Kids call the shots in the premiere of ABC’s ‘The Toy Box’
A hundred years or so ago, kids might have been content playing “kick the can” or “stickball,” but toys are big business these days. For anyone who has wondered how to get a toy to market, ABC has a new competition series that sheds light on the multibillion-dollar toy industry.
Toy designers get the opportunity of a lifetime as they vie to have toy giant Mattel bring their concepts to Toys “R” Us shelves in “The Toy Box,” premiering Friday, April 7, on ABC. Emmy winner Eric Stonestreet, the fun-loving star of ABC’s “Modern Family,” hosts the competition series, which follows the inventors as they participate in a series of trials and tests before they present their ideas to a panel of difficult-to-please kids.
In a vast sea of reality TV competition series, this one is fresh in that it goes inside an industry rarely seen on television, and that’s just what producers are betting on to bring in viewers.
“’The Toy Box’ is a unique and broadly appealing take on the popular competition-style television format, and we believe it will capture the imagination of viewers of all ages,” said ABC executive Rob Mills.
First, the inventors must work with a group of mentors to refine and develop their ideas for the ultimate toys. Producers have lined up an impressive roster of expert mentors, including an expert in play, an animation studio creative director and a candy mogul. That’s right, a candy mogul. Widely known as the “Candy Queen,” mentor Dylan Lauren is the founder and CEO of Dylan’s Candy Bar, a highly successful chain of candy stores that meld fashion, art, pop culture and candy. The daughter of legendary fashion designer Ralph Lauren, she’s also the author of “Dylan’s Candy Bar: Unwrap Your Sweet Life,” a candy-themed entertaining and decorating book.
Considered one of the top experts in play in the United States, “The Toy Box” mentor Jim Silver is the CEO and editorin-chief of TTPM (Toys, Tots, Pets & More), a wildly popular toy-review website that provides consumers with price comparisons, sale notifications, store availability and more.
The show’s third mentor is Jen Tan, who serves as the creative director of consumer products at Pixar Animation Studios. She works with studio heads to ensure the quality of products related to their movies and franchises, from action figures and playsets to games and plush toys. She’s worked on consumer lines for such hit films as “Inside Out” (2015) and “Finding Dory” (2016).
After working with these industry experts and insiders, the toy designers will face the true test: kids themselves. “The Toy Box’s” pint-sized judges evaluate each of the toys as only they can before one gets the ultimate thumbs up. Perhaps the most recognizable of the judges is YouTube star-turned-singer Sophia Grace Brownlee. After a video of her and her cousin Rosie went viral, the duo was invited to appear on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and quickly rose to fame. They soon landed roles on TV, starred in a direct-to-DVD movie and even wrote a couple of books. Fittingly, they have also been immortilized as dolls.
Young actress Aalyrah Caldwell also serves as a judge in “The Toy Box.” Originally from San Diego, California, Caldwell starred in ABC’s “Uncle Buck” alongside Mike Epps (“The Hangover,” 2009) and Nia Long (“Friday,” 1995). An actress since the age of 3, she made her film debut in “Cardinal X” (2016) and has appeared in television shows such as “Code Black” and “The Fosters.”
Fellow actor Toby Grey is a judge as well. He first came to the attention of audiences for his film reviews in “Reel Kids,” and went on to appear in videos for Buzzfeed, Funny or Die and College Humor. He also had a YouTube hit, thanks to the video “The Unexpected John Cena Prank,” which was viewed more than 30 million times.
Noah Ritter, another favorite of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” is the fourth judge. Discovered at a county fair when he took the microphone from a local reporter, Ritter has appeared in commercials for Visa and Liberty Mutual Insurance. He also co-hosted a Viral Videos segment with Michael Strahan (“Good Morning America”) for ABC’s “The Year” in 2014.
While a show about the toy industry may seem like lighthearted fare, it isn’t just fun and games — it’s a high-stakes business experiment. A January article on Fortune.com indicated global retail toy sales reached more than $20 billion in 2016, according to research firm NPD Group. Mattel alone employs more than 30,000 people in 40 countries worldwide, and winning the competition could be lucrative for the victorious toy designer. The winning toy will be available on some Toys “R” Us shelves the day after the show’s finale, potentially making it the hot-ticket item of the summer. Follow the journey from concept to creation, beginning in the premiere of “The Toy Box,” airing Friday, April 7, on ABC.