Line #74 Film/TooManyCooks


1	[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b2bbkbmcqaeeavp_jpg_large_2_2104.jpg]]
2
3	->''"It takes a lot to make a stew,\
4	A pinch of salt and laughter too,\
5	A scoop of kids to add the spice,\
6	A dash of love to make it nice\
7	And you've got...\
8	Too many cooks (too many cooks),\
9	Too many cooks (too many cooks),\
10	Too many cooks..."''
11	-->-- '''TitleThemeTune'''
12
13	''Too Many Cooks'' is a 2014 short film written and directed by [[Series/YourPrettyFaceIsGoingToHell Casper Kelly]], edited by Paul Painter, and distributed as a part of Creator/AdultSwim's {{Series/Infomercials}} series. It was broadcast on [adult swim] at 4 a.m. each morning from October 31st to November 6th, then posted on their Website/YouTube channel (where it quickly went viral). The short is an AffectionateParody of '80s sitcom openings that introduces the loving Cook family -- one by one by one by one by one by one by one [[RunningGag by one by one by one]] [[OverlyLongGag by one by one by one]]...
14
15	What starts out as a mostly straight spoof of [[DomCom family shows]] progresses to [[GenreRoulette spoofing work sitcoms, police shows, Saturday morning cartoons, and so on]]. Then things get ''even weirder'', into a MindScrew unlike the [[SubvertedSitcom family sitcom it seemed to be]]. See the whole short [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrGrOK8oZG8 HERE]], all eleven mind-scrambling minutes of it.
16
17	----
18	!! Too Many Tropes! (''Too Many Tropes!'')
19
20	* ActionGirl:
21	** Captain Jen Simmer, briefly seen on an alien planet gun-toting while a space battle rages overhead.
22	** Policewoman Laura Cook has her VideoCredits be taking out a crook with a thrown baton.
23	** Subverted with Melinda Cook; see FauxActionGirl.
24	* AffectionateParody: There's parodies of everything from sitcoms like ''Series/FullHouse'' to cop dramas like ''Series/HillStreetBlues'' and ''Series/LawAndOrder'' to ''Franchise/GIJoe'' and ''Franchise/BattlestarGalactica'' to slasher films. And it's pretty clear amidst the insanity that the creators ''enjoyed'' it.
25	* AllThereInTheScript: While the short only shows the actors playing the various Cooks, the [[FreezeFrameBonus rapid end credits]] reveal most if not all characters' in-universe names (listed on the [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3534838/fullcredits IMDb cast page]]).
26	* AndStarring: The acting credits end "And featuring William Tokarsky," whose character is called "Bill" by Website/IMDb.
27	* AnimateInanimateObject: Matthew Kody Foster as "Coat". And probably Creator/LarsVonTrier as "Pie" too.
28	* AnyoneCanDie: [[spoiler: Throw a serial killer in the mix, and this trope comes into play]].
29	* BackgroundMusicOverride: [[spoiler: The sitcom theme music overrides whatever is playing when Bill shows up and is how Intronitis presents itself in newly infected victims.]]
30	* BaitAndSwitchCredits: And switch, and switch, and switch, and switch... [[spoiler: Once it gets to the ''actual show'', it's managed to switch back to the original family sitcom setting, but with characters from the other settings still existing.]]
31	* BigBadEnsemble: [[spoiler:Bill and the Intronitis: the former wants to kill the whole cast [[DisproportionateRetribution because he didn't have the role he wanted]] while the latter tries to spread itself through more and more actors.]] However, these two examples [[spoiler:(and the decision to separate them)]] depend on your interpretation.
32	* BigBrotherBully: Jim Cook is introduced holding Warren O'Cook in a headlock and giving him a noogie.
33	* BigRedButton: At the climax [[spoiler:Smarf crawls to one in hopes of it fixing things. It's unclear whether or not he managed to press it before he died.]]
34	* BitCharacter: According to WordOfGod, [[spoiler: Bill's StartOfDarkness was that he was a background character who wanted to be the main sitcom dad. He went postal because he couldn't live his dream]].
35	* BloodFromTheMouth: The tennis player spouts blood when he gets a knife InTheBack by Bill.
36	* BloodyHilarious: [[spoiler:As Bill's rampage begins.]]
37	* BrokenRecord: "Too many cooks! (Too many coooooks.) Too many cooks! (Too many coooooks.)" It usually goes for about a minute before a break, at which point it'll repeat something else we heard already before looping for ''another'' minute.
38	* BrokenSmile: Samantha's smile starts looking ''really'' forced as she realizes [[spoiler:Bill is behind her.]]
39	* CallBack: [[spoiler: As the show gets more messed up]], previous scenes (the two couples' {{polyamory}}, boss getting a box on the head, ChildishPillowFight, a paint roller to the face) replay, but now [[spoiler: with the characters from different genre segments acting them out]].
40	* CastHerd: The various families, the cooks, T.L.'s office, Laura's mates on the force, C.O.O.K., the college girls, the C.O.O.K.S., etc., etc.
41	* CharacterAsHimself: Smarf.
42	* ChefOfIron: One of the Cook soldiers in the animated ''[[WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero G.I. Joe]]''-like segment appears to be a literal cook, complete with chef hat.
43	* ChekhovsGunman:
44	** Puppet cat Smarf, who [[spoiler:destroys Bill with his laser-beam eyes]] and [[spoiler:tries to hit the red button to save the show.]]
45	** Subverted with Melinda and Chris Cook. They turn out to be superheroes, but end up being [[spoiler:killed by Bill before they can do anything]].
46	* ChildishPillowFight: A short of three adolescent females performing a pillow fight for fan service.
47	* TheCouch: It takes center stage in most scenes, appropriate for the genre that is parodied.
48	* CreatorCameo: [[http://i.imgur.com/0fu2LWM.jpg Paul Painter's name appears]] during the ''G.I. Joe'' spoof. He plays the TokenNonHuman.
49	* CreditsGag: Hundreds of credits fly up the screen [[spoiler:in the last few seconds of the short]]. Many of them are for characters with the last name "Cook".
50	* CrowdedCastShot: Darren's final attempt at a family photo.
51	* DaChief: Sgt. Cook is introduced yelling and pounding his fist on his desk. The scene is revisited later on, [[spoiler: with Chloe suddenly replacing him and acting like him as everything goes out of control]].
52	* DarkReprise:
53	** During the scene where [[spoiler: Bill is eating]], the lyrics are a lot darker.
54	--->'''Song:''' ''[distorted and garbled]'' It takes a lot to make a stew. [[spoiler: [[ImAHumanitarian When it's made of me and you]]. Him and her, [[EatsBabies and the baby too]]]].
55	** A darker version of the song also plays when [[spoiler: Smarf tries to press the button in the kitchen while he's bleeding to death]].
56	* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: Veronica and Grammy Cook are shown reading a magazine titled "[[TropeName Magazine]]" with a picture of magazines on the cover of it. What magazines? [[DrosteImage Magazine magazine, of course. And those on the cover have the]] ''[[DrosteImage exact same]]'' [[DrosteImage picture of Magazine magazines on them as well]].
57	* DomCom: What the "original" show was supposed to be. The short parodies many cliches and conventions of the genre.
58	* DoubleMeaningTitle: Meanings of "too many cooks" include:
59	** The initial, rather large family named "Cook", and the second, and the various other families named variants of "Cook".
60	** An apparent CastHerd of literal professional cooks.
61	** The possible judgmental reactions to the quadrilateral relationship of first two Cook families.
62	** The ''Franchise/GIJoe'' like organization "C.O.O.K."
63	** The spacefaring "C.O.O.K.S."[[note]]Cybernetic Operational Optimized Knights of Science[[/note]] in an eternal war with "B.R.o.t.H."[[note]]Beast Rebels of the Hellscape[[/note]]
64	** The rapid and bizarre shifts in tone being the consequence of an overlarge production staff, as in the phrase "TooManyCooksSpoilTheSoup".
65	** It's also possible [[spoiler: Bill simply thinks there are too many cooks, and is "solving" the "problem".]]
66	** There's also one iteration of the "stew" metaphor becoming far more literal, with [[spoiler: Bill eating various characters -- "when it comes to me and you" becomes "when it's made of me and you" in this iteration of the theme]].
67	* DreamWorksFace: Grammy Cook makes this face at the camera.
68	* DropInCharacter: Several, it appears -- Melinda is introduced with Darren's family, but not seen in group shots, and Armondo Del Cook is an obvious [[Series/HappyDays Fonzie]] expy.
69	* {{Eagleland}}: The ''G.I. Joe'' parody.
70	-->"Some people say it'll spoil the broth, but that's not the American way!\
71	Too Many Cooks will serve a helping of freedom and resist the forces of evil!"
72	* EarnYourHappyEnding: [[spoiler: Ambiguous, just like everything else in the short, but after Smarf kills Bill and painfully drags himself over to push the Reset Button, literally everyone is shown to be alive and well, and Smarf seems happy to be reunited with his family again.]]
73	* EatsBabies: Not actually shown, but the once-innocuous lyrics about baby too, etc., overlap with [[spoiler: Bill eating various body parts at the dinner table]].
74	* ElectronicSpeechImpediment: As things get thoroughly out-of-control, the music eventually gets messed up as well, particularly during [[spoiler:Bill's murderous HostileShowTakeover]] and [[spoiler:the part with the credits and actors switching places, in which multiple copies of the theme layer over each other cacophonously]].
75	* EndingFatigue: PlayedForLaughs. Twice in the first five minutes there's a freeze frame that ''looks'' like the end of the song, but it's just a cruel twist of the knife. Later happens in-universe to... well, everyone, but Smarf especially as he [[spoiler: weakly crawls across the floor, bleeding out his last in a last attempt to press the Reset Button.]]
76	* TheEndOrIsIt: [[spoiler: The last group shot implies Bill has been resurrected by the Reset Button too.]]
77	* EstablishingShot: There are repeated location shots of the Cook's house and also a quadruple loop of an establishing shot of a mansion.
78	* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Barbara Bruce's character is credited as simply "Grammy Cook".
79	* EyeBeams: One of [[spoiler: Smarf]]'s powers, which he uses to [[spoiler: defeat Bill]].
80	* {{Faceship}}: In the sci-fi segment, B.R.o.t.H. have one with [[spoiler: Bill's]] whole head forming the bow. It can shoot lasers from its mouth.
81	* FairCop: Laura Cook.
82	* FakeOutFadeOut: There are a couple points where it looks like the song and video are about to end (in particular the first two family photo sequences) only for it to keep going.
83	* FanDisservice: [[spoiler: Bill redoes the scene of Marilyn/Victoria putting on a show for Chris, with himself in both roles.]]
84	* FateWorseThanDeath: [[spoiler: Dr. Bennett Hamilton Cooke certainly thinks that contracting [[{{Somethingitis}} Intronitis]] is this.]]
85	-->'''Doctor:''' [[MercyKill Kill me. Kill me!]]
86	* FauxActionGirl: Despite turning out to be a superhero, Melinda Cook does nothing but spin pointlessly and [[spoiler:get killed]].
87	* FisherKing: [[spoiler:When his presence is ominous, Bill will distort the theme song and the credits.]]
88	* {{Foreshadowing}}:
89	** [[spoiler: Bill]] appears at the 20-second mark, and continues to show up hidden in the background despite the fact that everyone else who has appeared only did so after being introduced.
90	** Kind of last minute, but the lyrics during the ''Franchise/GIJoe'' parody mentions resisting the forces of evil. [[spoiler: Cue Bill appearing in the foreground immediately afterwards]].
91	** While [[spoiler:Bill]] is coming closer to Samantha, she's frozen and can only move her eyes until [[spoiler:he's close enough to distort her name]], and when [[spoiler:he's chasing her backstage]], credits show up on ''every'' person the two pass by. [[spoiler:This not only leads to her demise, but also gives a big hint towards the credits' [[TheVirus true nature]].]]
92	** A few characters can be seen during [[spoiler:the backstage chase]] before the intro has properly introduced them yet, such as the robot from the SpaceOpera sequence.
93	** Why is [[spoiler:Bill]] carefully inspecting those spices behind the cooks? [[spoiler:Because he's planning a [[ImAHumanitarian very special meal...]]]]
94	** Josh Lowder's criminal character is screaming in rage, but abruptly gives a warm smile when his credit comes up. [[spoiler:This is an early indicator that the smiles aren't necessarily willing]].
95	* FreezeFrameBonus: Dozens, including some plot-important ones:
96	** [[spoiler:Bill is hiding in the background as early as 20 seconds in the short. All his background appearances are pictured [[http://imgur.com/a/D2rrW#0 in this link]]. At one point he even disguises himself as ''a painting''.]]
97	** The [[spoiler: lightning-speed]] end credits, which name most of the live-action characters.
98	** [[http://cl.ly/image/183A0C0b2H1e Magazine: The Magazine]], that also counts as DrosteImage.
99	** The sorority at 4:26? [[Creator/ZuckerAbrahamsAndZucker Zeta Alpha Zeta]].
100	* FunWithAcronyms: The war between '''C'''ybernetic '''O'''perational '''O'''ptimized '''K'''nights of '''S'''cience and the '''B'''east '''R'''ebels '''o'''f '''t'''he '''H'''ellscape.
101	* GarnishingTheStory: The '''[=YouTube=] video''', of all things, does this, as the normally black, bolded title under the video instead became the yellow and black italic text used for the character names. This design element was scrapped for a time after the site was redesigned, though it has since been restored.
102	* GenreRoulette: Both in a fictional and meta-fictional sense.
103	** The show starts out as a ''Series/GrowingPains''-esque parody sitcom, then includes some elements of office comedy, moves on to a police show, an animated G.I. Joe spoof, a rich elite show, and just when you think it's done shifting it goes sci-fi SpaceOpera.
104	** The show keeps going with its parodies of openings even as [[spoiler:Bill starts offing actors until it turns into an unnerving slasher story as Samantha Cook tries to flee him. After that it's a BlackComedy with tons of blood, then a surreal horror story as the show distorts and mutates.]]
105	** As the show falls apart the disparate genres start blending together. Finally, [[spoiler:Smarf's reset of the show results in combining all the characters into being part of the family sitcom cast, making it a massive ensemble sci-fi drama police office family comedy.]]
106	* GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul: [[spoiler:Nearly everyone infected with Intronitis smiles to the camera against their will. Not even Bill is immune.]]
107	* GlassesPull: Melinda Cook pulls off her glasses before supersuiting up... even though she wasn't wearing glasses at all before this scene. Chris Cook, who at least had been established to wear glasses, also does this before his turn to transform.
108	* GoryDiscretionShot:
109	** [[spoiler: Samantha's death. Bill finds her, she screams, cut to blood splatter. In fact, most of Bill's early victims die offscreen, but as things get darker and his rampage escalates the murders start being witnessed, with ''a lot'' of blood involved.]]
110	** Subverted in one instance. [[spoiler: As the detective is murdered, the camera cuts to blood splatter. Then it immediately cuts back to the victim screaming with a machete in his head.]]
111	* HandOrObjectUnderwear: Marilyn [=McCook=] is first seen, while changing, holding up a top in a way that hides her breasts from the camera. After she catches Chris Cook spying on her, she [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl starts using just her arm]], and is seen doing the same in a different circumstance. [[spoiler:Bill later [[FanDisservice mimics this.]]]]
112	* HeroicBuild: The first shot of Melinda is her showing off her body for the camera, while Savannah looks on annoyed.
113	* HollywoodBoardGames: Marilyn [=McCook=] is the AffectionateParody of your typical [[TheEighties 80s]] {{sitcom}} MsFanservice in that she is meant to be so {{shameless\|FanserviceGirl}} about it, she plays even ''[[PlayingPictionary Pictionary]]'' topless.
114	* HopeSpot: Each time it seems like someone's figuring out what's going on and about to solve things, [[spoiler: Bill pops in to finish them off]].
115	* HostileShowTakeover:
116	** [[spoiler:Bill]] does this progressively, first by hiding in the background, [[spoiler:then by killing actors in their presentation: one of his victims escaping transforms the sitcom intro into a slasher.]] [[spoiler:He]] continues in the superhero and ''Series/LawAndOrder'' segments, and after everybody's gone, [[spoiler:he]] makes multiples copies of [[spoiler:himself]] who start re-enacting scenes from earlier in the video before [[spoiler:cooking and eating his victims while staring at the viewers]].
117	** When everything goes to hell in the end, various characters randomly start changing roles and recreating shots from early in the video, leading to space aliens having a ChildishPillowFight and the chief of police suddenly getting replaced with one of the teenage girls.
118	** Toward the end, [[spoiler:anthropomorphic credit-people apparently usurp their roles from the actors, forcing the actors to appear in front of them as ''their'' credits]], although it's hard to tell if they did so intentionally or it's just a [[AGlitchInTheMatrix mistake]].
119	* ImAHumanitarian: [[spoiler:Bill cooks and eats his victims.]]
120	* JustTheIntroductionToTheOpposites: After the hostile takeover, we see human-like credit text with actual humans as their labels.
121	* KnightOfCerebus: [[spoiler:Bill, who invades the show, starts killing off actors, and hijacks it to be his.]]
122	* LastSecondPhotoFailure: The BumblingDad trying and failing to time a picture with his ever-growing sitcom family happens three times. On the first two attempts, the camera catches him in the middle of his run to the couch. On the third time, he does manage to sit down for the picture, but he ''still'' doesn't get to be in the picture; his face gets replaced with Bill when the picture is taken.
123	* LaughTrack: One starts playing as [[spoiler: Bill hijacks the show.]]
124	* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Often, but especially in [[spoiler: Samantha's death, where Bill tries to strike during a freeze-frame, but she runs through the set, the actors in-character still frozen, ultimately alerting him to her location by the glow of her credits.]]
125	* {{Leitmotif}}: The theme music changes genres to match the changed settings, but maintains the melody most of the time. Creepily enough, [[spoiler: the theme song becomes Bill's leitmotif as he chases Samantha. Note how it gets louder as he gets closer, almost as though he's creating it...]]
126	* LimitedWardrobe: Almost everyone, in true cheesy sitcom fashion. [[spoiler:Bill too, although he switches to a tennis outfit at one point.]]
127	* MacheteMayhem: [[spoiler:Bill's favored weapon. Even the Beast Rebels of the Hellscape have them.]]
128	* MassiveNumberedSiblings: You betcha.
129	* MeanBoss: Archer Cook, who yells at T.L. and hands him a ton of paperwork to do by himself. Aimee gives him some mild comeuppance by putting a box on his head.
130	* MediumAwareness: [[spoiler:Bill]], most definitely. [[spoiler:He knows that his victims are helpless during their VideoCredits, and even makes fun of the format himself later on.]]
131	* MediumBlending: The opening goes animated at one point, as a clear parody of ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero''.
132	* MercyKill: The doctor overlooking Ken/Darren begs his assistant to kill him as [[spoiler: he catches Intronitis and starts posing with his own name like all the other actors.]]
133	* MesACrowd: The evil forces of B.R.o.t.H. turn out to be [[spoiler: an army of clones of Bill.]]
134	* MetafictionalDevice: Characters start running around with their names from the VideoCredits attached to them. Samantha Cook gets caught out by Bill because the label gives her away in the cupboard.
135	* MindScrew: This short was played at ''four in the morning'' just to get anyone who stumbled on this even more confused.
136	* MoodWhiplash:
137	** The first genre shift to a cop show parody.
138	** [[spoiler:Bill beginning his rampage.]]
139	** [[spoiler:''Too Many C.O.O.K.S.'' the SpaceOpera.]]
140	** The abrupt [[spoiler:end credits.]]
141	* MrFanservice: Jebediah comes to a family dinner in a stripper's firefighter costume.
142	* MsFanservice:
143	** Melinda Cook, introduced posing in a revealing tank top and later in a [[MostCommonSuperpower busty red supersuit]].
144	** Marilyn [=McCook=], who's topless in all her appearances, even around other people.
145	* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: The Beast Rebels of the Hellscape, who appear to be at least partly composed of [[spoiler: dozens of clones of Bill.]]
146	* NoNameGiven: [[spoiler:The killer, the only character whose name is unknown due to the [[OminousVisualGlitch VHS artifacting covering it up whenever his credit appears.]] No name in the credits, either, where he's only credited as "and featuring William Tokarsky". The creators call him Bill]].
147	* NonStandardCharacterDesign: During the brief animated segment, [[spoiler:Bill]] is animated in a much more realistic style than the '80s Sunbow-style animation.
148	* NotQuiteDead: [[spoiler: Bill is seemingly laser-beamed dead by Smarf, but the evil B.R.o.t.H. forces in the sci-fi section turn out to be an army of doppelgangers of him and he makes one last cameo at the end.]]
149	* OffscreenTeleportation: [[spoiler:Bill can come from ''anywhere''.]]
150	* OffTheRails: [[spoiler:When Samantha flees during a freeze-frame. A pity that her freedom didn't last for long.]]
151	* OffWithHisHead: A couple of characters get beheaded by Bill.
152	* OminousVisualGlitch: [[spoiler:Bill's opening credit is deliberately scrambled and obscured by VHS artifacts.]]
153	* OpeningNarration: One plays over the sci-fi opening.
154	-->'''Narrator:''' This is the story of C.O.O.K.S. — Cybernetic Operational Optimized Knights of Science — defending humanity against Beast Rebels of the Hellscape. When it comes to the future, you can never have too many C.O.O.K.S.
155	* OutsideGenreFoe: Of all the sitcom genres this show is, [[spoiler: Bill comes from one not usually seen on TV: horror.]]
156	* OverlyLongGag: The whole point of the short. As well as the repetition of slight permutations on the theme, Melinda's superhero TransformationSequence has her spinning in place for a full twenty seconds of silence, and between the ''Franchise/GIJoe'' parody and Athena Cook's introduction, there's a quadruple loop of an EstablishingShot of a mansion followed by a shot of a falcon turning to the camera.
157	* ThePeepingTom:
158	** Chris Cook as a guy spying on Marilyn [=McCook=] half-naked (specifically, a pervier spoof of Sam from ''Series/ClarissaExplainsItAll''). Later, [[spoiler: Bill peeps in on ''himself'' in a dark parody of said scene.]]
159	** The end credits have a brief shot of a repeat of Marilyn being peeped on, this time by T.L.
160	* {{Polyamory}}: Darren and Claire appear to be in a relationship with T.L. and Sasha. The former two are seen nuzzling together, as the latter two join them. Without skipping a beat Darren and Claire turn to kiss the other couple.
161	* PostModernism: A great many television genres and character archetypes throughout the '80s and '90s are spoofed, even if only for a few seconds each, and forcibly combined by the end. [[spoiler: The cast credits for each character are eventually revealed as a symptom of "Intronitis", which is running rampant throughout the universe of this short.]]
162	* PowerPalms: Smarf can shoot [[EverythingsBetterWithRainbows rainbows beams]] from his palms.
163	* PunBasedTitle: ''Too Many Cooks'' refers to how almost every character's last name is "Cook", though the writers are banking on the viewer being familiar with '80s sitcom logic in order to get the pun (or if you can read three hundred actor credits in about five seconds).
164	* ReadingTheStageDirectionsOutLoud: As Ken/Darren [[spoiler: lays sick in a hospital]], he says: "That's a fine how-do-you-do, laugh track..."
165	* {{Retool}}: One reason as to why the series adds on more characters and changed genres.
166	* {{Retraux}}: Keeping with the '80s-'90s setting, it bears signs of VHS degradation. [[spoiler: The slasher film segment has film scratches and dust.]]
167	* RewatchBonus: [[spoiler: Bill]] and his later actions in the video add significance to some of his appearances before then, particularly looking through a cupboard at spices. Some of the places he appears in and the expressions he makes also make more sense if you know what Casper Kelly's interpretation behind him is.
168	* RoboticReveal: [[spoiler: Smarf is shown to be animatronic as opposed to a Muppet-like character after he destroys the machete killer, but is later shown bleeding heavily with its fur back on.]]
169	* RoundTableShot: The camera makes two full continuous rotations around the dinner table with different people each time.
170	* RubberForeheadAliens: The ''Too Many C.O.O.K.S.'' sci-fi segment.
171	* RuleOfThree: The gag of Darren trying and failing to beat a camera timer to the couch is done three times. The third time, he makes it [[spoiler: but is replaced in the photo by Bill]].
172	* RunningGag: The dad of the Cook family setting up a family photo, but never getting in the right pose for the camera before the picture is taken. On the last time, though, he makes it [[spoiler: only for Bill to take his place.]]
173	* ShamelessFanserviceGirl: Marilyn [=McCook=] reacts to Chris spying on her changing by setting down her top and giving him a show; later she ends up playing ''[[PlayingPictionary Pictionary]]'' with the Cooks without getting dressed.
174	* ShoutOut:
175	** The family segment of the show is based on ones like ''Series/FullHouse'' (where the font for the title logo came from), ''Series/FamilyTies'', ''Series/GrowingPains'', ''Series/FamilyMatters'', etc.
176	** The sequence of a family sitting around the table as the camera pans around showing all of them in particular is a direct parody of ''Series/{{Roseanne}}'''s opening.
177	** The kitchen and living room scenes are lifted directly from ''Series/MarriedWithChildren''.
178	** Smarf is a clear parody of Series/{{ALF}} and [[WesternAnimation/ThunderCats1985 Snarf]].
179	** The pie in the cop show segment is credited as being played by Creator/LarsVonTrier.
180	** The supersuit scene homages both ''Series/{{Wonder Woman\|1975}}'' and ''Franchise/GreenLantern'', using a pastiche of the former's theme song.
181	** The sci-fi segment looks a whole lot like a mix of ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' and ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica\|1978}}''. Plus, it has [[spoiler: [[Franchise/StarWars a clone army]]]].
182	** The melodrama segment looks similar to ones from ''Series/{{Dynasty\|1981}}'', ''Series/{{Dallas}}'', and ''Falcon Crest''.[[note]]The music and the falcon are specifically parodying ''Falcon Crest''[[/note]]
183	** [[spoiler: Bill looks a lot like Jack Torrance in ''Film/TheShining'', especially his sudden appearance in a group photo at the end. He has long hair and a blue jacket like [[Series/TwinPeaks Bob]], as well as an [[SpecialPersonNormalName ordinary name]] ("Bill"), and he uses a machete like [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]]. WordOfGod says his patterned sweater is an homage to ''Series/TheCosbyShow'', but in the context of a slasher movie it's also reminiscent of [[Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet Freddy Krueger]]. ]]
184	** [[spoiler: Smarf's robot body underneath his fur resembles that of Film/TheTerminator.]]
185	** There's even a homage to ''Series/{{Manimal}}'' of all things shortly before [[spoiler: the ending.]]
186	** [[spoiler: The ending]] has the whole cast arranged like ''Series/TheBradyBunch''[='=]s opening. Darren Cook also appears to be an architect, like Mike Brady.
187	** The opening shot of the "show" is a shout-out to the outside-the-house transition shots from ''WesternAnimation/TheBrakShow'' (right down to using the same music).
188	** There's a section during [[spoiler: Bill's rampage]] that parodies ''Series/LawAndOrder'', particularly with similar music.
189	** The cop section is heavily influenced by ''Series/TJHooker'', with the "taking a perp down by throwing a baton" scene directly lifted from it.
190	** During Bill's killing spree, there's an extended shot of a cop searching for the killer, while the BGM makes a direct reference to the theme song of ''Series/HillStreetBlues''.
191	** The transition between [[spoiler: the "Intronitis" scene]] and [[spoiler: the characters mixing up between the genres]] is underscored by the distinctive ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' slap-bass music.
192	* SickeninglySweet: Much of the opening's super-saccharine nature, especially the shots of the little kids and Smarf ''shooting rainbows'' out of his hands. [[spoiler: Then Bill comes to change all that.]]
193	* SlasherSmile: [[spoiler: Who better than ''an actual slasher''?]]
194	* {{Somethingitis}}: [[spoiler: Intronitis, a disease that causes its sufferers to manifest credits of their names and act like they're in the opening VideoCredits of a sitcom.]]
195	* SoundtrackDissonance: [[spoiler: The upbeat sitcom theme keeps playing as Bill slaughters his way through the cast. It keeps on playing as things get steadily worse, culminating in the show completely falling apart.]]
196	* SpookyPainting: As Athena Cook is [[spoiler: murdered by Bill]], a painting behind her shows a familiar figure...
197	* SpottingTheThread: Samantha hides in a closet to [[spoiler: escape Bill, but he figures out where she is when he sees her actress's name, Katie Adkins, shining through the closet blinds.]]
198	* TheStoryThatNeverWas: The world is brought back to (''very, very relative'') normality by [[spoiler: Smarf, at the point of death, pressing a mysterious BigRedButton in the kitchen]].
199	* StylisticSuck: The short nails the grainy low-budget look of an '80s show on a VHS, as well as the later sci-fi segment. Those seemingly model ships on strings? CGI.
200	-->'''Casper Kelly:''' Yes, we used state-of-the-art graphics to simulate shitty spaceship sets and spaceships on strings.
201	* SubvertedSitcom: It begins as a standard cheery sitcom theme song that introduces the residents of a charming house in the suburbs. But then the song keeps on going and going, with more and more characters being introduced with no end in sight. That would be unsettling enough by itself, but then it abandons the sitcom entirely, moving on to other genres. [[spoiler: And then the audience gets a macabre spree killing of the many characters before it loops right back around to cheery sitcom at the end... or did it?]]
202	* ToBeContinued: [[spoiler: By the time the show ''actually'' starts, we only see about 10 seconds of it before we're hit with a ToBeContinued and the credits.]]
203	* TooManyCooksSpoilTheSoup: The short is reportedly a spoof of the tendency for American sitcoms to be burdened with far more writers and producers than are necessary as production moves on, eventually resulting in them losing sight of what their original vision was.
204	* TransformationIsAFreeAction: [[spoiler: {{Subverted\|Trope}} when Chris Cook attempts to turn into a superhero, only for Bill to decapitate him during the crossfade between forms, resulting in Will Dove's name being displayed over two transparent, headless Chrises.]]
205	* UnreadablyFastText: [[spoiler: The closing credits.]]
206	* VideoCredits: Everyone gets a brief two-second clip to smile at the camera and do something trait related, like bake cookies or hold up lab flasks. '''[[OverlyLongGag Everyone]]'''.
207	* VisualPun:
208	** The ''Too Many Cooks'' title becomes literal at one point, with several kitchen cooks being introduced in succession.
209	** Marilyn [=McCook=] draws a large rooster and peas on the board in the charades game. Given that she's [[ShamelessFanserviceGirl topless]], it's probably intentional. Also counts as a StealthPun.
210	* WhamLine: "This is [[spoiler: the worst case of Intronitis]] I've ever seen. And the thing is, [[spoiler: we have no idea how contagious this strain is]]."
211	* WhamShot:
212	** The ''G.I. Joe'' parody has [[spoiler: Bill stop hiding and move into the foreground]].
213	** The last shot of the opening, with [[spoiler: Bill's head appearing over Dad Cook's]].
214	* WrongGenreSavvy:
215	** Samantha Cook seems GenreSavvy, figuring out she's in [[spoiler: a slasher story]]. Unfortunately for her, it's also a surreal dark parody of an '80s sitcom, and she still has a title credit...
216	** The same could go for [[spoiler: Melinda and Chris, and Det. W.J. Cookowski. All think they're there to stop the murders, then are quickly slain.]]
217	* YourMakeupIsRunning: Samantha Cook's mascara gets runny as [[spoiler: she hides in a closet from Bill.]]
218	* ZombieInfectee: Dr. Bennett Hamilton Cooke gets infected while treating an intronitis patient.
219	----
220	->[[spoiler: Honey, I'm ho--]]\
221	[[spoiler: [[AC:To Be Continued...]]]]

Context Film / TooManyCooks