Battle of the Network Shows

This week, we take a special look at the early days of Home Box Office, better known as HBO. Long before The Sopranos, The Wire, Game of Thrones, and all those other shows, Home Box Office started as a gamble during the fledgling days of the cable TV industry with a smattering of movies, hockey, basketball, comedy specials, concerts, and polka competitions. As it expanded, the movies got better, boxing and Wimbledon became their go-to sports, the comedians and concerts grew bigger, and polka danced away. We follow the timeline to around 1985 and give special attention to HBO originals like Not Necessarily the News, HBO Magazine, and Yesteryear, as well as the documentary Some Called them Freaks. Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #hbo #homeboxoffice

For a lot of us growing up, the holidays meant one thing above all others...TOYS...and for those of us glued to our TVs, nothing stoked the desire for those toys more than the TOY COMMERCIALS (except the half-hour cartoons based on those toys, which of course were really ads, but let's not talk about that)! What better way to celebrate the holiday season and Christmas day than to highlight some of our favorite toy commercials? After you've unwrapped your socks and gift cards and retro TV DVD sets and filled up on eggnog and fruitcake, join us for a little more holiday fun. Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #toycommercials #toys

In the short-lived British-produced Zoo Gang, an international cast plays a group of French Resistance fighters reuniting after 28 years in the Riviera. They use their espionage skills and friendship to take down bad guys and earn some money for a good cause. In the first episode, they have a target in their sights--the man who sold them out to the Germans. Oh, and Paul McCartney has something to do with all this, too. Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #british #espionage #adventure #paulmccartney

On short-lived sitcom "That's My Mama," barber Clifton lives with his mama and gets into hijinks with his best friend Earl, and in the episode "The Witness," Earl moves in with Clifton and Mama after testifying against criminal Croaker Connelly. If he's not careful, Mama will kill him before Croaker does. Plus Ted Lange and Gordon Jump! Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #sitcom #thatsmymama

While we recover from all the delicious Thanksgiving Mulligan Stew, enjoy this special encore presentation of our episode about The Love Boat. As usual, you get a heaping helping of of guest stars, including Maureen McCormick, the late Bobby Sherman, Vicki Lawrence, DVP, Vernee Watson, and the great Scatman Crothers! We'll be back next week with a brand-new episode. Hoo-whee! Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #loveboat #scatmancrothers

Just in time for Thanksgiving, we whip an episode about Mulligan Stew, the little-remembered but perhaps oft-seen early seventies show about healthy eating habits. Most of the kids of Mulligan Stew fall prey to the easy appeal of the Flim-Flam Man's fad diets, and only Mulligan and Wilbur can save them. Along the way, they sing some songs and teach us such vaulable lessons as 4-4-3-2, VITAMIN D FOR HEALTHY BONES AND TEETH, and meat comes from hogs! #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #educationaltv #nutrition Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

Things get iffy between everyone's favorite single-mom roommates Kate and Allie when Kate's demanding college friend moves in for an extended stay. Allie tries to handle it with aplomb because she's "just great!" Plus, a cool T-shirt and a lively guest star turn as a bartender, so get yourself some authentic New York bread and deli, pop on your headphones, and remember just when you think you're all by yourself you're not. #podcast #tv #retrotv #sitcoms #eighties #kateandallie #susanstjames #janecurtin #breadanddeli Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

We've talked about a lot of great shows over the course of the podcast, and sometimes, we've mentioned great lineups that dominated a particular night and era or even single season. This week, we go more in depth with a completely subjective list of the top 10 greatest TV lineups of the BOTNS era. Using strict criteria, Rick compled this list, and he justifies his choices. Mike pipes in with his two cents. Expect a few suprises and maybe even a controversy or two along the way. #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #lineups #schedules #greatestlineups Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

New from the BOTNS Games Lab: The Celebrity Height Game! Mike has to guess if the celebrity heights listed in one Rick's vintage books match the "official" heights listed on IMDB! Can you get this kind of action anywhere else? Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #games #celebrityheights

In the seventies and early eighties, magic had a face, and that face had a big mustache. It also had long hair and wore sparkly versions of hippie clothes and had assistants in hot pants. That face appeared on Broadway in two magic-themed musicals and all over TV from talk shows to the Muppet Show to a series of successful specials on NBC. That face had a name--Doug Henning. He invited audiences to believe in illusions and wonder and joy. In his second World of Magic special, he invited Michael Landon, Joey Heatheron, and Ricky Jay along for the fun, and we talk about it all on Battle of the Network Shows! #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #magic #illusions #doughenning Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

What's the opposite of an all-time classic? The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Everything might provide the answer. Ths syndicated TV movie from 1980 stars Robert Hays (Airplane!) as its amiable if hapless hero, who inherits a gold watch and a lot of trouble from his eccentric uncle. He also gets involved with Pam Dawber (Mork & Mindy) after the worst meet-cute in film history. Other recognizable faces round out the cast, but can they salavage this one? Unlikely. Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE #podcast #tv #retrotv #eighties #tvmovie #roberthays #pamdawber

We open our 13th season in the Windy City with an all-time classic, The Bob Newhart Show. In "Mister Emily Hartley," psychologist Bob Hartley reluctantly takes an IQ test only to learn he has a lower IQ than his wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette). Attending the Chicago High IQ Club dance as Emily's plus-one only confirms his feelings of inferiority as he suffers indignity after indignity. We discuss this along iwth the show's high-level consistency, stellar cast, and questionable fashions. Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #thebobnewhartshow #bobnewhart #sitcoms #mtm

Get ready for the biggest night in retro TV podcasting, the Season 12 BATTY Awards! Actors clash with actors, duos duel with duos, mustaches face off with eyebrows all for the chance to win a coveted BATTY Award! We have some all-time classic shows like All in the Family and Sesame Street up against each other. We also have Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous and TV's Blooper's and Practical Jokes. Will the Quinn Martin shows cancel each other out? Will Donny and Marie cancel each other out? Will someone finally become a BEGOT, and who will win the Robert Pine Genius Award? Tune in, download, and find out! #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #battyawards #awardshows Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

It took us 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 seasons, but we finally found our way to Sesame Street, episode 900 to be specific, "Sing-along in Bert and Ernie's Bathroom." The title says it all, and if it missed something, Bert's eyebrow has us covered. Help us wrap up the season in style with Bert, Ernie, David, Bob, Gordon, Maria, Big Bird, the Count, and Grover plus appearances by Kermit, Cookie Monster, and Luis in disguise. How do you spell fun and educational? B-O-T-N-S! #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #sesamestreet# #bertandernie #kermitthefrog #grover #cookiemonster #bigbird #singalong Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

For the second time this season, we explore the gritty world of Quinn Martin Productions with The Streets of San Francisco. In season one episode "The Takers," Karl Malden and Michael Douglas hit those very streets to discover who killed two young women in their own apartment. Was it jealous ex and airline pilot Rex Riley, their former roommate, the building manager, the little jewelry salesman, or someone else? Expect more twists and turns than Lombard Street in "The Takers"! #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #streetsofsanfrancisco #quinnmartin #karlmalden #michaeldouglas Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

This week, we travel across the pond and into the far-flung future of cult classic UK sci-fi show Blake's 7, where a rag-tag group of former criminals turned rebels tries to take down the evil Federation. In the series two episode "Pressure Point," they return home to Earth to take down the Federaton's computer control system...Control! The plan doesn't go as planned for them or the Federation, and one of our heroes...dies! It's adventure at standard by 10 on this week's Battle of the Network Shows! #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #scifi #blakes7 #brittv #telly Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

For this bonus episode, Rick used a set of strict criteria to compile a list of 10 forgotten shows from the BOTNS era. Instead of short-lived shows, though, he chose long-running, relatively successful shows that have little to no home video, streaming, or syndication presence these days. Join us to find out the 10 "winners" and to see if any of your favorite shows made the list. #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #eighties #forgottenshows #list Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

For this season's Retro Retro episode, we head back to Gilligan's Island! News comes in on the radio that Mr. Howell has been rescued, which comes as a surprise to the castaways, especially Mr. Howell! The real Howell whips the castaways into a frenzy to get him home to stop the imposter Howell from spending his money and, to a far lesser extent, ruining his reputation. Things get weirder when the imposter washes up on the island. #podcast #tv #retrotv #sixties #gilligansisland Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

The mid-eighties saw the rise of blooper-mania, and nothing exemplified that more than TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, starring Dick Clark and BOTNS semi-regular Ed McMahon! If you've never seen the show, don't be fooled by the title, though. It's really TV's Bloopers, Commercial Compilations, Comedy Bits, Dance Montages, and Practical Jokes! Also appearing in this episode Nancy and Phil McKeon and Dr. Joyce Brothers. #podcast #tv #retrotv #eighties #bloopers #practicaljokes #tvsbloopersandpracticaljokes #dickclark #edmcmahon #nancymckeon #phimckeon #drjoycebrothers Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE

Things get rough for Chico and the Man when THE Man tells them Chico can't live in the Man's van. Also, they go to a diner and crack some jokes. #podcast #tv #retrotv #seventies #chicoandtheman #freddieprinze #jackalbertson #sitcom Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/ Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/371670863237699 Support the show by buying merch at http://tee.pub/lic/FM0uOqq3xzE