This week on It Was a Thing on TV, 3’s a crowd as we’re recovering from a high flying adventure bringing kids in 1982 some Atari 2600 games.
First, when a character in a series is popular, networks want to ride that character’s popularity as long as possible. When ABC canceled Three’s Company, the network retained Jack Tripper, but placed him in a new series with a new love…and her father. Hilarity tried to ensue.
Next, We have brought you shows on Hulk Hogan commercials, Ric Flair commercials, and three separate installments of Hometown Commercials. Our early Christmas present to you is a look at ads for something everybody wanted under the tree from 1979 to 1982–the Atari 2600 VCS, and games for the system.
Finally, What started in 1985 as a popular Christmas toy tradition at a midwest department store, Santabear became so popular that two years later, CBS gave him his own primetime special on Christmas Eve 1987.
Santabear must help the residents of the South Pole discover the magic of Christmas while facing off with Santa’s former helper Bullybear. With the help of a lady bear named Missy, Santabear goes on a high flying adventure to save Christmas for everyone before Bullybear can destroy all the presents.
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Seriously, who hires a bear who calls himself Bullybear?
Timestamps
0:30 – Three’s A Crowd (1984)
1:05:41 – Atari 2600 Commercials
2:24:17 – Santabear’s High Flying Adventure
