Subtle references in kids' cartoons

[rt052192]

By far my favorite reference from a kids' cartoon would have to be when Rocko's Modern Life, best cartoon ever, made a parody of "The Shining." The episode had Heffer as a security officer who had to guard a Conglom-o Building(correct if im wrong) overnight. Over the course of the episode it turned out the building was haunted and the scenes from "The Shining" where Nicholson goes to the bar with Lloyd and the part with the two dead girls at the end of the hallway were spoofed. Rocko's Modern Life captured "The Shining" flawlessly and the icing on the cake was Heffer riding around on the Big-Wheel.

Has anyone also noticed subtle references in kids' cartoons or maybe you just want to comment on the awesomeness that was Rocko's Modern Life, because that show was hands down the best ever(for my generation of cartoons).

 

[rt052192]

I love the way that Animaniacs had Goodfeathers, a reference to an 18's rated film. Plus, Animaniacs had so many brilliant pop culture references, like Dots continuing obsession with Mel Gibson.

Pinky and the Brain did an unreal job of incorporating Christopher Walken and Al Gore in one episode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GXMsxgdZx0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q1wYR7nLA0

 

[Squarez]

In one episode of Animaniacs they were at a crime scene and had to "split up and look for prints", Dot then comes back holding Prince claiming "I found Prince", then Yakko says "No, no, no! Fingerprints", then Prince looks at Dot hopefully, then she says "I don't think so..."

If you just read that, were 10 years old or didn't think about it, you wouldn't get it, but if you watched the video and think about it, you'll get it eventually.

 

[Valgee]

My favorite "subtle" reference is another Animaniac scene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xmAC9Qu908

Ninja'd.

 

[Quaxar]

Animaniacs is totally better than Rocko's Modern Life.

Animaniacs is the best of all.
<url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3ImGo-Q7WI>This show was the single most genius cartoon ever...

 

[electric_warrior]

the pinky and the brain, I mean brain is orson welles and all sorts of stuff comes up that'll be over the heads of any kids watching. and chicken boo, all the animaniacs really

 

[Quaxar]

Is that even subtle anymore?

 

[Caligulove]

Saw some Animaniacs recently and laughed my ass off when they mentioned something about Ricardo Montalban's plastic chest. hahaha I miss that show

Wrath of Khan references... just wouldn't have gotten them when younger.

 

[Stoic raptor]

Wow, everyone picked animaniacs

 

[Outright Villainy]

Well animaniacs is the obvious choice.
However, the most disturbing reference would have to be in Cow and chicken, which has one scene which is a really weird deliverance reference:
Skip to 2:03. Yeah...

 

[Zer_]

Reboot had a lot of good references, Shadow Raiders as well.

 

[ssj4raditz]

Chowder has quite a few pop culture/video game references in it.

 

[Simalacrum]

In one episode of Animaniacs they were at a crime scene and had to "split up and look for prints", Dot then comes back holding Prince claiming "I found Prince", then Yakko says "No, no, no! Fingerprints", then Prince looks at Dot hopefully, then she says "I don't think so..."

If you just read that, were 10 years old or didn't think about it, you wouldn't get it, but if you watched the video and think about it, you'll get it eventually.

Wait, whats so weird about that? Its not like its... wait a minute...

*watches again and thinks about it*

OH DEAR GOD!!! D:

 

[Gaderael]

In one episode of Animaniacs they were at a crime scene and had to "split up and look for prints", Dot then comes back holding Prince claiming "I found Prince", then Yakko says "No, no, no! Fingerprints", then Prince looks at Dot hopefully, then she says "I don't think so..."

If you just read that, were 10 years old or didn't think about it, you wouldn't get it, but if you watched the video and think about it, you'll get it eventually.

Yakko's calling Dot "Number One Sister" was a reference to Charlie Chan [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Chan].

 

[Incompl te]

In one episode of Animaniacs they were at a crime scene and had to "split up and look for prints", Dot then comes back holding Prince claiming "I found Prince", then Yakko says "No, no, no! Fingerprints", then Prince looks at Dot hopefully, then she says "I don't think so..."

If you just read that, were 10 years old or didn't think about it, you wouldn't get it, but if you watched the video and think about it, you'll get it eventually.

Wait, whats so weird about that? Its not like its... wait a minute...

*watches again and thinks about it*

OH DEAR GOD!!! D:

*watches* No...it can't be...surely not... just a coincidence...

*watches again* ...OH MY GOD!