# What TV shows exist in the universes of other TV shows? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 18, 2006, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464 "2006-01-18T03:08:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/61 "2006-01-19T00:01:26Z")
**Terrence and Phillip** is TV show shown in **South Park**. Conversly, \*\*South Park \*\* is shown on Canadian TV in the Terrence and Phillip episode of South Park. ---
**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:** [January 19, 2006, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/62 "2006-01-19T00:02:28Z")
> [@Fortean](#): > > Heh, that’s ace. Dr Who is also apparently in the same universe as dour cockney soap opera, Eastenders, because (or was it a Children In Need thing?) he turned up in Albert Square – and in the same universe as Transformers, because apparently the Transformers met a bounty hunter by the name of Death’s Head, who also met the Doctor in the Doctor Who comics. > > This means that Transformers is in the same universe as Eastenders. Beat that! “Doctor Who” as a television show exists in the Simpsons universe apparently, since Comic Book Guy was once seen with a wheelbarrow full of fast-food burritos stating “This should provide adequate sustenance for the upcoming Doctor Who marathon!” Also, when Sideshow Bob threatens to nuke Springfield - Tom Baker (in his Doctor Who garb) appears as one of the “esteemed representatives of television.” (Urkel is another representative). During the Halloween episode with Lucy Lawless, the Collector (Comic Book Guy) kidnaps Lucy, Tom Baker, Jeri Ryan & Matt Groening - so “Xena” and “Voyager” both exist in that universe as well. On “All in the Family”: When Archie Bunker meets ‘Wheezy’ Jefferson for the first time, and is at a loss for what to talk about, he asks her if she watched the “Julia” show. She said no, and asked him if he watched “the Doris Day show” (which he did.) Also, Edith occasionally mentioned that her favorite soap opera was “Search for Tomorrow.” On “Angel”, Angel once alludes to the Blue Man Group (who are on-again/off-again commercial ‘stars’) and says that ‘only two of them’ are demons. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/63 "2006-01-19T02:22:46Z")
Considering that Joss loves _The Simpsons_, I’m surprised I can only think of one _Simpsons_ reference on _Buffy_: Willow once refers to herself as Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel when she doesn’t do as good as she’d hoped on the SATs. _Angel_ has at least one references to _The X-Files_, when in an early episode a cop calls Lockley “Scully”. She tells him that Scully’s the skeptic and that Mulder is the believer. One the fake side, _Queer as Folk_ occasionally mocked a TV show called “Gay as Blazes”, in which all the characters sit around reading Jane Austen all the time. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/64 "2006-01-19T02:52:57Z")
Speaking of **X-Files** , The 3 geeks had some \*\*Star Trek \*\* paraphernalia in their lair. On **Home Improvement** , \*\*This Old House \*\* existed. Judge Stone on \*\*Night Court \*\* mentioned going to a Star Trek convention in an early episode and in a later episode there is a case involving Old Trekkie’s vs. Next Gen Trekkers. On **My Two Dads** , they could distract Paul Riser’s character by telling him a good Star Trek Episode was on. I think Star Trek has probably snuck into the most other shows, movies and books. It even snuck into The Running Man. Tom Clancy has made references to Star Trek, Charles DeLint, David Brin and many other younger Sci-Fi and Fantasy writers have. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/65 "2006-01-19T04:40:23Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Just caught the last couple of minutes of a L&O episode in which DA Dianne Weist was going to be interviewed by Stone Phillips, so _Dateline NBC_ exists in the L&O-verse, and by extension the Homicide-verse. But… but… no… that can’t be because you see… you see… Dianne Wiest plays [Nora Lewin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nora_Lewin) on _L&O_, which means that if Dianne Wiest is an actress then there was no Nora and there’d be nobody to really serve as D A AND MY BRAIN HURTSSSS… ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/66 "2006-01-19T04:45:38Z")
It’s not as bad as all that; I just didn’t know Weist’s character’s name. Other Simpsons ones include broadcasts by Major League Baseball and Joe Millionaire. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/67 "2006-01-19T05:01:16Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > It’s not as bad as all that; I just didn’t know Weist’s character’s name. Ah, thank goodness. For a second (or was it an eternity?) all was chaos. In one episode of SANFORD & SON, Fred entered a Redd Foxx lookalike contest. The alternate Redd Foxx was a movie star. While I know that Foxx was a big name in the comedy circuit, it wasn’t until S&S that he was really huge and known to everybody, so it irked me- it’d be like Chandler Bing entering a Matthew Perry lookalike contest. Also, the fact that Fred Sanford was named for Redd Foxx’s brother… another time you just start seeing the vortex open. Arnold the Pig on _Green Acres_ watched _Gunsmoke_ on one episode (I think they just had audio of gunshots rather than actual video clips). Rudy on _The Cosby Show_ loved _The Tonight Show_ when she was allowed to stay up late on one episode, and _Baywatch_ had an odd episode in which _Gilligan’s Island_ was both a TV show and a dream sequence. On a _Mad About You_ episode John Astin portrayed a new neighbor who might or might not have been John Astin (Paul & Jamie debated whether or not he was) and _The Addams Family_ was referenced. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/68 "2006-01-19T05:40:21Z")
Other Simpsons: Twin Peaks and the 1984 Summer Olympics. Tom Brokaw exists, so by extension NBC Nightly News does too. Luke Perry exists so presumably 90210 exists (90210 also exists on Family Guy). ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/69 "2006-01-19T06:28:59Z")
Much to the kids’ dismay, The Simpsons is very popular in the South Park universe. In 24, Fox News clearly exists, just in case the viewers might forget what channel they were watching. _grumble grumble_ ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/70 "2006-01-19T07:14:29Z")
> [@Fern Forest](#): > > Susan was also making George watch “Mad About You.” This despite the fact that Paul was renting his apartment to Kramer. Which reminds me that _Saved By the Bell_ exists in the _Mad About You_-niverse. Jamie comments that it’s strange for Paul to watch the show, and he replies that the networks air so often, he feels guilty for not watching it. ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/71 "2006-01-19T08:21:47Z")
One of the characters on **Bones** spends time watching DVDs of **Firefly** ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/72 "2006-01-19T08:53:52Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > **Firefly** has some sort of broadcasting system(s). Not much info to go by other the very existance of Mr Universe and little snippits thru out the series and movie. In the movie, as I remember, you can see a bit of one of Max Fleischer’s _Superman_ shorts on one of his screens. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/73 "2006-01-19T13:30:20Z")
**Roseanne** also referenced the OJ trial, with Marcia Clark (okay, Laurie Metcalf doing a great Marcia Clark) climbed out of Roseanne’s television (I consider the OJ trial and very long running TV show). **Charles in Charge** talked about **Happy Days** and the kid who said “woah, woah, woah.” This I remember, but I don’t remember to wear gloves outside. ---
**Author:** ![batsto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/74 "2006-01-19T14:13:09Z")
On “Ned and Stacy”, Ned was quite upset with the cancellation of “Mr. Belvedere”. I saw an episode of Family Guy recently where Brian was watching “One Day at a Time”. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/75 "2006-01-19T14:13:33Z")
In “My Name Is Earl” Puff ‘N’ Stuff has been shown a few times and several other clips of shows I don’t recall. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/76 "2006-01-19T14:51:54Z")
The 60s Batman series exists in the Simpsons-verse, including at least one episode that doesn’t exist in ours (featuring Krusty as special guest villain Clownface). Adam West exists in the Family Guy-verse but it’s a little fuzzy as to whether the Batman series also does. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/77 "2006-01-19T15:20:12Z")
Cliff Clavin from Cheers went on Jeopardy. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/78 "2006-01-19T16:22:48Z")
_Sesame Street_ exists in _The West Wing_ universe. Elmo the Muppet filmed some spots with Mrs. Bartlett and the staff teased C.J. that she was related to Big Bird. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/79 "2006-01-19T18:34:18Z")
> [@TJdude825](#): > > Much to the kids’ dismay, The Simpsons is very popular in the South Park universe. > > In 24, Fox News clearly exists, just in case the viewers might forget what channel they were watching. _grumble grumble_ Does _24_ parody Fox News the way _The Simpsons_ did (nearly getting itself sued by Fox, depending who you listen to)? “Oil found to keep seals soft, supple.” 😃 And I have to say, you people are the best. I’m way too amused by things like this. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464/80 "2006-01-19T20:06:33Z")
> [@Banquet Bear](#): > > …slightly off-topic but more related to your thread title, thanks to _St Elsewhere_, nearly every television show is related to everything else… Thom Holbrook needs an editor. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tv-shows-exist-in-the-universes-of-other-tv-shows/340464.md?page=5)