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.

RetroFan #46: One of the best issues ever?

I write here about every issue of RetroFan, and it's no surprise that I enjoy any particular issue. That said, issue 46 is a real CORKER!

The lead story is on KISS, a band I admired more as a kid than now, but Mark Voger presents an entertaining overview with just the right amount of Gene Simmons. I was delighted by the idea of a feature on T.J. Hooker, and author Christopher Robinson strikes the right tone, taking the show seriously but not too seriously and fitting a good summary in not too many pages. 

In similar fashion, the article on Banacek provides the flavor of the series, covering production, a list of the character's proverbs, and references in pop culture. Just the fact that RetroFan is venturing out of the A-list and covering the likes of this and Hooker is commendable and proof that there is much to discuss outside the old top-tier classics.

Andy Mangels continues his look at Filmation's Saturday-morning Ark II. Let me say a word in tribute to the late Will Murray, whose piece on the Destroyer novels is a fascinating account of a long book series. The story of the collaboration of the two creators is totally new to me and great reading, and regular contributor Murray will be missed.

There are cool stories on toys, cereal and Slap Shot, but my two favorite pieces are TV-related. Scott Shaw! tells the story of Nat Hiken, focusing on the two brilliant sitcoms he created, Sgt. Bilko and Car 54, Where Are You? Artist Adrian Ropp brings me a big surprise with his tale of working on Pink Panter comics. It's a thoughtful meditation on not just his own career, but the challenges and advantage of working on licensed properties. Ropp provides compelling justifications for his approach and explains how he came to realize the importance of respecting characters and not treating them as brands.

Is this one of the best issues ever? It's a strong statement, but I think this is certainly my favorite issue of the post-Michael Eury era under new editor Ed Catto. The diversity of material in this issue is appealing, and the articles are well executed. There are a few unfortunate typos, but the mag also spotlights some of my favorite stuff and surprises me in places. It's a great installment.

Top Ten #423

1) Emmys: Did you know the Emmys were now spread out over 3 nights? There has to be a way for someone we like to get one, right? Tomorrow night is "the main event." 

2) Captain O.G. Readmore Meets Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Clearly the big happening on this day in TV history is the premiere of this episode of ABC's Weekend Special in 1986. Nothing against LeVar Burton, but I think Readmore's contribution to childhood literacy is way understated.

3) Miss America 1987: The winner of the pageant held 40 years ago tonight in Atlantic City was Kellye Cash, a great niece of Johnny Cash. That's interesting because before Boardwalk Hall outbid it at the last minute, the original venue for the pageant was going to be San Quentin.

4) National Peanut Day:

5) Inside Television '76: 50 years ago tonight on this ABC season preview special, guests like Farrah Fawcett and the Captain and Tennille took apart a Zenith and analyzed its cathode ray tube before reassembling it.

6) Easy Street: Another high-profile premiere on this night in 1986: The short-lived Hugh Wilson sitcom with Loni Anderson, Jack Elam, and Lee Weaver. 

7) Raging Bull: People who watch network TV deserve to see good movies, too, but really? Raging Bull on CBS on some random Saturday night? Seems wrong.

8) National Grandparents Day:

9) Jean Smart: She's poised to win yet another Emmy tomorrow night or at least be runner-up, and the Designing Women star turns 75 today.

10) Columbo: I was looking at the new COZI-TV schedule, and they are showing 8 episodes of Columbo each Saturday. 8! I love the show, but that's a little crazy.

Happy Labor Day from BOTNS!

 

Top Ten #422

1) Labor Day: Tomorrow in the USA we celebrate the working folks. Well, it's a day off, anyway. For most people. Let's just get to my annual Working Stiffs clip so I can post something else tomorrow.

2) Jerry Lewis: Still the King of Labor Day, Lewis' annual telethon to raise funds to fight Muscular Dystrophy made history 50 years ago tonight. Special guest Frank Sinatra "reunited" the legendary Martin/Lewis team.

3) Mr. T: You might want to read this incredible article about the 80s icon. In the story, he is promoting the upcoming Netflix documentary about his story, and, oh, by the way, he seems to hate it.

4) College football: See the stars of tomorrow before they get CTE! We hope! 40 years ago tonight, Florida State and Nebraska opened the season in prime time on ABC. Here's a clip of...a PUNT from the game--posted by the punter!

5) SCTV: It really happened! The series is now on Netflix. Is it complete? Apparently it has music cuts, and it is reformatted for widescreen, but it's on Netflix, and that's pretty darn good, I say. We talk about the show here.

6) Dukes of Hazzard: Legend TV in the UK just added reruns of the series, and of course it prompted a whole new round of complaints of people in the United States--not people offended, but people offended at the thought of anyone being offended.

Personally, I'm just relieved the channel is in the UK because I saw this news and thought, hey, how did I not know this existed?

7) Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me: This special aired this night in 1986 on HBO and features the likes of Jerry Seinfeld and Sam Kinison. It shouldn't be confused with the 1982 ABC special of the same name, which features the likes of Bill Murray and Aretha Franklin, plus a lot less swearing.

8) Chang and Eng Bunker: Earlier this season, Mike and I talked about HBO, focusing in part on Some Call Them Freaks...a 1980s documentary that includes the story of conjoined twins Chang and Eng. There's a lot more to that story, and you can get some of it in this piece about the annual family reunion of their descendants.

9) US Open Super Saturday 1986: On this day in 1986, the tennis tournament crowned Martina Navratilova champ after a win over Helena Sukova; on the men's side, Ivan Lendl and Miloslave Mecir won their matches to advance to the final.

10) Thames on 9: 50 years ago tonight, WOR-TV in the New York City area kicked off a theme week in which it devoted its evening (way beyond "prime time," going all the way to signoff) schedule to imported UK programs from Thames TV. The lineup included episodes of Bless This House, Rock Follies, and of course Benny Hill.

Brooks on Books: The Dennis the Menace Storybook (1960)

I found this in a box of old stuff at my parents' house recently, and of course I claimed it. Well, I am sure it was mine, but I don't know the provenance considering it's a 1960 publication and I was not on this planet, let alone reading, in 1960.

I loved Dennis as a kid, though, as I said in our Dennis the Menace episode, though I focused on the comic books. This is a great hardback book, still in decent shape. The photo cover with Jay North is appealing, and there are numerous illustrations throughout by Lee Holley.

The book is an interesting concept: An adaptation of TV series scripts in prose form, supplemented by the comic book-style illustrations. I have not read the prose, at least not in this century, but I am enjoying the art. Overall it's a great package and a notable Dennis item!

Top Ten #421

1) Perry Mason: Thanks to the fine folks at FETV, who I believe are showing reruns of the series uncut and uncropped, I was able to watch an episode not in the streaming package: "The Case of the Jaded Joker." It was great! I think maybe music rights is the issue, but at any rate, I was impressed with FETV's presentation.

2) Tom Brokaw: 50 years ago this morning, the newsman began co-hosting Today on NBC. Yes, I said that in a faux Brokaw voice as I typed it.

3) Perfect Strangers: The Complete Series: The whole run was released on Blu-Ray this week. Must avoid saying the catchphrase. Must avoid saying the catchphrase. This is not ridiculous.

4) Power's Play: This unsold pilot aired 40 years ago tonight on CBS. It combined nighttime soap elements like corporate intrigue and villainy with a Western setting, and it starred David Birney, Sheree North, and Noah Beery. Birney plays...Lucas Cord. You thought I was gonna say Lucas Power, didn't you?

5) Amuck in America: Remember this MTV series that Alan Hunter hosted? Hunter and crew took a road trip across the country in August 1986. The episode airing this day in 1986 saw a visit to surfing championships in Huntington beach, CA

6) Making It: A Lorimar pilot also known as Four the Hard Way that aired this night in 1976. Burt Metcalfe produced this sitcom about 4 undergrads boarding with a thrice-divorced woman. Ed Begley Jr. starred. Not to be confused with later disco sitcom Makin' It nor with later Ed Begley Jr. sitcom My Mother the Electric Car (OK, I made up that one).

7) Newman's Drugstore: A pilot co-produced by Paramount and Playboy Productions with Herschel Bernardi as Charlie Newman, a widower/proprietor in Depression-era Brooklyn.

8) Winds of War: Congrats to our pals Steve and Dave, who just launched a podcast devoted to the epic miniseries!

9) Spitting Image: An NBC special of the popular BBC show, "Down and Out in the White House," aired this night in 1986 on NBC. I never could get into this concept. I didn't even like the "Land of Confusion" video!

10) R.I.P. This section is a long one this week. I also want to mention Anissa Jones of Family Affair because the news of this day in 1976 was filled with stories about her death at the age of 18. Not represented with clips below: Leslie Parrish, who was in many TV shows of the Sixties and Seventies; and Michael Wright, who starred as Elias Taylor in V.

Shelley Fabares:

Tim Curry:

Jaye P. Morgan:

Peter Cullen:

Dolly Parton:

Spider-Man (1978) on location

The great TV Days YouTube channel posted the following video, which is full of cool second-unit footage from the making of the CBS Spider-Man series:

I believe this is an updated version of a video he posted several years ago. Read the description for notes on the secret origin of the footage!

Of course we talk about The Amazing Spider-Man in our most recent season. You can find that episode right here!

Top Ten #420

1) The Monkees: It's outside the time frame, but it's great to see The Monkees available for streaming on demand free on Tubi. All episodes are there, and I think they are uncut (though cropped for 16x9). Can The New Monkees be far behind?

I wouldn't be too surprised, actually, to see that one on Tubi.

2) SCTV: The Monkees gets the top spot because it is actually available now, but in some huge news, SCTV is coming to Netflix in September! There is also word that a new documentary will hit the service later.

3) Goodnight America: Geraldo Rivera's late-night show on ABC had an interesting guest list 50 years ago tonight. He had some folks, including Jack Ruby's sister, on to talk about the Ruby/Oswald links. He also had John Denver and Neil Diamond, but sadly, they appeared in separate segments and, as far as I know, did not discuss the JFK assassination.

4) Madonna: Somehow, someway, in 2026, Madonna tied for the most Video Music Awards Nominations.

5) Mork and Mindy: The show is on Prime Video now--Well, most of it. And maybe some of it was already there? Streaming is complicated sometimes.

Now it's time for the unsold pilots section of the list! The next 4 items are shows that aired on this date:

6) Local 306: This failed sitcom pilot starred Eugene Roche as a plumber who headed his local union. Stanley Ralph Ross of Batman fame wrote and produced.

7) Snafu: This followed Local 306 on ABC. Leonard Stern produced this sitcom about U.S. troops in Italy in WWII. Kip Niven, Tony Roberts, and James Cromwell led the cast.

8) Adam's Apple: This 1986 CBS program starred Sydney Walsh as NYC P.I. Toni Adams, not to be confused with the ex-wife of Gentleman Chris Adams from World Class Championship Wrestling.

9) Dark Mansions: This one aired 40 years ago tonight on ABC. It starred Joan Fontaine as the matriarch of a family that built a shipbuilding empire but faced some secrets and issues. Michael York and Melissa Sue Anderson also starred in this Aaron Spelling production.

10 R.I.P. Bill Rasmussen: The founder of ESPN. We can't blame him for Pat McAfee.

Top Ten #419

1) Ted Danson, Jean Smart, Ed Bradley: These three and others were inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame this week. In case you're wondering, and you should be, Danson won a Batty in our Season 6 for Outstanding Performance by a Male. Smartt and Bradley have not won one, but maybe if we have an Outstanding Earring category someday...

2) The Cartoon Iceberg: Kudos to Secret Galaxy for another entertaining installment of this look at obscure Eighties cartoons. 

3) Honeymoon Suite: This ABC late-night special that aired 50 years ago tonight is described as "bridal suite high jinks," but it stars Morey Amsterdam and Rose Marie. I'm-a scared, folks. I'm a-scared.

4) Georgia Championship Wrestling: the WWE Vault YouTube channel is posting vintage episodes from 1983 this week. See early glimpses of The Road Warriors, Ole Anderson and Stan Hansen as babyfaces, and Iron Sheik mere months before he would become WWF champ.

5) Highway to Heaven: The 1980s Michael Landon vehicle landed on Prime Video this week along with The Ray Bradbury Theater. Now, there's an interesting double bill!

6) The Babe: ESPN reaired this one-man show 40 years ago tonight. It's a filmed version of a Broadway play starring, as legendary slugger Babe Ruth...Max Gail? I mean, I guess it's better than Morey Amsterdam.

7) National Roller Coaster Day: Go and make some memories while not getting in a horrible freak accident of some kind!

8) Steve Allen's Laughback: There wasn't much on TV for non-sports fans and non-political junkies 50 years ago tonight since the GOP convention and Monday Night Baseball dominated prime time. If you were lucky enough, though, you could watch Foster Brooks, Andy Griffith, Steve Lawrence, and Jayne Meadows (That last one is a great get for Steve) on this series.

9) Lesley Ann Warren and Anita Gillette: Happy 80th and 90th birthdays, respectively.

10) R.I.P.: Jon Cypher, Ben Jones:

Top Ten #418

1) Spider-Man: The hero continues to dominate pop culture, though some are sorry they didn't see a Nicholas Hammond cameo in the new movie.

2) John Candelaria: 50 years ago tonight, the Candy Man no-hit the Dodgers on ABC's Monday Night baseball.

3) Flo's Place: Not to be confused with 1980s spinoff Flo, this 1976 unsold pilot, airing this night in 1976, stars Della Reese--yes, not even Florence Halop! Reese is a widow who runs a boarding house in San Pedro. Interestingly, this version is a reworking of a previous failed pilot called Twice in a Lifetime with Ernest Borgnine and Vito Scotti. This version subtracts those two but adds Art Metrano!

4) National Book Lovers Day: Ideally celebrated by reading a book about television!

5) Billy Crystal: Don't Get Me Started: An HBO original special airing this date in 1986 combining sketches, standup, and quite possibly a few things that produce cringes 40 years later.

6) The Second Annual Unofficial Bachelor Awards: We go back to 50 years ago for this one, a repeat installment of ABC's Wide World of Entertainment. Joan Rivers hosted this pageant that, according to TV Party, featured competitions in swimsuit wearing plus agility and speed.

7) Flannery and Quill: If Flo's Place didn't do it for you in 1976, this one came next on NBC. it had already been shown months earlier, but this Carl Reiner sitcom paired Red Buttons with Harold Gould as mismatched roomies.

8) STAR Comics: I wish there would have been more TV ads about comic books when I was a kid:

9) National Dog Month: Shoutout to the great Heinrich of Midvale!

10) Gus Brown and the Midnight Brewster: We close with yet another unsold pilot that aired on this date. Hey, it was summer! This movie-length effort premiered in 1985 but was rerun on NBC in 1986. Here is the letterboxd description:
Two ex-GIs, a fast-talking hustler from Detroit and an Oklahoma hayseed, just returned from WWII, team up with the latter’s bubble-headed fiancée to make a killing racing on the Southern dogtrack circuit they had bought. 

The cast: Ron Glass, John Schneider, and Teri Copley. How amazing would it be if Glass were the Oklahoma hayseed and Schneider the Detroit hustler?

RetroFan #44 and #45

I am running behind on my RetroFan posts and just got another issue this week! I need to step it up.

My favorite magazine, RetroFan from TwoMorrows Publishing, gives us another winner with issue 44. I must say, though, it is relatively light on BOTNS-adjacent material. However, Will Murray's deep dive into The Rifleman is a great read about a show Mike and I enjoyed covering on the podcast a few years ago. Heck, we gave it a Batty for Outstanding Episode!

An interesting article covers It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman! The stage musical debuted in 1966 but had an ill-received TV version in 1975.

James Bond and the Monkees aren't exactly BOTNS subjects, but the latter was on in reruns a lot, and, hey, the Bond movies were on TV a lot! The coverage is welcome regardless. There are also pieces on Dr. Dememto and Little Shop of Horrors.

In #45, RetroFan goes all out to cover the Bicentennial. This is a tremendous issue that really summons good feelings and nostalgia for a different time, and I don't mean 1776. The musical 1776 has a feature article in here, but I was even more interested in Mark Voger's general look at the phenomenon of how America celebrated it's 200th anniversary. There is a cool examination of themed comics of the time, too.

The mag has a story on The Match Game, and my only qualm is that it doesn't address Richard Dawson's infamous grumpiness when he left the series. Ark II gets a two-part profile that begins here, and Will Murray contributes an informative account of The Green Hornet.

I always enjoy RetroFan, and issue 44 is no exception, but 45 is one of my favorite editions of the magazine's run! Now I need to dive into 46!

Top Ten #417

1) Spider-Man: After seeing the new movie, I am confident in saying they got the costume and the effects even better than the 1977 series did!

2) Poor Devil: The fun Retro Rules YT channel took a look at this TV movie the other day. As I said in our Facebook group, first he talked Killdozer, now Poor Devil; surely Pray for the Wildcats is on the way!

3) New York local TV stations: The Outstanding Entertainment Hour released a fun episode devoted to memories of my beloved channels 5, 9, and 11. The guys' memories lean a tad earlier than mine--more Seventies than Eighties, perhaps--but it's a great episode that is right in my wheelhouse.

4) National Friendship Day: Celebrate with an iconic set of TV friends, like Working Stiffs:

5) Amelia Earhart: Yet another effort to find traces of the famed aviator will begin in October. Yet another effort will be stubborn in its avoidance of Leisure World in New Jersey.

6) Hasbro Legends: This new free OTA channel airs reruns of programs like Transformers, Jem, and G.I. Joe. It's also on Prime Video and perhaps other streaming platforms.

7) Knight Rider: It looks like a slow month for new-to-streaming BOTNS-era shows, but Tubi has added the original Knight Rider to its offerings.

8) The Rifleman: This brief story on Me-TV's site has some thoughtful 1961 comments from Chuck Connors on the Western series Mike and I discussed a few seasons ago.

9) Bill White: The MLB veteran received the Buck O'Neill Award at the Baseball Hall of Fame last weekend. Among his many accomplishments in a life devoted to the game: Putting up with Phil Rizzuto for years in the WPIX Yankees booth!

10) Butch Patrick: Happy birthday to the former Eddie Munster, and shoutout to our Facebook friend Jason for showing off some recent cool Munsters purchases!

Top Ten #416

1) Bridget Loves Bernie: In an outta-nowhere kind of move, Sony announced it would release this one-season wonder (Canceled due to controversy, not ratings) on Blu-Ray in September. Maybe more short-lived series are on the way.

2) Ace: In this unsold pilot airing 50 years ago tonight, our boy DVP (Dick Van Patten) appears, but the star is Bob Dishy as bumbling private detective Edward R. Ace.

3) Network: This British company appears to be back in business, and though it does not distribute in the USA, it has brought many British shows to disc and seems set to deliver more!

4) The Bureau: Another unsold pilot from 50 years ago. Richard Gilliand and John Lawlor are two mismatched government agents in this sitcom. Other names in the show include Phil Leeds, Barbara Rhoades, Henry Gibson, and Arnold Stang.

5) National Aunts and Uncles Day:

6) San Diego Comic Con: Many of the entertainment industry's stars are gathered in San Diego this weekend to make announcements, hype stuff, etc. I think if I were there, I'd be focused on finding affordable reading copies of Jackie Gleason or Bilko comics!

7) Factory Entertainment action figures: Mike posted about this in our Facebook group:

Airwolf, Battlestar, Magnum, Miami Vice, and bionics! These are not all spectacular-looking, and they will likely be super pricy, but I think I want just about all of them.

8) "J. Digger Doyle": I haven't listened to this episode yet, but The Columbo Podcast recently released one of its "Cosy Crime Classics" installments devoted to "J. Digger Doyle." Longtime BOTNS fans may recall we discuss that very same show (and it's a good one) in our Magnum P.I. episode.

9) We're Puttin' on the Ritz: 40 years ago tonight, CBS ran this unsold pilot, which pairs Leah Ayers and Matt McCoy as secretary and chauffeur for a reclusive multimillionaire. They get into lighthearted adventures and capers. As Stephen Holden wrote in The New York Times, "Mr. McCoy is no Cary Grant or even Fred McMurray, but he plays the role with a cheeky insouciance, projecting the air of a man with an eyebrow perpetually arched."

10) An Evening with Perlman and Zuckerman: Also on this night in 1986, Bravo featured this program devoted to the music of Mozart. Yes, Bravo.

Top Ten #415

1) Amazing Stories: Secret Galaxy devoted a fun episode to the 1980s Spielberg series this week. One thing that stands out is how many commenters talk about how much they loved the show. And, hey, how cool would it have been to get a Spielberg TV boxset from Universal with episodes of Night Gallery, Owen Marshall, and the like?

2) Voyagers! Here's a cool video showcasing an amazing replica of the Omni:

Just don't look at the price. I think I'd have to do my own time travel, going back 40 years and playing the stock market, to afford it.

3) The Tonight Show: 50 years ago tonight, guest host Don Rickles (Seriously, did Johnny take the entire summer off?) welcomed Jack Klugman and Charo!

4) Emergency!: FETV has a marathon of the series today to honor the late Randolph Mantooth. As I write this, Mother Nature seems to be wreaking havoc on me, perhaps trying to pay tribute to the series by creating emergencies.

5) July 19, 1976: ABC had the Summer Olympics from Montreal, but CBS offered Christmas in July with a rerun of the "Christmas Party" episode of Maude. I don't remember offhand, but I wouldn't be surprised if Maude bellowed, 'Who am I, MARK SPITZ?" in that episode.

6) Perfect Strangers: Warners is releasing the complete series on Blu-Ray. Surely Search is right behind it.

7) Unsold pilots: 40 years ago tonight, 3 unsold pilots hit the network airwaves in prime time. 

Maggie is a lighthearted international intrigue series with Stefanie Powers working at a PR firm owned by Ava Gardner! Here's a clip:

She's With Me is from the team of David Duclon, Ron Leavitt, and Michael Moye. Dinah Manoff and Jerry Hall are comically different friends. The episode is below:

Crazy Dan from Glen Larson is described by Lee Goldberg as a "Dirty Harry spoof" starring John Beck. Goldberg adds, "The concept bears a striking resemblance to the subsequent 1986 ABC sitcom Sledge Hammer." A Larson show reminiscent of another series? A coincidence, I'm sure.

8) Just Men: Retro Rules took a look at the short-lived Betty White game show this week, and once again, you can get a glimpse of Robert Pine in the video (Of course, you will want to seek out one of the full episodes on which he appeared).

I find White's catchphrase at the intro kind of odd: "Why are we here? Because it's just men!"

9) Soccer: My heart is with Argentina today, but the rest of the year it's with the NASL.

10) R.I.P. Hal Williams, Scott Bryce: Obits seemed to highlight Sanford and Son, but I remember him best for his work as the cool dad Lester on 227. Bryce's character was on late-stage Facts of Life and actually married Jo at the end.

More BOTNS-related stuff on YT: "Killdozer"

There have been a few new videos related to beloved (?) 1974 TV movie Killdozer! Mike and I discuss the movie in this episode.

Here's a vintage promo for the original broadcast. I believe we shared it before, but I saw it on a channel I follow:

And here's a fun video from Paul Van Scott looking at the movie:

"Star Quality" ("Partridge Family") is now on YouTube

Sony posted the Season 1 Partridge Family episode "Star Quality" on one of its YouTube channels recently. This is the episode we talk about in our discussion of the series!

If you haven't seen it, here is a chance to check out the full saga, including the treehouse scene, Dick Clark's cameo, and a group of alleged L.A. Dodgers.

Top Ten #414

1) TV Guide and the Bicentennial: I finally ran out of "50 years ago" TV Guide, but we had a good run the last two weeks, didn't we? If you only check out this feature each Sunday, I encourage you to go back and look at some pics from the 7/3/76 issue and the one before that and relive some of the Bicentennial Fever the nation had!

2) Emmy nominations: Congrats to all the nominees announced this week. Among BOTNS-era names who were recognized: Martin Short, Jean Smart, Jason Bateman.

3) Family Feud: Today is the 50th anniversary of the ABC debut of the long-running game show, then hosted by Richard Dawson.

4) Humphrey Bogart: Also of interest, in New York City 50 years ago tonight, WPIX premiered an hourlong look at the Hollywood legend, followed by Casablanca at 8:00. It must have been a nice alternative to viewers who weren't interested in the Democratic National Convention coverage that dominated the networks that night.

5) National Paper Bag Day:

6) Sisters in the Name of Love: 40 years ago tonight, this HBO special featured Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, and Dionne Warwick. Hey, wait a minute! They aren't sisters!

7) Cheryl Ladd: Happy 75th!

8) The Alan King Show: 40 years ago tonight, this unsold pilot debuted. King stars as a business hotshot who leaves Wall Street to take a gig as a professor. Also starring: Dina Merrill, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Catherine Keener.

9) Little House on the Prairie: A new version debuts on Netflix, and we repeat, as long as there's plague, pestilence, and abject suffering, we'll give it a shot. Still, I will probably lean toward the original:

10) R.I.P.  Louise Lasser, Randolph Mantooth, Joanna Pettet:

Inside the Guide: BICENTENNIAL FEVER! TV Guide 50 years ago today! (7/3/26 PART 8)

This is my favorite piece of this 50-year-old bicentennial L.A. edition of TV Guide, a look at themed station ID cards from around the nation!

Inside the Guide: BICENTENNIAL FEVER! TV Guide 50 years ago today! (7/3/26 PART 7: Friday, July 9)

Two more local ads on this day in TV Guide (L.A. edition) 50 years ago today:

Let's supplement today's post with some news from the "Teletype" column. This week, tidbits include another story on John Amos' departure from Good Times (this was a big story at the time in the TV press) and mentions of upcoming shows Wonder Woman and What's Happening!!

Inside the Guide: BICENTENNIAL FEVER! TV Guide 50 years ago today! (7/3/26 PART 6: Thursday, July 8)

We continue our look at the bicentennial issue of TV Guide, but we are several days past the big holiday, and now local TV ads continue to dominate the pages.

A reminder that this is a Los Angeles edition, and so we get some boxing from the historic arena:

Inside the Guide: BICENTENNIAL FEVER! TV Guide 50 years ago today! (7/3/26 PART 5: Wednesday, July 7)

Local ads still dominate in this Los Angeles edition of TV Guide. 

Here we see Mike Douglas:

Next up, Name That Tune. I miss when game shows were so big on daytime television.

Finally for today, a close-up on the state dinner PBS is covering:

Inside the Guide: BICENTENNIAL FEVER! TV Guide 50 years ago today! (7/3/26 PART 4: Tuesday, July 6)

Things have slowed down in the Guide this week after the weekend festivities.

We do see an ad for a movie with that beloved BOTNS favorite George Gobel:

KHJ really wants you to know about The Joker's Wild. It ran this ad several times this week and mentioned the show in at least one other ad, too:

Top Ten #413

1) Independence Day: We've been celebrating the bicentennial here on the site with a look back at TV Guide 50 years ago. What a glorious time it was in 1976, with many Americans coming together to celebrate the nation's history. 

And speaking of history:

2) Bicentennial Minutes: Love seeing any of these on YouTube! Here is all of them, or maybe all floating around at the moment.

3) Michael J. Fox/Roger Damon Price: Let's also give some love to Canada, which celebrated Canada Day last week. Also, these two were appointed to Order of Canada (The latter created You Can't Do That on Television).

4) This Is America, Charlie Brown: Apple TV added the 1988 miniseries this week. Ir's enjoyable, but, man, it bugs me that the kids are running around  The Mayflower in bare feet.

5) Fantasy Island: Prime Video added the original and appears to be adding more Sony shows such as Hazel and Archie Bunker's Place.

Speaking of Sony shows, Roku is adding or re-adding a bunch, including That's My Mama, Hardcastle and McCormick, and The Famous Teddy Z.

6) Liberty Weekend: ABC was all over the Statue of Liberty centennial, and 40 years ago tonight, it continued its coverage with a special featuring Placido Domingo, the New York Philharmonic, and more.

7) National Ice Cream Month: And it's been pretty hot here, too.

8) The Twilight Zone: I love that the original gets marathons every July 4 weekend, but here's a spot from the 1980s version/

9) Wimbledon: The tennis tournament is well underway here in 2026; on this day in 1986, Martina Navratilova beat Hana Mandlikova in the final, and on this day in 1980, Bjorn Borg topped John McEnroe in their classic showdown in the men's final.

10) R.I.P. Penelope Keith:

Inside the Guide: BICENTENNIAL FEVER! TV Guide 50 years ago today! (7/3/26 PART 3: Monday, July 5)

Well, the holiday is over, and TV is back to normal, it appears, with reruns dominating the lineup. the local stations dominate the advertising, taking the opportunity to promote movies, reruns, and game shows!

The holiday fun lingers, though, with some taped coverage of fireworks:

Finally, end the evening with John Davidson!