Toyetic Shows Done Right

I was thinking about how Merchandise-Driven shows generally have a reputation for being, in a word, crap (and with good reason), and it got me wondering.

What are some shows that turned out to be pretty damn good even though they were basically designed to shill toys?

edited 27th Oct '13 9:07:38 PM by comicwriter

Aside from the obvious one... hmm...

You know, I can't say, really. It helps that I really don't watch much TV anymore, but I'm sure there has to be some quality Merchandise-Driven shows out there.

Beast Wars. I'm certain that some would say Transformers Prime, as well, but that one had the advantage of being THE central show of a new network (and as such, was likely conceived more as a show than as a toy ad).

Y'know, I want to say Littlest Pet Shop is doing it right, but then again, there's not much to work with for a show on that in the first place.

As much as I like that show, too - point made.

From its unfortunately rough as hell start, LPS 2012 did get better, but only then still has only so much going for it, knowing what it is banking popularity off of (and that show is becoming overrated and overdone, anyway, IMHO...).

Though I'll argue either example does one thing right that a lot of shows like it still do horribly wrong (even today!) - have characters/writing in it that I can actually be invested in, besides just engaging art-styles to back them up...

edited 27th Oct '13 7:53:35 PM by TheShopSoldier

How about the shows the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise has cranked out?

I'd say Kaijudo is a (criminally underrated) toyetic shows that's done right.

Actually, I'd say most of the shows on The Hub are done right, or at least done decently.

Definitely agree with Nexus about Kaijudo being awesome. Admittedly the creatures don't really reflect their actual abilities in the card game, but that just means that the show itself isn't restricted in what they can have happen during fight scenes. The main villain is actually competent, with frequent examples of being Dangerously Genre-Savvy (such as summoning the good guys main monsters himself, straight into a jail cell, so that when the heroes attempt to summon them they get nothing). And even after a Super Mode was introduced in the form of an evolution spell, it's not a once an episode instant win button that makes you question why the heroes don't just use it at the start of the fight *cough*Ben 10 Ultimate Alien*cough*. Instead its only occasionally used, the villains have access to it as well, its not a guaranteed win (as Gabe found out in the most recent episode with Blinder Beetle) and Bob, the main monster and already one of the strongest in the series, can't use it at all due to already being fully evolved.

Yeah, a good "toyetic" show needs two things: 1) using its game elements often enough to sell the show BUT not to the point it eclipses everything else, and 2) just *be* an actual good show on its own eg. have a good plot and characters. He-Man, Digimon and Yugi-Oh in my opinion, have done it very well (some versions better than others.)

Beast Wars was before my time, but I agree with Odd1 that TMNT 2003 was pretty good. I wasn't only mildly aware there was an older cartoon, and if I had seen it I think the 2003 series would be the superior one

I don't watch it much, but I agree that Kaijudo would fit here, confirming upon what I did see of it (overall, the same could be said of just about every Hub Show on right now...).

I definitely agree with Beast Wars, it was one of if not my favourite show as a kid. You could tell the writers and voice actors had fun with the characters in that one.

I can think of several shows that are very good cartoons for a toy advert, but Beast Wars is pretty much the only very good cartoon by normal standards that just happens to be a toy advert.

What about GI Joe?(Excluding Sigma 6) Since they're Hasbros answer to army soldiers, they had no limits to what the heroes could do, which is probably why the classic series lasted so long. Plus, even though half the vehicles never worked well in real life as toys, the show made them even more awesome!