By Rebecca Sargeant
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The Office Stars' Real Relationship Inspired Their Characters' Dynamic
10 TV Shows Where The Villain Deserved More
10 Movies That Prove Reviving Iconic Franchises Can Actually Work
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Plenty of classic TV shows refer to past events, but some no longer work with a modern audience. Classic titles are generally some of the best TV shows of all time, and it’s easy to rewatch them several times, regardless of their original air dates. However, a lot of these references are products of their time, and so younger generations of viewers fail to pick up on them.
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The world of film is no different. There are multiple references from ‘00s movies that don’t work today, and this is the same for titles from past decades, too. Whether it’s a gag or just an offhand comment, these references are no longer relevant in the present day, so modern audiences don’t fully appreciate them.
10 Kelly Explains How Netflix Works
The Office - Season 3, Episode 20: "Safety Training"
Kelly trying to explain how Netflix works to Ryan in “Safety Training,” one of the funniest episodes of The Office, is utterly hilarious. When the workers of Dunder Mifflin Scranton place bets over mundane actions, Ryan tricks Kelly into outlining the Netflix postage process, something that is outdated nowadays.
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The Office Stars' Real Relationship Inspired Their Characters' Dynamic
B.J. Novak, who plays Ryan on The Office, reveals how his tumultuous relationship with Kelly actor Mindy Kaling inspired their characters’ dynamic.
In the years before streaming, Netflix would send DVDs to people’s homes, but in the present day, viewers can watch a wide range of TV shows and movies from their devices. This moment is actually quite fascinating.
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36 8.9/10
The Office
Comedy
Drama
Sitcom
The Office is the U.S. remake of the British comedy mockumentary series of the same name. The show follows the misadventures of a Dunder Mifflin Paper Company branch in Scranton, Pennsylvania, led by their unconventional and clueless boss, Michael Scott. The series covers nine years of footage as they find themselves recorded through their work days and off times.
- Release Date
- March 24, 2005
- Seasons
- 9
- Network
- NBC
- Writers
- Mindy Kaling , Paul Lieberstein , Michael Schur , Ricky Gervais , Greg Daniels , B.J. Novak
Most of The Office’s audience probably remember the early days of Netflix’s service, but younger generations are likely unfamiliar with the feeling of waiting for the latest films to arrive in your mailbox. The brilliant sitcom has become even more prominent in recent years, ironically because of Netflix, but this joke probably goes over the heads of younger viewers.
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9 Bugs Bunny's Carrot Bit
Looney Tunes/The Bugs Bunny Show
Throughout the entire Looney Tunes franchise, the iconic Bugs Bunny is known for chomping down on a bright orange carrot. Bugs is technically introduced in the 1938 short film Porky's Hare Hunt, and he has become a recognizable character in the animated franchise, especially because of the Looney Tunes TV series The Bugs Bunny Show. In several of the funniest Bugs Bunny cartoons, the titular character is eating a carrot. However, many are unaware that this is actually a reference to Clark Gable in the 1934 movie It Happened One Night.
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Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run
G
Comedy
Animation
Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run follows Lola Bunny as she inadvertently creates a perfume that turns people invisible, leading to a frantic chase across the city. Teamed with cab driver Bugs Bunny, they evade both the FBI and a mysterious group intent on capturing the formula.
- Director
- Jeff Siergey
- Release Date
- August 4, 2015
- Cast
- Billy West , Jeff Bergman , Bob Bergen , Fred Armisen , Jim Rash , Rachel Ramras , Jess Harnell , Maurice LaMarche , Rob Paulsen , Michael Serrato
- Runtime
- 73 minutes
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Interestingly, the character of Bugs Bunny is inspired by Clark Gable and It Happened One Night . The carrot reference is a specific nod to one scene in It Happened One Night, in which Gable’s character is chewing on the vegetable and speaking quickly. Gable’s rapid speech pattern is also something implemented in Bugs’ character design. Although this reference originates from a short film, Bugs Bunny’s legendary stance is still used to this day. Sadly, the carrot gag won’t be seen in the upcoming title, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, as Bugs is notably missing.
8 Mitt Romney Jokes
30 Rock
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Many consider 30 Rock as one of the most meta TV shows ever, especially because the show references real-life events from the time of its airing. However, the jokes that 30 Rock makes about politician Mitt Romney are now outdated. There are nods to Romney throughout the show, but especially in season 7, which is set during Barack Obama’s campaign for his second Presidential term, so there are a lot of references to his opponent.
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30 Rock
TV-14
Tina Fey's absurdist comedy series follows Liz Lemon, the head writer of a fictional live sketch comedy show operating out of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, which is where the show derives its name. Loosely based on Fey's experiences as a writer on Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock ran for seven seasons with a supporting cast that included Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski, and Jack McBrayer.
- Cast
- Tina Fey , Alec Baldwin , Tracy Morgan , Jane Krakowski , Jack McBrayer , Scott Adsit , Judah Friedlander , Katrina Bowden , Keith Powell , Lonny Ross
- Release Date
- October 11, 2006
- Seasons
- 7
- Writers
- Tina Fey , Robert Carlock
- Showrunner
- Robert Carlock
For example, Jack Donaghy tries to get celebrities to support the Republican Party and Romney at a fundraiser in the episode “Unwindulax.” While Presidential campaigns are memorable, younger viewers tend to remember the winners over those who lose. Many know who Obama is, but unless they were actively political in 2012, they don’t know who Romney is. A lot of the pop culture references are timeless, like Carrie Fisher’s 30 Rock cameo or Jenna talking about discussing Lost with J.J. Abrams, but the show’s nods to Mitt Romney only really work with the correct understanding.
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7 Hootie & The Blowfish
Friends - Season 2, Episode 5: "The One With Five Steaks And An Eggplant"
In the Friends season 2 episode "The One With Five Steaks and an Eggplant," Chandler purchases tickets for the entire group to see Hootie & the Blowfish for Ross’ birthday. While it generally focuses on the unfairness of the way the group pays for celebrations, with half making a lot more money than the rest, this episode highlights just how much popular music has changed since the mid-nineties, too. Hootie & the Blowfish are a Grammy Award-winning rock band from the ‘80s and ‘90s.
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8/10
27 8.4/10
Friends
Friends is the popular sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, released back in 1994 and ran for ten seasons. The show follows a group of six twentysomethings through their lives in New York City and their time spent between their two apartments and their local coffee shop. The show features the group navigating tricky relationships with one another and comical misadventures.
- Cast
- Jennifer Aniston , Courteney Cox , Lisa Kudrow , Matt LeBlanc , Matthew Perry , David Schwimmer
- Release Date
- September 22, 1994
- Seasons
- 10
- Network
- NBC
- Directors
- David Crane , Marta Kauffman
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Although the band isn’t completely unknown nowadays, Hootie & the Blowfish aren’t as prominent as they once were. The Friends episode doesn’t even explain who they are, and it assumes that audiences are familiar with the band. While this makes sense in the context of the episode’s original release, it doesn’t now. Although Hootie & the Blowfish have made a return to music in recent years, newer audiences are left scratching their heads at the reference, which is why this Friends storyline would never work in the modern day.
6 Mickey Using Jackie's Phone Line To Get On The Internet
Doctor Who - Christmas 2006: "The Christmas Invasion"
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While Doctor Who’s best companions nowadays have access to the internet everywhere they go, at least while on Earth, it hasn’t always been this way. In the Doctor Who Christmas special “The Christmas Invasion,” the newly regenerated Tenth Doctor collapses, which leaves Rose and Mickey to decipher his “Pilot fish” hint by themselves. In order to use his laptop, Mickey has to borrow Jackie’s phone line to connect to the internet. Before the days of Wi-Fi, people would have to sacrifice incoming phone calls to access the web.
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9.6/10
doctor who
An alien from the planet Gallifrey travels through time and space to explore, solve problems and fight injustice while also making friends with human beings. His spaceship, called TARDIS, resembles a police box, but it is much more than it appears to be.
- Cast
- Jodie Whittaker , Christopher Eccleston , David Tennant , Matt Smith , Peter Capaldi , Billie Piper , Karen Gillan , Catherine Tate , Jenna Coleman , Alex Kingston , John Barrowman , Tosin Cole , Arthur Darvill
- Character(s)
- The Doctor
- Seasons
- 13
- Network
- BBC
- Writers
- Steven Moffat , Russell T. Davies
What’s even better about this brilliant, yet outdated reference, is Jackie’s response of “Keep a count of it.” Using a phone line to get online is something many modern audiences wouldn’t understand, let alone how much it cost. As Jackie’s comment indirectly explains, using the internet via a phone line was expensive, although this is no longer an issue, as there is generally a set price for Wi-Fi services and we are no longer charged for the time we spend online.
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5 Abed's Recreation Of My Dinner With Andre
Community - Season 2, Episode 9: "Critical Film Studies"
Community’s film spoofs are brilliantly funny. Abed’s obsession with popular culture, especially movies, is one of the best things about the character, and he plays out some amazing titles throughout the show. However, many modern audiences fail to understand his reenactment of the 1981 film My Dinner with Andre. While movie buffs are familiar with the André Gregory and Wallace Shawn comedy-drama, the average viewer has probably never heard of it.
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8/10
8/10
Community
Comedy
Created by Dan Harmon, Community is a comedy series that follows a study group at an unorthodox community college where zany antics occur daily. When disgraced lawyer Jeff Winger is forced to enroll in a local college to get a degree and reinstate himself, he gets roped in with fellow students from different backgrounds, races, religions, and ages and reluctantly forms a study group. Together, these lovable misfits will navigate their school lives in some nigh unbelievable situations as they all try to figure out where their futures lie.
- Cast
- Ken Jeong , Chevy Chase , Joel McHale , Jim Rash , Gillian Jacobs , Alison Brie , Yvette Nicole Brown , Donald Glover , Danny Pudi
- Release Date
- September 17, 2009
- Seasons
- 6
- Network
- NBC
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In fact, it isn’t until later on in “Critical Film Studies,” one of the best episodes of Community, that Abed’s plan to recreate the events of the film is made apparent. The Pulp Fiction references that are set up at Abed’s birthday party are very clear, but because My Dinner with Andre isn’t as prominent, modern audiences are generally confused. Even though this reference is more obscure than others made throughout Community, it’s still an ingenious one.
4 Dee Reynolds As Mr. Covington
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Season 9, Episode 6: "The Gang Saves The Day"
When the gang is caught up in an armed robbery in the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 9 episode “The Gang Saves the Day,” they each daydream about what could happen to them next. Dee’s daydream is incredibly strange, and she imagines herself going into witness protection, where she takes on the persona of British butler Mr. Covington. There are several hilarious alter egos in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but Mr. Covington is one of the most ridiculous.
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10/10
16 9.5/10
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Comedy
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a Sitcom and Black Comedy created by Rob McElhenney. It stars Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson, Glenn Howerton, and Danny DeVito. The series follows a group of friends that own and frequent the Irish bar, Paddy's Pub, and get into all sorts of troubling adventures.
- Cast
- Charlie Day , Rob McElhenney , Kaitlin Olson , Glenn Howerton , Danny DeVito
- Release Date
- August 4, 2005
- Seasons
- 16
- Network
- FX
The reference to the ‘80s sitcom Mr. Belvedere in one of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s best episodes is enjoyable, even for those who don’t understand it, but it’s still outdated. Like Mr. Covington, the titular character in Mr. Belvedere is an uptight English butler who looks after a local American family. While Mr. Belvedere was relatively popular during its original run, it has now been forgotten by many, and most modern audiences are unfamiliar with the show.
3 Barney Fights His Canadian Self
How I Met Your Mother - Season 7, Episode 8: "The Slutty Pumpkin Returns"
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In the How I Met Your Mother Halloween episode “The Slutty Pumpkin Returns,” Robin reveals Barney is one quarter Canadian. This storyline is hilarious, as Barney is frequently vocal about how little he thinks of Canada, and this starts to mess with his mind. At the end of the episode, Barney returns to his apartment in an Apollo Creed costume. However, his Canadian counterpart splits apart from him, and the American version of Barney throws a punch.
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9/10
14 8.1/10
How I Met Your Mother
Comedy
Drama
How I Met Your Mother is a sitcom created initially for CBS by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas. Five friends living in New York City navigate their twenties and thirties as they try to find love, success, and purpose. The show is framed through one friend's eyes, Ted Mosby, as he retells the story of how he met his wife to his children.
- Cast
- Josh Radnor , Jason Segel , Cobie Smulders , Neil Patrick Harris , Alyson Hannigan , Bob Saget
- Release Date
- September 19, 2005
- Seasons
- 9
- Network
- CBS
- Writers
- Carter Bays , Craig Thomas
- Directors
- Carter Bays
Many modern audiences are unaware that this is a reference to Superman III. This scene is a direct parallel to Superman’s fight against Clark Kent, which is a classic moment from the 1983 film. Barney sees his Canadian self as the corrupted version of himself, much like how, in Superman III, the titular superhero is the nefarious alternate of Clark Kent. This reference isn’t apparent to those who aren’t superhero fanatics, but it’s still a funny scene, regardless.
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2 "Are You A Felix Or An Oscar?"
Mad Men - Season 4, Episode 8: "The Summer Man"
While chatting over dinner in the Mad Men season 4 episode “The Summer Man,” Don Draper’s romance with Bethany is put to the test when she asks him, “Are you a Felix or an Oscar?” This question is a reference to the comedy play The Odd Couple from 1965, which is the same year that Mad Men season 4 is set. While the reference makes sense in the context of the events of the show, it is quite out-of-place today.
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10/10
Mad Men
Drama
Mad Men is the award-winning show created by Matthew Wiener that stars Jon Hamm as Don Draper, a masterful ad man in the high-speed advertising world. Set between the 1960s and 70s; Mad Men explores this "Golden Age" of advertising, where everyone has something to sell, and those who don't score a quick win are out of the game. The series also examines the world from a few other character's perspectives, such as Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss), a young woman who starts as a secretary for Don despite the difficulty for women to be taken seriously in business during this time, rises to the challenge to become an ad woman of her own.
- Cast
- Jon Hamm , Elisabeth Moss , Vincent Kartheiser , January Jones , Christina Hendricks , Bryan Batt , Aaron Staton , Rich Sommer
- Release Date
- July 19, 2007
- Seasons
- 7
- Writers
- Matthew Weiner , Jonathan Igla
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The two main characters in The Odd Couple are named Felix and Oscar, and both represent two particular archetypes. Felix is a neat freak and is quite obsessive, whereas Oscar is a complete slob and is laid back. Unless audiences are familiar with The Odd Couple, they wouldn’t understand that Bethany is really asking Don which personality he aligns with the most. These character dynamics are common now, like with Sheldon and Penny in The Big Bang Theory, but younger viewers probably don’t make this association with the names Felix and Oscar.
1 Stealing An Ashtray From Buckingham Palace
Sherlock - Season 2, Episode 1: "A Scandal In Belgravia"
The subtle reference to a stolen ashtray from Buckingham Palace in the Sherlock episode “A Scandal in Belgravia” is one that many North American audiences don’t understand. However, younger British viewers won’t get it, either. When Sherlock and John are brought to Buckingham Palace by Mycroft to assist with an investigation, they make a joke about stealing an ashtray from the home of Queen Elizabeth II, one of the UK’s most notable tourist attractions and the monarchy’s most important building.
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22 9.9/10
Sherlock
In this incarnation of Sherlock from creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman assume the roles of Sherlock and Watson as they establish their partnership and begin solving strange mysteries throughout the U.K. and beyond. Set in a more 2010's modern setting, Sherlock's eccentric and complex nature is accentuated as he solves seemingly supernatural crimes with unparalleled intellect while struggling to connect with others on a human level. Meanwhile, Watson blogs the stories summarizing their cases while building a strained but caring friendship with his new partner.
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
- Cast
- Martin Freeman , Benedict Cumberbatch , Rupert Graves
- Release Date
- August 8, 2010
- Seasons
- 4
- Directors
- Steven Moffat
- Writers
- Steven Moffat , Steve Thompson , Mark Gatiss
- Showrunner
- Steven Moffat
This is a reference to British TV presenter Denise Van Outen, who has famously admitted to leaving the palace in 1998 with an ashtray and tissue box holder (via BBC News.) In Van Outen’s book, A Bit Of Me: From Basildon To Broadway And Back she discusses her apology to the Queen and the fallout of the events, but this scandal has been long forgotten since.
Source: BBC News
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