Line #25 ShoutOut/HorribleHistories


1	''So many.'' The songs in particular, featuring references to artists such as Music/TheBeeGees, Music/MichaelJackson, Music/TheMonkees, Music/LadyGaga, and Adam and the Ants. Recognisable personalities include [[Series/HellsKitchen Gordon Ramsay]] ("Hello, I'm an angry shouty Roman chef!") and UK newscaster Peter Snow (as sent up by Bob Hale). A lot of the sketches are more-or-less direct takeoffs of Creator/MontyPython (especially the ones set in Rome) or ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' (the Tudors). Entire segments are based off various types of reality shows, eg. ''Masterchef'', ''Wife Swap'', ''Come Dine With Me'', etc.
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3	* Bonus points in actually getting Dave Lamb to narrate the ''Come Dine With Me'' sketches, and to host the [[{{Spinoff}} game show]].
4	* Many of the songs include a direct ShoutOut to the original inspiration:
5	--> "Mary Seacole" (parody of Music/{{Beyonce}}'s "Single Ladies"): "And I think it my [[Music/DestinysChild destiny, child]] / To be a war medic!"
6	-->"The Few (RAF Pilots)" (parody of Music/TakeThatBand's "Relight My Fire"): "Take ''that'', Hitler!"[[note]]There's also the line "But when war broke in '39, came back (just like Robbie)" referring to Robbie Williams, who left the band for a while and then returned. They also namedrop other Take That songs like "Never Forget" and "Back For Good".[[/note]]
7	-->"Ra Ra Cleopatra" (parody of Music/LadyGaga): "That [[Music/BadRomance bad romance]] led to an overcrowded throne..."
8	-->"Aztec Priests' Song" (parody of Music/TheBeeGees): "Ain't [[Film/SaturdayNightFever stayin' alive]], ain't stayin' alive!"
9	-->"Dick Turpin Highwayman" (parody of Adam Ant's "Stand and Deliver"): "No more ''stand and deliver''.." Also, the line "I was no Prince Charming," references another Adam and the Ants hit single "Prince Charming".
10	-->"Australia" (parody of Music/KylieMinogue's "I Should Be So Lucky"): "And that is when your ''Series/{{Neighbours}}'' don't become good friends."
11	** Special points have to go to "Norman Family Tree" for managing to name drop no less than ''nine'' Music/{{ABBA}} songs.
12	** Similarly, the Simon & Garfunkel parody "Vikingland" manages to weave in musical and/or lyrical callbacks to nearly all of S&G's iconic hits (plus to Paul Simon’s solo hits 'Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover' and ‘Call Me Al’ for good measure).
13	* The song "I'm a Knight" is a deliberate Creator/MontyPython pastiche (complete with uncanny Eric Idle lookalike ''aka'' show writer Steve Punt). See also the Historical Paramedics' retreating cry as the modern-day EMS approach: [[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail "Run away! Run away!"]]
14	* In the "Greek Thinkers" song, which is [[http://goryghastlymeanandcruel.tumblr.com/post/39208855784/the-genius-that-is-horrible-histories-and-british already a pastiche]] of both Music/TheMonkees and Music/TheBeatles film ''Film/AHardDaysNight'', there's a quick shot that is the exact same as the opening of the famous Python "Upper Class Twit of the Year" race, with the philosophers taking the place of the Twits.
15	* The Dick Turpin song mentioned above is a direct homage to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B2a6l6wM2k&ob=av2e the Adam Ant song (and music video) "Stand and Deliver".]]
16	* While the song where Charles Darwin sings about the Theory of Evolution and Natural Selection is a homage to the Music/DavidBowie song [[http://youtu.be/Pt2gHpqfZNA ''Changes'']]. Including a direct reference to "Ch-ch-changes".
17	** There's also a nod to the drumming gorilla from the [[http://youtu.be/DHyF39Vs-i4 Cadbury's Dairy Milk ad]].
18	* Even before you see the distinctive font, the inspiration for the Olympic song is obvious: "''[[Film/{{Fame}} Flame!]]'' It's gonna burn fore-e-ever...!"
19	* The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2kyNbZc7oc "Charles II: King of Bling" rap]] is a G-rated but otherwise unapologetic takeoff of Music/{{Eminem}}'s distinctive style. "My name is/My name is/My name is Charles the Second!"
20	* The [[http://youtu.be/yIAc6BiD3y0 "God Compare!"]] sketch is blatantly based on the equally...''offbeat'' "Go Compare" adverts.
21	* Similarly, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRvvvVzIRK8 "We sell any monk]] sends up this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXiJBp7HK5o We buy any car]] advert.
22	* And [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRUduPYvrOw "Queen Fit"]] is based on this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8TmVpEZq08 Kwik-Fit]] advert.
23	* The 'Prisoner of War' sketch is another fairly obvious parody, of the American show ''Series/HogansHeroes''. The musical ''motif'', the characters of incompetent Commandant Klinzman (for Colonel Klink) and cheeky Squadron Leader Higgins (for Colonel Hogan), and the constant escape attempts are all very familiar.
24	* A cute one in the Series Four song special episode, which introduces Rattus' feisty, googly-eyed young nephew [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo Scrappus]]. Naturally, by only the second intermission, Uncle Rattus has been driven to lock him in a cage 'for his own good'.
25	* Their portrayal of Pope Alexander VI is clearly a nod to [[Film/TheGodfather Vito Corleone]].
26	* ''[[Literature/{{Twilight}} Twit Light]]'' features dark, brooding Lord Byron turning on the lights to reveal he's ''not'' a vampire -- merely "an incredibly pretentious poet."
27	* The "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2WTcJolLf4 Georgian Crimefighting]] sketch is an obvious parody of ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'', complete with the white text showing important details. It also includes a 'Dr. Mottson' and the Holmes character wearing a dark longcoat.
28	* The Vercingetorix vs. Caesar sketch uses {{gag nose}}s, overhead shots of a cartoon diagram of Gaul with a standard shoved in it, and scenes of Caesar raving in his room about 'the impudent Gauls', which all together make it vaguely resemble an ''ComicBook/{{Asterix}}'' comic (which features a small Gallic village still holding out after Vercingetorix's defeat). A later sketch involving Roman legionaries being paid in salt makes the ComicBook/{{Asterix}} parallels even more obvious: [[CatchPhrase "Join the Roman Army, they said..."]]
29	* "The Borgia Family" is a pastiche of ''Series/TheAddamsFamily'' theme song, complete with a scene of Lucrezia trimming roses that's nearly identical to a famous one of Morticia.
30	* The Movie Pitch sketches are pastiches of the cinema adverts for Orange phones that used to run in Odeon cinemas.
31	* “Cash in the Abbey”, a sketch about the Dissolution of the Monasteries, is based on British antique show ‘’Cash in the Attic’’, even showing price tags on the things Henry VIII is carrying out of the monasteries.
32	* The "Wonders of the (era) Universe" sketches feature a "gorgeous (era) scientist" who is doing a spot-on vocal impression of Prof. Brian Cox (and is identified as "Brian") talking in the pop-science way established by his "Wonders of the Universe", but invariably devolves into gushing about mythology as if it's fact.
33	* The Measly Middle-Ages sketch where some peasants are discussing the leader of their revolt Wat Tyler is a clear homage to Creator/AbbottAndCostello's iconic WhosOnFirst skit.

Context ShoutOut / HorribleHistories