That's Incredible!
Encyclopedia
That's Incredible! was an American reality television
show that aired on the ABC
television network from 1980
to 1984
.
, Ripley's Believe It or Not!
and Real People
, the show featured people performing stunt
s and reenactments of allegedly paranormal
events. The show was co-hosted by John Davidson, Fran Tarkenton
and Cathy Lee Crosby
, and was produced by Alan Landsburg Productions
. Originally aired as an hour-long program, episodes were later re-edited into 30 minute segments for syndication
.
A number of the stunts performed were quite dangerous, including juggling knives, staying inside a small box for hours, and one involving a man catching a bullet
between his teeth. The dangerous nature of these stunts eventually prompted producers to augment the footage with the caption "Do Not Try This Yourself". Steve Baker
also known as "Mr. Escape", was frequently featured on the show.
The show has been cited as an influence on hip-hop culture in New Zealand
, where much television programming in the 1980s was American. In 1983 the show featured several dancing crews, giving youth of Pacific Island and Maori heritage, many of whom were interested in hip-hop culture and dance, a sense of connectedness to global youth culture. The Floormasters hip hop dance crew appeared on the show in 1983.
, and Tracey Gold
and was renamed Incredible Sunday. It lasted only during the 1988
–1989
season.
affiliates but now no longer airs.
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show that aired on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television network from 1980
1980 in television
The year 1980 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1980.For the American TV schedule, see: 1980-81 American network television schedule.-Events:...
to 1984
1984 in television
This article is a list of television-related events in 1984.-Events:*January 9 – Wendy's "Fluffy Bun" ad first airs, which propels Clara Peller and her "Where's the beef?" catchphrase to national prominence....
.
Synopsis
In the tradition of You Asked For ItYou Asked For It
You Asked for It is a popular human-interest show created and hosted by Art Baker. Initially titled The Art Baker Show, the program originally aired on American television between 1950 and 1959...
, Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ripley's Believe It or Not! is a franchise, founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims...
and Real People
Real People
Real People is an NBC reality television series that aired from 1979 to 1984, on Wednesday and then Sunday nights. Its initial episodes aired live in the Eastern and Central Time Zones.-Synopsis:...
, the show featured people performing stunt
Stunt
A stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat, or any act requiring a special skill, performed for artistic purposes in TV, theatre, or cinema...
s and reenactments of allegedly paranormal
Paranormal
Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...
events. The show was co-hosted by John Davidson, Fran Tarkenton
Fran Tarkenton
Francis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive....
and Cathy Lee Crosby
Cathy Lee Crosby
Cathy Lee Crosby is an American actress. She achieved TV and film success in the 1980s and was a co-host of the television series That's Incredible!. -Personal life:...
, and was produced by Alan Landsburg Productions
Alan Landsburg Productions
Alan Landsburg Productions was an independent TV production company founded by Alan Landsburg in 1971. The company had huge successes with In Search of... and That's Incredible!, which were two early examples of reality television long before the name even existed...
. Originally aired as an hour-long program, episodes were later re-edited into 30 minute segments for syndication
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
.
A number of the stunts performed were quite dangerous, including juggling knives, staying inside a small box for hours, and one involving a man catching a bullet
Bullet catch
The bullet catch is a conjuring illusion in which a magician appears to catch a bullet fired directly at him—often in his mouth, sometimes in his hand or caught with other items such as a dinner plate...
between his teeth. The dangerous nature of these stunts eventually prompted producers to augment the footage with the caption "Do Not Try This Yourself". Steve Baker
Steve Baker (illusionist)
Steve "Mr. Escape" Baker is a comedian, magician and is most well known as an escape artist. During his career from 1967 through the early 1990s Baker appeared on Dick Clark's LIVE Wednesday, Games People Play, his own HBO special Trial By Fire, and several times on That's Incredible!-Early...
also known as "Mr. Escape", was frequently featured on the show.
The show has been cited as an influence on hip-hop culture in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, where much television programming in the 1980s was American. In 1983 the show featured several dancing crews, giving youth of Pacific Island and Maori heritage, many of whom were interested in hip-hop culture and dance, a sense of connectedness to global youth culture. The Floormasters hip hop dance crew appeared on the show in 1983.
Nielsen Ratings
The show was a Top 30 hit for its first four seasons, and a Top 10 show during its first season, but fell out of the Top 50 in its final season.- 1979-80: #3 (25.80 rating)
- 1980-81: #22 (20.50 rating)
- 1981-82: #28 (18.40 rating)
- 1982-83: #22 (18.30 rating)
- 1983-84: #58 (14.14 rating)
Revival
That's Incredible! was revived in 1988, hosted by Davidson, Cristina FerrareCristina Ferrare
Cristina Ferrare is a former fashion model, actress, author and television talk-show host....
, and Tracey Gold
Tracey Gold
Tracey Gold is an American actress and former child star best known for playing Carol Seaver on the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains. In early 2009, she co-hosted with Fred Roggin on the live show GSN Live.-Early life:...
and was renamed Incredible Sunday. It lasted only during the 1988
1988 in television
The year 1988 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1988.For the American TV schedule, see: 1988-89 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:...
–1989
1989 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1989–90 United States network television schedule.The year 1989 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1989.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
season.
Syndication
The show was seen weekends on select Retro Television NetworkRetro Television Network
The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
affiliates but now no longer airs.
In popular culture
- On February 14, 1983, the Fray children, as adults, appeared on the program following the premiere of Who Will Love My Children?Who Will Love My Children?Who Will Love My Children? is a 1983 made for television biographical film based on the life of Lucile Fray. Lucile Fray was diagnosed with cancer in 1952 and wanted to find suitable homes for her ten children, since she felt her husband could not properly care for them. Prior to her death, she...
, a film about the life of their mother. - On February 21, 1983, That's Incredible unwittingly gained video game immortality by broadcasting the North American Video Game Challenge—an international video game tournament filmed at Twin GalaxiesTwin GalaxiesTwin Galaxies is an American organization that tracks video game world records and conducts a program of electronic-gaming promotions. It operates the Twin Galaxies website and publishes the Twin Galaxies' Official Video Game & Pinball Book of World Records, with the Arcade Volume released on June...
in OttumwaOttumwa, IowaOttumwa is a city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census. It is located in the southeastern part of Iowa, and the city is split into northern and southern halves by the Des Moines River....
, IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
-- which since then has gained recognition as being history's first video game world championship. - MAD Magazine produced a feature cartoon in 1981 titled That's Real Incredible, People, mocking the blurred distinction between That's Incredible! and Real PeopleReal PeopleReal People is an NBC reality television series that aired from 1979 to 1984, on Wednesday and then Sunday nights. Its initial episodes aired live in the Eastern and Central Time Zones.-Synopsis:...
. A later issue of MAD had "Wanted posterWanted posterA wanted poster is a poster distributed to let the public know of an alleged criminal whom authorities wish to apprehend. They will generally include either a picture of the alleged criminal when a photograph is available, or of a facial composite image produced by a police artist...
s we'd like to see", one featuring a network executive "wanted for keeping The Dukes of HazzardThe Dukes of HazzardThe Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.The series was inspired by the 1975 film Moonrunners, which was also created by Gy Waldron and had many identical or similar character names and concepts.- Overview :The Dukes of Hazzard...
and That's Incredible on the air, while depriving the country of better shows such as Paper ChaseThe Paper Chase (TV series)The Paper Chase is a television series based on a 1970 novel by John Jay Osborn, Jr., as well as a 1973 film based on the novel. It follows the lives of law student James T. Hart and his classmates at Harvard Law School.-Production:...
and FameFame (1982 TV series)Fame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Although...
!" - The television show Tom Goes to the MayorTom Goes to the MayorTom Goes to the Mayor is an American animated television series created by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim for Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. It premiered on November 14, 2004 and ended on September 25, 2006, with a total of thirty episodes.-History:Tom Goes to the...
features a parody of That's Incredible! titled That's Amazing!. The parody shows up multiple times throughout the series. Before TGTTM, an episode of Whatever Happened to Robot Jones?Whatever Happened to Robot Jones?Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? is an American animated television series that aired on Cartoon Network from 2002 to 2003...
featured the same title, That's Amazing!.
See also
- Is It Possible?Is It Possible?Is It Possible? is a three-episode documentary television series on the Discovery Channel that features people, animals, technology, and other things that are real, but so unusual and surprising that they seem impossible....
- a similar show on the Discovery ChannelDiscovery ChannelDiscovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav... - Those Amazing AnimalsThose Amazing AnimalsThose Amazing Animals was a reality television series about animals and their extraordinary lives. It was hosted by Burgess Meredith, Priscilla Presley and Jim Stafford. A spinoff of That's Incredible!, this series aired on ABC from 1980 to 1981....
- animal-related spinoff of That's Incredible!