History WebAnimation / BonusStage

* {{Uncancelled}}: Came very close. After Matt Wilson announced that he was ending ''Bonus Stage'' a season early due to financial troubles, a fan offered to pay him $15,000 to continue the series. Nothing ever came of it.

* DramaticUnmask: Episode 50, when [[spoiler: [[BigBad Evil]] is revealed to be Elly.]]

* {{Casanova}}: Joel is sometimes shown as this.

* WikiRule: There was a Bonus Stage Wiki (it was eventually taken down), which was mocked in Episode 89.

* ReplacedTheThemeTune[=/=]RearrangeTheSong: The show had 4 different theme tunes across its eras, [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters as characters were added]] and new seasons started, and each theme was remixed slightly for special episodes.

* RoboSpeak: Rya was voiced by a voice synthesizer for the majority of the series. Subverted with June, though there is some debate as to whether or not she's actually a robot.

* EvilTowerOfOminousness: "[[BigBad Evil's]] [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Evil Lair Of Evility]]'.

* EvilTowerOfOminousness: "[[BigBad Evil's]] [DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Evil Lair Of Evility]]'.

* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: In Episode 9, Joel dies and goes to Hell, where his choices of punishment are to watch ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad'' for 24/7, watch {{Shrek 2}} for 24/7, or [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking eat Satan's mom's spaghetti.]]

** The plots to seasons 7 and 8 were changed around after season 6 ended. Perhaps anticipating that the series might not make it to an 8th season, Matt wrapped up several of the characters story arcs in season 7. He then left an option open for a more bare-boned (and therefore cheaper to make) season 8, with the 100th and final episode "Thank You for Playing" (in which every villain Joel and Phil had to face over the course of the series return to fight them, forcing the two to recruit all of their allies to counter the villains) being replaced by the much less ambitious "Trial Expires After 30 Minutes" (in which Joel and Phil confront the cloaked villain who [[spoiler:killed Rya]]).

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Season 8, obviously.

* {{Uncancelled}}: Came very close. After Matt Wilson announced that he was ending ''Bonus Stage'' a season early due to financial troubles, a fan offered to pay him $15,000 to continue the series. Nothing ever came of it.

* WackyFratboyHijinks: Episode 40, in which a fraternity (played by the cast of ''{{Waterman}}'') moves into the house next door.

* VitriolicBestBuds: Joel and Phil.

* WithFriendsLikeThese: Joel and Phil, mostly.

** The plots to seasons 7 and 8 were changed around after season 6 ended. Perhaps anticipating that the series might not make it to an 8th season, Matt wrapped up several of the characters story arcs in season 7. He then left an option open for a more bare-boned (and therefore cheaper to make) season 8, with the 100th and final episode "Thank You for Playing" (in which every villain Joel and Phil had to face over the course of the series return to fight them, forcing the two to recruit all of their allies to counter the villains) being replaced by the much less ambitious "Trial Expires After 30 Minutes" (in which Joel and Phil confront the cloaked villain who [[spoiler:killed Rya]]).

->''"Three friends become the guinea pig of a brilliant inventor. The goal: [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotAwesome to create the greatest webtoon of all time!]] They failed. Now witness the failure! BONUS STAGE!"''

* NotSoHarmless: Arguably KOKOR. Yet another HarmlessVillain in the early seasons, he was unceremoniously killed off in season five. Season six had him rebuilt, with an entire armada of aliens backing him up. He even managed to defeat the heroes for several episodes, before [[spoiler: Joel blew up the whole planet.]]

Bonus Stage (abbreviated [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar BS]]) was an animated Flash action/adventure/comedy series that focused attention on the randomness, sarcasm, and parodic moments of life.

The cartoon was focused on Joel Dawson, [[MadScientist a wannabe scientist]] that has a [[{{Otaku}} giant hobby for action]]. Phil Argus, a normal person with superpowers, follows Joel in his adventures and is mostly [[TheStraightMan frustrated, serious, and expressing facts]]. There's Elly Strife, [[StalkerWithACrush who has a crush on Joel that mainly goes unanswered]], [[TriangRelations unless you count Phil's crush on her.]] Phil also has a mom, named Jessica Argus. She's middle-aged, but [[ChristmasCake she acts and looks as if she's a 25-year-old woman]] who just [[CoolBigSis wants to now fit in with the crew]]. She arrived when she couldn't stand her son, Phil, describing his life as miserable and empty.

Rya Botkins is [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot a robot created by Joel]] to be [[ShallowLoveInterest Phil's girlfriend]]. She is a [[DeadpanSnarker cynical monster]] who [[{{Jerkass}} verbally rips people]] [[ButtMonkey (mostly Phil)]] [[DeadpanSnarker apart]], and she is not really Phil's girlfriend. It's not known why Rya has a robotic voice while June Crane, another robot built by Joel, has a normal sounding one, but this is could be attributed to the bizarreness that is Joel Dawson. [[spoiler:Rya turned into a human in episode 79, which led to her permanent death, [[InternetBackdraft a controversial move to some Bonus Stage fans]].]]

All this started with High Score, the original show before Bonus Stage, which we think got started as an [[FollowTheLeader attempt to compete with]] HomestarRunner. Unfortunately, the cartoon only lasted 4 episodes and was canceled due to lack of interest from the creator.

Bonus Stage was created by Matt Wilson. Matt hated some of his [[FanDumb fans, because they do not think or behave like normal rational human beings]], as well as the fact that [[UnpleasableFanbase none of them were ever satisfied with any specific direction the show goes]], making it impossible to adjust the writing. Regardless, his fans loved him anyway.

* AbortedArc - The series ended one season short of its intended run, leaving several plot threads (including an arc involving the Cloaked Figure from episode 79) dangling.

* ArtEvolution - Big time.

* BigBad : In Seasons 1 and 2, It was [[spoiler:Joel's future self.]] In Seasons 3 and 4, It Was Evil. In Seasons 5 and 6 it was KOKOR And Stomach King. In Season 7 and 8, The Antagonist would have been [[spoiler:Cassidy.]]
* BreastAttack - "I'm going to specifically punch you in the nipple!"

* {{Casanova}} - Joel is sometimes shown as this.
* ChristmasCake - Arguably Jessica, since she's technically middle-aged. Though whether or not she counts (she looks and acts like she's 25) is debatable.
* ChristmasEpisode - Two of them. They're somewhat less heartwarming than the usual fare for this trope.
* ClipShow - Subverted in Episode 8.

* ConspicuousCG - in some external shots.
* CreatorBacklash - Matt Wilson '''really''' hates the show and its fans.
** That the creator got [[FanDumb threatened both if he stopped]] ''[[UnpleasableFanbase or continued]]'' [[FanDumb making the show]], and that there were reports of fans [[StalkerWithACrush stalking him]]... perhaps some of the hate is justified, at least to him.
* CrossOver - With ''Space Tree''. And ''Waterman''.
* {{Cyberspace}} - [[spoiler:The entire show takes place within Joel's simulated reality.]]

* DeadBabyComedy - Dear God, '''YES.'''
* DeaderThanDead - Mr. Malice in episode 66. (He got better.)
* DeadpanSnarker - Rya, though most of the other characters indulge in their fair share of snark as well.
* DeathIsCheap - So much so that in later seasons, it's not uncommon for main characters to die ''repeatedly'' in the same episode.

* TheDevilIsALoser - Satan is a droning bore, ranting on and on about absolutely nothing. His idea of torture includes watching TimeSquad 24/7 or eating his mom's spaghetti. [[GodwinsLaw Even Hitler couldn't handle that.]]

* DownerEnding - Made even worse by episode summaries for the canceled final season having already been written and the whole thing planned out, then suddenly snatched away and replaced with [[spoiler:everyone dying and the show itself being erased from time.]]

* DroppedABridgeOnHim - [[spoiler: Mr. Malice is deliberately forgotten on Hydrox and blown up along with the rest of the planet. Not that anyone really missed him, though...]]
** The Same Could be Said for [[spoiler:the Virtual Environment Created By Joel Dawson]] at the end of [[spoiler:the Old]] Episode 87...[[spoiler:Yeah, Thanks a Lot Phil!]]
* EarthShatteringKaboom - [[spoiler: Hydrox is blown up due to Joel pushing red buttons.]]
* EmoTeen - Candace, in a flashback.

* FlatCharacter - Most of the extras.

* FountainOfYouth - Jessica is turned into a twenty-five year old thanks to Evil screwing around in Joel's lab.
* TheFundamentalist - Jessica prior to being de-aged.
* GilliganCut / SarcasmFailure - How they got into space in the first place.

* GrossUpCloseUp - Parodied. Two somewhat typical examples are used, and the third is just a title card reading "Horrifying Detail Shot #3".
* HarmlessVillain - The Stomach King. He loses all credibility in his first appearance when all his plans [[{{ItsBeenDone}} turn out to be cheap knock-offs of comic books and video games.]] From there, his sporadic appearances only cement his loser status.

** Evil arguably qualifies as well, though he/she is somewhat less harmless than The Stomach King.

* IHaveManyNames – Shipmaster [[strike: Greg]] [[strike: Kevin]] [[strike: Douglas]] [[strike: Felix]] [[strike: German]] Winslow.
* InformedDeformity - Phil is treated as horrifically ugly, especially by women, despite not looking appreciably different from any other character. As with many character traits in the show, this is increasingly forgotten later on.
* ItsPronouncedTropay - The fifth and sixth seasons were set on the "eShip": the "Spac" is silent.
* HalfwayPlotSwitch - This Show Does This In Spades
-->Joel: Wait A Second, This is the Exact Lines from Episode 69! (This is Episode 76, BTW)
-->EMERGENCY PLOT CHANGE!
* HoistByHisOwnPetard - [[spoiler: The Stomach King, thanks to not checking his watch, once blew himself up with his own self-destructing ray gun.]]
* HotMom - Jessica after being de-aged.
* JerkAss - Arguably most of the cast.

* JumpTheShark - Joel invokes this in-universe by name at least twice for a gag.

* KilledOffForReal - [[spoiler: Mr. Malice, KOKOR, Rya.]]
* LoveDodecahedron - Phil loves Elly ([[spoiler:and WordOfGod appeared to imply that had the series continued, the two of them would've become an item]]). Elly is stalking Joel and dating Andrew. Joel is dating Jessica, and is technically supposed to be June's boyfriend as well, though he doesn't seem to acknowledge her existence much. Rya and Cassidy are both pretty strongly implied to be in love with Phil; Rya was actually built to be Phil's girlfriend. [[spoiler:WordOfGod actually states that Cassidy was so obsessed with Phil that she killed Rya, viewing her as a threat to their love.]] None of this plays that major a role in the series, though (save for a few episodes).
* MeaningfulName - The main villain in season 4's name is Evil.
* MST3KMantra - Invoked brilliantly in Episode 81 when Phil asks a whole bunch of questions about the nature of the virtual world. In this instance, the mantra is a bowling ball and it's application is it being thrown at Phil's face.

* NiceHat - Cassidy wears a pink striped top hat, which she has apparently worn since grade school.
* NoFourthWall - There have been episodes about why there isn't a plot-related episode today.
* NotSoHarmless - Arguably KOKOR. Yet another HarmlessVillain in the early seasons, he was unceremoniously killed off in season five. Season six had him rebuilt, with an entire armada of aliens backing him up. He even managed to defeat the heroes for several episodes, before [[spoiler: Joel blew up the whole planet.]]
* OverlyLongGag - "Oh, emo foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..."

* PlanetEris - Charismaville.
** Or rather, everything within Joel's simulated universe. Justified since, well, it's a simulation, so it's all intentional. Except when [[ItGotWorse it isn't]].
* PlanetOfHats - {{Lampshaded}}

* PutOnABus - Jessica in episode 84.
* RidiculouslyHumanRobot - Rya. Possibly June as well.
* RoboSpeak - Rya was voiced by a voice synthesizer for the majority of the series. Subverted with June, though there is some debate as to whether or not she's actually a robot.
* SanitySlippage - Jessica goes from one of the most capable characters in season five to a mentally unhinged lunatic in season six.
* ScrewYourself - Joel once made Phil a girlfriend who was his female clone. Phil is greatly disturbed once he finds out.
* ShoutOut - Numerous. It would probably just be easier to list what WASN'T given a ShoutOut or TakeThat.

* SingleBiomePlanet - Hydrox (Water Planet).
* SnapBack - Quite a few times, always played and often lampshaded [[RuleOfFunny for comic value]]. Borders on NegativeContinuity.
* StalkerWithACrush - Elly, with Joel being the object of her desires. [[spoiler:WordOfGod has stated that Cassidy is even worse, though she has a thing for Phil rather than Joel.]]

*** Hell, half the characters count. It's kind of implied that Andrew was stalking Elly as well.
* StraightMan - Phil (less so in later episodes).
* TakeThat - The final episode(ish) was a long series of jabs at the ''CtrlAltDel'' webtoon, among others.
* TheStinger - Several episodes, especially in seasons 3-5, had a quip by one of the characters after the credits.
* UnbuiltTrope - Episode 80 resembled an [[TheAbridgedSeries Abridged Series]] for {{Popeye}}, at least a year before the first episode of WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries.
** Little Kuriboh has actually stated himself that he didn't start the abriged series idea, he just gave it a name.
* {{Uncancelled}} - Came very close. After Matt Wilson announced that he was ending Bonus Stage a season early due to financial troubles, a fan offered to pay him $15,000 to continue the series. Nothing ever came of it.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen - Season 8, obviously.
** The plots to seasons 7 and 8 were changed around after season 6 ended. Perhaps anticipating that the series might not make it to an 8th season, Matt wrapped up several of the characters story arcs in season 7. He then left an option open for a more bare-boned (and therefore cheaper to make) season 8, with the 100th and final episode "Thank You For Playing" (in which every villain Joel and Phil had to face over the course of the series return to fight them, forcing the two to recruit all of their allies to counter the villains) being replaced by the much less ambitious "Trial Expires After 30 Minutes" (in which Joel and Phil confront the Cloaked villain who [[spoiler:killed Rya]]).
* YourHeadASplode - One of the [[DeathIsCheap more frequent causes of death]] in the series.

* UnbuiltTrope - Episode 80 resembled an [[TheAbridgedSeries Abridged Series]] for {{Popeye}}, at least a year before the first episode of [[WebOriginal/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries Yu-Gi-Oh: The Abridged Series]].

Bonus Stage was created by Matt Wilson. Matt hates some of his [[FanDumb fans, because they do not think or behave like normal rational human beings]], as well as the fact that [[UnpleasableFanbase none of them are ever satisfied with any specific direction the show goes]], making it impossible to adjust the writing. Regardless, his fans love him anyway.

Matt also does (nearly) [[ManOfAThousandVoices all the voices on the show]] and uses FL Studio to create his background music and theme song. He uses [=Swift3D=] for his computer-generated images (often referred to as CGI) such as the intro (letters in the name), and the introductory Couch Slave Studios scene.