At this point, nobody should be a stranger to the idea of fake movies and TV shows inside real ones. From The Itchy & Scratchy Show on The Simpsons to every remarkably thorough trailer seen throughout Tropic Thunder, the concept of adding a fictional series or film to an existing property for plot (or just for laughs) has been around for decades. Well, it turns out there are even more than most probably ever realized, and now there's a way to find out about them all.
A cheeky new site called Nestflix has decided to undertake the positively gargantuan task of documenting and compiling every one of these faux shows and dubious movies in one place. This service provides a surprisingly user-friendly method of browsing through history's most memorable and forgettable shows and films "nested" within other shows and movies, utilizing an interface deliberately reminiscent of streaming services like Netflix. A simple search for the franchise of choice and the listings pile up. Boasting over 400 entries so far, there's plenty to enjoy. Unfortunately, it seems as though the fake Thor play from Thor: Ragnarok isn't eligible. Such a tragedy.
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Users will quickly notice that there aren't any video links, which would have made the entire thing absolutely perfect. But naturally there would be lots of copyright issues there, so it's an acceptable tradeoff. As it is, clicking any listing will reveal a number of screenshots from the production along with its source and even an accurate cast list. For instance, clicking the entry for the McBain films glimpsed throughout The Simpsons lists the lead as Rainier Wolfcastle rather than the character's voice actor Harry Shearer.
It's truly a remarkable feat. Visiting the site at first might elicit a response of "oh cool, this is a fun idea." But as the user scrolls down, they quickly realize that it would take days, or even weeks, just to glance through every single entry. Want something obvious like TGS with Tracy Jordan as featured on 30 Rock? Easy. But how about something lesser-known? They've also got Craig's low-effort but high-cuteness video Animals Close-Up With A Wide Angle Lens from South Park. Go ahead and search Futurama or Family Guy and see how thorough Nestflix has been.
Of course, it's hard to be completely comprehensive with something like this, particularly when there aren't exactly any other reliable sources for all the fake movies and shows out there. That's why Nestflix also includes a "contribute" link. That's where interested visitors can suggest new entries that the site may have overlooked. But here's the thing. Not every fake piece of media that gets a mention is eligible for inclusion. The contribute page states that new suggestions must be fictional and must actually be shown in the series or film they call home. That's why, for instance, Rochelle, Rochelle from Seinfeld never showed up. Plenty of mentions, but no footage. This is a classy operation, after all.
It's certainly a fun way to kill a few hours (or a few days). In fact, some of these may ignite some nostalgia and spur a viewing of any given fake show's source material (Angels With Filthy Souls and its aptly named sequel Angels With Even Filthier Souls from the Home Alone movies are certainly a memorable example). So go check out Nestflix and revel in the endless meta creativity of Hollywood.
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Source: Nestflix
