I was just thinking about the ending of How I Met Your Mother last night with Neil Patrick Harris redoing the Doogie Howser ending. What I was thinking about were other classic TV moments that are instantly recognizable in parodies. Some that I could think of were Norm walking in to Cheers and everyone yelling his name or Jean Luc Picard saying energize while waving one hand.
Patrick Stewart is hawking batteries on TV now? 
Mary Tyler Moore twirling and throwing her cap in the air.
Which, IIRC, was first parodied on the MTM spin-off Rhoda.
The ending of St Elsewhere. It seems like I’ve seen that parodied more than once, although the only one that comes to mind right now is an episode of NewsRadio.
I’m not familiar with that one how did it end?
Just remind me, what was the Doogie Howser ending?
Anyway, classic TV moment, Kitrk vs Spock fight. Much parodied.
(The Kirk-Spock fight in Amok Time, not the one with the trippy spores)
Typing in the online/computerized journal? I didn’t see HIMYM, but I believe that’s how every Doogie Howser episode ended.
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen parodies of the Bob Newhart-Suzanne Pleshette “it was all a dream” scene, and Bobby Ewing in the shower, but I can’t remember who did them. Does it count if the parody is done on The Simpsons or South Park, which are known for parodies? Or are you looking for more subtle stuff?
The Bob Newhart/Suzanne Pleshette bit was in the series finale for Newhart.
The ending of the last episode of Newhart.
St. Elsewhere ended with the entire series turning out to be existing only in the mind of the autistic kid staring at a snow globe.
I don’t know how long ago that was, but it still pisses me off!
Psst. Bobby. What does a Yellow light mean?
Lots of classic moments, but opting to choose series finales as defining moments:
For me, I think the series finale of Six Feet Under was the all-time best.
Mary Tyler Moore Show series finale was also great, as well as the series finales of the Newhart Show, Cheers and MASH.
CMC +fnord!
glee nails Blackadder in this thread.
The NewsRadio version had Dave and Lisa as the parents and Jimmy James as the autistic kid staring into his radio-station-in-a-snowglobe.
So I didn’t get this one untill I was laying down to go to sleep last night. Engage :smack:
Ya parodies on Simpsons and South Park count. Although I was looking more for scenes that happened in almost every episode like the Mary Tyler Moore hat tossing. Although I’ve seen that St. Elsewhere thing before nowI know where its from.
Howsabout:
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The General Lee jumping over something, with the occupants giving a barbaric yawp for good measure.
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“Hi, this is Jim Rockford, leave your name and number, and I’ll get bak to you.”
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Sgt. Schultz: “I know nothink!”
Family Guy did a great twofer spoof of that ending along with that of the Sopranos.
That Oklahoma accent really comes through, doesn’t it?