1. The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
Everyone loves Star Wars, but this was a rare miss. The Star Wars Holiday Special aired in 1978 and centered around Chewbacca’s family celebrating “Life Day.” For nearly 90 minutes, viewers sat through Wookiees growling without subtitles, Jefferson Starship music videos, and an awkward appearance from Carrie Fisher singing. George Lucas reportedly hated it so much that he tried to erase its existence. “If I had the time and a sledgehammer,” he said, “I would track down every copy and smash it.” The special aired once and was never officially released again. It became a cult curiosity, passed around as a bootleg and referenced mostly as a cautionary tale of what not to do with beloved franchises.
2. KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park (1978)
In the late ’70s, KISS was everywhere. So why not turn them into TV superheroes? KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park answered that question with an oddball plot that saw the band battling robot clones at a theme park. The movie tried to blend rock stardom with action adventure, but the result felt more like a bad Scooby-Doo episode. The band looked uncomfortable, and the acting was painfully stiff. Paul Stanley once called it “campy in all the wrong ways.” Fans were left scratching their heads. It aired once on NBC and has been largely ignored ever since, except by die-hard fans who appreciate it as a time capsule of strange rock marketing experiments.
3. The Brady Bunch Variety Hour (1976)
People loved The Brady Bunch, but when the show ended, producers decided to bring the family back as a singing, dancing variety act. The result was The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, which looked like someone mixed a Vegas lounge act with a sitcom. Some of the original cast returned, but not all, making the show feel disconnected from its roots. The musical numbers were over-the-top and the comedy sketches were flat. Susan Olsen, who played Cindy, once admitted it “felt like one long fever dream.” The awkward glitter and disco energy didn’t land with audiences. It aired once and was soon quietly swept under the cultural carpet where most prefer it to stay.
4. The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (1976)
This Halloween special felt like someone tossed pop culture, disco, and spooky camp into a blender and hoped for the best. The Paul Lynde Halloween Special featured a wild mix of guest stars including Florence Henderson, Betty White, Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch, and the rock band KISS. It was flashy, weird, and full of dated jokes. Paul Lynde, known for his flamboyant humor, did his best to carry it all, but the pacing was chaotic and the humor didn’t land for everyone. One viewer described it as “Halloween meets Las Vegas lounge act.” It aired once and faded from memory, except among TV historians and Halloween collectors with a soft spot for surreal holiday oddities.
5. Garfield: His 9 Lives (1988)
Fans expecting the usual lasagna jokes were in for a surprise with Garfield: His 9 Lives. The special was an experimental animated journey through Garfield’s supposed past lives, and some of them were surprisingly dark. One segment involved a scary transformation that freaked out younger viewers, while another tackled themes of death and isolation. “I didn’t sleep after that,” one YouTube commenter confessed. Though artistically interesting, the tone was all over the place and it didn’t feel like the Garfield audiences knew. It aired once, confused families across America, and then quietly disappeared. Today, it’s occasionally referenced as one of the most unsettling Garfield projects ever made.
7. Circus of the Stars (Various Years)
Imagine your favorite actor on a trapeze or your favorite singer walking a tightrope. That’s exactly what Circus of the Stars tried to do. The show invited celebrities to perform traditional circus acts, and while it sounded exciting on paper, the actual performances were often stiff and nerve-wracking. It aired for several years in different versions, but many only remember it for its awkwardness. Some celebs looked terrified, and others looked out of place. “It felt like everyone was afraid of getting hurt,” said one former participant. While not terrible, it never quite felt entertaining either. After a few tries, the concept faded, leaving behind awkward memories and a few blurry VHS recordings.
7. Benji’s Very Own Christmas Story (1978)
Benji was one of the most beloved dogs on screen in the 70s, so a holiday special made sense. But Benji’s Very Own Christmas Story didn’t hit the way people expected. Rather than a warm holiday tale, it was a strange mix of travel, musicals, and forced charm. The pacing was slow, the plot meandering, and the songs forgettable. One viewer recalled, “I loved Benji, but even as a kid, I was bored.” It didn’t have the heart or magic of other Christmas specials. It aired once and quietly vanished, a rare misstep for the canine star. In a sea of timeless holiday classics, Benji’s Christmas just didn’t get the invitation to return.
This story 7 TV Specials That Only Ran One Time and Disappeared Immediately to Nobody’s Surprise. was first published on Daily FETCH
