“The Bicycle Man: Part 2” February 12, 1983 We’re joined by friend of the show Mike Limata to finish out the Tragedy of The Bicycle Man: Part 2. We last left Arnold (Gary Coleman) and Dudley (Shavar Ross) in the clutches of the vile Bicycle Store owner Mr. Horton (Gordon Jump). Little does Horton know that Mr. Drummond (Conrad Bain) has secretly gone to the bike shop to settle up for Arnold's bike. The boys make their daring escape only to be caught by Kimberly (Dana Plato) and Willis...

Diff'rent Strokes The Bicycle Man: Part 1 - February 5, 1983 We hemmed and hawed and dragged our feet until we could drag no longer. We watched The Bicycle Man: Part 1 and I think I need a drink. This "classic" episode of Diff'rent Strokes is one that we here at VSTV get asked about regularly so we reviewed it just for you. For the unfamiliar, Diff'rent Strokes follows Arnold (Gary Coleman) and Willis Jackson (Todd Bridges) - two brothers from Harlem taken in by wealthy Manhattan...

The Drew Carey Show A Very Special Drew - May 17, 2000 Remember The Drew Carey Show? It was like a less attractive, less glamorous Friends. Some would argue less funny. We here at VSTV would like to take this time to prove that hypothesis. In the year 2000 the folks over at The Drew Carey Show took it upon themselves to skewer this little theme of "very special" episodes with their own entry titled "A Very Special Drew." See the show had never won any Emmy's so they decided to throw in...

Walker Texas Ranger Lucas Part 2 - October 18, 1997 We’re finally back with part two of this wack-job of an episode. We’re joined by our favorite Texan Jennifer Mrazek to review the second half of Walker Texas Ranger episode Lucas - otherwise known as the one where the kid from Sixth Sense has AIDS. In case you were wondering, this episode is just as full of child endangerment as the last - more so! Lucas is still having night terrors about the people that tortured him his entire life and...

Lucas: Part 1 October 11, 1997 We've watched some doozies over the past two seasons but this episode, by far, ranks among the most hilariously over the top spectacles we've had the pleasure of reviewing. We watched Walker Texas Ranger with VSTV AllStar Jordan Vena and we are all better people for it. This episode opens the way some of the best 80's action movies closed - with a huge shootout on the grounds of a lavish mansion/drug den. Walker (Chuck Norris) and his band of Texas Rangers...

Samantha’s Growing Up - January 8, 1985 We’ve attempted to answer the age old question once, but we’re back to dig a little deeper to try and find out... Who’s the Boss? It looks like Samanther (Alyssa Milano) is growing up and Tony (Tony Danza) has to man up and buy her a training brassiere. Angeler (Judith Light) buys Sam a fancy dress for Sam’s 12th birthday party and Tony flips - he cant bare to see Sam growing up! Tony needs to decide on his birthday gift for Sam - a new baseball...

You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato (Parts 1 & 2), September 21, 1992 It’s the summer of re-boot-mania and Very Special Television is getting in on the action. We spent some time with the very funny Kelly Hardy to watch 90’s workplace political satire, Murphy Brown. If you’re not familiar, Murphy Brown followed the news team at FYI, a fictional news program led by Murphy Brown (Candace Bergen) a tough-talking recovering alcoholic, take-no-prisoners investigative reporter. Now follow along...

“High Anxiety” March 25, 1989 We’re spending a little more time on the lanai and revisiting the Golden Girls, this time with friends of the show Rob Heintz and Kelly Hardy. In this weeks installment we see ever-cheerful Rose, played by America's Nan Betty White, finally lose her cool. Sophia (Estelle Getty) drops some pills down the sink and Rose isn’t worried about her glaucoma - she’s coming down man - and she needs a fix! Turns out sweet, naive, dumb as a box of rocks Rose has been...

Dawson's Creek “Reunited” May 12, 1999 We’re joined by very special guest, and friend of the podcast, the very funny Jessica Boyle to watch quintessential 90’s teen-angst drama Dawson’s Creek. This weeks episode finds Andie (Meredith Monroe) seeing ghostly images of her dead brother Tim (Scott Denny) around Capeside. Pacey (Joshua Jackson) is struggling with a girlfriend in the throes of mental health crisis but we the audience get saddled with some Parent Trap-esque farce by way of Dawson...

“Beer Bad” November 2, 1999 We’re joined by most excellent friend of the podcast Autumn Brannon to watch the infamous Buffy The Vampire Slayer episode Beer Bad. In case during the early 2000’s you were living under a rock, in a drunken haze or a... millennial - Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her fast-talking teen pals were tasked with saving their hometown of Sunnydale (and the world) from various mythical creatures of lore. Vampires being the sexiest monsters got to be in the title but...

Blossom “Meat” (January 24th, 1994) This week, friend of the show Jeff Adams joins us to watch a bonkers episode of Blossom. As you know Blossom was the 90’s smash sitcom about the exploits of a precocious teenager, Blossom Russo (Mayim Bialik) and her bumbling, but well-intentioned family. Do you remember the time when Blossom and her father went “vegetarian”? Or the time Blossom kinda stepped out on her boyfriend then yelled at him for it? Or the time Tony (Michael Stoyanov) and Shelly...

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” November 3, 1997 Comedian Steven Eulenberg joined us to watch 7th Heaven and all of us ungodly heathens are better for it. This saccharine sweet family drama revolves around the Camden family and their wholesome / boring adventures navigating late 90s turmoil. This weeks episode finds younger son Simon (David Gallagher) and his skittish friend Stanley (Zachary Brown) trying really hard to hide the fact that Stan’s sister Karen (Shiri Appleby) is in a local...

“Thank God It’s Friday” February 10, 1987 Returning VSTV all-star Scott Youngbauer is back to watch this weeks episode. We sat through Growing Pains episode titled Thank God It’s Friday and I still don’t know how that titled relates. Mike (Kirk Cameron) and his buddies are trying to figure out something to do with their night when they run across one of the coolest upperclassmen in their school. Somehow they get him to tell them where the party is and they immediately stick out like sore...

“The Cheese Stands Alone” October 23, 1991 We’re joined by the awesome Ben Nelson and Whitney Barncord to watch 90’s classic Doogie Howser, M.D. In this weeks episode, America’s favorite squeaky voiced teen M.D. (Neil Patrick Harris) and tiny Italian stereotype Vinnie (Max Casella) are on a mission to get Vinnie some tail. When Janine (Lucy Boryer) declines Vinnie takes it a slight to his manhood. We soon find out Janine is still affected by a past trauma. Meanwhile, Vinnie is taking an...

"Wesley's Friend" January 31, 1986 We're joined by friend of the show Nick Perry for an episode handpicked from VSTV superfan Danny Meyers, we watched the classic Mr. Belvedere episode "Wesley's Friend." Wesley (Brice Beckham) gets bumped up from President Taft to Honest Abe Lincoln in the school President's Day Pageant when his titular friend Danny (Ian Fried) is taken out of school as he has been diagnosed with AIDS and its still 1986. Wesley gets some questionable information on what...

Strangers on the Net March 4, 1998 Jordan Vena lends us his voice this week as we watched Smart Guy. This late 90s WB entry deals with the titular “smart guy” T.J. (Tahj Mowry) and his adventures as a genius 10 year old navigating the waters of high school. In this episode T.J. nearly gets his “smart guy”card revoked as he and his friend Karen (Cerita Bicklemann) arrange to meet an internet stranger IRL to buy some bootleg video games. The stranger turns out to be a weirdo adult who lures...

“If You Can’t Be With The One You Love...” March 6, 1998 We’re joined by friend of the podcast Shane Leary to watch the much requested, too-hot-for-TV Boy Meets World causal-alcoholism episode. Corey (Ben Savage) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel) are broken up and their codependency is in full effect. Corey gets himself liquored up and brings Shawn (Rider Strong) along for the ride. Corey learns the folly of booze after one evening but Shawn takes alcoholism on as a hobby and all Hell breaks...

Kate and Allie w/ Michael Morgan “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” October 15, 1987 This week we’re joined by the very funny Michael Morgan to review the classic 1980’s Mom-Com Kate and Allie. Susan Saint James and Jane Curtin star as the titular Kate and Allie, two best friend divorcees who combine their mom powers and move in together to raise their kids. In this weeks episode, Allie (Curtin) leaves her purse in a cab and has to make her way though the mean streets of 1980’s Manhattan with...

“Joey’s Train “ September 14, 1985 It’s just family this week - the special guest is you the listener! We watched Gimme Break starring Nell Carter as Nell the sassy live-in housekeeper/surrogate mother to the Kanisky clan. The Chief (Dolph Sweet) just died and no one has moved on fully yet - Nell least of which. Joey (Joey Lawrence) receives a birthday gift and plays with it in the Chief’s old room and the audience is treated to a case of “shaken-Joey-syndrome” a-la Nell. After screaming,...

Home Improvement w/ Jeff Miller “The Longest Day” April 2, 1996 We’re joined by Jeff Miller (Black Crystal Wolf Kids, Trip Testers) to watch the classic Home Improvement episode where the Taylors take a break from all the power-tool related humor to give American families what they really wanted in 1990’s ABC sitcoms - realism. That’s right - its the one where Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) has a cancer scare - and the jokes come rolling in! We learn that it could either be a gland thing -...

Perfect Strangers "Karate Kids" November 11, 1987 You didn’t ask for it but you got it anyway - we watched Perfect Strangers and we’re no longer strangers to big laughs! Very Special Television welcomes friend of the show, the very funny David Grimes to watch the very dated 80’s odd-couple Perfect Strangers. Everyone loves a hilarious foreigner with a cute accent and we’re no different. Uptight American mensch Cousin Larry (Mark Linn-Baker) and free spirit Balki (Bronson Pinchot) are...

The Hogan Family “Bad Timing” February 8, 1987 VSTV is joined this week by Comic and 80’s sitcom memory archive Tim Murdock (@TimMurdock) to review long-lost 80's treasure, The Hogan Family. This Russian nesting doll of a family sitcom follows the titular Hogan Family led by matriarch Valerie (Valerie Harper) as she navigates working motherhood. Today's after school special of an episode finds teen-heartthrob son David (Jason Bateman) deciding if he should "lose it" to his long lost...

It’s time to take another trip to Bel-Air and review The Fresh Prince - this time we’re joined by the very funny Kelsey Rodgers (@kelsington). Will (Will Smith) owes Carlton (Alfonso Ribeiro) some dough so they head to the ATM in the wee hours of the night, even though Will should know better. As happens whenever anyone visits an ATM in L.A. county - they get robbed at gunpoint. Carlton makes a mess of the whole affair and the gunman shoots - but Will takes the bullet. Everyone is afraid...

Beverly Hills 90210 “U4EA” November 14, 1991 The wait is over, Season 2 is finally upon us. The guys are joined by longtime friend of the podcast J. Lyn Johnston to review the legendary 90’s hit Beverly Hills 90210. This classic “drugs are bad” episode finds Brandon (Jason Priestly), Brenda (Shannen Doherty) and the gang finding their way to an “underground” warehouse party with the help of evil proto-P!nk biker bake Emily Valentine (Christine Elise). After exchanging an egg (trust me) to...