Well that show had a little bit of everything didn't it? If you haven't heard Episode 34, here's your link. From Guardians of the Galaxy, to movie and TV props, SNL, ancient technology, and of course Dolph Lundgren not being the greatest house guest... let's dig a little deeper and get Beyond the Show.
VHS Tapes
We learned Todd Sheene and Dad Sheene still use a Video Cassette Recorder! To record things!! On the television!!! He also informed us that VCRs are no longer being built. Apparently, the last VCR ever made rolled off the assembly line at Funai Electric in July of last year. Funai started making VCRs in 1983 and at one point was selling 15,000,000 of those buggers a year! In 2016 they sold 750,000 units which is still kind of amazing when you think about it.
What we didn't know is whether or not anyone was still making VHS tapes, but now I have an answer for you and that answer is NO. In fact, the last VHS tape was reportedly produced in 2008! So whatever stock is leftover on warehouse shelves somewhere - that's it. If Todd's Dad wants to keep his machine in use, he better snag some tapes while he can. There are a handful to be found on Amazon, but as you can see... the end is nigh.
Sony TPS-L2
We talked about Sony Walkman prices spiking on eBay thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy. Apparently lots of people would like to get their hands on the same model Star Lord totes around the cosmos. While I was finding the going rate on eBay, Todd and Allen took guesses at the original price for a TPS-L2. Allen guessed $30, Todd guessed $50, and it turns out they were way off the mark. A brand new Sony TPS-L2 retailed for $150 on July 1, 1979! (Which supposedly equates to 500 bucks in today's dollars with inflation.) If you you're hooked on Walkman history, you can read more about it here. Hey, remember when Sony made quality products? (If you're under the age of 30, the answer is no.)
TV Props
We also discussed the ScreenBid website where you can buy props from several TV shows and movies. I asked if 1) they would want a prop from their favorite show and 2) how much they were willing to pay for it. Here are our chosen props:
- Scott: Roger Sterling's desk/glasses/whatever - Mad Men
- Allen: Barney's hat or Andy's guitar - The Andy Griffith Show
- Todd: Barnabas Collins' cane - Dark Shadows
Todd and I maxed out at $1000 on how much we were willing to pay for a screen-used prop. Allen, on the other hand, said he'd spend "divorce worthy" money - somewhere above $5,000 but below 10.
So, how about you? What's the prop you would pay to have and how much would you fork over? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook. Also, don't forget to do us a huge favor: give us a rating and review on iTunes. If you'd like us to keep making the show, that's how you can make it happen.