History Main / RetroUniverse

* ''TheXFiles'': The episode "Post-Modern Prometheus" takes place in such a universe, a retro-nineties filled with fifties cars and diners and other hints of a retro aesthetic, and eighties/nineties technology; it was filmed in DeliberateMonochrome, and delved into the wealth of "Frankenstein" tropes. Justified somewhat because it's a backwater town (whose inhabitants are obsessed with ''TheJerrySpringerShow''), but the fifties cars took it into this territory.

* ''Website/TheOnion'': "[[http://www.theonion.com/articles/nation-gathers-around-radio-set-to-listen-to-big-b,26418/?ref=auto Nation Gathers Around Radio Set To Listen To Big Ball Game]]" jokingly depicts people following the 2011 World Series this way.

* ''Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem'' was apparently set in 2005 (judging by the date written on a card at one point in the story), but everyone wears 1970s fashions.

Retro Universes are popular settings for SteamPunk and UrbanFantasy. They may contain ZeppelinsFromAnotherWorld, an AlternativeCalendar, SchizoTech, or a combination of the three.

May be [[LongRunnerTechMarchesOn created accidentally]] in {{Long Runner}}s and/or settings with ComicBookTime. Also see {{Zeerust}} and PurelyAestheticEra.

May be [[LongRunnerTechMarchesOn created accidentally]] in {{Long Runner}}s and/or settings with ComicBookTime. Also see {{Zeerust}}.

* ''BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'' continues this trend by making it a bit of an AnachronismStew. Modern innovations like cellphones, video games and the internet are around, but a lot of the buildings, cars, and characters have decidedly retro vibes. There's very little consistency in this regard, as one episode will have modern clothing and tech, while the next will have fedora-clad gangsters shooting at Batman with Tommy-guns.

** Of course, cell phones were just going mainstream when the movie was made, so the brick phones seen could have just been an example of StillTheEighties.

* In the film version of ''Film/TheSpirit'' takes place in a world where technology marched on, but the fashion and sensibility remained '40s noir. Dames dressed to the nines snap pictures of the Spirit's adventures with digital cameras.

** With ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales'', at least, it was justified, since the Carl Banks comics on which the show was largely based had been produced in the mid-20th century. (And remember, Scrooge [=McDuck=] had been a gold prospector in the Klondike in the 1890s!)

* A number of the future era, visited by [[Series/DoctorWho the Doctor]] mix futuristic, RaygunGothic and {{Steampunk}} technology. Example: Starship UK from "The Beast Below" and New Earth in "Gridlock".
* The BBC production of ''{{Gormenghast}}'' juxtaposes of elements of different time periods to emphasise that it takes place in its own, timeless, ahistorical reality.

* FatherTed is full of this, presumably due to the island's inhabitants being so isolated from the rest of the world. The layout of the parochial house is extremely 1970s, they often play board games for entertainment
They are shown listening to records (e.g. the Eurovision track they almost used for the tune of My Lovely Horse), and are actually able to buy new ones (The BBC Sound Effects records) in John And Mary's shop in 1996, well after most other places would stop selling one. Also, when their Brazilian priest visits them, he brings them a VHS player, which they are astonished by as they think it must have been really expensive. The joke here is that he is obviously regifting them his old one.

* ''Webcomic/{{Annyseed}}'' Many character wear victorian clothing, yet some are a little more 1980's in style. Victorian machinery is often used along side modern day mobile/cell phones. Ninjas go around with katana blades, and our heroine is dropped off at school by the latest rolls royce. - It's all good fun.

** With ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales'', at least, it was justified, since the Carl Barks comics on which the show was largely based had been produced in the mid-20th century. (And remember, Scrooge [=McDuck=] had been a gold prospector in the Klondike in the 1890s!)
** ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'' is explicitly set in TheThirties, the era where the {{Pulp Magazine}}s that inspired it took place. One episode featured a prototype jet engine, with the characters reacting to it as if it were straight out of a science ficiton story.

** One Episode featured the Joker robbing an electronics convention. A giant "DVD" logo can be seen in the background.

** "Joker's Favor" shows someone's drivers license, where it shows he was born in the late forties or early fifties. Given the character's middle-age appearance, it shows that the show nominally takes place in the early nineties (the "present day").

** Much of this is because Matt Groening's based the characters on members of his own family when he was growing up in the 1960s. He even explained that Marge has a three-feet-tall blue beehive hairdo because that is what his own mother's hair looked like (from his point of view) when he was much shorter than her.

* ''{{Archer}}'' seems to take place in the modern day, but the whole atmosphere (super-spies, gadgets, even the office furniture) seems plucked right out of the '60s.
** ''Archer'' has indications of taking place in every single decade from the '60s to the '00s. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in the episode 'Lo Scandalo'.

* The cars and architecture of Gotham City in the ''{{Batman}}'' franchise seem to be perpetually stuck in the 1940s. One of the city's mottos is actually "The Dark Deco City". This is very notable in the 1989 movie and in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries''.

* ''MassEffect'' is another example, although it takes its inspiration from the 1970s/80s science fiction renaissance rather than the Golden Age science fiction often popular with this trope. The art style and trappings are, according to WordOfGod, deliberately evocative of films like ''Film/BladeRunner'', ''Alien'', or ''[[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan The Wrath of Khan]]''.

[[folder:VideoGames]]
* The ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series is a classic example. Despite being set two centuries after a nuclear war that is still 60 years into our future, everything has old school art deco stylings, every computer has a [[OurGraphicsWillSuckInTheFuture monochromatic greenscreen]], and the music consists of golden oldies from the early-mid 20th century. Note that all of this exists alongside EnergyWeapons, PoweredArmor, and [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots androids indistinguishable from humans]]. Fallout America is an amalgam of all the decades of the ColdWar, as well as the SciFi Produced during those decades. TheForties give the setting its wartime propaganda, urging you to buy Victory Bonds. TheFifties give it their Pre-War fashions and car designs; Fifties SciFi gives it ''nuclear cars'' and the styling of its robots. TheSixties give it the use of the word "hippies" (in Fallout 3) and anti-war graffiti (all over Hidden Valley in New Vegas). TheSeventies give it the punk fashion of the raiders and the Prewar oil crisis. TheEighties give it computers that look like Commodore 64s. The post-war civilizations also show elements of the Great Depression and 19th century frontier times, showing how society reverted to an [[AfterTheEnd even less technologically advanced time after the war disrupted human society.]]
* ''MassEffect'' is another example, although it takes its inspiration from the 1970s/80s science fiction renaissance rather than the Golden Age science fiction often popular with this trope. The art style and trappings are, according to WordOfGod, deliberately evocative of films like ''Film/BladeRunner'', ''Alien'', or ''[[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan The Wrath of Khan]]''.
* ''GrimFandango'' is ostensibly set sometime around TheNineties (the game was released in 1998), as there are office computers in the Land of the Dead. However, the style of architecture and clothing is firmly based in the [[FilmNoir '30s, '40s, and '50s]]. Justified, considering much of the population was probably alive during those decades, and would likely want to replicate them.
* ''StubbsTheZombie'' takes place in the 50's,however the technology is much more advanced,similar to ''Fallout'' series
* The ''{{Thief}}'' series takes place in a fantasy world very reminiscent of TheLateMiddleAges. Yet, it also shows many Victorian influences in things like architecture, furniture, art, technology and attitudes. What's most intriguing is how both of these very different eras are [[WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief combined nearly seemlessly]] (it helps that they're united by the whole CityNoir atmosphere and SteamPunk aesthetic of the series).
* The ''HarvestMoon'' universe. Although ostensibly set in something resembling the present day (in one game you can buy a DVD player for your house, and in another, there's a modern periodic table hanging on the wall in the school, and the hospital in every game is generally very modern), everyone gets around on horse-drawn carriages, the designs are old-fashioned in their ruralness, and other technology is deliberately retro.
** ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonAWonderfulLife'' could pass for taking place in the 1900s - 1920s at first glance however at times it looks decidedly modern, especially in clothing. It could pass for the 1970s at earliest however it's set at the same time as ''Friends Of Mineral Town'', which is noticeably more modern looking (it just looks like it's set in a small, rural town).
* SuperMarioBros has many modern conveniences, but the world itself appears to be somewhere around medieval times.
* An odd example in DeadSpace3. While the other two games are pretty much straight examples of a SciFi setting, the third takes place on, or in orbit of, a planet filled with ruins left behind by the Sovereign Colonies Armed Forces ([[BalkaniseMe a political entity that apparently no longer exists as of the time of]] DeadSpace3) 200 years earlier. The Sovereign Colonies technology and designs seem rather more primitive then the more "Modern" examples seen in the earlier games. [[OurGraphicsWillSuckInTheFuture Their computer technology seems to be rather dated]], many of their doors need to be opened manually, [[NoPaperFuture They use a lot more paper then is common in later time periods]], they have black and white photographs on the walls (possibly due to aging, or the low light levels), the advertisements for the fictional drink called "Peng" which appear in Dead Space and Dead Space 2 are done in a cyber punk style, showing an attractive woman dressed in futuristic clothes, where as the advertisements for Peng from the Sovereign Colonies era however show women in a more 1950s pin-up style, similar to old school Coke ads.
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* {{HunterxHunter}} seems to take place in a fantasy world blended with modern day. There are mythical creatures, powers known as Nen, peaceful villages, and people travel on wooden ships and zeppelins, but there are also cell phones, cars, guns, big cities, computers, and video game systems that transport the user to a virtual reality.

* Alan Rudolph's ''TroubleInMind'' (from 1985) is set in some indeterminate near-future/alternate age where Seattle is under martial law, people act and dress like a 1940s noir drama, and the newest car is ca. 1972.

* The wizarding world in the ''HarryPotter'' series never seems to advance beyond the 1930s in style ([[PoliticallyCorrectHistory although not always in attitudes]]). The [[Film/HarryPotter third film adaptation]] goes so far as to feature a good deal of big band music, although the fourth movie portrays the Weird Sisters as a decently contemporary rock band. This is probably in keeping with [[ANaziByAnyOtherName the Death Eaters]] and such - the whole series' story is very similar to the muggle world's [[TheThirties 1930s]] ([[WorldWarTwo and what happened from 1939 to 1945]], except [[RecycledInSpace with magic]].)

** Clothing is a complicated issue in the PotterVerse. In the books, magical characters are usually described wearing "robes" or "cloaks" with not much more description. In ''GobletOfFire'', it's mentioned that the Weasley kids wear "Muggle clothes" during the summer, implying robes are worn most if not all the time at Hogwarts. However, Mrs. Weasley makes the kids "jumpers" ("sweaters" to American readers) for Christmas and these are apparently not considered Muggle clothes and they are presumably being worn with some kind of trousers. In the movies, the kids seem to wear Muggle clothes whenever they are not in their school uniforms (AlfonsoCuaron is often blamed for starting this, but ChrisColumbus did it too) while the adults' clothing is a mix between stereotypical wizardry outfits (Dumbledore, [=McGonagall=], etc.) and outdated fashions (Rita Skeeter, for example, seems to think it's still the 1950s).

[[folder:{{Webcomics}}]]
* ''Webcomic/{{Annyseed}}'' Many character wear victorian clothing, yet some are a little more 1980's in style. Victorian machinery is often used along side modern day mobile/cell phones. Ninjas go around with katana blades, and our heroine is dropped off at school by the latest rolls royce. - It's all good fun.

* ''Film/BladeRunner'' has synthetic humans, skyscraper-spanning ads, intergalactic colonies, etc., in the year 2019, yet people still wear 30s-era clothing.

* An odd example in DeadSpace3. While the other two games are pretty much straight examples of a SciFi setting, the third takes place on, or in orbit of, a planet filled with ruins left behind by the Sovereign Colonies Armed Forces ([[BalkaniseMe a political entity that apparently no longer exists as of the time of DeadSpace3]]) 200 years earlier. The Sovereign Colonies technology and designs seem rather more primitive then the more "Modern" examples seen in the earlier games. [[OurGraphicsWillSuckInTheFuture Their computer technology seems to be rather dated]], many of their doors need to be opened manually, [[NoPaperFuture They use a lot more paper then is common in later time periods]], they have black and white photographs on the walls (possibly due to aging, or the low light levels), the advertisements for the fictional drink called "Peng" which appear in Dead Space and Dead Space 2 are done in a cyber punk style, showing an attractive woman dressed in futuristic clothes, where as the advertisements for Peng from the Sovereign Colonies era however show women in a more 1950s pin-up style, similar to old school Coke ads.

* An odd example in DeadSpace3. While the other two games are pretty much straight examples of a SciFi setting, the third takes place on, or in orbit of, a planet filled with ruins left behind by the Sovereign Colonies Armed Forces ([[BalkaniseMe a political entity that apparently no longer exists as of the time of DeadSpace3]]) 200 years earlier. The Sovereign Colonies technology and designs seem rather more primitive then the more "Modern" examples seen in the earlier games. [[OurGraphicsWillSuckInTheFuture Their computer technology seems to be rather dated]], many of their doors need to be opened manually, [[NoPaperFuture They use a lot more paper then is common in later time periods]], they have black and white photographs on the walls (possibly due to aging, or the low light levels), and the advertisements for the fictional drink called "Peng" which appear in Dead Space and Dead Space 2 are done in a cyber punk style, showing an attractive woman dressed in futuristic clothes. The advertisements for Peng from the Sovereign Colonies era however show women in a more 1950s pin-up style, similar to old school Coke ads.

* An odd example in DeadSpace3. While the other two games are pretty much straight examples of a SciFi setting, the third takes place on, or in orbit of, a planet filled with ruins left behind by the Sovereign Colonies Armed Forces ([[BalkaniseMe a political entity that apparently no longer exists as of the time of DeadSpace3]]) 200 years earlier. The Sovereign Colonies technology and designs seem rather more primitive then the more "Modern" examples seen in the earlier games. [[OurGraphicsWillSuckInTheFuture Their computer technology seems to be rather dated]], many of their doors need to be opened manually, [NoPaperFuture They use a lot more paper then is common in later time periods]], they have black and white photographs on the walls (possibly due to aging, or the lo light levels), and the advertisements for the fictional drink called "Peng" which appear in Dead Space and Dead Space 2 are done in a cyber punk style, showing an attractive woman dressed in futuristic clothes. The advertisements for Peng from the Sovereign Colonies era however show women in a more 1950s pin-up style, similar to old school Coke ads.