# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/21 "2009-09-21T16:53:07Z")
I’ll Buy That For A Dollar and Would You Like To Learn More? in Robocop and Starship Troopers. They were commercials, so do they count? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/22 "2009-09-21T16:55:35Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Frasier Crane’s radio play “Nightmare Inn”. Oh yeah. Nothing was as awesome as that. But…Hypno Toad! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/23 "2009-09-21T16:56:51Z")
A TASTE FOR LOVE, in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. “Die . . . Die . . . I can’t.” ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/24 "2009-09-21T17:05:46Z")
Show within a show has long been a staple of the movie musical: the excuse for why there’s singing and dancing in the movie was, “Hey! Let’s put on a show!” The Master of this was Busby Berkeley, where musical numbers began with the stage curtain opening, but then moved into sets and crowds and events that couldn’t possibly be staged (trip down a subway line in “I Only Have Eyes for You”) The great finale of SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (the “Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance” Broadway Rhythm number) has Gene Kelly describing the musical number that they envision for their movie. And the end, he says to the studio producer, “Well, what do you think?” ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/25 "2009-09-21T17:06:32Z")
A couple of “if it counts”: Channel 9, from the Fast Show - “boutros, boutros gali!” The ads during Ren and Stimpy - “[LOG!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0xsqV3zk1Y)” - [all](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUnGXTjmc9E) of them, “[Pretty Kitty Litter](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0-oJZ4GbvY)” - with Mr. Horse! ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/26 "2009-09-21T17:06:55Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > _Los Amantes Clandestinos_ on \*30 Rock \*is hysterical. I’ll raise you “MILF Island.” ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/27 "2009-09-21T17:41:39Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > _Sick, Sad World_ from Daria rocked. BUT! Geeky nitpicking ahead… We never actually saw an episode of Sick, Sad World. We only saw commercials advertising it. And while I don’t know if I’d call it “the best”, but I love the Channel 5 News segments on Family Guy. ---
**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, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/28 "2009-09-21T22:34:14Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Oh yeah. Nothing was as awesome as that. > > But…Hypno Toad! > **[Animals](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/)** > > Step into the world of animals, from wildlife to beloved pets. Learn about some of nature’s most incredible species through recent discoveries and groundbreaking studies on animal habitats, behaviors, and unique adaptations. What? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/29 "2009-09-21T22:46:11Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > _GalaxyQuest_. Debate over. Judge’s Ruling: “Show within a Movie - outside the terms of the OP. XXX” ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/30 "2009-09-21T23:08:21Z")
[The Scary Door](http://flimmr.passagen.se/movie/the_scary_door1.action) (Link contains both “episodes”) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/31 "2009-09-21T23:39:12Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > [The Scary Door](http://flimmr.passagen.se/movie/the_scary_door1.action) > > (Link contains both “episodes”) Both? Surely they’ve done more than two! ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/32 "2009-09-21T23:41:00Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > It’s hard to beat \*\*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** It’s true that Kujibiki Unbalance seems to be even more popular than the show that spawned it, but I can’t figure out why because it’s really not that good. The funniest show within a show has to be “Brown Hornet” from “The Fat Albert Show” ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/33 "2009-09-21T23:42:44Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > The Larry Sanders Show Two questions: (1) How can there possibly be any debate on this? (2) How did it take 19 posts to get the correct answer? ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/34 "2009-09-21T23:56:16Z")
The Muppet Show. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/35 "2009-09-22T00:33:12Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Both? Surely they’ve done more than two! In the movies, but only two in the TV show. ---
**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 22, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/36 "2009-09-22T02:07:16Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Judge’s Ruling: “Show within a Movie - outside the terms of the OP. XXX” Objection! The OP didn’t limit it to TV. Movies are sometimes called shows: “What time’s the show?” “Where’s it showing?” ---
**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 22, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/37 "2009-09-22T02:20:48Z")
Do fictional radio programmes from TV shows count? If so, then BBC2 presents [the Death of Mary, Queen of Scots](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwTqC2T6q4E). ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/38 "2009-09-22T02:23:19Z")
“The Boring World of Niels Bohr” and “When Buildings Fall Down.” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/39 "2009-09-22T04:07:40Z")
[Ask Mr. Lizard](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwVA698Hx2g) ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881/40 "2009-09-22T06:45:45Z")
Fighting round the world with russell crowe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-show-within-a-show/510881.md?page=3)