The Toys That Made Us is a fantastic Netflix show that has proven to be nothing short of a hit with fans. Taking a different toy each week and breaking down its history, featuring interviews with those who helped make it, those who bought it, and even celebrities who collect them or played with them.
It gives fans the chance to either remember back to days playing with the toys in question or for younger fans to learn all about the different toys that have come before.
It's a brilliant documentary-style show that is both educational and fun, having covered some amazing toys. But what else do we want to see the show focus on? Here are 5 toys we would like to see covered in future episodes, and 5 we would rather they didn't feature.
We'd Like: Hot Wheels
It's quite surprising that these haven't been covered by the show, but Hot Wheels are certainly a group of toys that The Toys That Made Us should be thinking about covering. Toy cars are always popular, and you won't find a bigger brand in that department than Hot Wheels.
There are so many different versions of Hot Wheels and they have been distributed all around the world. They are exactly the sort of popular toy that gets focused on this show. They could look at more than history and could bring in famous drivers to talk about them. It would be a great topic.
We Wouldn't: Rubik's Cube
It is easy to see why a case could be made for having a Rubik's Cube episode, as this is one of the most iconic toys of all time, having become an unlikely hit in the 1980s. Rubik's Cubes are still sold the world over and most people have at least attempted to start one.
However, an entire episode on this square object feels like a little bit of a stretch. It's hard to think about what they would discuss for an entire episode that would grip anybody. While it's an iconic toy, it's incredibly simple, and people aren't curious about it. There are far better options to go with.
We'd Like: Trolls
The story of the Troll dolls is one that would make for an incredible episode of the show. Originally being carved by a Danish fisherman because he couldn't afford to buy a Christmas present, the frizz was made of sheep's wool and things spiraled out from that point.
Troll Dolls were a major fad of the 60s. There are many variations on the dolls and they're certainly a toy that people care enough about to watch an episode on. The property has popped up in the likes of Toy Story and even has its own movie franchise with the DreamWorks project, Trolls.
We Wouldn't: Pac-Man
Much like the Rubik's Cube, Pac-Man is unbelievably iconic and could easily be made into an episode. While it isn't technically a toy that you can get your hands on, so many people became obsessed with this arcade game, buying one for their home or venturing out to the local arcade store to play it.
Pac-Man has since been made available on phones and in other forms, continuing its popularity. However, when the core of the show is all about toys, it would be great to see it stick to things you can physically get your hands on, otherwise, it will open up a whole new world of ideas in the virtual one.
We'd Like: McDonald's Toys
This might seem like a strange one, and the show would obviously have to work out some legal details with the fast-food chain, but an episode focused on McDonald's Happy Meals toys could be a lot of fun. Taking a look at how the idea started and what decisions are made about picking what's included.
The toys featured on this show are generally ones that have been popular and collected around the world. Few toys get more popular than Happy Meal toys. They're something that many millions of people have played with, which would mean it's easy to connect with, making it a good topic for an episode.
We Wouldn't: Trading Cards
Trading cards have always been incredibly popular, no matter what the topic is. Immediately, Pokemon cards spring to mind as something that people have gravitated towards for decades. Buying as many as possible to switch around with friends and compete with, they became big hits.
While it could be fun covering that aspect of trading cards, this topic doesn't quite feel like it has the depth that others have. The intricate details that are placed into things like wrestling figures don't apply to trading cards, and while they've been popular, they haven't quite shaped a generation like some toys have done.
We'd Like: Tamagotchi
While we don't want the show to burst into the world of video games just yet, as that could arguably be a show within itself, using a digital toy like a Tamagotchi would be great. This is the perfect way to blend the two worlds of technology and toys and considering how popular this toy was in the late 1990s, it certainly warrants an episode.
Inside the LCD screen, there was an animal that would rely upon you to clean its feces, bathe it, and feed it, consistently. If you didn't give it enough attention then it would die. It required tons of attention, and schools lambasted it for disrupting classes. It would be interesting to hear about the conflicts and the thought process behind it all.
We Wouldn't: Dungeons And Dragons
A look at the popular RPG Dungeons and Dragons has long been rumored to be in the works for the show. This is an incredibly popular game that no doubt influenced a tremendous number of creative people and has enjoyed more time in the spotlight recently, thanks to Stranger Things.
However, right now it would be better if the show focused on just toys rather than branching out. Topics like this are very much worthy of being covered but feel like they could exist within their own show. With so many classic toys still yet to be discussed, the show would be smarter to stick to that genre.
We'd Like: Marvel
This would be a tremendous idea for a new season of the show for many reasons. First, the Marvel toys were incredibly popular during their time, with people wanting to collect as many figures as possible to play fight with them and reenact everything.
However, while their incredible popularity is one reason to do it, the fact Marvel has become even more popular now makes it incredibly relevant. This topic would certainly attract a huge audience, and the possibility of bringing in some MCU actors to give their take on the toys is too good to pass up.
We Wouldn't: Funko Pops
Funko Pop figures are incredibly popular collectible toys right now and fans are buying them consistently. They're immensely detailed and cover so many different movies, video games, and television shows. There really is something for everyone with this toy.
Funko has certainly had a major impact in the last decade and has become the number one collector's toy for many people. It has shaped lives, but it feels a little too soon for this toyline to be featured. The show is at its best when it focuses on older toys, which have a richer history.