59 Times TV Shows Were Really, Really Smart When It Came To Creating Tiny But Important Details
Warning: Potential TV spoilers ahead! 🚨
Note: All submissions were pulled from Reddit's r/TVDetails.
1.Community (2009–2015)
In Community (S3E7), Troy says blanket forts “aren't just for when uncle's die”. In (S2E10), Troy says his uncle died recently, and just the episode before, (S2E9), Abed and Troy build a blanket fort. Implying Abed and Troy made a blanket fort as a coping mechanism. from TVDetails
2.The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–1996)
In the 1st episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Will asks Geoffrey not to use the Master title. Geoffrey says it's necessary for a butler. Throughout the entire series he uses the Master title. It's not until the final episode, after he is relieved of his duty, that Geoffrey says "Goodbye..Will." from TVDetails
3.SpongeBob SquarePants (1999–present)
In the SpongeBob S1 Episode "Boating School" We hear Fred screaming 'My Leg!' for the first time, 19 years later in the S11 episode "My Leg!" during a compilation of him screaming My Leg, we see the exact same moment but from Fred's perspective from TVDetails
4.Stranger Things (2016–present)
In the Stranger Things episode ‘Chapter Three: The Pollywog’ (S2E3), if you look closely at Mr. Clarke’s town model, you can see the Betelgeuse tombstone from Beetlejuice (1988) - a nice little nod to series star Winona Ryder, who had her first breakout role as Lydia Deetz in that film. from TVDetails
5.The Office US (2005–2013)
In S9:E4 of The Office “Work Bus” Kevin can suddenly do the math to figure out the time to the pie shop based on distance and speed. When Oscar quizzes him with a division problem (but phrases it in pies), the answer is 314. from TVDetails
6.Codename: Kids Next Door (2002–2008)
In Codename: Kids Next Door, the real name of each main character is a clever reference to their codename. from TVDetails
7.The Simpsons (1989–present)
In The Simpsons (S30 E15), in the opening credits is a game show where Homer has to guess what’s on the screen. Marge says “you haven’t changed me since 1989”, and Homer gets it right. The Simpsons was created in 1989, and this is a subtle nod to the couch gag. from TVDetails
8.Killing Eve (2018–present)
In Killing Eve (2018- ), during opening credits, Sandra Oh's name is often accompanied by lines including the word "Oh". from TVDetails
9.Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013–2021)
In the Season 3 premiere of Brooklyn 99 on Jake and Amy’s first date, the two decide to cut the tension by getting drinks, the show then cuts to them having slept together. Amy orders 4 shots for herself at the restaurant, which would have brought out “4 Drink Amy” aka Perv Amy. from TVDetails
10.The Sopranos (1999–2007)
In this shot from the pilot episode of The Sopranos Tony is depicted as having a sixth finger on his left hand which is considered an omen of bad luck. from TVDetails
11.Lovecraft Country (2020)
HBO's Lovecraft Country recreated this famous photograph of African Americans lined up outside a relief agency after the Louisville flood of 1937. from TVDetails
12.Game of Thrones (2011–2019)
In GoT, Daenerys gets more braids in her hair as she wins more victories - following the Dothraki tradition and proving her valour as a Khaleesi. from TVDetails
13.Scrubs (2001–2010)
J.D. points at the ABC logo and says "Huh, that's new.", in reference to Scrubs' move from NBC to ABC. from TVDetails
14.Modern Family (2009–2020)
In the last season of Modern Family, Claire asks Gloria if she's hiding a pregnancy behind the laundry basket. It's a reference to the Pilot episode where Julie Bowen (Claire) had to be behind several object when in front of the camera to hide the fact that she was 8 1/2 month pregnant at the time. from TVDetails
15.Saturday Night Live (1975–present)
In SNL, Idris Elba hosted and in this office setting, his name tag reads Charles. The last time Elba was on a NBC show, The Office, where he had the same name. from TVDetails
16.BoJack Horseman (2014–2020)
In S5 E3 of Bojack Horseman, in her podcast, Diane interviews Laika who in actual history was a female Soviet space dog who became one of the first animals in space, and the first animal to orbit the Earth. from TVDetails
17.Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–2008)
In Avatar: The Last Airbender, during the fight between Zuko and Aang at Zuko's family's beach house, you can see a scar on Aang's left foot. This is where the lightning Azula attacked him with would have exited his body when he was struck! from TVDetails
18.The Good Place (2016–2020)
The Good Place S4E13, Michael's apartment is number 322, the same number of people selected to live in the Good Place neighbourhoods, according to the pilot from TVDetails
19.Schitt's Creek (2015–2020)
Schitt's Creek: Season 5, Episode 6. Very briefly Antonio can be seen in the background (while David and Patrick are distracted) scoping out the products he later scams in Season 5, Episide 10. from TVDetails
20.The Twilight Zone (2019–2020)
In The Twilight Zone S01 E08, the mask that's hooked up to the protagonists face pays homage to the episode of the original show, Eye of the Beholder. from TVDetails
21.Black Mirror (2011–2019)
In Black Mirror’s “Hang the DJ”, Amy realizes she’s in a simulation when she notices she can only skip the rock 4 times. She does this at the 44th second of the 44th minute. It’s also the 4th episode of the 4th season. from TVDetails
22.Grey's Anatomy (2005–present)
In 2.14 of Greys Anatomy Izzie tried to give away their dog Doc and and hangs up flyers. In 12.1, when Arizona wants to find roommates, the same flyer appears. from TVDetails
23.American Horror Story (2011–present)
In American Horror Story: Asylum, the woman about to give Lana an abortion calls her Jane. Jane was the name of an illegal abortion providing group in the mid 1960s - early 1970s, and Jane was their "everyday woman" name to keep the providers anonymous. from TVDetails
24.Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019)
OITNB S4:E13 - Rewatching and I noticed Watson makes a nod to the theme song “You’ve Got Time” by Regina Spektor from TVDetails
25.The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
In Season 1, Episode 3 (Touch) of The Haunting of Hill House, when Theo talks to Kelsey, she says that she knows Mr. Smiley is coming out of the basement because she hears the third stair creak. When Theo later goes down to the basement herself, the third stair creaks when she steps on it. from TVDetails
26.Big Mouth (2017–present)
In the Netflix Original "Big Mouth" S2E3, Connie loses her temper while discussing Greg Glaser (stoner and father of Jessi Glaser), she causes the microwave to explode with 4:20 on the timer. This occurs at 4 minutes 20 seconds into the episode. from TVDetails
27.Good Omens (2019–present)
In the Good Omens TV show, a soldier at the gate is reading American God's, which was written by Neil Gaiman who also Co wrote the book Good Omens. from TVDetails
28.Parks and Recreation (2009–2015)
S2:E8 of Parks and Recreation, Ron's ex-wife Tammy has a bookshelf full of seemingly anti-male books, with titles such as "Sperm Suicide," "Man Putty," "Woman War III," "Take His Balls and Go Home," "Controlling the Male Mind,"& "The Jill of Rights;" which explains why she is able to manipulate Ron from TVDetails
29.Derry Girls (2018–present)
In Derry Girls S02E01 Michelle talks about Liz Hurley paper-clipping her dresses together. In S02E05 she paperclips her prom dress together from TVDetails
30.Friends (1994–2004)
In Friends S08E17 The One With The Tea Leaves, Ross' T-Shirt has an image on it which means "Friends" in sign language from TVDetails
31.The Wire (2002–2008)
In S04E07 of ‘The Wire’, Omar (Michael K. Williams) explains to Bunk that “a man gots to have a code”. In S03E17 of ‘Community’, Michael plays a Biology professor who says the same line when ruling over a crushed yam investigation in his classroom. from TVDetails
32.Cougar Town (2009–2015)
In Community [s2e19] Abed mentions being an extra on Cougar Town. Actor Danny Pudi actually does appear as an extra on Cougar Town [s2e21] from TVDetails
33.Silicon Valley (2014–2019)
In Silicon Valley (2014), Jian Yang’s Chinese knock off for Reddit is tagged “The front page of China” in Chinese. from TVDetails
34.The Big Bang Theory (2007–2019)
In the Big Bang Theory finale Penny is wearing the same shirt she wore in the pilot episode. from TVDetails
35.Good Girls (2018–2021)
Not sure how many people watch either show but one of the stores the “Good Girls” go to is Cloud 9, the same chain store from “Superstore”. from TVDetails
36.Bob's Burgers (2011–present)
In Bob’s Burgers we know the intro credits show a new pun for the retail space and exterminator van. BUT did you see Jimmy Pesto (Bobs nemesis) appearing in the reflection on the exterminator vans driver window? from TVDetails
37.True Detective (2014–2019)
In True Detective S01 E03 When Rust first meets the yellow king, the sign when walking by spells out "Notice King." from TVDetails
38.Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2020)
Fore the character model for Obi-Wan in the Clone Wars, they even included Ewan McGregor’s blemish on his forehead. from TVDetails
39.Dinosaurs (1991–1994)
In the show Dinosaurs, most of the characters’ names (Sinclair, Richfield, Philips, Hess, Ethyl, B.P.) are references to petroleum companies, a nod to the now-rejected belief that petroleum deposits were formed during the age of the dinosaurs. from TVDetails
40.She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018–2020)
In Season 3 of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Shadow Weaver manipulates and lies to Catra to escape from her prison, grabbing her hair tufts as she does so. Catra is seen without her tufts in Season 4, implying she cut them off in response. from TVDetails
41.Adventure Time (2010–2018)
In the Adventure Time episode “What Was Missing?” (S03E10), Jake breaks his violin in half so for the rest of the series his violin is duct taped together. from TVDetails
42.Doctor Who (2005–present)
I just stumbled upon this Easter Egg in Season 9. It's written in Aurebesh, the main language in the Star Wars Universe and it says "DeLorean". I love Doctor Who from TVDetails
43.How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014)
In How I Met Your Mother (S1E9), Ted jokingly tells his kids that he met a stripper named Tracy and that was how he met their mother, much to their shock. It turns out later in the series that their mother actually is called Tracy, which explains why the kids believed it. from TVDetails
44.Steven Universe (2013–2019)
in Steven Universe, Nightmare Hospital, one of the plaques on the wall says “Dr Gero Patient 20,” this is a reference to Dragon Ball villain Dr Gero, also known as Android 20 from TVDetails
45.Animaniacs (2020–present)
In the first episode of Animaniacs (2020), during The Catch-Up Song, there is a literal Iron Man and a literal Black Panther on the WB water tower with the Warners. from TVDetails
46.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987–present)
In almost every incantation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Raphael’s Sai have always been depicted as having a sharp point, like a three-pronged dagger. However, Sai were traditionally blunt weapons, used as batons. The prongs were used to catch the blade of an opponent’s sword. from TVDetails
47.Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995)
In S1E35 of Batman: The Animated Series, the villain “Two-Face” is seen pouring half and half in his coffee from TVDetails
48.Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)
In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Dr. Mae Jemison plays the first astronaut to appear in the show. She is also the first black woman to go to space. from TVDetails
49.Atlanta (2016–present)
50.Arthur (1996–present)
51.The Powerpuff Girls (1998–2005)
Powerpuff Girls S2E9 “Imaginary Fiend” Blossom crashes into a pile of coats and comes out dressed as Cartman from South Park from TVDetails
52.Key & Peele (2012–2015)
[Key and Peele] Vincent Clortho Public School for Wizards is a nod to Vinz Clortho, the Keymaster in Ghostbusters from TVDetails
53.It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005–present)
In the Always Sunny in Philadelphia episode "The Gang gets Trapped" it appears that the gang purchased an Indiana Jones costume before breaking into the house but couldn't decide who should wear it. They instead spilt it up; Charlie got the jacket, Mac the hat, and Frank the whip. from TVDetails
54.Lost (2004–2010)
Lost, Season 2, Episode 4, Hurley is drinking milk from a carton he found in the hatch, with a missing child photo of Walt, Michael’s Son, who was abducted in the last episode of Season 1 from TVDetails
55.The Handmaid's Tale (2017–present)
In The Handmaid's Tale, the stop signs have a hand signal instead of the word "stop" because the women are not permitted to read. from TVDetails
56.Alex Rider (2020–present)
Tom wears a 'the book was better' shirt in the last scene of Alex Rider S1. It's adapted from the books from TVDetails
57.Snowfall (2017–present)
Snowfall Season 3 Finale honors show's co-creator and legendary director John Singleton, who passed away in April. A young, pre-"Boyz n the Hood" Singleton was written into the episode after his death. [OC] from TVDetails
58.Craig of the Creek (2018–present)
In Season 2 Episode 12 of Craig of the Creek, Bernard is eating a Cookie Cat. This is a reference to Steven Universe. from TVDetails
59. And Breaking Bad (2008–2013)
In Breaking Bad, Hank has a Breaking Bad DVD on his shelf. Nice to know the man had taste! from TVDetails
