albert."

6) Phyllis: And speaking of Mama, Teddy Wilson guested on the episode of Phyllis that aired 50 years ago tonight. Also appearing: Val Bisoglio!

7) National Mashed Potato Day: Respect for those who celebrate, but HARD PASS from me.

8) Howard Shore: Happy 80th to the musical director of the original run of Saturday Night Live.

9) Better Off Dead: Cinemax showed this John Cusack cult classic this night in 1986, and The New York Times dismissed it with, "Better off not watching." Say what?

10) R.I.P. Bernie Orenstein: The writer and producer worked on many, many sitcoms, such as That Girl, Sanford and Son, What's Happening!! and Kate and Allie.

Michael Forest: The actor is perhaps best known for his prolific TV work in the Sixties, but he had a long career that included a stint on As the World Turns in the early Eighties.

Win me over, Skydance: 10 Paramount shows you can put on HBOMaxParamountPlus

I am not happy about two of the media titans combining to eliminate tons of jobs and make one bigger media giant, and I doubt the consumer will gain anything. Want to prove me wrong, Skydance? OK, how's about digging into the archives and adding these shows from your library to Paramount Plus so we can enjoy them via streaming (I've given up on physical media)? 

Note that this list is taken from programs available to the company before the Warners merger. Also note that Paramount Plus has added very little from the Seventies and Eighties to its catalog in some time, so I am well aware this ain't gonna happen.

*Love. American Style: One of the big shows of the 1970s that isn't available, it has seen some air on Weigel's OTA networks like Catchy Comedy, and it did receive a Season One DVD release. However, that video release was in the odious split-season format and was almost 20 years ago.

With its roster of guests and general goofiness, LAS is a natural subject for our podcast. It'd be a fun one to dip into on streaming.

*Ball Four: Longtime listeners/readers can't be surprised to see this short-lived sitcom, based on Jim Boutin's iconic chronicle of his season with the expansion MLB 1969 Seattle Pilots, on this list. Hear more about the series here.

*The NFL Today: Why not roll out some old BOTNS-era tapes of the seminal pregame show? Would the NFL object? I don't watch pregame shows now, and I actually find the series a bit overrated (I watched NBC back in the day), but I would enjoy these. In fact, I do enjoy seeing old episodes on YouTube every now and then,

*Make Me Laugh: The game show has had various incarnations, but I suggest finding a way to get the 1979-1980 version on streaming. Hosted by Bobby Van, the show aired in syndication and then in heavy rotation on USA Network in the Eighties. Come for Garry Shandling and Richard Belzer; stay for Gary Mule Deer and Bruce Baum!

*What a Country!: Yes, it's time to put the entire run on streaming! Just listen to us talk about it in this episode.

*Dear John: I'm surprised this series, which was a part of NBC's Thursday night lineup for a while, didn't already make it to Paramount Plus alongside Caroline in the City.

*Makin' It: Is this any good? It's about what you'd expect from a Miller/Boyett sitcom of the era, but it's a DISCO sitcom, so I want it.

*Entertainment Tonight: I'm not saying you should put thousands of old episodes up, but I'm not saying you shouldn't. Clearances might be a nightmare, but you're a big megacorporation. Make it happen. I'd love to be able to just call up Leonard Maltin's take on Ruthless People whenever I feel like it. Mike and I talk about the series here,

*Soul Train: Speaking of syndicated programs, I think MTV Networks bought this library years ago and essentially buried it. I think American Bandstand is part of the vast catalog of this company now, too. You can click here for our Soul Train episode.

*The Manhunter: One of Quinn Martin's rarest and least successful shows, it still has an interesting premise: Ken Howard as a WWI vet who becomes a bounty hunter during the Great Depression.

And a bonus:

*Aloha Paradise: OK, I can't defend this, but I just want to see this shameless Love Boat clone with Debbie Reynolds. Hey, Aaron Spelling himself produced it, so it's OK.

Top Ten #427

1) Marjoe Gortner: Special shout-out because we lost a GENIUS (Season 3 Battys) last week. We really enjoyed watching the star of Pray the Wildcats in that movie and other TV appearances as well in the Seventies. Rest in peace!

2) Saturday Night Live: The series began its 12th season 40 years ago tonight with a cold opening with Madonna telling us the previous season was just a dream! The show had overhauled its cast, adding Phil Hartman, Jan Hooks, Dana Carvey, Kevin Nealon, and Victoria Jackson.

3) Martin Mull: A new documentary about the late performer premiered on Netflix this week, and I haven't seen it yet, but I sure hope there's a lot of Barth Gimble.

4) Today: The NBC morning show, having recently added Tom Brokaw, continued to transform itself 50 years ago today (Ha!) as Jane Pauley and Gene Shalit joined the cast. Shalit reportedly proclaimed, "This is no plain Jane, and Tom is da bomb!" I know, I know, you're thinking there's no way he would say that and snub Willard Scott. Well, Scott didn't join the show for another several years.

5) It's a Living: I stumbled on an episode that featured both Michael Richards AND Larry Hankin! It's Season 3's "Desperate Hours,", and it's available on multiple streaming outlets.

6) Happy Days meets Sesame Street: I present to you one of the finest compilations in the history of YouTube: A series of segments with Fonz and Richie on Sesame Street. "C" is for "Correctamundo!"

7) The Banana Splits in Hocus Pocus Park: I won't call this 1972 Hanna-Barbera special super-rare--It is on Tubi, after all--but it's on MeTV Toons tonight, and that's a good thing!

8) Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea: Last week we mentioned the new weekday evening lineup on WOR in 1976. Well, 50 years ago today, the lineup changed. It's still  "nightly fun and adventure for the whole family," but Voyage replaces Ironside at 6:00. I hope that there weren't too many kids in the tri-state who were crestfallen.

9) 1976 Country Music Awards: This night in 1976, CBS aired the 10th edition of the show from the Grand Ole Opry. It featured stars like Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn, but also, being 1976, C.W. McCall!

10) R.I.P. Freddie Jackson: Not a TV star, but the singer was a staple on Video Soul back in the day. Here you can watch an entire episode!

R.I.P. Marjoe Gortner

Rest in peace, Marjoe Gortner, who had a fascinating life and turned up on several episodes of Battle of the Network Shows and in my record collection thanks to Laurie getting me his LP!

If you want to hear Mike and I discuss Marjoe, you can check out our Medical Center episode, our Season 3 Battys ceremony in which we gave him the prestigious Robert Pine Genius Award, and of course the wildness that is Pray for the Wildcats.

Top Ten #426

1) 227: The series aired a season premiere 40 years ago tonight--the Wheel of Fortune episode--and it is now available on Roku Channel for free streaming.

2) The Munsters: The series is back on FETV, which I believe shows the episodes uncut.

3) WOR Channel 9 (NY): I saw a great ad in The New York Times touting its weekday lineup in the early evenings. It started with Ironside at 6:00 and continued with Bowling for Dollars and Liar's Club. The ad called it, "Nightly fun and adventure for the whole family." 

"Mom, can we eat on the TV trays tonight?"
"No, we eat at the dinner table on Mondays."
"Aw, but, Mom, Don Gordon's gonna be on Ironside!"
"All right, just this once!"

4) Michael McDonald: This week we learned that the iconic singer had a son 58 years ago that he never knew. Wow, this news only makes that episode of What's Happening!! that much more poignant, knowing that he and the Doobies were fighting copyright violation not just for the current generation of fans, but for the 10-year-old son he didn't know he had!

5) Mannix: This clip made the rounds a few weeks ago, and it still makes me smile:

6) Saturday Night's Main Event: The Times' TV listings describe it as simply "wrestling exhibitions," but I will give you a bit more. The episode that aired 40 years ago tonight featured Hulk Hogan defending the World title against Paul Orndorff, Ricky Steamboat against Jake Roberts in a Snake Pit match, and a tag team title match pitting the British Bulldogs against the Dream Team. Oh, and Roddy Piper was all over the show!

7) ABC Evening News: On this night in 1976, Barbara Walters joined Harry Reasoner at the anchor desk, and he was not thrilled. In fact, reports state that she asked him what kind of tree he would be and he snapped, "A rotting one so I could be struck lightning and fall over onto your car!"

8) National Trucker Appreciation Day: It's October 4, or 1o-4. Get it? 

9) Sometimes a Great Notion: NBC gave this Paul Newman movie its broadcast TV debut 50 years ago tonight (It was the first film shown on HBO), and it actually changed its name to Never Give an Inch. I mean, I have heard of networks changing language, aspect ratio, even running time, but the title of the movie? 

10) R.I.P. James Sloyan: I really enjoyed his work in a few Murder, She Wrotes, but he had a long and productive career.

Dennis Haskins:

Top Ten 425

1) Fall: OK, OK! Summer is over. I finally admit it! Are you all happy? I now turn from the joys of summer to the delights of autumn, like new TV seasons and new Fall Preview issues of TV Guide, only because I roll that way, I will be focusing on old new seasons old new issues.

2) Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway: 50 years ago, this memorable TV movie showed you Eve Plumb as you had never seen her before; at least, I sure hope you hadn't.

3) Amen: It may be Sherman Helmsley's second-most-beloved sitcom, but it ran 5 seasons and is worth it if only for the shuffle in the intro (If you know, you know). It's on Cozi TV over the air in a graveyard slot and was on TUBI but now appears to be unavailable for streaming.

4) Bridget Loves Bernie: The complete series was released on Blu-Ray this week, but it will cost you. It aired a single season on CBS and drew big ratings (Granted, it was on Saturday nights), but it was canceled because, well, basically because some people are horrible.

5) Me-TV Toons: If you are lucky enough to get this channel, you can enjoy new additions like month like Fonz and the Happy Days Gang, The Addams Family (1973), Jeannie, and The New Adventures of Gilligan on Sunday nights. What, no Laverne and Shirley in the Army? I guess they need to save something for 2027!

6) A Different World: The Netflix revival of the series is drawing attention to the original Eighties sitcom, a popular spinoff of a megahit that was created and driven by some guy.

7) National Day of Forgiveness: It's time. Universal (Or NBC/Comcast/Whoever), I forgive you for not putting Quincy M.E. on Peacock.

8) Twilight Zone/Hunter/Spenser for Hire: Apologies to Downtown, a crime drama that premiered on CBS this night in 1986 (and did not last 5 seasons like Amen), but let's highlight these 3 shows that celebrated season premieres at 10:00 P.M.  Hunter spars with a reporter who has the temerity to accuse him of police brutality. What does he do? He arrests him! I'm sure that convinces the guy!

In the Zone, co-writers for the two segments include David Gerrold and George R.R. Martin. Meanwhile, on ABC, Spenser has to contend with blackmailing former clients and a D.A. who has it in for him. Maybe he should head over to NBC and ask Hunter to arrest them!

9) A. Martinez: Happy birthday to one of the stars of Exo-Man!

10) R.I.P. Pete Byrne: Not a TV star, but I mention the Naked Eyes singer here because I can remember the happy feeling I got when "Always Something There to Remind Me" came on MTV.

Top Ten #424

1) Rhoda: Before we get to a ton of series premieres that took place on this date, consider the third-season premiere of this show. Remember what it was about? Hint: The episode title is "The Separation"--you know, because people in happy relationships "aren't funny."

2) Hispanic Heritage Month: It began September 15. It's almost a week later, and I'm still waiting for Sony to put more Viva Valdez on its Classic TV Rewind YT channel.

3) Matlock: The long-running legal drama premiered on NBC 40 years ago. Andy Griffith finally gave audiences a memorable character to stand beside, if not supplant, his seminal role of Sam in Pray for the Wildcats.

4) Batman: Yesterday was Batman Day, so chosen to commemorate...uh, DC Comics wanting to celebrate Batman. Nothing says Batman like third Saturday in September! We of course talk about Bats in our Super Friends and Legends of the Superheroes episodes. Shout-out to one of the greatest Batmen of all, Olan Soule.

5) All's Fair: Norman Lear's sitcom premiered 50 years ago tonight. featuring Richard Crenna and Bernadette Peters as conservative and liberal journalists who fall in love, and, boy, does this premise hit differently in 2026.

6) Van Dyke and Company: Dick Van Dyke's comedy-variety show also debuted on this Monday in 1976. Flip Wilson and Chevy Chase guested. The series lasted a mere 11 episodes yet still won an Emmy in 1977. It's only the second-most notable misfire by a sitcom legend, though, because...

7) Life with Lucy: Let's go September 20 in 1986 and the debut of Lucille Ball's ill-fated final sitcom, a series that not only flopped, but it made many fans of the icon scared to watch for fear of seeing her hurt herself.

8) National Pepperoni Pizza Day: Here's a celebration we can all support! Nothing like sitting in front of the tube with a pizza, a cold beverage, and a pronounced aversion to doing something for your own health or for the general betterment of society.

9) Disneyland Presents Captain EO: On this night in 1986, NBC premiered a special devoted to the grand opening of Captain EO at Disney World. Note it didn't show the actual movie--that was exclusive to the theme parks--nor did Jacko himself show up. Yet the Michael Jackson hype was so strong then that NBC aired a hype program with music from Starship and banter from hosts Justine Bateman and Patrick Duffy, plus some making-of footage.

10) R.I.P. Bob Mackie: We always wanted to work with him for the podcast, but now I will have to continue my signature look of TV-related t-shirts and shorts.