How Did This Get Made?

Babes in Toyland LIVE! (HDTGM Matinee)

December 23, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The 1986 TV movie *Babes in Toyland* is immediately characterized by the hosts as a bizarre, dark, and potentially *Jacob's Ladder*-esque Christmas nightmare, despite June Diane Rapinoe initially expecting a standard holiday film. 
  • The discussion quickly focuses on the film's setting in Cincinnati, Ohio, which Jason Manzoukas aggressively criticizes through the inclusion of an overly long, celebratory song dedicated to the city. 
  • A major point of confusion and discussion is the film's musical status, with Paul Scheer concluding it has 'too few songs to be a musical, but too many songs to be a movie,' especially since the original 145-minute cut was heavily trimmed to 94 minutes, likely removing more songs. 
  • The discussion heavily focused on the absurdity of Drew Barrymore's character claiming immunity to evil gas simply because she is from Cincinnati, which the hosts found particularly noteworthy. 
  • The live audience participation revealed significant interest in the actor who played 'Googie,' including the origin of his unusual nickname. 
  • The surprise appearance of Drew Barrymore during the Second Opinions segment provided an unexpected, positive perspective on the filming experience of *Babes in Toyland LIVE! (HDTGM Matinee)*. 

Segments

Initial Movie Impressions & Cincinnati
Copied to clipboard!
(00:02:49)
  • Key Takeaway: The 1986 TV movie Babes in Toyland is immediately labeled as the ‘biggest piece of Cincinnati propaganda ever produced’ by the hosts.
  • Summary: The hosts welcome the live audience for the first time post-pandemic to discuss the film starring Keanu Reeves and Drew Barrymore. Jason Manzoukas singles out the movie for its excessive glorification of Cincinnati. The film is described as a difficult-to-parse story involving adult men wanting to marry teenage girls and Pat Morita.
June’s Misleading Christmas Viewing
Copied to clipboard!
(00:07:20)
  • Key Takeaway: June Diane Rapinoe was misled into believing Babes in Toyland was a standard Christmas movie, only realizing it was a ‘Christmas nightmare’ upon viewing.
  • Summary: June describes her process of not knowing the movie beforehand, contrasting Paul Scheer’s description of it as a Christmas movie with her realization that it was a dark fable, possibly featuring Drew Barrymore’s character perishing early on. She compares the film’s tone to a Jacob’s Ladder scenario.
Keanu’s Vehicle and Filming Location
Copied to clipboard!
(00:08:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Keanu Reeves’ character drives a Suzuki Sidekick in the film, which June suggests explains why Drew Barrymore’s character falls out of the back.
  • Summary: The hosts correct the earlier assumption that Keanu Reeves drove a Jeep, confirming it was a Suzuki Sidekick, which June jokes is ’not a real car.’ The film was made for television and was shot entirely in Germany, despite the plot being set in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Song and Driving Scenes
Copied to clipboard!
(00:15:44)
  • Key Takeaway: A clip confirms the movie features an extended, highly patriotic song dedicated to Cincinnati, Ohio, which Jason Manzoukas strongly objects to.
  • Summary: The song clip reveals lyrics praising Cincinnati as the ‘best town in Ohio’ and the ‘Queen of Ohio’s Mount Pine Ski Resorts,’ prompting Jason to put both Cincinnati and Canada on blast. The hosts note the driving sequences are poorly executed, involving fake left/right movements while the characters sing faster during a blizzard.
Musical Structure and Song Count
Copied to clipboard!
(00:22:22)
  • Key Takeaway: Paul Scheer determines that Babes in Toyland has too few songs to qualify as a true musical but too many to be a standard film.
  • Summary: The original cut of the movie was 145 minutes long, but the version watched was only 94 minutes, suggesting many songs were cut, which the hosts believe were likely the worst ones. Two specific songs, ‘It’s the Feeling’ and ‘We’ll Think of Something,’ were omitted from the final cut.
Toyland World and Character Design
Copied to clipboard!
(00:37:04)
  • Key Takeaway: The fantastical world of Toyland is described as a ’nightmare scape’ of storybook characters featuring bizarre, poorly constructed costumes, including a lion in a football jersey.
  • Summary: The world is compared to a dark version of The Wizard of Oz where characters wear costumes with visible seams, and some figures, like Humpty Dumpty, are introduced without any narrative payoff. The hosts note the wooden soldiers appear to cry, raising questions about the nature of the inhabitants.
Drew Barrymore’s Character Arc
Copied to clipboard!
(00:31:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Drew Barrymore’s character is meant to represent someone who has renounced childhood, which the hosts argue is an indictment of her neglectful parents rather than a personal failing.
  • Summary: The character is portrayed as an overly responsible child making dinner and acting like an adult, contrasting with the magical world she enters. Her sister works at a five-and-dime toy store, and Richard Mulligan’s character yells at her to ‘push the fucking bears’ on Christmas Eve.
Georgie Porgie Mythos and Villainy
Copied to clipboard!
(00:43:08)
  • Key Takeaway: The character Georgie Porgie (played by actor Googie Gress) is revealed to be based on historical figures known for being overweight and having numerous mistresses.
  • Summary: The hosts investigate the real-world basis for the nursery rhyme character, finding historical details about his large size and sexual exploits. The film’s villain, the Toy Master (Pat Morita), is theorized to be Santa Claus in a Mrs. Claus outfit who collects evil in an urn.
The Cincinnati Immunity Climax
Copied to clipboard!
(00:58:52)
  • Key Takeaway: The climax involves the characters being poisoned by evil gas, to which Drew Barrymore’s character claims immunity solely because she is from Cincinnati.
  • Summary: The gas is personified evil that turns people into ghouls, and the characters’ attempts to avoid breathing it in only result in them inhaling more. Drew Barrymore’s solution is to sing, asserting her Cincinnati origin grants her immunity to the evil gases.
Gas Poisoning and Cincinnati Immunity
Copied to clipboard!
(00:58:50)
  • Key Takeaway: Drew Barrymore’s character claims immunity to evil gas because she is from Cincinnati, a detail the villain Barnaby Barnacle also references.
  • Summary: The characters are poisoned by gas personifying evil, and Drew Barrymore’s solution is to sing a song about Cincinnati, claiming immunity due to her origin. The villain, Barnaby Barnacle, repeatedly calls her ‘Since Watsuki’ instead of Cincinnati. This section highlights the bizarre logic used to combat the gas in Babes in Toyland LIVE! (HDTGM Matinee).
Googie’s Real Name Origin
Copied to clipboard!
(01:02:14)
  • Key Takeaway: The actor playing Googie’s real name is Francis Gress Jr., and the nickname ‘Googie’ originated from his father calling him ‘Googoo baby’ as an infant.
  • Summary: The hosts become fascinated by the character Googie, eventually learning his full name is Francis Gress Jr. The nickname derived from his father calling him ‘Googoo baby’ when he was an infant. The actor reportedly stated that a Connecticut state law stuck him with the nickname.
Innuendo and Child Brides Theme
Copied to clipboard!
(01:04:13)
  • Key Takeaway: An audience member confirmed that the movie explicitly contains themes of old men desiring young women and child brides, stating it is ’text, not subtext.'
  • Summary: A question from the audience directly addressed the perceived sexual innuendo regarding young women and little girls in the film. The hosts agreed that the movie’s text explicitly deals with old men wanting to ‘fuck young man marry young girls’ or child brides. This theme is exemplified by a scene where Mr. Barney makes lecherous comments to an employee named Angela.
Toyland’s Perpetual Daylight and Food Supply
Copied to clipboard!
(01:06:41)
  • Key Takeaway: The implication of perpetual daylight in Toyland suggests a torturous existence for human characters like Drew Barrymore’s, and cookies serve as the world’s currency, driver’s licenses, and food.
  • Summary: The fact that it is always daylight in Toyland is noted as potentially torturous for characters needing sleep, similar to the premise of the Robin Williams remake Insomnia. Furthermore, cookies function as the primary currency and identification within Toyland, leading to questions about the shelf life of cakes made in the factory. The cookie factory itself is deemed not up to code, evidenced by the appearance of an actual roach.
Moral of the Story and Lisa’s Trauma
Copied to clipboard!
(01:10:58)
  • Key Takeaway: The central moral of Babes in Toyland LIVE! (HDTGM Matinee) is that children should not grow up too fast, but Drew Barrymore’s character explicitly states, ‘I always wanted to be a kid,’ revealing her forced maturity.
  • Summary: The hosts debate the moral of the Christmas movie, concluding it is about not growing up too fast, a theme similar to Toy Story. Drew Barrymore’s character delivers a devastating line stating she always wanted to be a child, indicating her adult responsibilities were not by choice. The coda fails to show the mother acknowledging the trauma or allowing the daughter to reclaim her childhood.
Sled vs. Nintendo Debate
Copied to clipboard!
(01:17:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Paul Scheer argues that in 1986, a sled is an insignificant gift compared to contemporary toys like the Nintendo, sparking a heated debate with an audience member referencing Citizen Kane’s ‘Rosebud.’
  • Summary: An audience member used the ‘Rosebud’ reference from Citizen Kane to argue that a sled could be deeply influential, but Paul countered that in 1986, toys like the Nintendo were far more desirable. Paul listed several 1986 toys he owned, including Nintendo, My Pet Monster, and Teddy Ruxpin, to emphasize the shift in childhood desires. The argument concluded with Paul asserting that a sled is not a big enough deal in the context of 1980s entertainment.
Drew Barrymore Surprise Second Opinion
Copied to clipboard!
(01:27:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Drew Barrymore made a surprise appearance to deliver the Second Opinions segment, stating she had the best time filming the movie in Munich, Germany for six months.
  • Summary: Paul surprised June and Jason by revealing Drew Barrymore as the guest for the Second Opinions segment, who sent best wishes from Keanu Reeves. Barrymore stated that she and the cast had a genuinely fun time shooting the movie in Munich, Germany, over six months. She gave the hosts five stars and noted that the film’s watchability stems from how good she and Keanu Reeves were in it.
Keanu Reeves’ Motorcycle Love Origin
Copied to clipboard!
(01:33:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Keanu Reeves learned to ride a motorcycle during the six-month shoot for Babes in Toyland LIVE! (HDTGM Matinee), and his first purchase afterward was a motorcycle.
  • Summary: The discussion revealed that Keanu Reeves learned to ride a motorcycle while filming the movie in Munich, paying a local woman to teach him. This experience directly led to his first purchase of a motorcycle upon returning from the six-month shoot. The film, despite being rated G, features violence comparable to Saving Private Ryan with wooden soldiers using real bullets and cannonballs.