Flea Gives Thanks to VCRs
Without VCRs, many episodes of the following shows would NOT exist anymore:
$10,000 Pyramid-The oldest episode in circulation, which is of very poor video quality, only survived because somebody taped it from their television in 1973.
Battlestars-All circulating episodes of this show were taped off TV, including the finales of both versions.
High Rollers-without VCRs, we game show fans wouldn't be able to watch Alex Trebek drunk! :)
Hollywood Squares-several NBC daytime episodes are in existance and in circulation only because of VCRs-such as the 1979 R & R Legends episode.
Las Vegas Gambit-the premiere and the finale, as well as the other handful of episodes circulating, were recorded right off the air. When you see the VCR offered as a prize on the Gambit board in the bonus round, you'll know why the quality on some of these shows is marginal :)
$ale of the Century-pre 1985 is possibly erased. However, there are a ton of episodes from before then, including the premiere and three consecutive episodes from April of 1983, in existence thanks to VCRs.
Split Second-the 1975 finale that only exists because somebody's VCR was running that day.
There are numerous other shows which would be gone without the VCR, too many to name here. To the inventors of the VCR and the fans who taped and kept these shows, I thank you!