Home : The Retro Network

The Things All ’90s Living Rooms Had

A warm look back at the unforgettable clutter, comfort, and charm that made every 90s living room feel perfectly familiar and wonderfully chaotic.

New RoboCop Series Officially in the Works at Prime Video

Prime Video is officially bringing RoboCop back to the screen. Amazon MGM Studios and Blumhouse Atomic Monster have confirmed an eight‑episode series based on the classic sci‑fi franchise, with original co‑creators Ed Neumeier and Michael

The Rise and Ruin of Jimmy Swaggart

Jimmy Swaggart rose from Pentecostal revivalist to America’s most-watched televangelist, captivating millions with fiery sermons and music before personal scandal brought his media empire crashing down.

When the X Men Animated Series Took Over the 90s

The 90s X Men cartoon hit like a lightning bolt, blending bold storytelling with the peak comic boom and redefining what Saturday morning heroes could be.

Who Was the Snapple Lady?

The Snapple Lady became one of the most unexpected and endearing stars of 1990s advertising, a real employee who turned into a national personality simply by being herself. At a time when beverage companies were

The Rise of the Sega Genesis: How a 16‑Bit Underdog Changed Gaming

The Sega Genesis brought arcade power home, sparked the console wars, and defined a generation with speed, style, and unforgettable 16‑bit classics.

Whatever Happened to Nikita Koloff?

Nikita Koloff left wrestling for ministry and mentorship, and today he inspires others through speaking events, retreats, and his “It’s Time to Man Up” podcast.

Pretty in Pink Turns 40 and Its Soundtrack Is Still Pure ’80s Magic

Pretty in Pink turns 40, and its soundtrack still captures the spirit of ’80s teen culture with unforgettable new‑wave and post‑punk classics.

Cage Without a Key – Was Sidney Sheldon Inspired by It?

Did they do it all in the ‘70s with nothing left untouched when it came to storylines for cinema and TV? Revisiting little known or long-forgotten gems from the decade supports this impression. Even Sidney

Breaker Breaker: The CB Radio Craze That Took Over The 70s

The 1970s CB radio craze turned everyday Americans into road‑ready personalities, creating a nationwide culture of slang, handles, and open‑road connection.

Remembering 3-2-1 Contact

Forty years later and still arguably the best theme song in the history of PBS. From a strange era in between glam rock and disco. In between men wearing short shorts and women wearing short

The Lost Treasures of Atari’s Swordquest

Atari’s Swordquest series promised real‑world treasure and a quest unlike anything the arcade world had seen. Blending comics, puzzles, and high‑stakes competition, it became one of gaming’s most fascinating lost legends.

Big Trak: The Programmable Tank That Drove Our Childhoods

November of 1979 was the moment the future finally arrived in the American living room. When the holidays arrived a month later, many American children (mostly boys) were treated to the toy of their dreams,

Fascinating Facts About Gilligan’s Island

In September of 1964, the S.S. Minnow first set out on its fateful three hour tour, as Gilligan’s Island premiered on American television sets. Not many could have predicted the impact that the sitcom would have on

Defining “Fair is Fair” in 1985 Films

Every time I see a list of movies that came out in certain years in the ’80s, I’m amazed, and 1985 is no exception. So many movies that I still hold in high regard came

He Man And The Masters Of The Universe: The Cartoon That Helped Build A Toy Empire

The 1980s He Man cartoon became a landmark in toy history, created to support the Masters of the Universe line after FCC rule changes allowed shows built around merchandise.

Burger King’s Forgotten ‘Fine Dining’ Experiment in the 1990s

Burger King’s early 90s Table Service brought popcorn appetizers, Dinner Baskets, new sides, and Bob Uecker and Dan Cortese ads to a slower, friendlier fast‑food experience.

Mighty Max: The Pocket Sized World Of Monsters, Mayhem, And 90s Imagination

Mighty Max turned pocket sized playsets into sprawling worlds of monsters and adventure, proving that 90s imagination did not need big toys to feel enormous.

Batman 1989: The Summer the Dark Knight Ruled Pop Culture

Batman’s 1989 takeover turned a simple movie release into a cultural tidal wave, with the bat emblem dominating stores, fashion, music, and the entire summer landscape.

Cheers: The Show That Made America Feel At Home

Cheers turned a simple Boston bar into one of television’s most beloved gathering places, blending sharp humor, unforgettable characters, and a sense of community that still resonates decades later.

Big Trak: The Programmable Tank That Drove Our Childhoods

HyperColor Was Going To Be the Fashion Trend Of the Future

In the summer of 1991, fashion got weird—in the best way possible. That was the year Hypercolor shirts exploded onto the scene, turning ordinary cotton t-shirts into thermochromatic canvases that changed color with heat. For

A Look Back at Nick at Nite

This coming week will celebrate 35 years of Nick at Nite, the family-friendly programming block during the evening hours on Nickelodeon. On July 1, 1985, Nick at Nite launched with only a handful of shows

Retro Ramblings: The Glory Days of Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut in the 80s and 90s was great. Relive everything you miss, and all the things that made it great back in the glory days of Pizza Hut.

Enertech Water Guns: The Realistic Water Guns That Created Controversy

Before the neon splash of Super Soakers dominated backyard water warfare, a more intense breed of water guns made waves in the mid-1980s. Enertech water guns, manufactured by LJN Toys, stood out for their jaw-dropping

Visionaries Action Figures Are Returning After Nearly 40 Years

Visionaries is officially returning to store shelves for the first time since the late eighties, with Super7 launching new ReAction+ figures based on the classic hologram‑driven toy line.

The Wild History of Action Park and the Chaos That Closed It

Action Park delivered wild, barely supervised thrills where concrete slides, brutal wave pools, and experimental rides made danger part of the fun and ultimately part of its downfall.

The Herculoids: The Most Unusual Heroes Hanna‑Barbera Ever Created

Long before sleek space operas filled the airwaves, The Herculoids gave kids a wild, untamed universe where laser dragons, rock apes, and shape‑shifting blobs defended a distant planet with raw, primal energy.

The Rise of the Personal Pan Pizza and the BOOK IT Generation

For eighties and nineties kids, the Personal Pan Pizza wasn’t just lunch. It was a moment. It was the smell that drifted through the mall, the hot pan placed on a red plastic tray, and the feeling that you finally had a pizza that belonged entirely to you.

Construx: The Toughest, Coolest, Most Underrated Toy of the Eighties

Construx didn’t look like LEGO or Tinkertoys. It looked like something pulled off a futuristic workbench, and for a few magical years in the eighties, it turned bedrooms into engineering labs.

Super ’70s

Awesome ’80s

Nostalgic ’90s