Throwback Thursdays: Netflix 80s Nostalgia

I remember. Tape decks, ZX Spectrum, Bomb Jack, North Stars, Gummy Bears, Soda Stream, Wilson Blocks, Pac Man, Iced Zoo, Star Wars, TV Guides, You magazine, corduroy pants, turtle necks, brown and orange dining tables, cream soda floats, The Goonies, Cold War, KGB, GI Joes, plastic Cowboys and Indians, homemade kites and rubber guns, cardboard forts, Ninjas, Guy Fawkes, Tom and Jerry, Thundercats, MNET, radio simulcast and vinyl albums.

Ah man, the 80s. What a decade, what a time. Looking to get back your 80s Zen and relive some of those moments? Well come on in, pop the corn and shut the door pal cos we got a lotta catching up to do!

Relive the 80s and bring back the nostalgia with these gems on Netflix (Note: this list applies to Netflix titles available in South Africa).

1. Stranger Things

In a small town where everyone knows everyone, a peculiar incident starts a chain of events that leads to the disappearance of a child, which begins to tear at the fabric of an otherwise peaceful community. Dark government agencies and seemingly malevolent supernatural forces converge on the town, while a few of the locals begin to understand that there's more going on than meets the eye.

If you haven't seen Stranger Things, then were the heck have ya been - in the Upside Down? This show is practically a homage to the eighties and your keen eyes will spot the references instantly - from Goonies to Alien to The Thing to Ghostbusters and practically every bit of sci-fi/ fantasy culture and subculture of that era, this show has it all. On top of all of this, is a really well thought out plot that has all the horror tropes combined with mystery, super powers and a bunch of kids who hang out at gaming arcades or in their basement and play D&D. What are you waiting for? - check this out now!

2. Cobra Kai

Thirty four years after events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, a down-and-out Johnny Lawrence seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai dojo, reigniting his rivalry with a now successful Daniel LaRusso.

Johnny boy and Daniel-san take us back to the days when we all fought for the glory of love, happily polished our Dad's car (wax on, wax off) and channeled our own inner Miyagi when faced with a philosophical dilemma. Cobra Kai is definitely worth checking out!

3. The Movies That Made Us

From the producers of "The Toys That Made Us" comes this docuseries that takes you behind the scenes to show you how some classic films were made. Each episode focuses on a specific movie, telling the tale of how it was made from beginning to end. 

Each episode starts out discussing the origins of the featured film, moving on to talk about the actual production of the flick -- including obstacles and detours along the way -- before finishing with a discussion of the impact the movie had upon its eventual release. The movies discussed include such blockbusters as "Die Hard" and "Ghostbusters."

4. The Toys That Made Us

For some people, the favorite memories from their childhoods are playing with toys, some of which become iconic through the years as multiple generations of people play with the venerable playthings.

 

This series dives into the history of our favorite toy lines from the 80s and early 90s from Mattel's He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Lego, Star Wars, GI Joe, Barbie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, My Little Pony, Transformers, Star Trek and more!

5. High Score

This docuseries traces the history of classic video games, featuring insights from the innovators who brought these worlds and characters to life. 

From Pac Man to Space Invaders to Donkey Kong, Streetfighter and Mortal Kombat, be sure to add this to your watch list and relive the memories of the great days of arcade!

6. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

Return to the world of Thra, where three Gelfling discover the horrifying secret behind the Skeksis' power, and set out to ignite the fires of rebellion and save their world.

I gotta admit. The 1982 Dark Crystal movie gave scared the pants off of me. But there is something really captivating about puppet animation and who is more qualified at this than those legendary maestros at Jim Henson studios. The storyline is dark and not really aimed for younger audiences in my opinion but it is 100% pure fantasy. Check it out now!

7. Voltron Legendary Defender

Teenagers transported from Earth become pilots for robotic lions to fight in an intergalactic war. The Paladins of Voltron must learn to work as a team to assemble the robot Voltron and use its power to conquer the Galra Empire.

It's Voltron. There's 8 seasons on Netflix. Why aren't you hurrying home from school to watch this?  Drop your bag, grab a sandwich and a juice box already!

8. The Goonies

A group of young misfits called The Goonies discover an ancient map and set out on an adventure to find a legendary pirate's long-lost treasure.

I'm proud to say I've seen this Richard Donner/ Steven Spielberg cult classic more times than Chunk can do the Truffle Shuffle. Before Stranger Things, there was The Goonies. Slip into your favorite 80s shirt, grab some popcorn and let the high notes from Cyndi Lauper take you on an adventure!

9. The Karate Kid & The Karate Kid 2

Do I really need to give a synopsis here? It's the Karate Kid! The movie that defined the entire karate genre of the 80s. It's got the late Pat Morita as Mr Miyagi! Worth re-watching especially now that you're invested in Cobra Kai.

10. Back to the Future

Featured in The Movies That Made Us, Back to the Future is my personal quintessential 80s movie. I've seen this movie so many times and each time it just keeps getting better and better. Watch this Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg classic on Netflix now cos once this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're gonna see some serious shit!