History YMMV / GoodEats

* FunnyAneurysmMoment / HilariousInHindsight: In some episodes, after making a large batch of a dessert (such as chocolate mousse) Alton would half-joke that he would probably just sit down and eat the whole thing. Then come episodes like "Herbal Preservation" in Season 7 and "Live and Let Diet" in Season 13..

** Neither of the above should be all that shocking considering Alton Brown is known to be a very conservative Christian.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Colonel Bob Boatwright. Just check the YouTube comments of every episode he's in.

** In the Amber Waves episode, he praises the manager of the homebrew shop he visits. A year or two later, Marietta Homebrew Supply closed down because the manager in question was embezzling thousands from the family that owned the shop.

* CrazyAwesome: Alton decides that his pepper mill's handle isn't good enough so he replaces it with a power drill. And it actually ''works''.

** In the Amber Waves episode, he praises the manager of the homebrew shop he visits. A year or two later, the shop closed down because the manager in question was embezzling thousands from the family that owned the shop.

* CriticalResearchFailure: Several episodes perpetuate the myth that the sandwich was invented so Jon Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich, could eat and play cards at the same time. In his books, Alton admits that history remembers Montagu as a sober and studious man, meaning he probably didn't gamble and the old story is most likely fake (AB does suggest that maybe the sandwich was made so he could ''work'' and eat at the same time, but says we'll never know for sure).

** Doesn't make it less awesome though. Indeed, in an odd way, it makes it [[BeyondTheImpossible even more awesome]].

* LargeHam: ''[[DynamicEntry (jumps in)]]'' "'''''I'M LACTOSE MAN!'''''" ''(punches someone in the gut)'' "I'm not a doctor, but that HAD to hurt! '''''I'M LACTOSE MAN!'''''" ''(jumps out)''
** Alton himself is pretty hammy in front of and behind the camera; just watch ''Feasting on Asphalt''.

* GrowingTheBeard: The show started hitting a groove after the problematic first season, but didn't really run at its full potential until Alton took over production (and built the now-familiar Good Eats Kitchen) in 2001. Part of this was due to space constraints, as well as the fact that the white kitchen was a small kitchen in a small house, which made shooting trick shots and gags difficult.

* GrowingTheBeard: The show started hitting a groove after the problematic first season, but didn't really run at its full potential until Alton took over production (and built the now-familiar Good Eats Kitchen) in 2001. Part of this was due to space contrants, as well as the fact that the white kitchen was a real kitchen in a small house, which made shooting trick shots and gags difficult.

* ShoutOut: Possibly too many to list here, since the show ''loves'' gratuitous pop culture references. ''Film/MarathonMan'' ("Is it saaaaaaaafe?") is one popular target, as are other Food Network personalities (especially Emeril Lagasse and his "BAM!" shtick, though now that Emeril's left Food Network, Alton seems to prefer tweaking RachaelRay instead). There's also been a few instances of the show [[ContinuityNod referencing]] ''[[ContinuityNod itself]]'', usually by quoting older episodes in the context of whatever the newer episode is doing. Also, see SomethingCompletelyDifferent below.
** The entire Season 12 episode "Oh My, Meat Pie" is one huge ''SweeneyTodd'' shout out. It also had an ''EdwardScissorhands'' ShoutOut when Mr. Todd is chopping up vegetables.
** His character of "The Waffler" in his waffle-making episode was clearly inspired by the same named recruitment-reject character in ''MysteryMen''...except without the burny parts.
*** His outfit seems closer to Crow T. Robot's Willy the Waffle Sprite costume from ''MysteryScienceTheater3000''. He's even got a W cut out from a waffle on his head.
*** Plus he has a little puppet theater called the Mystery Food Science Theater complete with little opening doors.
** [[{{Ghostbusters}} "I told you not to cross the streams!"]] (Of glowing, yellow "frosting"/flocking)
** "This is my favorite peel, [[Series/TheAvengers Emma]]."
** "This is America! [[TopGun Goose sat behind Maverick!]]"
** Alton has a tendency to channel [[TheJackBennyProgram Jack Benny]] with his AsideGlance.
** On several occasions, AB has asked people to name things that float, and once he did the list himself. [[MontyPython "Ducks", "small rocks", and one time, "witches".]]
*** In his book ''Good Eats: The Early Years'', Alton openly admits that the opening of "What's Up Duck?" is a nod to ''Holy Grail''.
** Speaking of ''MontyPython'', the animations featured in newer episodes are done in a pastiche of TerryGilliam's style. They even used the Liberty Bell march as BGM on more than one occasion.[[hottip:*:(In "Raising the Bar", the classic cocktails episode, and in the one-hour Thanksgiving special "Romancing the Bird", wherein Brown makes cornbread pudding while blindfolded.)]]
** In "Tamale Never Dies", while talking about the contributions ancient civilizations made to corn, Alton says "Without the Aztecs, we wouldn't have the ''AlienVsPredator'' films, now would we?" It's a reference to the film's ancient Predators using ships that looked like Aztec and Egyptian pyramids to reach Earth.
** In the Season 13 episode "Feeling Punchy", when Alton says that one of the classic elements of a good punch is spice, his assistant intones "[[{{Dune}} He who controls the spice controls the universe!]]"; Alton tells him to lay off the sci-fi.
*** In the same segment, he plays the commanding officer of a EITC ship who dunks a Dutchman in icy waters to get ice for his punch recipe. Alton apologizes to him, saying "Sorry about your ship, [[PiratesOfTheCaribbean just business, nothing personal]], you know."
** "Tamale Never Dies" is a play at James Bond, and during the episode Alton's fridge has Alton himself drawn as James Bond, complete with stylized title. The episode, however, contains a parody of the first ''IndianaJones'' movie. "Raising the Bar" featured an appearance by James Bond in "person", where Alton took his signature drink order ("Vodka martini, shaken, not stirred") then proceeded to make the drink with gin and stirred it (with reasons for both steps). "Bond" loved the drink.
** The "King and I" episode features a segment where Alton is offering free samples of hot sauce to the boyfriend of a passing couple (to provide an example of a study conducted that showed the eating of spicy food had connections to mating rituals). The girlfriend first calls her bravado-filled boyfriend "Pumpkin", which seems relatively normal. After he rushes off to find sour cream and Alton explains why the boyfriend downed the hot sauce, the following dialogue ensues:
--->'''Girlfriend''': "You mean...he really loves me?"\\
'''Alton''': "Well, I would call it — Yeah. He loves you."\\
'''Girlfriend''' (''chasing after boyfriend''): "[[PulpFiction Pumpkin! Honey Bunny!]] I'm gonna come make it all better!"
** The entire scallop episode is a parody of ''{{Jaws}}''.
** From the episode about pomegranates — in the segment about grenadine syrup's use in cocktails, Alton demonstrates by making a Tequila Sunrise. When he's done, he proudly presents it with the comment "There you are — [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tequila_Sunrise_(song) an Eagles concert in a glass!"]]
** Any time someone mentions New York City on the show, expect everyone in the scene to yell [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgrGyR6EYbY "NEW YORK CITY?!"]]
** Also somewhat odd in that, according to Alton himself, W was given the role precisely because her annoyance/irritation with him isn't entirely acted. Some of her disdain is apparently quite real, or was at the time she was first put on camera. (And given how she is portrayed on camera, likely ongoing.)
** She's also his chiropractor, that might have something to do with it.
* MemeticBadass: [[http://www.wherethehellwasi.com/categories/foodstuff-fluff/good_eats_amazing_feats.html Alton Brown once got carried away slicing carrots, and julienned his cutting board. Undaunted, he sauteed the splinters in olive oil and spices — and they were delicious.]]
** To Alton, Louis Pasteur ("King Louie") is this. The man ''did'' once take down a Food Police helicopter with a flamethrower.

* FoeYay: Alton and W. In "Behind the Eats", Alton's mailman reads a letter aloud, asking whether W is Alton's wife. (See WriteWhoYouKnow, on the main page.)
* FunnyAneurysmMoment / HilariousInHindsight: In some episodes, after making a large batch of a dessert (such as chocolate mousse) Alton would half-joke that he would probably just sit down and eat the whole thing. Then come episodes like "Herbal Preservation" in Season 7 and "Live and Let Diet" in Season 13..

* LargeHam: ''[[DynamicEntry (jumps in)]]'' "'''''I'M LACTOSE MAN!'''''" ''(punches someone in the gut)'' "I'm not a doctor, but that HAD to hurt! '''''I'M LACTOSE MAN!'''''" ''(jumps out)''
** Alton himself is pretty hammy in front of and behind the camera; just watch ''Feasting on Asphalt''.
* {{Shipping}}: A lot of fans seem to ship Alton/[[{{Tsundere}} W]]. The knowledge that the former is married does not dissuade them one bit. This was lampshaded in the behind-the-scenes episode, believe it or not; the mailman bringing AB his fan mail comments on all the letters [[FoeYay asking if W is AB's wife]].

* MemeticBadass: [[http://www.wherethehellwasi.com/categories/foodstuff-fluff/good_eats_amazing_feats.html Alton Brown once got carried away slicing carrots, and julienned his cutting board. Undaunted, he sauteed the splinters in olive oil and spices — and they were delicious.]]
** To Alton, Louis Pasteur ("King Louie") is this. The man ''did'' once take down a Food Police helicopter with a flamethrower.
* {{Squick}}: The Season 12 episode "Oh My, Meat Pie" was a parody of ''SweeneyTodd''. Yes, folks, a '''''Sweeney Todd'''''-inspired episode, '''''on a cooking show.'''''
** Doesn't make it less awesome though. Indeed, in an odd way, it makes it [[BeyondTheImpossible even more awesome]].

* FoeYay: Alton and W. In "Behind the Eats", Alton's mailman reads a letter aloud, asking whether W is Alton's wife. (See WriteWhoYouKnow, below.)