Best Radio Gizmo Brynn Podcasts (2024)

1
The Duck Factory - Jim Carrey’s First Major Role! 1:12:01

24d ago1:12:01

1:12:01

The Duck Factory WAS a show. The year was 1984 and NBC was entering their sitcom golden age. A young cartoonist from the midwest moves to LA to take a job at a decaying old animation studio, mainly known for their show Dippy Duck. That young cartoonist’s name is Skip Tarkenton, and he was played by none other than Jim Carrey in his first major role…

1
Partners (1995) - Starring Jon Cryer, Tate Donovan and Maria Pitillo 1:20:31

1M ago1:20:31

1:20:31

Partners WAS a show. This short-lived sitcom is about two young architects in San Francisco, Bob (Jon Cryer) and Owen (Tate Donovan.) Off the top, Owen gets engaged to Alicia (Maria Pitillo), and his best friend Bob competes for attention as something of a third wheel. It’s a fairly standard hangout show about dating and friendship dynamics with va…

1
Flying Blind - Starring Téa Leoni and Corey Parker with guest Lisa Kudrow 1:13:45

2M ago1:13:45

1:13:45

Flying Blind WAS a show. It ran on Fox from September, 1992 to May, 1993, lasting a total of 22 episodes. It’s the story of a relationship between young, uptight and somewhat nebish Neil (Corey Parker) who lives at home with his parents, and the free-wheeling and sexually liberated Alicia (Téa Leoni) who lives with cool New York artist-loft party t…

1
Badaptation: Uncle Buck (1990) Somehow not starring John Candy! 1:10:18

2M ago1:10:18

1:10:18

1989 saw the release of one of the most memorable cinematic comedies of all time, the John Hughes classic Uncle Buck starring the incomparable John Candy and Macaulay Culkin. A mere one year later, a sitcom version was released featuring practically none of the original cast. The replacements try their darnedest to replicate the unique charm of the…

1
2023 Holiday Special feat. Family Matters, Soul Man and The Nanny! 1:26:02

4M ago1:26:02

1:26:02

For the 2023 very special holiday episode, the TWAS team watches Christmas episodes from three classic shows: a very successful show (Family Matters), a failed or forgotten show (Soul Man) and a wild card episode of a show with a particularly unusual format (The Nanny)...and learn more than they ever wanted to know about Stefan Urquelle. Join Brynn…

1
Hardball - A show about baseball starring Bruce Greenwood 1:14:21

5M ago1:14:21

1:14:21

Hardball WAS a show. This baseball themed workplace sitcom aired on Fox in the fall of 1994 and centred around the exploits of the fictional American League team The Pioneers. Sitting on the bench for this one were some actors who’d go on to be some real heavy hitters themselves, like Bruce Greenwood, Mike Starr, Phill Lewis, Joe Rogan and Steve “K…

1
Going Places - A show about TV writers starring Alan Ruck and Heather Locklear 1:16:45

5M ago1:16:45

1:16:45

Going Places WAS a show. In fact, it was part of ABC’s famous TGIF lineup during the 1990 to 1991 season, and lasted just 19 episodes. It was about two brothers from Chicago who move to LA to take jobs as TV comedy writers, and move into a house owned by the show’s producer. Also living with them are two women who also write for the show. Hijinks e…

1
Soul Man - Dan Aykroyd is a Blues-Playing Motorcycle-Riding Priest 1:16:25

6M ago1:16:25

1:16:25

Soul Man WAS a show. It ran from April 15, 1997 to May 26, 1998 for a total of 25 episodes. Starring official Blues Brother Dan Aykroyd, it’s the story of Mike Weber, a widowed Episcopal priest and single father of four children in Royal Oak, Michigan. It takes place in the Home Improvement Sitcom Universe due to crossover episodes featuring Al Bor…

1
Boston Common - A college hangout show that is only nominally about Boston 1:21:55

7M ago1:21:55

1:21:55

1996 was a solid year for hangout shows about Gen-Xers. Boston Common is about Boyd and Wyleen Pritchett, a brother and sister from Virginia (played by Anthony Clark and Hedy Burress) who move to Boston. It lasted two years and 32 episodes. Wyleen’s there to attend college, and Boyd is just driving her there as a favour. The twist is that he stays …

1
Badaptation: Harry and the Hendersons (1991) Starring Bruce Davison and Molly Cheek 1:08:19

7M ago1:08:19

1:08:19

1987 saw the release of the Academy Award winning film Harry and the Hendersons. That Oscar was for makeup and hairstyling, which makes sense when you consider that the star of the story is in fact a bigfoot. It was adapted into a sitcom a mere four years later. Both were produced by Amblin Entertainment, best known as the Spielberg-helmed producti…

1
Network Promo - Teaser for the next episode! 2:28

8M ago2:28

2:28

The next episode of That Was a Show? is coming October 1st. Listen to this fun Radio Gizmo network promo to find out what it is!

1
Liz Night Part 1 - Fran Drescher Loses Elizabeth Taylor’s Pearls 47:33

8M ago47:33

47:33

On February 26, 1996 CBS pulled off quite possibly the greatest crossover marketing stunt in sitcom history with “Liz Night.” Four different prime time shows featured an ongoing stunt plot with Elizabeth Taylor and a lost black pearl necklace that she needs to promote her new fragrance. The story kicked off with the first show in the lineup—The Nan…

1
My Two Dads - Paul Reiser’s first show 1:21:37

9M ago1:21:37

1:21:37

The year was 1987 and comedies about multiple straight men raising children together and acting domestic was all the rage! That year saw the movie Three Men and a Baby, the start of Full House…but wait, there was one more lesser known show to hit the airwaves: My Two Dads! Starring Paul Reiser and Greg Evigan as the two dads, and Staci Keanan as th…

1
Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place - Ryan Reynolds’ Big Break 1:13:16

9M ago1:13:16

1:13:16

Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place was the 1998 sitcom about Gen-X career and relationship angst. It featured Ryan Reynolds as Berg (Guy 1), Richard Ruccolo as Pete (Guy 2) and Traylor Howard as Sharon (a Girl). They hang out at Beacon Street Pizza in Boston (a Pizza Place) where the Guys work. After season two, the pizza place is dropped from both…

1
The Crew (1995) - Wings meets Friends meets Desperate Housewives 1:06:47

10M ago1:06:47

1:06:47

The Crew WAS a show! Before he found success with Desperate Housewives, Mark Cherry co-created this workplace/hangout/romcom sitcom about hot young flight attendants based in Miami. It was a sufficiently horny romp for the 90s Fox line-up but didn’t quite “land” the same pop culture impact as Friends or Living Single. Brynn, Aaron & Barry book a fl…

1
High Society - Kinda like an American version of Absolutely Fabulous Starring Jean Smart and Mary McDonnell 1:25:32

10M ago1:25:32

1:25:32

High Society WAS a show. The year was 1995, and women all over New York City were winning publishing companies in divorce settlements. Such was the case with Dorothy "Dott" Emerson, played by Mary McDonnell. She published the trashy yet highly successful romance novels penned by her best friend Ellie Walker, played by Jean Smart. The show is pretty…

1
Father Ted - That Was a Show goes to Ireland! 1:12:40

11M ago1:12:40

1:12:40

Father Ted WAS a show…in fact it was the most successful Irish sitcom ever! This surprisingly dark, twisted sitcom left an indelible mark on the Emerald Isle, but it’s been largely forgotten over on this side of the pond. It’s about three Catholic priests who were banished to the fictitious Craggy Island for various sins, and now live together as r…

1
Bonus - The Single Guy Rewatch - The Episode with Julia Louis-Dreyfus 30:14

11M ago30:14

30:14

Be Kind, Rewind! For this bonus episode, it’s a look back at the recently reviewed show The Single Guy. This show was created by Brad Hall (husband of Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and aired right before Seinfeld. The first time around there was some speculation about an episode featuring a cameo appearance from this comedy star best known for portraying El…

1
Bob - The other sitcom starring Bob Newhart, featuring Betty White 1:23:41

12M ago1:23:41

1:23:41

Bob WAS a show. After successful runs on both The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart, Bob Newhart brought his famous stammering deadpan stylings to a third sitcom… but uh, this one, it was, it uh, it was just called…well, it uh, it was called Bob. So in this show Bob Newhart plays Bob McKay, an artist who created a comic book called Mad-Dog 20 years ago,…

1
Love & War - Starring Jay Thomas, Susan Dey and Annie Potts 1:14:16

12M ago1:14:16

1:14:16

Love & War WAS a show. It’s basically what happens when Diane English, the legendary creator of Murphy Brown, makes a sitcom in the 80s rom-com style of movies like When Harry Met Sally. Love & War is about rough around the edges New York City newspaper columnist Jack Stein (Jay Thomas) and his attempts at romance—first in an on-again off-again rel…

1
The Naked Truth - Starring Téa Leoni & Holland Taylor and Featuring Anna Nicole Smith 1:40:34

1y ago1:40:34

1:40:34

If you were to open a time capsule containing all the artifacts of the cynical postmodernism and depraved celebrity trolling of 1995 to 1998, you would also find a VHS tape containing all 3 seasons of The Naked Truth. Téa Leoni plays Nora, a recently divorced former photojournalist who, despite being only 26, was already nominated for a Pulitzer ba…

1
Doctor Doctor - Starring Matt Frewer as…a doctor! 1:18:10

1y ago1:18:10

1:18:10

Prolific actor Matt Frewer secured his place in the pop culture zeitgeist with his lead in the cult classic Max Headroom, and went on to countless movie and TV roles—yet none bigger in terms of actual minutes of screen time than Dr. Mike Stratford, general practitioner, novelist, and TV medical expert in Providence, Rhode Island. Despite disappeari…

1
The Single Guy - The Forgotten Friends Crossover Show 1:32:04

1y ago1:32:04

1:32:04

Welcome to the 90s NBC Must See TV Single-in-the-City Sitcom Universe! The Single Guy WAS a show…starring Jonathan Silverman, Joey Slotnick, Ming-Na Wen, Jessica Hecht and Ernest Borgnine! Right smack in the middle of Friends and Seinfeld, NBC had a show that seemed to draw on aspects of both shows to create a bridge between the two. Seinfeld was a…

1
Badaptation: Party Girl (1996) starring Christine Taylor and John Cameron Mitchell 1:29:38

1y ago1:29:38

1:29:38

Based on the 1995 indie Sundance hit of the same name, Christine Taylor plays Mary, struggling to make a living amidst her fast paced lifestyle in the New York City “club kid” culture where she hosts underground parties with her best friend Derrick, played by John Cameron Mitchell. She gets a job in a library—but can she prove herself as mature and…

1
The George Carlin Show - Yes he really did a sitcom! 1:20:11

1y ago1:20:11

1:20:11

In the 80s and 90s, successful standup comedians were given their own shows. Actually that still happens today. So when a sitcom was developed for George Carlin, one of the greatest standups of all time, clearly this show was going to be a big deal. Clearly it was going to be a hit…right? Brynn, Aaron and Barry hop in a cab, head down Broadway Aven…

1
Network Promo - Season 3 of That Was a Show? Coming Soon! 1:53

1+ y ago1:53

1:53

We have an exciting announcement about That Was a Show? Season 3... In the style of a 90s network television interstitial promo! Starting in Season 3, we'll be releasing episodes on specific dates: the 1st and 15th of each month. This will begin with our season premiere on February 15th, with an episode about The George Carlin Show! Oh and on that …

1
Season 2 Finale! That Was a Season? 1:10:39

1+ y ago1:10:39

1:10:39

Brynn, Aaron & Barry celebrate the end of an incredible 2nd season of That Was a Show? They watch and review three very successful sitcoms from the 90s that may or may not be forgotten today…and you’ll have to listen to find out which ones! They also present the 2nd annual TWASies Awards to some of the shows and characters discovered over the past …

1
Maybe This Time - Starring Marie Osmond, Craig Ferguson and Betty White 1:13:44

1+ y ago1:13:44

1:13:44

Maybe This Time WAS a show. This 1995 sitcom is about the comings and goings of a family owned coffee shop, and stars the likes of Marie Osmond, Ashley Johnson, Any Hill, Craig Ferguson, and saving the best for last here, Betty White! It’s part sarcastic gen-x hangout show and part saccharine kid-friendly family show a la TGIF. Brynn, Aaron and Bar…

1
Ned and Stacey - Starring Thomas Haden Church & Debra Messing 1:09:55

1+ y ago1:09:55

1:09:55

Ned and Stacey WAS a show. He’s a fast talking advertising exec with no scruples. She’s a down on her luck journalist stuck living with her parents. To get a promotion, he needs a wife. To get on with her life, she needs an apartment. What if… they got married? So what if they completely hate each other? Join Brynn, Aaron and Barry as they ‘will th…

1
(Bonus Feature) Backdoor Pilot: From The Nanny to The Chatterbox 38:29

1+ y ago38:29

38:29

In this special bonus feature episode, Brynn & Aaron examine the attempted spinoff of The Nanny called The Chatterbox, which never made it past a failed backdoor pilot. This show could be described as The Nanny (without Fran Drescher) meets Dirty Dancing (without heart) meets Cheers (without jokes) and set in a hair salon in deep Queens. Email: tha…

1
Gloria - A spinoff that’s only somewhat In The Family 1:19:06

1+ y ago1:19:06

1:19:06

Gloria WAS a show. This 1983 sitcom was a spin-off of a spin-off from the iconic All In The Family universe...but without Norman Lear and Carroll O'Connor. It does have lots of cute animals and the delightful Sally Struthers. Brynn, Aaron and Barry enter this doomed story world by watching not one but TWO pilots to decide whether it should be a par…

1
Hudson Street - starring Tony Danza as Tony (yes, again!) 58:01

2y ago58:01

58:01

Hudson Street WAS a show. Tony Danza plays yet another character named Tony in this story about a divorced police detective in Hoboken, New Jersey. Finally ready to give love another chance, Tony gets set up on a date with newspaper writer Melanie, played by Lori Loughlin. The catch? He’s a tough-on-crime conservative, and she…pretty much just beli…

1
BadAptation Series: Baby Talk - starring Tony Danza and George Clooney, based on Look Who’s Talking 1:17:21

2y ago1:17:21

1:17:21

Baby Talk WAS a show. She’s a single mother looking for love; he’s a baby whose thoughts we can hear. That’s uh, that’s pretty much it. It’s Baby Talk! Join Brynn, Aaron and Barry, as they try to goo-goo gah-gah their way through this 90s dud that also featured the glorious hair of George Clooney. Email: thatwasashow@aol.com (Because 90s AOL still …

1
Free Spirit - or Witch Nanny? Featuring young Alyson Hannigan 1:19:22

2y ago1:19:22

1:19:22

Free Spirit WAS a show. A single dad struggles to balance his at-home law practice with raising three kids. When his youngest son casually wishes for someone who’ll pay more attention to him, a witch named Winnie literally drops from the sky into their lives. Dad doesn’t know she’s a supernatural being and hires her as a housekeeper, nanny, mother …

1
Phenom - Starring Judith Light & William Devane 1:23:13

2y ago1:23:13

1:23:13

Phenom WAS a show. This 90s family sitcom featured a teenage tennis champ, a Carly Simon song, and Catholic guilt. It had a stacked cast of TV ringers, including Judith Light and William Devane, PLUS top-notch comedy writers! So what happened? Lots of people liked it—especially eight-year-old Brynn! The gang has a rowdy discussion about this series…

1
(Bonus Episode) Revisiting teenage Jason Bateman in It’s Your Move 37:58

2y ago37:58

37:58

In this special bonus episode, Brynn & Aaron rewind the old VHS collection, and look back at the show It’s Your Move from Season 1, Episode 17 of the podcast. They watch another episode to shine even more light on this edgy 1984 dark comedy. Email: thatwasashow@aol.com (Because 90s AOL still exists for some reason!) Visit our new website! thatwasas…

1
Something Wilder - Starring Gene Wilder 1:14:07

2y ago1:14:07

1:14:07

Something Wilder WAS a show. This harmless family sitcom was developed as a vehicle for the Hollywood legend Gene Wilder. Join Brynn, Aaron & Barry as they make their way through this Gene Pick. Email: thatwasashow@aol.com (Because 90s AOL still exists for some reason!) Visit our new website! thatwasashow.com Leave us a voice message at anchor.fm/t…

1
One Of The Boys starring Dana Carvey, Nathan Lane and Mickey Rooney - with guest Neal E. Fischer 1:37:13

2y ago1:37:13

1:37:13

One Of The Boys WAS a show. What do you get when you bring together Dana Carvey in his first starring role, Nathan Lane in his first starring role, music and acting icon Scatman Crothers, and cap it off with the vaudeville stylings of Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney? Turns out not a lot. This 1982 sitcom is about an energetic senior who ditches the …

1
BadAptation Series: Ferris Bueller starring Jennifer Aniston - with guest Simone Smith 1:20:37

2y ago1:20:37

1:20:37

Ferris Bueller WAS a show. The iconic John Hughes classic about high school rebellion from 1986 was reimagined as a sitcom in 1990. Matthew Broderick was replaced by Charlie Schlatter who, much like the Ferris of the film, often breaks the 4th wall to address the audience—only this Ferris is also explicitly aware of the existence of the film, for w…

1
BadAptation Series: Working Girl - The Sitcom (1990) Starring Sandra Bullock 1:24:37

2y ago1:24:37

1:24:37

Working Girl WAS a show. It was a successful 1988 Mike Nichols movie first, and then naturally they rebooted it as a sitcom two years later. Both working girls are ambitious, from Staten Island, and bop around Manhattan in white sneakers. One of them has "mall bangs" and one does not. One is Melanie Griffith, and one is a pre-Speed Sandra Bullock. …

1
BadAptation Series: A League of Their Own - The Sitcom (1993) 1:12:22

2+ y ago1:12:22

1:12:22

A League of Their Own WAS a show. Welcome to the first episode in our “BadAptation” series—the 1992 film “A League of Their Own” was adapted into a sitcom with the same title and premise a mere one year later in 1993. The film was a box office and critical success! The sitcom…lasted 6 episodes, and only 5 aired. That might sound kind of sad, but re…

1
2021 Year in Review 35:40

2+ y ago35:40

35:40

2021 WAS a year. We look back on some of our favourite—and least favourite—shows, characters, tropes, sets and other sitcom artifacts from our reviews over the past year. Brynn, Aaron & Barry each give their pick for 20 different categories in this lightning round bonus episode. Happy New Year and thanks for listening! Email: thatwasashow@aol.com (…

1
A Very Special Episode: The TWAS Holiday Office Party! 49:55

2+ y ago49:55

49:55

Well, it’s that time of year again! Brynn, Aaron & Barry had a classy little holiday office party to celebrate another year of podcasting. They discuss Christmas episodes of two shows from the 90s that they recall fondly: Boy Meets World and Seinfeld… and then they watch a Christmas episode from one of the failed or forgotten shows they reviewed ea…

1
Good Advice - Starring Shelly Long and featuring Estelle “Costanza” Harris 1:07:57

2+ y ago1:07:57

1:07:57

Good Advice WAS a show. She’s a marriage counselor going through a divorce. He’s a divorce attorney who can’t settle down. They’re sharing an office, but can they share…a heart? Join Brynn, Aaron & Barry as they schedule an appointment and try to get some Good Advice! Email: thatwasashow@aol.com (Because 90s AOL still exists for some reason!) Leave…

1
Everything’s Relative (1999) - Not a mistake, a different show! 1:05:06

2+ y ago1:05:06

1:05:06

Everything’s Relative WAS a show. We’re not joking—there’s another failed sitcom with this title. This one was created by Mitchell Hurwitz, and spoiler, not much happens in it. Brynn, Aaron & Barry have a great time talking about this show, but more fun talking about Arrested Development. Plus Aaron misremembers/fabricates another memory like he di…

1
Everything’s Relative - Starring Jason Alexander before he was George on Seinfeld 1:05:51

2+ y ago1:05:51

1:05:51

Everything’s Relative WAS a show. Before he became known for his iconic role as George Costanza, Jason Alexander made his television comedy debut on Everything’s Relative. This odd-couple style show is about two brothers living in a fancy SoHo loft. Alexander plays the recently divorced older brother Julian Beeby, alongside his construction worker …

1
Camp Wilder - Starring Jerry O'Connell, Jay Mohr and Oscar-winner Hilary Swank! 1:01:44

2+ y ago1:01:44

1:01:44

Camp Wilder WAS a show. In this 1992 sitcom, after the death of her parents a 28 year old single mother moves back to her hometown to be the guardian of her two teenage siblings. Because of her young age and laissez-faire style of parenting, the house becomes a safe haven for a gaggle of teens. Join Brynn, Aaron & Barry as they find out what it’s l…

1
Rachel Gunn R.N. - Starring Christine Ebersole and an underutilized Megan Mullally 1:03:33

2+ y ago1:03:33

1:03:33

Rachel Gunn R.N. WAS a show. This early 90s comedy featured the most unprofessional hospital staff in television history, a lot of former Chippendales guys, an inexplicable amount of dancing, and Batman before he was Batman. Tune in as Brynn, Aaron & Barry try to diagnose this ill-fated sitcom. Email: thatwasashow@aol.com (Because 90s AOL still exi…

1
Not My Department! - Our First/Première Canadian Sitcom Review! 50:47

2+ y ago50:47

50:47

Not My Department WAS a show. This 1987 satire was produced by the CBC and takes on government bureaucracy in Ottawa. The show centres around the fictional Department of Regional Incentive Targets, or DRIT. Quelle idée amusante! That Was a Show? takes a drive north of the border to review a Canadian sitcom for the very first time. Brynn, Aaron & Ba…

1
Sibs - Part Sitcom, Part Off-Broadway Drama 1:00:38

2+ y ago1:00:38

1:00:38

Sibs WAS a show. This early 90s sitcom centred around the wacky misadventures of three sisters trying to navigate adulthood together, it also co-starred Homer Simpson. Brynn, Aaron and Barry part the weeds on this overgrown lawn of a mishap while learning how to pronounce actor names and singing the praises of Evan Handler’s glorious hair. Email: t…

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