Transformers and Gobots were huge in the early 80s but the Gobots may have beaten them to the punch while ending up as the second-class citizen. This episode shares the history of the Gobots, their origins in Japan, and how they may have set the standard for toys - and cartoons - that the Transformers, and many others, copied with better success.

1980s Movie Reviews: Patreon.com/80s

Honey, I Shrunk THe Kids was a live-action comedy/adventure released by Disney in 1989. It tells the story of an inventor who accidentally shrinks down his, and his neighbors' kids and they have to journey through their backyard to safety. The movie has a lot of horror elements and was making Disney nervous during production. This episode looks back on everything that went into making the movie and a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff you may not have been aware of!

The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

The 80s were a golden age of so many things including movies, TV shows, music, cartoons, toy, and technology. This episode looks back on 12 of the best things that made this decade such an epic one.

show notes: episode 21

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Inspector Gadget was a cartoon that came out in 1983 and was a beloved part of the 80s. It told the story of a dimwitted cyborg/man that was basically a dumbed down RoboCop. We'll look back on the development of the show, the characters, what the show was originally intended to be, and some bizarre fan theories!

The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

The Micro Machines were a series of miniaturized toy cars and vehicles that were released in the 80s. They were meant as a unique alternative to other toy cars like Hot Wheels and became a massive hit most partly in thanks to their unique ads featuring worlds fastest talker, John Moschitta Jr. 

The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

We've all had a Happy Meal at some point but what you were eating is one of the most powerful marketing items ever created for fast food. The Happy Meal wasn't actually invented by corporate stooges but has a history as a very noble idea. Naturally, it grew into the corporate behemoth it is now which has allowed McDonald's to capitalize on the youth market and even dictate movies and entertainment. 

The Everything 80s Movie Review Podcast: Patreon.com/80s

There were a lot of crazy fashion movements in the 80s; leg warmers, neon colors, fanny packs, but acid wash may have been the king. This episode looks into the surprising history of how acid wash jeans came to be so popular, their origins in surfer culture, and how the punk movement brought them to the mainstream. 

Show notes: episode 17

The Nintendo Entertainment System came out in 1985/86 and became the best-selling console of all time. Releasing it was seen as a big risk as it was coming out of the great video game crash of 83 and companies wanted nothing to do with video games anymore. This episode tells the story of the NES and the history of Nintendo which goes all the way back to 1889!

Show Notes: Episode 16

Choose Your Own Adventure was a series of books that came out in the 80s where the reader was put into the story as the protagonist. You would make different choices while reading that could lead to different versions of the story and many endings. The books had a simple creation, much rejection, and a long process until they became successful selling over 350 million copies worldwide. Here's the very interesting story of Choose Your Own Adventure.

Show notes: Episode 14

The Cabbage Patch Kids came out in 1983 and are one of the most successful toys of all time. But was it an entirely original idea? The Cabbage Patch Kids might have been a stolen idea, ended up being one of the hottest toys ever, and led to the Cabbage Patch Kids craze of 1983 which had never been seen before.

Show notes: episode 13