5
The Second Episode Of Rick And Morty Was Essentially The Co-Creator's Failed Show About A Dog Planet
In the episode "Lawnmower Dog," Rick makes the family dog, Snuffles, intelligent. This eventually results in Snuffles starting a society for sentient dogs in another dimension, to which Rick says that a planet of dogs "could be developed into a very satisfying project for people of all ages." You probably didn't realize that this was a reference to Rick And Morty voice actor and co-creator Justin Roiland's Dog World, a project that failed to get off the ground. The premise was that three human kids stumble through a portal into an alternate dimension where dogs are sentient and humans are their pets, and they need to find a way back home while living with a dog family.
Justin RoilandPlanet Of The Good Boys, basically.
When Rick accidentally calls Snuffles "Ruffles" in "Lawnmower Dog," that's a reference to the Doggerson's pet human. Other bits from Dog World made it into Rick And Morty too, most notably the theme song. Dog World's pilot is now floating around online, so dream big and never throw away your theme songs, kids.
4
Community Is Full of References To Chevy Chase's Life
In Community, it's explained that the vast wealth of Chevy Chase's character Pierce comes from being the heir to the Hawthorne Wipes fortune.
Sony Pictures Television
That seems like nothing but a goofy way of lampooning how a lot of rich TV characters are given totally generic business backgrounds, but Community went with something a little weirder. You see, Chevy Chase's step-grandfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt Crane, was the heir to the Crane Company, a conglomerate that has, among other interests, a plumbing division. They even gave Pierce's dad the same old-money name of Cornelius, made him resemble a more ridiculous version of the real person, and, uh, wrote him as an abusive racist. Was that based on reality too, or did they kind of screw over a dude who took in Chevy's mother?
Sony Pictures Television, The Crane FamilyBoth options are sad!