14 One-Time-Only TV Specials No One Misses
Some TV specials are unforgettable — and then there are the ones that vanished without a trace, and frankly, no one’s shedding tears over it.
Whether they were awkward holiday experiments, cringeworthy musical mashups, or strange attempts to cash in on a trend, these one-time broadcasts came and went like a bad dream.
Blink and you missed them, and honestly, that might’ve been for the best. They aired once, stumbled hard, and quietly faded into the weird corners of TV history.
1. The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
George Lucas probably wishes he could use the Force to wipe this monstrosity from our collective memory.
Airing just once before being banished to the vault forever, this bizarre special featured Chewbacca’s family celebrating “Life Day” and Bea Arthur singing in a cantina.
Even Mark Hamill looked embarrassed to be there. The special included cartoon segments, variety show elements, and Jefferson Starship for some inexplicable reason.
Lucas reportedly hated it so much he allegedly said it should never be aired again.
2. Heil Honey I’m Home! (1990)
Somebody actually greenlit a sitcom starring Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun living next door to a Jewish couple. No, I’m not making this up.
The British series was canceled after just one episode when viewers and critics alike were understandably horrified by the premise.
The show portrayed Hitler as a bumbling sitcom husband in what was supposed to be a satire. Network executives finally realized that genocide isn’t great comedy material.
The episode remains a bizarre footnote in television history that nobody’s campaigning to see released.
3. The Brady Bunch Variety Hour (1976-77)
Watching the Brady kids attempt synchronized swimming routines was painful enough the first time around.
This variety show disaster featured the original cast (minus Eve Plumb) singing, dancing, and performing in cringe-worthy comedy sketches while wearing sequined outfits.
Florence Henderson gamely belted disco tunes while the Brady “kids” flailed through dance numbers. Susan Olsen later called it “spectacularly bad.”
The show lasted nine episodes before mercifully getting axed, proving that even America’s favorite blended family couldn’t make variety television work.
4. The Paul Lynde Halloween Special (1976)
Camp reached stratospheric levels when Bewitched’s Paul Lynde hosted this Halloween fever dream featuring KISS, Florence Henderson, and Lynde dressed as a trucker.
The special included bizarre sketches where Lynde encountered Witchiepoo from H.R. Pufnstuf and Margaret Hamilton reprising her Wicked Witch role.
KISS performed three songs while Lynde delivered double-entendres that somehow slipped past censors.
Despite its cult status among bad TV aficionados, the special vanished for decades until resurfacing on DVD. One viewing was more than enough for most Americans.
5. The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island (1981)
Basketball skills couldn’t save this bizarre TV movie that mashed together the Harlem Globetrotters with the castaways from Gilligan’s Island.
The plot involved the Globetrotters crash-landing on the island and helping the castaways defeat evil robots in a basketball game.
Martin Landau played a villain trying to turn the island into a resort. Somehow, the fate of the island came down to a basketball game against robots.
Even by Gilligan standards, this crossover special strained credibility. The Globetrotters deserved better than this strange island adventure nobody remembers fondly.
6. Legends of the Superheroes (1979)
Long before the MCU, this two-part special attempted to bring DC superheroes to life with disastrous results.
Adam West and Burt Ward reprised their Batman and Robin roles alongside heroes in embarrassingly cheap costumes for a roast and variety show format.
The second episode featured a “roast” hosted by Ed McMahon where villains insulted heroes.
Watching Batman awkwardly deliver jokes while Hawkman’s wings kept falling off was pure agony.
This low-budget embarrassment makes modern superhero movies look like Shakespeare by comparison. Even hardcore comic fans prefer to forget this disaster ever happened.
7. It’s Your Move, Charlie Brown (1985)
Chess isn’t exactly riveting television, which might explain why this Peanuts special never joined the annual holiday rotation.
Charlie Brown enters a chess tournament where he’s predictably outmatched but somehow manages to win a game through sheer luck.
Snoopy’s antics provided minimal comic relief, but even he couldn’t enliven the thrilling world of children’s chess.
The special suffered from lengthy sequences of animated characters silently contemplating chess moves.
Even Charles Schulz fans admit this ranks as one of the least memorable Peanuts outings, lacking the heart of the beloved holiday classics.
8. Battle of the Network Stars XX (1988)
By its 20th iteration, this celebrity athletic competition had devolved into a parade of B-listers from forgotten shows competing in events nobody cared about.
The special featured actors from shows like “Jake and the Fatman” and “My Two Dads” racing through obstacle courses in tight shorts.
Howard Cosell had long abandoned ship as host. The competitive fire had dimmed to embers by this point.
Watching minor celebrities from canceled shows compete in tug-of-war matches made viewers question their life choices.
This 1988 edition marked the d**th knell for a format that had exhausted its welcome years earlier.
9. Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas (1989)
Before her Netflix specials, Dolly attempted this holiday variety show that was more mountain tragic than magic.
Despite Parton’s undeniable talent and charm, the special suffered from bizarre fantasy sequences and awkward guest appearances from country stars who couldn’t act.
Kenny Rogers looked particularly uncomfortable in a Christmas sweater. The plot involved elves, mountain spirits, and dream sequences that made little sense.
Even Dolly’s sparkling personality couldn’t save the disjointed production. Unlike her music career, this holiday special didn’t stand the test of time and remains buried in NBC’s vault.
10. The Earth Day Special (1990)
Celebrity environmentalism reached peak awkwardness in this star-studded special where Mother Earth (Bette Midler) fell ill from pollution.
The bizarre premise featured stars like Danny DeVito and Dustin Hoffman portraying doctors treating the dying planet.
Michael Keaton appeared as Batman to lecture about recycling. Even E.T. showed up to help save Earth! The heavy-handed environmental message drowned in a sea of celebrity cameos and cheesy effects.
Despite good intentions, the special’s preachy tone and disjointed narrative ensured it wouldn’t become annual viewing. Mother Earth deserved better production values.
11. Circus of the Stars #10 (1985)
By its tenth iteration, watching C-list celebrities perform watered-down circus acts had lost whatever novelty it once possessed.
This special featured Lorenzo Lamas swinging on a trapeze and Emmanuel Lewis (Webster) being shot from a cannon – both with visible terror on their faces.
The danger seemed real but the entertainment value didn’t. Celebrity insurance premiums must have skyrocketed during filming.
Joan Rivers provided snarky commentary while stars like Scott Baio attempted juggling with mixed results. The special marked the point where the format had clearly run away to join a circus of diminishing returns.
12. The Brady Brides Wedding Special (1981)
Marcia and Jan Brady’s double wedding should have been heartwarming. Instead, viewers witnessed a desperate attempt to resurrect the Brady magic with this painfully awkward spinoff launch.
The special served as a pilot for a short-lived series that suffered a quick demise.
Neither the chemistry nor the comedy worked. The husbands were forgettable characters with all the personality of mannequins.
Even Florence Henderson and Robert Reed couldn’t salvage the wooden dialogue and contrived situations.
The special proved some TV families should retire before they tarnish their legacy. The Brady bunch had clearly lost its bunch by this point.
13. Sinatra: 80 Years My Way (1995)
Frank deserved better than this bloated tribute that featured Ray Charles and Salt-N-Pepa in the same lineup.
While the Chairman of the Board remained seated throughout, viewers endured painful moments like Little Richard’s over-the-top rendition of “My Way” that had Sinatra visibly cringing.
The special jumped erratically between musical styles. Even worse, Frank barely participated in his own tribute.
Stars delivered awkward monologues about Sinatra’s greatness while he watched uncomfortably.
The special inadvertently highlighted how the entertainment world had moved on, making viewers wish they could do it their way and change the channel.
14. The Flintstones Meet the Jetsons (1987)
Prehistoric cavemen meeting space-age families sounds like a winning formula, but this crossover special landed with a thud louder than one of Fred’s bowling balls.
The plot forced these iconic families together through a time-travel mishap that felt more desperate than clever.
Animation quality took a nosedive compared to both original series, with characters looking stiff and backgrounds appearing rushed. The jokes fell flatter than Dino after slipping on Fred’s bowling ball.
Fans of both shows criticized how the special undermined established character traits just to force interactions.