The Toys That Made Us

Season 1

TV-14

100%79%

Toys can be more than simply children's playthings, the biggest ones can say so much about popular culture and the generations raised in it. This series covers the history of the major toylines of the post-World War II generations, the media franchises they represented, and how they reflected their times and how they changed with them.

Where to Watch Season 1

4 Episodes

Star Wars
E1
Star WarsA small toy company in Cincinnati takes on its biggest licensing project ever, giving birth to the most profitable toy franchise in history.
Barbie
E2
BarbieInspired by a risqué doll from Germany, the co-founder of Mattel toys forever revolutionized the doll industry for young girls.
He-Man
E3
He-ManThe story behind Mattel's "Masters of the Universe" toy line featuring iconic characters like the heroic He-Man and the villainous Skeletor, became one of the most popular media franchises aimed at young boys in the 1980s.
G.I. Joe
E4
G.I. JoeCredited with coining the term "action figure" more than 50 years ago, a group of toy marketers reimagined a new genre of dolls for boys.