When the Wizard of Oz Was An Annual Event

If you grew up in the 80s or early 90s, you probably remember a time when The Wizard of Oz wasn’t just a movie. It was an event. A yearly ritual. A night when every kid in America seemed to be doing the exact same thing at the exact same time. Before streaming, before DVDs, before you could watch anything whenever you wanted, Oz came to us once a year on broadcast television, and we treated it like a holiday.

It usually happened in the fall or early winter. You’d be flipping through the TV Guide or catching a commercial during your favorite show, and there it was. The announcement. The Wizard of Oz would be airing Sunday night at 8. That was all it took. Plans were made. Snacks were bought. Bedtimes were negotiated. And when the night finally arrived, families gathered around their living room TVs like they were waiting for the ball to drop on New Year’s Eve.

There was something special about it. You didn’t just watch Oz. You prepared for it. You got your blanket. You claimed your spot on the couch. You made sure you were settled in before the opening credits rolled, because if you missed something, that was it. No rewinding. No restarting. No “we’ll watch it tomorrow.” You had one shot each year, and you made the most of it.

And when that moment came, when Dorothy stepped out of the black‑and‑white farmhouse and into the Technicolor world of Munchkinland, it felt like magic. Even if you’d seen it ten times already. Even if you knew every line. Even if you sang along with every song. It still felt new. It still felt big. It still felt like something you didn’t want to miss.

Kids talked about it at school the next day. Who got scared of the flying monkeys. Who loved the Tin Man. Who hid behind the couch during the Wicked Witch scenes. It was one of those rare shared experiences that tied all of us together, no matter where we lived or what our families were like. Everyone watched Oz. Everyone knew Oz. Everyone loved Oz.

Looking back, it wasn’t just the movie that made it special. It was the moment. The gathering. The anticipation. The feeling of knowing that millions of other kids were sitting in their living rooms doing the exact same thing. It was a kind of togetherness that doesn’t happen much anymore. Today, you can watch The Wizard of Oz any time you want. You can stream it, buy it, rent it, or pull it up on your phone. And somehow, that convenience took away a little of the magic.

But for those of us who grew up in that era, the memory remains. A yearly broadcast. A family gathered around a glowing screen. A movie that felt bigger than life. And a tradition that made us feel like we were part of something shared and special.

We didn’t just watch The Wizard of Oz. We experienced it. Together.

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Retro Ramblings is a weekly column where Mickey shares his personal stories and observations of growing up Gen X in the ’80s and ’90s.

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