Made-For-TV Movie Club Podcast

Single mom Karen Williams gives birth to a daughter. Bianca Hudson wants to save her marriage to her Air Force Captain husband, so she fakes a pregnancy.  Then she kidnaps Karen’s newborn. (Hence the title!) Based on a true story, this tv movie from 1992 stars David Duchovny and Nancy McKeon.

Babysitter Michelle finds herself in danger after the mother of the children she babysits is found dead. Was it murder? And if so, who was responsible?

In one of his first roles, Jeremy Renner is featured in this 1992 TV movie. Also starring, Gerald McRaney and Shelley Fabares, this movie follows the Zarn family. When mom Lily Zarn suddenly disappears, everyone insists she left her life willingly. However, daughter Sarah Zarn feels like something terrible happened. Will her nightmares become her reality?

This tv movie from 1996 stars Yasmine Bleeth as Emily Gilmore, a timid woman who was scarred during a car accident as a child, who is conned into stealing from her employer. After her release from prison, she has surgery to remove the scars and seeks revenge on the man who conned her.

Barbie and the Rockers (1987) has Barbie and her band are going to outer space to perform a concert for charity. In the sequel, Barbie and the Sensations (1987) return to Earth in 1957, where they keep on rockin’!

Originally airing on Showtime in 1992, this made-for-tv movie stars Rachel Ward, Sela Ward and Bruce Boxleitner in a thriller with a full on 80s vibe. Was a murder with a witness self-defense, or was there more than meets the eye?

Everyone who listens knows how much we love Tracey Gold! This made-for-tv movie from 1998 has Gold playing Annie Nolan, a woman who tells the story of being gaslit into murder in a series of flashbacks.

“We’re excited and delighted! Everyone is having fun and you’re invited!” – Camp Cucamonga Rap

We reviewed and recapped yet another made-for-tv family tagline. This one, from 1990, stars many big tv stars of its day – including Jennifer Anniston! Join us in the Clubhouse, and find out if Camp Cucamonga keeps its accreditation!

The tagline for this VERY special 80s made-for-tv family comedy is “When the wrong boy meets the right girl.” Michael J. Fox and Nancy McKeon star as potential love interests, with obstacles, of course. There’s also a teacher subplot and lots of big stars of the day.

Our beloved Muppets are going to surprise Fozzie’s mom, Emily ‘Ma” Bear and the results are the most delightful chaos that only Muppets can experience. And Robin sings! And the Sesame Street gang join them. Oh, and there may be a Fraggle cameo! We love this special from 1987.

For this episode, we are reviewing two very, very weird, animated shorts! First up, from 1977, we review and recap A Cosmic Christmas. Second, a very strange Christmas special that aired to promote a doll. It is called The Adventures of Candy Claus: Part 1, The Beginning from 1987. Candy Claus might be the most bizarre “family” animated show ever created.

This tv movie from 1975, is based on the novel of the same name. Set in the 1930s, Sooner, nine, is being raised by a poverty-stricken bootlegger named Old Mam Hawes. When Sooner is removed from the home, she becomes the ward of a childless couple in the hill country of Velray, Indiana.

This tv movie from 1988 is a remake of the theatrical release from 1965 starring Joan Crawford. The movie follows two teenager who make prank phone calls, only to get the attention of a serial killer who is worried they witnessed a murder.

This tv movie from 1983 follows a detective as he investigates the brutal murder of a young teacher in NYC in the early 1970s. While fictional names are used, it is based on the murder of 23-year-old New Yorker Roseann Quinn on January 1, 1973.

In this tv movie from 1996, Tom Deese becomes obsessed with his daughter’s roommate, Amanda, and they have a very brief affair. After Amanda is murdered, the police investigate a separate stalker. But Tom’s daughter, Catherine, doesn’t believe the puzzle pieces fit together. Who killed Amanda and why?

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College Co-Ed Joanna Halbert is lured into becoming an adult escort. When she tries to quit, the owner of the escort service forces her to continue working for him. At her wit’s end and trying to quit again, she shoots him in self defense and must face a trial. Will she be found guilty or innocent of attempted murder? Join us in The Clubhouse to find out!

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One of eight tv reunion movies from the popular Hart to Hart tv series, Home is Where the Hart Is (1994) finds Jonathan and Jennifer (and Max!) returning to her hometown of Kingman’s Ferry to find out who killed her mentor and late boss, Eleanor Biddlecomb.

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We never thought we’d find a place where we belong . . . I said jump, down on Jump Street! 21 Jump Street (1987) is the tv pilot movie for the 21 Jump Street show about undercover cops who infiltrate high schools, busting the criminals committing crimes. Listen as we recap and review one of Beth’s favorite tv shows of the late 80s/early 90s!

The Family Ties Vacation (1985) premiered a week before the season four premiere. Alex Keaton begins a scholarship program at Oxford and the rest of the Keaton family tag along and make a vacation out of it. Unbeknownst to them, they get entangled in a mystery involving bungling spies and Scotland Yard.

This is the pilot movie for the tv series Baywatch, about a team of L.A. County lifeguards who are led by newly promoted Mitch Buchanan (David Hasselhof). Parker Stevenson also stars.

Mrs. Garrett and the girls, Tootie, Blair, Jo and Natalie, fly to France in this tv movie from 1982! The girls are enrolled in a French immersion program at a private school and Mrs. Garrett is enrolled in cooking school. When the girls find out they will be spending time in the French countryside, they collude to break away and spend time exploring Paris. Mrs. Garrett, on the other hand, is also struggling to garner the respect of the chef who runs the cooking school. The Facts of Life Goes to Paris first aired in 1982 between the third and fourth seasons.

After Maddie Hayes is left penniless when her accountant steals all her money, she finds out she owns a detective agency. Poised to sell it off for the cash, David Addison, head detective, persuades her to keep it open. Before she makes her decision, they find themselves solving their first case together for the Blue Moon Detective Agency. Join us in The Clubhouse and relive the nostalgia of this engaging series that captured the hearts of its viewers in the late 80s.

Sins of the Mother, starring Elizabeth Montgomery as Ruth Coe, is about a domineering mother and her serial rapist son, Kevin Coe. This tv movie from 1991 is an adaptation of Jack Olsen’s true crime book Son: A Psychopath and His Victims about the South Hill Rapist who was active from 1978-1981.

Wife, Mother, Murderer (1991), starring Judith Light, is based on the very strange story of Marie Hilley. Hilley murdered her husband by poisoning him with arsenic. When she tries the same with her daughter and gets caught, she flees and assumes a new identity. After marrying her second husband under the assumed identity of Robbi Hannon, she fakes her own death and comes back, pretending to be Robbie’s twin sister, Teri. Will there be justice? Listen and find out. You don’t need to watch the movie. We did that for you! #mftvmcpodcast

Violation of Trust (1991) is also known as She Says She’s Innocent. Justine, a popular high school teacher has a popular football player boyfriend, Ryan. After Ashley tells Justine that Ryan was cheating on her with Vicky, Ashley and Justine confront Vicky. Vicky ends up dead, but was it murder? And did Justine kill Vicky? Justine’s mother fights for her innocence and the truth is more chilling than anyone could have imagined. This one has a twisty ending we didn’t see coming!

The miniseries False Arrest (1991) is based on a book by the same name by Joyce Lukezic. Lukezic, a mother of three, is married and owns a successful business. Her life is turned upside down and she is left to fight for her freedom when she is arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder but is later acquitted.

Also known as A Clean Kill, mystery novelist Richard Mannhart’s wife is murdered when her brakes are cut and the car drives off a cliff. Did Richard confess by writing about it in his upcoming novel, or was Richard’s student and lover, Katie, responsible for Laura’s demise? You don’t need to watch Her Married Lover from 1999. We did that for you! #mftvmcpodcast

After Peggy Blankenship finds out her husband, Stan, is having an affair with her friend Candy Morrison, Morrison brutally kills a pregnant Peggy. Once Morrison becomes a prime suspect, she confesses, claiming self-defense. This movie is based on the brutal murder of Betty Gore in Wylie, Texas by her supposed friend, Candy Montgomery on June 13, 1980. #mftvmcpodcast

In this “Made for TV Movie Event” John Travolta stars as Tod Lubitch, who was born without an immune system and must spend his life living in a sterile environment (a “bubble.”) Though he is protected from deadly germs, he desires normal relationships, including one with the girl next door. The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976) is Travolta’s first feature-length film.

This tv movie from 1994 stars Olivia Newton-John and Gregory Harrison. Julia Stonecypher, a widow with two young children, loses her job just before Christmas. Brian Harding, a banker from the big city, comes to repossess her home. After he is injured in a car accident, Julia lets him recuperate in her home. Will there be a Christmas romance? Well, the title. So. Join us in The Clubhouse for this fun recap and review of one of Beth and KC’s favorite stars! #mftvmcpodast

Since it first aired in 1977, Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas has been a family favorite here in the U.S. Muppets Emmet Otter and his Ma are poor, but they have each other. As Christmas is coming, Emmet wants to buy his mom a new piano, and she wants to buy him a new guitar. In this version of “Gift of the Magi” they each sacrifice something for the other in an attempt to win a talent contest to buy their gifts. There’s also a cameo by Beth’s favorite Muppet of all, Kermit the Frog! Join us in The Clubhouse! #mftvmcpodcast

Links to Research:

A Loony Tunes Thanksgiving is a combination of two specials. Up first is Bugs Bunny’s Thanksgiving Diet (1979.) Trying to help his patients work on their diets, Dr. Bugs Bunny helps patients Yosemite Sam, Sylvester and more! Next, Daffy Duck’s Thanks-for-Giving (1980) finds the hapless duck scheming to get praise for having spread so much joy over the years.

IMDB

A Thanksgiving Reunion with The Partridge Family and My Three Sons from 1977, is to say the least, strange. It is part variety show, part “Where are they Now” and not even a little bit tv movie. Despite the fact that the two shows never actually had a crossover episode, they reunited for this special. It’s designated as a tv movie on IMDB, so we watched it. You don’t have to, but it’s weird enough you might want to! Join us in The Clubhouse! #mftvmcpodcast

MeTV

We break our own rules for this episode! While it’s not a tv movie, it’s tv-movie adjacent. We review and recap your favorite 1970s teen amateur sleuths with the two-part episode The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Meet Dracula (Parts I and II)! This is the first of several crossover episodes that includes several big stars of the time including Paul Williams, Lorne Greene and Bernie Taupin! Oh, did Beth and Kierstin (KC) enjoy recording this episode! #mftvmcpodcast

IMDB

Our Summer TV Movie Extravaganza concludes with a review of The Capture of Grizzly Adams (1982). Though the series ended in 1977, this movie is considered the series finale, according to Wikipedia. Grizzly Adams' wife dies and he must go into town for his daughter. However, he is a man wanted for murder, and a posse is on his tail. Will he escape with his life? You don't need to watch the movie! We did that for you! #mftvmcpodcast

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The Summer TV Movie Extravaganza continues with our review of MacGyver: The Lost City of Atlantis (1994), which was released two years after the original series ended. MacGyver joins his good friend and former professor Atticus to find the Lost City of Atlantis. They are joined by Kelly Carson, a professor of archeology and old friend of MacGyver and Atticus. Will they find the Lost City and its treasures? Will MacGyver find love with Kelly? You don't need to watch the movie to find out! Just listen to this episode! #mftvmcpodcast

TV Tango

BONUS EPISODE! We review our third bonus episode - a review of the ABC Afterschool Special “Dear Lovey Hart: I Am Desperate.” Sophomore Carrie Wasserman reluctantly becomes Lovey Hart, an advice column for the lovelorn for her school’s newspaper. But, it soon becomes clear that her advice may not be helping her readers. #MFTVMCPodcast

IMDB

Continuing with our Summer TV Movie Extravaganza, we review The Greatest American Hero TV pilot movie. Teacher Ralph Hinkley and FBI Agent Bill Maxwell are chosen to team up and save the world by unknown persons in a UFO. Ralph is given a suit with supernatural powers, but he loses the instruction manual. Will they be able to stop a murder plot that will have worldwide repercussions? This tv movie (and the series) gave us the best TV Theme Song ever! (It’s true. We officially declared it!) #MFTVMCPodcast

IMDB

BONUS EPISODE! We review our second bonus episode a review of the ABC Afterschool Special “The Amazing Cosmic Awareness of Duffy Moon.” Duffy Moon, a small, bullied middle schooler starts his own business called “Duffy Moon, Inc.” He uses his newfound “Cosmic Awareness” that he learns from Dr. Flamel. However, the kids who work for a rival business “Help is Here” won’t stop bullying him. “You can do it, Duffy Moon!” #MFTVMCPodcast

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This pilot movie kicked off the tv series which ran for five seasons! In Charlie’s Angels, we meet the original three Angels, Sabrina Duncan, Jill Monroe and Kelly Garret. Charlie and Bosley join in to solve the mystery. Vincent Le Mer is about to be declared dead, and his vineyard will go to his second wife Rachel, who has already run it into the ground. Will they find Vincent or his daughter Janet in time? #MFTVMCPodcast

Wikpedia

BONUS EPISODE! For this episode, we review an installment of the ABC Afternoon Special! Dinky Hocker is the story of an overweight teen who decides to lose weight with her new friend, P. John. Without her parents’ support, she struggles to meet her newfound goals. The episode is based on the novel Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack by M. E. Kerr

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From the hit tv show Murder She Wrote, Jessica Fletcher returns for this tv movie, South by Southwest! On her way to a lecture in El Paso, Jessica Fletcher befriends a woman who goes missing on the Sunset Limited train line after witnessing a murder. Was the witness a victim or murder and is there a government cover up? Listen to our review to find out! #mftvmcpodcast

IMDB