Everything 80s

It's almost here... After nearly three years, Stranger Things is back with its highly anticipated fourth season--and it couldn't come at a better time for Netflix. In this preview show, we'll do a recap of season 3, discuss everything we know about the plot and production, do a trailer breakdown, discuss theories, and look at another great commercial crossover.  Season 4 promises to be bigger, bet...

When Crocodile Dundee was released in 1986, it caught everyone by surprise. The movie from Down Under starring an actor no one knew became a monster hit. This is a look back on the Crocodile Dundee franchise and the man behind the croc: Paul Hogan. Hogan's story is a true rags-to-riches tale and how he went from Australian celebrity to worldwide star. We look at how this film came together, why no...

Before there was the Chernobyl disaster, there was Three Mile Island. This is an accident that appears to be a lot more serious than you may realize. What appeared to be just a "close call" could have actually been catastrophic. This is a look back at the story of the first nuclear accident; all the misinformation that eroded the public's trust; coverup; Jane Fonda; whistleblowing, and the afterma...

How is it possible that the greatest toy store we've ever known could end up bankrupt? No, it's not just because of the internet (though that does play a role). The once-dominant toy store would face many setbacks that resulted in its closure. In this episode, we look back on the history of the iconic store, how it shaped the childhoods of millions, helped create a lot of pop culture as we know it...

Before there was Red Bull, Monster, or 5-Hour Energy Shots, there was the original energy drink: Jolt Cola. If you grew up like me, you may remember Jolt Cola being kind of mythical. This drink apparently had enough caffeine to take down a horse and we all heard urban legends of the kid who died drinking it. It turns out Jolt didn't actually have that much caffeine. What it did have was the opposi...

If you were alive in the 1980s, you definitely went to K-Mart at some point. The store had everything and was a huge part of our lives. But how did the company go from retail giant to almost nothing? As of the time of this recording, there are only three K-marts left. This is a look back on the rise and fall of a giant company with a history that goes all the way back to 1899.  If you want to supp...

Even if you're not a wrestling fan, you can't deny the massive influence it has had a pop culture. This influence was never more prominent than it was in the 1980s. This is the story of the very first WrestleMania and the massive risk Vince McMahon took in creating it.  The story of WrestleMania is as much the story of the early days of the (then) WWF, the changing landscape of entertainment, cabl...

If you're from the UK, and of a certain age, you probably remember the Late Late Breakfast Show incident of 1986. Even if you've never heard of this--it's a pretty crazy story. The Late Late Breakfast Show was a variety show aired on the BBC in the early 80s. It was kind of like the early days of David Letterman. One feature on the show involved putting regular citizens into death-defying, movie-l...

*Takes deep breath* OK, this may not go over well but here is my countdown of what I believe are some of the most overrated movies of the 1980s. I need to point out that these are not bad movies--not at all. They are in fact really, really good movies, I just find them to be more on the overrated side than the all-time classic side. We've got 7 choices to look at which include a classic coming-of-...

1984 is more than just George Orwell, it's a huge year when it comes to all things pop culture. Some of the best movies and TV shows of not just the 80s--but of all time--debuted in 1984. We also look back at the music, technology, and major sporting events that went into this pretty remarkable year. We'll also touch on the whole 1984, Orwellian connection, and take a quick look at some other thin...

The L.A. Lakers of the 80s may be the decade-defining team during an era of decade-defining teams. This is a look back at a true sports dynasty and the one year which may be the best of all time: 1986-87. This is also a look at how the Lakers brand of "Showtime basketball" would change the way we watched sports. The Lakers took basketball from simply a game to a full entertainment experience. Even...

What do you get when you combine, teenagers, dangerous rides, alcohol, and New Jersey? You get Action Park: the most dangerous amusement park of all time. This is a look back on the notoriously famous park and how it came to be. We look at how safety was not a concern in the design of the attractions and why it could be a genuinely dangerous place to visit. There is also violence, fraud, and a lot...

The 1980s were a golden age of breakfast cereals. The decade ushered in a whole new era of breakfast options that probably couldn't even be considered real food--but we loved it (even if our mothers hated them). I'm going to count down what I believe are the ten best cereals of the decade.  Some of these came out before the 80s but became as much a part of our morning breakfast routine as reading...

If you grew up in the U.K. in the 80s, you definitely know of SuperTed. But even if you're not from the U.K, there's a good chance you saw this cartoon at some point. This is a look back on a bedtime story that became a hit cartoon show seen in over 120 different countries. It's a story that has connections to Harry Potter, The Beatles, Disney, and Welsh pride. It's also an incredible tale of stic...

It's almost Valentine's Day and I thought we'd take a look back on the movie that created the modern rom-com: When Harry Met Sally.  It's not that rom-coms didn't exist before, but this film perfected the format. It was also a monster hit and caught movie studios completely off guard with how lucrative this genre could be. This is a look back on the plot of the movie, how it came together, its las...

Space Camp is a movie from 1986 about kids visiting NASA who accidentally get launched into space on the Space Shuttle, and have to figure out how to stay alive. It was released on June 6th, 1986, and if you know your history, you know what happened just four months earlier. 20th Century Fox now had the nightmare of trying to market a movie about kids having to stay alive onboard a Space Shuttle j...

The 1980s gave us more than just crimped hair and legwarmers; it was a decade of amazing technological innovations. This is a look back on ten of those inventions that you may not realize come from this decade. It includes medical innovations, space exploration, beloved food items, and a change in how we would forever investigate crimes.  Show Notes: 10 Inventions From the 80s Support the Show: Pa...

This is a look back at what was a very underrated year in the 80s: 1983. In this episode, we look at all the big pop culture moments that made up the year including the movies, cartoons, music, and TV shows. 1983 may actually be one of the biggest years ever when it comes to TV. We also look at the technology, sporting moments, and the Great Video Game Crash that defined what was a pretty amazing...

Welcome to my look back at the best of the 80s in 2021! This episode is made up of three parts: The first is a look back at three 80s-related movies that came out during 2021. The next is a look back at some of the most interesting podcasts and topics of the year. And the last part is where I share stats of the podcast shared to me by Spotify. It's a look at where everybody is listening from, the...

I have watched every Rankin/Bass Christmas special and there are  A LOT more than you may realize. Today, I'm reviewing and ranking all of them. This list includes some obvious beloved favorites, a few misses, and some that will leave you scratching your head. Rankin/Bass has become an integral part of the holidays and their storytelling and creativity have entertained us for nearly 60 years. I ho...

Welcome to my annual Christmas special! I'm wearing the ugliest Christmas sweater I could find, have the fireplace channel "roaring" in the background, and am drinking some type of nog. For the Christmas special, I wanted to look at the movies and TV shows that captured Christmas for us in the 1980s. First, we will look at 4 films that actually are Christmas movies (you know where this is going......

This is something I'm hoping to make a yearly tradition, and it's a look back on my episode about the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special. As bad as this thing is, it has somehow become a staple of my holiday viewing. And since I recorded it, there have been a few current references to the special—that I added to the episode—proving it's not going away anytime soon. I hope you enjoy this look back...

Yes, I stand by that statement. If this special had run every year like Rudolph or Frosty, I believe it would be considered a holiday classic that everyone watches each year. The problem is, it only aired two times, then was relegated to home video never to be seen again. But this is a shame. In this episode, I want to share 6 reasons why this is the perfect Christmas special. It's also unique as...

In 1980, an upstart shoe company approached a hot-shot new basketball player about a possible endorsement deal. The problem was, they didn't have any money and could only offer him stock options. That company was Nike, and that player was Magic Johnson. Had he taken the deal, it would have been worth billions today. This is a look back on this remarkable story and a look at the early days of Nike...

When it comes to pop culture: 1982 was a doozy. In this look back, I recap the movies, TV shows, music, sports, video games, and technology that define this year. 1982 gave us some of the biggest movies of all time, arguably the biggest album in history, a groundbreaking technological advancement, and the debut of several gigantic TV shows.  Show Notes: 1982 Support the Show: Patreon.com/80s