dex14

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Ringmaster

Awesome. When is the release date?

dex14

The first four are on Netflix now.

Though, I had read all episode were supposed to be released today.

story

I'm ten minutes into the first episode and this is great! Thanks for letting us know, dex14!

andicus

Looking forward to watching this!

dom56

My older brother had that Robot Commando at the beginning, I was jealous of him. I have that Rock n Sock Em Robots and Time Bomb. Good memory.

story

These He-Man guys are hilarious. The editing really plays them off each other so well, too.

Docs like this tend to rock or not and this one rocks. Going to hold off and watch G.I. Joe later. ...Maybe!

Geofferson

This looks a lotta fun - looking forward to it.

cultshock

As a vintage toy collector, I've been really looking forward to watching this! A friend of mine was involved in the making of the show so I've been waiting to see it.

Mike86

This sounds like something I’ll have to check out. I’m a big fan of toys and collectibles. Not quite the same show but I really liked Toy Hunter on The Travel Channel.

Crocker Jarmen

Watched the first episode and was really impressed. I expected this to go over all the same crap I already know, but the Kenner guys were so engaging. Everything felt very candid, like they weren't afraid to say things about people that could be taken negatively. The program is a huge step above something like Toy Hunter or Comic Book Men.

funkyryno

Looking forward to watching this. I was huge nerd about G.I. Joe when I was a kid.

story

Wrapped up these first four and was pleasantly surprised. Very impressed by the level of access they got, the editing and narration was good, and the graphics were fun. The only one I was a little disappointed in was the G.I. Joe one, and I think that's because I was so into the 1980s version that I wish that was a two-part episode to truly explore that latter half better. Will be up for the next four, which I'm sure will include at least Transformers and My Little Pony. I'll be curious to see if they do one on the one-hit wonders like Teddy Ruxpin or Cabbage Patch Dolls (although that did have longevity to it).

Abob Teff

These were very informative and entertaining! I actually wish they were longer and went more in-depth. Don’t get me wrong, they got great access with the toy creators and told stories I hadn’t heard before (even the Star Wars one), but they did such a good job I wanted more! I don’t know if I would have sat through a 2-hour Barbie one, but I definitely would have for G.I. Joe and He-man as they tend to be under covered in documentaries.

The Barbie one was rather interesting as well ... then again anything that starts with a guy filing off nipples in front of his boss ... yeah, go watch it!

Re: Star Wars — I had always heard Lucas gave up some of his movie profits for the marketing rights, but this documentary says Lucas only got 2.5% (of course, that is still pretty big and maybe that was bigger than any marketing rights deal before).

There was another good Star Wars toy doc (Plastic Galaxy, 2014) that was on Netflix in the the last year or two and it touched on the Kenner story. I liked the additional detail in this one. Call me crazy, but I think the Kenner/Star Wars story in the ‘70s would make a great backdrop for a Mad Men style tv-show. CREATIVE RIGHTS CLAIMED!! If somebody goes on to do this, I am claiming rights right here, right now!

Any word on the back 4 episodes? I think they may have shot their wad on the front side, but Transformers will be a good one to go. I’d like to see one on M.A.S.K. but I doubt we get it. Logical ones might be Cabbage Patch Kids and Power Rangers because they were huge fads. Then ... Beanie Babies?

Abob Teff

Quick perusal of the internet yields this information:

Next 4 episodes in early 2018 (their Facebook and IMDB)

Transformers seems confirmed (Facebook)

Possible hints at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, WWF, and M.A.S.K. ... though many of those could be second season (if they get one). Batman was definitely shot down for S1.

Rooting around on IMDB lists Hello Kitty, Star Trek, Legos, and Transformers (in various locations). Then again, they don’t even list all of the first 4 episodes.

fujishig

Yeah if they have access Transformers seems like a lock, it's been on store shelves almost non stop since it's inception. I'd also think Hot Wheels would be a good one, the collectible craze kind of started with them and the hardcore toy collectors still line up to search through them. I assume lego is off the table, but I wouldn't mind seeing mega bloks. And Nerf.

mcnabb

Watched the first episode on Star Wars and loved it. Kenner had a sweet deal as Lucas and Fox only got 5% of royalties for the OT action figures.

I hope they do an Episode on Video Games like Atari/Intellivison. Or an Episode on Dungeons and Dragons or Stat o Magic Baseball, but probably won’t.

cultshock

I really enjoyed the first four so far, especially the Star Wars one. Transformers seems like it will be a no brainer, hopefully they delve right into its Japanese origins, based on the Microchange and Diaclone toy lines (or go back even further and show how GI Joe is a direct ancestor of Transformers).

As a Mego collector, I hope they get an episode, but all I've heard from my friend so far is: "I helped with this, Mego is in the mix." I'm just not sure how much.

mrhan

The SW one was interesting. Besides the Mego superhero figures those were the only ones I played with. I was more into cars than anything else along with videogames. AFX/Tyco slot cars, hotwheels/diecast and remote control cars. I don't recall anyone doing a doc. on those since they are in a niche market; maybe a passing reference to HWs once in awhile.

DthRdrX

I watched the SW episode and it was great. Anyone else get the idea that Lucas deliberately held off on the prequels until he could get the toy deal restructured? They didn't say what specific year the original 5% contract ran out.

Crocker Jarmen

My understanding was the contract ran out after Hasbro brought Kenner, and didn't realize (or care) they needed to pay LucasFilm ten grand a year in order to keep the agreement valid.

Original Desmond

Yes great series, way better than anything else in this genre

When do new episodes come out ?

mcnabb

You’re right. As Steve Sansweet say that they could have wrote Lucasfilm a check every year for $10,000 for the rest of existence and the deal would still be valid. But they thought SW was essentially dead by the early 90’s and didn’t write that check the one year and the agreement was void. The irony is they way overpaid for the Prequel Merchandising Royalties, as I love the Hasbro Executive’s reactions after getting a private screening of Episode 1 and Jar Jar.

TomOpus

See post #15.

This is an outstanding series. It's one thing to talk about what happened but to bring out the actual people involved really adds so much.

robin2099

Finished the first three episodes. Loved what I have seen overall. I found their Facebook page and have been looking forward to this for awhile. Thoughts on the first three episodes:

Star Wars: Some of it has already been covered before but the most interesting parts for me was seeing what used to be the Kenner offices in Cincinnati, and finding out that the line initially ended because George Lucas "wanted to give it a rest". Its hard not to think that Lucas didn't just rest it in the hope that he would be able to get more merchandise rights back. Loved the Hasbro executive talking about Jar Jar and seeing the prequels.

Barbie: Was interesting but was probably my least favorite. I thought the most interesting part was how the male designer of the toy was basically Bill Fingered out of being a co-creator of one of the most iconic toy brands of all time. And man that former female CEO at Mattel is a MILF.

He-Man: Easily my favorite. It almost felt too short and could have easily been two hours long. Seeing everyone argue over who created He-man and how they basically killed the line inadvertently was fascinating. Really all of it was fascinating.

As for the next four? Ninja Turtles and Transformer are pretty much a guarantee. Not sure what the other two episodes would be, but I would love to see one about the Super Powers collection, or the Mego Super Heroes.