Launched in 2003, Television Obscurities is dedicated to the study and preservation of the forgotten history of television in the United States. For the past 15 years, I’ve researched, watched, and written about short-lived TV shows, unsold pilot episodes, fall preview specials, network image campaigns, and so much more. Check out my blog, follow me on Twitter, and contact me with any questions.
Blog
A Year in TV Guide: April 22nd, 1989
This week’s installment of A Year in TV Guide: 1989 tackles the April 22nd, 1989 issue, which includes articles about Mr. T and Farrah Fawcett.
NBC Fall 1974 Promotional Spot
Watch a 60-second promotional spot for NBC’s Fall 1974 lineup.
New Colorized I Love Lucy Special Airing on CBS Tonight
A new hour-long special featuring two colorized episodes of I Love Lucy airs tonight on CBS from 8-9PM ET.
Articles
Enjoy more than 80 articles covering a variety of topics, from short-lived TV shows like The New People and The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. to untold stories about the TV networks and the TV industry.
Spotlight
Each Spotlight focuses on either a short-lived TV show like The Second Hundred Years and Struck By Lightning or an unsold pilot like “Men Against Evil” (1966) and “The Karen Valentine Program” (1974).
Exhibits
Browse early program guides from the 1940s, watch vintage sponsor spots for Marlboro Cigarettes or Breck Shampoo, read a promotional booklet for an unsold dramatic anthology, and more.
TV’s Lost & Found
Sadly, much of our television history no longer exists. Many early, live broadcasts were never recorded. Others that were recorded (on film or videotape) were later destroyed, erased, or misplaced. The search for lost and missing television never ends.