Turn-On: The Worst Show Of All Time? Watch And Decide! - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Sal · 09-24-2023, 08:13 PM

Ever since the internet and social media became prominent in our society, TV fans have loved to argue about which series have been the best and also which ones have been the worst. One of the most common names mentioned as being one of the worst is a show that was so bad that it was cancelled before the first episode even finished airing! It was a show called "Turn-On" which was supposed to be ABC's answer to "Laugh-In". It had many of the same elements that made "Laugh-In" a success: a fast pace, visual humor, quick cuts in between scenes, pretty girls to look at, and a very funny host in Tim Conway. However, many of the viewers who saw the episode were quickly turned off by "Turn-On", particularly its psychedelic imagery and overly sexual jokes, and ABC quickly pulled the plug and the series ended just like that.

What do you think? Was it really that bad? Until now, this was yet another lost series that could not be found on YouTube or anywhere else but it is now available on the Internet Archive along with a 2nd unaired episode that would have aired the following week and picks up where the first one left off. For those of you who are curious enough and brave enough to watch it, here it is:

Turn On - Episode 1 - Feb. 5, 1969 + Episode 2 - Unaired

howilu · 09-25-2023, 09:55 AM

This show definitely belongs in the Leonard Pinth Garnell Hall of Fame as Bad TV Comedy. Leonard Pinth Garnell was a character played by Dan Aykroyd on the original Saturday Night Live who introduced "Bad________".

TJ · 10-07-2023, 01:06 PM

The first two episodes of Turn-On, the late 60s series that was infamously canceled midway through the first episode (on one ABC affiliate, at least), will be available on YouTube this week.

https://deadline.com/2023/10/infamou...ry-1235566393/

70s show watcher · 10-07-2023, 04:49 PM

after watching the first ep i have to say that while some of it alot of it in fact may have been off puting to 1969 tv viewers i myself laughed at some of the jokes and imho much much worse tv series have than this one have come and gone since 1969 so no its not really that bad

1960'sTVfan · 10-09-2023, 10:40 AM

It seems to me that Turn-On was a turn off and a failure because the majority of people thought it was a lame rip off of Laugh In.

09-24-2023, 08:13 PM	#1
Sal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 20, 2001 Location: Oakville, Ont. Canada Posts: 6,169	Turn-On: The Worst Show Of All Time? Watch And Decide! Ever since the internet and social media became prominent in our society, TV fans have loved to argue about which series have been the best and also which ones have been the worst. One of the most common names mentioned as being one of the worst is a show that was so bad that it was cancelled before the first episode even finished airing! It was a show called "Turn-On" which was supposed to be ABC's answer to "Laugh-In". It had many of the same elements that made "Laugh-In" a success: a fast pace, visual humor, quick cuts in between scenes, pretty girls to look at, and a very funny host in Tim Conway. However, many of the viewers who saw the episode were quickly turned off by "Turn-On", particularly its psychedelic imagery and overly sexual jokes, and ABC quickly pulled the plug and the series ended just like that. What do you think? Was it really that bad? Until now, this was yet another lost series that could not be found on YouTube or anywhere else but it is now available on the Internet Archive along with a 2nd unaired episode that would have aired the following week and picks up where the first one left off. For those of you who are curious enough and brave enough to watch it, here it is: Turn On - Episode 1 - Feb. 5, 1969 + Episode 2 - Unaired
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09-25-2023, 09:55 AM	#2
howilu Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: St. Louis Park, MN Posts: 1,959	This show definitely belongs in the Leonard Pinth Garnell Hall of Fame as Bad TV Comedy. Leonard Pinth Garnell was a character played by Dan Aykroyd on the original Saturday Night Live who introduced "Bad________".

10-07-2023, 01:06 PM	#3
TJ Site Owner Administrator Forum Star Join Date: Feb 03, 2000 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 10,668	The first two episodes of Turn-On, the late 60s series that was infamously canceled midway through the first episode (on one ABC affiliate, at least), will be available on YouTube this week. https://deadline.com/2023/10/infamou...ry-1235566393/

10-07-2023, 04:49 PM	#4
70s show watcher Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 20, 2008 Location: between point place and studio 8 h Posts: 4,548	after watching the first ep i have to say that while some of it alot of it in fact may have been off puting to 1969 tv viewers i myself laughed at some of the jokes and imho much much worse tv series have than this one have come and gone since 1969 so no its not really that bad

10-09-2023, 10:40 AM	#5
1960'sTVfan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 30, 2009 Posts: 6,074	It seems to me that Turn-On was a turn off and a failure because the majority of people thought it was a lame rip off of Laugh In.