These are what we call the 'YMMV items.' Things that some people find in this work. We call them 'your mileage might vary' because not everyone sees these things in the same way. This starts discussions in the trope lists, a thing we don't want. Please use the discussion page if you'd like to discuss any of these items.
YMMV: The Critic
Artistic License - Geography: In case you want to know, In the episode "Marty's First Date", the name of the Mexico City Airport in Real Life is Benito Juarez, not Linda Ronstadt!
Ensemble Darkhorse: To the surprise of production, testing audiences rated Doris as their favorite character.
Fan Preferred Couple: Jay and Alice, which is one of the reasons why the web series wasn't well received. Considering how much trouble Jay went through in season 2 to be with Alice (especially the next to last ep), you can't blame their reaction at seeing Jay trying to woo another girl.
Fanon Discontinuity: Most folks who liked the TV series were dissatisfied with the flash version of it. This fan review should further explain why.
Foe Yay: Jay is seduced by a beautiful woman at Margo's debutante ball. He eventually learns that she's actually Humphrey The Hippo, and became attracted to him after he criticized her while she made a public appearance in costume.
"Funny Aneurysm" Moment: The episode "Sherman, Woman and Child," which aired in March 1995, had a scene in which Doris (an active chain smoker) attempted to make a smoke ring bunny but it ended up turning into a shape with a demon-like appearance, which told her "Doris ... Tick! Tock!" Seven months after it aired, her voice actress Doris Grau died from emphysema. Also can count as Harsher in Hindsight.
In the Philadelphia parody Schenectady, the judge is voiced by Charles Napier, Duke's voice actor. This is fitting, as Napier played the judge in the original film.
When Jay took in a homeless puppy, he gave it the full name "Un Chien Andalou," after Luis Bunuel's famous short film; the title translates to English as "An Andalusian Dog."
Harsher in Hindsight: The entire episode "Siskel and Ebert and Jay and Alice" is poignant after Gene Siskel's death, but the shot of Roger alone on a see-saw is especially downbeat.
He Really Can Act: Siskel and Ebert did marvelous voice-acting for Siskel & Ebert & Jay & Alice, even taking potshots at each other physical deficiencies; Siskel calls Ebert "porky" while Ebert calls Siskel "cueball".
Hilarious in Hindsight: The Broadway musical Hunch appeared in the Season One episode "Every Doris Has Her Day" as a parody of Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals — two years later, Disney released their own musical version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. For that matter, it isn't even the only Real Life musical version!
This was Lampshaded years later in the DVD commentaries by Mike Reiss, who recollected they all thought it was a dumb idea at the time, "but not too dumb for Disney."
In the pilot, Vlada gets orgasmic at Conan O'Brien entering his restaurant. At the time, O'Brien was considered a flop. (It was likely a friendly Shout Out, as O'Brien is a friend of creators Jean and Reiss.)
Jurassic Park II: Revenge of the Raptors and the Barney movie.
Several jokes involved explicit product advertisements within the movies Jay watched, much to his disgust. During the early 90's, product placement in films was indeed fairly uncommon, making the writers seems almost clairvoyant for predicting how much the practice would come to dominate cinema.
ABC objected to "Miserable" on the grounds of sexual content. As pointed out in the commentaries, this from the same network that later aired The Bachelor.
Phillipsvision, which adds new endings to movies, as well as rewriting scenes for product placement, came true (in a way) when DirecTV started airing ads made from scenes of famous movies re-edited to talk about DirecTV.
Early in the show's run, Siskel and Ebert reviewed the first three episodes, and gave it quite a bit of criticism such as more parodies, make it more about the movie industry, give us some TV parodies, and make it less about sitcom staples. As the show went on the parodies improved and were more numerous, some episodes focused on the film industry, more fun was poked at Hollywood, and Siskel and Ebert eventually guest starred as themselves.
Ho Yay: See Mistaken for Gay example on the main page; Jay also had a "date" with a fellow prisoner in one episode (which he refers to as the best one he's ever had up to that point).
Siskel and Ebert have some Ho Yay (possibly No Yay) in the episode where they remake Sleepless in Seattle, which they of course Lampshade.
Ebert: This is just a rip-off of Sleepless in Seattle.
Siskel: Which was in itself a rip-off of An Affair to Remember.
Both: Which wasn't that good of a movie to start with.
One of Jay's pairs of underwear has the title For The Boys.
Nightmare Fuel: Jay has a Flashback Cut about a bad experience he had in Duke’s mansion. He was chained to a brick wall by his wrists in a dungeon-like room, a long beard hanging from his face.
Duke: All right Sherman, you’ve been here long enough. I'll give you the dental plan you want, with a $50 deductible.
Jay: $25 deductible.
Duke: (diabolically) See you in 5 years. (slams door)
Replacement Scrappy: Jennifer in the webisodes. She replaces Jay's original make-up artist Doris and Jay's real girlfriend Alice. In fact, she replaces almost the whole TV cast.
Tear Jerker: Gene Siskel pining for his reviewing partner in "Siskel and Ebert and Jay and Alice."
It is to be noted that Jay does not feel this way toward all films. His favourite types of films are classic films (such as Citizen Kane) and foreign films (such as The Red Balloon). Also, his heavy criticism somewhat wanes in the second season (coincidentally, if there is food being served at the premieres).
Periphery Hatedom: While the real Barney exists in-universe (see Money, Dear Boy below), Humphrey the Hippo serves as this universe's usual analogue to him. Jay's hatred of Humphrey figures into the B-plot of "A Little Deb Will Do Ya".
Humphrey: Please, kids, my philosophy is "love and dance", not "hate and not dance."
