What's on TV? Monday, November 18, 1968

How do we watch thee, Mike Douglas? Let us count the ways. There are three different episodes of the Douglas show today, depending on the syndication schedule for each station, and I'm struck by the eclectic variety of guests viewers could see on the show. I grew up in the Douglas era myself, but the variety makes much more of an impression today: not only the comedians and singers that one might expect on an afternoon show, but pro football player Jerry Kramer, who'd just written the book Instant Replay, the controversial social psychologist Erich Fromm, and opera singer Richard Tucker. And this isn't an unusual lineup, either. Imagine a daytime talk show with guests like this. Or a nighttime one, for that matter. It all comes to us from the Iowa edition.

What's on TV? Monday, June 20, 1955

There's a note at the beginning of each day's listing in the Mid-States edition: "For Daylight Savings Time Areas Programs Are Seen One Hour Later." Longtime readers will remember past TV Guide discussions of Daylight Savings, and that it has a torturous history of being applied in a haphazard way, even within neighboring cities in the same state. It helps to explain, though, why some of your favorite programs might be airing at 6:00 p.m.—your town isn't observing Daylight Savings! It doesn't, however, explain why ABC's 6:30 p.m. program is called "Concert." It's actually Voice of Firestone, and TV Guide doesn't seem to shy from mentioning programs with their sponsor in the title. Perhaps Firestone just didn't pay for sponsorship in the issue.

What's on TV? Wednesday, March 16, 1955

Xome familiar names greet us in these listings from what's called the Mid-States Edition, comprising Iowa and Illinois, and including a pair of DuMont affiliates. For starters, Jack Paar's name jumps out, still hosting the CBS Morning Show. At the other end of the scale, Steve Allen's still on duty at Tonight. Eddie Fisher's guest on his NBC show is singer Morton Downey Sr., whose son Morton Jr. becomes a sensation some 30 years later. And Henry Morgan makes a rare acting appearance in the movie comedy So This Is New York on WREX's Million Dollar Movie. But for my money, the best program description in this issue—perhaps the best description you'll ever read in any TV Guide—comes from KCRG's Wrestling from Chicago: "Favorite grunt-and-groaners in action." I didn't realize the Playboy Channel was around in 1955.

What's on TV? Tuesday, February 8, 1955

The last time we looked at an Iowa edition of TV Guide, almost five years ago, I made some most unflattering comments about our neighbors to the west. These "jokes" portrayed the state in a very unfavorable light, and for that unwarranted and completely uncharitable action I admit my guilt. Indeed, upon discovering that this week's issue would mark a return to the state, I could barely bring myself to look at it, let alone write about it, and there were late nights when I could be heard in my dimly-lit nook, mumbling in anguish that this chalice might pass from me. But I have learned my lesson—turned a new leaf, so to speak. So no more will you hear such jokes pass my lips as "What do you call an IQ of 76? Des Moines." or "Did you hear that the governor's mansion in Iowa burned down? It almost took out the whole trailer park." No, I must admit that a resident of Minnesota has no call to be making jokes about any other state. After all, the only reason Iowa doesn't have a professional football team is because then Minnesota would want one. 

What's on TV? Saturday, February 19, 1966

When last we saw this week's TV Guide, the one with the missing pages and the clipped listings, we were left with exactly two days that contained untouched, complete listings: Saturday and Sunday. As much as it pains me to do so, having just looked at a Saturday last week, I had very little choice - after all, I'd just done Sunday the week before.

I don't know if, in all this chaos, I've taken the time to mention that this week's issue is from Iowa, including listings for the Quad Cities in Illinois. They're good listings - enjoy them!

What's on TV: Monday, November 18, 1968

This week we make our first visit to Iowa, where we've got programming from three metro areas: Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and the Quad Cities.*  The daytime lineup is making its transition from black-and-white to color programming, and only a couple of stations lack the facilities to broadcast in color.  The shows, as well, reflect the times, as we'll see. One thing I do appreciate about these issues from the Midwest is the emphasis on farm reporting, which remains an important part of the economy until the farm recession in the 80s.

*Bonus points for naming all four of them.

By the way, coming from Minnesota I have hundreds of Iowa jokes: it was time for the big football game between Minnesota and Iowa, and the two teams were going at it when a train that was passing the stadium sounded its horn. The Minnesota players thought that meant the half was over, and ran off the field.

Four plays later, Iowa scored.

Well, maybe not so much this season.