# Obvious things about a creative work you realize after the millionth time (OPEN SPOILERS POSSIBLE) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 24, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117 "2009-07-24T13:20:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 364
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7267 "2026-08-31T20:17:26Z")
Watching some Archer clips on youtube a few days ago, I noticed this: [![](https://shortshift.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Archer-Car-4.jpg) ](https://shortshift.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Archer-Car-4.jpg) Which appears to be a direct reference to this: [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/The_Sopranos_-_Satriale%27s_Pork_Store.jpg/1920px-The_Sopranos_-_Satriale%27s_Pork_Store.jpg?utm_source=en.wikipedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/The_Sopranos_-_Satriale%27s_Pork_Store.jpg/1920px-The_Sopranos_-_Satriale%27s_Pork_Store.jpg?utm_source=en.wikipedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) And for those that don’t recognize it like that: [![](https://i.imgur.com/d6RhF0T.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/d6RhF0T.jpeg) (It’s from The Sopranos) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7268 "2026-08-31T20:30:50Z")
For those not in the know: “pork store” is a NYC/NJ term for a butcher shop specializing in pork, usually found in Italian-American neighborhoods. The joke (beyond the reference) is that a “corned beef store” would be the Irish-American equivalent if such a thing existed. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7269 "2026-08-31T20:44:42Z")
Ah, them Whately’s all have that look about 'em… ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7270 "2026-08-31T20:49:35Z")
Don’t make laugh while I’m drinking my beer! Look at this mess! ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7271 "2026-08-31T21:14:11Z")
Don’t let those America haters tell you you shouldn’t drink beer while reading posts; or anytime. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7272 "2026-09-01T11:37:11Z")
In the Back to the Future trilogy, which I must seen at least 50 times, I only recently learned that the homeless bum that exists in 1985 (the one referred to as “Red” a few times over the course of the trilogy)… Is the mayor in 1955, in part 1, mayor Red Thomas. You don’t ever see him in the past but you do see him on the car as it drives by telling people to re-elect him. ---
**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 1, 2026, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7273 "2026-09-01T16:58:32Z")
H P Lovecraft has that kind of a face: [![](https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/theo-rossi-los-angeles-ca-june-actor-la-film-festival-opening-night-world-premiere-lowriders-cinerama-dome-hollywood-171836779.jpg?w=576) ](https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/theo-rossi-los-angeles-ca-june-actor-la-film-festival-opening-night-world-premiere-lowriders-cinerama-dome-hollywood-171836779.jpg?w=576) Theo Rossi from Luge Cage and other projects ---
**Author:** ![squidfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@squidfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squidfood)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2026, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7274 "2026-09-02T21:11:41Z")
It took me 40 years to notice that in the first _Star Wars_, the front of Princess Leia’s spaceship (the Tantive IV) matches her hairstyle. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7275 "2026-09-03T19:38:20Z")
Not to me it does not, but I can see how that could be a match to others. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2026, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7276 "2026-09-03T19:51:25Z")
This is probably just a coincidence, but I just realized that “Andor” is literally just the words “and” and “or” put together. If you could fit “but” in there somehow we’d be at Conjunction Junction. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2026, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7277 "2026-09-03T19:54:27Z")
I watched the 1976 _King Kong_ today and the big evil oil company from the 70’s is called Petrox. Petrox. Pet Rocks. I mean, it was the '70’s. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2026, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7278 "2026-09-03T23:11:36Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Which appears to be a direct reference to this _Archer_ is in the running for most references per minute of any TV show, so it’s a lock that this was intentional. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7279 "2026-09-04T00:29:02Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > _Archer_ is in the running for most references per minute of any TV show, so it’s a lock that this was intentiona True, I just never caught that one. Interestingly, I _just_ watched a (well, another) [compilation video](https://youtu.be/J96IHiRy0bI) of exactly that. But, if you really want to see those types of references, Community was great at it. And, like Archer, they generally don’t call attention to it, they just reenact a scene from a movie, and if you don’t catch it, you won’t even realize you missed something. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OHwOrNYlDtQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Community and its Movie References Side by Side.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHwOrNYlDtQ) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2026, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7280 "2026-09-04T18:46:31Z")
In the Harry Enfield/Paul Whitehouse “American Tourists Go for Breakfast” sketch, the male tourist cheerfully pontificates about American football teams with names like the “Rapists” and the “Terrorists.” Took me a while to realize this isn’t just random surreal humor - it’s playing on the British perception of actual American team names like “Pirates” and “Raiders” and “Buccaneers.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7281 "2026-09-06T00:18:05Z")
Pirates are fun! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7282 "2026-09-06T00:26:05Z")
Well, yes, but they’re still the baddies. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7283 "2026-09-06T00:31:54Z")
Okay, I haven’t watched _Metropolis_ a million times. I saw it once for a film class many years ago. (Still more times than I’ve watched _Megalopolis_.) But today I learned it was set in the year 2026. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7284 "2026-09-06T00:33:31Z")
When I first read “Rapists” then “Pirates” I thought you were going for some dyslexia humor. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7285 "2026-09-06T00:40:24Z")
If an immature joke counts as a creative work, for a while NPR was running a promo for _Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me_ in which Peter Segal said something along the lines of how they snickered every time they heard the word “fiduciary”. At first I just thought “Ok, that’s kind of a funny sounding word”. It took me quite a while before I realized it was because the second syllable sounds like “douche”. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117/7286 "2026-09-06T01:40:06Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > But today I learned it was set in the year 2026. This is questionable. Thea von Harbou, who wrote a novel which she then adapted into a screenplay, said that it was intended to be set at no particular time. A foreword to a 1963 American edition of the novel by Forrest J. Ackerman said that it was set in 2026. > **[Metropolis (1927 film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_(1927_film))** > > Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist science-fiction silent film directed by Fritz Lang and written by Thea von Harbou in collaboration with Lang, based on von Harbou's 1925 novel of the same name (which was written as a treatment). It stars Gustav Fröhlich, Alfred Abel, Rudolf Klein-Rogge, and Brigitte Helm. Erich Pommer produced it in the Babelsberg Studio for Universum Film A.G. (UFA). Metropolis is regarded as a pioneering science-fiction film, being among the first feature-length Made... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117.md?page=363) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obvious-things-about-a-creative-work-you-realize-after-the-millionth-time-open-spoilers-possible/504117.md?page=365)