About this season
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.
Episodes (24)
1. How I Spent My Summer VI (The Great A/V Overhaul of 2019)
Aired 11 July 2019 • 35 min
Ben gets far more than he bargained for…and it was hardly a bargain.
2. Record Ripoffs Vol. 9 (HITS on the '60's!)
Aired 25 July 2019 • 32 min
A special limited addition—because we don’t think this’ll sell too well.
3. The Right Way To Tape Record (1965-Style)
Aired 8 August 2019 • 36 min
Oddity Archive®: On the cutting edge of amateur, home recording (as of 1965).
4. Scanimate
Aired 22 August 2019 • 19 min
A banquet of oversaturated and generation-lossy goodness from the Archive! Fill-in-the-blankwave fans will love it.
5. Local TV Vol. 7: Dialing For Dollars (& other Franchised Game Shows)
Aired 5 September 2019 • 21 min
…and the jackpot goes up to 178…episodes, that is!
6. LaserKaraoke Vol. 7 (Golden Moldies)
Aired 19 September 2019 • 37 min
Our seventh annual marathon of soft rock and mullets…lots and lots of mullets.
7. Employee Training Videos Vol. 2 (Loss Prevention)
Aired 3 October 2019 • 28 min
…or, Ben enters the Loss Prevention Protection Program.
8. Random Reel-To-Reel Tapes Vol. 2 (featuring "The Ballad of Tom")
Aired 17 October 2019 • 39 min
Another batch of (no more than) 7.5ips goodness…straight from the hea-a-a-arrt.
9. After Hours (Transmitter Maintenance) (Halloween Special 2019)
Aired 31 October 2019 • 21 min
It takes a LOT of sacrifice to maintain the Archive…
10. Video8 (8mm Video) (and its children)
Aired 14 November 2019 • 23 min
Getting the History of Home Video train back on track with the first great (albeit rather dull) camcorder format.
11. Top 10 Earworms (to date)
Aired 28 November 2019 • 26 min
Guaranteed to get stuck in your head for days…er, weeks…er, months…er, years after viewing!
12. Christmas Special 2019 (Ben's Christmas Kookies)
Aired 19 December 2019 • 42 min
Would you please make welcome to the Archive…tap-dancing Christmas trees, teddy bears that can wipe out entire armies and…Dennis.
13. Future Oddities 2: A Kissoff To The 2010's
Aired 1 January 2020 • 19 min
Saying goodbye to the decade that brought us selfies, Alexa, and fidget spinners…and not a minute too soon.
14. History of VHS, Vol. 1 (the '70's)
Aired 16 January 2020 • 22 min
A history lesson so big, it’s gonna have to be its own subseries.
15. Theatrical Policy Trailers
Aired 30 January 2020 • 24 min
Please silence your phones, mobile devices and other electronics…actually don’t. You won’t be able to hear this episode otherwise.
16. VHS (& Beta) Vault Vol. 16 (A (cautious) Romantic Tale)
Aired 13 February 2020 • 32 min
It’s a love obsession at the Archive!
17. Special Bulletins (or, we Interrupt This Archive...)
Aired 27 February 2020 • 40 min
We interrupt this episode of Oddity Archive to bring you…a bunch of other interruptions.
18. Ben's Music "Career" Vol. 4: Greetings From Elderbush Gulch
Aired 12 March 2020 • 42 min
Time to leave the ol’ cassette 4-tracker behind…
19. Jukebox Network (& other UHF Music Video Channels)
Aired 26 March 2020 • 31 min
20. Ben's Random Audiocassette Haul #3
Aired 9 April 2020 • 28 min
A springtime-fresh bouquet of ferric (or chrome) goodness!
21. History of VHS, Vol. 2 (Format Wars & VHS-C)
Aired 23 April 2020 • 26 min
Oddity Archive®: Now in our exclusive EP (Endless Play) Mode!
22. Local TV Vol. 8 (Even More Local Commercials)
Aired 7 May 2020 • 23 min
…or, the Archive’s idea of nocturnal delight.
23. (Semi-)Lost TV Series (Personal Favorites)
Aired 21 May 2020 • 20 min
Some shows were pre-destined to land in the dumpster or collide with the ol’ bulk eraser…here are five of them that have (at least) somewhat cheated fate.
24. Switched-On Archive (Carlosploitation)
Aired 4 June 2020 • 31 min
…or, how an unlikely hit album launched an even more unlikely tidal wave of cash-ins and imitators. In a way, it’s the perfect Archivism.