30 Rock"Brooklyn Without Limits"Season: 5 Episode: 7 Date: 2010-11-11 Thanks: Lizard Dude 100 Things to Do Before High School"Have the Best Halloween School Day Ever Thing!"Season: 1 Episode: 15 Date: 2015-10-24 For Halloween at his school, Crispo (Owen Joyner) is dressed as Mario with a "C" on his hat. The episode also contains a Donkey Kong reference: Mindy, who is wearing a princess costume, ends up in detention, and the hall monitor, who is wearing a gorilla suit, is guarding the room. Crispo borrows a hammer, then jumps over barrels rolled by the hall monitor on his way to rescue Mindy. @midnightSeason: 2 Episode: 102 Date: 2015-05-06 This episode's #HashtagWars segment was #VideoGameSitcoms. Host Chris Hardwick used "Donkey Kong of Queens" as an example, and one of Jeff Davis's responses was "Mario Tyler Moore." A.N.T. Farm"replicANT"Season: 1 Episode: 8 Date: 2011-08-12 American Dad!"School Lies"Season: 7 Episode: 14 Date: 2011-04-03 Back to the Future"Bravelord and the Demon Monstrux"Season: 2 Episode: 6 Date: 1992-10-31 A game is featured which contains many sound effects sampled from NES Mario games. Batman: The Animated Series"If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?"Season: 1 Episode: 40 Date: 1992-11-18 Beauty and the Geek"The Beauties Meet the Geeks"Season: 3 Episode: 1,2 Date: 2007-01-03 One of the "geeks" (whose name is Mario, incidentally) for his comedy routine talked about Super Mario Bros. and its catchy music, which he then sang. Sound clips
Thanks: Sapphira Boy Meets World"Torn Between Two Lovers (Feeling Like a Fool)" Broad City"The Matrix"Season: 2 Episode: 6 Date: 2015-02-18 A Super Mushroom-shaped candy tin sits on top of a TV near the beginning of the episode. Made by Boston America, the red "Nintendo Mushroom Sours" tin contains sour cherry-flavored mushroom-shaped candy. Images Chowder"Sniffleball"Season: 1 Episode: 10a Date: 2008-03-06 As Chowder is shown running around many bases during the sniffleball game, one of the bases is similar to a Bowser battle from Super Mario Bros. "Chowder and Mr. Fugu"Season: 1 Episode: 12b Date: 2008-05-01 Thanks: Jamydanny, Jackson W. ChuckClerks"Dante and Randal and Jay and Silent Bob and a Bunch of New Characters and Lando Take Part in a Whole Bunch of Movie Parodies Including, but Not Exclusive to, The Bad News Bears, The Last Starfighter, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, plus a High School Reunion"Season: 1 Episode: 5 Date: 2001-02-20 Randal finds the Pharaoh arcade cabinet he used to play in a closet during his high school reunion, and as he plays it, various Mario soundalike tones are heard. Cromartie High School"Lost Relation"Episode: 20 Thanks: BP CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"Crime After Crime"Season: 12 Episode: 8 Date: 2011-11-16 In the opening scene, a few seconds of Donkey Kong (arcade) gameplay is displayed on a projector screen during a party at an arcade. Denpa Onna to Seishun OtokoFamily Guy"Lois Comes Out of Her Shell"Season: 11 Episode: 6 Date: 2012-11-25 Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends"The Buck Swaps Here"Season: 5 Episode: 2 Date: 2007-05-18 A thief runs into a mirror carried by Mario and Luigi lookalikes. Then, "Mario" talks in an Italian accent while the duo repeatedly hits the thief with the broken mirror. Thanks: Emerald Yoshi, LuigiLover Franklin & Bash"Franklin vs. Bash"Season: 1 Episode: 7 Date: 2011-07-13 After both Franklin and Bash attempt to sell out each other's clients for ten years in prison so that their own can walk free, Bash turns to Franklin and says "Oh, it's on," to which Franklin replies, "Like Donkey Kong." Futurama"Space Pilot 3000"Season: 1 Episode: 1 Date: 1999-03-28 Opens on Fry playing a game called "Monkey Fracas Jr.," featuring a barrel-throwing gorilla. The arcade cabinet is shown in later episodes, although the gameplay is never seen again. "A Bicyclops Built for Two"Season: 2 Episode: 9 Date: 2000-03-19 In the game "Death Factory III: The Legend of Death Factory II," a barrel-throwing gorilla appears. "The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz"Season: 3 Episode: 5 Date: 2001-03-04 Leela walks in on Fry and Dr. Zoidberg playing video games, and asks, "Hey, why weren't you Kong Donkeys outside cleaning up?" Video clips
"Anthology of Interest II"Season: 3 Episode: 18 Date: 2002-01-06 This episode centers around the main characters using the Professor's "What If?" machine to show alternate realities. Fry wants to know what life would be like if it was more like a video game, so the machine shows a world where Earth goes to war with the planet Nintendu 64 (yes, Nintendu). At the start of the scenario, President Nixon signs a peace treaty with Donkey Kong, who is the Nintendu 64ian ambassador to Earth. DK attacks Nixon, however, and Mario, who is part of the Earth U.N., expresses fear. Mario: Mamma mia! The cruel meatball of war has-a rolled onto our laps, and-a ruined our white pants of peace. Later, the main characters meet Donkey Kong and the monsters: Fry: What do you monsters want? Thanks: Pigma, Andrea "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings"Season: 4 Episode: 18 Date: 2003-08-10 The images and sounds from a kid's performance at Fry's holophonor recital include barrel-jumping à la Donkey Kong. "Bender's Game"Season: 5 Episode: 9-12 Date: 2009-04-26 See: Futurama: Bender's Game. "Rebirth"Season: 6 Episode: 1 Date: 2010-06-24 As the Planet Express ship is fired upon, Fry—who is holding a NES controller—yells, "We've lost power to the forward Game Boy! Mario not responding!" while Donkey Kong-style walking noises can be heard. "Lrrreconcilable Ndndifferences"Season: 6 Episode: 11 Date: 2010-08-26 A man in a Mario costume MCs a costume contest at a comic convention. "Law & Oracle"Season: 6 Episode: 16 Date: 2011-07-07 In a scene mirroring the first scene of the series, Fry plays a Paperboy spoof titled Delivery Command, in which he swiftly dodges a gorilla throwing a barrel at him. "Reincarnation"Season: 6 Episode: 26 Date: 2011-09-08 "Game of Tones"Season: 7 Episode: 23 Date: 2013-08-14 In a dream, Fry relives December 31, 1999, including playing "Monkey Fracas Jr." again. Game Over"Alice and the C.A.T.'s"Episode: 5 Date: 2004-04-02 "Monkey Dearest"Episode: 6 GameheadzDate: 2003-04-16 The Learning Channel's hour-long video game special mentions the success of the Donkey Kong arcade game and the Super Mario series while game footage is shown. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto shows the first sketch he drew for Donkey Kong and plays Mario tunes on guitar, but his guitar playing is almost completely drowned out by the narrator's voice. Glee"Laryngitis"Season: 1 Episode: 18 Date: 2010-05-11 Quinn mentions that Puck only ever talks about Super Mario Bros. Later, Puck is shown talking about how Super Mario Bros. 3 is the best one since it has the Star Worlds, which no other game had. (Note: Super Mario World, not Super Mario Bros. 3, has the Star World.) Gravity FallsThanks: Markio Inside Amy SchumerInvader Zim"Bloaty's Pizza Hog"Season: 1 Episode: 10b Date: 2001-09-07 At a Chuck E. Cheese's-type restaurant, an arcade game makes the coin sound from the Super Mario Bros. series. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"Who Got Dee Pregnant?"Season: 6 Episode: 7 Date: 2010-10-28 Trying to recall a Halloween party, Dennis says, "So here's what I remember from my 'brown' state: I remember we were all in costume, and our costumes were pretty cool, except for yours. I was really pissed off at you because we agreed to go as Mario and Luigi." He is then shown in flashback wearing a Luigi costume. Jeopardy!John from Cincinnati"His Visit, Day Three"Episode: 4 Date: 2007-07-01 Butchie asks three children if they have seen John, and when he is finished talking to them, he says, "Mario Bros., I got the high score on that." Late Night with Jimmy FallonDate: 2013-03-19 Late Show with David LettermanDate: 2007-01-24 While Letterman and a John Madden impersonator (Frank Caliendo) discuss the new Madden 07 video game, "Madden" reminisces about Donkey Kong and Super Mario Bros. Sound clips
Lilyhammer"Guantanamo Blues"Season: 1 Episode: 3 Date: 2012-02-08 "The Midwife"Season: 1 Episode: 4 Date: 2012-02-15 Lost"The Long Con"Season: 2 Episode: 13 Date: 2006-02-08 When Jack and Jin walk in on Sawyer sitting at a computer, he facetiously tells them, "One second, I'm like this close to the high score on Donkey Kong." "Ji Yeon"Season: 4 Episode: 7 Date: 2008-03-13 As Jin looks for a panda in a Korean toy store, some Mario Kart toys are shown on display. Images LutherSeason: 2 Episode: 2 Date: 2011-06-21 MADMarried... with Children"Requiem for a Dead Barber"Season: 3 Episode: 9 Date: 1989-02-12 Al Bundy laments the decline of pinball and the rise of video games: "They take the pinball machine, give you video games. What do I care if a monkey can make it to the top of a building? Unless he's going up there to throw off his wife, it doesn't matter to me." Thanks: Alberto O. Modern Marvels"Video Games: Behind the Fun"Season: 7 Episode: 27 Date: 2000-10-09 Muppet Babies"It's Only Pretendo"Season: 6 Episode: 12 Date: 1989-12-02 My Name Is Earl"Foreign Exchange Student"Season: 2 Episode: 15 Date: 2007-02-01 When Earl's friends list great things about the United States to foreigner Pierre, Randy (Ethan Suplee) mentions Donkey Kong along with several other video games: "Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Dig Dug, Mrs. Pac-Man, Frogger, Mrs. Frogger—we don't have that one yet, but I'm sure the scientists are workin' on it." Sound clips
Mystery Science Theater 3000Oz"Animal Farm"Season: 2 Episode: 7 Date: 1998-08-24 Parks and Recreation"Boys' Club"Season: 1 Episode: 4 Date: 2009-04-30 Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt) is shown playing Mario Kart Wii. Regular Show"Fortune Cookie"Season: 3 Episode: 14 Date: 2012-01-23 Robot Chicken"Gold Dust Gasoline"Season: 1 Episode: 3 Date: 2005-03-06 Mario, Luigi, and Wario Mario Kart toys appear in the "3 Fast 3 Furious" skit, which parodies the 2 Fast 2 Furious movie. Despite launching a blue shell to take out the lead racer, Mario and Luigi finish in 6th and 7th place, respectively. Bonus cameo: When Mario and Luigi discuss using the blue shell, a Yoshi toy appears in the background for a split second. "The Sack"Season: 1 Episode: 18 Date: 2005-07-03 In the minute-long skit entitled "Halo Kong," three Master Chief characters from Halo enter a Donkey Kong arcade game in progress and defeat DK with a timed explosion. "Lust for Puppets"Season: 2 Episode: 18 Date: 2006-11-05 The "Grand Theft Mario" skit brings back the Mario and Luigi Mario Kart toys from an earlier Robot Chicken episode. While out for a drive in Mario's kart, the brothers take a detour and end up in Vice City, the setting of Grand Theft Auto IV. Right away, their kart gets a flat tire, so they drive into an auto repair garage and come out with... a purple lowrider. As they venture further into the city, the brothers discover that brick ceilings, turtles, and mushrooms don't work the same as in the Mushroom Kingdom. The brothers' crime spree ends in a bloody shootout with the police. Ending the skit is a brief scene of Yoshi driving his kart into Raccoon City (from Resident Evil), where he is promptly eaten by zombies. Roseanne"The Back Story"Season: 4 Episode: 15 Date: 1992-02-04 In the opening scene, Dan says that he bought a Super Nintendo for DJ. Dan: Yeah, it's at the shop. I even got ol' Deej an educational game to go with it. Later on, scenes are shown in which the Super Nintendo is being played and the title music from Super Mario World is heard, while the description of the game sounds very different. ("The skeleton stabbed you through the heart. That's your blood." and "Two more swords and I'm queen of the monkey people!") "The Commercial Show"Season: 4 Episode: 19 Date: 1992-03-03 A Super Mario World cartridge is visible in a couple of scenes where they are playing SNES. Sanjay and Craig"Maximum Dennis"Season: 1 Episode: 3 Date: 2013-06-01 Saturday Night LiveSeason: 30 Episode: 20 Date: 2005-05-21 During the Weekend Update skit, a news item about Christian Video Games ends with "Super Jesuit Bros," accompanied by a picture of Mario as a Jesuit. The picture used was converted from Super Mario Sunshine art. Season: 34 Episode: 16 Date: 2009-02-14 Season: 39 Episode: 2 Date: 2013-10-05 Season: 39 Episode: 14 Date: 2014-02-01 In a pre-recorded skit called "Super Champions," Kyle Mooney interviews people in Times Square about the upcoming Super Bowl. Along the way he asks a man in a Mario costume if he's ready for the game. The man, who does not try to imitate Mario's voice, replies, "Yeah, I'm ready!" Kyle looks confused and pauses for a few seconds, then says, "That's not what he sounds like." (A video is available online at NBC.com.) South Park"The Jeffersons"Season: 8 Episode: 6 Date: 2004-04-21 A screen shot from Super Mario Bros. 2 and another from Super Mario Bros. are displayed on two arcade machines inside Blanket's house. Only visible for a few seconds, they are part of a group of four arcade games with generic-looking cabinets and obviously fake titles. The machine with SMB2 has the title "______ ___ Blood." SMB is titled "Farmer's Market" and has a steering wheel. (Another NES game, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, is two machines down from SMB. We're not sure what game's screen shot is on the "Space Brain Damage" machine between SMB and Zelda II.) Images Thanks: NintendoExpert89 "Imaginationland"Season: 11 Episode: 10 Date: 2007-10-17 A Mario lookalike with an "E" on his hat (lowercase "m" turned on its side) is seen among the Imaginationland inhabitants. Images "Imaginationland Episode II"Season: 11 Episode: 11 Date: 2007-10-24 A Wario lookalike with a "V" on his hat is among the crowd of evil Imaginationland people watching Strawberry Shortcake get attacked. Images "Imaginationland Episode III"Season: 11 Episode: 12 Date: 2007-10-31 Wario, holding a shotgun, marches to battle along with other evil characters. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"Pulverizer Returns!"Season: 1 Episode: 22 Date: 2013-05-11 The Big Bang Theory"The Codpiece Topology"Season: 2 Episode: 2 Date: 2008-09-29 Sheldon plays Super Mario 64 on his laptop with a "poorly-coded Nintendo 64 emulator." "The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation"Season: 3 Episode: 1 Date: 2009-09-21 "The Gorilla Experiment"Season: 3 Episode: 10 Date: 2009-12-07 Sheldon and Raj play Mario Kart Wii. Raj, playing as Yoshi, trash-talks before winning the race: "Eat my dust, racially stereotypical plumber!" "The Bozeman Reaction"Season: 3 Episode: 13 Date: 2010-01-18 When reporting his stolen games to the police, Sheldon names Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Galaxy, and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. (Note: Sheldon calls it "Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympics.") "The Love Car Displacement"Season: 4 Episode: 13 Date: 2011-01-20 The Colbert ReportThanks: Antonio M. The Daily Show with Jon StewartDate: 2010-01-07 Part of Jon Stewart's coverage of Senators Chris Dodd and Byron Dorgan stepping down is accompanied by a picture of Dodd's head on Mario and Dorgan's head on Luigi, with the caption "Donkey Gone" in the style of the Donkey Kong logo. The Mario and Luigi artwork is from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Images Date: 2011-01-06 In the "Republicans 2: The New Batch" segment, Jon Stewart riffs on John Boehner's oversized gavel, asking, "Is he running the House of Representatives or trying to save a princess from a monkey?" as the show cuts to a few seconds of Donkey Kong (NES) game footage. Date: 2015-02-04 In the first segment, while joking about how Senator Mitch McConnell looks like a turtle, a few seconds of Super Mario Bros. gameplay was shown, featuring a green Koopa Troopa on a pipe in World 1-1. (Note: Though the game footage looks genuine, the real game doesn't have a Koopa Troopa there. See our blog post for more about this sighting.) The Ellen DeGeneres ShowDate: 2014-05-22 Ellen mentions Nintendo's response to criticism about not having gay characters in Tomodachi Life, then brings out two actors dressed up like Mario and Luigi. Luigi proclaims, "We are not brothers, we're lovers." Mario adds, "It's me, Mario! I'm-a gay!" A video clip is online at EllenTV.com. Images The Fairly OddParents!"Fairy Fairy Quite Contrary"Season: 2 Episode: 16a Date: 2002-09-13 Joined by their fairy godparents, Remy Buxaplenty and Timmy have a "magical duel." The first challenge: the godparents have to save the kids from a giant ape, who jumps onto a Donkey Kong-like platform structure and begins throwing barrels. Thanks: Richard S., ViVaLaBaM317, Kyle E., DekaiGoomba, Jaden E. "Odd Ball"Season: 3 Episode: 33b Date: 2003-10-10 The Super Mario Bros. power-up sound effect plays after Timmy scores in "Digi Dunk 3000," a basketball video game on the "V-Cube" console. Thanks: Jaden E. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"Love at First Fight"Season: 1 Episode: 21 Date: 1991-02-18 During a conversation, Will says that he once got to the third level of Super Mario Bros. and it was hectic. The IT Crowd"Italian for Beginners"Season: 4 Episode: 4 Date: 2010-07-16 The Late Late Show with Craig FergusonDate: 2009-05-15 During the monologue, Craig Ferguson mentions that the movie Angels & Demons takes place in Rome, then goes on to show a map of Italy with a "Mario Bros." island in the place of Sicily. Images Thanks: Daniel B. The Ren & Stimpy Show"Stimpy's Big Day"Season: 1 Episode: 1 Date: 1991-08-11 Prior to the beginning of the actual episode, a commercial for Log is shown, in which a girl is presented with potential toys she might enjoy. Among these is a video game, which shows what appears to be Mario about to enter an angled pipe, such as that seen in Super Mario Bros. immediately before an underground level. Images The Simpsons"Marge Be Not Proud"Season: 7 Episode: 11 Date: 1995-12-17 At the "Try-N-Save," Bart encounters a pair of his school mates, who brag that they are currently shoplifting. After they walk away, Bart notices that the video game display case has been left open. As Bart looks at a game called "Bonestorm," he considers stealing it. One after another, several video game characters appear as his conscience: Luigi: Go ahead-a, Bart, take-a the Bonestorm. (Voice of Mario: Dan Castellaneta. Voice of Luigi: Hank Azaria. Voice of DK: Harry Shearer.) "The Springfield Files"Season: 8 Episode: 10 Date: 1997-01-12 At the Noiseland Arcade, Donkey Kong sits under a sign that reads "Friday Meet Donkey Kong in Person." While holding a cigarette, DK picks a bug off his leg and eats it. Then, the Manager walks by. Manager: Sorry Donkey Kong, you're just not a draw anymore. "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass"Season: 16 Episode: 8 Date: 2005-02-06 An "Italians Touring America" tour bus drives by the Simpsons' house when Homer is out in the front yard. The tour guide tells the passengers, "Look at the American computer monkey! Dance-a monkey, dance!" Homer makes some threatening monkey gestures at them. Mario, who's a passenger on the bus, runs out and says, "Basta, basta! Take-a my picture with the internet marmalook-a!" Homer starts throwing his conveniently-placed trash cans at Mario and a full-scale Donkey Kong battle takes place, complete with sound effects, the hammer, and Mario's classic death animation. "The Father, The Son, and The Holy Guest Star"Season: 16 Episode: 21 Date: 2005-05-15 During Springfield Elementary School's medieval festival, Principal Skinner has Groundskeeper Willie in a cage, explaining, "Since the Middle Ages had no compact discs or Super Mario men, people found entertainment abusing the village idiot." Sound clips Thanks: NintendoExpert89 The Sopranos"Meadowlands"Season: 1 Episode: 4 Date: 1999-01-31 Tony (James Gandolfini) comes home to A.J. (Robert Iler) playing Mario Kart 64, soon joining him for a multiplayer race. "Down Neck"Season: 1 Episode: 7 Date: 1999-02-21 Carmela Soprano (Edie Falco) punishes A.J. (Robert Iler) for getting suspended from school: "You are not to play Mario Kart or go skateboarding for three weeks." Sound clips
The Tonight Show with Conan O'BrienTiny Toon Adventures"K-ACME TV"Season: 1 Episode: 64 Date: 1991-02-26 This episode includes a mock commercial for "Super Plucky-o Bros," a spoof of Super Mario Bros. starring Tiny Toon Adventures characters. The commercial uses a remix of the SMB theme and borrows various SMB sound effects. Thanks: Rapidkirby3k Who Wants to Be a MillionaireA female contestant was asked: In the video game "Donkey Kong," the hero now known as Mario was originally called what? She correctly answered "C," winning $100,000. |