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{{quote|''"We've got the whole wide world in our yard to explore..."''|'''''Opening theme'''''}}
 
A Canadian 3D CGI-animated series broadcast all over the world, mostly at [[Nickelodeon|Nick Jr.]] The series debuted in 2004 and iscompleted stillin ongoing2010.
 
The cast are all young [[Funny Animal]] friends: enthusiastic yet sometimes [[Get a Hold of Yourself, Man!|frenetic]] Pablo the penguin, [[Deadpan Snarker]] Tyrone the moose, [[Genki Girl]] Uniqua the... [[Cartoon Creature|something]], [[Shorttank]] Tasha the hippo, and initial [[Shrinking Violet]], later [[The Smart Guy|Smart Guy]] Austin the kangaroo. All five live in what appears to be a suburban cul-de-sac with a large common backyard area.
 
We open on one or more of the characters in the backyard playing "pretend", setting up the scenario for the viewer in a song and dance which also reveals the episode's musical genre. Then things segue into a sort of [[Star Trek: theThe Next Generation|holodeck-style]] fantasy -- whether in the kids' imaginations or literally isn't quite clear -- in which the backyard is transformed into the setting of the story and the characters dressed in appropriate costumes. From here the quest is treated entirely as if it were real...albeit clearly based off a child's logic...and frequently interrupted by musical asides.
 
Many episodes feature typical kiddie fantasy scenarios -- cowboys, superheroes, pirates, explorers -- but some are more sophisticated, and in later seasons especially several are full-on parodies of adult action-adventure: [[James Bond|Bond]], [[Star Trek]], [[Indiana Jones]] etc. Further [[Mr. Imagination|blurring the line between reality and imagination]], the setting they create doesn't always stay within their control. Characters who weren't seen initiating the fantasy frequently show up within it, occasionally operating completely unbeknownst to the others, and the different plotlines collide in unexpected ways. The only absolute requirement is that a story contain no more than five characters, since no other speaking parts appear (excepting a couple one-offs in specials).
 
There seem to be no space or time limits while the fantasy is in progress, but in reality it never lasts longer than an afternoon, since it's always dispelled by somebody's tummy conveniently rumbling just after the adventure ends. They race home for snacks, giggling, the story setting disappearing behind them as they go. The only indication that anything out of the ordinary just happened is Tyrone's comment: "That was an excellent _________ adventure, don't you think?"
 
Notable for its heavy use of original music (overseen by Lounge Lizards founder Evan Lurie), in a different genre -- and usually not the one you're expecting -- in each episode. The photorealistic dance moves that have likewise become a series trademark are originated by live-action dancers performing as each character to that show's music; according to the creators, this process also gives the characters much of their individual personality.
 
For some, [[Muppet Babies|this general idea]] [[Rugrats|sounds familiar]]. However, the [[Crowning Music of Awesome|excellent music alone]], an expertly affectionate tribute to the genres in question, makes this show a standalone winner. It has also managed to pick up a sizeable [[Periphery Demographic]] as one of the few current children's programs to work on child and adult levels simultaneously by actively using the characters' innocence to spoof genre cliches. Refusing to use [[Non -Interactivity]] or otherwise [[Edutainment Show|trying to hammer home a lesson]], the show is probably the last pure celebration of intelligence and imagination available to preschoolers.
 
This is either impressive, as it refuses to follow 'standard' children show trends, or heartbreaking, as it is one of the ''only'' shows to do so.
----
=== Thanks to its genre-hopping nature, this show tends to run through a ''lot'' of standard '''Examples''', often in a single episode: ===
 
{{tropelist}}
=== Thanks to its genre-hopping nature, this show tends to run through a ''lot'' of standard '''Examples'''tropes, often in a single episode: ===
* [[A Boy and His X]]: Austin and Boy (a dinosaur) in "Caveman's Best Friend", Tyrone and Molasses (a burro) in "Horsing Around", Pablo and Mitty (a bath mit) in "Robin Hood the Clean", and Uniqua with Sea Squirt (a dolphin) in "The Great Dolphin Race".
* [[Accessory-Wearing Cartoon Animal]]: Pablo only wears a cap and bowtie.
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* [[All Bikers Are Hells Angels]]: Subverted to hell and back with "Special Delivery" and its "Do-Gooders".
* [[All CGI Cartoon]]
* [[Amazing Technicolor Wildlife]]: OK, Tyrone and Pablo get a pass, but what's up with Austin and Tasha?
* [[American Gothic Couple]]: In "News Flash", the first shot of Pablo and Tyrone at their farm resembles the American Gothic painting, intentional or not.
* [[Anachronism Stew]]: Tons.
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* [[Apologetic Attacker]]: Austin (on a kid's level) in "The Two Musketeers".
* [[Arabian Nights Days]]: In "Movers of Arabia".
* [[Art Evolution]]: The character designs were retooled a bit for the second season to up the cuddliness level, especially for Tasha and Austin. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090318234703/http://backyardiganfans.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=530 Here's a proof].
* [[Aside Glance]]: A lot. Especially for Uniqua and Tyrone. The most noticeable one is in "Castaways" when Uniqua -- realizing that Tyrone and Pablo seriously ''don't'' realise that it was Austin who helped them -- turns to look straight at the camera and then shrugs her shoulders. Earlier in the same ep, after the coconuts roll in, Uniqua side-glances at the audience for a split second and then says "Maybe we're not alone here after all".
** Pablo shoots the camera an "I don't believe this" look after Tasha takes credit for finding the Yellow Lotus Flower in "The Key to the Nile."
* [[Asteroid Thicket]]: Tyrone, Uniqua, Pablo, and Tasha all drive through one in "Cops and Robots" and sing a song about it.
* [[Attack of the 50 -Foot Whatever]]: Parodied in "Attack of the 50 Foot Worman".
* [[Attention Deficit Ooh Shiny]]: Pablo in "Pirate Camp" keeps getting distracted by the very shiny red boot.
* [[Bag of Holding]]: ''Ohhh boy.'' The ultimate example would probably be Uniqua and Pablo's trunk in "To the Center of the Earth", which could hold several inventions, a telescope, a hammer, a thermos, a lasso, a ladder, a bucket, a net, an umbrella, a sponge mop, a hat stand, a lamp, a rake, poles, skiis, a feather duster, a bike horn, wooden spoons, a large tuba, string, marshmallows, a spring, helium-filled balloons... do I need to go on?
* [[Barefoot Cartoon AnimalsAnimal]]s: Uniqua and Austin. Uniqua wears pink polka dot overalls an Austin wears a striped T-shirt and blue khaki shorts.
** Tyrone and Pablo would also have costumes that apply to this trope 1/3 of the time.
* [[Beach Episode]]: The whole point of episodes such as "Surf's Up" or "Legend of the Volcano Sisters".
* [[Bedsheet Ghost]]: {{spoiler|Tyrone}} becomes one in "It's Great to be a Ghost".
* [[Berserk Button]]: In "Best Clowns in Town". ''Don't'' make Ringmaster Tyrone miss his train. Just don't. Especially if you're a clown.
* [[Big No]]: Oh yeah. Bad bot Tasha does this in "Cops and Robots", when Uniqua flips Pablo's back switch, which turns him into a good Bot. Also Pablo in "Blazing Paddles" and Tyrone in "Who Goes There?", "The Magic Skateboard" when {{spoiler|the eponymous Magic Skateboard falls down the hill}} and "Monster Detectives" when {{spoiler|Uniqua is about to be turned into a soccer monster}}.
* [[Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and Yeti]]: Pablo in "The Yeti", Tyrone in "Fly Girl" and Austin and Tyrone in "The Action Elves Save Christmas Eve".
* [[Big Red Button]]: In "Legend of the Volcano Sisters", the title characters threaten to cause the eruption of the volcano by pressing such a button. The doorbells in various episodes could also count, since they are always red.
* [[The Blind Leading the Blind]]: In "The Yeti", Tasha claims to be a Frozen North expert, but she, Uniqua, and Tyrone all get lost while searching for Yeti Pablo.
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* [[Busby Berkeley Number]]: "I Get Whatever I Want" from "Robot Rampage".
* [[Call-and-Response Song]]: Pretty much any song involving more than one character is this.
* [[Call a Rabbit Aa Smeerp]]: Pancakes are called 'zum-zum' by aliens Zuniqua and Zablo in "Ranch Hands from Outer Space".
* [[Canada, Eh?]]: Tyrone, the moose character. [[Word of God|Indicated]] during "Secret Mission" , in which he carries around a bottle of Spy Maple Syrup with an unmistakeable little red maple leaf on the label.
** Also, in "Race to the Tower of Power", the tower looks remarkably like the CN Tower, a famous landmark in Toronto.
** In "The Masked Retriever", Uniqua mentions Lake Erie.
* [[Can You Hear Me Now?]]: In "Mission to Mars", a martian from Mars is able to phone Tyrone and Tasha using a cellphone.
* [[Captain's Log]]: Tasha has one in "Garbage Trek".
* [[Cartoon Creature]]: Ah, Uniqua. [[Word of God]] says that she is "her own unique species".
* [[Catch Phrase]]: Various, particularly Tyrone's "''That'' certainly is convenient" when a [[Deus Ex Machina]] appears, and Tasha's "Oh, for goodness' ''sakes''" when...well, pretty much constantly, actually. Also, "Pablo... Pablo?... PABLO!". In addition, each episode has a setting-specific phrase, featured in the opening song, which also doubles as the show's closing...
** [[Couch Gag]]
* [[The Cavalry]]: {{spoiler|Austin}} in "International Super Spy".
* [[Ceiling Cling]]: Austin can walk on the ceiling in "The Tale of the Mighty Knights". Also Tasha and Pablo in "Cops and Robots".
* [[Chekhov's Gun]]: Parodied. "Spy ''maple syrup?''"
** Also, the thermos box in "Chichen-Itza Pizza".
* [[Christmas Special]]: "The Secret of Snow" and "The Action Elves Save Christmas Eve" episodes.
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* [[Cuffs Off, Rub Wrists]]: Tyrone and Pablo in "The Two Musketeers".
* [[Cultural Translation]]: The UK dub has a lot of this, especially when the snack is offered at the end of the episode.
* [[Curiosity Is a Crapshoot]]: Uniqua opening the box in "Movers of Arabia".
* [[Cute'Em Up]]
* [[Cute Monster Girl]]: Uniqua in "Monster Detectives" and "Scared of You", although the latter counts more since she actually looks like a monster rather than looking like herself in a torn soccer shirt.
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* [[Don't Look Down]]: Tasha says this several times in "Chichen-Itza Pizza", as she has a fear of heights.
* [[Doomy Dooms of Doom]]: Shows up quite a lot, surprisingly enough. For instance, from "Tale of the Mighty Knights", during the song "We're Knights":
{{quote| '''Tyrone''': Next we crossed a river then scaled the cliffs... of ''doom''!}}
** [[Painful Rhyme]]: The next line goes "Then we took a little break and went to the bathroom..."
* [[Dragon Rider]]: The "Dragon Express" episode. Also, technically, the end of "Tale of the Mighty Knights".
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* [[Embarrassing Middle Name|Embarrassing Last Name]]: Austin, or at least his character, in "Whodunnit?". Seriously, Austin ''Frothingslosh''?
** He also does time as 'Austin Stinkypants' in "Robin Hood the Clean". [[Justified Trope|Justified]] since it's supposed to be a [[Meaningful Name]].
* [[Enthralling Siren]]: In "Sinbad Sails Alone", Tyrone and Pablo encounter Siren Uniqua, who makes them play "Siren Says" in order to get water from her island.
* [[Everything Is Big in Texas]]: Cowboy Tyrone is on his way to Texas for a hoedown in "Riding the Range".
* [[Everything Trying to Kill You]]: Tyrone thinks that everyone's trying to eat him during "Escape from Fairytale Village". (They actually want him to eat ''with'' them.)
* [[Everything's Better Withwith Dinosaurs]]: Boy in "Caveman's Best Friend" and "To the Center of the Earth".
* [[Kangaroos Represent Australia]]: Austin.
* [[Everything's Better Withwith Motorcycles]]: The biker gang in "Special Delivery".
* [[Everything's Better Withwith Penguins]]: Pablo.
* [[Everything's Better Withwith Princesses]]: Princess Cleotasha (Tasha) in "The Secret of the Nile" and Princesses Uniqua and Tasha in "Break Out!".
* [[Everything's Better Withwith Rainbows]]: The rainbow in "Sinbad Sails Alone".
* [[Everything's Better Withwith Samurai]]: Tyrone in "Samurai Pie", though it's unclear whether Tyrone is a true samurai or just a baker with samurai moves.
* [[Everything's Better Withwith Spinning]]: Some of the choreography could definitely count as this.
* [[Everything's Even Worse Withwith Sharks]]: The sharks in "Save the Day".
* [[Everythings Funkier With Disco]]: The music genre in "The Quest for the Flying Rock".
* [[Everyone Is a Suspect]]: In "Whodunit?", and "Le Master of Disguise".
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* [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]]: In "Escape from Fairytale Village", "Scared of You", and "The Tale of the Mighty Knights".
* [[Faster-Than-Light Travel]]: The "Zip Speed" in "Garbage Trek".
* [[Fastest Gun in Thethe West]]: Pablo in "Blazing Paddles". Actually, the fastest ping pong skills in the West.
* [[Fawlty Towers Plot]]: "What's Bugging You".
* [[Fee Fi Faux Pas]]: Austin in "Samurai Pie", when he mentions The Great Pie in front of the Empress.
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* [[Gainaxing]]: Before you [[Rule 34|get any ideas]], '''Tyrone's ears'''. Particularly noticeable in the first-season opening credits.
* [[GASP]]: A [[Running Gag]] in "Blazing Paddles".
* [[Genie in Aa Bottle]]: Austin in "Movers of Arabia".
* [[Genki Girl]]: Uniqua most of the time, and Tasha during "A Giant Problem".
* [[Gentle Giant]]: Tasha, literally, in "A Giant Problem".
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* [[Gilbert and Sullivan]]: Used as the musical genre in "Heart of the Jungle".
* [[Gilligan Cut]]: In "What's Bugging You?", when Uniqua and Tyrone are about to make cupcakes:
{{quote| '''Tyrone:''' We just have to make sure that we don't make a mess.<br />
(Cuts to the clean bowl. After a quick clock-spin, the bowl and then the entire room is shown as messy.)<br />
'''Tyrone:''' I think we may have made a mess... }}
* [[Girl Group]]: The music genre in "Break Out!", along with Wall of Sound.
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* [[Green Rocks]]: The flying rock in "The Quest for the Flying Rock" and the Crystal of Power in "Pablor and the Acorns".
* [[Green Thumb]] / [[Petal Power]]: Uniqua as Flower Girl in "Flower Power".
* [[Growling Gut]]: The majority of adventures conclude with one of the character's stomachs growling.
** [[Recycled Soundtrack]]: In all but two instances of this, the sound byte is consistent. "Scared Of You" deliberately uses a different version, because it's more intimidating.
* [[Grumpy Bear]]: Queen Uniqua in "A Giant Problem", as well as Pablo, Tasha, and Tyrone in "Fly Girl".
* [[The Guards Must Be Crazy]]: When Uniqua and Austin (as palace guards) are tricked by Musketeer Tasha in "The Two Musketeers", and guards Tyrone and Pablo in "The Masked Retriever".
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* [[Heel Face Turn]]: A common ending for any character portrayed as a villain.
* [[Hero Secret Service]]: The secret headquarters in "International Super Spy".
* [[Hey, It's That Voice!]]: There are joke drawings on [[Deviant ART]] showing Pablo cosplaying as [[Avatar: The Last Airbender|Aang]], because they're both voiced by Zach Tyler Eisen (at least Pablo was during the first season). In the first four seasons, Austin was voiced by Jonah Bobo, who also played Todd in ''[[The Fox and Thethe Hound (Disneyfilm)|The Fox and the Hound 2]]''. Austin's singing voice for the first three seasons, Thomas Sharkey, also played Baby Jaguar in ''Go, Diego, Go''. And in Japan, Tasha is voiced by [[Kana Ueda]] of all people.
** Tyrone is Aang in Italian.
* [[Highly-Visible Ninja]]: A running gag in "Samurai Pie", wherein Pablo keeps losing his balance, eventually falling on a pie tin and giving himself and Uniqua away.
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* [["I Am Becoming" Song]]: If there's [[Character Development]] in an episode, there will likely be a song about it.
* [[I Am Not Left-Handed]]: From "International Super Spy":
{{quote| '''Pablo''': There's something you should know, Lady in Pink.<br />
'''Lady in Pink''': Oh? And what's that?<br />
'''Pablo''': I'm not ticklish. }}
* [["I Am" Song]]: Expect one of these when a character introduces themselves and the role they're playing.
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* [[Inevitable Waterfall]]: Oh yeah. "Polka Palace Party", "Catch that Butterfly", "The Secret of Snow", "Chichen-Itza Pizza", and "The Tale of the Mighty Knights" are just a few examples.
* [[Insane Troll Logic]]: Standard and unapologetic -- this being a show based around little kids playing pretend, after all. From "To the Center of the Earth":
{{quote| '''Uniqua''': Tyrone, your penny has fallen into your sandbox, here. (Pulls out a diagram of the Earth's inside and points to the Earth's crust.)<br />
'''Pablo''': And has fallen all the way to the center of the Earth, here. (Points to the Earth's core.) }}
* [[Insecurity Camera]]: In "International Super Spy".
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* [["I Want" Song]]: Uniqua and Pablo have one in "The Great Dolphin Race".
* [[The Jeeves]]: Tyrone in "Whodunit?", he even has his hair specially combed like Jeeves' for that episode. Also Pablo in "Catch That Train" -- so utterly ''utterly'' devoted to having everything Czar Tyrone needs three seconds before he wants it.
* [[The Juggernaut]]: In "Chichen-Itza Pizza", the boulder chasing Tasha and Uniqua.
* [[Jump, I'll Catch You!]]: In "Pirate Treasure", the other characters say this to Pablo as he hobbles across a log with his peg leg.
* [[Jump Physics]]: In "Pirate Camp", Uniqua and Pablo are launched into the air using only two planks and some crates.
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* [[Merit Badges for Everything]]: In "Pablor and the Acorns".
* [[Minimalist Cast]]
* [[Minion Withwith an F In Evil]]: Tyrone in "International Super Spy", and Austin in "The Two Musketeers".
* [[Mission Briefing]]: Tasha gives Pablo one in "International Super Spy", and Tyrone and Tasha give one in "Mission to Mars".
* [[Mission Control]]: Again, Tyrone and Tasha in "Mission to Mars".
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* [[Musicalis Interruptus]]: In "Super Team Awesome!", Tyrone halts the second song when a boulder comes dangerously close to plugging Old Gushie.
* [[The Napoleon]]: In "Who Goes There?", Pablo (the shortest of the five), plays a Napoleon-esque statue.
* [[Naughty Byby Night]]: "The Masked Retriever", (obviously) in a non-sexual direction.
* [[Never Say "Die"]]: Although they kids have been close to danger, the word has never yet been used.
* [[Nice Hat]]: Pablo's got a nice propeller beanie. In some their imaginary adventures, the characters wear pretty cool hats as well.
* [[Nobody Here but Us Statues]]: A recurring theme in "Who Goes There?" with Uniqua, Pablo, and Austin being actual pieces of artwork. It happens again in "What's Bugging You?" with Uniqua and Tyrone as a pest control service trying to hide from house inspector Mr. Spiffy (Pablo).
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* [[Odd Couple]]: Best friends Pablo the tightly-wound and Tyrone the laid-back.
* [[Odd Job Gods]]: In "Match on Mt.Olympus", Austin is the god of laughter, and Uniqua is the goddess of naps.
** [[Laugh Withwith Me]]:
{{quote| '''Austin''': Why did the chicken cross the playground? To get to the other ''slide''. Do ''you'' not think it's funny?}}
* [[Ominous Fog]]: The fog in "Knights are Brave and Strong" and "Whodunit?".
* [[The One Who Wears Shoes]]: Tasha is always wearing shoes of some kind, usually her red Maryjanes. The other characters don't wear shoes at all until they get a costume change in the fantasy, and even then they sometimes don't have them.
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* [[Our Giants Are Bigger]]: In "A Giant Problem", and "Escape from Fairy Tale Village".
* [[Our Ghosts Are Different]]: In "It's Great to be a Ghost" and "Pirate Camp".
* [[Our Goblins Are DifferentWickeder]]: The Grabbin' Goblin (Austin) in "The Tale of the Mighty Knights" and "The Tale of the Not-So-Nice Dragon".
* [[Our Mermaids Are Different]]: Tasha in "Viking Voyage", and then Tasha and Uniqua during "Into the Deep".
* [[Our Vampires Are Different]]: Pablo in "Scared Of You".
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* [[Outlaw]]: In "Blazing Paddles", we see a wanted poster of Pablo, the "Ping Pong Bandit", with a reward of $500.
* [[Out of Order]]: No two networks seem able to agree to an episode sequence. In the US, Nick Jr. used "Knights are Brave and Strong" as the pilot. Sometimes, episodes will be pushed back and worked into a theme. For instance, "Match on Mt. Olympus" was held back in America, and aired during the 2008 Olympics. This does not mess up any of the aforementioned [[Call Back|Call Backs]], though.
* [[Paper-Thin Disguise]]: Pablo, in ''The Master of Disguise''. All he does is change his clothing, but to the other characters his disguise is ''perfect''.
* [[Pantsless Males, Fully-Dressed Females]]: Tyrone and Pablo don't always wear pants, although Austin always does. Uniqua and Tasha are also fully dressed.
* [[Parental Bonus]]: Deliberate, and clever.
** "I don't make the weather. I just report it."
* [[Pilot Episode]]: "Fly Girl", if you mean ''literally''. The actual pilot is "Pirate Treasure".
* [[Pirate]]: "Pirate Treasure" and "Pirate Camp". Pablo also played a rather grumpy pirate in "Fly Girl", and a not-so-grumpy superhero pirate in "Super Team Awesome".
* [[Pirate Booty]]: The diamond in "Pirate Treasure", and Captain Red Boots' boot (plus a pile of gold) in "Pirate Camp".
* [[Pizza Boy Special Delivery]]: Not really, but Austin ''did'' deliver a pizza in "International Super Spy", and so did Uniqua and Tasha during "Chichen-Itza Pizza".
* [[Planet of Steves]]: During "Mission to Mars", the [[Couch Gag]] phrase is "Boinga", which can mean nearly anything. As does "Ugh" during "Cave Party".
* [[Played for Laughs]]
* [[Plot Hole]]
* [[Poke the Poodle]]: Justified. The [[Moral Guardians]] aren't about to let preschool characters do anything genuinely evil.
* [[Police Are Useless]]: Officer Pablo justifies this in "Caveman's Best Friend".
* [[Power Glows]]: In "The Magic Skateboard," Tyrone finds the magic skateboard because it glows. The Crystal of Power in "Pablor and the Acorns" also glows.
* [[The Power of Rock|The Power of]] <s>Rock</s> a ''lot'' of musical genres.
* [[The Quiet One]]: Once again, Austin.
* [[Recurring Character]]: The small martian from "Mission to Mars". One appears at the end of "News Flash", three appear at the end of "Los Galacticos" and two of them are major characters in "The Big Dipper Diner."
* [[Record Needle Scratch]]: In "Blazing Paddles". The exciting background music suddenly screeches to a halt when Pablo asks "Uh...when is high noon?".
* [[Recurring Character]]: The small martian from "Mission to Mars". One appears at the end of "News Flash", three appear at the end of "Los Galacticos" and two of them are major characters in "The Big Dipper Diner."
** [[Recycled Soundtrack]]: The majority of adventures conclude with one of the character's stomachs growling. In all but two instances of this, the sound byte is consistent. "Scared Of You" deliberately uses a different version, because it's more intimidating.
* [[Red Herring]]: In "Whodunit?", {{spoiler|Austin leaves the manor saying that he has to go "feed his cat", looking very guilty indeed.}}
* [[Red Oni, Blue Oni]]: Inverted with Pablo and Tyrone. Pablo is blue and panicked frequently in the first season. Tyrone is orange, but more level-headed and laidback.
* [[Rhymes Onon a Dime]]: Austin as the Greek poet Austicles in "Who Goes There?".
* [[Riddle of the Sphinx]]: In "The Secret of the Nile", Tasha has to give Sphinx Uniqua three gifts before Uniqua will tell her the secret of the Nile. {{spoiler|Turns out it's just saying please and thank you.}}
* [[Robe and Wizard Hat]]: Tyrone and Pablo in "A Giant Problem".
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* [[Robinsonade]]: The episode "Castaways".
* [[Robot Buddy]]: Rover in "Mission to Mars", as well as all of the robots in "Robot Rampage" before they went haywire.
* [[Rule of Cute]]: Not at all overplayed, but there nonetheless (they do have plushies to sell, after all).
* [[Rule of Three]]: Nearly every episode.
* [[Running Gag]]: Pablo's panic attacks.
* [[Scout Out]]: The Acorn Scouts in "Pablor and the Acorns".
* [[Screw This, I'm Outta Here]]: While on a pizza delivery in "Chichen-Itza Pizza," Tasha decides to quit the job after several [[Temple of Doom]] disasters, though she does so in true Backyardigans style - with a flashy college fight song.
* [[Sea Monster]]: A playful one appears in "The Amazing Splashinis".
* [[Sequel Episode]]: "Tale of the Not-So-Nice Dragon" is one for the season three special "Tale of the Mighty Knights".
* [[Sesame Street Cred]]: Alicia Keys, for voicing and singing the mama alien in "Mission to Mars", Cyndi Lauper for singing in "International Super Spy," and Adam Pascal for being a narrator and singer in "Tale of the Mighty Knights". Also, Conan O'Brian as [[Santa Claus]] in "The Action Elves Save Christmas Eve"!
* [[Shave and Aa Haircut]]: How Uniqua, Tyrone, and Pablo get Austin's attention in "Polka Palace Party". Austin drums out the "two bits" part himself.
* [[The Sheriff]]: Uniqua, in "Blazing Paddles".
* [[Shoe Phone]]: Pablo's hat-phone in "International Super Spy".
* [[Shown Their Work]]: You can tell that the "Caveman's Best Friend" episode takes place in the Triassic period because of the tar puddles and the fern plants.
* [[Shout-Out]]: Ohhhh boy, where do we start?
** Honorable mentions go to some [[BioBioShock Shock(series)]] shout-outs in "To the Center of the Earth", and "Flower Power" which could be briefly described as "[[Heartcatch Pretty Cure|Cure Blossom]] fights [[The Princess and Thethe Frog|Doctor Facilier]]".
* [[Shrinking Violet]]: Austin at first. He opens up later.
* [[Shrug Take]]: Mr. Spiffy's (Pablo) reaction to the wormans in "What's Bugging You?".
* [[Skyward Scream]]: '''''CLOOOOOWNS!''''' (Complete with echo)
* [[The Smart Guy]]: Austin, especially during "Race Around the World" and "Mission to Mars". Uniqua sometimes also fills this role, while Pablo is usually used to parody/subvert it.
* [[SMURFINGSmurfing]]: Almost everything on Mars is 'Boinga'. In case you hadn't heard.
* [[Sneeze of Doom]]: Uniqua (caused by dust while hiding from the Soccer Monster) in "Monster Detectives", and Austin (caused by flowers whlie hiding from Tyrone in a painting) in "Who Goes There?".
* [[Space Police]]: Officer Uniqua and Sergeant Tyrone in "Cops and Robots", as well as Officers Tyrone and Tasha in "The Big Dipper Diner".
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* [[Super Speed]]: Tasha as Super Snap in "Front Page News", Uniqua as The Pink Fury in "Blazing Paddles", and Pablo in "Legend of the Volcano Sisters".
* [[Super Strength]]: Tyrone in "The Legend of the Volcano Sisters"; Uniqua as Bug Girl in "Front Page News" ''and'' as Strong Blossom in "Super Team Awesome"; Pablo as Tarzan the Very Strong in "Heart of the Jungle".
* [[Swiper, No Swiping]]: While you can't stop the Grabbin' Goblin from taking your stuff just by asking, he will generally give it back if you ask nicely... most of the time.
* [[Sword Fight]]: The first episode "Pirate Treasure", had Austin and Tyrone having a sword fight using their ''telescopes''. In "The Two Musketeers", it gets better with Uniqua and Austin against Pablo, Tyrone, and Tasha with cool parring moves like a [[Blade Lock]], and [[Sword Over Head]]... though their swords ''are'' made of balloons.
* [[Take Over the World]]: Several episodes have characters wanting this, in particular "Race to the Tower of Power".
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** Uniqua is a subversion: she wears overalls and also lacks eyelashes. Some viewers even [[Viewer Gender Confusion|mistook her for a boy]]. That is, until some of her girlier roles in the later seasons, and until those viewers realized she was ''[[Pink Girl, Blue Boy|pink]]''.
* [[That Makes Me Feel Angry]]: From "Best Clowns in Town":
{{quote| '''Tyrone''': I am ''so mad''! You made me miss my ''train''! I have a circus to lead tonight in Big City, but I can't ''be'' there because of... ''[[The Khan|CLOOOOOOOOOWNS]]''!}}
* [[That's No Moon]]: In "A Giant Problem", Tyrone and Pablo rest on a large red boulder which happens to be Tasha's giant foot. Tyrone does this again in "Escape from Fairytale Village", this time to Pablo's foot.
* [[Thematic Theme Tune]]: The theme song gradually climbs an octave in pitch, while the titular characters switch from regular clothes to fantasy gear and back.
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* [[Turned to Stone]]: {{spoiler|Pablo and Tyrone}} are petrified by Tasha as Medusa in "Sinbad Sails Alone" in a literal game of "freeze tag". Later in said game, {{spoiler|Pablo tricks Tasha into petrifying herself}}.
* [[Twitchy Eye]]: Tyrone has one in "Best Clowns in Town" right after the clowns make him miss his train the second time, and Pablo gets one every time he's about to become the Flipper in "The Flipper".
* [[Two Girls to Aa Team]]: Tasha and Uniqua
* [[Unlimited Wardrobe]]: Although it could be argued that their fantasy wardrobes are purely imaginary...
* [[The Unmasking]]: {{spoiler|Tasha}} in "Front Page News" does this.
* [[Unrealistic Black HoleHoles Suck]]: In "Garbage Trek".
* [[The Un-Reveal]]: In "The Masked Retriever", none of the other characters find out about Uniqua's alter ego, with Austin's question of "Have you ever heard of the Masked Retriever?" left unanswered by the end-of-story stomach rumble.
* [[The Untwist]]: Frequent, in the course of finding ways around their inability to actually hurt or arrest anyone. During "Whodunit?", for instance, it turns out that {{spoiler|Tyrone was the thief, but he didn't really steal the jewels; Tasha gave them to him. It was all a plot by Tasha to liven up a rainy day}}.
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* [[Walk the Plank]]: In "Pirate Treasure", and "Fly Girl".
* [[Wasn't That Fun?]]: In "Scared Of You" Austin, Tyrone, and Uniqua are warned against proceeding with their journey. [[Tempting Fate|They do so]], and are rewarded with a falling staircase. Uniqua is left hanging on to the top landing for dear life.
{{quote| '''Uniqua''': Hey! That was fun! Let's do it again! <br />
'''Tyrone''': Or let's not! }}
* [[Wasteful Wishing]]: In "Movers of Arabia", {{spoiler|Pablo wastes a wish by saying "I wish I knew where we were." Cue Genie Austin, yelling "You're in Arabia! Boy, that was easy!"}}
* [[What Could Have Been]]: One episode was supposed to use [[wikipedia:Sun ra|Sun Ra's]] avant-garde jazz as a music genre, but the show's producers thought it would scare [[Moral Guardians|parents]] and decided not to go through with it.
** Also, the show was going to be called "Me + My Friends", Uniqua was supposed to be a pig, and there was no Austin. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110801231620/http://www.backyardiganfans.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=407 Click here for more info.]
* [[Whip Pan]]: Used in "The Tale of the Mighty Knights", "Le Master of Disguise", "Robin Hood the Clean", and several other episodes.
* [[Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?]]: Tasha during "Chichen-Itza Pizza" -- logically enough, the Indiana Jones parody episode.
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* [[Worst News Judgment Ever]]: In "News Flash", Reporter Uniqua mistakes {{spoiler|Tyrone and Pablo's corn decorations for alien crop circles}}.
* [[You Can Say That Again]]: A [[Running Gag]] primarily in the first season, in which a character would literally repeat themselves after this is said.
* [[You Go, Girl!]]: This happens more than once, and shouldn't be surprising because this show was created by a woman.
** Becomes a plot point in "Blazing Paddles" when sheriff Uniqua must demonstrate table tennis skills to defend her town.
** In "Match On Mount Olympus", both Uniqua and Tasha [[Person Asas Verb|pull a Lisa Leslie,]] dunking a basketball at different times.
* [[Youngest Child Wins]]: In "The Legend of the Volcano Sisters", {{spoiler|Austin the third Luau Brother succeeds after his other siblings each failed.}}
* [[You Shall Not Pass]]: Used literally by Pablo in "Knights are Brave and Strong". Of course, he then admits that ''he'' can't open the door either.
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----
{{quote|'''Pablo:''' "[[Egregious]]!"}}
 
Pablo: "Egregious!"
 
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Turn of the Millennium/Western Animation{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:The Millennium Age of Animation]]
[[Category:Nick Jr]]
[[Category:Edutainment Show]]
[[Category:All CGI Cartoon]]
[[Category:Western Animation]]
[[Category:Western Animation of the 2000s]]
[[Category:Nelvana]]
[[Category:TheNick BackyardigansJr.]]
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