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The 1986 Sears Wish Book: The Christmas Catalog That Made Every Kid Dream

November 1, 2026November 1, 2026 Serpentorslair Staff1980s Childhood Memories, 1980s Christmas nostalgia, 1986 Christmas toys, 1986 Sears Wish Book, G.I. Joe Terror Drome, M.A.S.K. toys 1986, Nintendo Christmas 1986, Sears catalog vintage toys, Sears Christmas Catalog 1986, Transformers 19860 comment

SERPENTORSLAIR.COM • 1980s NOSTALGIA THE 1986 SEARS WISH BOOK The Christmas Catalog That Made Every Kid Dream 40 YEARS OF CHRISTMAS MAGIC • 1986–2026 By Adam Jared The original 1986 Sears Christmas Wish Book cover. Archived image via Rediscover the ’80s. There was a time when Christmas didn’t begin with an online shopping cart. It began with a thick catalog arriving in the mail. If you grew up in the 1980s, you know exactly what we’re talking about. Long before Amazon, online wish lists, smartphones, and social media, there was…

Farrah, Lynda, Lindsay & Jaclyn — The Women Who Made 1976 Unforgettable

November 1, 2026November 1, 2026 Serpentorslair Staff1970s television actresses, 1976 television nostalgia, beautiful 1970s actresses, Charlie's Angels 50th anniversary, classic TV leading ladies, Farrah Fawcett 1976, Farrah Fawcett swimsuit poster, Jaclyn Smith Charlie's Angels, Lindsay Wagner Bionic Woman, Lynda Carter Wonder Woman0 comment

SERPENTORSLAIR.COM • THE GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION FARRAH, LYNDA, LINDSAY & JACLYN The Women Who Made 1976 Unforgettable A 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION By Adam Jared The original Charlie’s Angels cast. ABC Television, 1976. Public-domain publicity photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Before Instagram influencers, streaming celebrities, and a thousand different entertainment channels, four extraordinary women captivated an entire generation. Their names were Farrah Fawcett, Lynda Carter, Lindsay Wagner, and Jaclyn Smith. And in 1976, television would never be quite the same. Think about it for a moment. America was celebrating its Bicentennial.…

The Breaking News Report

IT: Welcome to Derry Halloween Special Review – Maturin Revealed

November 1, 2026November 1, 2026 Serpentorslair StaffA Story of Derry, Halloween 2026, HBO MAX, IT Welcome to Derry, Maturin the Turtle, Pennywise, R.A. Rayne, Stephen King0 comment

SERPENTORSLAIR.COM | HORROR & TELEVISION Is IT a Trick or Treat? HBO Max’s Surprise IT: Welcome to Derry Halloween Special Reveals Ancient Secrets, a Cosmic Turtle, and the Origins of Pennywise’s Prison By R.A. Rayne | November 1, 2026 Pennywise in HBO’s IT: Welcome to Derry. The Halloween special explores the ancient evil before its familiar clown disguise. Image: HBO, via WIRED. WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD This review reveals the events and ending of IT: Welcome to Derry – A Story of Derry, including the special’s biggest Stephen King mythology…

What America Was Watching on November 1, 1986: One Unforgettable Saturday Night of Television

November 1, 2026November 1, 2026 Serpentorslair Staff1980s nostalgia, 1980s Saturday night television, 227 NBC sitcom, classic 1980s TV shows, Facts of Life 1986, Golden Girls November 1986, Hunter NBC 1986, Life with Lucy 1986, November 1 1986 TV schedule, what was on TV in 19861 Comment

SERPENTOR’S LAIR PRESENTS What America Was Watching on November 1, 1986 One Unforgettable Saturday Night in Front of the Television BY DESTRO DESIGNS – VIPER DEN STUDIOS Forty years ago, on Saturday, November 1, 1986, millions of Americans settled into their living rooms, switched on their television sets, and enjoyed an evening of entertainment that we can never truly experience the same way again. There was no Netflix. No streaming queue. No pausing the show because your phone rang. You had three major television networks, a handful of additional channels…

The Real Ghostbusters: When Halloween Was Forever Turns 40

November 1, 2026November 1, 2026 Serpentorslair Staff1980s Saturday morning cartoons, classic 80s animation, Ghostbusters 40th Anniversary, Ghostbusters Halloween Episode, J Michael Straczynski, Real Ghostbusters 1986, Samhain Ghostbusters, Serpentorslair, The Real Ghostbusters, When Halloween Was Forever0 comment

THE RETRO TELEVISION VAULT | NOVEMBER 1, 2026 The Real Ghostbusters: When Halloween Was Forever Turns 40 — The Cartoon That Refused to Let Halloween Die By Destro Designs – Viper Den StudiosSerpentorsLair.com | November 1, 2026 Forty years ago today, a pumpkin-headed nightmare arrived on Saturday morning television, and Halloween would never feel quite the same again. Samhain, the frightening pumpkin-headed spirit introduced in the November 1, 1986 episode. Image: The Real Ghostbusters, via IMDb. © Respective rights holders. There was something extraordinary about Saturday mornings in 1986. We…

The Halloween Candy Scare That Terrified the ’80s: Razor Blades, Poisoned Treats, and the Truth Parents Never Knew

October 31, 2026October 31, 2026 Serpentorslair Staff1980s Childhood Memories, 1980s Halloween candy myth, 1980s Halloween nostalgia, 1982 Tylenol poisonings, Gen X Halloween memories, Halloween candy safety history, Halloween candy scare, Halloween candy tampering, Halloween urban legends, poisoned Halloween candy history, razor blades in apples, razor blades in Halloween candy, Ronald O'Bryan candy man killer, Timothy O'Bryan Halloween murder, trick or treating history0 comment

SERPENTOR’S LAIR | THE NOSTALGIA FILES The Halloween Candy Scare That Terrified the ’80s Razor blades. Poisoned sweets. A murdered little boy. How one true crime and a cascade of alarming headlines taught an entire generation to fear what was inside the candy bag. By Adam Jared | Serpentor’s Lair | October 2026 | Nostalgia Investigates Halloween in America, October 1984. Photograph by Steven & Courtney Johnson & Horwitz, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. THE MEMORY THAT NEVER LEFT Remember that moment? Your plastic pumpkin bucket was finally full.…

Halloween in the 1980s: When Horror Meant a Trip to the Video Store

October 31, 2026October 31, 2026 Serpentorslair StaffBlockbuster, Freddy Krueger, Friday The 13th, Ghoulies., Halloween 1980s, Horror Movies, Retro Nostalgia, VHS, Video Stores, Vintage VHS0 comment

THE NOSTALGIA FILES • HALLOWEEN 2026 Before Streaming, Halloween Meant One Thing: A Trip to the Video Store The horror aisle. The terrifying VHS boxes. The Friday-night ritual that an entire generation will never forget. By Adam Jared | October 29, 2026 A real video rental store on Maple Street in New Orleans, October 1988. Image: Wikimedia Commons. See source page for licensing and attribution. There was a time when Halloween didn’t begin with opening a streaming app. It began with a trip across town, a few dollars in your…

The Classified Glow-Up: Why Mainline Releases Should Be Gussied Up and Retro Versions Should Be Dead-Nuts Accurate

October 30, 2026October 30, 2026 Serpentorslair StaffAirtight, Beach Head, Classified Glow Up, Firefly, Flash, G.I. Joe Classified Series, G.I. Joe Retro, H.E.A.T. Viper, Scrap-Iron, Tripwire1 Comment

THE VIPER DEN EDITORIAL THE CLASSIFIEDGLOW-UP! Why Mainline Releases Should Be Gussied Up and Retro Versions Should Be Dead-Nuts Accurate By Destro Designs – Viper Den Studios Classified #10 Beach Head — the figure that changed my thinking. Image: Hasbro promotional photography via Toy Snowman. I finally just opened up the Classified #10 Beach Head. It’s absolutely glorious and an amazing version of the man himself. The Retro version, to me, is always going to be Beach Head, so it was hard for me to even look at Number 10.…

STAR TREK The Breaking News Report

Sir Patrick Stewart Dies at 86: Star Trek Secrets, Professor X & an Extraordinary Life

October 30, 2026October 30, 2026 Serpentorslair StaffCaptain Picard legacy, Jean-Luc Picard tribute, Patrick Stewart death 2026, Patrick Stewart Ian McKellen friendship, Patrick Stewart life story, Patrick Stewart obituary, Patrick Stewart untold stories, Professor X behind the scenes, Star Trek behind the scenes, X-Men movie secrets0 comment

SERPENTORSLAIR.COM • IN MEMORIAM • OCTOBER 29, 2026 OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN Farewell to Sir Patrick Stewart (1940–2026) The Extraordinary Life, Untold Star Trek Stories, Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Professor X, and the Legacy of a Hollywood Legend By Adam Jared Sir Patrick Stewart during the filming of Star Trek Generations. Camera equipment and crew members reveal the extraordinary work behind the Enterprise’s adventures. Photo: StarTrek.com. Some actors portray heroes. Sir Patrick Stewart made us believe that heroes could actually exist. For nearly four decades, millions of television viewers knew the…

Happy 84th Birthday, Bob Ross: The Wonderful Stories Behind America’s Happy Painter

October 29, 2026October 29, 2026 Serpentorslair Staff1980s television nostalgia, Bob Ross, Bob Ross 84th Birthday, Bob Ross Behind the Scenes, Bob Ross Birthday, Bob Ross Paintings, Bob Ross PBS, Bob Ross Rare Photos, Bob Ross Tribute, The Joy of Painting0 comment

SERPENTORSLAIR.COM | SPECIAL BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE OCTOBER 29, 1942 – JULY 4, 1995 Happy 84th Birthday, Bob Ross The Wonderful Stories Behind America’s Happy Painter A celebration of the remarkable man, the forgotten moments, and the extraordinary legacy that continues to grow. By Adam Jared | October 29, 2026 A wonderfully candid moment: Bob Ross having fun behind the scenes with a television production clapperboard. Photograph published by Visit Indiana. Somewhere, you would like to think, Bob Ross is celebrating his birthday with a freshly cleaned paintbrush, a magnificent mountain, and…

Halloween Candy in the 1980s Was Better — And We’re Ready to Prove It!

October 28, 2026October 29, 2026 Serpentorslair Staff1980s, Candy Corn, childhood memories, Halloween, nostalgia, Reese's, Retro Candy, Snickers, Trick or Treat, Vintage Halloween0 comment

SERPENTORSLAIR.COM | HALLOWEEN NOSTALGIA Halloween Candy in the 1980s Was Better — And We’re Ready to Prove It! From full-size chocolate bars and homemade popcorn balls to the Halloween candy nobody wanted, we’re going back to the sweetest nights of our childhood. BY ADAM JARED | OCTOBER 30, 2026 Before Halloween became an Instagram event, it was a neighborhood adventure — and the candy was everything. There was a moment every Halloween night in the 1980s when the entire world seemed to stop. It happened when you finally got home.…

Ali G: Who Iz I? Movie Review – The Return of Ali G

October 28, 2026October 28, 2026 Serpentorslair StaffAli G, Ali G Movie Review, Ali G Who Iz I, Amazon Prime Video, Borat, British comedy, Comedy Movies, Movie Reviews, Pop Culture, Sacha Baron Cohen, Satire, SerpentorsLair.com0 comment

SERPENTORSLAIR.COM | MOVIE REVIEWS Movie Review: “Ali G: Who Iz I?” Ali G returns after more than twenty years for a chaotic new adventure. By Serpentor’s Lair Columnist @GIJoeRepairShop | October 28, 2026 Back in July, this author published an article on the cultural significance of Ali G. Well, Ali G is back now after more than twenty years in which, in his words, “the world has gone to crap. There’s been wars, COVID, and Ed Sheeran.” His new movie, “Ali G: Who Iz I?”, was only in cinemas October 23rd…

The 10 Scariest Action Figures of the 1980s: The Toys That Gave Gen X Nightmares

October 28, 2026October 28, 2026 Serpentorslair Staff1980s action figures, D'Compose, G.I.Joe, Gen X nostalgia, Halloween 2026, Hordak, Inhumanoids, Masters of The Universe, Metlar, Mon*Star, Nemesis Enforcer, Scare Glow, Silverhawks, vintage toys0 comment

SERPENTOR’S LAIR | HALLOWEEN 2026 | GEN X COLLECTING THE 10 SCARIEST ACTION FIGURES OF THE 1980s From Cobra-La to Scare Glow—and the one toy that still gives Gen X nightmares. By Adam Jared | October 28, 2026 | SerpentorsLair.com Original boxed 1986 Inhumanoids action figures. Photo: Pook & Pook / Bidsquare. There was a time when the scariest thing in your bedroom wasn’t under the bed. It was standing on the dresser. Long before action figures became highly detailed collector’s pieces, the toy aisles of the 1980s were home…

G.I.Joe Half The Battle

G.I. Joe: Kindergarten Commandos Cartoon Review with Half The Battle and HCC788

October 28, 2026October 28, 2026 Serpentorslair StaffCobra Commander, DIC G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe, G.I. Joe 1991, G.I. Joe cartoon review, Half The Battle, HCC788, Kindergarten Commandos, Retro cartoons, Serpentorslair0 comment

G.I. Joe’s Wildest Classroom Adventure! This week on G.I. Joe: Half The Battle, we’re heading back into the wonderfully unpredictable world of the DIC-era G.I. Joe cartoon! Joining the adventure is fellow G.I. Joe enthusiast HCC788 as we revisit the unforgettable 1991 episode “Kindergarten Commandos.” Cobra Commander has another outrageous scheme, and this time, he’s taking over a school to recruit the perfect Cobra soldiers! Unfortunately for Cobra, things don’t always go according to plan, especially when kindergarteners are involved. Was this episode an overlooked gem, a ridiculous cartoon adventure,…

McFarlane’s New Batgirl Action Figure Brings Alicia Silverstone’s 1997 Batman & Robin Back to Life

October 27, 2026October 27, 2026 Serpentorslair StaffAlicia Silverstone Batgirl, Batgirl 2026 action figure, Batgirl preorder, Batman and Robin 1997, DC action figures, DC Multiverse Batgirl, Deluxe Theatrical Edition, McFarlane Batgirl, McFarlane Toys review, Serpentorslair0 comment

SERPENTORSLAIR.COM | COLLECTOR SPOTLIGHT McFarlane’s New Batgirl Action Figure Brings Alicia Silverstone’s 1997 Batman & Robin Back to Life A silver mask, unmistakable ’90s styling, and a new reason to revisit Gotham’s most misunderstood superhero movie. By Adam Jared | SerpentorsLair.com | October 27, 2026 The new Batgirl Deluxe Theatrical Edition from McFarlane Toys. Promotional photography: McFarlane Toys / Entertainment Earth. Gotham City is returning to the neon-soaked world of 1997, and this time, Batgirl is getting the collector treatment she deserves. McFarlane Toys has unveiled its new DC Multiverse…