Methodology

Efforts like this are a messy business because anything that's grown organically like RiffTrax means not everything falls into a nice neat categorization. As such, it's necessary to establish some ground rules for how I go about counting Riffrences.

I'll attempt to cover as much as possible here to prevent confusion about when something may be present or missing, or what gets credit for a Riffrence as opposed to something else. Please also recognize that I'll likely not be 100% consistent with these rules, but I'll try to be as close to it as possible.

General Ground Rules

  • If both a live and studio version of a riff exist, the studio version takes precedence for counting as being Riffrenced.
  • If both a solo Mike version and a "Three Riffers Version" exist, the "Three Riffers Version" takes precedence for counting as being Riffrenced.
  • Intra-title references do not count as a Riffrence. For instance, if a live show starts with a short, and that short is referenced during the main movie, it doesn't count. The idea is that the short is just part of the larger riff.
  • Though the first two rules govern which title counts as being Riffrenced, both live and studio versions of a given riff are eligible to be a source of Riffrences, given they may use different jokes.
  • Retroactive Riffrences: References to a property made before that property is actually riffed still count as Riffrences. As an example, at least one Point Break reference was made before the live show in 2024 riffed the movie. They still count.

Listing Riffrences

  • Riffrences a title makes are listed in chronological order, including duplicates. It's common for a title to be Riffrenced multiple times throughout the course of a riff and I want to record each one.
  • Riffrences often take the form of conversations. For example, multiple riffers may make quick notes about "50% discounts" and "slr pnls" in direct proximity to each other. This only counts as one Riffrence to Birdemic.
  • Some entries on the site have been created specifically to act as a target for generic Riffrences to series. For example, it's rare for a specific Norman short to be mentioned, but Norman as a whole is brought up, so there is a "Norman (Series)" entry to assign those Riffrences to.

Blacklisted Titles

Some titles have intentionally been excluded from consideration. These are primarily the big, popular Hollywood movies that are generally well-received. (The last qualification is why Battlefield Earth is still included.) I see no need to clog up the site with every Star Wars or Indiana Jones mention. Note: This is not an exhaustive list, and it's possible I may see fit to include any of them in the future.

  • Avatar
  • Harry Potter
  • Indiana Jones
  • Lord of the Rings/Hobbit
  • Marvel / DC / X-Men / other tentpole superhero movies
  • Planet of the Apes
  • Star Trek
  • Star Wars (minus The Star Wars Holiday Special)
  • The Karate Kid
  • Titanic
  • Transformers
  • Twilight