# Best Show within a Show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 20, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881 "2009-09-20T22:11:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bramma23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@bramma23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bramma23)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/1 "2009-09-20T22:11:32Z")
My vote goes to Tool Time and/or Itchy and Scratchy. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/2 "2009-09-20T22:23:35Z")
If it counts, the bit in Top Gear which usually starts with Jeremy Clarkson saying “How hard could it be…” ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/3 "2009-09-20T23:23:43Z")
## What can compare with the magic of “Red, White and Blaine” from Waiting For Guffman??? (As good as Best In Show is, I still think that Guffman is even funnier) ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/4 "2009-09-21T00:15:32Z")
No contest. Gekigangar 3, from Martian Successor Nadesico [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSY-EKocWGY) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/5 "2009-09-21T00:22:23Z")
“Invitation to Love” from **Twin Peaks**. So good it ran 24 hours a day! Other options: “FYI” from **Murphy Brown** “The Alan Brady Show” in **The Dick Van Dyck Show** “Nothing On” in the play/movie **Noises Off** ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/6 "2009-09-21T00:26:26Z")
Nothing even comes close to Terrance and Phillip. Even better if you know the story behind it: it’s Trey Parker’s response to critics saying South Park is “nothing but fart jokes.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/7 "2009-09-21T00:47:40Z")
“Itchy & Scratchy” is actually a show within a show within a show! It’s a popular segment of “the Krusty the Klown show.” Not as good as the “Gabbo” show though. That was way cooler. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/8 "2009-09-21T00:57:58Z")
Frasier Crane’s radio play “Nightmare Inn”. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/9 "2009-09-21T01:15:40Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > Not as good as the “Gabbo” show though. That was way cooler. Speaking of, “[Worker & Parasite](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIZ4nAprSSE&feature=related)” still cracks me up. Although, to be fair, it’s really Krusty’s reaction. ---
**Author:** ![Transistor\_Rhythm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@Transistor\_Rhythm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Transistor_Rhythm)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/10 "2009-09-21T01:23:19Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > “Invitation to Love” from **Twin Peaks**. So good it ran 24 hours a day! Beat me to it! If TP had been on the air a decade later, “Invitation to Love” would have been an awesome web series. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/11 "2009-09-21T15:37:37Z")
“Psycho Dad” from Married With Children killed his wife cause she weighed a ton… Psycho Dad, Psycho Dad, Psycho DAD ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/12 "2009-09-21T15:50:27Z")
Isn’t “Itchy & Scratchy” a segment within a show within a show? ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/13 "2009-09-21T16:20:43Z")
You guys obviously haven’t seen **Everybody Loves Hypnotoad** (Futurama). Because if you had, you would have voted for Hypnotoad. No questions asked. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/14 "2009-09-21T16:24:59Z")
> [@Bytegeist](#): > > You guys obviously haven’t seen **Everybody Loves Hypnotoad** (Futurama). Oh God. I need to see that. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/15 "2009-09-21T16:25:01Z")
_GalaxyQuest_. Debate over. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/16 "2009-09-21T16:28:22Z")
_Los Amantes Clandestinos_ on \*30 Rock \*is hysterical. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/17 "2009-09-21T16:38:31Z")
_Sick, Sad World_ from Daria rocked. ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/18 "2009-09-21T16:45:42Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > Oh God. I need to see that. Meh, it really went downhill after season 6. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/19 "2009-09-21T16:47:58Z")
The Larry Sanders Show ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/20 "2009-09-21T16:51:30Z")
It’s hard to beat **The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby** , by that master of plays within plays, Bill Shakespeare. A far more sustained show within a show is **Kujibiki Unbalance** – two anime series, one manga series, and two light novel series. It almost overshadows the show that it’s set inside, **Genshiken** [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881.md?page=2)