Season 1 (2012-2013)
All episodes of Season 1 were broadcast in 4:3, not 16:9.
| Episode | Synopsis | Airdate | Provided By |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Max Headroom Incident of 1987 |
On the night of Sunday, November 22nd, 1987, a mysterious figure in a Max Headroom mask hijacked two Chicago TV stations. Spoiler alert: The perpetrators were never found. Series premiere | July 5, 2012 | OddityArchive |
|
Emergency Broadcast Salute |
An informal (not to mention, loose) history of Civil Defense Broadcasting in the U.S. |
July 19, 2012 (April 21, 2016) |
OddityArchive |
|
TV Sign-Offs |
Remember when TV stations used to go off the air late at night? Anyone? |
August 2, 2012 |
OddityArchive |
|
Local TV Special |
Interested in seeing a clown so laid-back, he forgets he's on camera? Now about a Hawaiian teen idol with a pen fetish? Maybe an American Bandstand ripoff with an evil spirit hosting? If you answered yes to any of these questions, watch this episode--then seek immediate professional help. |
August 16, 2012 (February 25, 2016) |
OddityArchive |
|
American EXXXtasy |
The Archive's most infamous episode--for some reason. |
August 30, 2012 |
OALostEpisodes |
|
Conservative Folk Music |
Meet the artists that made the likes of Joan Baez and Pete Seeger fear for their careers. |
September 13, 2012 |
OALostEpisodes |
|
Format Wars |
VHS or Beta? Laserdisc or CED? What the hell is a CED anyway? These burning questions (amongst others) answered in this episode! |
September 27, 2012 |
OddityArchive |
|
1-900-ARCHIVE |
Join Ben as he launches his own 1-900 number. What could possibly go wrong? |
October 11, 2012 |
OALostEpisodes |
|
Halloween Special 2012 (Strange VHS Endings) |
We still get a lot of flack for this episode (did you really think there were 37 minutes of odd VHS endings out there?). Nonetheless, it's still a favorite. |
October 25, 2012 |
OddityArchive |
|
Captain Midnight/Vrillon |
An Archive double header: The two most famous occurrences of Broadcast Signal Hijacking (well, save for the Max Headroom Incident) are discussed here. |
November 8, 2012 |
OddityArchive |
|
Pay TV (but not Cable or Satellite) |
The Oddity Archive will now be switching to scrambled mode. Please turn on your (preferably, circa 1984) decoder box now. |
November 15, 2012 |
OddityArchive |
|
Top (Thanksgiving) Turkeys of the (19)90's |
Because we always like to go the extra mile (at least, when it's convenient), the Archive tackles TWO lists of the worst of the (19)90's: The top 4 Trendy Turkeys and the top 4 Technological Turkeys of the (again, 19)90's. |
November 22, 2012 |
OddityArchive |
|
Local TV Vol. 2 (Kiddie Show Hosts) |
The 13th episode is a very unlucky one for Ben as he discusses some (all too often, rather off) U.S. Kiddie Show hosts from the early 1950's through the late 1990's. |
December 6, 2012 |
OddityArchive |
|
Christmas Special 2012 (A Fair Use Christmas) |
All Ben wanted for Christmas was a silent night... |
December 20, 2012 |
OddityArchive |
|
Teletext Heaven (or Hell) |
Ceefax and Keyfax, Nite-Owl and Cable Chuckles, oh my... |
January 3, 2013 (September 21, 2015) |
OddityArchive |
|
Intermission |
It's movie day at the Archive! Unfortunately, due to copyright issues, you're not invited. But, at least you can join us for an intermission reel (conveniently containing all Public Domain footage!). |
January 10, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
Prehistoric Television |
Given how much we discuss TV on the Archive, a history lesson seemed in order. |
January 17, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
gniksaM sdrawkcaB (Backwards Masking) |
?segassem lanimilbus tahW ?huH Everyone knows there are no subliminal messages in music...(!slatrom nwod wob ,woN) |
January 31, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
Valentine's Day Special 2012 (Dating Services) |
Join Ben as he discusses some of the Dating Services of the 1980's to present. And, if you're good, maybe Ben will let you join him in his own quest for a date. |
February 14, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
Local TV Vol. 3 (Public Access) |
Temporarily exiled from the big leagues of Internet TV, Ben (again, temporarily) sets up camp at his local Public Access outlet. |
February 28, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
Protect & Survive |
It's the feel-good episode of the year as Ben discusses the (in)famous British Nuclear War preparedness campaign. |
March 14, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
Duck and Cover |
Because you can (apparently) never have enough nukes... |
March 28, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
Scary Logos (and other Nostalgic Video Terrors) |
What is it about end logos and FBI Warnings that scared so many children of the VHS era? |
April 11, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
Hell's Bells (The Dangers Of Rock And Roll) |
Can pure rock sound really hard-boil an egg? Of course not. It does make for some wicked "deviled" eggs though. |
April 25, 2013 |
OALostEpisodes |
|
Employee Training Videos |
Things have gotten so dire at The Archive that Ben's been forced to take a "real" job. Join him as he takes a look at his potential employers' training videos. |
May 9, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
VHS Vault Vol. 1 (Amvest Video) |
Ever wanted to know the absolute root of the Oddity Archive? Well, it involves a creepy guy in a Hamster costume... Season finale |
May 23, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
Commentaries
| Episode | Synopsis | Airdate | Provided By |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Max Headroom Incident of 1987 (Commentary) |
A much more straightforward discussion of the Max Headroom Incident. And, as a bonus, a brief history of the Archive (current as of October, 2012). | October 18, 2012 | OddityArchive |
|
TV Sign-Offs (Commentary) |
An informal discussion of the TV Sign-Offs episode. |
December 13, 2012 |
OddityArchive |
|
Emergency Broadcast Salute (Commentary) |
Something about February always gets Ben thinking about Civil Defense Broadcasting. |
February 7, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
American EXXXtasy (Commentary) |
Perhaps the Archive's most infamous episode needed a little more context. Maybe not. Nevertheless, it got it anyway--the context, that is. |
April 4, 2013 |
OALostEpisodes |
|
Local TV Vol. 1 (Commentary) |
A commentary cut for the Local TV Special that was originally shelved due to a factual error regarding Indianapolis-based Horror Movie Host, Sammy Terry. Well, that and a couple of other brain farts. |
June 13, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
VHS Vault Vol. 1 (Amvest Video) (Commentary) |
Recorded before the original episode premiered. Since then, we've learned that: |
June 27, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
Decimals
For example: 1.5. Excludes commentaries, which are listed above.
Coming soon...
Season 2 (2013-2014)
This season brings an upgrade from 4:3 to 16:9.
| Episode | Synopsis | Airdate | Provided By |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bicentennial Fever |
Because nothing says "Happy 200th, America" like crappy "collectibles", Up With People and bizarre Government films. | July 4, 2013 | OALostEpisodes |
|
Record Rip-Offs |
Featuring such great (non-)hits from the likes of Hairy Nielsen, BAAB, William Turkey and many, many more! Order today!!! |
July 8, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
VHS Vault Vol. 2 (Fashion Videos) |
What do you mean Ben is fashion-challenged? |
August 1, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
LaserKaraoke (Archive LaserKaraoke Party!) |
Seeing as the Archive somehow managed to hit the 30 episode mark, it seemed like a good time to throw a nice, little (tax-deductible) party. Plus, Ben sings a viewer poll-selected song (a move that was instantly regretted by all who voted). |
August 15, 2013 (July 12, 2018) |
OddityArchive |
|
Number Stations (And Other Radio Oddities) |
Covert broadcasts...and how to decode them (your results may vary). |
August 29, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
The EAS Zombie Hoax of 2013 |
Or, as Ben likes to call it, the Max Headroom Incident's annoying, less creative little brother. |
September 12, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
8-Tracks (or, The Care & Feeding Of Your 8-Track) |
And Ben thought it would just be another cool toy for his collection. How naive... |
September 20, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
VHS Vault Vol. 3 (Gambling Videos) |
Learn to gamble--Archive style! God help us... |
September 26, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
Kiddie Disco Records |
Come visit the Archive Children's Disco before it's condemned! |
October 14, 2013 |
OALostEpisodes |
|
Halloween Special 2013 (Italian Dance Party/Son Of Halloween Riffs) |
Forced to discuss his fourth knockoff Disco record in a row, Ben has a slight meltdown. |
October 24, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
Format Wars Vol. 2 (Pre-Betamax) |
VHS vs. Beta? How 1977... |
November 7, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
VHS Vault Vol. 4 (VCR Games) |
Ben's still having nightmares about being forced to play charades with Rich Little. |
November 21, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
QUBE Interactive TV |
An interesting, but (unsurprisingly) failed, early attempt at multimedia interactivity. |
December 5, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
A Bargain Bin Christmas (or, Ben's Holiday Hits!) |
Five forgotten holiday albums that will...more than likely remain forgotten. |
December 19, 2013 |
OddityArchive |
|
Infomercials |
Have you ever wanted to make "melons" in real estate? If so, you've come to the right place! |
January 2, 2014 |
OddityArchive |
|
Industrial Musicals (or, The Archive Sells Out!) |
...because salesmen need the comfort of knowing that their product is truly the answer to all problems (consumerist OR existential). |
January 16, 2014 (December 1, 2016) |
OddityArchive |
|
Educational Film Salute (or, The Stock Footage Special!) |
Don't screw with Jam Handy! |
January 23, 2014 |
OddityArchive |
|
Teknikel Diffikultees (Technical Difficulties) |
The Archive is currently experiencing technical difficulties...LOTS of them...and Ben refuses to take responsibility. So there. |
February 6, 2014 |
OddityArchive |
|
PSA's (or, The More You Know, The Less You Understand) |
If V.D. really is for everybody, why don't I have it? |
February 20, 2014 |
OddityArchive |
|
Interstitials |
...because only Ben would be stupid enough to devote an entire regular Archive episode to between-show filler. |
March 6, 2014 |
OddityArchive |
|
A Tour Of The Archive (Or, Roll Up For The Magical, Mysterious Archive Tour) |
Alternate Title: Why Ben should never make a full "behind-the-scenes" episode. Alternate Title #2: Ben stammers for 38 minutes. Alternate Title #3: Why Ben will never get a date. |
March 20, 2014 |
OddityArchive |
|
More Record Rip-Offs |
The Archive gathers together all your favorite '70's hits--then realizes that the major labels, the RIAA, etc. would have our nuts in a sling over it. More ripoff records it is then! All 70's edition! |
April 3, 2014 |
OddityArchive |
|
Test Cards (and Patterns) |
Wait, there's a logic to all this? |
April 17, 2014 |
OddityArchive |
|
Going Analog |
It's time for a few changes in Archiveland. |
May 1, 2014 |
OddityArchive |
|
Weather Warnings |
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE FALSE NOSTALGIA WARNING FOR YOUR AREA UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. |
May 8, 2014 |
OddityArchive |
|
VHS Vault Vol. 5 (Y2K Apocalypse Party!) |
Alternate Title: How to Survive an Unprovoked Attack From Your Electric Mixer. Season finale. |
May 29, 2014 |
OddityArchive |
Season 3 (2014-2015)
| Episode | Synopsis | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
|
U-Matic (or, How I Spent My Summer) |
So much for taking a break... | July 10, 2014 |
|
The Great Archive Treasure Hunt |
Another existential crisis in Archive-land? Get your head out of your ass, Benny boy! |
July 24, 2014 |
|
Return of the Son of Record Rip-Offs (or, Record Rip-Offs, Vol. 3) |
We've only just begun...to hurt. |
August 7, 2014 |
|
Macrovision (and one other nostalgic copy-protection hassle) |
Copying this video may cause your computer to randomly burst into flames. The Archive assumes no liability. |
August 21, 2014 |
|
LaserKaraoke Vol. 2 (Aqua Net Edition) |
Is there really such a thing as too much LaserKaraoke? Let's find out with this special double (if not triple) length episode! |
September 4, 2014 |
|
Laserdiscs (and their children) |
For all the time we've spent with this format, a full look at it (and its offshoots) seemed only natural. |
September 18, 2014 |
|
Copy-Protection Vol. 2 (Odds and Ends) |
WARNING: This episode is coated in a new, ultra high-tech substance that may cause colorful sparks to emit from your computer. |
October 2, 2014 |
|
Shortwave DX-ing (or, Shortwave for Rank Amateurs) |
The most headache-inducing Archive episode to date. Guaranteed. |
October 16, 2014 |
|
Hallmark Presents: The Sounds of Halloween |
This year's (apparently now requisite) Halloween album review. This was actually meant to be just a minisode, but it ran really long. Consider it a "bonus" Archive episode. |
October 23, 2014 |
|
Halloween Special 2014 (Archive Wares: Rejuvenique Facial System) |
Test-driving a new, potential recurring concept, "Archive Wares". The idea is to look at items from the golden age of infomercials ('80's through early 2000's) and their ads and/or tutorial videos. |
October 30, 2014 |
|
Local TV Vol. 4 (Local Commercials) |
Well, that only took a year-and-a-half to follow through with another Local TV installment. No, this wasn't painful at all. |
November 13, 2014 |
More to come...
Season 4 (2015-2016)
Coming soon...
Season 5 (2016-2017)
Coming soon...
Season 6 (2017-2018)
Coming soon...
Season 7 (2018-2019)
Coming soon...
Season 8 (2019-2020)
Coming soon...
Season 9 (2020-2021)
Coming soon...