Mystery Science Theater En Masse
Obscure References Page (Egg Spiral Crew)
For Episodes 1-5
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Episode 1 - Meet Shyloh
Manic: This has more filler than "American Idol"!
It's not that obscure, but there are people who don't watch this show. American Idol is known for its massive padding and filler-filled filler. Hell, even the auditions have filler. It's ridiculous.
Episode 2 - INFECTION
Sonia: When did the Shadow Girls make a cameo here?
Sonia's making a sort of shout out to Revolutionary Girl Utena.
Sonic: Her parents must've gotten the name idea from watching Maury, eh?
Sonic's referring to "The Maury Povich Show", in which the show is basically dedicated to doing Paternity Test episodes every other day. Sonic's also referring to the ridiculous names that some of the mothers actually give to their children.
Manic: Quarter Circle Foward, Punch... buffered into a Dragon Punch motion...
Obscure if you've never played any fighting games; Manic's talking about performing combos in them. The "Dragon Punch" motion is what some people use to describe any move performed with Forward, Down, Down Foward, then finishing with any Punch button.
Sonia: It's "Paint Me Symphony"! With feature facial expressions! Choose from chagrin--
Why did Sonia use the word "chagrin"? Because of the way it was abused in the "Twilight" series of books by Stephenie Meyer. More specifically? "Eyes sparkling with chagrined fury". I'm serious.
Amy: That was as funny as watching a Bonnie McFarlane
special.
Sonic, Sonia, Manic: ...
Amy: That's a bad thing, guys.
Sonic, Sonia, Manic: Oh... huh?
Amy: Never mind.
Bonnie McFarlane is a comedian who somehow managed to make it into the top ten during the second season of "Last Comic Standing". I don't blame the triplets for not knowing who she is. (Though, she was pretty terrible on that show, in my opinion. At least she's gotten better lately.)
Manic: Taking makeup tips from Taylor Momsen, young lady?
Taylor Momsen is an actress, who's currently known for her work in "Gossip Girl". Lately, people have been making fun of her "raccoon eyes" in pictures.
Sonia: Ten years from now, the bullies were revealed to be bums while Symphony's running Microsoft.
Kind of obscure. But also very true in real life. Normally, some bullies end up living crappy lives as an odd form of karma, while the smart kids that were picked on grow up and make something out of themselves.
Manic: Until she grows up and returns to her pride to battle her uncle who turned the throne into a desolate dictatorship with his hyenas...
Obscure if you've never watched Disney films. Manic's talking about "The Lion King".
Sonic: Welcome to Chicago!
Obscure if you don't know American cities. Chicago's known as the "Windy City". And with a bit of good reason.
Episode 3 - 6 mistakes men make on Valentine's Day
Sonic: Well, it is. Haven't you ever read "Twilight",
lady?
Manic: You can't enjoy true love unless you're snowy white!
Manic: Just as long as the author isn't Stephenie Meyer. That will cause one big ass rift in your relationship.
Obscure if you've never heard of this. Apparently, "Twilight" caused relationships to be strained or ended. Also, a few girls were stupid enough to actually get knocked up by males named Edward. Manic's "snowy white" line actually makes a hard-hitting jab in which the couples (mainly the "vampires") that were actually... that way... were in higher status (more money, owning a private island, etc.).
Episode 4 - Defying Destiny
(Part One)
Sonia: He didn't get me that box of chocolates for Valentine's Day.
Sonia's doing a call back to the Egg Spiral's third riffed episode. Don't buy those chocolates for your girl on V-Day! *sarcasm*
Manic: *as Johnny Cage* This is where you fall down.
Manic is making a reference to the first live action "Mortal Kombat" film.
Manic: Attack of the Clones.
Manic: Revenge of the Sue.
Manic's referring to the second and third episodes of the "Star Wars" series, which are "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith", respectively.
Sonic: She'd say that it's all "goffik".
The Egg Spiral's first "My Immortal" reference. Yes, gothic was spelled as "goffik" in that fic.
(Part Two)
Sonic: *as Serenity* Because I had already shoehorned myself
in the way of a different canon couple.
Amy: *as Serenity* Yes, like... Kyo Kusanagi and Yuki...
Sonic and Amy are referencing the (semi-justified) "Die for Our Ship" syndrome in the "King of Fighters" fandom. If you want to be technical, they are also making a crack at yours truly.
Sonic: No, not crying girls. He hates the crying game.
Sonic's obviously referring to "The Crying Game". And figure this out on your own or google it... or something. I don't want to spoil this for those who want to see/read it.
Manic: Complete with fake tears.
Sonia: Uh-oh! Edward's special defense has sharply fallen!
Not a Pokémon fan? It's a reference to the non-attacking move introduced in Generation III called "Fake Tears", in which the opponent's special defense falls by two stages.
Manic: *in an operatic singing tone* Glauco-o-o-ma....!
Manic's singing a portion of the "Glaucoma Hymn" that was once on the World Glaucoma Association website.
Amy: *makes A-OK sign* It stinks!
Amy's referring to the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" episode entitled "Pod People".
Amy: Why is Bella doing the "Black Power" sign?
Sonic: Beats me. I thought she didn't like people of color.
That was a rather scathing comment from Sonic, wasn't it? He's referring to the racist undertones in the "Twilight" series.
Sonic: Someone's been taking teeth whitening tips from Ross Gellar.
Reference to an episode of "Friends", in which Ross actually leaves whitening strips on his teeth a little too long.
Amy: Should we do a long web search scene with pop-up ad closings to find the answer?
Amy's referring to the first "Twilight" book in which a scene like that actually took place.
Sonia: I'm starting to think that Serenity's been training in the "Dusk School of Fighting".
Did you jump to this fic without reading the other MSTings? Sonia's making a shout out to "Ultimate".
Sonia, Amy: *singing* I'll be back real soon...
This is a song lyric from "Meeting in the Ladies Room" by Klymaxx.
(Part Three)
Manic: *singing* Don't leave...! Don't leave me, girl...
These are lyrics from the Blackstreet song "Don't Leave Me".
Manic: Rain fell down, extinguishing the flames of Pride Rock... wait, wrong story.
Of course it's the wrong story; Manic's making another shout-out to "The Lion King".
Sonic: Go ask Bernie Madoff that same question, bro.
Have you been living under a rock? This man was behind a rather elaborate Ponzi scheme that raked in billions. He's currently serving a sentence of 150 years.
Episode 5 - The White Hedgehog
(Part One)
Sonic: Oh, god. It's not the Screamapillar, is it?
Reference to "The Simpsons" episode entitled, "The Frying Game".
Amy: Something tells me that she's going to do
something stupid in an attempt to "grow up" or "be mature".
Sonic: I guess a certain pink hedgehog forgot about the Ring of Acorns...
Amy: *stares at Sonic*
This is a reference to the Archie Comics version of Sonic (apparently, this fic's also in this universe), where Amy actually ages physically thanks to her making a wish using the Ring of Acorns. She also uses up the power of said ring.
Sonia: If she starts flicking and flipping it, I'm going to shave her hair off.
Call back to "Defying Destiny".
(Part Two)
Sonia: We're not dealing with the Little Planet, dear.
Sonia's referring to the plot of "Sonic CD", in which the future of seven stages can be changed if Sonic goes to the past... or if he gets the Time Stones, but nobody cares about those things.
Manic: You have no chance to survive make your time.
Shout out to the dialogue in Zero Wing.
Sonia: *speaking through a megaphone* The remaining pizza will go on sale for fifteen cents!
Shout out to the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode called "Rocket Attack U.S.A.".
(Part Three)
Sonic: Oh, calm down; it's just the Anti-Mary Sue and Gary Stu gallery coming to get you, Kat.
Call back to the third part of their first special with the Black Crow, "Ultimate".
Manic: *as "Rick James"* Darknesses! Darknesses!
Yet another riff on the Rick James skit from "Chappelle's Show".
Sonia: Because the "friends" were actually red shirts. Mourn them.
Sonia's referring to the classic "Star Trek" episodes, where the unnamed members of the Enterprise in red shirts were killed in the first few minutes or seconds of dangerous missions. Of course, they're all mourned for a few seconds before the mission continues.
(Part Four)
Sonic: She's like Norm... but worse.
Reference to the popular "Cheers" patron. Every time he enters, the other patrons cheerfully call his name.
Manic: Then back to the place, and back to the map. Sadly, you're not a map.
Reference to the popular Old Spice commercial, "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like".
Sonic: I told her not to watch "Electric Soldier Porygon", but she wouldn't listen! How does it feel to be wrong, Kat?
Not a Pokémon fan? This episode of the anime was banned from worldwide television after it triggered seizures for around 700 children in Japan.
Manic: Are we in Los Angeles now?
Obscure if you're not familiar with American cities. Los Angeles is known as the "city of angels".
Sonia: This would be the perfect time to tie her
hands, stuff a bomb into her mouth, and duct tape it shut.
Sonic: And then our only problem is figuring out who's pressing the
detonator.
This is a reference to a scene in "Rush Hour 2".
(Part Five)
Sonia: *as Katharine* Because this midseason schedule's terrible! How dare they cancel Paul Reiser's new show after two weeks!
Obscure if you've never watched TV in April 2011. Sonia's referring to "The Paul Reiser Show" which... yes, was cancelled after two weeks.
Manic: And then they danced in the sounds of the night, careful not to hurt Sally's injured arm... wait.
Another call back to "Defying Destiny".
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