Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints

Sunday, June 24th, 2018 1:29AM CDT

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Just recently, Anthony Brucale of TFU.info sat down to talk with Brian Volk-Weiss, the creator of everyone's favorite toy-history Netflix show The Toys That Made Us. Brucale served as Consulting Producer on the series, so has some interesting behind-the-scenes questions for Volk-Weiss along with more standard curiosities. Check out some highlights below, watch the full interview embedded beneath that, and discuss anything you find interesting on the Energon Pub Forums!

Reception of Season 2 overall: Even better than Season 1! More positive reviews, and no negative ones. The 'complaints' Volk-Weiss has noticed seem to be mostly wishes for even more content or depth, which he understands and sees it as a good thing that these are the biggest complaints about the new season.

Biggest challenge in making the Transformers episode? Some former Takara engineers were new to being interviewed, so that initial footage wasn't very good. According to Volk-Weiss many of them later grasped the idea better, and took their own initiative to re-shoot better interviews.

Why a lack of more "in-depth" material about Transformers? The Toys That Made Us aims for a "middle ground" sort of approach to their episodes; some things that fans might find interesting would lose non-fan viewers. This is why some things exciting to fans were glossed over, and why only Peter Cullen (arguably the most "iconic" Transformers actor) was interviewed for the episode.

Any cut material you wish you could've kept? The original cut for the Transformers episode was 90-100 minutes long, and among cut footage was an eight- to nine-minute segment on Beast Wars. Mentions of much of this cut material potentially being available on a DVD of the series, if/when that comes to pass.
An interview with Michael Bay was also filmed, but wasn't included in the final cut for various reasons, which Volk-Weiss can't elaborate on further (though he stresses that Bay was fantastic to talk to and nothing went wrong in the interview).

Season 3: Volk-Weiss hopes to end up getting to make around 20 episodes! The chances of, in those 20 episodes, coming back for another pass at a brand (like say, Transformers) are estimated at "0.001" but it's not impossible. Subjects for Season 3 will be revealed at The Toys That Made Us panel at San Diego Comic-Con... it's hinted that Power Rangers and Gundam may be among them!

Credit(s): TFU.info

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Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (1966419)
Posted by Flashwave on June 24th, 2018 @ 10:42am CDT

I wanna know why the decision to cut to the 44 minute TV format when the VAST majority of Netflix stuff goes the full hour. Are there potentially palans to air this somehwere?

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (1966616)
Posted by o.supreme on June 25th, 2018 @ 9:05am CDT

I'd definitely support a DVD purchase if it had the 90-100 minute length version of the TF episode.

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (1968291)
Posted by Rodimus Prime on July 2nd, 2018 @ 5:53pm CDT

I just now got around to watching the TF episode. Above all, it made me wish I was back then in the room with Budiansky when he wrote the bios or with the Japanese designers when they first came up with Diaclone. Otherwise, it was nice to see the beginnings of the franchise laid out. Honestly, though, a documentary covering the 35 years of Transformers could easily be either around 3 hours long, or even have its own series, with each episode focusing on a different era.

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (1972966)
Posted by Va'al on July 21st, 2018 @ 10:52am CDT

For thos of you keeping tabs at home, another reveal was made at San Diego Comic Con 2018, from the panel starring the creators of the Netflix documentary series The Toys That Made Us, which we knew had been extended to another season of four episodes (or half season, if you want).

The contents of this season 3 have now been announced, and they feature some of the brands that people had been asking for: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Wrestling, My Little Pony and Power Rangers! The latter is paticularly interesting with its recent license acquisition by Hasbro and 25th anniversary this year (in the US, at least), but they all will surely strike a chord with fans. Let us know what you think in the Energon Pub Discussion boards!

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (1972968)
Posted by shajaki on July 21st, 2018 @ 11:01am CDT

I thought it was odd how TMNT wasn't in the second season, beat out by Hello Kitty (which I view more as a media icon than toy franchise).

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (1972969)
Posted by Cobotron on July 21st, 2018 @ 11:04am CDT

This is great news! I really enjoy this whole series.

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (1973131)
Posted by Hoist [RENEGADE] on July 22nd, 2018 @ 3:03pm CDT

I personally find this series really interesting and look forward to the 3rd series, especially the turtles! I never did watch the Hello Kitty Episode though..

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (1973271)
Posted by o.supreme on July 23rd, 2018 @ 9:27am CDT

shajaki wrote:I thought it was odd how TMNT wasn't in the second season, beat out by Hello Kitty (which I view more as a media icon than toy franchise).

That whole second season moniker is a bit misleading. It was originally planned as a single 8 episode season (it's in the theme song...

)

It's just that Netflix changed their strategy about a year of so ago, after enabling a "binge" culture, to save time and money on new content, much of what they release now are half seasons, but they call them *full seasons*to save face.

Even though none of these 4 new categories are toy lines I was heavily vested in, it should be interesting to watch, especially the wrestling one. I never thought of Wrestling as having a deep toy market historically, except maybe in the past decade or so. All I remember from the 1980's were gimmicky things like thumb wrestlers and plush-type "wrestling buddy" , not really action figures per se, but I guess the producers would know best what they can make an episode out of.

Also I guess that theme song is going to have to change...

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (1981208)
Posted by o.supreme on August 29th, 2018 @ 1:47pm CDT

For fans of this series, a similar single full length toy documentary entitled "The Power of Grayskull" was added to Netflix. It's very similar to TTTMA single MOTU episode but is a full 100 minutes long, with much more detail, backstory etc... It's pretty cool, and I give it my highest recommendation. For the record, if the full-length TTTMA Transformers episode doesn't ever see the light of day, I'd love if the same company that did "Power of Grayskull" did a Transformers full length documentary.

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (1982155)
Posted by Big Grim on September 4th, 2018 @ 12:55pm CDT

o.supreme wrote:For fans of this series, a similar single full length toy documentary entitled "The Power of Grayskull" was added to Netflix. It's very similar to TTTMA single MOTU episode but is a full 100 minutes long, with much more detail, backstory etc... It's pretty cool, and I give it my highest recommendation. For the record, if the full-length TTTMA Transformers episode doesn't ever see the light of day, I'd love if the same company that did "Power of Grayskull" did a Transformers full length documentary.

Nice! Will check if this is on my UK Netflix. Cheers!

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (2038819)
Posted by o.supreme on September 18th, 2019 @ 2:23pm CDT

While it seems Season 3 may still be a bit off in the distance, this kind of snuk under the radar, we will be getting a Blu-ray release of all 8 episodes (S1 &2) IN just a couple of weeks 10/1/19. The good news is, some of the bonus content at least appears to be TF focused:

https://bloody-disgusting.com/home-vide ... llectible/

Amazon Pre-order

https://www.amazon.com/The-Toys-That-Ma ... PDKIKX0DER?tag=seibertron07-20&

Screen Media has announced today a Blu-ray Special Edition of Netflix’s first two seasons of “The Toys That Made Us” an 8-episode documentary series that focuses on the history of important toy lines. The first four episodes focus on the Star Wars, He-Man and G.I. Joe toy lines with subsequent episodes featuring LEGO, Transformers, Hello Kitty, and Star Trek.

Set for release on October 1, 2019, the Blu-ray set comes boasting 15 new bonus features as well as a limited edition collectible of the series logo.

ADVERTISING

inRead invented by Teads
Extras Include:

Featurettes
Featurette with Show Creator Brian Volk-Weiss
Barbie 80’s Marketing
More Stores That Made Us: GI Joe the Story of COBRA
More Stores That Made Us: Us Selling the Show
Jim Swearingen Extended Interview
Peter Cullen Extended Interview
Todd McFarlane on LEGO
Todd McFarlane on Star Trek
Hideki Yoke/Takara Tour
+9 Deleted Scenes

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (2038872)
Posted by william-james88 on September 18th, 2019 @ 9:28pm CDT

While it seems Season 3 of the Toys that Made Us may still be a bit off in the distance, we will be getting a Blu-ray release of all 8 episodes (S1 &2) in just a couple of weeks. It will be released on October first and some of the bonus content appears to be Transformers focused, as you can see below. You can preorder on Amazon.com. The Blu Ray is $26.99 USD and comes with a limited collectible in the form of the logo. We thank fellow Seibertronian O.Supreme for letting us know of this.

Here are the list of extras:

Featurettes
Featurette with Show Creator Brian Volk-Weiss
Barbie 80’s Marketing
More Stores That Made Us: GI Joe the Story of COBRA
More Stores That Made Us: Us Selling the Show
Jim Swearingen Extended Interview
Peter Cullen Extended Interview
Todd McFarlane on LEGO
Todd McFarlane on Star Trek
Hideki Yoke/Takara Tour
+9 Deleted Scenes

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (2044950)
Posted by o.supreme on November 17th, 2019 @ 8:16pm CST

Seemingly without Fanfare Season 3 of The Toys That Made Us dropped on Netflix this past Friday November 15th. As previously stated, the episodes are: TMNT, Power Rangers, My Little Pony, and Pro Wrestling.

Transformers may not be the focus, but they do show up in passing in the first 3 episodes actually whether in reference to competition, or trends of the times. I do miss the *story intros* of the others, but these 4 new episodes are chock full of great history about each brand and the ups and downs of the industry in general, definitely worth a watch.

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (2045012)
Posted by Ironhidensh on November 18th, 2019 @ 7:24pm CST

I got some dust in my eye during the ending of the TMNT episode....

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (2045044)
Posted by o.supreme on November 19th, 2019 @ 4:10pm CST

Before watching I personally felt that the Wrestling one would interest me most, followed by TMNT, then PR, and finally MLP, I was a bit surprised....

The Power Ranger one turned out to be my favorite of the new season, despite my personal dislike of the franchise, they focused way more than I thought they would on the Japanese origins of the series, and paid respect to what came before, also Haim Saban was great in the episode. TMNT was probably my 2nd favorite, then Wrestling (which was a bit boring if I'm being honest, despite seeing all the colorful 80's characters again), and lastly, naturally MLP, because it of course was never my thing, but my daughter loved it.

I am curious to know how fans feel about the Hasbro acquisition of PR. I mean I love Transformers, as the brand has always been with Hasbro/Takara, but, even as a non-fan of PR I can't imagine PR toys being distributed by anyone other than Bandai. They tried once to deviate from the Japanese toys, and that seemingly was a disaster. When you import the toys directly (and just place them in american packaging), things seem to go well.

Future episodes I'd like to see would be:

1.Voltron (since it has had three revivals in 1997,2011, and 2016, two of which had a toyline to support it)
2. A Combined episode about The Rankin/Bass animated series Thundercats, Silverhawks, and Tigersharks. I figure one episode could cover all 3, and the short lived revival in 2011
3. Hotwheels &
4. Care Bears (gotta have something for the girls, and its been revived a few times)

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (2045045)
Posted by Ironhidensh on November 19th, 2019 @ 6:22pm CST

I would ruin 3 pairs of pants if they would do a M.A.S.K. episode.

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (2045069)
Posted by Big Grim on November 20th, 2019 @ 7:34am CST

Ironhidensh wrote:I would ruin 3 pairs of pants if they would do a M.A.S.K. episode.

I hear that man! I loved M.A.S.K.! Always wanted the Rhino Rig but adored my Firefly. That was just a perfect little toy.

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (2045099)
Posted by o.supreme on November 20th, 2019 @ 5:15pm CST

MASK is awesome, no doubt, but other than a return in comic form, it hasn't really returned in toy form (unless you count that Matt Tracker GI Joe from a few years ago, a truly missed opportunity, I agree)

I was thinking a combined MASK/Jayce & The Wheeled Warriors/COPS episode might be cool, since they were all DiC animated series that had successful toys from around 85-87, but the toys might have been under different manufacturers...so I don't know how that would work.

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (2045414)
Posted by william-james88 on November 25th, 2019 @ 10:10pm CST

o.supreme wrote:MASK is awesome, no doubt

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (2090844)
Posted by o.supreme on December 28th, 2020 @ 3:01pm CST

Greetings All,

Well it's been a little over a year since anything has been posted here, shortly after Season 3 arrived on Netflix.

Nacelle Productions has since added on Netflix a couple other Documentaries "The Movies that made us", and "The Christmas Movies that made us", They cover some interesting tidbits about some of the most famous movies of the 80's to varying degrees.

However... Over on Amazon Prime a new series entitled "Coming to a Toy Store Near You" has been produced by the same team. Initially I believe it was designed to showcase vintage toy stores from across the United States (and Canada), however with the Pandemic, this aspect weaves it's way into the show in order to highlight how these small businesses are able to survive despite restrictions, and the joy they bring to each community they are in. During the spring/summer one episode dropped every few weeks. However there was a dry spell for a while. Five new episodes however (Bringing the Total to 10) were all released last friday 12/25. I find this series especially enjoyable. Transformers among Many other brands are prominently featured. I encourage everyone who is a fan of The Toys that made us to check it out.

Re: Interview with The Toys That Made Us Creator Brian Volk-Weiss: Transformers Episode, Season 3 Hints (2091189)
Posted by Rodimus Prime on January 1st, 2021 @ 2:59am CST

Sounds interesting. I'll give it a shot for sure, the Netflix series was pretty good.