In Happy Tree Friends, there are multiple references to pop culture throughout the entire show. Here is a list of all the pop culture references in Happy Tree Friends itself.
Not all references have been found yet, please help this page by adding ones you have found.
Movies[]
Alien[]
In Toothy's Easter Smoochie, after Toothy eats Easter eggs, chicks burst out of him, similar to a Chestburster, the infant form of the Xenomorphs. Another reference is made in Pet Peeve where Sniffles' Blob has an acidic body.
An Inconvenient Truth[]
The title of the episode An Inconvenient Tooth, is a direct reference to the 2006 documentary film, An Inconvenient Truth, which is about Al Gore's campaign to spread the word about global warming. Considering how this episode is about plants, the episode may share a few similarities with the movie.
Back to the Future[]
There is a small, but obvious reference to Back to the Future in the episode Blast from the Past, during the scene when Sniffles is watching TV, there is a DeLorean time traveling in the same way as in the movie.
The Birds[]
The 1963 horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock is referenced in Pet Peeve, in a scene where Lumpy is surrounded and attacked by hungry birds. It bears similarities to one of the film's most popular scenes.
Child's Play[]
Child's Play is parodied in A Vicious Cycle, where Flippy gets struck by lightning, and his soul continues to live on in a tricycle owned by Cub, similar to Charles Lee Ray, the main antagonist of the movie whose soul got transferred into Chucky.
Evil Dead II[]
There is a big reference to Evil Dead II in the episode Remains to be Seen. Lumpy has his arm chewed off by zombie Fliqpy, and he goes into a shed and attaches a leaf blower to his arm, like how Ash attached a chainsaw to his arm.
The Exorcist[]
The Exorcist is parodied in Read 'em and Weep, with Cub being possessed by a demon.
Fantastic Voyage[]
Richard Fleischer's 1966 science-fiction adventure film is largely referenced in I've Got You Under My Skin.
Final Destination[]
Like Itchy and the Scratchy Show, the violence and brutality in this cartoon is often compared to the horror movie Final Destination. The Happy Tree Friends series itself is inspired from it.
Final Destination 3[]
The plot of the TV episode The Wrong Side of the Tracks is a reference to the beginning of the movie Final Destination 3.
From Here to Eternity[]
The title of the episode From Hero to Eternity is a reference to the 1953 romantic war drama film From Here to Eternity.
Godzilla[]
Godzilla, a kaiju in a popular series of Japanese monster movies, is referenced in Wingin' It three times, with two onscreen cameos, and an off-screen one.
Home Alone[]
The plot of the episode Easy For You to Sleigh, where Lifty and Shifty sneak into Flippy's house as a whole could be a reference to the 1990 film Home Alone, since this consists of two thieves who steal on Christmas Eve, successfully hitting multiple houses, but one of their victims ends up defeating them and ensnaring them in various traps. In the episode Easy Comb, Easy Go, the way Lumpy screams after putting aftershave to his muscles is similar to how Kevin McAllister does in the film.
Ice Age[]
A possible reference to the Ice Age franchise appears in Snow Place to Go. The ice cracking because of Flaky's lawn gnome might be a reference to Scrat accidentally cracking ice with his acorn, with both scenarios leading to destructive results.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers[]
Both the Pod Lumpys and the episode in which they appear are both an homage to this 1956 science-fiction horror film.
Jaws/Orca[]
The Jaws films are referenced in Wipe Out!. A tune resembling the films' popular theme song can be heard as The Sharks attack Flaky.
Another reference may lie in Snow Place to Go, as a similar tune plays when The Orca pursues Russell. Then again, it could be a reference to the 1977 horror film Orca, considering it involved an orca rather than sharks.
Lady and the Tramp[]
In Remains to be Seen, there's a scene where Cuddles and Giggles slurp a brain similar to the familiar "Spaghetti Kiss" scene.
Mission: Impossible III[]
At the end of the episode Party Animal, where Flippy's lips get cut out by the iris is similar to when a man gets a part of one of his fingers cut off by a circular cigar cutter.
Over the Hedge[]
In Easy For You to Sleigh, the scene where Lifty and Shifty sneak into Flippy's house and steal everything without waking him up might be a reference to the beginning scene of the movie Over the Hedge. Coincidentally, both of them came out in 2006.
The Party Animal[]
The episode Party Animal shares the title of the 1984 film.
Raiders of the Lost Ark[]
There are many references to Raiders of the Lost Ark throughout Happy Tree Friends. The most prevalent is the The Cursed Idol, which makes multiple appearances through out the series. It has a very similar appearance to the fertility idol in the movie. In the episode Treasure Those Idol Moments, Cub is crushed by a boulder, which could be a reference to the boulder chase scene in the movie. In Easy For You to Sleigh, when Shifty is trying to escape from Flippy, he swaps a candle-holder with a bag of sand, which parodies the same scene from the movie, then plays part of the tune to the theme song. There is even a piece of the score that sounds similar to the theme of the movie. Another big reference to the movie is Idol Curiosity, which is a loosely-based parody of the movie, with Sniffles traveling to a remote jungle ruin to get an idol, and taking it to a museum.
Rocky[]
The movie is directly referenced in Ipso Fatso, when Disco Bear is punching meat in a meat locker.
Saw III[]
In Out on a Limb, Lumpy breaks his leg with a spoon to free himself from the tree he is stuck under. The whole episode is similar to when Detective Eric Matthews broke and shattered his foot with a toilet lid to break free from his shackle.
The Shining[]
The Shining is referenced in a scene in Aw, Shucks!, where the crow goes into a bathroom, and Lumpy uses an axe to chop a way into the bathroom, and when he breaks in, he says, "Here's Lumpy!". The movie is referenced again in the title of the season four episode All Work and No Play, which is a part of a famous quote from the the movie, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy".
Two Thousand Maniacs![]
Two Thousand Maniacs is referenced the episode Party Animal, Sniffles' death is a reference to the scene in the film, in which a character is rolled downhill in a barrel embedded with nails.
Sin City[]
The episode Without a Hitch parodies the use of color in Sin City, which is mostly black and white, with splashes of color throughout the episode (blood being an example).
Spider-Man 2[]
In The Wrong Side of the Tracks, there's a scene where Lumpy tries to stop the roller coaster cart Giggles and Petunia are in, only for his body to file down against the track's ties and lead the girls to their deaths. This is a reference to the subway scene from Spider-Man 2.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan[]
The title of the episode Wrath of Con parodies the title of this Star Trek film from 1982.
Star Wars[]
In Wrath of Con, Giggles is dressed as Princess Leia and playing with a lightsaber, while Petunia is dressed as a Ewok.
Superman (1978)[]
In Better Off Bread, Splendid references the Superman movie when he turns back time on the Earth by rotating around it in the opposite direction.
Television[]
The Ant and the Aardvark[]
Episodes starring Sniffles and the Ants could be a direct reference to the 1969 cartoon called The Ant and the Aardvark, which involves an aardvark who constantly tries to capture a sly ant, only to fail miserably. The Aardvark himself has a few similarities to Sniffles, particularly they are both blue and have a craving for the ants they can't catch.
Bewitched[]
A reference to this 1960s series was briefly referenced in As You Wish, in the scene where Lumpy wiggles his nose to grant Disco Bear's wish, similar to how Samantha wiggles her nose to cast spells.
The Flintstones[]
At the end of the episode Peas in a Pod, Lumpy drives a car operated by two of his clones, in a similar fashion to the prehistoric foot-powered vehicles in the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon.
George of the Jungle[]
In Dream Job, Sniffles swings on a vine until hitting a tree. The background music played during the scene sounds similar to the George of the Jungle theme song.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas![]
The entire plot of the episode Easy For You to Sleigh is based on this 1957 children's book written by Dr. Seuss, which was then turned into an animated half-hour special by Chuck Jones in 1966.
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The Itchy & Scratchy Show[]
The violence and brutality in this cartoon is often compared to this fictional cartoon from The Simpsons. The Happy Tree Friends series itself is inspired from it.
Looney Tunes[]
A reference appears in the episode Party Animal. Nutty, after tasting one drop of sugar, spins into a whirlwind, just like the Looney Tunes character Taz (or the Tasmanian Devil). The show in general has also been inspired from the Looney Tunes along with old 'sappy' cartoons like Care Bears and The Smurfs.
Mission: Impossible[]
The title of Pitchin' Impossible is a reference to the TV show Mission: Impossible.
Monty Python's Flying Circus[]
The animation style of Happy Tree Friends from the episodes Spin Fun Knowin' Ya from Hello Dolly is somewhat similar to paper cut-out cartoons seen in Monty Python's Flying Circus. It is also possible that Monty Python's Flying Circus served as some inspiration for Happy Tree Friends.
Peanuts[]
The ever famous Peanuts comic book series and television specials have been referenced in the episode Eyes Cold Lemonade, during the scene where Giggles and Petunia sit at their lemonade stand in a similar fashion to Charlie Brown and Linus leaning against a brick wall. Kenn Navarro has stated that Peanuts served as some inspiration for Happy Tree Friends.
The Price Is Right[]
There is a small reference to The Price Is Right in Dream Job during the scene where there is a wheel that has fruit on it, which looks very similar to the wheel on the show.
The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show[]
Splendid and Lumpy, respectively, were inspired from the characters Rocky and Bullwinkle. Lifty, Shifty and Tiger General, is also, respectively, were inspired from the characters Natasha Fatale, Boris Badenov and Fearless Leader.
Star Trek[]
In Something Fishy, Sniffles and Mime wear Vulcan ears and sweaters and use the Vulcan salute. Sniffles wore that same outfit in an earlier episode, Remains to be Seen. If one looks closely when Mime and Sniffles perform the Vulcan salute, they are seen with four fingers and a thumb. This was probably done intentionally, as they needed this amount of fingers to perform the salute correctly.
This Is Your Life[]
The title of the episode This Is Your Knife is a reference to the reality documentary This Is Your Life.
Whose Line Is It Anyway?[]
The title of the episode Whose Line Is It Anyway? is a direct reference to the improv comedy show of the same name.
Family Guy[]
Flippy and Fliqpy's fight in Autopsy Turvy (Double Whammy Part II) could be a reference to Family Guy's Chicken Fight gag, with Flippy and Fliqpy causing destruction and death during their battle, in a similar fashion to how Ernie the Giant Chicken and Peter Griffin do so during their various feuds.
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy[]
In A Sight for Sore Eyes, Lumpy is seen choosing a guide pet for The Mole. In that scene, there is a cat next to a dog who resembles Milkshakes from The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy. This may be an intentional cameo, but it has not been confirmed yet.
Books/Stories[]
A Christmas Carol[]
The episode We're Scrooged! is named after the protagonist of the Charles Dickens novel. Lumpy is also portrayed as greedy and selfish just like Ebenezer Scrooge, the main character/anti-hero of the story. The beginning text "Based on a true story" may refer to the original story.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory[]
In the episode Party Animal, the way Flaky inflates and bloats up from her peanut allergy is similar to how Violet Beauregarde swells up into a blueberry after chewing experimental gum.
Jack and the Beanstalk[]
The episode Dunce Upon a Time gives its own spin on the story by the Brothers Grimm, with Nutty as Jack, at first. The role switches over to Giggles as she is the one who climbs the beanstalk, even though Nutty traded for the beans, and Lumpy is the giant.
Little Golden Books[]
Starting with Wrath of Con, the end credits for the majority of episodes reference the back designs of the Little Golden Books series.
Pinocchio[]
There are about two references to the story of Pinocchio in the episode Get Whale Soon. After Russell is engulfed by the whale, the camera pans through the creature's stomach, revealing a wood doll resembling Pinocchio as one of the swallowed objects. Also, Russell and Lumpy try to escape by lighting a fire in hopes the whale will sneeze them out, just like in the story.
Rapunzel[]
The character of Rapunzel is referenced through Petunia in Dunce Upon a Time, as she has long yellow hair which Giggles uses to leave the tower.
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel! Allow me to use your hair whether you like it or not."
Rumpelstiltskin[]
The story is briefly referenced in Dunce Upon a Time, as Petunia is rolling her hair through a spinning wheel.
Twilight[]
Twilight was parodied twice in the episode Breaking Wind: the book Splendid was reading throughout the episode parodied the first book in the saga, "Twilight", and the episode title parodied the fourth book in the saga, "Breaking Dawn". Splendid was shown crying over this book but was dissatisfied with the ending.
The Monkey's Paw[]
The events of the episode As You Wish is similar to this supernatural short story written in 1902 by W.W. Jacobs. In the story, a family receives a monkey's paw, and says that the possessor can wish for anything they want, and the wish will come true. However, every wish will have a catch.
In this episode, Lumpy gives wishes for people who have summoned him, but every one of the wishes he grants will give a disastrous consequence for the character who made the wish.
Comics[]
Astro Boy[]
The special episode Cubtron Z is a homage to this manga series, as it involves Pop rebuilding Cub into a robot following the latter's death from a vehicle.
Batman[]
Nutty could be seen wearing a Batman mask in Wrath of Con, during the scene in which Splendid prepares to make his speech.
Ghost Rider[]
Ghost Rider is briefly parodied in the episode Brake the Cycle, where Lumpy prepares to do a motorcycle stunt, when suddenly, he is set alight by Toothy, who has the back wheel of his bike on fire, and the fire touches some spilled gas below him. At the end of the episode, Lumpy looks similar to Ghost Rider, since all of his flesh is burnt away to the bone, and his body is still on fire. They even mentioned this in the Blurb version of this episode by saying "Get ready to be sued by Marvel," as Ghost Rider is property of Marvel.
Superman[]
Aside from Splendid being based off of Superman, there are a few other references. In Better Off Bread, Splendid turns back time by spinning the Earth backwards. Also, in Gems the Breaks, Splendid's weakness is Kryptonut, a parody of Kryptonite. A third reference lies in See What Develops, where Splendid has a job as a news reporter and wears a disguise similar to Superman's secret identity Clark Kent. He is also seen attempting to use a phone both to change out of his disguise, which Superman is known to use most often. There is also a fourth reference in Wrath of Con, where Splendid lifts a chunk of the convention building and stands (in a more detailed version, other chunks appear to form a cliff-like appearance, which Splendid steps on).
Squeak the Mouse[]
The violence and brutality of this cartoon is often also compared to this Italian comic strip. The Happy Tree Friends series itself is inspired from it.
Watchmen[]
Three references to Watchmen appear in Wrath of Con. Sniffles carries a badge that very much resembles the blood-stained smiley face. A Generic Tree Friend is dressed as one of the protagonists, Rorschach. Lumpy is also briefly seen dressed as Doctor Manhattan.
Video Games[]
Anteater[]
A possible reference to the Anteater arcade game appears in Crazy Ant-ics, when Sniffles sends his tongue down the anthill.
Donkey Kong/Whac-A-Mole[]
In the False Alarm episode, The Mole gets trapped in a barrel as it rolls toward Nutty. Aided with a mallet, Nutty smashes the barrel several times, killing The Mole.
Grand Theft Auto[]
In the False Alarm episode, Nutty carjacks Cuddles' after seeing Lifty and Shifty drive off with tons of game consoles. Carjacking is a typical reference to GTA games where the payable character can steal a car within their vicinity (hence the name Grand Theft Auto). Furthermore, Cuddles' car resembles the Peyote, which is a type of car from the games.
Pac-Man[]
Yet another video game reference from the False Alarm episode occurs when Lifty and Shifty are killed. Their heads are sliced to resemble Pac-Man being chased by a ghost.
Paperboy[]
In the False Alarm episode, Petunia is shown delivering newspapers along a suburb, in a similar fashion to the 1985 game Paperboy.
Tetris[]
Tetris is referenced in Chore Loser and in the False Alarm episode. In both scenarios, body parts from one of the characters (respectively Cub and Petunia) form into the shape of tetraminoes.
Music[]
Deck the Halls[]
Pop hums this song in Easy For You to Sleigh and Clause For Concern. Is is also played in the background of Ski Kringle. The song is also titled and sung in Deck the Halls.
Dueling Banjos[]
In Banjo Frenzy, Lumpy plays this song on his banjo during the episode. It can also be heard during the credits. It is best known for being used in the 1972 film Deliverance.
For He's a Jolly Good Fellow[]
Flaky, Cuddles, Toothy, and Sniffles are heard singing this in Party Animal while celebrating Flippy's birthday. Like some cases, it was chosen instead of the "Happy Birthday" song to avoid copyright issues, as that song was not in the public domain at the time.
God Rest You Merry Gentleman[]
Plays throughout Kringle Feast.
Greensleeves[]
Plays at he beginning of Kringle Karols.
Helter Skelter[]
The title of the episode Swelter Skelter is a reference to this song by the English rock band The Beatles.
Joy to the World[]
Plays in the background of Reindeer Kringle and Star Kringle.
O Christmas Tree[]
Toothy sings this song for a school play in Class Act. The song is titled and sung in Oh Xmas Tree. The song can even be heard on The Mole's phonograph in No Time Like the Present. The song also plays in the background of Sight Kringle and Kringle Tree.
Stayin' Alive[]
Disco Bear's debut episode is named after this song by the Bee Gees, a band who were most prominent during the disco era of music.
Silent Night[]
Cuddles, Giggles, Toothy, and Lumpy sing this song in Kringle Karols.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas[]
The song can be heard in the background at the beginning of Class Act. It is titled and sung in We Wish You. It also plays in the background of Kringle Presents.
Whole Lotta Love[]
The episode titled A Hole Lotta Love is a reference to the song Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin.
Miscellaneous[]
Arthur Read[]
Sniffles could possibly be based off of the fictional aardvark Arthur Read, a notable clue being the characters' glasses. Coincidentally, both characters started off with long snouts which gradually got shorter.
Care Bears[]
Almost every known main character in Happy Tree Friends has a heart-shaped nose, just like the ones the Care Bears have. The series was, in fact, inspired partly by the Care Bears. The main difference to this reference that they have no symbols on their belly.
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Coppertone[]
When Whistle tears the skin off Giggles' buttocks, the scene clearly references the logo and an old advertisement for Coppertone sunscreen.
Hello, Dolly![]
The name of the episode Hello Dolly is a direct reference to the 1964 musical with the same name.
Homestar Runner[]
The Homestar Runner characters Strong Bad and Trogdor are listed as "additional contributors" in the credits of Intimate Spotlight.
Keep Calm and Carry On[]
This internet phenomenon, inspired by motivational posters produced during World War II, is briefly referenced in the Take a Hike Blurb.
Larry Walters[]
Lumpy's act of getting a baby bird to its nest by tying a bunch of balloons to a lawn chair to lift himself is similar to a real life event that occurred in 1982, where a trucker named Larry Walters tied 45 weather balloons to a lawn chair to take flight. According to Walters, he says that this stunt was a lifelong dream he wanted to accomplish.
RMS Titanic[]
A scene in Idol Curiosity involved The Mole crashing a large ship into an iceberg, causing it to sink and kill everyone onboard except Sniffles. This is a clear reference to the British ocean liner the Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg in 1912.
San Diego Comic-Con International[]
The episode Wrath of Con mostly parodies real life convention centers and gatherings, most notably the Comic-Con event held annually in San Diego, California.
Winnie-the-Pooh[]
A possible reference to the popular teddy bear character may lie in Take a Hike, in a scene where Nutty becomes obese devouring honey from a bee hive. Another possible reference (or a jarring coincidence) may be Lumpy's Elephant, who heavily resembles a Heffalump, whose name also happens to be Lumpy.
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