Must See R.I.P. Podcast: Must See TV That Left Us Too Soon

Must See TV was an American advertising slogan used by the NBC network to brand its primetime blocks during the 1990s. It was most often applied to the network’s Thursday night lineup, which featured some of its most popular sitcoms and drama series of the period. This allowed the network to dominate prime time ratings on Thursday nights in the 1980s and 1990s. After ratings for NBC’s lineup fell during the mid-to-late 2000s, the slogan was retired in 2015 amidst NBC’s transition to airing more drama series on Thursday nights.

Leave it to an independent podcaster to utilize a TV network slogan to launch an inventive and nostalgic entertainment podcast. Diana and JR Krach are co-hosts of Getting Personal With Plant Medicine, which details the science of using plants medicinally in our daily health regimen. Then there is Your Highness podcast, which is an examination and dissection of the cannabis industry, from every angle.

Now, with this new podcast, Must See R.I.P., Diana and JR Krach have dialed into the angst felt by all loyal viewers of a TV show when the show is canceled after one season. It’s a network business decision that still rankles millions. I still recall when CBS canceled Moonlight with Alex O’Loughlin. The show is about a vampire who struggles to exist after he was bitten 60 years ago by his vampire bride. He is also internally tormented as he falls in love with a reporter, played by Sophia Myles.

More recently, how about Teenage Bounty Hunters on Netflix?

There is undoubtedly pent-up viewer rage about these media companies canceling quality shows, while NCIS is only a few years from collecting Social Security.

Tapping into that vein of barely contained fury, Must See R.I.P. is a podcast that revisits standout TV shows canceled after just one season. Each season, the co-hosts dive into a different series, exploring the cultural and real-world events that led to its untimely end. Join us as we uncover the stories behind these forgotten gems and discuss how their context influenced their fate.

Being experienced indie podcasters, Diana and JR Krach excel at hosting duties and their chemistry, especially for a married couple, on audio is unquestionable.

The podcast started with the 2007 crime drama The Black Donnellys, celebrating it as a one-season wonder that deserved more time in the spotlight. The co-hosts fondly reminisce about the show’s intense mix of organized crime drama and the chaotic love between the Donnelly brothers, guided by the unreliable yet charming narrator, Joey Ice Cream. The episode explores why the series, set against the backdrop of New York’s Irish mob scene, didn’t catch on despite the cultural fascination with such narratives at the time.

In the episode, the co-hosts highlight standout performances, particularly Jonathan Tucker’s role as Tommy, while sharing amusing anecdotes, including Twitter interactions with the cast. The hosts also break down key plot points, from the brothers’ troubles and mob tensions to themes of loyalty and betrayal, ultimately making a compelling case for why The Black Donnellys should be on every crime drama fan’s must-watch list.

The podcast continues with two more episodes on The Black Donnellys, and the co-hosts plan to release episodes on one-season shows that viewers still can’t get enough of.

Diana-Ashley Krach is a freelance writer, journalist, and content creator whose work can be found on High Times, Civilized, Miss Grass, DAME, SheKnows, and more. She is also the creator and host of the Your Highness Podcast. Krach has also contributed to Medium, Business Insider, MSN (US), Yahoo News, Yahoo, Miami Herald, The Charlotte Observer, Paste, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and The Sacramento Bee.

JR Krach, a Baltimore, Maryland native, is a multifaceted professional with a rich background in both creative and business sectors. He is a father, writer, audio editor, podcast co-host, and co-founder of Your Highness Media. In addition to his creative pursuits, JR has significant experience in the wellness industry, having served as a general manager for both kava bars and cannabis dispensaries.

It is creatively energetic independent podcasters like Diana and JR Krach who turbocharge podcasting. The couple scored a winner with this new show, tapping into the anger and lack of control viewers feel when a TV fictional narrative that engrosses them is sent to the media junkyard, usually due to a financial, not creative, situation.

Check out Must See R.I.P.