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Collectors Corner: Starting a Candy Wrapper Collection

Candy wrapper collecting is a fun, accessible hobby for retro fans, turning everyday treats into colorful pieces of pop culture you can preserve, catalog, and display.

The Devil Made Us Do It: Inside the Satanic Panic

If you grew up in the 1980s, odds are somebody decided at least one thing you loved was dangerous or even downright evil. Heavy metal could lead you to Satan. Dungeons & Dragons was accused

Retro Reel Review: Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)

Eddie Murphy’s cool charm and Angela Bassett’s grounded intensity make Vampire in Brooklyn a nostalgic mid‑90s mix of spooky fun, foggy streets, and irresistible charm.

Dark Tower: The Holy Grail of 80s Board Games

Dark Tower mixed fantasy adventure with electronic magic, creating one of the most unforgettable and ambitious board game quests of the 1980s.

TRN Time Machine Podcast: Getting to Know Jason

Our dear friend and co-founder of The Retro Network, Jason Gross, passed away three years ago today. In memory of him, and to mark the occasion as part of Jason Gross Day, we’re re-releasing a

How the 1982 Tylenol Poisonings Almost Canceled Halloween

The 1982 Tylenol murders sent shockwaves through the country and turned Halloween into a season of fear, reshaping safety, packaging, and childhood traditions overnight.

Ghostbusters Cereal: The Breakfast That Slimed Our Childhood

If a hit movie, mountains of toys, and a Saturday morning cartoon weren’t enough ways to get your Ghostbusters fix as a kid, then grab a Hi-C Ecto cooler, take a seat at the kitchen

Halloween on Home Improvement

When I think back on my childhood, the sitcoms of the 1990s depict how I wished Halloweens could have been. Everyone was dressed in cool Halloween costumes and attended parties with elaborately decorated houses full

How It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown Became a Cult Classic

Before Halloween specials were a staple of primetime television, before animated characters were synonymous with seasonal rituals, there was a boy named Linus sitting in a pumpkin patch waiting for something magical. It’s the Great

Elvira: Mistress of the… Wrestling Ring?

It may only be September, but, I’m already in the Halloween spirit. As Halloween approaches, I begin to think of Elvira more often than usual and for my wife and I, Elvira’s movies, “Elvira: Mistress

Fascinating Facts About Elvira

If you grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, then surely you’re familiar with the Mistress of the Dark, Elvira. Elvira got her start after winning an audition to replace former “Fright Night” host Larry

When Ralston Ruled the Cereal Aisle

When kids go to the grocery store these days and browse the cereal aisle, they are treated by scores of colorful boxes and plenty of unique cereals to choose from. There is even a fair

Freddy’s Nightmares: The Top 5 Episodes

Freddy’s Nightmares A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series Freddy’s Nightmares was a television spin-off of the highly successful A Nightmare on Elm Street film franchise, airing during the height of Freddy Krueger’s popularity in

Remembering Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips

Arthur Treacher’s once brought a taste of British fish‑and‑chips flair to American fast food, and though most locations are long gone, its golden fried memories and unmistakable charm still linger in the hearts of those who grew up with it.

Twin Peaks: A Town Too Weird to Forget

A haunting small‑town mystery that blended surreal humor, supernatural dread, and unforgettable characters, Twin Peaks reshaped television by embracing the beauty of being profoundly strange.

Gargoyles: The Cult Classic That Still Casts a Long Shadow

Gargoyles shattered the bright, sugary mold of 90s cartoons, pulling kids into a world of shadows, myth and midnight heroics that made Saturday mornings feel darker, deeper and far more thrilling than ever before.

Back to the Future: A TRN Round Table

Few films have left a mark on pop culture quite like Back to the Future. Released in 1985, Robert Zemeckis’ time-traveling adventure wasn’t just a box office smash, it became a generational touchstone. From its

Christmas’ Hottest Toys: Tickle Me Elmo

When I was really young, we only had a handful of channels to watch. Because of that, my brother and I watched the same handful of episodes of the same shows over and over again.

I Want My (Network) TV! – Music Video Premieres in Prime Time

This past Wednesday, while I was listening to The Retro Network’s WIZARDS podcast, something in the “Wave Rider” segment tickled my eardrums with recognition. It also reminded me of a big trend that occurred primarily

Toy of the Week: Rainbow Brite

As I’ve mentioned in a few of my previous articles, many popular toy franchises of the 1980’s originated as greeting card characters. Rainbow Brite is no exception. However, instead of being a member of the

Toy of the Week: Mr. Sketch Scented Markers

If the 1980s had to be summed up with one specific sense, it would be scent. From Strawberry Shortcake dolls to Scratch and Sniff stickers and anything from Yankee Candle or Bath and Body Works,

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