Hey, Ferb, I know what we're gonna do today!! Time to acknowledge we're in a TV show!!:
- In the video game episode "Gaming the System", the characters can see their own life bars.
- During the song "Moon Farm" in the episode of the same name, the singer blames the lack of rocky road ice cream on Baljeet forgetting to bring marshmallows. Baljeet starts talking back to it until Phineas says "Baljeet, could you please stop arguing with the soundtrack?"
- Subverted in the movie when we're treated to a duet by the two Dr. Doofenshmirtzes. The original Doof ends the song with, "Twice the evil... Double Doofenshmirtz, comin' at you Fridays!" Alt-Doof replies, "What, are we doing a TV show?" (It should be noted, Friday is typically the day new episodes premiere on the Disney Channel.)
- Though the song does contain a line about Meap's voice actor.
- In "Meapless in Seattle":Meap: My word, we've been falling for a long time!
Dr. Doofenshmirtz (in chibi form): Oh, a joke about the commercial break. That's how I want to spend my last few seconds." - "Agent Doof" ends with everyone except Candace turning into a baby. Candace then hopes that this doesn't carry onto the next episode.
- In the "Musical Cliptastic Countdown", Major Monogram and Doofenshmirtz do this occasionally to the viewer at home (they voted, after all), but the rest of the episode is either showing the clips or advancing the unique plot of that episode.Phineas: Hey, where's Perry?
Ferb: He's making a guest appearance on a musical clip show.
Phineas: Hmm... well, that's good for him. - The show's opening credits end with Candace telling her mom that "Phineas and Ferb are making a title sequence/Halloween/ Christmas special!" "Mission Marvel" has Spider-Man call out to his Aunt May that the two brothers are making a crossover.
- Doofenshmirtz is hungover in "Crack That Whip" and starts to explain his latest plot:"It all started when I was 15..." [Picture goes wavy] "No, my head hurts too much for a flashback." [Picture returns to normal].
- In "Summer Belongs to You:"
- Right at the beginning:Linda: It sure would be helpful if they could just make the days a little longer.
[A "ding" noise signaling an idea is heard as the bottom half of the screen is covered with an "advertisement" reading "You're Watching Television!"]
Phineas: Hey! Do you mind? We've kinda got a visual gag going on here!
[Advertisement disappears, revealing the "ding" was actually from Ferb with a triangle.]
Phineas: Thank you! - Phineas addresses the audience with the line "No matter where we go, Ferb knows everyone!"
- Right at the beginning:
- In "Wizard of Odd", Phineas actually lifts the screen like a curtain and talks to the audience from behind it.
- In "Swiss Family Phineas" Candace is surprised to find Ferb giving a monkey a shower. Ferb says it had to be done.
- Lampshaded in "Make Play".Candace and Princess Baldegunde look identical.
Major Monogram: Oh, wow, what are the odds.
Carl: Well, it is a cartoon, sir.
Major Monogram: What did I tell you about breaking the Fourth Wall, Carl?
Carl: Sorry, sir. - In "Rollercoaster The Musical", The kids who take the poster from the wall (just like in the pilot) are stopped by Buford.Buford: If any one's gonna ride this roller coaster, it's gonna be me. Not one of you lousy extras.
- In "Canderemy", the boys built a giant robot dog, like in the title sequence. This is immediately lampshaded by Baljeet and Buford.Isabella: Whatcha doin'?
Phineas: Hey Isabella, we're building a giant robot dog.
Baljeet: Like when we made that title sequence!
Buford: I'd rather give a monkey a shower. - When comparing the situation with Vanessa to a cheesy sitcom in "A Real Boy", both Perry and Doof stare directly into the camera.
- In "The Secret of Success", Doofenshmirtz makes a joke about pre-emptions. The show cuts to a test pattern, and Doof says "Oh, haha, very funny. Everyone's a comedian."
- "How do you like that, Perry the Platypus? Love Händel, in my flashback. I know people."
- Happens in "My Fair Goalie".Isabella: Oh no! Ferb is missing! What are we going to do?!
Phineas: (looks at camera) We'll be right back. (cut to black) - In "Where's Perry? Part 1," when disappointed Perry isn't coming with them on the plane ride:Phineas: (gesturing to Ferb wearing five neck pillows) And he would have loved this visual gag, too.
- In "What'd I Miss?", there are two instances.
- Phineas begins his flashback with a Narration Echo.
Phineas: I woke up early to help Isabella earn her Surf Patch...
Flashback!Isabella: Thanks for helping me earn my Surf Patch!
Phineas: ...and I told her it was no problem.
Flashback!Phineas: No problem!
(Both Isabella and Phineas look annoyed.)
Phineas: It was at that point I decided to stop narrating.- Also, Doof begins his flashback by saying, "And it all started with an establishing shot of my building."
- In "Phineas and Ferb Save Summer" Buford reacts to an outburst from Phineas by commenting that Phineas yelling at his sister means it must be a special episode.
- In "Night of the Living Pharmacists", Doofenshmirtz twice declares that he's done a "Call-Back to something I didn't even see!"
- In "The Inator Method", when the planets are getting ready for their race around the sun, which also counts as Uranus Is Showing by hinting at what the normal pronunciation of "Uranus" sounds like:Buford: Ouranos, check.
Baljeet: Buford, that is not how it is pronounced.
Buford: It is on this channel. - In "Primal Perry" Doofenshmirtz snarks about the literal cliffhanger.Doofenshmirtz: Oh, I see, a waterfall. Just in time for commercial. Isn't that convenient. What's that all about, anyway? It's not a clifffaller, it's called a cliffhanger, and here we are, falling, and-watch watch watch, here we go, wait, look, yup yup see? There you go! Fading to black!
- Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe
- One moment has reality slowly break down
as the Super Super Big Doctor's spacecraft exceeds the speed of light. The characters witness themselves being reduced to pencil animations with unfinished backgrounds, then an animatic with temp dialogue, to storyboards, and finally as thumbnails on a wall while the creators are pitching the scene. When things finally return to normal, they stand in Stunned Silence for a few seconds, staring at the audience before agreeing to Let Us Never Speak of This Again. Executives were highly against the gag, but it was kept after it proved to be the most beloved joke in test screenings. - "Us Against The Universe" takes a moment to thank the folks who worked on the animation.
- One moment has reality slowly break down
