Faux Furby

Warning: Contains sharp objects, choking hazards, and a demonic mother figure that will literally try to murder you. Batteries not included.

Furby was a smash hit upon its release in The '90s. The toys had animatronic technology that was impressive for the time, making them interactive and seemingly alive. They were also reasonably priced.

Despite their initial positive reception, Furbies also gained a more negative response later on. Many people find Furbies creepy, as they seem almost too alive. There are several memes and stories online making them out to be monsters or serial killers.

Love them or hate them, Furbies have quite a reputation. And because of that reputation, they are often parodied in works of fiction. Expect to see in-universe Bland-Name Product toys inspired by Furbies. They will often have a fluffy and cuddly appearance and the ability to speak. Because of the common fear of Furbies, these fictional toys may be portrayed as evil monsters, like a cross between Killer Teddy Bear and Hostile Animatronics. Otherwise, they may be portrayed as annoying things that never shut up, or even, possibly, as genuinely sweet and lovable toys.

The trope name is a pun on faux fur. If you're looking for a trope about that, see It's Fake Fur, It's Fine. Not to be confused with a fake member of the Furry Fandom.

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Examples

Films

• The company that made M3GAN's previous hit was the PurrPetual Petz. Furby-like toys with Ugly Sonic teeth that poop and fart. There's also a cheaper knock-off called Funki.

Literature

• Harry Turtledove's Worldwar: Colonization: One unforeseen side effect of reptilian aliens invading during WWII is the invention of Furby-like animatronic toys (referred to as "Furries") during the 1960s. Some characters working for intelligence agencies suggest concealing recorders in them, in reference to the urban legend about Furbies.

Live-Action TV

• Legends of Tomorrow has Beebo. Even though the toy line's name "Cuddle Me Beebo" appears to be a parody of the Tickle Me Elmo toys, its appearance more closely resembles that of a Furby, down to the voice and animatronic functions.
• Malcolm in the Middle had Sleepy-Time Herbie; even though its name was an obvious spoof of Furby, it was more close to a parody of Tickle Me Elmo, but as a blue aardvark with an Ed Wynn-esque voice.
• One A Scare at Bedtime episode had the "Scroties", which other than their awkward-sounding name were pretty much like Furbies. In typical Podge-and-Rodge fashion, due to them growing beyond their programming the one the boy possesses manipulates him into using his parents' credit card to buy a bunch of Scroties and related merch, while the ones being made in the factory in China end up taking over the place. And then things get really nasty when the first Scrotie manipulates its owner into killing his parents...

Podcasts

• Brimstone Valley Mall: The demon Belzagor comes up with the idea for an invention she titles the "Fur-Baby," hoping to build, mass-produce, and market them to humans to prey on their need to feel needed and inclinations towards nurturement. However, before she can, someone steals the plans from her and has the Fur-Baby made... under its more familiar title of the Furby. However, rather than just being normal Furbies, it turns out that the toys created by Belzagor and loaded up with demon technology, triggering anger and violence in children across the globe and turning them into "little sinning monster machines."

Tabletop Games

• One Discworld Roleplaying Game scenario in Pyramid featured magical talking toys called "Burfies" as the must-have gift this Hogswatchnight. They turn out to have a Sinister True Purpose. (Although the GM is encouraged to replace them with a Discworld version of whatever the must-have toy is at the time.)
• One of the four 90's toys present in the small indie card game Overstocked are pink round Furby expies called Fur Balls.

Video Games

• One of the locker decorations in Splatoon 3 are the "Squid Friend" dolls. They are Furby-like robotic squid dolls that can sing when interacted with. There is an elongated variant that resembles the "Long Furby" memes.
• Tattletail (2016, but set in 1998): The titular Tattletails are Furby-esque toys, but with more catlike features than a Furby's birdlike features. The game revolves around carrying around and caring for a very chatty Tattletail without alerting the dangerous Mama Tattletail.

Webcomics

• Downplayed in Paranatural. Ollie tells Johnny "sure be", only for Max to interpret it as Sherby, causing him to have a rather horrifying Imagine Spot of a dessert-themed, Furby-like toy demanding to be licked.

Web Original

• The titular creature from the Creepypasta story Mr. Widemouth is noted by the main character as looking "kind of like a Furby", though the creature seems a bit annoyed by the comparison and brushes it off.
• On Neopets, the Vandagyre, an owl bear-like pet, ends up having a Furby-like design when painted with the Toy color brush. It specifically resembles the Gen 2 era of neon-colored Furbys.
• On Subeta, the Nostalgic-colored Cybill, normally a penguin-like pet, is designed to look like an original generation Furby, minus the ear tufts.

Western Animation

• The Amazing World of Gumball: In "The BFFs", Gumball's former best friend, Fuzzy, bears a heavy resemblance to a Furby, albeit with a bear-like snout and ears. He serves an antagonistic role in the episode, becoming possessive of Gumball out of jealousy of Darwin. It isn't until near the episode's end that he is revealed to be robotic, instead of just a living creature that happens to resemble a toy.
• Big City Greens: In "Green Christmas" during the Triumphant Reprise of "The Best Part of Christmas", Tilly holds a robot pet that bears an uncanny resemblance to Furby.
• Bluey: In "Hide and Seek", Bluey finds her old Chattermax toy, which won't stop screeching and talking. The toy itself resembles a Furby with small wings and feathers above its eyes.
• Dilbert: In "The Dupey", the titular creatures are a cute fad toy in the style of a Furby, created by Dilbert's company. They end up evolving into a highly intelligent, but far less cute, species.
• The Simpsons: "Grift of the Magi" introduces Funzo, a Furby-like toy created by the in-universe Kid First Industries to become the hottest-selling kid's toy. As it turns out, the Funzos are Killer Robots that destroy other toys so that the Funzos will be the only toys left, and later try to attack the Simpsons.
• Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century: The "Blue Karbuncle" from the Christmas Episode is a hybrid of Furby and Tickle Me Elmo, with an attitude to match.
• SuperMansion: The Christmas special "War on Christmas" shows that Black Saturn's younger brother desires to kill Black Saturn in retribution for destroying one of his toys, a Furby parody called a Burfy, when they were younger. In the end, Black Saturn's brother decides to spare his older brother after Santa gives him a replacement Burfy.

Other

• Chuck E. Cheese's Holiday Party had a sketch called "The Durby", which is about a Furby-esque toy.

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