Line #75 YMMV/RobotChicken


1	!YMMV tropes for the ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' series
2	!!YMMV Tropes with Their Own Pages
3	[[index]]
4	* [[CrossesTheLineTwice/RobotChicken Crosses the Line Twice]]
5	* [[HarsherInHindsight/RobotChicken Harsher in Hindsight]]
6	* [[HilariousInHindsight/RobotChicken Hilarious in Hindsight]]
7	* [[ShallowParody/RobotChicken Shallow Parody]]
8	[[/index]]
9	----
10	* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
11	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UkMJrcKZk0 "Randy the Oblivious Pizza Delivery Guy"]] sees the titular deliverer drop off a pizza at a woman's house, wherein she heavily implies she's offering sex in lieu of monetary payment, but when Randy instead just lists other ways to pay with actual currency, she gets fed up and gives him a $20 note. The overwhelming consensus is that Randy is not in fact oblivious; he just knows that getting paid and not getting fired from his job are more important than sleeping with someone. Some have also pointed out he may in fact be married and choosing to remain loyal, and further still, that he may know that this woman might carry [=STDs=].
12	** In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVC1rapsAIw "Annie's Super Sweet 16"]], ComicStrip/LittleOrphanAnnie gets a trip to Mars for her sweet sixteen and dies when her helmet falls off and [[YourHeadAsplode her head explodes]]. Because she behaves like a SpoiledBrat throughout the skit, more than a few fans wondered if Daddy Warbucks sent her there to get rid of her.
13	* AluminumChristmasTrees: Most of the toys in the "Island of Recalled Toys" are real, including the masturbating Tarzan, the Buzz Lightyear cup with the inappropriately placed straw, and the pregnant Barbie. The sole exception is the cursing Elmo, though that was a reference to an Elmo Knows Your Name doll who allegedly told its owner James "Kill James".
14	** ''Codename: The Abortionator'' is basically an only slightly more depraved version of ''VideoGame/Postal2'', which you can indeed urinate on people and kill literally anyone. While you don't kill your parents, one of your missions is pissing on your father's grave and can optionally kill a zombie version of him. The protagonists even look similar.
15	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic:
16	** The "Piano God" number, although short is indeed quite awesome.
17	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iauuuhpSfRQ Le Wrath di Khan]]. Taking the [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan best classic Trek]] movie and turning it into 60 odd seconds of righteous opera.
18	** The music playing when the chicken storms the scientist's castle, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kzj6wdJuyQ Tales of the Electric Romeo]] by Immediate Music.
19	** Seth Green's original version of "Work It Out" from the "Voltron Gets Served" sketch. It's not aired anymore and it's not on the DVD, but [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes you can find it easily if you know where to look.]]
20	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS9ZryKseO0 The Chupacabra's rap]] in the episode "Food".
21	** Likewise, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7A7Gh0J03k the Veloci-rapper's rap]] from "Petless M in: Cars Are Couches of the Road".
22	* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: Technically all of them are this, but skits like J.R.R. Tolkien Jr. Jr. stands out; [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3oqOcYKPZ4 see why]]. This is actually invoked in-universe, as the narrator has no idea what he just watched.
23	* BrokenBase: The infamous "Toy Story 4" sketch is highly controversial among fans. Some say it was in horrible taste and that it [[DarthWiki/RuinedForever "ruined their childhoods"]], others think it was hilarious because of how [[CrossesTheLineTwice over the top it went]]. Nevertheless, it's one of the most popular sketches in the entire series.
24	* CatharsisFactor: The Batman sketch parodying ''Film/TheGreenMile'', where the Joker FINALLY gets the death penalty for his obscenely long list of atrocities and dies a slow and painful death thanks to Batman and Gordon sabotaging his execution. Especially since he's still guilty of [[ComicBook/TheKillingJoke one of his vilest crimes]] in this universe, which was Gordon's motivation for drawing out his death.
25	* DelusionConclusion: One theory is that the skits are nightmares the characters being parodied are having.
26	* EnsembleDarkhorse: Gary the Stormtrooper, from... [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cizlx6ODhuE quite a few]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mspbHtf_Ck of the]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll-paoQXRSA Star Wars shorts]].
27	** Bitch Pudding has a sizable following despite only appearing in 3 shorts. So much so that she got her own special.
28	** Ted Turner as WesternAnimation/{{Captain Planet\|AndThePlaneteers}}.
29	** Yarael Poof went from background alien to many people's favorite member of the Jedi Council.
30	** [[ColdSniper Fumbles]] from "Our Newest Member, Calvin".
31	** Their version of Boba Fett as a half-BadassNormal, half-MilesGloriosus, full-LargeHam absolutely caught fire with the fans, to the point where after having only one speaking sketch in the original special, he was brought back numerous times as a result. Taken to its logical conclusion when Boba Fett survived and made his long-awaited return in ''Series/TheMandalorian'' and a wave of videos giving Mando-Boba RC Boba's personality blew up.
32	* FairForItsDay: "A Date With Scarlett" has Gary the Nerd win Scarlett Johansson's love by pretending to fend-off some robbers (actually Gary's friends), starting a life a together, getting married, and having a baby. It ends with Gary revealing he faked the robbery as he's on his death bed. Johansson herself reveals to be an AMAB character actor. Gary then states he know now why she had a "giant Johansson." He then dies and Johansson mourns his passing. While still a transphobic joke, it implies Gary knew she was trans before hand and didn't care, something that was ''very'' uncommon at the time in comedy, which typically had characters react with horror or disgust.
33	* HeartwarmingInHindsight:
34	** "Hollywood Spotlight of the Incredible Hulk" focuses on the Hulk's career and how it plummeted after his show was cancelled. This was before the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse.
35	** In that same sketch, there's a bit with Ang Lee TemptingFate about the possibility of ''Film/{{Hulk}}'' [[CreatorKiller killing his career]]. Later that year, ''Film/BrokebackMountain'' came out, which was a huge WinBackTheCrowd after the poor reception of ''Hulk''.
36	** "Children of Lego Men" features the birth of the first Franchise/{{Lego}} baby minifigure. In 2016, the real first baby arrived.
37	* HoYay: Unsurprisingly, the [[WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983 He-Man]] skits are full of these.
38	** In the "Eternia News Network" sketch, Prince Adam was more mad that he couldn't see more of Beast-Man in the sex tape and that Teela was hogging the camera.
39	** At the end of the "Eternia Gym Shower" sketch, Trap Jaw helps He-Man with a certain problem in the Janitor's closet.
40	* MemeticMutation:
41	** ''[[GroinAttack (kick to the nuts)]]'' [[WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers CAPTAAAAAAAAAAAAIN PLANET!!]]
42	** Protect the environment... ''OR I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!''[[note]]Oddly enough, they follow this up with something akin to a ''parody'' of this phenomenon, with the sketch going into a weird truTV-type commentary show where talking heads discuss the show, especially [[WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce Master Shake]]'s lines) at ''Robot Chicken'' itself. The first scene features Hal Sparks basically ''[[ForcedMeme willing]]'' the "CAPTAIN PLANET" shout-nutshot combo to go Memetic.[[/note]]
43	** [[Creator/MNightShyamalan What a TWIST!]]
44	** I'm Lindsay...Luhhhn...
45	** DICKS, WITH TIME MACHINES!
46	** Boba Fett's "BACK FROM THE DEAD, ASSHOLES!" was a minor one for the longest time. Then ''Series/TheMandalorian'' happened...
47	** [[Film/ThreeHundred "THIS! ISN'T! FUNNY!"]]
48	** Bitch Pudding! ''BLAM!''
49	** DARKEST SKETCH! DARKEST SKETCH! DARKEST SKETCH!
50	** The "changing channels" framing device has been used noticeably more frequently in other rapid-fire skit parodies since.
51	** "''[[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants You little yellow]]'' '''''[[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants bastard!]]'''''"
52	** "Disappointment in the game of Life!" thanks to WebVideo/SchaffrillasProductions
53	* MoralEventHorizon:
54	** Jon Arbuckle refusing to pay for Garfield's life-or-death operation.
55	** The Great Pumpkin's brutal murder of Linus.
56	** The Care Bears massacring the Care Bear Cousins.
57	** The Mad Scientist forcing the Robot Chicken to watch the show.
58	** Barney Rubble killing Dino and all the living appliances who were witnesses to his AccidentalMurder of Fred. Except for the bidet. That was probably a mercy killing.
59	* ParodyDisplacement:
60	** It's just easier to say that ''Robot Chicken'' is a Parody Displacement machine in itself, particularly when it comes to '80s cartoons and toys.
61	** "Oh my god! Somebody remembered [[Film/SleepawayCamp this movie]] and made a comedy sketch about it!"
62	** Most younger fans may not be aware that the chickens bawking in the end is "The Gonk" from ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'' and instead refer to it as the ThemeTune.
63	** Composite Santa Claus is probably more well-known than the villain he's a parody of. Composite Superman hasn't been seen since before ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', and the few people who remember him probably wish they didn't.
64	*** Ironically, Composite Superman wound up appearing in ''Robot Chicken DC Comics Special III: Magical Friendship'', with a major role, no less!
65	** One sketch had Lewis and Clark, portrayed by Lois Lane and Clark Kent, specifically acting out their unique character traits from ''Series/LoisAndClark''. Clark [[BreakingTheFourthWall addresses the audience]] that unless they saw the show they would probably not get the joke.
66	* OlderThanTheyThink: This wasn't the first time where [[WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo Mystery Inc.]] gets murdered by a serial killer, in another animated sketch comedy predating ''Robot Chicken'' called ''WesternAnimation/AaaghItsTheMrHellShow'' had an episode which ended with a skit in which CaptainErsatz versions of the gang are all killed off one by one. What is interesting to note is that unlike the ''Robot Chicken'' version, [[spoiler:the Velma equivalent dies.]]
67	** The infamous Christmas tree skit bears an uncanny resemblance to Hans Christian Andersen's "The Fir Tree."
68	* SeasonalRot:
69	** Whether or not this applies to the second season has inspired ''many'' a FlameWar.
70	** Season 5 is almost universally agreed upon by fans of the show as the absolute low point of the series, since it seemed that the entire focus of that season was to be as [[DudeNotFunny blatantly offensive as humanly possible at the expense of actual comedy]]. Nearly every sketch was horrifically insulting and in poor taste. Thankfully, the creators got the hint, and season 6 had seen a massive improvement all around.
71	** Season 9 has been accused of this, mainly due to a lack of memorable sketches and an increased amount of {{Anvilicious}} political sketches.
72	* {{Squick}}:
73	** There's a sketch where the Nerd dreams of real unicorns. When he spots one outside his house, Nerd is delighted. The unicorn offers to take Nerd on many an adventure, but first, the latter is ordered to [[TakeOffYourClothes remove his clothing]]. Then, the unicorn tells Nerd to "polish his magic horn", which he does in a similar manner as violently rubbing a penis. Finally, the scene cuts to Nerd and two other people eating sandwiches:
74	--->'''Man''': And then what?\
75	'''Nerd''': If you rub a unicorn's horn long enough, it gives you magical unicorn mayonnaise. That's what I used to make these sandwiches!\
76	''(People recoil in disgust)''
77	** Michael Bay drinking a martini through his [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext prehensile]] [[PhallicWeapon penis]].
78	** There's a sketch that shows Ron Jeremy jerking off, picking up his jizz ''[[ExtremeOmnivore and eating it]]''. Then it turns out [[GrossoutFakeout he was actually churning butter]]. In the nude.
79	** "Smurf Burger". Not disgusted enough by [[FanDisservice Gargamel in a bikini]]? Try a burger topped with '''blue Smurf jelly'''.
80	** [[WesternAnimation/TheWuzzles Bumblelion and especially Eleroo]] melting after coming in contact with [[Film/TheFly1986 Seth Brundle's]] stomach acid. Not helped by the ending scene where Eleroo's ear and trunk fall off.
81	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: As funny as the "Deer James Potter" sketch is, some think it would've been better if ''Snape'' were his deer-mate.
82	* UnexpectedCharacter: Judging by the comments for the SDCC 2017 trailer, ''nobody'' anticipated the ''Franchise/HomestarRunner'' cast making an appearance on the show.
83	* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids: This show takes action figures of family-friendly characters, such as Franchise/ScoobyDoo, the ''Franchise/{{Peanuts}}'' gang, WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants, [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]], and various Creator/{{Disney}} characters, and puts them in situations that are generally not family-friendly, such as taking drugs, doing crimes, having sex, and getting brutally murdered. Despite this, quite a few clips from their show have falsely been marked as being "For Kids" on Website/YouTube.

Context YMMV / RobotChicken