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Oddity Archive

Season 1 2012 - 2013
TV-PG

  • 2012-07-05T04:00:00Z on blip.tv
  • 30m
  • 8h 42m (26 episodes)
  • United States
  • English
The Oddity Archive is a web series that revolves around the "cultural dustbin", especially as it pertains to media. The Archive also functions as an actual archive of sorts, with a modest collection of off-air Betamax and VHS recordings (about 400 total as of June, 2014). There's also a decent collection of ephemeral video, "ripoff" and "drugstore" LP's/cassettes/8-tracks, as well as (working) obsolete technology.

26 episodes

Series Premiere

2012-07-05T04:00:00Z

1x01 The Max Headroom Incident of 1987

Series Premiere

1x01 The Max Headroom Incident of 1987

  • 2012-07-05T04:00:00Z12m

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.

1x02 Emergency Broadcast Salute

  • 2012-07-19T04:00:00Z17m

An informal (not to mention, loose) history of Civil Defense Broadcasting in the U.S.

2012-08-02T04:00:00Z

1x03 TV Sign-offs

1x03 TV Sign-offs

  • 2012-08-02T04:00:00Z15m

Remember when TV stations used to go off the air late at night? Anyone?

2012-08-16T04:00:00Z

1x04 Local TV Special

1x04 Local TV Special

  • 2012-08-16T04:00:00Z21m

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.

The Archive's most infamous episode--for some reason.

2012-09-13T04:00:00Z

1x06 Conservative Folk Music

1x06 Conservative Folk Music

  • 2012-09-13T04:00:00Z16m

Meet the artists that made the likes of Joan Baez and Pete Seeger fear for their careers.

2012-09-27T04:00:00Z

1x07 Format Wars

1x07 Format Wars

  • 2012-09-27T04:00:00Z21m

VHS or Beta? Laserdisc or CED? What the hell is a CED anyway? These burning questions (amongst others) answered in this episode!

2012-10-11T04:00:00Z

1x08 1-900-ARCHIVE

1x08 1-900-ARCHIVE

  • 2012-10-11T04:00:00Z21m

Join Ben as he launches his own 1-900 number. What could possibly go wrong?

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.

1x10 Captain Midnight / Vrillon

  • 2012-11-08T05:00:00Z14m

An Archive double header: The two most famous occurrences of Broadcast Signal Hijacking (well, save for the Max Headroom Incident) are discussed here.

The Oddity Archive will now be switching to scrambled mode. Please turn on your (preferably, circa 1984) decoder box now.

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.

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.

All Ben wanted for Christmas was a silent night...

2013-01-03T05:00:00Z

1x15 Teletext Heaven (or Hell)

1x15 Teletext Heaven (or Hell)

  • 2013-01-03T05:00:00Z16m

Ceefax and Keyfax, Nite-Owl and Cable Chuckles, oh my...

2013-01-10T05:00:00Z

1x16 Intermission

1x16 Intermission

  • 2013-01-10T05:00:00Z13m

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!).

2013-01-17T05:00:00Z

1x17 Prehistoric Television

1x17 Prehistoric Television

  • 2013-01-17T05:00:00Z16m

Given how much we discuss TV on the Archive, a history lesson seemed in order.

?segassem lanimilbus tahW ?huH Everyone knows there are no subliminal messages in music...(!slatrom nwod wob ,woN)

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.

Temporarily exiled from the big leagues of Internet TV, Ben (again, temporarily) sets up camp at his local Public Access outlet.

2013-03-14T04:00:00Z

1x21 Protect & Survive

1x21 Protect & Survive

  • 2013-03-14T04:00:00Z16m

It's the feel-good episode of the year as Ben discusses the (in)famous British Nuclear War preparedness campaign.

2013-03-28T04:00:00Z

1x22 Duck & Cover

1x22 Duck & Cover

  • 2013-03-28T04:00:00Z17m

Because you can (apparently) never have enough nukes...

What is it about end logos and FBI Warnings that scared so many children of the VHS era?

Can pure rock sound really hard-boil an egg? Of course not. It does make for some wicked "deviled" eggs though.

2013-05-09T04:00:00Z

1x25 Employee Training Videos

1x25 Employee Training Videos

  • 2013-05-09T04:00:00Z29m

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.

Season Finale

2013-05-23T04:00:00Z

1x26 VHS Vault vol. 1 (Amvest Video)

Season Finale

1x26 VHS Vault vol. 1 (Amvest Video)

  • 2013-05-23T04:00:00Z22m

Ever wanted to know the absolute root of the Oddity Archive? Well, it involves a creepy guy in a Hamster costume...

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