Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context ShoutOut / ChipNDaleRescueRangers

Go To

1%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1452266899092104700
2%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
3%%
4[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_mnzv52c.png]]
5
6''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' is chock full of {{Shout Out}}s, references, and in-jokes.
7
8----
9* Look at Chip. [[Franchise/IndianaJones Aviator jacket: check. Fedora: check. Whip]] [[AllThereInTheManual (shown in concept art only):]] [[Franchise/IndianaJones check.]]
10* Gadget is more than obviously based on Jordan from ''Film/RealGenius'' (Tad Stones also once joked about how Gadget resembled a Disney storyboard artist named Lonnie Lloyd).
11* "A Creep in the Deep" is one big and quite detailed ShoutOut to ''Literature/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea''.
12* ''Film/TheFly1958'' is treated similarly in "A Fly in the Ointment" which also includes references to ''Theatre/AStreetcarNamedDesire'', the Creator/FranzKafka short story ''Literature/TheMetamorphosis'', UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan's autobiography, and the Creator/WesCraven movie ''Shocker''.
13** During the scene in the classroom, the teacher says "Have you been reading too much ''ComicBook/SpiderMan''?" (It sounds like she's saying "Spider-''Men''", but still.)
14* "Adventures in Squirrelsitting" features [[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051051/ a young squirrel girl named Tammy in love]] with Chip. And a [[Film/TheMalteseFalcon1941 Maltese Mouse]].
15* The alien Fleeblebroxians are named in reference to the two-headed alien Zaphod Beeblebrox in ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' novels.
16* Speaking of ''Film/{{The Maltese Falcon|1941}}'', there is also Fat Cat's French cousin Maltese de Sade, a play on Creator/MarquisDeSade.
17* WordOfGod has it that Fat Cat himself is modeled after Creator/VincentPrice, and that his goons Wart and Snout are references to Creator/PeterLorre and Creator/PaulLynde. On the other hand, another inspirational source for Fat Cat might have been Sydney Greenstreet who also stars in ''Film/{{The Maltese Falcon|1941}}'', as is Peter Lorre. "Adventures in Squirrelsitting" was the episode which introduced Fat Cat, So Yeah...
18** Many have also noted that his physical appearance bares resemblance to Creator/DomDeluise, but it's unknown how intentional this was.
19* Professor Nimnul was visually based on Bruce Talkington, a regular writer on ''WesternAnimation/TheNewAdventuresOfWinnieThePooh'' and several other Disney Channel cartoons in the '80s.
20* Stan Blather is a ShoutOut to the news anchormen Dan Rather and Walter Cronkite.
21* Sparky from "Does Pavlov Ring a Bell?" is quite similar to [[Franchise/BackToTheFuture Dr. Emmett L. Brown]].
22* "Three Men and a Booby" contains {{Shout Out}}s to ''Three Men And A Baby'', ''Literature/AliceInWonderland'' (Mr. Dumpty), and ''Film/TopGun'' ([[Creator/TomCruise Cruise]]r and Bruiser).
23* The recurring incidental characters Edgar and Chauncey from ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'' appear in "To the Rescue".
24* "Gadget Goes Hawaiian" is a pun on ''Gidget Goes Hawaiian''. The villain of the episode was even voiced by Deborah Walley, who stared as the title character.
25* Monty's father Cheddarhead Charlie bears a striking resemblance to [[Film/CrocodileDundee Mick Dundee]].
26* "Pie in the Sky" has quite a few:
27** [[Theatre/SweeneyTodd Mrs. Sweeney and her son Todd]] from "Pie in the Sky" have two guard cats named [[Creator/JackNicholson Jack and Nichols]].
28** Mrs. Sweeney brags to herself that she'll be more famous than [[UsefulNotes/GeneralMills "Betty Whats-her-name?"]] and [[UsefulNotes/KentuckyFriedChicken "that old colonel fella"]].
29** Upon hearing the squawking of crows, Monty remarks "Sounds like Creator/AlfredHitchcock's making a [[Film/TheBirds movie]] over there."
30** "It's a shame they wasted a name like WesternAnimation/{{Dumbo}} on an elephant."
31* The witch familiars Bud and Lou from "Good Times, Bat Times" are FunnyAnimal versions of Creator/AbbottAndCostello.
32* From "The Pied Piper Power Play":
33** When ranting about his scheme at the beginning, Nimnul remarks that he'll be known as the "[[Creator/PabloPicasso Picasso]] of Potatoes", the "[[TheSvengali Svengali]] of Spuds", or even "Toys/MrPotatoHead".
34** The deaf-mute mouse Mouseo looks a lot like [[Creator/MarxBrothers Harpo Marx]] dressed like the [[Literature/AliceInWonderland Mad Hatter]].
35** In the scene in which infamously depicts Dale way out of character stupidity-wise, he mentions a certain Moonwalk Jackson, a reference to both Music/MichaelJackson, his most famous dance move, the Moonwalk, and possibly also to his movie ''Moonwalker''. Furthermore, Dale says the case would be a thriller, referencing Jackson's [[Music/{{Thriller}} best-selling album]].
36** At one point when Nimnul wants the mice to resume running, he says "[[Music/OliviaNewtonJohn Let's get physical!]]"
37* One of Dale's favorite movie characters, Dirk Suave, and the one villain we get to know, Dr. So-So, are {{Shout Out}}s to Film/JamesBond and ''Film/DrNo''.
38* Another one of Dale's heroes is [[Literature/TheRedBadgeOfCourage the Red Badger of Courage]].
39* Rat Capone is a ShoutOut to both UsefulNotes/AlCapone and Creator/JamesCagney. His henchmen, Arnold Mousenegger and Sugar Ray Lizard, are named after [[TheAhnold Arnold Schwarzenegger]] and the boxer Sugar Ray Leonard.
40* Irweena Allen from "Risky Beesness" is the result of an in-joke targeted at Creator/IrwinAllen's ''Film/TheSwarm1978''. And then there's still the obviously British heavy metal band [[Music/IronMaiden Iron Goose]].
41* The movie shown at the DriveInTheater in "Good Times, Bat Times" bears a few striking similarities to ''Film/{{Casablanca}}''.
42* In "Dale Beside Himself", Dale watches a movie very similar to ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' which Monty describes as "a real ripper", maybe a nod to Creator/SigourneyWeaver's character name and what happens to Creator/JohnHurt's character. Dale also watches something looking a lot like a Creator/EdWood movie on another occasion in the episode. The Fleeblebroxian shape-shifters could be a nod to Creator/JohnCarpenter's ''Film/TheThing1982''. And on the Fleeblebroxian ship, Dale says the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' quote-that-is-none, "BeamMeUpScotty"
43* The Pi-Rats' first mate Jolly Roger shares his name with the famous skull & crossbones flag, and their disappeared captain Long Lost Lafitte is a play on Jean Lafitte. They have to deal with a certain Billy the Squid, a play on Billy the Kid.
44* "Pound of the Baskervilles" introduces the late detective novel author Lord Howard Baskerville and his character Sureluck Jones. All one big ShoutOut to Literature/SherlockHolmes in general and ''Literature/TheHoundOfTheBaskervilles'' in particular.
45* In "A Case of the Stage Blight" the Rangers find an underground lair filled with water beneath the city's opera house. This setup is an obvious reference to ''Theatre/ThePhantomOfTheOpera''.
46* The opera-singing alligator Sewernose de Bergerac is of course a ShoutOut to ''Theatre/CyranoDeBergerac''.
47* "Robocat" is believed to be a mixture of ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}'' and ''Franchise/{{Robocop}}''.
48* The spaceship crew in "Out to Launch" are references, too, namely to the city of UsefulNotes/{{Houston}}, Texas, home of the NASA (Roger Houston), Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin (Buzz Airfield), and Sally Ride, the first American woman in space (Joy Rider).
49* Another ShoutOut to RealLife would be the gorilla Kookoo and her kitten Boots in "Gorilla My Dreams", being references to Koko, the famous gorilla who could communicate with humans, and her kitten companion All Ball.
50* The show contains lots of {{Shout Out}}s to [[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon other Disney works]]: Humphrey the Bear from several WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck cartoons has a cameo in "Bearing Up Baby", the crocodile in "Kiwi's Big Adventure" was taken straight out of ''WesternAnimation/PeterPan'', [[WesternAnimation/TheJungleBook1967 Colonel Hathi and his elephant squad]] make an appearance as Captain Kernel & company in "An Elephant Never Suspects", the Siamese Twins have look-alikes in ''WesternAnimation/LadyAndTheTramp'', and last but not least, there is Detective Donald Drake and his police dog Plato (WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck and Pluto).
51* While dangling Dale over a tank of piranhas, Fat Cat sings, "[[WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}} I've got some strings, ta tum tum tum...]]"
52* Dale's ''Series/MagnumPI'' Hawaiian shirt.
53** And his alter-ego [[Franchise/{{Rambo}} RamDale]] in "Le Purrfect Crime".
54-->'''Dale''': (''after his EasyAmnesia'' is cured) [[LampshadeHanging "How come I'm dressed like this? And why do I have this sudden urge to say 'Yo...'?"]]
55* Speaking of Dale in "Le Purrfect Crime", the large coffee bean container on his back gives his gun, the Decaffeinator, not little resemblance to [[GatlingGood Old Painless]] from ''Film/{{Predator}}''. GeniusBonus: Early Gatling cannons were crank-operated, as is the Decaffeinator.
56* "The S.S. Drainpipe":
57** There is a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWtg-AiV8Rk#t=701s brief shout out to]] ''Franchise/AlvinAndTheChipmunks''.
58-->'''Henchman of Rat Capone''': Hurry it up, Alvin.
59-->'''Chip''': The name is Chip.
60-->'''Henchman''': Whatever. You chipmunks all sound alike.
61** At one point, Rat Capone sings a brief parody of ''My Favorite Things'' from ''Theatre/TheSoundOfMusic''.
62* "Battle of the Bulge" contains a reference to "the most tip-top ''WesternAnimation/TopCat''".
63-->'''Wart''': You're the most tip-top, Fat Cat!
64* The episode "Last Train to Cashville" is named after Music/TheMonkees' song "Last Train to Clarksville".
65* "Zipper Come Home" is based off of ''Franchise/{{Lassie}} Come Home''. See also TropeyComeHome, their common trope.
66* The ''Lucitetania'' in "When You Fish Upon a Star" is a reference to the RMS ''Lusitania'', both of which sunk. Of course, the precious fish Moby Carp is named after Literature/MobyDick.
67* "They Shoot Dogs, Don't They?":
68** Monterey Jack and Canina La Fur do an obvious ShoutOut to ''Film/TheAfricanQueen'' on their boat.
69** Canina's rival, Zsa Zsa Labrador, is a nod to Creator/ZsaZsaGabor.
70** The Franchise/{{Lassie}} Awards are awarded to dogs in showbiz.
71** Throughout the episode, Canina [[AccidentalMisnaming keeps getting Monty's name wrong]], and instead addresses him with random "M" names. At one point, she calls him [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse Mickey]].
72** Canina mentions a movie by the name of ''[[Film/WhateverHappenedToBabyJane Whatever Happened to Baby Great Dane?]]''. She later attempts to mention a film named ''[[Film/OneFlewOverTheCuckoosNest One Fell Over...]]'', but gets cutoff in mid-sentence before she can finish.
73* Both Chip and Dale try and fail to kiss Gadget at the end of "Gadget Goes Hawaiian" much like they did at the end of "[[WesternAnimation/ChipAndDale Two Chips and a Miss]]" (also known among fans as Episode Zero).
74* Heinrich von Sugarbottom from "Chocolate Chips" is Oliver Hardy in lederhosen, a nod to Creator/LaurelAndHardy. Another one out of many is Dale's "Hey, what's the big idea?" Yet another one is the deep puddle in "Chipwrecked Shipmunks" into which Jolly Roger sinks much like Oliver Hardy.
75* Muscles, Errol's only henchman with a known name in "Love Is a Many Splintered Thing", is a ShoutOut to [[Franchise/{{Rocky}} Rocky Balboa]].
76* The tunnel-digging mechanical dragon built by the two pandas in "An Elephant Never Suspects" might count as a (yet another) ShoutOut to ''Film/DrNo'' which features a truck made up to look like a scary, fire-breathing dragon commandeered by a Chinese BigBad.
77* The ring from "Throw Mummy From the Train" is a reference to Music/TheBeatles' ''Film/{{Help}}'' movie. The villain in the same episode, Wexler, is modeled after the ''Rescue Rangers'' staff member Ed Wexler. See the Norton Nimnul[=/=]Bruce Talkington connection above.
78** The episode's title is, of course, a ShoutOut to ''Film/ThrowMommaFromTheTrain''.
79* "When Mice Were Men" references ''Film/SevenSamurai'' and may also contain a musical ShoutOut to Music/MilesDavis' ''Music/SketchesOfSpain''.
80** The title itself is also a pastiche of ''Literature/OfMiceAndMen'' by Creator/JohnSteinbeck and the phrase "when men were men".
81* "Song of the Night 'n Dale" is a ShoutOut to the Creator/HansChristianAndersen fairytale ''The Nightingale''; it also seems to reference ''The Cretan Bull'' from Creator/AgathaChristie's ''The Labours of Hercules''.
82* "Ghost of a Chance" borrows a lot from the 1961 movie ''Film/ThePitAndThePendulum'', based on a work by Creator/EdgarAllanPoe, especially the namesake death trap.
83** The ghost being named Sir Coleby and hailing from Canterville (even having fought "the Canterville Cat") is a reference to the story ''TheCantervilleGhost''.
84* ''Film/KingKong1933'' is referenced with two {{King Kong Climb}}s: one by giant Zipper climbing up a skyscraper while holding Nimnul in "Fake Me to Your Leader", and probably one more by the aforementioned gorilla Kookoo climbing up another high-rise building in "Gorilla My Dreams".
85* In "The Case of the Cola Cult", the main plot plays out like the plot of ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'' (minus the heart-ripping of course) and the action scenes are similar.
86* In one of the Police Headquarters scenes from "To the Rescue", you hear a police detective describing a burglary case thus [[Music/TheBeatles "She came in through the bathroom window]] [[Music/AbbeyRoad and cracked the safe with a silver spoon"]]
87** Speaking of Beatles references, in "One-Upsman Chip," Dale claims he has psychic powers by saying [[WesternAnimation/YellowSubmarine "It's all in the mind, y'know"]] (which itself was a reference to ''Radio/TheGoonShow'').
88** In the sequence where the police corner Percy in the first episode, Percy grabs Dale, mistaking him for his gun and upon attempting to fire, Dale simply shouts "Bang! Bang!", much like how he did with Pete in "The Lone Chipmunks", in an almost similar setup.
89* "Normie's Science Project" has Monterey Jack mention that he once [[WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle glided over Frostbite Falls with flying squirrels in search of mooseberries]]. Particularly interesting because Disney at the time attempted to create a new Rocky and Bullwinkle show until they discovered that they only had VHS distribution rights to the cartoon and nothing more (they ended up creating ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'' to fill the gap). The attempt to create a TV sequel to ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'' remained in cold-storage until Jeffrey Katzenberg's next studio, Creator/DreamWorksAnimation, who are now the copyright holders of ''Rocky and Bullwinkle'', launched the Creator/{{Netflix}} series ''WesternAnimation/TheMrPeabodyAndShermanShow'' in 2015.
90* "A Chorus Crime":
91** The title is a reference to ''Theatre/AChorusLine''.
92** Canina [=LaFur's=] musical, ''Hello Doggy'', is a spoof of ''Theatre/HelloDolly'', which Canina's voice actress, Carol Channing, starred in. The song that Canina and the penguins sing at the end of the episode even spoofs the main theme from ''Hello, Dolly!''.
93** When he first orders the penguins to dance, Nimnul says "Eat your heart out, Creator/BusbyBerkeley!"
94** The second time Nimnul orders the penguins to dance, he says "[[Film/FortySecondStreet Shuffle off to Buffalo!]]".
95** When the Rangers try to get the penguins to dance, Monty says "Where's Creator/FredAstaire when you need him?"
96* "Dirty Rotten Diapers":
97** Gadget's "Kinder, gentler" approach to fighting crime is a reference to then-President UsefulNotes/GeorgeHWBush's idea of creating a "Kinder, gentler America" (the Rangers eventually rebelling against the idea might even make this one of the earliest satires of PoliticalOvercorrectness).
98** Gadget and Dale dress up in costumes based on [[Literature/RaggedyAnn Raggedy Ann and Andy]]. Monty remarks that their costumes might get them a spot on ''Series/TheGongShow''.

Top