Killed in a car accident, two teens try to evade The Grim Reaper.
Beginning of the episode
Opening segment
Beginnig of first segment
Popular country singer Johnny Cash was known as 'The Man In Black', as he frequently wore black clothing & boots.
"I Walk The Line" is the title of Johnny Cash's first number one single, in 1955.
Reference to CBS' long-running news program, 60 Minutes, which features
a running watch during the show.
The patient in the bed looks vaguely like Wilford Brimley, who in the late 80s did ads for Quaker Oats, the catch phrase being "It's the right thing to do".
The patient vaguely resembles Helmut Kohl, the former chancellor of West Germany (1982–1990) and reunified Germany (1990–98).
Magic Fingers refers to a once-common feature on motel beds, a (usually) coin-operated vibrating action that was supposed to simulate a massage.
The Soultaker's neon-green special effect resembles some of the effects used in the 1984 hit movie, Ghostbusters.
Referring to the infamous 'Partnership for a Drug-Free America' ad campaign from 1987, which displayed a man frying an egg in a hot skillet to represent someone's brain on drugs, and included the phrase "This is your brain on drugs".
Referring to 'The Club', a popular car security device that attaches to the steering wheel of a car.
George Clooney played hunky Dr. Douglas Ross on the television show, E.R.
Spoken in the announcer style for the long-running television dance show, "The Soul Train", which primarily focused on soul and R&B artists.
Brad resembles Jim McMahon, former NFL quarterback.
Hardee's is the name of a popular American fast-food chain, primarily located in the midwest and southeast.
Reference to a classic Warner Brothers cartoon, set on a southern
plantation house.
The Motels were a rock group of the early-mid 1980s.
The Thompson Twins were a popular English new-wave group of the early 1980s.
Michael J. Fox was a popular television and movie star of the 1980s, best known for his roles on the show "Family Ties" and the "Back To The Future" movie trilogy.
A reference to Mr. Mooney, a character from "The Lucy Show" (1962-1968), to whom Natalie's father bears a resemblance (bald head and moustache).
Tonya Harding was a professional ice skater who plotted to prevent fellow ice skater Nancy Kerrigan from competing in the 1992 Olympics. She hired a 'hitman', who used a collapsible metal baton on Nancy's knee during a practice session.
Scott Baio was a 'teen heart-throb' television star of the late 1970s and early 1980s, best known for his role "Charles 'Chachi' Arcola" on the hit show "Happy Days".
Whitesnake were a rock group of the mid/late 1980s.
'Acid wash' and 'blasted denim' are types of chemically faded denim jeans, popular in the 1980s.
The movie character on screen bears a vague resemblance to a performer in "Menudo", a pop group from Mexico.
Zack's neighbor resembles Bob Vila, host of a popular home repair show on PBS.
Nancy Kerrigan was the victim in the 1994 Tonya Harding ice skating scandal.
Reference to the song by eighties singer Corey Hart, who had a minor hit with "I Wear My Sunglasses At Night".
A funnel cake is a sweet pastry-like item, common to fairs, carnivals, and circuses.
Brad resembles Richard Page, the lead singer for the 1980s group Mr. Mister.
Again referring to the attack on ice skater Nancy Kerrigan, which involved a hired man hitting her on the knee with a collapsible metal baton.
Zack resembles John Stamos, best known for his role in the long running late 1980s/early 1990s TV show "Full House".
Referring to the Cole Porter musical, "Anything Goes", part of which takes place on a ocean liner.
One of the movie characters looks like Chicago Bears' ex-quarterback Jim McMahon, who, along with the rest of his team, released a single and video for a song called "The Super Bowl Shuffle" in 1985.
Reference to the song, "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top", from the musical Oklahoma.
Natalie resembles country singer Reba McEntire.
George Will is an award-winning and bespectacled writer and newspaper columnist.
After missing her routine's first jump in the 1994 Olympics, ice skater Tonya Harding claimed to the referee that her lace had just broken, leaving her no time to repair it. The referee allowed her to retry her routine on a fixed skate.
Brad's companion resembles comedienne & actress, Kathy Griffin.
Jeff Gillooly was the chief conspirator in the attack on ice skater Nancy Kerrigan. He was also Tonya Harding's ex-husband.
Another reference to the Johnny Cash song, "I Walk The Line".
Reference to the Molly Hatchet song, "Flirting With Disaster".
Reference to the Sammy Hagar song, "I Can't Drive 55".
The music video for the Talking Heads' song "Burning Down The House" features an image of David Byrne's head projected onto a moving road.
Billy Idol was a popular singer of the 1980s, who dressed in a punk rock style and sported a trademark lip-curl sneer.
Danskins are a manufacturer of professional clothing for dancing, skating, and other similar interests.
The 'angel chorus' music on the film's soundtrack sounds like the popular "voice" effect for the Roland synthesizer line of keyboards.
Beginning of second segment
Michael Learned is an actress, best known for her role of Olivia Walton on the 1970s television show, "The Waltons".
"Thriller" is the name of a song from singer Michael Jackson, who donned a single glittering glove as part of his image in the early 1980s.
One of the paramedics resembles world champion gymnast, Cathy Rigby.
Lik-M-Ade was a popular flavored granulated sugar candy.
The actor playing the detective looks like actor Griffin Dunne, possibly best known for his starring role in 1985's "After Hours".
Reference to Dennis Hopper's bizarre oxygen mask toting character in the David Lynch movie Blue Velvet.
A Grey Poupon mustard's television ad featured a chauffeur-driven gentleman pull up to another car and ask for Grey Poupon.
Joe Estevez' nephew, Emilio Estevez, starred in the 1992 kid hockey movie "The Mighty Ducks".
Reference to American painter Edward Hopper, and his famous late night diner painting, "Nighthawks".
Reference to the giant invisible rabbit from the 1950 Jimmy Stewart
movie, "Harvey".
Rik Ocasek was the lead singer for the late 70s/early 80s group, The Cars.
Stewart Sandwiches was Minnesota based line of pre-made deli sandwiches from the 1960s & 1970s.
Popular bubble bath soap 'Mr. Bubble' is/was suspected to be the cause
of urinary tract infections (or at least irritation) in women when the
product first came out.
Quote from Donna Reed's character in the classic 1946 Jimmy Stewart
movie, "It's A Wonderful Life".
A popular bathroom product, which featured various cartoon character
heads that dispensed soap foam.
Beginning of third segment
Reference to the shampoo, Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific.
The woman in the hospital bed resembles Art Garfunkel, from the music duo Simon & Garfunkel.
Simon & Garfunkel biggest hit song was 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', in 1970.
Imelda Marcos was former First Lady of the Philippines, who was infamous for her prolific personal collection of shoes, jewelry, and other items of expense.
Reference to the hit song by Peter Frampton, "Do You Feel Like We Do?". On the live version from 'Frampton Comes Alive' Peter uses a Vocoder, which utilized a mouthpiece attachment to effect the guitar's sound.
Snuffalupagus is a long-trunked elephant-like character from the children's television show, Sesame Street.
Beginning of fourth segment
Reference to the 1976 hit Blue Oyster Cult song, "Don't Fear The Reaper"
The EKG pattern resembles the logo for Prudential Insurance, which is a stylized image of The Rock of Gibraltar.
Referring to the Star Trek original series character Captain
Christopher Pike, who was enclosed in a futuristic (yet box-like)
electric wheelchair.
George Lucas' first film, 'THX-1138' utilized many inexpensive and nondescript "futuristic-looking" locations, including stairways.
A 1983 novel and movie by famed horror writer Stephen King, which centers around an anthropomorphic evil car named Christine.
Beginning of final segment
Credits
Stinger