Awesome 80s Archives : Page 5 of 15 : The Retro Network

Whatever Happened to Marc Summers?

For kids who grew up in the 1980s and early 1990s, Marc Summers was one of the most familiar faces on television. He was the energetic, quick talking host of Nickelodeon’s Double Dare, the messy,

Top 10 Cold War Movies of the 1980s

Pitfall Gary

The 1980s were a decade of big hair, neon lights, and synth-heavy soundtracks but beneath the pop culture glow, a much darker reality simmered: nuclear war. For kids in the 80s, the Cold War wasn’t

The Royal Rumble That Started It All

Mickey Yarber

When the World Wrestling Federation introduced the Royal Rumble concept in January of 1988, no one watching at home had any idea they were witnessing the birth of a franchise that would become one of

Remembering the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster

Pitfall Gary

Tuesday, 28 January 1986 In January 1986 I was in 7th grade, attending a private Christian school. On a normal day we would start out with Math class. Tuesday, 28 January 1986 wasn’t a normal

Body Slam: The 1986 Wrestling Comedy That Captured the Rock and Wrestling Era

Mickey Yarber

Body Slam bottled the wild spirit of mid‑80s wrestling, blending rock music, big personalities, and Roddy Piper’s charisma into a chaotic comedy that now stands as a cult‑favorite snapshot of the Rock ’n’ Wrestling era.

Revisiting Pryor’s Place

Mickey Yarber

Richard Pryor’s Saturday‑morning detour, Pryor’s Place, blended heart, humor, and gentle life lessons, creating a one‑season gem that felt unlike anything else on kids’ TV and still shines as a quirky, forgotten treasure of the ’80s.

Panama Jack and the Rise of 80s Surfwear Style

Mickey Yarber

Panama Jack captured the carefree spirit of 80s beach culture, growing from a Florida sunscreen brand into a nationwide symbol of sunshine, surf style, and tropical vacation vibes that still spark nostalgia today.

Remembering Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips

Mickey Yarber

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.

Axis & Allies: When Strategy, Snacks, and All‑Night Battles Ruled Childhood

Mickey Yarber

Hey kids, gather round. Before video games took over every spare minute of free time, there was a board game that let you command entire nations during World War II. Axis and Allies put players

Coy and Vance Duke: A Strange Chapter in Hazzard County History

Mickey Yarber

The brief Coy and Vance era on The Dukes of Hazzard became one of TV’s strangest detours, a replacement experiment that baffled fans, shook the show’s momentum, and left behind a uniquely memorable chapter in Hazzard history.

Rollergames: The Wildest, Loudest, Most 1989 Thing Ever Put on Television

Mickey Yarber

Rollergames was peak 1989 chaos, a roller derby spectacle supercharged with rock music, wild characters, and over the top action that turned the figure eight track into one of the loudest and most unforgettable shows on television.

Revisiting My Two Dads

Mickey Yarber

My Two Dads blended heart, humor, and late‑’80s charm, turning an unlikely parenting setup into a feel‑good family story. With its loft setting, lovable cast, and gentle life lessons, it became a sitcom that quietly stuck with viewers.

Nintendo Game & Watch: The Handheld That Started It All

Mickey Yarber

Long before the Game Boy arrived, Nintendo’s Game and Watch brought video games to our pockets with simple controls, charming LCD screens, and a kind of magic only early handhelds could deliver. It was portable fun that felt revolutionary.

The Rise of Orville Redenbacher’s Popcorn

Mickey Yarber

For most of the 20th century, popcorn was a simple pleasure…a stovetop ritual, a movie‑theater treat, a sound and smell that filled kitchens long before streaming nights existed. But no name became more synonymous with

The Lost Treasures of Atari’s Swordquest

Mickey Yarber

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.

Revisiting the Warm Woodland World of The Paw Paws

Mickey Yarber

Every now and then, you stumble across a cartoon from your childhood that feels like it lived in the quiet corners of Saturday morning. Not a blockbuster. Not a toy‑aisle titan. Just a sweet little

Micro Magic: The Frozen Food Phenomenon That Turned Microwaves Into Magic Shows

Mickey Yarber

In the early days of home microwaves, when the idea of cooking dinner with invisible waves still felt like science fiction, one brand stepped forward to make the future taste delicious. Micro Magic arrived in