History Film / UHF

* BaitAndSwitch: "And take that ''ridiculous'' thing off!" Not the silly hat, but the fake mustache you can't even tell is fake. Weird Al helpfully [[DontExplainTheJoke explains why this is funny]] in the commentary track (though he's obviously kidding).

* SpringtimeForHitler: An unintentional example; George and Bob do their best to run the station, even though it faces demolition with a $75,000 gambling debt to Big Louie incurred by George's Uncle Harvey, who gave them the deed to the station. When Uncle Nutzy's Clubhouse is at its lowest point, George resigns and hands the show over to Stanley Spadowski, who quickly turns it into a ratings smash and becomes a celebrity. But after Stanley is kidnapped, the telethon's donations don't come in as quickly, which leads George to rescue Stanley from Channel 8, leading to a last-minute rally which is helped by a hobo who found a rare double-die coin that was worth enough money to buy the remaining stocks and save the station. Putting George in charge ultimately worked out for the best; Harvey originally planned to shutter the station, only for his wife Esther to overrule him and make him keep the station and put George in charge. [[ForWantOfANail If George hadn't been made manager]], R.J. Fletcher would've continued to rule the local TV market with an iron fist, Uncle Harvey would've been at the mercy of Big Louie and U-62 would've gone bankrupt.

* AllThereInTheManual: Bob and Teri's last names (Steckler and Campbell), and the names of two of Fletcher's thugs (Frankie, the head thug, and Eddie, the killer thug). (Teri previously had the last name Moore, and Pamela had the last name of Taylor.) All of this was provided by Al in the DVD commentary.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: George does this InUniverse, when in a depression from Teri leaving him. He describes the [[WesternAnimation/WileECoyoteAndTheRoadrunner Road Runner cartoons]] as the Coyote being sad and pathetic, and the road runner being cruel and mocking the coyote for his pain.

* AsianSpeekeeEngrish: Played for a pun in the last act: [[spoiler: a bunch of Asians jump out of a supply closet to surprise someone: "'''SUPPLIES!'''"]]
** Though the joke would be lost on people not aware of jokes involving Asian accents, since as Al points out in the commentary, the setup for the joke got cut for time.

* BunnyEarsLawyer: Stanley, who is a world-class {{Cloudcuckoolander}} but also a remarkably diligent janitor and, eventually, the top star in his television market by a country mile. Ditto George, who can't hold down a normal job to save his life but (with a HUGE boost from Stanley) eventually turns a borderline derelict UHF station into a huge success in relatively little time. In both cases, their quirkiness proves to be an asset as their town apparently can't get enough absurd programming.

* EnemyToAllLivingThings: Raul. Sadly, [[DiedDuringProduction had Trinidad Silva not died during filming]], we would've seen [[spoiler:the poodles get their revenge]].
** Also Crazy Ernie, who threatens to club a seal if nobody buys one of his cars soon.

* GroinAttack: R.J. Fletcher gets kicked right in the crotch from another senior citizen at the end (see HumiliationConga below).

** R.J. Fletcher Sr., most likely the founder of channel 8 and RJ's father; he's obviously dead, but it was more than likely his being a cutthroat businessman and abusive father that led to RJ becoming the {{Jerkass}} he is by the movie's timeframe.

** His actor being able to make that face was literally the only reason he was hired for the film.

* IncomingHam: Fletcher's EstablishingCharacterMoment:
-->"YOU IDIOT! Can't you do anything I tell you to do?! '''Does this LOOK like a #2 pencil?!'''"
** Also George, when he makes his first entrance on Uncle Nutzy's Clubhouse. Sadly, the children don't share his enthusiasm. [[spoiler: It works like a charm when Stanley takes over, thankfully.]]

** Inverted immediately afterwards: "Hajime!"[[note]]"Begin / Start!" On the other hand, one wouldn't normally use that particular word in that particular situation.[[/note]]

* LetsGetDangerous: Stanley really wanted his mop.

** Better yet, this is a world where getting blasted in the face with a fire hose is so awesomely fun that children will show up at a kid show just to be able to win the chance to experience it.
** And, despite being oft censor-happy U.S. television (in regards to nudity & explicit sex), shows like ''Strip Solitaire'' & ''Bestiality Today'' can be aired on a non-cable network with no controversy or FCC fines.
** Also, a weird MadScientist guy [[spoiler:even if he's a space alien]] can make seriously radioactive material with stuff found around the house (a cut scene reveals that [[NoodleImplements it involves Jello, an eggbeater & a microwave]]) and TEACH THIS to folks at home on his science show!

** Satan is a real flesh & blood person and appears on a trashy talk show. Maybe.

* MarketBasedTitle: Since the concept of UHF stations are not commonly known overseas, they asked Al for an alternate title. He suggested "The Vidiot," or "Vidiots." The film was then released in some countries, much to Al's chagrin, as "The Vidiot From UHF," succeeding only in transforming an incomprehensible title to a terrible one. The Latin-American Spanish dub is known as "Los Telelocos" ("The TV Crazies" in English)[[note]]Which seems to be a fairly common practice, with ''Film/{{Caddyshack}}'' being renamed ''Los locos del Golf'' (''The Golf Crazies''), and ''Film/PoliceAcademy'' being renamed ''Locademia de Policia'' (''Crazy Academy of Police'').[[/note]] and the French one as "Télé Ringards" ("TV Dorks" in English).
** Funnily enough, in Israel the title was translated as 'Mission for Beginner Broadcasters', riding on the coattails of the cult success of ''Film/PoliceAcademy'', which was translated as 'Mission for Beginner Policemen'.
* MediaWatchdog: The FCC appeared at the end of the movie, revoking channel 8's license-- ostensibly for being late on renewing it, but primarily because of R.J.'s EngineeredPublicConfession.
** Strangely, they seem to have no problem with U62 running shows about stripping or bestiality.

* OhCrap: The cameraman's expression when the shop teacher slices off his thumb on the tablesaw.

* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Or in this case, Stanley's SimpletonVoice. During the scene where George and Stanley mope outside the station after Fletcher claims ownership, listen carefully to Stanley asking, "Is there anything I can do to help?".

* ReferenceOverdosed

* {{Satire}}

* SmugSnake: RJ Fletcher.

* SpringtimeForHitler: An unintentional example; George and Bob do their best to run the station, even though it faces demolition with a $75,000 gambling debt to Big Louie incurred by George's Uncle Harvey, who gave them the deed to the station. When Uncle Nutzy's Clubhouse is at its lowest point, George resigns and hands the show over to Stanley Spadowski, who quickly turns it into a ratings smash and becomes a celebrity. But after Stanley is kidnapped, the telethon's donations don't come in as quickly, which leads George to rescue Stanley from Channel 8, leading to a last-minute rally which is helped by a hobo who found a rare double-die coin that was worth enough money to buy the remaining stocks and save the station.
** Hell, putting George in charge ultimately worked out for the best; Harvey originally planned to shutter the station, only for his wife Esther to overrule him and make him keep the station and put George in charge. [[ForWantOfANail If George hadn't been made manager]], RJ Fletcher would've continued to rule the local TV market with an iron fist, Uncle Harvey would've been at the mercy of Big Louie and U-62 would've gone bankrupt.

* TakeThat: At Music/{{Prince}} -- while promoting the film in '89, Al described it as "Like ''Film/PurpleRain'', but it's intentionally funny."

* TrailersAlwaysSpoil

* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: George and Bob give no reaction to the antics of the martial arts dojo they share their building with. Including a man being thrown out a window, and someone else punching his fist clear through the wall. The implication is that this is so common that they don't even notice it anymore.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Raul just vanished from the film after the "stinking badgers" scene. Justified by [[DiedDuringProduction his actor getting killed during filming]][[invoked]].

* BitingTheHandHumor: Al kicks off the DVDCommentary (following confusion at the Creator/{{MGM}} lion's presence) by singing "Orion, Orion, ''is bankrupt, now!''" to the Orion logo theme.

* BloodlessCarnage: Spoofed in George's ''Franchise/{{Rambo}}'' fantasy sequence, where he sweeps an automatic rifle along a line of {{Mooks}} on a hillside. A moment later, they bloodlessly collapse simultaneously. Also during the Franchise/ConanTheBarbarian spoof; Conan splits a patron bloodlessly in half.

* ChekhovsGun:

** When Teri comes into R.J. Fletcher's office, his reaction to what the community wants is secretly videotaped by Philo to be played later on in place of Channel 8's editorial bulletin.
** Stanley's treasured mop. It gets taken from him after he gets fired from Channel 8, but then later he spots it in the storage room where he's being kept hostage and uses it to escape.

* CrazyHomelessPeople: The coin-collecting bum who ends up saving the station. In an often-missed gag, his first appearance has him hitting up George for change; not as a handout, but because he wants to break a dollar.

* TheDitz: Stanley Spadowski.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: George and company have to fight off loan sharks, mobsters, and [[VillainWithGoodPublicity high competition]] for the sake of their little UHF station. But once he gets Harvey's signature on the station lease, it proves to be worth every moment.