The Toys that made us is a documentary series produced by Netflix. This first part presents 4 legendary toys in these 4 episodes of 50 minutes.
The Toys that made us is a documentary about the exploitation and creation of childhood toys for millions of young people. Interviews with creators or fans of the creations shed light on the history of toys.
This season 1 is actually the first part of the series that will last 8 episodes.Each episode of The Toys that made us tells the reflections that went around the creation of the toys.
The people interviewed by the team allow us to realize that these are not childish and thoughtless acts. Each episode is very informative and rich in anecdotes. It talks as much about the shape of the toy(s) as it does about the legal aspect of marketing them.
The voice-over and editing punctuate the episodes very pleasantly. They manage to make history alive and attractive. It feels like a sitcom.
The retro credits reinforce this logic. The cartoon is reminiscent of childhood and some of the toys featured in the episodes. We think of the credits of The Simpsons with the colors and rhythm of the images and music.
The Toys that made us explains the risks of the course. The competition is very present and very fierce. In the episode about Barbie, one of the interviewees even goes so far as to say that in order to stay on top, she used not very orthodox methods.
Many counterfeits are also present. Some can be useful to remember certain toys and others only so that the competition can enrich itself on a fashion effect. Collectors share in these episodes their craziest pieces!
The Toys that made us also returns to the controversies that some toys may have aroused. Barbie, for example, was very complex to conceive. Sure enough, there was a lot of criticism of his chest. The sexualization of the doll's body has changed the nurturing chest into an object of desire.The series explains how they transformed the doll's chest to shock as little as possible.
The Toys that made us shows very clearly the American consumer society. Companies to cope with customer demands and to counter competition decline toys for more profit. The leaders of large companies do not hesitate to take risks, even if it means making unlikely toys like a Barbie doll that would see her breasts grow in adolescence.
The evolution of toys is also the result of society. For example, when feminism opened doors, Barbie became a doctor, astronaut etc. This kind of identification makes little girls want to pursue their dreams. However, we also notice that GI Joe was born surfing on the spirit of the victorious Americans of the Second World War. They wanted to create a doll for boys without it being too effeminate.
The creation of a toy to then make it evolve in other universes (cinema, television etc …). The series is not only interested in toys that are derived from derivative products.
The stakeholders are relevant and we feel that they know what they are talking about. Indeed, archive images describe the beginnings of the creations.
The Toys that made us also plays on transparency. They do not hesitate to indicate when they have not been able to interview the right people by indicating them in a box (for example George Lucas in the first episode).
Candid interviews allow us to better understand the world of the creators of these toys. The team at The Toys that made us does not hesitate to choose speakers who tell informative anecdotes.
