History AscendedMeme / LiveActionTV

* For a Creator/DiscoveryChannel contest, ''Webcomic/AwkwardZombie'' creator Katie Tiedrich created a ''Series/MythBusters'' fan-short about firing a pig from a cannon made entirely out of duct tape. The pig thing isn't too implausible, as the 'Busters do use pig carcasses as human analogues, but the "duct tape cannon" seemed like pure ridiculousness. The short didn't win the contest...but was ''so popular elsewhere'' that ''the Mythbusters themselves saw it and loved it.'' Come the Duct Tape Special, guess what Kari, Tori, and Grant actually made?[[note]]They didn't fire a pig, but they did fire a bright-orange cannonball.[[/note]]

* Originally in the BonusRound on ''Series/WheelOfFortune'', a contestant would have to pick five consonants and a vowel to assist in solving the bonus puzzle within a time limit. By the late 1980s, almost every contestant was picking R, S, T, L, N and E in that order, because those letters are the most common. The rules were finally changed in October 1988 to give those letters automatically -- in that order — and then ask for three more consonants and a vowel (but also making the puzzles harder and slashing the time limit).

* ''Series/SpittingImage'' would often feature film critic Barry Norman (voiced by Rory Bremner), giving him the CatchPhrase "...and why not?" [[BeamMeUpScotty He didn't say it in real life, but it fit with his style and became the first thing anyone thought of regarding him.]] Years later, Norman said in a review "...and, as Rory Bremner would say, why not?" and also made it the title of his autobiography.

* ''Franchise/StarTrek'' in general is famous for its RubberForeheadAliens. In most series, characters from one species (usually human) who wished to be disguised as another (usually to avoid violating the Prime Directive) would get some quick cosmetic surgery courtesy of the ship's doctor, which of course would be reversed by the beginning of the next episode. However, one episode of ''Enterprise'' bucked this trend and showed the characters peeling literal rubber prosthetics off their foreheads after returning from an away mission. Later, they must return to the planet, which requires them to put the rubber foreheads back on, and their relative ease of removal becomes crucially important to the plot.
** Speaking of ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'': There was a recurring mysterious time traveller pulling the strings of several plots points in the show, and was never identified and given a name. Fans often referred to him with the name ''Future Guy''. Then the creators of the show also used it. (Although the term never actually appeared in the show.)
** ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'' is built on a mix of ascended memes and [[CallBack memberberries]]. Like literally dozens of examples per episode. One of the more memorable examples is the joke question of "who cleans up the disgusting bodily fluids that people leave in the holodeck?"

* [=YouTuber=] swedemason made a StupidStatementDanceMix about ''Series/MasterChef'', particularly judge Gregg Wallace and his line, "[[https://youtu.be/IfeyUGZt8nk I like the buttery biscuit base]]". The song duly went viral and even made the UK Top 40 charts. Later, when he appeared on TV magic show ''The Magicians'', Wallace took the opportunity during his illusion to enthusiastically quote the song, much to the joy of the audience.

** Gendry's eventual return in season 7 earns the remark "Thought you'd still be rowing" from Davos. Gendry perpetually rowing became a meme after he was smuggled out of Dragonstone on a rowboat in season 3 and was never heard from until this point.

* Originally, ''Series/TheXFiles'' character was named "Cigarette-Smoking Man" in the scripts. But no one ever called him by name. So the fans started calling him "Cancer Man". By Season 3, so did Mulder.
* In ''Series/{{Lost}}'', fans gave the smoke monster the nickname 'Smokey'. In season 6, Sawyer referred to him by this name (justified by the fact that Sawyer gives everyone creative nicknames).
* ''Franchise/StarTrek'' in general is famous for its RubberForeheadAliens. In most series, characters from one species (usually human) who wished to be disguised as another (usually to avoid violating the Prime Directive) would get some quick cosmetic surgery courtesy of the ship's doctor, which of course would be reversed by the beginning of the next episode. However, one episode of ''Enterprise'' bucked this trend and showed the characters peeling literal rubber prosthetics off their foreheads after returning from an away mission. Later, they must return to the planet, which requires them to put the rubber foreheads back on, and their relative ease of removal becomes crucially important to the plot.
** Speaking of ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'': There was a recurring mysterious time traveller pulling the strings of several plots points in the show, and was never identified and given a name. Fans often referred to him with the name ''Future Guy''. Then the creators of the show also used it. (Although the term never actually appeared in the show.)
** ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'' is built on a mix of ascended memes and [[CallBack memberberries]]. Like literally dozens of examples per episode. One of the more memorable examples is the joke question of "who cleans up the disgusting bodily fluids that people leave in the holodeck?"
* ''Series/{{Glee}}'s'' [[PortmanteauCoupleName pairing names]] Finchel, Puckelberry, and Furt showed up all in Episode 2X08. It was titled Furt. The pairing names continued to show up throughout the series, including the names for the more obscure fanon couples (i.e. Faberry). At the big double wedding of season 6, the characters hand out [[OneTruePairing OTP]] hats.

* ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' The fandom names for the alternate Walter and Olivia, "Walternate" (prior to his reveal) and "Fauxlivia" (following her introduction), have both been canonized by the show.

* [=YouTuber=] swedemason made a StupidStatementDanceMix about ''Series/MasterChef'', particularly judge Gregg Wallace and his line, "[[https://youtu.be/IfeyUGZt8nk I like the buttery biscuit base]]". The song duly went viral and even made the UK Top 40 charts. Later, when he appeared on TV magic show ''The Magicians'', Wallace took the opportunity during his illusion to enthusiastically quote the song, much to the joy of the audience.
* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''
** Music/MileyCyrus is evidently a fan of the sketch "The Miley Cyrus Show", starring Vanessa Bayer as Cyrus, and has often incorporated the sketch's "prrrretty cool" catchphrase on her Website/{{Twitter}} account (her sister Noah is also known to use it in Website/YouTube videos). When Miley hosted SNL in March 2011, she used the catchphrase in [[https://youtu.be/UmGzfNIqvqc promos with]] [[Series/KenanAndKel Kenan Thompson]], and [[https://youtu.be/JK2E8evE_ow even got to act in a "Miley Cyrus Show" sketch]] dressed as Music/JustinBieber (one of the highlights of the episode).
** Bayer-as-Cyrus introduced Miley's infamous 2013 VMA performance.
** Also, [[http://instagram.com/p/vII3G5wzN0/?modal=true this Instagram post]].
** TheAhnold parodies Hans and Franz used to mock what they described as "girlie men". Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger himself [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girlie_men#Schwarzenegger.27s_usage used the phrase]] ([[ValuesDissonance and given the years following the sketches saw political correctness started to ramp up, at times with moral outrage]]).
* Comedy clip show ''Series/TheSoup'' would often describe ''Series/TheHills'' star Spencer Pratt as having a "creepy flesh-colored beard". The phrase would eventually make it into an episode.
* It's been a running joke among ''Series/GossipGirl'' fans that [[HoYay Chuck and Nate are practically lovers]]. In season five, Jack Bass makes a comment on how it's about time Nate professed his true feelings for Chuck.
** Also with regards to Nate, fans have been joking about how many of his love interests are cougars. In an early season five episode, Chuck Bass, of all people, turns to Nate for advice on seduction since the woman he has his eyes on is... a cougar. Chuck claims Nate "speaks old lady".
* On a page advertising a cardboard standup of Jess from ''Series/NewGirl'' on their website, Creator/{{FOX}} officially called her "everyone's favorite [[ManicPixieDreamGirl manic pixie dream girl]]." Jess is played by that [[TropeCodifier Trope's codifier]] Creator/ZooeyDeschanel.
** Also, in one episode Jess gets mistaken for an attractive doctor's date, whom he knows only through her dating profile picture... and her name is [[Music/KatyPerry Katy]].
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' was fond of meta episodes that poked fun at/outright ridiculed the rather ''keen'' elements of its fandom.
** In Season 5, they attend a con in which they see merchandise emblazed with Got Salt? and other meme-y phrases from the fandom.
** In the Season 10 episode "Fanfiction", they visit a high school putting on a play about their adventures, complete with a "Destiel" subplot that irritates Dean. Sam, on the other hand, speculates what his ship name with Castiel would be and comes up with Sastiel, which is the most popular one.
** In Season 13's Franchise/ScoobyDoo crossover, Dean races the Mystery Machine in the Impala, mirroring a popular meme that compared his car to the Scooby gang's iconic van.
* "Jesus Christ, Marie. They're minerals" [[BeamMeUpScotty became associated with]] ''Series/BreakingBad'' despite Hank not actually saying the line itself during his mineral collecting phase. He does however say the first sentence in the Season 5 episode "Confessions"
** The "I am the one who knocks!" meme got a shout out in the comedic "alternate" ending.
* ''Series/TopGear'': The presenters' use of the term "Flappy Paddle Gearbox" to describe Semi-Automatic Transmission has led to many car manufacturers and reviewers adopting the term themselves.
* ''Series/{{Cheers}}'': In the episode "What is... Cliff Clavin?", [[GameShowAppearance Cliff goes on]] ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'', but despite a runaway lead of $22,000, he loses by wagering everything in Final Jeopardy and answering "Who are three people who have never been in my kitchen?" Cliff's answer has frequently been used as a stock answer to questions that stump contestants, the earliest example occurring in the 1990 College Tournament by eventual winner Michael Thayer, and Creator/AlexTrebek frequently warns players not to [[PersonAsVerb "pull a Clavin"]][[note]]That is, overbet[[/note]] in FJ. The categories from "Cliff's Dream Board" were also featured in a 2005 Ultimate Tournament of Champions game.
** ''Jeopardy!'' also at times [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_Jeopardy!_(Saturday_Night_Live)#Impact does categories straight out of the]] ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' Celebrity Jeopardy sketches, once all of them (ranging from Creator/SeanConnery to [[TheProblemWithPenIsland Therapists]]).
* Creator/CarlSagan is famous for the way he described the universe's multitude of stars in ''Series/{{Cosmos}}'' ([[BeamMeUpScotty although he didn't, until he said it as a joke in a book foreword]]). In the 2014 reboot, Neil [=deGrasse=] Tyson mentions that the invention of zero is useful for writing "billions and billions".
* ''Series/WynonnaEarp'': In the season 2 finale, Jeremy refers to Waverly and Officer Nicole Haught by their popular shipname, [=WayHaught=], much to Doc's confusion.
* HGTV spoofed the House Hunters meme of where people seemingly have much too large a budget for what their jobs are in a Christmas ad (Santa and Mrs. Claus with their unlimited budgets).
* In a 2016 ''Series/SomeMothersDoAveEm'' skit for Sports Relief, Frank told his daughter Jessica that he was always proud of her, and she replied "Even when I did a whoopsie on the carpet?", referencing the stock line used by Frank Spencer impersonators "Ooh, Betty, the baby's done a whoopsie on the carpet". Frank replied that he didn't remember that, referencing the fact [[BeamMeUpScotty the line never appeared in the series]].
* In the first episode of ''Series/MuppetsNow'', one of the photobombing poses made by Kermit shows him drinking tea, a direct reference to the "But that's none of my business" meme that uses a still from a Muppets-themed commercial for Lipton tea.
* For decades, fans of ''Franchise/StarWars'' from Christian (specifically Catholic) backgrounds have joked about how they felt the urge to reply to "May the Force be with you" with "And also with you" (a response used during Mass to the similarly phrased "May the Lord be with you"). An episode of ''Series/TheMandalorian'' had a New Republic pilot reply this way, finally making the joke a canon response.
* The Shrine of the Silver Monkey is easily the most famous room from ''Series/LegendsOfTheHiddenTemple'', due to how many teams crashed and burned in there. It's the only room from the original to make it into the 2021 remake unaltered, and Olmec makes a snide remark about it as he describes it - apparently even ''he'' doesn't care for it.

** [[UrbanLegendOfZelda Many people seem to think]] that Ernie and Bert got their names from the cab driver and the police officer in ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife''. Creator/JimHenson, the creator of said characters, had said this was just a coincidence. But then in an ''Film/ElmoSavesChristmas'' special, Ernie and Bert walk past a TV set showing ''It's a Wonderful Life'', right at the scene where George calls out "Bert! Ernie! What's the matter with you two guys?" The two Muppets then look at each other, confused.

** ''Lower Decks'' is built on a mix of ascended memes and [[CallBack memberberries]]. Like literally dozens of examples per episode. One of the more memorable examples is the joke question of "who cleans up the disgusting bodily fluids that people leave in the holodeck?"

* The ''Series/StarTrek'' franchise in general is famous for its RubberForeheadAliens. In most series, characters from one species (usually human) who wished to be disguised as another (usually to avoid violating the Prime Directive) would get some quick cosmetic surgery courtesy of the shp's doctor, which of course would be reversed by the beginning of the next episode. However, one episode of ''Enterprise'' bucked this trend and showed the characters peeling literal rubber prosthetics off their foreheads after returning from an away mission. Later, they must return to the planet, which requires them to put the rubber foreheads back on, and their relative ease of removal becomes crucially important to the plot.

* ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'': There was a recurring mysterious time traveller pulling the strings of several plots points in the show, and was never identified and given a name. Fans often referred to him with the name ''Future Guy''. Then the creators of the show also used it. (Although the term never actually appeared in the show.)

** In Season 13's Creator/ScoobyDoo crossover, Dean races the Mystery Machine in the Impala, mirroring a popular meme that compared his car to the Scooby gang's iconic van.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' was fond of meta episodes that poked fun at/outright ridiculed the rather ''keen'' elements of its fandom. In Season 4, The Winchesters not only learn there is a series of books outline their adventures, they discover, to their disgust, that people [[IncestYayShipping ship them together]]. In Season 5, they attend a con in which they see merchandise emblazed with Got Salt? and other meme-y phrases from the fandom. In the Season 10 episode "Fanfiction", they visit a high school putting on a play about their adventures, complete with a "Destiel" subplot that irritates Dean. Sam, on the other hand, speculates what his ship name with Castiel would be and comes up with Sastiel, which is the most popular one.

* For decades, fans of ''Franchise/StarWars'' from Christian (specifically Catholic) backgrounds have joked about how they felt the urge to reply to "May the Force be with you" with "And also with you" (a response used during Mass to the similarly phrased "May the Lord be with you"). An episode of ''Series/TheMandalorian'' had a New Repbulic pilot reply this way, finally making the joke a canon response.