The History Channel is taking an even deeper dive into the backstories of America’s most iconic toys.
Last fall, the channel debuted a four-part docuseries called The Toys That Built America. Now, the show is coming back for a second season that’s twice as long. Across eight new, one-hour episodes, the series will cover the stories and rivalries that influenced the modern toy industry. The episodes will feature interviews with a variety of toy experts, including Jackie Breyer, group publisher of Adventure Media and Events (The Toy Book, The Toy Insider, and The Pop Insider).
The first episode of the new season will debut on Sunday, Oct. 23, at 9 p.m. ET. This episode is titled “Masters of the Toy Universe” and discusses how former Mattel President Ray Wagner competing with his colleague-turned-rival, Bernie Loomis, lead to the creation of the Masters of the Universe toy line.
Future episodes in the series will cover video game pioneer Nolan Bushnell (Atari), toy innovator Marvin Glass (Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Lite Brite), and more. The series will interweave these toy histories with historical context, fun facts, and interesting stories.
The History Channel has released a trailer for this season of The Toys That Built America, which teases The Super Soaker, Rubik’s Cube, Pong, and more. New episodes will debut weekly on Sundays, only on The History Channel.
