50 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Your Favorite TV Shows

The relationship between a popular TV show and its merchandise seems like a one-way street, right? Shows create cool characters and worlds, and then the merch machine turns those into toys and t-shirts for fans to enjoy. But sometimes, that dynamic gets flipped on its head, and the toys themselves end up shaping the show in unexpected ways!

The classic cartoon The Flintstones is a prime example. Originally, the creators imagined Fred and Wilma welcoming a baby boy into their stone-age family. But a toy company saw dollar signs in their eyes when thinking about a little girl Pebble… It turns out they were right; those dolls were a cash cow, raking in millions and proving that the merchandise calls the shots.