T Time: AnimaTed

OK kiddies, it's time huddle up around your tube televisions, grab a big bowl of cereal, and watch Mr. T's cartoon! This animated series followed Mr. T as he coached a gymnastics team that just so happened to also solve mysteries on their down time. It premiered in 1983 and ran for 2 seasons. If you've got 20 minutes to kill, and I pity the fool who doesn't, give the first full episode a watch:

Of course, no cartoon franchise is complete without merchandise, and they certainly made use of the trendy toys of the 80's to slap Mr. T's toonified face. Naturally, there was a board game with an interesting plot:

"Mr. T's Gymnastics Team has to get to the airport before the clock runs out (and presumably the flight leaves). Each member of the team has three errands they have to complete - pick up their gym suit from the dry cleaners, say goodbye to the team mascot, stop by the police station to report a crime and so on. Along the way, players can land on spaces with red stars that inflict random punishments and rewards on them." source

Presto Magix got in the game by offering a 'working out' set that came with transfers that allowed you to color in the characters and various accessories which would then add them to the scene. I'm sure one session of playing with this was enough.

You weren't truly an eighties icon until kids could color you in, stick you in the oven and shrink you.

Every cool kid had a Lite Brite. You know, that thing with all the pegs your parents would yell at you about after stepping on them? Well, you could purchase a kit that had 12 pictures for you to use with your Lite Brite which included Mr. T's head and his mohawked dog Dozer.

 The fun didn't stop there! You could get watches, bookmarks and beach towels to help show your love for animated Mr. T.

I hope you enjoyed this session of T Time. Now remember kids, stay in school!