Line #239 WebAnimation/BonusStage


1	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bonus_stage_sm_6762.png]]
2	->''"Three friends become the guinea pig of a brilliant inventor. The goal: to create the greatest webtoon of all time! They failed. Now witness the failure! BONUS STAGE!"''
3
4	''Bonus Stage'' (abbreviated [[FunWithAcronyms BS]]) was an animated Flash action/adventure/comedy series filled with surreal humor, sarcasm, and pop culture references.
5
6	The cartoon was focused on Joel Dawson, [[MadScientist action scientist]], and his roommate Phil Argus, a normal person with superpowers who is mostly [[TheStraightMan frustrated and serious]]. There's Elly Strife, [[StalkerWithACrush who has a crush on Joel that goes unrequited]], aside from Phil's crush on her. Rya Botkins is [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot a robot created by Joel]] to be [[SatelliteLoveInterest Phil's girlfriend]]; she is a DeadpanSnarker who [[{{Jerkass}} verbally (and literally) rips people]] [[ButtMonkey (mostly Phil)]] apart, and is not really Phil's girlfriend. Finally, Phil's mom, Jessica Argus, is middle-aged, but, [[SupernaturallyYoungParent due to one of Joel's inventions, acts and looks like a 25-year-old babe]] who just [[CoolBigSis wants to fit in with the crew]].
7
8	All this started with ''High Score'', the original show before ''Bonus Stage'', which got started as an [[FollowTheLeader attempt to compete with]] ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner''. The cartoon only lasted 4 episodes and was canceled due to lack of interest from the creator.
9
10	Bonus Stage was created by Matt Wilson. Matt hated some of their [[FanDumb fans, because they did not think or behave like normal rational human beings]] and [[UnpleasableFanbase none of them were ever satisfied with anything that Matt did]], making it impossible to adjust the writing. Regardless, their fans loved them anyway.
11
12	Matt also did nearly [[ManOfAThousandVoices all the voices on the show]] and used FL Studio to create the background music and theme song. They used [=Swift3D=] for CGI.
13
14	''Bonus Stage'' ended in 2006 from financial issues and lack of interest from Matt Wilson. After years of waning interest and financial woes, Matt made the decision to end the series abruptly mid-arc with a DownerEnding. The site itself went down in 2009, so the show can now be found [[https://www.youtube.com/user/BSMattW here]] or [[http://bonusstage.keenspot.com here]] (it will be necessary to constantly edit your URLS in the keenspot subdomain due to flash menus).
15
16	Matt has since started a new channel, ''WebAnimation/CartoonDriveThru'', which features much of the same kind of humor.
17
18	On April 8th, 2024, episode 90 was released on Platform/YouTube making it the first new episode in 18 years.
19
20	----
21	!!''Bonus Stage'' provides examples of:
22
23	* TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects: 3D graphics are used in some external shots. Early examples involve Phil's House, similar shots of which were also used in ''High Score''. Starting in the fifth season, the eShip is often rendered in 3D.
24	* AbortedArc:
25	** 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.
26	** Before that, a multi-episode plotline involving a revitalized Evil fighting the main cast with an army of underpants was cut short.
27	--> '''Joel:''' "This is stupid. Let's do a different plot!"
28	* AdBreakDoubleTake: Done in episode 75, between parts 1 and 2. Lampshaded:
29	--> '''Stomach King:''' "But I don't think you'll be doing either."
30	--> '''Elly:''' "Wow. The Fraggles look a lot bigger in person."
31	--> (Commercial break)
32	--> '''Stomach King:''' "But I don't think you'll be doing either."
33	--> '''Elly:''' "You just said that!"
34	--> '''Andrew:''' "Eh, they're villians. Just humor them."
35	* AndKnowingIsHalfTheBattle: Parodied/subverted at the end of episode 33, in which UsefulNotes/{{Emulation}} was briefly brought up:
36	--> '''Phil:''' "Hi. I'm Phil. And this is Joel. And we just wanted to make it clear that Bonus Stage does not condone any illegal downloading of copyrighted material of any kind.
37	--> '''Joel:''' "Yeah we do." (Turns to face the camera) "STEAL."
38	* ArtEvolution: Big time. Not just in terms of character designs, which tended to change once a new season came, but also in terms of animation, which became more involved and used fewer tweens as time went on.
39	--> '''Phil:''' "Hey, you guys got new designs. ...I hate them."
40	* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Evil's monologue in episode 78.
41	-->'''Evil:''' "The flesh of the innocent has gone for too long un-rended, blood unboiled, families unseperated, school field trips unchaperoned!"
42	* AuthorFilibuster: There's a pretty obvious one in episode 33, when Phil starts ranting about how video games of the past are inferior to games of today.
43	* BackToTheEarlyInstallment: This is how Bonus Stage originally ended after a CreatorBreakdown: Phil goes back to the first episode and kills his past self along with his costar, Joel, thus preventing the show from existing.
44	* BadFuture: In episode 24, the ending shows the year 2005 ravaged by nuclear war and controlled by Rya. In episode 31, Joel calls Phil in 2006 on his Time-o-phone but their conversation is cut short by a nuclear explosion.
45	* BetterThanABareBulb: Rarely will a cliche situation go by without someone commenting on it.
46	* BigBad: In Seasons 3 and 4, the main villain 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.]]
47	* BigNO: Joel has one in episode 9, when he's [[CoolAndUnusualPunishment forced to watch]] ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad'' for 24/7 in Hell, and Phil has one in a flashback in episode 85, when [[LoveTriangle Elly falls in love with Joel.]]
48	* BigRedButton:
49	** [[spoiler: Joel presses the self-destruct button on Hydrox in an attempt to close the door.]]
50	** After the pair stop the Tandy Brothers from taking over the world, Joel instructs Phil to press "The world-saving button!".
51	--->'''Phil:''' "There's no such thing!"
52	--->*Joel points, camera zooms to a big red button labeled "End Doomsday Button, followed by silence"
53	--->'''Phil:''' "Oh that is [[SoundEffectBleep bullsh*t]]."
54	* BirthdayEpisode: Episode 45 is Phil's, although more focus is put on the debut of his mother, Jessica.
55	* BottleEpisode: Called "Anti-Episodes" by the fans, due to often having little to do with the episode guide description.
56	** Season 1's bottle episode, "Recap", was a quick back-and-forth with credits and a quick bonus cartoon.
57	** Season 4 had "Cursive Written Script", which was turned into a bottle episode, with half the episode taking place in Phil's garage, due to difficulties writing the script.
58	** Season 5's "Five Minute Story Hour" was turned from "Fee Fi Fo", an AttackOfThe50FootWhatever episode, into a story narrated by Joel.
59	** Season 6 had "Phil the [=WereDevil=]", which was originally a TheVirus[=-=]style episode, turned into an episode about how they didn't make the episode.
60	** Season 7 had "Nerds and Geeks Are Not the Same", almost an {{abridged series}} precursor, dubbing WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}}, instead of an actual animated episode.
61	* BreastAttack: {{Subverted\|Trope}}. Phil says that he's going to specifically punch Elly in the nipple, and attempts to do so, only to recoil in pain as she reveals her bra is made of metal.
62	* BrickJoke: In episode 50, Evil disables Rya in the middle of saying "which is why I have to kill you". Joel restarts her in Epiosde 51 after some modifications...one of which was a ''VideoGame/HalfLife'' mod. When reactivated, she finishes her sentence off and incinerates Jessica with an energy blast.
63	* BrokenRecord:
64	** In episode 49, Joel wants to turn on the news to see an important announcement but Phil and Elly are too wrapped up in a Nickelodeon marathon of old ''WesternAnimation/TheAngryBeavers'' and ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' episodes to change the channel. Cut to later...
65	---> '''Joel''': ''(bitterly)'' Turn on the news, please. Turn on the news, please. Turn on the news, please.\
66	'''Phil''': Hey Joel, what'd you want me to do again?\
67	''(Joel stares angrily)''
68	** Episode 62 has Phil grow bored of their space adventures, having seen everything space has to offer.
69	* ChristmasEpisode: Two of them. They're somewhat less heartwarming than the usual fare for this trope.
70	* ClipShow: Subverted in episode 8, "Recap".
71	-->'''Phil''': "Hey, remember that time we..."
72	-->'''Joel''': "No!" cue credits
73	* CoincidentalBroadcast: Lampshaded in episode 49 when the gang turns on the TV, only to have a news reporter say, "If you've just joined us..." and then compliment the viewer on their excellent timing.
74	* ConMan:
75	** Brad, originally. At the age of five, no less.
76	** Slim later on. He helps Joel market his time-o-phones by disguising them as ice cream sandwiches, and attempts to sell Phil a Sega CD box as a transdimensional space phone in order to get his PIN.
77	* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: In episode 9, Joel dies and goes to Hell, where his choices of punishment are to watch ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad'' for 24/7, watch ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek 2}}'' for 24/7, or [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking eat Satan's mom's spaghetti.]]
78	* CrossOver: With ''WebAnimation/SpaceTree''. And ''WebAnimation/{{Waterman}}''. In both cases, the original voice actors for the characters involved provided voices in the crossovers.
79	* CurseCutShort: In episode 76, when Phil is plotting to fight Andrew over Elly:
80	-->'''Joel:''' "Phil, you're never going to fight Andrew. You know what you, Elly, and the animated version of Nermal from the ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'' syndicated series have in common?"
81	-->'''Phil:''' "We're all androgynous?"
82	-->'''Joel:''' "No. You have something else in common."
83	-->''(camera gets closer)''
84	-->'''Joel:''' "Puss--"
85	-->''(cut to outside, Joel is violently flung out of the house)''
86	-->'''Joel:''' "Ow. That's what I get for sitting in a catapult."
87	-->''(the camera reveals the front door, which shows that a catapult was indeed set up)''
88	-->'''Phil:''' "Now, see, I ''told'' you that was a bad idea."
89	-->'''Joel:''' "Well, you were right on the money."
90	* {{Cyberspace}}: [[spoiler:The entire show takes place within Joel's simulated reality.]]
91	--> "Prepare to encephalon dive... Oh wait, we can't do that."
92	* DeaderThanDead: Mr. Malice in episode 66. The one-time character Ronin declares him "crazy dead" and chides Phil for not knowing the ramifications of this. (He got better.)
93	* DeadpanSnarker: Rya, though most of the other characters indulge in their fair share of snark as well.
94	* DeathIsCheap: So much so that in later seasons, it's not uncommon for main characters to die ''repeatedly'' in the same episode.
95	** When Rya is introduced to the main characters, Joel says that to keep her on the show, one of them must die forever. Elly kills a minor character, Treelor, that only appeared in one episode before then, since Joel never said the dead character had to be a main character. However, Treelor has since appeared alive in subsequent episodes.
96	** In episode 68, Joel is about to be crushed by a giant robot. His last words?
97	--->Joel: "Well, see you next episode."
98	** Joel uses this to his advantage in episode 52, where he tries repeatedly to jump into the eShip's filing service to fish out something lost inside it. After trying to see if his corpses break his fall, he gives up, and uses the duplicate money in the duplicated wallets of his corpses to buy a replacement.
99	* TheDevilIsALoser: Satan is a droning bore, ranting on and on about absolutely nothing. His idea of torture includes watching ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad'' 24/7 or eating his mom's spaghetti. [[GodwinsLaw Even Hitler couldn't handle that.]]
100	-->Joel: You are the worst. Satan. Ever.
101	* DidntWeUseThisJokeAlready: In episode 76, when Phil starts a fight with Andrew over Elly:
102	-->'''Elly:''' "Grow up, Phil. I chose to date this man, and I'm gonna do it. Although a relationship with Phil could be rewarding..."
103	-->'''Joel:''' "Wait a second! This is the exact same dialogue as episode 69!"
104	-->''beat, look of shock from Phil/Elly/Andrew
105	-->'''Narrator: EMERGENCY PLOT CHANGE!'''
106	* DiscontinuityNod: "Ahaha... We don't reference High Score anymore!"
107	* DisproportionateRetribution: In their initial visit to Hydrox, Joel slurs the local population by saying "If this place were a train station, it'd be called the Faggot Express". Though one of the natives says that they all are, in fact, gay, they are not outraged by Joel's display of homophobia but for "[informing] us of an antiquated form of transportation we don't have access to" and are sentenced to death.
108	* DontLookAtMe: Done in an episode 22 cutaway with R.D./D.G.
109	--->'''Phil:''' Who did this to you?
110	--->''{cut to R.D. and D.G.}''
111	--->'''D.G.:''' Don't look at us!
112	--->''{beat}''
113	--->'''D.G.:''' STOP LOOKING AT US!
114	* DownerEnding:
115	** 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.]] Which is then completely undone in episode 89, with Phil even questioning how he's still alive.
116	** Episode 79 what with [[spoiler:Rya's death]] and all.
117	* DramaticUnmask: Episode 50, when [[spoiler: [[BigBad Evil]] is revealed to be Elly.]] Complete with a SplitScreenReaction.
118	* DroppedABridgeOnHim:
119	** [[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...]]
120	** The same could be said for [[spoiler:the virtual environment created by Joel]] at the end of [[spoiler:the old]] episode 87... [[spoiler:yeah, thanks a lot, Phil!]]
121	* DynamicEntry: Episode 89, when Phil, Elly, and June somehow crash through the ceiling of a forest to rescue Joel.
122	* EarthAllAlong: Used by Joel in episode 62:
123	-->'''Joel:''' "Actually, it was Earth alllll along."
124	-->'''Phil:''' "No, I distinctly remember crashing into several planets that did not remotely-"
125	-->'''Joel:''' "It was Earth alllll along."
126	-->'''Phil:''' "I...we clearly did not-"
127	-->'''Joel:''' "It was Earth alllll along."
128	-->'''Phil:''' "Joel!"
129	-->'''Joel:''' ''(slowed down voice)'' "It was Earth alllll a- beat ''(chipmunk voice)'' -long."
130	* EarthShatteringKaboom: [[spoiler: Hydrox is blown up due to Joel pushing red buttons.]]
131	* EmoTeen: Candace, in a flashback.
132	-->Phil: "Emo girlfriends. They kill you on the inside."
133	* EvilTowerOfOminousness: "[[BigBad Evil's]] [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Evil Lair Of Evility]]".
134	* FateWorseThanDeath
135	-->'''Cassidy:''' "We're going to die! Or worse!"
136	-->'''Phil:''' "How do you define 'worse'?"
137	-->'''Joel:''' "What if there were termites burrowing into your anus and destroying your intestines?"
138	-->'''Phil:''' "I don't think that scenario is ever going to play out."
139	-->'''KOKOR:''' "Release the termites!"
140	* FlatCharacter: Most of the extras.
141	-->Andrew: "Are you saying there are gimmicky, one-trick-pony characters in Bonus Stage?
142	-->Jessica: "[[CloudCuckoolander I'm crazy!]]"
143	-->Stomach King: "[[FunnyForeigner I'm foreign.]]"
144	-->Craig: "I'm..."
145	-->Slim: "[[ConMan I'm a weasel.]]"
146	-->Big Fat Guy: "I'M BIG FAT GUY!" [[RunningGag falls on the whole crowd]]
147	* FountainOfYouth: Jessica is turned into a twenty-five year old thanks to Evil screwing around in Joel's lab.
148	* TheFundamentalist: Jessica prior to being de-aged. She attempts to use tracts to convert Phil's friends (one of whom is Satan himself) to Catholicism.
149	* FutureMeScaresMe: In a version of episode 25 edited due to the events of episode 88, past Phil thinks his future self is a retard.
150	* GagDub: Episode 80, which dubs over an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}}'' with the voices of Elly, Andrew, Phil and Joel.
151	* GainaxEnding: The "WesternAnimation/SheepInTheBigCity Ending" is a typical ''Sheep in the Big City'' scene, ending with a pun, that has nothing to do with the rest of "2 Fast".
152	* {{Gamebooks}}: The episode "2 Fast" ended this way, with choices of "Normal Ending", "Creepy Ending" or "''WesternAnimation/SheepInTheBigCity'' Ending".
153	* GilliganCut: How they got into space in the first place.
154	-->Joel: "Hey, let's do the show in space."
155	-->Phil: [[SarcasmMode "Yeah Joel, let's do the show in space."]]
156	-->cut to them in space
157	-->Phil: "I guess I forgot that sarcasm holds no power over this show."
158	* GlobalIgnorance: In episode 76, Phil complains that people are ignoring the deaths being caused by Hurricane Katrina in the city of New Orleans "isn't part of America". When Joel points out that it is, Phil attempts to cover himself by claiming "New Orleans is one of my favorite states!"
159	* GrossUpCloseUp: Parodied. Two somewhat typical examples are used, and the third is just a title card reading "Horrifying Detail Shot #3", with a few hairs growing out of it.
160	* HarmlessVillain:
161	** 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.
162	---> JOEL'S #6 ENEMY.
163	--->'''Stomach King:''' "Number six? What the f*ck?!"
164	** The Tandy Brothers, especially in their first couple of appearances. Even when they took over the world, they never really grew out of being harmless.
165	* IHatePastMe: In the alternate version of episode 25 (which was edited due to the events of Episode 88); future Phil thinks his past self is an asshole.
166	* IHaveManyNames: Shipmaster [[strike: Greg]] [[strike: Kevin]] [[strike: Douglas]] [[strike: Felix]] [[strike: German]] Winslow.
167	* HalfwayPlotSwitch: This show does this in spades. In one case this is explicitly done with "Emergency Plot Change" being announced to avoid repeating dialogue from earlier in the series.
168	* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler: The Stomach King, thanks to not checking his watch, once blew himself up with his own self-destructing ray gun.]]
169	* HouseAmnesia: Joel, during a heated debate with Phil over [[UltraSuperDeathGoreFestChainsawer3000 Baby Ballface]] in episode 82:
170	-->'''Joel''': "From now on, [[WeUsedToBeFriends we are no longer friends, or dance partners, or a tennis duo, the likes of which rival the Williams sisters!]] We are '''''MORTAL ENEMIES.''''' Get out of my house."
171	-->(Cut to Joel standing outside. The front door slams in his face.)
172	-->'''Joel''': "Oh, yeah, right."
173	* ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne: Elly is called a "filthy slutbag", to which Andrew responds "Hey, she's not filthy!"
174	* JerkAss: A lot of the cast, but especially Joel.
175	-->'''Elly:''' "So...what's your ex like? Can she do an optic blast?"
176	-->'''Joel:''' "She was great. My intellectual equal. She was a scientist, she helped raise my sister, she's...pretty much everything you're not. In fact, you're kind of the least possible candidate for girlfriend I have ever come across. You have ''no'' redeeming qualities that I can determine. The world would be better off if you never reproduced with anyone."
177	-->''(Elly starts crying)''
178	-->'''Joel:''' "...I made Elly cry. ''Awesome!''"
179	-->'''Blakken White:''' "Congratulations! You're an asshole!"
180	* JumpTheShark: Joel invokes this in-universe by name at least twice for a gag.
181	-->Joel: Come quick, we're about to travel over [[PlanetOfHats Shark World]]. I don't know why we haven't done this already.
182	-->Joel: No, no. There are some sharks I refuse to jump.
183	* KilledOffForReal:
184	** [[spoiler: Mr. Malice and KOKOR are left behind on the planet Hydrox as it explodes.]]
185	** [[spoiler: After longing for a less one-dimensional life, Rya turns herself into a real human, but is killed by the cloaked figure before she can escape the virtual environment.]]
186	* 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).
187	* MeaningfulName: The name of the main villain in season 4 is Evil.
188	* MeaningfulRename: In episode 90, Joel is now called Julie after becoming non binary.
189	* 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.
190	* NoFourthWall: The characters are all fully aware that they are in a cartoon. There have also been episodes about why there isn't a plot-related episode today.
191	* NotSoHarmlessVillain: 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.]]
192	* OrwellianRetcon:
193	** Most Season 1 episodes originally had {{cold open}}s featuring RD and DG to begin the episode and "Shed Some Skin" by Slow Gherkin as the song for the end credits. The former were cut because Matt thought they were too derivative of Dr. Weird from WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce; the latter were replaced with a similar, but original song called, appropriately enough, "Total Soundalike".
194	** Episode 7, "Cube", was rewritten to remove the RD/DG segments that were intertwined with the plot of the episode, with a few extra scenes added to make up for it. Also removed was a Mooninite cameo[[note]] despite it being [[CallBack referenced in a later episode]][[/note]], for similar reasons.
195	** Episode 9, "Morbid", originally had a WebAnimation/HomestarRunner cameo and an ending parodying WebAnimation/StrongBadEmail. These scenes were also replaced.
196	** "2 Fast"'s "Creepy Ending" originally finished with Elly and [[GenderBender a female Joel]] popping up in Phil's bed as he wakes up, but was apparently deemed too creepy[[note]]as noted by Joel in the following episode[[/note]] and changed to Elly and female Joel puppets being controlled by Rya and regular Joel.
197	* OverlyLongGag:
198	** "Oh, emo foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..."
199	** "--rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrIlikepizza."
200	** "Let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's let's blow our brains out! BANG
201	* PlanetOfHats: {{Lampshaded}}
202	-->Phil: "Isn't it great that each planet is named after its purpose? I sure think so!"
203	* PoliticallyIncorrectHero: Joel is an unabashed bigot.
204	* PreviouslyOn: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LCHnKNlswM Episode 58]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pesIcm_0RL8 episode 84]]. The former is a dramatized but true recap, while the latter is a parody referencing other cartoons such as ''WesternAnimation/HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw'' and screwed-up versions of earlier episodes of the series.
205	* PutOnABus: Jessica in episode 84. She exits the simulated Bonus Stage world after a dispute with June over her mental instability.
206	* ReelTorture: Two of the three punishments in Hell are forced 24/7 viewings, one of ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad'', one of ''WesternAnimation/Shrek2''.
207	* ReferenceOverdosed: Lampshaded a few times.
208	--->'''Joel:'''"Hey, we're not tossing out random references here, okay?! We're not ''[[WesternAnimation/MegasXLR Megas]]''! beat ''VideoGame/{{Gunbound}}''.
209	* ReplacedTheThemeTune [=/=] RearrangeTheSong: The show had three different theme tunes across its eras, as characters were added and new seasons started, and each theme was remixed slightly for new seasons and special episodes.
210	* RetGone: [[spoiler:In episode 88, Phil travels back in time to episode 1 and kills his past self (in doing so, "[[Movie/BackToTheFuture McFlying]]" himself and causing him to fade from existence) and Joel kills himself, thus causing the entire series to be undone and the previous episode to become Ret Gone in mid-episode.]]
211	* RidiculouslyHumanRobot: Rya, to the point that no one knows she's a robot until she speaks. Possibly June as well.
212	* SanitySlippage: Jessica goes from one of the most capable characters in season five to a mentally unhinged lunatic in season six.
213	* SarcasmFailure: Joel commonly takes Phil's sarcastic comments seriously. This is how the fifth season ended up in space.
214	* ScrewYourself: Joel once made Phil a girlfriend who was his female clone. Phil is greatly disturbed once he finds out.
215	* ShoutOut: Numerous. It would probably just be easier to list what WASN'T given a ShoutOut or TakeThat.
216	-->Joel: Well, I guess that about covers our unnecessary '80s references for this week.
217	* ShowWithinAShow: Occurs a few times.
218	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7CgGCOqWTM Episode 77]] has Joel and Phil optioned by ''G4'' to create their own cartoon for the network. The show is unfortunately ruined by Phil's endless inane suggestions, including several tropes.
219	--->'''Phil:'''"Make Pilican shoot blood out of his eyes [[LudicrousGibs just this huge stream of blood going everywhere]]! [[DarkerAndEdgier Blood is edgy]]. And we're competing against 'WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy' here, okay? Would it KILL you to have a [[CutawayGag cutaway]] in there!? MAYBE you should have a video game reference, I mean if call yourself a video gamer! And then the girlfriend Chillary appears, and she's overweight, because there's TOO MANY SKINNY ROLE MODELS! LET'S EMBRACE HEART DISEASE FOR A CHANGE! Also put in the [[CatchPhrase catch phrase]] 'That's not what Joe said'! [[SelfInsertFic Also put me in it]]."
220	** "Dad And Son" is a regular part of the Bonus Stage universe. It was introduced in episode 42 as Joel's TV series.
221	** In episode 22, there's mention of ''Fatty Brigade'', ''Babe Revue 2000'', or strangely enough ''High Score'' (all only mentioned by name) being cancelled.
222	** There's also [[UltraSuperDeathGoreFestChainsawer3000 Baby Ballface]] (episode 82) and [[SpinOff Rya's World]] (episode 53).
223	* SingleBiomePlanet: Hydrox (Water Planet).
224	* SkywardScream: In "Morbid", Joel performs a drawn-out BigNo this way, and then after getting tricked by Satan into thinking getting sent to Hell was a dream, screams, in the exact same way, "You douchebag!"
225	* SnapBack: Quite a few times, always played and often lampshaded [[RuleOfFunny for comic value]]. In addition to the [[DeathIsCheap general lack of permanent death]], there's also the world changing to {{Squigglevision}} in the original version of episode 7, and the {{bad future}} in episode 24, neither of which stick.
226	* StalkerWithACrush:
227	** Elly, with Joel being the object of her desires.
228	** [[spoiler:WordOfGod has stated that Cassidy is even worse, though she has a thing for Phil rather than Joel.]]
229	** Phil counts as well. He writes ''FanFiction pairing himself up with Elly,'' for God's sake!
230	** It's kind of implied that Andrew was stalking Elly as well.
231	* SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: How Joel finds out [[spoiler:Evil was Elly]] in episode 50:
232	-->'''Joel:''' "No, our house! All my Spin Doctors albums were in there!"
233	-->'''Evil:''' "Jeez, they only cost, like, two bucks."
234	-->'''Joel:''' "I don't have two bucks."
235	-->'''Evil:''' "What? Even I have two bucks."
236	-->'''Joel:''' "''''''A-HA!''''' I ''knew'' it! I ''knew'' it was you! I lent two bucks to someone the other day. I can't believe it's ''you''. I'd better be right about this, I don't wanna be embarrassed."
237	* StraightMan: Phil, acting as a foil for Joel's wacky antics (less so in later episodes).
238	* SupernaturallyYoungParent: Jessica after being de-aged.
239	* TakeThat:
240	** The final episode(ish) was a long series of jabs at the ''Webcomic/CtrlAltDel'' webtoon, among others.
241	** In episode 56, Jessica says something was intentionally drawn badly, and Joel shows Jessica what it'd look like if he were [[TerribleArtist trying to draw badly]]. The close-up of the paper shows Webcomic/{{Zortic}}.
242	* TalkativeLoon: How Satan is portrayed. After about a minute of him rambling, Joel snarks, "You are the worst Satan ever."
243	* TemporalSuicide: The series ends this way, due to a CreatorBreakdown: Phil steals a time machine and goes back to the first episode, where he kills his past self and his costar, Joel, and then hangs himself, causing the entire show to be removed from existence (and the hosting website).
244	* TheStinger: Several episodes, especially in seasons 2-5, had a quip by one of the characters after the credits. Some later episodes had entire segments after the credits.
245	* ThrownOutTheAirlock: Happens to Phil in episode 51. [[ComedicSociopathy At the hands of Joel]]. [[DeathIsCheap Three times in about 10 seconds]]. Before the title sequence begins.
246	* ToBeContinued: Used three times in episode 85 to highlight a triple cliffhanger: Evil invading other Webtoons, Phil accidentally time traveling to 1776, and [[ArsonMurderandJaywalking Craig getting ready to go to the store]].
247	* UnexplainedRecovery: [[spoiler: Rya]] returns after previously been permanently killed off without any explanation in episode 90.
248	* UltraSuperDeathGoreFestChainsawer3000: Baby Ballface. Phil's attempts to put a stop to its influence kick off the events of episode 82.
249	* {{Uninstallment}}: Episode 4, "Project", was originally a preview of projects Matt was working on, without an actual Bonus Stage cartoon. It was later made between episodes 62 and 63, and is full of references to things that happened after the original episode 4.
250	* TheUnintelligible: Mr. Malice speaks in music(not lyrics, actual music) such as the VideoGame/MegaManClassic boss intro theme, or the opening to Music/LudwigVanBeethoven's 5th symphony. He is apparently captioned in-universe as well as for the audience, as Phil can't believe he once subtitled "teh funneh".
251	* VagueAge: Phil doesn't even seem to know his own age, as shown in episode 64:
252	-->'''Joel:''' "Well, this little five-year-old girl over here threw out the lucky nickel. Phil. You...girl."
253	-->'''Phil:''' "That has nothing to do with anything! And I'm not five, I'm twenty-something. Or...fourteen. Or...fifty. I don't really know."
254	* ViewersAreMorons: In episode 60, while Joel explains why they're not doing a Bonus Stage episode that week.
255	-->'''Joel:''' "Now, as you folks know, our show is created by the ''INTERNET!'' But what you may not know is that our show is also powered by ''COMPUTERS!''
256	-->'''Phil:''' [[SarcasmMode "Be sure to tell them that the show is also done "IN FLASH!"]]
257	-->'''Joel:''' "Good idea. The show is also done ''IN FLASH.''"
258	* VocalEvolution: And how. Joel and Phil's voices in particular go through some changes (they even switch voices in episode 19), Rya goes from having a SyntheticVoiceActor to just having a robotic voice, Elly's voice changes to become more feminine-sounding (as Matt got a different voice actor instead of just using their own pitched-up voice), and Craig speaks slightly less droningly in his final appearance in episode 89.
259	* WackyFratboyHijinks: Episode 40, in which a fraternity (played by the cast of ''WebAnimation/{{Waterman}}'') moves into the house next door.
260	* WithFriendsLikeThese: Joel and Phil, both show little care for the other in most dangerous situations (except for the occasional rescuing), and even when they're working together, they're constantly hurling insults at each other.
261	* WorldOfWeirdness: Charismaville. Or rather, everything within Joel's simulated universe. Justified since, well, it's a simulation, so it's all intentional. Except when it isn't.
262	* YourHeadASplode: One of the [[DeathIsCheap more frequent causes of death]] in the series.

Context WebAnimation / BonusStage