Best 1980s Toy Line
While dolls, games, and action figures have existed for decades, even centuries, in the 1980s toys became big business – the industry earned an estimated $12 billion in America in 1986 alone. IP concepts and trends that started in the 1960s and 70s were fully developed, manufactured, and marketed to eager moppets transfixed by after-school cartoons or breakfast cereal tie-ins. And the toys themselves were incredible, with many of the most popular lines standing the test of time even decades later. Now the Great Pop Culture Debate wants to determine: what IS the Best 80s Toys Line? Toy lines discussed: Cabbage Patch Kids, Jem and the Holograms, Micro Machines, G.I. Joe, Pound Puppies, Polly Pocket, Masters of the Universe, My Little Pony, Care Bears, Star Wars, Strawberry Shortcake, Rainbow Brite, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Popples, Thundercats, Transformers.
Join host Eric Rezsnyak and GPCD panelists Karissa Kloss, Kate Racculia, and Zack Derby as they discuss and debate 16 of the most legendary toy lines of the 1980s.
Great Pop Culture Debate is brought to you by Factor Meals. Visit factormeals.com/greatpop50 and use the code greatpop50 for 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next month.
Play along at home by finding the listener bracket here. Make a copy for yourself, fill it out, and see if your picks match up with ours!
For more exclusive content, including warm-up in which we discuss the toys we were bummed didn’t make the bracket, become a Patreon supporter of the podcast today.
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Round 1 Match-Ups:
Not a Patreon subscriber? Here’s a primer on how we came up with the bracket.
Match-Up 1: Cabbage Patch Kids (1) vs. Jem and the Holograms (4)
Match-Up 2: Micro Machines (3) vs. G.I. Joe (2)
Match-Up 3: Pound Puppies (1) vs. Polly Pocket (4)
Match-Up 4: Masters of the Universe (3) vs. My Little Pony (2)
Match-Up 5: Care Bears (1) vs. Star Wars (4)
Match-Up 6: Strawberry Shortcake (3) vs. Rainbow Brite (2)
Match-Up 7: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1) vs. Popples (4)
Match-Up 8: Thundercats (3) vs. Transformers (2)
Want to play along at home?
Download the Listener Bracket and see if your picks match up with ours!
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Episode Credits
Host: Eric Rezsnyak
Panel: Karissa Kloss, Kate Racculia, Zack Derby
Producer: Bob Erlenback
Editor: Bob Erlenback
Theme Music: “Dance to My Tune” by Marc Torch
