History Series / Rainbow

* {{Cameo}}: The characters have made brief appearances in shows like ''Series/AshesToAshes2008'' and ''Series/TwoPintsOfLagerAndAPacketOfCrisps''.

Many non-European viewers know the show for its infamous "twangers" segment which consisted of proceedingly less veiled {{double entendre}}s about the sexual escapades of the cast. The episode never actually aired as part of the show and was put together at a production party as a private joke, but has since [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes migrated its way]] to Website/YouTube and other such online video sites. Zippy and George also appeared on ''Series/TheWeakestLink''.

* BearyFriendly: Bungle is quite a nice character. There are occasions when an episode has him pick up the JerkassBall, but he learns from his mistakes much better than Zippy does.

* NiceMeanAndInBetween: George is very prominently [[NiceGuy nice]]; Zippy is frequently naughty, arrogant, selfish and greedy; and Bungle is usually nice, but can on occasion be rather smug, thoughtless and immature.

* DietEpisode: As a long-running edutainment show for children, Rainbow has had several episodes about exercise and healthy eating. One notable example of such episode is ''Exercise Is Fun'', in which Bungle takes his diet UpToEleven by constantly running around the garden, wanting to live off peas, and attempting to lift weights that are obviously too heavy for him.

* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: In the episode ''Misbehaving'', Zippy, Bungle and George won't stop arguing with each other, and Geoffrey becomes fed up of this. He punishes them by having his grumpy Uncle Bill come to visit them. [[spoiler:It turns out that 'Uncle Bill' was actually Geoffrey in a suit.]]

Long-running UK kids' show, originally intended to be the British equivalent of ''Series/SesameStreet'', which, for the bulk of its long-running time, centered around puppets Zippy (a creature with a zipper for a mouth) and George (a {{camp}} hippopotamus), as well as a bear named Bungle and their avuncular human caretaker Geoffrey living in the Rainbow House. It started airing in 1972, and ended in 1992, followed by two spin-offs.

* UnwantedGiftPlot: A subplot in the episode ''Auntie Pays a Visit''. Geoffrey's aunt (played by Patsy Rowlands) gives the three puppets a present each, none of which are well-received. She gives Bungle a pink tricycle, George a woolly hat that's too small for him, and Zippy a baby doll. Bungle and George make little effort to hide their disappointment. Zippy makes none.

* BearyFriendly: Bungle is quite a nice character. There are occasions when an episode has him pick up the [[JerkassBall]], but he learns from his mistakes much better than Zippy does.

* BearyFriendly: Bungle is quite a nice character, but isn't exactly the brightest crayon in the box.

* BearsAreBadNews: Subverted and sort of played straight with Bungle. He's quite a nice character, but isn't exactly the brightest crayon in the box.

* AgelessBirthdayEpiosde: Zippy celebrates his birthday in the episode "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Zippy's Birthday]]", but his age is never stated.

* AesopAmnesia: A repeated plotline throughout the series was Zippy pushing George and Bungle too far with his selfish antics but eventually seeing the error of his ways and making amends.

** Every once in a while when Zippy gets too noisy and demanding, they zip his mouth up.