TRN Archives Archives : Page 2 of 5 : The Retro Network

Visionaries: The Cartoon Where Magic and Machines Went to War

When the many suns of the planet of Prysmos came into alignment, the results were catastrophic. The planet was thrust back into the Dark Ages, where magic equaled power. Because of the cataclysm, the planet

The Short Life of the Chevy Chase Show

Mickey Yarber

In the crowded and competitive world of 1990s late-night television, The Chevy Chase Show stands out. Not for its longevity or acclaim, but for its spectacularly short and disappointing run. Airing on Fox in 1993, the show

Pizza Hut’s Bigfoot Pizza: The Pizza So Big it Fed a Generation

Mickey Yarber

In the golden age of over-the-top fast food promotions, few items loomed as large, literally and culturally, as Pizza Hut’s Bigfoot Pizza. Launched in 1993, this rectangular behemoth wasn’t just a meal; it was a

Fascinating Facts About Days of Thunder

Mickey Yarber

Released on June 27, 1990, Days of Thunder was Tom Cruise’s high-octane follow-up to Top Gun, reuniting him with director Tony Scott and producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer. Set in the world of NASCAR,

The Mystery of Al Capone’s Vault Was the Greatest Letdown in Live TV History

Mickey Yarber

In all of television history, few events have blended lore, media spectacle, and anticlimax quite like The Mystery of Al Capone’s Vault. On April 21, 1986, millions of Americans tuned in to watch what was

The Birth of MTV’s Video Music Awards

Mickey Yarber

When MTV launched the Video Music Awards (VMAs) on September 14, 1984, it wasn’t just creating an awards show, it was igniting a cultural revolution, though no one knew it then. Held at Radio City

Whatever Happened to MTV’s Original VJs?

Mickey Yarber

When MTV launched on August 1, 1981, it didn’t just revolutionize music television—it introduced the world to a new kind of celebrity: the Video Jockey, or VJ. Five charismatic personalities became the faces of the

MTV and WWF’s Rock and Wrestling Connection of the ’80s

Mickey Yarber

In the mid-1980s, a seismic shift occurred in entertainment when two unlikely forces, MTV and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), collided in a glittery explosion of music, muscle, and mayhem. This fusion, dubbed the Rock

POGs: The Fad That Slammed the ’90s

Mickey Yarber

In the world of ’90s playground obsessions, Tamagotchis, slap bracelets, and Beanie Babies, few fads hit harder (literally) than POGs. These colorful cardboard discs, paired with chunky “slammers,” turned recess into a battlefield of flips,

New Coke: Marketing Failure or Marketing Genius?

Pitfall Gary

Origins and addictive ingredients Coca-Cola has been a staple of American life for over 130 years. Created in 1886 by John Pemberton with a mixture of coca leaves and kola nuts. And yes, cocaine was

The Mysterious Cities of Gold: A Journey Across History, Mystery, and Sunlight

Mickey Yarber

“Children of the Sun, see your time has just begun,Searching for your way, through adventures every day.Every day and night, with the condor in flight,With all your friends in tow, you search for the Cities

Whatever Happened to the Actual Love Boat?

Mickey Yarber

Even if you have never watched The Love Boat you know the show takes place on a ship. The iconic vessel is displayed prominently in the opening credits, serving as a backdrop to the frenzy of

How Jurassic Park Helped Create McDonald’s Supersize

Mickey Yarber

The term “supersize me” has existed for so long that people seem to have forgotten how it started. Sadly that means it was around for three decades. The supersize option at McDonald’s was not originally

The Theory That Changes Everything About Television As You Know It

Mickey Yarber

Almost all of television takes place inside the mind of an autistic child. Or so this crazy St. Elsewhere theory would have you believe.

Staying Up All Night with Rhonda Shear

Michael

Rhonda Shear was an iconic staple of late-night television in the ’90s. She was beautiful, funny, and oozed sex appeal. We pay tribute to her greatness and define why she was so magical.

Remembering 3-2-1 Contact

Kevin Decent

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

When Ralston Ruled the Cereal Aisle

Mickey Yarber

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