TMC
03-25-2026, 05:54 PM
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Richard Pryor hosted a children's show. A future Congressman fought monsters. Helen Hunt appeared in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. These are the forgotten live-action Saturday morning shows that tried — and mostly failed — to replace cartoons.
From 1975 to 2002, broadcast networks repeatedly gambled that live-action programming could dethrone Saturday morning cartoons. Today we're counting down 10 forgotten shows from the Krofft brothers' psychedelic 1970s empire, CBS's lonely 1980s experiments, and NBC's TNBC teen sitcom takeover.
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction
1:16 - #10: Far Out Space Nuts (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125219/http://www.jumptheshark.com/f/faroutspacenuts.htm)(1975)
2:50 - #9: Monster Squad (1976)
4:28 - #8: Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince (1983)
6:40 - The TNBC Revolution Explained
8:38 - #7: City Guys (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125247/http://www.jumptheshark.com/c/cityguys.htm) (1997)
9:53 - #6: California Dreams (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125247/http://www.jumptheshark.com/c/californiadreams.htm) (1992)
11:26 - #5: Hey Vern, It's Ernest! (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125301/http://www.jumptheshark.com/h/heyvern.htm) (1988)
12:41 - #4: Hang Time (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125301/http://www.jumptheshark.com/h/hangtime.htm) (1995)
14:22 - #3: Ark II (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125335/http://www.jumptheshark.com/a/arkii.htm) (1976)
16:26 - #2: The Ghost Busters (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125158/http://www.jumptheshark.com/g/ghostbusters.htm) (1975)
18:32 - #1: Pryor's Place (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO7a2JeOBm8) (1984)
19:44 - What Killed Saturday Morning TV
22:00 - Conclusion
📺 SHOWS FEATURED:
Far Out Space Nuts (CBS, 1975-1976)
Monster Squad (NBC, 1976)
Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince (CBS, 1983)
City (https://unobtainium13.com/tag/city-guys/) Guys (https://web.archive.org/web/20140402223206/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3118770-city-high-roll-with-the-city-guys/?view=getnewpost) (NBC, 1997-2001)
California (https://unobtainium13.com/tag/california-dreams/) Dreams (https://web.archive.org/web/20190520064230/http://www.californiadreamsreviewed.com/) (NBC, 1992-1996)
Hey Vern, It's Ernest! (CBS, 1988)
Hang (https://web.archive.org/web/20140407133547/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3125331-hang-time/?view=getnewpost) Time (https://www.saturdaymorningsforever.com/2025/03/hang-time.html) (NBC, 1995-2000)
Ark II (CBS, 1976)
The Ghost Busters (CBS, 1975)
Pryor's Place (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CDZF3UYp1w) (CBS, 1984-1985)
Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125154/http://www.jumptheshark.com/e/electrawomananddynagirl.htm) (ABC, 1976-1977)
🎬 CELEBRITY CONNECTIONS:
Helen Hunt (Ark II)
Anthony Anderson (Hang Time)
Jay Hernandez (Hang Time)
Deidre Hall (Electra Woman and Dyna Girl)
Jim Varney (Hey Vern, It's Ernest!)
Bob Denver (Far Out Space Nuts)
Richard Pryor (Pryor's Place)
Fred Grandy - U.S. Congressman (Monster Squad)
Richard Pryor hosted a children's show. A future Congressman fought monsters. Helen Hunt appeared in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. These are the forgotten live-action Saturday morning shows that tried — and mostly failed — to replace cartoons.
From 1975 to 2002, broadcast networks repeatedly gambled that live-action programming could dethrone Saturday morning cartoons. Today we're counting down 10 forgotten shows from the Krofft brothers' psychedelic 1970s empire, CBS's lonely 1980s experiments, and NBC's TNBC teen sitcom takeover.
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction
1:16 - #10: Far Out Space Nuts (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125219/http://www.jumptheshark.com/f/faroutspacenuts.htm)(1975)
2:50 - #9: Monster Squad (1976)
4:28 - #8: Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince (1983)
6:40 - The TNBC Revolution Explained
8:38 - #7: City Guys (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125247/http://www.jumptheshark.com/c/cityguys.htm) (1997)
9:53 - #6: California Dreams (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125247/http://www.jumptheshark.com/c/californiadreams.htm) (1992)
11:26 - #5: Hey Vern, It's Ernest! (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125301/http://www.jumptheshark.com/h/heyvern.htm) (1988)
12:41 - #4: Hang Time (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125301/http://www.jumptheshark.com/h/hangtime.htm) (1995)
14:22 - #3: Ark II (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125335/http://www.jumptheshark.com/a/arkii.htm) (1976)
16:26 - #2: The Ghost Busters (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125158/http://www.jumptheshark.com/g/ghostbusters.htm) (1975)
18:32 - #1: Pryor's Place (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO7a2JeOBm8) (1984)
19:44 - What Killed Saturday Morning TV
22:00 - Conclusion
📺 SHOWS FEATURED:
Far Out Space Nuts (CBS, 1975-1976)
Monster Squad (NBC, 1976)
Benji, Zax & the Alien Prince (CBS, 1983)
City (https://unobtainium13.com/tag/city-guys/) Guys (https://web.archive.org/web/20140402223206/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3118770-city-high-roll-with-the-city-guys/?view=getnewpost) (NBC, 1997-2001)
California (https://unobtainium13.com/tag/california-dreams/) Dreams (https://web.archive.org/web/20190520064230/http://www.californiadreamsreviewed.com/) (NBC, 1992-1996)
Hey Vern, It's Ernest! (CBS, 1988)
Hang (https://web.archive.org/web/20140407133547/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3125331-hang-time/?view=getnewpost) Time (https://www.saturdaymorningsforever.com/2025/03/hang-time.html) (NBC, 1995-2000)
Ark II (CBS, 1976)
The Ghost Busters (CBS, 1975)
Pryor's Place (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CDZF3UYp1w) (CBS, 1984-1985)
Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125154/http://www.jumptheshark.com/e/electrawomananddynagirl.htm) (ABC, 1976-1977)
🎬 CELEBRITY CONNECTIONS:
Helen Hunt (Ark II)
Anthony Anderson (Hang Time)
Jay Hernandez (Hang Time)
Deidre Hall (Electra Woman and Dyna Girl)
Jim Varney (Hey Vern, It's Ernest!)
Bob Denver (Far Out Space Nuts)
Richard Pryor (Pryor's Place)
Fred Grandy - U.S. Congressman (Monster Squad)