Cheap Toy Round-Up 2006

by Noel Murray, Nathan Rabin, Tasha Robinson
December 5th, 2006

Remember in Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer when Rudolph ends up on the Island Of Misfit Toys, a magical place filled with mismatched but oh-so-loveable unwanted playthings? It's a sweet scene, but it's also a lie. In fact, misfit toys can be found all over the place, clogging up store aisles with detritus from yesterday's would-be blockbuster movies and knock-offs of passing fads. Each year, The A.V. Club plunges into this not-so-adorable world to rescue the most interesting items before they vanish into well-deserved oblivion. Here's the best/worst of what this year had to offer.

Yep, it's a miniature plastic jar containing plastic pickles: five whole, two sliced. Now kids can simulate the fun of struggling to open the lid, and cursing the gods for making their grips so weak and their hunger for garnish so strong. No brine is included, but children can easily fill the jar with water, so they can enjoy getting their index and middle fingers wet while they fish for that elusive bread-and-butter chip that keeps swimming just out of reach.