Entertainment

These 22 TV Moments Pay Homage To Past Shows & Movies In The Most Entertaining Way

If imitation is truly the most sincere form of flattery, then these TV shows surely got things right when paying tribute to some of the best shows and movie to ever grace the entertainment industry. Whether it'd be just a subtle nod, re-creation of a scene, or full-on parody of an entire series or film, these TV moments have paid homage to other shows and movies in ways that many fans won't soon forget.

While there are many shows that have, undoubtedly, drawn major influence to those from the past, outrightly paying tribute to shows of the past has definitely proven to entertain the interest of many generations in just one snippet. Stirring up a great deal of nostalgia, homages and parodies such as these allow viewers to transport to yesteryear within the premise of an entirely different show.

It should be pointed out that this is by no means an exhaustive or best of list. However, these are some of the moments that aren't to be missed when it comes to discussing television's tributes to other works of art. That said, there's certainly no doubt that these episodes will help you take you on a trip down memory lane, or at the very least, keep laughing through and through.

1

'Felicity' — 'The Twilight Zone'

In 2000, Felicity gave a nod to The Twilight Zone in the form of an entire episode, which was filmed in its iconic formatting and broadcasted in black and white.

2

'Friends' — 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'

In one episode of Friends, Pheobe became confused when people begin thinking she was an adult film actor. After looking into the matter, it was revealed that it was actually her twin sister, Ursula, who was the lead of the x-rated movie movie, Buffay the Vampire Layer.

3

'Black-ish' – 'Get Out'

Black-ish's spoof of Jordan Peele's 2017 film Get Out featured Dre Johnson attempting to hide in the "sunken place" as a way to escape an awkward parenting moment. He, luckily, didn't stay there for long, thanks to his wife, Rainbow.

4

'Sesame Street' — 'Game of Thrones'

During a Sesame Street segment, which was notably dubbed "Game of Chairs," it was decided by a game of musical chairs who would become the ruler of “Chesteros.”

5

'It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia' — 'Seinfeld'

The cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia flawlessly recreated an iconic scene from Seinfeld late last year and it did not disappoint. Stepping into the iconic roles of Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer, the gang mimicked the sitcom's characters word for word, making for a magical tribute to the beloved series.

6

'Broad City' — 'Mrs. Doubtfire'

The ladies of Broad City re-created the iconic restaurant scene from Mrs. Doubtfire and it was one of their best episodes ever.

7

7. 'Reno 911' — 'Cops'

While Reno 911 didn't have one homage episode in particular, its entire narrative being a mockmentary parody of Cops makes it totally worth mentioning.

8

'South Park' — 'Scooby-Doo'

South Park's tribute to Scooby-Doo featured the band Korn in driving around in a van which resembles the Mystery Machine as they investigate an unsolved crime.

9

'Burn Notice' – 'CSI: Miami'

Posing as a CSI agent, Sam mimicked Horatio Caine from CSI: Miami, saying, "looks like murder is in style this season" as he put on his glasses.

10

'The Walking Dead' – 'Breaking Bad'

Over the years, there have been many fan theories suggesting that Breaking Bad may be a prequel to The Walking Dead apocalypse. While there have been no confirmations of this notion actually being true, TWD has kept minds reeling by packaging several Breaking Bad Easter Eggs into their episodes.

11

'The Simpsons' – 'All In The Family'

The Simpsons once did a parody of the All in the Family opening credits. In the scene, Homer and Marge sing their own, updated rendition of "Those Were the Days."

12

'Sesame Street' – 'Homeland'

In Sesame Street's parody of Homelamb, Brody is replaced with Baa-rody and Carrie with Caa-rrie as the team of special agents try to discern whether or not Baa-rody is actually a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

13

'Dear White People' – 'Scandal'

In its first season, Dear White People featured a show within its show called Defamation. The series, which played in the background during many of the Netflix Original's scenes, was a notable parody of the Kerry Washington-led drama, Scandal.

14

'Family Guy' – 'Deadpool'

Family Guy has always had a knack channeling pop culture with its many parodies. In one episode, Peter Griffin hilariously orchestrated the opening fight scene from Deadpool while dressed in a re-creation of the superhero's dressed Deadpool's red and black uniform.

15

'Rugrats' – 'Mad Max'

During an end-of-the world scene, imagined by Angelica, the Rugrats gang drive vehicles engineered out of items from their playroom while heading into an abandoned city. The scene proved to be a great re-enactment of the 1979 film, Mad Max.

16

'Childrens Hospital' – 'Do The Right Thing'

Childrens Hospital once honored the Rosie Perez dance sequence from Spike Lee's iconic 1989 film, Do The Right Thing during their closing credits.

17

'Grown-ish' – 'A Different World'

The Season 2 promo for Grown-ish notably paid homage to the opening sequence of a A Different World. The tribute was quite appropriate given that the early '90s sitcom clearly proved to be a huge influence for the Black-ish spin-off.

18

'The Simpsons' – 'The Sopranos'

In one Simpsons episode, The Sopranos intro song, "Woke Up This Morning" is played as Fat Tony and his crew drive through Springfield.

19

'Riverdale' – 'Carrie'

During one episode of Riverdale, the cast performs its own musical adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie. Amongst other nods to the original 1976 film of the same name, Cheryl appeared coated in blood to threaten her mother.

20

'Community' — 'Glee'

Community was almost always paying tribute to other shows and movies during its run, leaving behind so many memorable moments that its almost hard to choose just one. From Law & Order, Star Wars, Pulp Fiction, to a re-creation of the animated G.I. Joe show, Community had the parody game totally on lock throughout its six seasons. Back in 2011, the series took on Glee with a Christmas-themed musical that certainly did not disappoint.

21

'Muppet Babies' – 'I Love Lucy'

Long before the Rugrats, the original Muppet Babies were notorious for their wild imaginations. In one episode, a young Miss Piggy and Kermit recreated the roles of Lucy and Ricky Ricardo for the iconic series, I Love Lucy.

22

'How I Met Your Mother' – 'The Breakfast Club'

The cast of How I Met Your Mother decided to dress as The Breakfast Club, but forgot to coordinate their costumes for one of the show's Halloween episodes. In the end, they all turned out to be dressed as John Bender, who was played by Judd Nelson in the cult classic film.

As TV shows and movies come and go, it's certainly nice to see show-runners of current times show love and respect to those who have come before them.