The Light from the TV Shows: TGS: 30 Great Shows (That Don’t Actually Exist)

16. Androids (“Red Dwarf”)

You wouldn’t think that service androids would watch much TV, let alone have a favorite show, but Kryten will quickly set you straight on the matter, then, if you’re really lucky, he might even whistle you the show’s theme song.

17. Inspector Spacetime (“Community”)

The most blatant “Doctor Who” homage ever, but one which amused fans so tremendously that it immediately spawned an actual “Inspector Spacetime” online series…which, of course, was immediately shut down by NBC-Universal’s attorneys, the bastards.

18. Astro Quest (“C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation”)

Parodying “Star Trek” was already done bigger and better on the big screen with “Galaxy Quest,” but fans of “C.S.I.” got a kick out of watching David Hodges (Wallace Langham) geek out about his favorite TV series, then bonding in a big way with fellow fan Wendy Simms (Liz Vassey).

19. Viking Quest (“Entourage)”

I’m apparently one of the few contributors to Bullz-Eye who’s never seen so much as a single full episode of “Entourage,” but some references transcend the shows that spawned them. Johnny Drama’s “Victory!” cry is one of them.

20. Shinrock (“The Flintstones”)

The reference to “Shindig!” might be lost on anyone who didn’t live through or have an obsession with the pop culture of the ’60s, but “Laugh, Laugh” by the Beau Brummel-stones is timeless.

21. Tool Time (“Home Improvement”)

Tim Taylor and Al Borland are probably better TV hosts than they are actual home-improvement gurus, but they’ve got presence. Not as much as the Tool Time Girls – Lisa in particular was busting out all over with presence- but they had enough to keep running for eight seasons and over 200 episodes, which is nothing to sneeze at.

22. Spot the Loony (“Monty Python’s Flying Circus”)

Truthfully, we wanted to use the show that features an interview with famed classical composer Arthur “Two Sheds” Jackson sketch, but, damn it all to hell, that show doesn’t have an actual title, so it was invalidated. The only other close competition here was “Blackmail,” but this one’s just too definitively Python-esque to pass up.

23. Wayne’s World (“Saturday Night Live”)

Given the long history of TV parodies on “SNL,” it’s not like this was an easy choice to make, but in the end, it seemed only fitting to go with the sketch that actually got spun off into a movie. See, “Sprockets,” this could’ve been you…

24. So Random! (“Sonny with a Chance”)

Not a lot of fake TV shows have been spun off into their own actual show, but that’s what happened to “So Random!” when Demi Lovato decided to kick her co-stars to the curb and go solo. This, however, is a clip from when Ms. Lovato was still a part of the gang, and, uh, I haven’t checked the date, but didn’t “SNL” do an approximation of this sketch after “Sonny with a Chance” did? Not that it’s not an idea that could occur to anyone, but if I’m right about that, I’m sure the “Sonny” folks noticed that they got the jump on the competition. (Many high-fives were exchanged, no doubt.)

25. The Itchy and Scratchy Show (“The Simpsons”)

Okay, so technically it’s part of “The Krusty the Klown Show” and not an entity unto itself. So sue me. To my way of thinking, if it’s got the word “show” in its freaking title, then it’s fair game. Plus, it’s hard to resist a YouTube clip that features what appears to be every Itchy & Scratch cartoon ever.

Pages: 1 2 3 4  (Previous Page Next Page)

You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook for content updates. Also, sign up for our email list for weekly updates and check us out on Google+ as well.