Hey guys! This episode of GBNF was made from suggestions from fans who emailed us demanding this show be covered on this series. If you want to make suggestions for future episodes of GBNF then e-mail GBNFSeries@gmail.com and maybe we’ll cover your show!
I remember this show so much. I used to watch this, Mr wizard and double dare regularly like a typical 80’s child. It’s hard to kill off due to the overwhelming nostalgia and funny segments it gave us. Great times.
Ayoo I used to sit on the forced air heater in a blanket bubble watching this, Mr Wizard, and The Three Stooges every day before the bus to school. Good times.
Christine "Moose" McGlade got on the show unintentionally. A friend of hers went to audition and McGlade went with her. The casting director told her she either had to audition or leave, so she auditioned. They loved her snarky attitude and comedic timing and they hired her. Her friend was not hired.
"HEEYYYYYY, Alister?" "Yeah Moose...?" I loved this show. Watched it all five of those nights it aired. It was a regular part of my life. Thanks for making this video. Yes. I'm old.
i just turned 50, im there with ya! it helped form my sense of humor. hardly a day goes by when i think of or say something from the show and nobody gets it
I absolutely LOVED this show! All of my siblings and I were big fans and we never missed it. I totally watch again if it were available on a streaming platform.
I grew up watching this show, and loved every minute of it. It was like a blend of SNL, and Monty Python, but for kids. I would definitely buy a boxed set featuring all the episodes in a heart beat.😁
I love this show. The firing squad, Barth''s diner, and the locker room sketches were my favorite. I learned about the Cold War from the time Soviet spies tried to take over the studio.
The first time i really liked RU-vid was the day i woke up and realized how desperately I missed Fraggle Rock. In that desperation I decided to search it here and hello Ep 1! It's a nice place we've got here :)
I grew up in Ottawa. I watched this show on CJOH and had NO IDEA anyone outside of Ottawa watched it. It still blows my mind that it was big in the USA.
The 80s were true magic and these days it's like anti magic vampires are sucking it all out. Now that would be a good show. LOL. I feel sorry for the kids today, imagination is so lacking. Morticia
@@TrueFineGentleman the cold War was why it was so magical- cause we thought knew who the bad guys were. We could unite over the beauty of blue jeans,Coca cola,"freedom" in comparison to soviet life.
Agree 100% the 80’s in any place USA was a fun time to grow up and this show was part of our everyday life. We watched it, talked about it, and to some degree even emulated funny parts of it. Great memories!
@@marblemunkey Back when sketch comedy was funny stuff. Love Monty Python. Kids in the hall I always liked too. Hell even Saturday night live was funny back then.
THE BEST Children's show of ALL TIME IMO!!! I hope at some point they finally clear the series for being on DVD so we can all can have lasting memories.
I do have this on DVD. It's a 12 disc set that I bought online years ago. But I played the first disc and the quality seems like it was taken from a bad VHS copy. There's no company name on the box. Seems like someone did this at home. Not sure if this is still even for sale online anymore.
I found this show after Nickelodeon came to my local cable company. This was in 1984, right around my 10th birthday. I was definitely the target demographic. My friends at school and I would have recap discussions about the episodes on the playground. This show helped to shape my youth and I am thankful for it.
This show was my absolute favorite growing up in the 80s and 90s! I wish the whole series was available to either purchase or stream... Oh the memories!!
Indeed and, thinking back, I wonder if this really influenced me as I was growing up. It may have instilled the idea in me that being ignorant or intellectually lazy just wasn't cool or acceptable and could get me into trouble, thus leading me to learn and understand as much as I could and exercise critical thinking. This was such a great show.
I feel the opposite. Too many people don’t feel free to admit when they don’t know something. They end up lying or having attitudes or changing the topic. It makes having a simple conversation or getting customer service much harder than it should be.
This show will always hold a special place in my heart. Back in 5th grade, in Clearwater Florida, I got to be on the show! There was a segment, each episode, where they would go around and ask school kids questions on the topic of the episode. I was chosen! I got to spend the whole day with Christine McGlade (I had such a crush on her!) And I got to be on at least two episodes (The Future & Priorities). It was so badass to watch the episodes and see myself on TV! Flash forward to about a year ago, and I was telling some Canadian friends of mine about being on the show. One of them actually hunted down the episode about the future, clipped my interview, and sent it to me. Wow! They really need to release the whole show on DVD for today's generation and for those of us who remember it fondly.
I am officially jealous of you! You got to spend a whole day with Christine McGlade! There is nothing I wouldn't have given up to have been able to do that back then! I too had a crush on her. I had a picture of her on my bedroom wall 🙂
God, imagine a whole generation of kids being exposed to a show full of actual kids with no gimmick who were treated fairly and got to go to school like normal kids. It’s funny, it’s weird, and it’s not dumb. Imagine how those kids would grow up wanting to see more shows like that. That’s probably why it hasn’t been rereleased-not nearly as monetizable as all the disney-type trash studios can’t stop cranking out. 😕
Moose, Lisa, Alasdair - good times. Les was a genius character actor & it's to be appreciated today how brilliant those simple skits like The Firing Squad were - vaudeville for kids. Used to tape record the show & listen to it on my walkman.
I always thought Moose was hot. She even wore a swimsuit (one-piece) in one episode. Btw, though a lot of people thought Moose was a fat joke, she was nicknamed it because she was the smallest kid in her class when she started school.
I absolutely loved "You Can't Do That On Television" as a kid. Les as the cook had me in stitches. Sure, you could see the water or "I don't know" jokes coming a mile off, but it was still so good. LOL
As a kid I don't think I ever realized Les played all those roles. In fact I don't think it ever occurred to me until watching this just now. That has to be worthy of some kind of award.
I love the mom, with her curly red wig, blue house dress, and yellow dish gloves! There was one sketch, it was a "your momma" joke. The kid comes home crying, "the kids at school make fun of me... Saying my mother wears army boots!" She replies, "Oh, honey... they just make it easier to step on all the cockroaches!" 😂
Same here. I'm in my 40s and just thought "holy crap, it IS him". I knew most were the same guy but never noticed he played all of them. I know those old radio actors that came to screen were often able to create new personas with just their voices, accents, timing, etc that were so real, you often perceived them differently visually even if all they did was change clothes.
It seems you and I really share in this. I just turned 46 yesterday, and this was one of my go-to shows when I was a kid. Like you, Christine really stood out to me as well, and I'd say the crush factor was certainly right up there. I'm glad that it gets showcased every now and again.
Yep I’m 46 now too so we are the same age bracket and I fondly remember getting home from school and watching this every day. Sigh times were simpler then….
*YOU NAILED IT.* People especially in media dont give children enough credit and that is where YCDTOT shined. It never pandered or felt like adults speaking down to you. It was fresh, irreverent and most importantly spoke to kids in their own voice. I absolutely loved this show but Barth (LES) so skeeved me out with his blood, bandaged and disheveled look handling food it killed my appetite. For this reason I was not allowed to watch the show after school and before dinner (my Pop and I still snuck it in and I believe even at 65 years old he enjoyed it as much as I did) Lisa was my first crush by the way. Oh boy was she
my face now hurts from grinning for 22 minutes... this show was such an integral part of my formative development!!! Thank you so much for making this and absolutely making my whole week!!
I'm an Aussie and even we got this show down under, one of my favourite shows when I was growing up. Thanks for the reminder JoBlo. Wish I could get a full set on BR or DVD.
Wow, what a trip down memory lane! I LOVED this show as a kid, and my dad loved it almost as much as I did. I had a bit of a crush on Alistair. The sketch that been running through my head lately is one where they are in choir rehearsal and the choir master is growing increasingly frustrated with the dark haired boy (I can't remember his name) messing up. Finally the boy picks up his hymnal and starts singing, "Oh, Spider-Man. Oh, Spider-Man..." The choir master stops him, yells at him while taking his hymnal, and sees the comic book hidden inside. He takes the comic, kicks the kid out and says as he starts to read, "I haven't read this one yet." That one always make me chuckle.
Yeah when he didn’t mention Laugh-In for it’s influential parts for this show obviously, especially the Locker bit. I guarantee the writers knew that they were extending that Laugh-In gag.
Even when the late Les Lye was doing his Gary Owens at the end of each episode where he says you can't do that on television is a "you get what's coming to you." production, and he would say something that's supposed to be off-kilter and biting as if they forgot to turn off the microphone.
You can’t do that on television is a young people’s version of “Rowan and Martin Laugh-In”. I always love at the start of the episode a TV show parody that ties into the theme of the episode. With The Gary Owens’ style character played by the late Les Lye. It’s done in the style of an intended program that gets canceled or a preempted show. The show was originally titled whatever turns you on, but became called you can’t do that on television.
It's a crime that this video doesn't have more views. I watched this show ALL THE TIME. This show is as much a part of my youthful memories as G.I. Joe, Transformers and so much other 80's pop culture. Great vid!
I always assumed that "You Can't Do That on Television" was heavily influenced by "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," with the themes, sketches, recurring characters, the water splashes (sock-it-to-me), and especially the ending the people popping out of the wall to tell corny jokes.
I used to love this show. One scene that never left my head was in Barth's diner. I don't remember the exact context but he had a dog licking the plates clean. When it was revealed, all the kids started throwing up. I was so young I didn't see what the problem was! 🤣
I remember being obsessed with this show. For all the exact same reasons you listed, as well as also having a massive crush on Christine McGlade. Thanks for doing such a great retrospective on it.
I had a crush on Christine too. Being in Ottawa, I was hoping to one day run into her but it never happened. Talked to Abby at a ComicCon a few years ago. Many of the cast apparently still see each other.
Glad a few other people said this. Totally had a crush on Christine, too! She was a normal looking pretty girl on TV, which sounds weird, but totally made her likable.
This show and all those early Nickelodeon shows are burned into my soul. The Little Prince, Sebastian and bell, danger mouse, mysterious cities of Gold, pinwheel, Nick rocks, turkey TV, mad movies the list goes on and on.
Mysterious Cities of Gold! Ahhh I loved that so much. It was based on a book. I’ve seen clips of a stage show either in France or French-speaking Canada, not sure which. The theme song was iconic!
as a Canadian born in 1978 I loved this show so very much! It will always hold a huge place in my heart and comedic leanings. I was also lucky enough to have some connections to the people and studio as an adult. I am really glad that it won't ever be remade. It was of its time and was amazing because of everyone that made it. I would be over the moon if it was released properly to rewatch. I didn't know it was on Paramount + though so will have to check that out! Thanks!
As a Canadian kid I remember watching that show every weekend from its beginning. It was a popular show in Canada and was picked up nationally after the first season. It was very different that other kids TV at the time and gained a lot of followers.
Absolutely loved this show! Surprised my parents let me even watch it though. Miss this, Lassie, Mr. Wizard, Pinwheel, and Today’s Special. I was glued to Nick from 87-95.
Memories. I went for an interview to go on the show In 1990 (just after I turned 10) and then found out it was cancelled. So they gave me a whole bunch of stuff, and photos the cast autographed, and even some older autographed photos from the mid 80s. I wonder if my mother still has the box with it all back in Canada.
Thanks for covering YCDTOT! I was OBSESSED with this show back in the day. I watched it whenever it came on guaranteed! I wish all the episodes were available to watch now, but I guess they will have to live on in my memories...
As an Aussie, I see kids these days being taught everything they know by American television. But us kids back in the 80s - Canadian television all the way baby! YKDTOT and Degrassi!
this was my absolute FAVORITE nickelodeon show as a kid! i never missed an episode. watching these old clips brings back so many memories... thanks for the nostalgia❤
Wow I TOTALLY forgot about this show. Feeling the rush of nostalgia when seeing the intro, the lockers, and the slime.. after all these years. I realize now, as a middle aged man, that watching this show at a very young age left an impression in the creativity I have today. Very cool to see and be reminded of this show.
I think the issue is that the show aired before companies keeping copies of all the reels, so most of what has been uploaded is what people have on old tapes. I don't think anyone at the time thought people would want to watch it again 30 years later.
I was born in 88`and regrettably never saw this but "All That" was a cornerstone of my child hood and still genuinely love seeing Kenan on Saturday night live
I remember the first time I saw that show. I was at a friends house who had cable, and I was in awe. We got cable shortly after and I watched every episode. Thanks for taking me back to that magical time. ❤️
I watched the first show that aired on the first day it aired in the United States. I believe it was either Pinwheel or Today's Special. You Can't Do That on Television, Bananaman, Danger Mouse, were all classics!
Same. I think it was more likely because it grossed her out than because it would be ‘a bad influence.’ Instead of watching this I went out and hung out with kids in the neighborhood who taught me how to swear like a sailor. GG mom 😂
Hey Jesse, thanks for covering this ultra classic tv show! 👏👏👏👏You are right, this is a very unique show that can never be remade today, considering that kids aspire to become tv and movie stars, coupled by the fact that there are no shows that currently employ real kids anymore. This was an AWESOME show that was way ahead of its time. I just saw a couple of episodes on RU-vid for the first time since the 1980's when I used to watch it with my friends in New York and it was like being transported back into time! Such a great era and I will always cherish those wonderful memories for the rest of my life. ❤ One thing that surprised me was that the show featured some rather dark subject matter such as smoking, drugs, sexual equality, peer pressure, as well as the controversial adoption episode, and the El Capitano episodes where he was preparing to order a firing squad to execute one of the child actors tied up standing in front of a firing post, and Barth killing the kids with his poisonous burgers! I had forgotten that the show had dark humor! 😆😆😆😆 One thing is for certain, a show like this could never be made today, that is, it would never sit well with the feminists / social justice warriors / woke / cancel culture crowd! 😏 I did not know that some of the episodes were destroyed in a fire, that is unfortunate, but I do hope that the surviving episodes make it on DVD someday because this is a show that is worth preserving. Thanks for sharing and I look forward to more episodes of your show! 🙂
This was my favorite show as a kid! I didn't have a VCR in my room to record it, so I would record the audio on my radio and listen to it later. Great memories!
The drug episode with the pie payoff is incredible. It really had an impact on me with continued reverberations on duel levels of the awesome boldness to make the message a traditionally broad comedy bit on a children's television program which is just brilliant and subversive; the second being the utter absurd surrealism of the nature of addiction and how bizarrely arbitrary it all is. This hit me in all the right places of artistic integrity and adalecence authenticy. Even with my bs detector being that of a middle aged dude. Thanks for pointing this show out.
Comedy delivers much more to kids than drama. All the ‘very special episodes’ about drugs rang hollow and funny for all the wrong reasons because sincere pie jokes are much more memorable than any terrible script written by adults that are full of hello fellow kids energy.
Loved this show as a kids and you're absolutely right about the theme song, I've looked it up on RU-vid a few times just for the nostalgia. Great video thank you making it.
I still miss this show. My memories of it are all positive. I feel like I would watch it today, even though I’m no longer the target audience. I may have to get Paramount plus now, just to see it again. Really wish it would be released on DVD. Thanks for revisiting this iconic series!!
Grew up watching this. I was so young (born 1982) As I got older a lot of people my age couldn’t remember or never watched it before. It was so hard find people to talk to about it. Lol
Same boat as you. I was born in 1982 and remember seeing it on TV all the time in my earliest years; however, I was so young that the memories I kept of it since those days have always been quite vague. For example, I could remember the repeated scenarios of the sketches (Barf's diner, the firing squad with the Castro dude, the parent's at the dinner table, the "I don't know?" slime gag, the locker scenes, etc..), but I had no memory of any of the actual context of any of it. I think the only reason it was even on my TV so much when I was so young is that I have a sister that is about 4 years older than me, and all I can gather is she watched it regularly.
This show came out in my prime adolescent years and I couldn't wait to watch it every day. I still watch it even now on free sites online that post all episodes.
Barth was a constant reference, or I guess "meme" for the time, for kids in the 80's. Everyone knew what you were referring to. Also, parents in the 80's hated this show and often wouldn't let kids watch it, which made it even more appealing.
This show was the very genesis of Nickelodeon for me. You Can't Do That On Television was the show that made me like Nickelodeon, even if Ren and Stimpy was the show that made me LOVE it. But this show will always have a special place in my memories.
I was very young when I watched this show so half the episodes feel like a fever dream. I was only 5 when this show was cancelled. But I always remembered the intro, the slime, the barf in the dinner.
You are dead right on how it feels like a fever dream, born in 86. Just remembered my older sister loved this show, the scary lockers and the random lights
This show blew my mind as a kid. It was kids being real kids. Stuff actualy funny to kids. Smoking weed at an arcade or roller skating spending that sweet paper route money. Also don't forget most adults were high on coke at the time or burn out hippies. The last of the feral children generation. A 12 year old then could out hustle a 20 year old now.
So true! I loved this show growing up in Ottawa. (Where the show originated from.) I went to high school with Doug Ptolemy. He hated when people would bring up the show!
This was the first "big kid" show I ever liked. We had just gotten Nick and the show was toward the end of it's run. But it had this very adult feel for a kid show and even tho NO ONE told me I wasn't allowed to watch it, I always thought it was naughty to watch lol. I loved it.
You Can't do that on Television and The Tomorrow People were a double feature of my favorite TV shows as a teen! I think many of us had a crush on Christine in the 80's!
One of my favorite shows from the 80s. Awesome job putting this video together. Watching this really made my day. I kept laughing the whole time at all the clips. Thanks
I always pretended to be Christine and made my older sister be Lisa, but she did not find Lisa attractive so was not thrilled. I'll have to tell her Lisa was crushable after all. LOL. Morticia
I used to watch this show like a religion, man, it'd be fun to see these episodes again. I loved Alanis Morrissette for her music - but I knew her first on You Can't Do that On Television !!! Yes I'm old.
I watched this growing up and loved every second of it. The show was so novel to me that I didnt mind that it would come on random time slots, they didn’t believe in pre-scheduling. I love it!
Thank you so much for making this video. I loved this show. It was such an anomaly, and now I see why there will never be another show like it. Thanks again.
