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«« Mini-Rewind ««

• Culture Club (October 4, 1982) arrived on the scene today in 1982 with their debut UK album, Kissing to Be Clever! It featured the massive, breakthrough hit, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me." 

• Thundarr the Barbarian first raised the Sunsword on TV October 4, 1980! This classic ABC Saturday morning cartoon ran for two seasons and 21 episodes of post-apocalyptic adventure.

• "Let off some steam." Commando, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, debuted in theaters October 4, 1985! All the one-liners and action you could ask for.

• Hall & Oates made a splash today (Oct 4) in 1982 with the release of their double-platinum album, H2O! The classic record gave us massive hits like "Maneater" and "One on One." Too bad the duo have parted ways, they had some magic on the stage.

• "Mike + The Mechanics", the debut album by Mike + The Mechanics was released October 5, 1985. The album featured the hit single "All I Need Is a Miracle".

• October 5, 1987, @belindaofficial took pop music to the next level with the release of her album "Heaven on Earth." It features her signature #1 smash, "Heaven Is a Place on Earth," plus the major hits "I Get Weak" and "Circle in the Sand."

• Checking the TV Guide and seeing that Saturday Night’s Main Event was on was an awesome feeling as a kid - I lived for the WWF back then. Tuning in on October 5, 1985 to see Hulk Hogan defend the WWF Championship against Nikolai Volkoff in a Flag Match on the second-ever Saturday Night's Main Event - over the top amazing!

• October 6, 1988, the NBC sitcom "Dear John" debuted! Starring Emmy-winner Judd Hirsch as a recently divorced teacher navigating single life in a support group. The series ran for four seasons.

• "Double Dare" debuted on Nickelodeon October 6, 1986. The original series aired a total of 482 episodes between 1986-93.

• October 6, 1982, while he was still officially a member of the Commodores, Lionel Richie released his highly successful debut solo album, "Lionel Richie." The record launched his solo ballad career with hits like "Truly" and "You Are."

• The day Terri arrived! October 6, 1981, Priscilla Barnes joined the cast of Three's Company as the iconic nurse Terri Alden in "Jack Bares All: Part 1."

• October 7, 1981, "Get Lucky", the second album by Canadian rockers Loverboy was released. The album features their hit single "Working for the Weekend".

• October 9, 1980, mayhem erupted in Milwaukee! During Black Sabbath's "Black and Blue" tour with Blue Oyster Cult, a bottle struck bassist Geezer Butler, knocking him unconscious. When the band quit the stage, the crowd of 9,000 rioted, causing thousands in damage.

When Unsolved Mysteries hit TV screens in 1987, it quickly became one of the most chilling and addictive shows of the late ’80s. Hosted by the unmistakably serious Robert Stack, the series had a way of making you double-check the locks before bed. The show blended documentary-style storytelling with dramatic re-enactments, covering everything from eerie ghost stories and UFO sightings to missing persons, cold cases, and mysterious crimes. Each episode felt like a deep dive into the unknown - and Stack’s haunting narration gave every mystery an extra layer of suspense.

What made Unsolved Mysteries stand out was how interactive it felt. Viewers were encouraged to call in with tips, and sometimes those leads actually helped solve real cases. It blurred the line between television entertainment and true crime investigation in a way that hadn’t really been done before. The show’s eerie theme music, fog-filled sets, and grainy reenactments became iconic parts of late-night TV in the 1980s.

More than three decades later, Unsolved Mysteries remains a cultural touchstone. It didn’t just entertain - it fueled curiosity and sparked countless conversations about the unexplained. For many fans, it was the perfect mix of spooky, mysterious, and just believable enough to keep them coming back week after week. As a kid the showed terrified me and mesmerized me at the same. It was a family must watch each week.

Released in 1988, Rattle and Hum captured U2 at a fascinating crossroads - fresh off the massive success of The Joshua Tree, the band set out to explore the roots of American music that had inspired them. The album, paired with a feature-length documentary film, was part studio recording and part live performance, blending rock, blues, gospel, and soul into something raw and ambitious. You can almost feel the band searching for deeper meaning in every track.

Songs like “Desire” and “Angel of Harlem” showcased U2’s love for classic rock and rhythm and blues, while “All I Want Is You” brought their trademark emotional power to the forefront. The album also featured live versions of hits like “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” recorded with a gospel choir that gave it new spiritual depth.

Rattle and Hum received mixed reviews when it came out - some thought it was too self-indulgent - but over time, it’s become a fascinating snapshot of U2 wrestling with fame, faith, and the American musical landscape. It’s messy, passionate, and deeply human. More than just a follow-up to The Joshua Tree, it showed that U2 wasn’t afraid to take risks and wear their influences proudly on their sleeves.

The Ultimate Warrior burst onto the WWF scene in the late 1980s like a bolt of pure electricity. With his wild neon face paint, tassels flying, and that unforgettable sprint to the ring, he was unlike anything wrestling fans had ever seen. Born Jim Hellwig, the Warrior’s rise was meteoric - he went from relative obscurity to one of the most popular superstars in the world seemingly overnight. His intensity, energy, and larger-than-life persona made him a perfect fit for the colorful, over-the-top world of 1980s professional wrestling.

What set the Ultimate Warrior apart wasn’t just his physique or power - it was his raw, unfiltered passion. He spoke in cryptic, cosmic promos that didn’t always make sense, but fans loved every second of it. His feud with legends like “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Rick Rude helped cement his star status, but it was his showdown with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI in 1990 that defined his legacy. When Warrior pinned Hogan clean to win both the WWF Championship and Intercontinental title, it symbolized a passing of the torch for a new generation of fans.

The Ultimate Warrior became an icon of 1980s wrestling - loud, intense, and unforgettable.

🎧 Retro Picks of the Week

📺 T.V. Show: Empty Nest was a late-’80s sitcom centered around widowed pediatrician Dr. Harry Weston, who suddenly finds his quiet Miami home filled again when his two grown daughters move back in. The show blended heartfelt family moments with sharp humor and was a successful spinoff of The Golden Girls.

📼 Movie: Never Say Never Again (1983) marked Sean Connery’s return as James Bond after more than a decade away from the role, in a remake of Thunderball. The film features Bond facing off against the villainous Largo and the seductive Fatima Blush in a high-stakes battle against SPECTRE.

🎵 Song: Released in 1982, Hall & Oates’ hit single Maneater became one of their signature songs with its infectious saxophone hook and smooth blend of pop and soul. The track warns about a seductive woman who preys on wealthy men, capturing the sleek and stylish vibe of the early ’80s.

🕹️ Video Game: Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988) took the beloved franchise in a new direction, letting players choose between Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Princess Toadstool, each with unique abilities. Set in the dreamlike world of Subcon, the game replaced the usual enemies with colorful new foes and emphasized lifting and throwing objects instead of stomping on them. To this day it is one of my favorite games to pop in the NES.

👾 Cartoon: Jem and the Holograms (1985–1988) followed Jerrica Benton, a music executive who transformed into the glamorous rock star Jem with the help of holographic technology. The animated series mixed music, fashion, and adventure as Jem and her band battled their rival group, The Misfits, for fame and friendship.