History YMMV / PhoenixNights

* HilariousInHindsight: When Max is waiting for [[spoiler:the hitmen to come and kill him and Paddy]], he sobs, "If only I'd met the right woman. I always wanted to have children!" Paddy dryly remarks, "If only you'd have met ''a'' woman," but ''Series/MaxAndPaddysRoadToNowhere'' confirms that Max did meet a woman- [[HugeGuyTinyGirl a dwarf called Tina]]- and they have a son together.

* MemeticMutation: It's Creator/PeterKay, who is MemeticMutation incarnate.
** As well as call-backs to established Peter Kay memes, ''Phoenix Nights'' notably started the association of Peter Kay with the classic Tony Christie song "(Is This The Way To) Amarillo", which culminated in the song being re-released with a new video starring Peter Kay and a parade of British pop culture icons and getting to number 1. Max and Paddy are singing along to the song whilst driving a minibus, [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments much to the bafflement and/or disapproval of their passengers, an Asian Elders group.]]
* MoralEventHorizon: Den Perry crosses it when he [[spoiler:burns the club down]] at the end of the first series.

* ParanoiaFuel: For the first few episodes of his employment, Brian's convinced that Ray Von is a psychotic murderer and the evidence just seems to keep piling up.

* HilariousInHindsight: When Max is waiting for [[spoiler:the hitmen to come and kill him and Paddy]], he sobs, "If only I'd met the right woman. I always wanted to have children!" Paddy dryly remarks, "If only you'd have met ''a'' woman," but ''Series/MaxAndPaddysRoadToNowhere'' confirms that Max did meet a woman- [[HugeGuyTinyGirl a dwarf called Tina- and they have a son together.

* MorePopularSpinoff: ''Phoenix Nights'' is better known than ''That Peter Kay Thing'', a six-part anthology / mockumentary series where one of the episodes featured The Phoenix Club. A few small changes were made for the full series.

** As well as call-backs to established Peter Kay memes, ''Phoenix Nights'' notably started the association of Peter Kay with the classic Tony Christie song "(Is This The Way To) Amarillo", which culminated in the song being re-released with a new video starring Peter Kay and a parade of British pop culture icons and getting to number 1. Max and Paddy are singing along to the song whilst driving a minibus, [[CrowningMomentOfFunny much to the bafflement and/or disapproval of their passengers, an Asian Elders group.]]

* BackdoorPilot: Sort Of. Notice how the last 2 episodes of Series 2 feature Max & Paddy much more heavily than the rest of the series. Fast forward 2 years and the duo get their own SpinOff in ''Max & Paddy's Road To Nowhere'' which revolves around travelling in the motorhome Max buys at the end of ''Phoenix Nights.''

* ParanoiaFuel: For the first few episodes of his employment, Brian's convinced that Ray Von is a psychotic murderer and the evidence just seems to keep piling up.
* SharedUniverse: Set in the same universe as ''Series/CoronationStreet'', if the floral tribute to Alan Bradley on the Promenade at Blackpool is anything to go by.
** As long as you ignore Ray Von's girlfriend and Shelly Unwin being played by the same person, anyway.
* TalkingToHimself: Brian Potter talks to Max the bouncer face-to-face, and does the same with Keith Lard.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The writers originally considering making it so that Brian was faking his disability. They decided against it in the end, leading to a legitimate disabled lead character on TV (although played by an able-bodied actor, for comedy, and as a jerkass).

* BackdoorPilot Sort Of. Notice how the last 2 episodes of Series 2 feature Max & Paddy much more heavily than the rest of the series. Fast forward 2 years and the duo get their own SpinOff in ''Max & Paddy's Road To Nowhere'' which revolves around travelling in the motorhome Max buys at the end of ''Phoenix Nights.''
* MemeticMutation (It's Creator/PeterKay, who is MemeticMutation incarnate)

* MoralEventHorizon: Den Perry crosses it when he burns the club down at the end of the first series.
* ParanoiaFuel For the first few episodes of his employment, Brian's convinced that Ray Von is a psychotic murderer and the evidence just seems to keep piling up.

** As long as you ignore Ray Von's girlfriend and Shelly Unwin being played by the same person, anyway.

* BackdoorPilot Sort Of. Notice how the last 2 episodes of Series 2 feature Max & Paddy much more heavily than the rest of the series. Fast forward a few years and the duo get their own SpinOff in ''Max & Paddy's Road To Nowhere'' which revolves around the motor home Max buys at the end of ''Phoenix Nights.''

* MemeticMutation (It's Peter Kay, who is MemeticMutation incarnate)

* SharedUniverse: Set in the same universe as ''Series/CoronationStreet'', if the floral tribute to Alan Bradley on the Promenade at Blackpool is anything to go by.

* SharedUniverse: Set in the same universe as ''CoronationStreet'', if the floral tribute to Alan Bradley on the Promenade at Blackpool is anything to go by.

* UnfortunateImplications: Played with in the first episode with the racist folk band.

* UnfortunateImplications: Played with in the first episode with the racist folk band.

* UnfortunateImplications (played with in the first episode with the racist folk band)
** [[FridgeLogic Said band had also been explicitly stated to have had a single in the charts just prior to the first episode.]]

* UnfortunateImplications (played with in the first episode with the racist folk band)