Schoolhouse Rock!
Mother Necessity
TV Flash files “Mother Necessity” as hour 29 of 65 in the TV Flash guide — Schoolhouse Rock! (1973–1985) on ABC, season 3, episode 9, aired 1976-07-10.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S03E09: listed hour 29 of 65 in the Schoolhouse Rock! guide, hour 9 of 12 in season 3. It aired 1976-07-10. The listed hour before it is “Fireworks” (S03E08). Next is “Three-Ring Government” (S03E10).
Viewer FAQ
Where does Mother Necessity sit in the Schoolhouse Rock! guide?
S03E09 is listed hour 29 of 65 — hour 9 of 12 in season 3, season 3 episode 9.
When did Schoolhouse Rock! S03E09 air?
Mother Necessity aired 1976-07-10.
Is this a series I binge like a sitcom?
No. Three-minute interstitials between Saturday-morning ads. Sample by subject: grammar, math, science, civics — I'm Just a Bill and Conjunction Junction first.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Three-minute cartoons between Saturday-morning ads taught conjunctions, how a bill becomes law, and a generation's civic earworms. Educational interstitial as permanent American memory. Replay I'm Just a Bill and Conjunction Junction to remember when networks hid actual genius inside the commercial bumper.
Calendar first: Saturday morning, 1973, ABC, three minutes between cartoon ads, and a network hides a textbook in the bumper. Schoolhouse Rock! began after a kids-can't-multiply observation, from David McCall, George Newall, Tom Yohe, and Bob Dorough. Short animated musical lessons in grammar, math, science, and civics. Jack Sheldon's I'm Just a Bill and Dorough's Conjunction Junction became cultural forever; Lynn Ahrens wrote and sang later entries. **Three minutes.** That is the window. Not a half-hour sitcom.…
Filed against
- Bob Dorough as Vocals / Songs
Bob Dorough sang Schoolhouse Rock! between Saturday-morning ads — three-minute cartoons that taught conjunctions, how a bill becomes law, and a generation’s civic earworms. Educational interstitial as permanent American memory. Replay I’m…
- Jack Sheldon as Vocals (I'm Just a Bill)
Jack Sheldon sang I’m Just a Bill on Schoolhouse Rock! — three-minute Saturday-morning genius hiding civic homework between ads. Conjunctions, how a bill becomes law, a generation’s earworms with jazz in the throat. TV Flash still files…
- Lynn Ahrens as Writer / Vocals
Lynn Ahrens wrote and sang the civic earworms of Schoolhouse Rock! — three-minute cartoons between Saturday-morning ads, conjunctions and how a bill becomes law, educational interstitial as permanent American memory. Replay the bill. TV…