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Life Support

 Life Support
type
TVTItem
 Life Support
label
Life Support
 Life Support
page
LifeSupport
 Life Support
comment
Format(s):Half Hour ComedyGenre(s):ParodyLife Support was an Australian cult comedy series that aired on SBS between 2001 and 2003, and parodied lifestyle shows such as Better Homes And Gardens while simultaneously using associated tropes to satirise the hell out of Australian society. A lot of its humour came from the hosts suggesting dangerous, dubious or often wildly illegal advice with completely straight faces.The four main characters were: Sigourney, played by Rachael Coopes: an always-chipper blonde who taught modern women all about how to win men and use handicrafts to make the world a better place. Notably the only character to be played by the same actress for the entire run of the show. Todd, played by Brendan Cowell and later Duncan Fellows: a brash, masculine (and slightly dim) Handy Man. Penne, played by Abbie Cornish and later Alison Barnes: a streetwise juvenile delinquent who offered lessons in "how to scam The Man". Dr Rudi, played by Simon Van Der Stap and later Jack Finsterer (or so we're made to believe...): a slick, suave and completely amoral South African gynaecologist with all sorts of tips about health and wealth.
 Life Support
fetched
2023-06-01T23:15:19Z
 Life Support
parsed
2023-06-01T23:15:19Z
 Life Support
processingComment
Dropped link to CallBack: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Life Support
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Life Support / int_1994ba0b
type
Gone Horribly Right
 Life Support / int_1994ba0b
comment
Gone Horribly Right: Dr. Rudi's "I slept with your wife" counterargument does more damage than it should have; resulting in a loud, painful-to-watch fight that looks like it will end in divorce. Of course, Dr. Rudi isn't phased by any of this.
 Life Support / int_1994ba0b
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1.0
 Life Support / int_1994ba0b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Life Support
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Life Support / int_1994ba0b
 Life Support / int_2d364c81
type
Tomboy and Girly Girl
 Life Support / int_2d364c81
comment
Tomboy and Girly Girl: Penne is the tomboy to Sigourney's girly girl.
 Life Support / int_2d364c81
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1.0
 Life Support / int_2d364c81
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1.0
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Life Support / int_2d364c81
 Life Support / int_37499c8
type
OnceAnEpisode
 Life Support / int_37499c8
comment
Once an Episode: In Season 1 Sigourney cooking some increasingly ridiculous dish to end the show, much to Dr Rudi's consternation. Season 2 instead has Sigourney suggest some increasingly outlandish activity to do while waiting for the next episode.
 Life Support / int_37499c8
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1.0
 Life Support / int_37499c8
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Life Support / int_37499c8
 Life Support / int_387c103d
type
I Banged Your Mom
 Life Support / int_387c103d
comment
I Banged Your Mom: Dr Rudi advocates the "wife" variant as a way to win arguments.
 Life Support / int_387c103d
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1.0
 Life Support / int_387c103d
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1.0
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Life Support / int_387c103d
 Life Support / int_42008602
type
Story Arc
 Life Support / int_42008602
comment
Story Arc: Though the show's format would seem to make arcs implausible, there is an ongoing storyline throughout Season 3: Dr Rudi, who has had Magic Plastic Surgery (and thus been replaced with a new actor), keeps receiving threatening letters in the mail, which appear in each episode's mailbag segment. It's revealed in the finale that these letters are from the old Dr Rudi, played by Simon Van Der Stap - the new Rudi, played by Jack Finsterer, is an impostor.
 Life Support / int_42008602
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 Life Support / int_42008602
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Life Support / int_42008602
 Life Support / int_43dc74d0
type
Sensitive Guy and Manly Man
 Life Support / int_43dc74d0
comment
Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Dr Rudi is the sensitive guy (in that he's more highbrow, not that he's more of a gentleman) to Todd's manly man.
 Life Support / int_43dc74d0
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1.0
 Life Support / int_43dc74d0
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Life Support / int_43dc74d0
 Life Support / int_4864031b
type
Informed Attractiveness
 Life Support / int_4864031b
comment
Informed Attractiveness: Inverted. When Dr Rudi talks about women's looks, he's accompanied by a "homely" woman that would actually be quite attractive if she just washed her hair or put on foundation.
 Life Support / int_4864031b
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 Life Support / int_4864031b
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Life Support / int_4864031b
 Life Support / int_4eb0815
type
The Nth Doctor
 Life Support / int_4eb0815
comment
The Nth Doctor: For Season 3, Dr Rudi, originally played by Simon Van Der Stap, was replaced by Jack Finsterer. This was explained away as having had Magic Plastic Surgery to "look more heterosexual". Then it turned out that the new Rudi was an impostor, and the old Rudi showed up at his and Sigourney's wedding to take his life back.
 Life Support / int_4eb0815
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 Life Support / int_4eb0815
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 Life Support
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Life Support / int_4eb0815
 Life Support / int_50b05d30
type
Disproportionate Retribution
 Life Support / int_50b05d30
comment
Disproportionate Retribution: A lot of the advice handed out by the show. Parents gave you an embarrassing name? Have them arrested! Foreign friend invites herself to stay at your place? Make it impossible for her to enter the country and ruin her reputation! Guy doesn't call? Accuse him of date rape!
 Life Support / int_50b05d30
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Life Support / int_50b05d30
 Life Support / int_5a3b8032
type
The Un-Reveal
 Life Support / int_5a3b8032
comment
The Unreveal: One of the letter segments has Dr Rudi and Sigourney skimming through a series of letters without reading them out loud for the convenience of the audience. Instead they just read out the writer's names and give them context-free advice for what would have to be some risque queries.
 Life Support / int_5a3b8032
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 Life Support / int_5a3b8032
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Life Support / int_5a3b8032
 Life Support / int_5dd7c88e
type
Nature Adores a Virgin
 Life Support / int_5dd7c88e
comment
Nature Adores a Virgin: Penne suggests girls invoke this trope by lying about their virginity to potential sex partners.
 Life Support / int_5dd7c88e
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1.0
 Life Support / int_5dd7c88e
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1.0
 Life Support
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Life Support / int_5dd7c88e
 Life Support / int_62fd5552
type
Bavarian Fire Drill
 Life Support / int_62fd5552
comment
Bavarian Fire Drill: Penne pulls this on a line of people queueing for concert tickets by wearing a fake Ticketek shirt and telling them the tour was cancelled.
 Life Support / int_62fd5552
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1.0
 Life Support / int_62fd5552
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Life Support / int_62fd5552
 Life Support / int_722b3319
type
Camp Gay
 Life Support / int_722b3319
comment
Camp Gay: Dr Rudi's advice for men who wish to "compliment" women in the workplace is to act like a gay stereotype to avoid sounding too sincere.
 Life Support / int_722b3319
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1.0
 Life Support / int_722b3319
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Life Support / int_722b3319
 Life Support / int_758c3034
type
Prison Rape
 Life Support / int_758c3034
comment
Prison Rape: One of the Todd's Tips segments suggested plying rapist cellmates with romantic gestures so that it always happened "with a genuine sense of affection".
 Life Support / int_758c3034
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1.0
 Life Support / int_758c3034
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Life Support / int_758c3034
 Life Support / int_77b2803c
type
Vox Pops
 Life Support / int_77b2803c
comment
Vox Pops: With real live people on the street. Probably.
 Life Support / int_77b2803c
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1.0
 Life Support / int_77b2803c
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1.0
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Life Support / int_77b2803c
 Life Support / int_812fc350
type
Turn of the Millennium
 Life Support / int_812fc350
comment
Turn of the Millennium: Satirised a lot of the issues relevant in Australia at the time (some of which, depressingly, persist to this day).
 Life Support / int_812fc350
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1.0
 Life Support / int_812fc350
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1.0
 Life Support
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Life Support / int_812fc350
 Life Support / int_83a903f6
type
Stepford Smiler
 Life Support / int_83a903f6
comment
Stepford Smiler: Heavily implied with Sigourney.
 Life Support / int_83a903f6
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1.0
 Life Support / int_83a903f6
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1.0
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Life Support / int_83a903f6
 Life Support / int_85abf836
type
Squirrels in My Pants
 Life Support / int_85abf836
comment
Squirrels in My Pants: Todd's advice for awkward dancers is to wear miniature solar panels on his jacket which are connected to some wires that he clips onto his nipples. The intention is to have the flashing lights in a nightclub send rhythmic jolts throughout his body. The result looks even more awkward.
 Life Support / int_85abf836
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Life Support / int_85abf836
 Life Support / int_863fa679
type
What Happened to the Mouse?
 Life Support / int_863fa679
comment
What Happened to the Mouse?: The very last episode ends on a cliffhanger as the real Dr Rudi reveals his replacement was an impostor right before the credits roll.
 Life Support / int_863fa679
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 Life Support / int_863fa679
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Life Support / int_863fa679
 Life Support / int_8f612013
type
Token Good Teammate
 Life Support / int_8f612013
comment
Token Good Teammate: Todd is probably the least cruel of the group, as his advice doesn't involve manipulation or come at anyone's expense. At least not as much as the others does.
 Life Support / int_8f612013
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 Life Support / int_8f612013
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Life Support / int_8f612013
 Life Support / int_90b66e22
type
Femme Fatale
 Life Support / int_90b66e22
comment
Femme Fatale: Sigourney is prepared to have Penne sabotage an electrical substation to make sure the lighting at her boyfriend's house makes her look attractive.
 Life Support / int_90b66e22
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 Life Support / int_90b66e22
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Life Support / int_90b66e22
 Life Support / int_927b2f11
type
The Bus Came Back
 Life Support / int_927b2f11
comment
The Bus Came Back: The original Dr Rudi returns in the final moments of series 3.
 Life Support / int_927b2f11
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1.0
 Life Support / int_927b2f11
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Life Support / int_927b2f11
 Life Support / int_97ee273
type
Momma's Boy
 Life Support / int_97ee273
comment
Momma's Boy: Todd, amusingly enough, still has his mother do his laundry. He even asks her, on air, not to sew the sleeves back onto his shirts.
 Life Support / int_97ee273
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1.0
 Life Support / int_97ee273
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Life Support / int_97ee273
 Life Support / int_9ae85487
type
Dr. Jerk
 Life Support / int_9ae85487
comment
Dr. Jerk: Dr Rudi is the suave, charming and horribly amoral variety.
 Life Support / int_9ae85487
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1.0
 Life Support / int_9ae85487
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Life Support / int_9ae85487
 Life Support / int_9d3f4777
type
My Nayme Is
 Life Support / int_9d3f4777
comment
My Nayme Is: Penne, pronounced "Penny". She's so unhappy with the spelling, she actually arranges for her parents to be arrested in Germany under an obscure local law.
 Life Support / int_9d3f4777
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1.0
 Life Support / int_9d3f4777
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Life Support / int_9d3f4777
 Life Support / int_9fc04a54
type
Have I Mentioned I Am Heterosexual Today?
 Life Support / int_9fc04a54
comment
Have I Mentioned I Am Heterosexual Today?: Dr Rudi's new look is explained as him getting corrective surgery to look less gay.
 Life Support / int_9fc04a54
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1.0
 Life Support / int_9fc04a54
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Life Support / int_9fc04a54
 Life Support / int_b01abe4f
type
Catchphrase
 Life Support / int_b01abe4f
comment
Catchphrase: Each host has one. Sigourney: "As a modern woman..." Todd: "So take a tip from Todd..." Penne: "See ya!" Dr Rudi: "Howzit!" Becomes a plot point in the series finale - spoken in the familiar voice of the old Rudi, played by Simon Van Der Stap, who has come to confront the impostor about to marry Sigourney.
 Life Support / int_b01abe4f
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Life Support / int_b01abe4f
 Life Support / int_b5060b63
type
The Lad-ette
 Life Support / int_b5060b63
comment
The Lad-ette: Penne, Penne, Penne.
 Life Support / int_b5060b63
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1.0
 Life Support / int_b5060b63
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Life Support / int_b5060b63
 Life Support / int_b6db5695
type
Political Overcorrectness
 Life Support / int_b6db5695
comment
Political Overcorrectness: Dr Rudi, particularly in series 3 regularly comments on how political correctness is affecting social activity. One episode has him coach a man in how to get away with sexually harassing his female colleagues by giving off a gay vibe.
 Life Support / int_b6db5695
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1.0
 Life Support / int_b6db5695
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Life Support / int_b6db5695
 Life Support / int_b915d947
type
Impossible Pickle Jar
 Life Support / int_b915d947
comment
Impossible Pickle Jar: In the seventh episode of season three, Sigourney does a segment on tightening jars around the house so that your boyfriend can open them and get a boost to his ego.
 Life Support / int_b915d947
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1.0
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Life Support / int_b915d947
 Life Support / int_bc00493f
type
Precision F-Strike
 Life Support / int_bc00493f
comment
Precision F-Strike: Penne's reaction to the real Rudi's return in the series finale.
 Life Support / int_bc00493f
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1.0
 Life Support / int_bc00493f
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Life Support / int_bc00493f
 Life Support / int_c01027a6
type
Better than a Bare Bulb
 Life Support / int_c01027a6
comment
Better than a Bare Bulb: The Other Darrin is alluded to a couple of times. Penne's transition in series 2 is briefly acknowledged. In series 3, Todd mentions that he hasn't had much interaction with the others...this series. In the finale he wonders out loud if the real Dr Rudi "got anyone with him?".
 Life Support / int_c01027a6
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Life Support / int_c01027a6
 Life Support / int_c435ec5d
type
Aesop Amnesia
 Life Support / int_c435ec5d
comment
Aesop Amnesia: Dr Rudi gives advice on making your teenage daughter fat to ensure she doesn't get pregnant at school. In another segment he also gives a teenage girl advice on how to get male attention.
 Life Support / int_c435ec5d
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Life Support / int_c435ec5d
 Life Support / int_cdcdb2b2
type
Cooking Show
 Life Support / int_cdcdb2b2
comment
Cooking Show: Parodied in Todd's recurring "Todd's Treat" segments, which involved Todd passing off ordinary food as fancy recipes - coffee as homemade Prozac, for example, or toasted beef stew sandwiches as spring rolls, or imitation crab meat as an exotic seafood delicacy. One especially amusing example involves Todd's response to a viewer letter complaining that lifestyle shows always showed the same tired old recipes, and requesting that Todd show them how to make a dish like they'd see in the country's finest restaurants. After several minutes of proudly pointing out to the viewers all the French cooking terms and ingredients he's using, Todd puts the finishing touches on... a Big Mac and fries.
 Life Support / int_cdcdb2b2
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Life Support / int_cdcdb2b2
 Life Support / int_d45c0b86
type
Refuge in Audacity
 Life Support / int_d45c0b86
comment
Refuge in Audacity: And how!
 Life Support / int_d45c0b86
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Life Support / int_d45c0b86
 Life Support / int_dbc33bf5
type
Handy Man
 Life Support / int_dbc33bf5
comment
Handy Man: Todd. He's good with tools.
 Life Support / int_dbc33bf5
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1.0
 Life Support / int_dbc33bf5
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Life Support / int_dbc33bf5
 Life Support / int_dcb9c541
type
Ship Tease
 Life Support / int_dcb9c541
comment
Ship Tease: Sigourney and Dr Rudi. They shared as kiss in one segment that Todd was quick to point out. Series 3 drops an increasing number of hints that they're going steady but haven't told Todd or Penne. Finally confimred in the penultimate episode, which ends with them announcing their engagement.
 Life Support / int_dcb9c541
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Life Support / int_dcb9c541
 Life Support / int_ddf56e0a
type
Amoral Afrikaner
 Life Support / int_ddf56e0a
comment
Amoral Afrikaner: Dr Rudi, though his exact ethnicity is Anglo-African instead of Afrikaan.
 Life Support / int_ddf56e0a
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 Life Support / int_ddf56e0a
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Life Support / int_ddf56e0a
 Life Support / int_e2d457
type
The Ditz
 Life Support / int_e2d457
comment
The Ditz: Todd and Sigourney both have elements of this. Todd in particular once prematurely announced the end of a show in a segue, then had no idea what the next segment would be. It was his own segment.
 Life Support / int_e2d457
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Life Support / int_e2d457
 Life Support / int_e9fb38
type
The Talk
 Life Support / int_e9fb38
comment
The Talk: In true Life Support style, Dr Rudi suggests using an old porno movie to teach kids where babies come from. Sigourney helpfully chimes in and recommends the sound be turned down, so the kids "don't hear any nasty swearing".
 Life Support / int_e9fb38
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Life Support / int_e9fb38
 Life Support / int_eae41a
type
The Vamp
 Life Support / int_eae41a
comment
The Vamp: Penne has been known to use her wiles on men (and occasionally women) to get what she wants with minimal effort. Sigourney has hints of this.
 Life Support / int_eae41a
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 Life Support / int_eae41a
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Life Support / int_eae41a
 Life Support / int_f081b6bc
type
EmoTeen
 Life Support / int_f081b6bc
comment
Emo Teen: The phenomenon is parodied in one episode with a segment on "Chamber Mouth", a thankfully fictional depressive rock band whose lead singer permanently has a loaded shotgun in his mouth.
 Life Support / int_f081b6bc
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 Life Support / int_f081b6bc
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Life Support / int_f081b6bc
 Life Support / int_fbd285b7
type
Comically Missing the Point
 Life Support / int_fbd285b7
comment
Comically Missing the Point: One mailbag segment has the hosts treating a vitriolic complaint letter as glowing praise.
 Life Support / int_fbd285b7
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Life Support / int_fbd285b7
 Life Support / int_fe0330fb
type
Brick Joke
 Life Support / int_fe0330fb
comment
Brick Joke: A segment at the beginning of Episode 5 shows Penne preparing to steal a TV whose box she spotted in the owners' garbage. Later in the episode, she gives advice while on trial for that same theft.
 Life Support / int_fe0330fb
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Life Support / int_fe0330fb
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ItemName
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Life Support

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Australian Television Shows
seeAlso
Life Support
 Life Support
hasFeature
Blackface / int_7df0c5ac
 Life Support
hasFeature
Embarrassing First Name / int_7df0c5ac
 Life Support
hasFeature
Half Hour Comedy / int_7df0c5ac
 Life Support
hasFeature
I Banged Your Mom / int_7df0c5ac
 Life Support
hasFeature
Impossible Pickle Jar / int_7df0c5ac
 LiftOff
seeAlso
Life Support
 Life Support
hasFeature
Series of the 2000s / int_7df0c5ac
 Life Support
hasFeature
The Nth Doctor / int_7df0c5ac