Horrible Histories (2009 TV series): Difference between revisions

* [[The Grim Reaper]]: He loves his job. He really does. Except during that one humongous backlog in afterlife applications caused by the 'Measly Middle Ages' (plague, Hundred Years' War, etc. etc...).

* [[Hard Head]]: Turns up with surprising abandon in a supposed children's educational programme. Most notably in the 'Caveman Art Show' sketches, wherein Grunt takes multiple club bashings from his co-host without apparent injury -- of course, when he finally turns the tables, his co-host isn't so lucky.

* [[The Highwayman]]: The dashing legend, and specifically the romanticisation of Dick Turpin, is [[Deconstruction|deconstructed]] in song... how well is debateable, given it's being performed by [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KbXyALq7uA an eyeliner-wearing Baynton], but still.

* [[Historical Villain Upgrade]]: [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] and played straight in one sketch about Richard III, in which his ghost gripes about how his Shakespearean portrayal is pure fiction. There's a continuation in a third series song, in which Richard III lists all the ways in which he's remembered and complains that he's a nice guy, really, and that Shakespeare made up the phrase "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse" out of whole cloth.

* [[Imagine Spot]]: What if gladiator school was run like a modern junior high? Or if Henry VIII had access to the internet? Usually courtesy Rattus -- complete with 'imagine if...' and wavy dissolve cut ([[Medium Awareness|"Ooh, I'm imaginin' it, I'm imaginin' it...!"]]).

* [[It Is Pronounced Tro PAY]]: Mr Whitely's secretary inevitably announces him as Mr. White-Lie. "It's White-''lee!''" "Sorry!"

* [[Kent Brockman News]]: What inevitably happens when a sleek modern news crew (on the 'News at When' broadcast) tries to report on messy historical events. And that's not even ''mentioning'' poor Bob Hale. "Our forecast is for lots of Vikings heading down from the north -- but look! The Saxons are fighting back! Wait, here come the Vikings again..."

* [[Kick the Dog]]: Shows up a lot, historical class divisions being what they were among other things. A high point of sorts is reached during the Georgian Wife Swap sketch, in which wealthy Lord Posh, ''deeply'' moved by Mrs. Peasant's complaining over her lot at dinner, summons his personal orchestra to play sad music while she tells him all about it... then informs the whole Peasant family that he's razing their cottage... then summons the orchestra ''again'' when they get upset about it.

* [[Parent Service]]: See [[Estrogen Brigade Bait]].

* [[Poirot Speak]]: Sometimes. For example, the sketch at a German supply store during the Battle of Stalingrad - the whole thing is in English, except for the words ''Herr'' and ''Auf Wiedersehn''.

* [[Powered By a Forsaken Child]]: For the Victorian ''[[Dragons Den]]'' segment, all of the new labour saving inventions being presented consist of a street child. Something of a running theme in the 'Vile Victorians' segments generally; see also the "Work, Terrible Work!" song, an advertisement for New! Victorian Child (ie. chimney sweeps) and a sketch in which among a kid's fifth birthday presents is a job in the factory alongside his dad -- who then implies that they thus won't have to worry about a ''sixth'' birthday present.

* [[Punctuated for Emphasis]]: In one of the Fashion Fix segments, a Celtic warrior reacts badly to his makeover and starts to work himself into a berserker frenzy. The Gok Wan [[Expy]] presenter cuts him off with [[Crowning Moment of Awesome|"Not. On. My. Show.]] ''Sister''."

* [[Real Men Wear Pink]]: Vercingetorix - "a man so deadly, he can wear pigtails and still look hard."

* [[Reality Is Unrealistic]]: Inherent in the premise.

* [[Sadist Teacher]]: A carryover from the books, and even less subtle. One sketch on Stone Age burial rituals fades out to Rattus and a single tiny pea on a plate: "Here's a brain I've prepared myself. As you can see, from a PE teacher! Hah!"

* [[Screw the Rules, I Have Connections]]: Cesare Borgia gleefully invokes this in "The Borgia Family Song": it's no problem being a violent, power-hungry sociopath when your dad's the Pope!

* [[Shirtless Scene]]: Quite a few for a [[Getting Crap Past the Radar|supposed kids' show]], to the point where it may overall be second only to [[Twilight (Literature)|Twilight]] for shirtless [[Fan Service]]. One sketch about the Greek Olympics, where most games were played naked, had a sports presenter cover up the Greek athlete with his clipboard, followed by a report on the Greek wrestling, featuring a Greek athlete in a loincloth.

** Often [[Lampshaded]] by said shirtless men covering up their chests rather obviously. Most obviously of all in the aforementioned 'preparation for Thermopylae' sketch, in which the warrior complains outright that the shield he's been given "won't even cover my nipples!"

** Bonus points in actually getting Dave Lamb to narrate the Come Dine With Me sketches, and to host the [[Spin-Off|game show]].

** The song "I'm a Knight" is a deliberate [[Monty Python]] pastiche (complete with uncanny Eric Idle lookalike ''aka'' show writer Steve Punt). See also the Historical Paramedics' retreating cry as the modern-day EMS approach: [[Monty Python and The Holy Grail|"Run away! Run away!"]]

* [[Summers Family Tree]]: The poor "This is Your Reign" presenter gets very confused (and [[Squick|squicked]]) by Cleopatra's family tree (including her marrying [[Brother-Sister Incest|two of her brothers]] [[Parental Incest|and her father]]) when she appears on his show.

* [[Talking Animal]]: Rattus Rattus (named for his species) -- a puppet [[Expy]] of a similar rat character from the books -- hosts the original series, explaining and clarifying the historical information presented in each sketch... in his own inimitable fashion (describing the cause of [[The Black Death]]: "So that's Rats 1, Humans 0.") Despite the occasional tiny sword or top hat, he appears to be quite content merely to snigger at the horrible humans from beneath their floorboards... at least until the behind-the-scenes vid that reveals he's moved to Hollywood to become a Star, or barring that become a historical consultant to [[Steven Spielberg]].

* [[Toilet Humour]]: Up to and including a couple sketches actually set in the Roman communal toilets.

* [[Totally Radical]]: In-universe, as used by the title character in the ''"You've Been Artois'd!''" sketch. "I know these words, you see? I am 'street', yes?"