he had another vision oh yeah wow they
really do think far ahead welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top ten instances
of foreshadowing in TV why are you not
my name you whispered my name in my ear
we have to tell anyone my name for this
list we’re looking at examples of
television foreshadowing such as the use
of a seemingly unimportant plot point or
a piece of dialogue that ends up
revealing an important part of the story
later in the series parents and
co-workers my girlfriend I’ll never see
any of them again to be eligible it has
to be a legit form of foreshadowing that
was clearly intended by the writers
meaning no fan theories or coincidences
we’re also limiting it to one instance
per TV show also a spoiler alert is in
order
Buffy I know about the ritual I have to
stop it no number 10
Finn’s lost arm Adventure Time I got it
I wish the Lich never even ever existed
one of the Cartoon Network’s treasures
Adventure Time has been a hit for both
teenagers and older audience members
alike as it follows a human boy and his
magical dog in the Land of Ooo mom mom
what’s wrong Finn I need you to do
something for me it’s very important on
their adventures they meet alternate
versions of themselves many of which
portray Finn without his right arm which
is odd considering that he has both of
them Jake look golden crown unbelievable
we can sell it and keep Bartram Bongbong
hold it right there
it’s not until season six that we get
our answer as to why he’s portrayed this
way as Finn loses his arm to the grasp
sword
Oh number nine lane prices suicide
madmen I’m going to need your
resignation madmen was still in its
heyday during its fifth season and this
episode only helped raise the excitement
in the twelfth episode lane Pryce hangs
himself after being forced to resign for
stealing money from the company what’s
going on I think something’s terribly
wrong in mr. Pryce’s office I can’t get
the door open however if you paid close
attention throughout the season this act
by price would be of no surprise to you
examples include Pete discussing life
insurance in the event of suicide look I
already have life insurance it came with
my junior partnership and it’s six times
my annual salary and after two years to
cover suicide so make your pitch brief
price himself ironically exclaiming I’ll
be here for the rest of my life hell
I’ll be here the rest of my life and
even done sketching a noose suffice it
to say that the show’s writers knew
exactly where they were going with price
it’s in the countdown number eight
Scully’s howler the x-files tell me
where Alice Brandt is
she’s safe from howlers this season four
episode is not only notable for being
written by Vince Gilligan of Breaking
Bad Fame but also for introducing a
major story element
in horseys mulder and scully tracked
down a killer who gives lobotomies to
women do I remind you of your sister
why did your sister kill herself Jerry
what did your father do to her he didn’t
do anything
it was the howlers okay when he captured
Scully he tells her that she has howlers
in her head that he wants to remove they
live inside your head they make you do
things and say things that you don’t
mean and all your good thoughts can’t
wish them away
you need help you’ve got them right
there fast forward to a few weeks later
in the 12th episode when it’s revealed
that Scully has brain cancer and
wouldn’t you know it it’s in the exact
same place that the lobotomy killer
pointed to I have cancer it is a mass on
the wall between my sinus and cerebrum
if it pushes into my brain statistically
there is about zero chance of survival
number seven expiration date Buffy the
Vampire Slayer Buffy became a major
contender for Fantasy show of the decade
thanks in no small part to its numerous
uses of foreshadowing this includes the
famous lesbian alternate willow and the
character’s eventual revelation of her
sexuality it’s horrible that’s me as a
vampire so evil
skanky I think I’m kind of gay but for
this entry we’re focusing on Joyce’s
credit card which has an expiration date
of May 2001 as read out loud by faith
six four four seven expiration five old
one uh-huh fast forward one season when
Buffy tragically dies by jumping into a
portal the episodes aired eight May 22nd
2001 looks like the expiration date of
the credit card was actually referring
to the expiration of Buffy’s life and
knowing Joss Whedon there is no way that
this was just a coincidence
I love you I will always love you this
is the work that I have to do
number six watch your back Babylon 5
those boxes with your life to let
anything happen to them will do this is
blue alpha stand by this space Western
is notable for being planned out in
advance from the beginning so of course
the head writer J michael Straczynski
would drop many hints and bits of
foreshadowing throughout its run I told
you not to poke around in things that
are too big for you yeah well it’s a
little late for that up against the wall
I think not one of the best examples has
to be when Walker Smith tells Chief
Warrant Officer Michael Garibaldi that
he’s going to learn to watch his back
one of these days go well learn to watch
it better
Walker Smith well you can guess what
happens next
during the first season finale Garibaldi
is shot in the back in an attempt to
keep an assassination plot a secret
if he’d been watching it like Smith told
him to then maybe this wouldn’t have
been an issue nothing’s the same anymore
number five
nibbler shadow Futurama what happened to
me Philip J fry on the night of December
31st 1999 clarification request well
known for its intricate stories and
complex lore Matt Groening other cartoon
baby follows an eclectic group of
individuals in the 31st century you are
the single most important person in the
universe oh snap
in the pilot fry accidentally falls into
a cryogenic device or does he if you
look very closely you can see a
mysterious shadow on the ground right
after he tips over it’s not until the
fourth season that we discovered that
nibbler is actually responsible for
pushing fry into the cryogenic tube
which accounts for the extra shadow
scene in the pilot sixty three episodes
earlier ah nibblers there wait what
number four Ben Sullivan’s absence
camera scrubs so how come you don’t have
to get all dressed I am dressed uh you
see any holes in these pants at home
glad you made it in one of the filthiest
scrubs episodes of all time
Ben’s famous death proves just how final
line this show walks between comedy and
drama there’s one more thing you have to
do for me you can’t keep me from getting
drunk you have to forgive yourself for
everything that went down the other day
you’re so annoying yeah okay
while Ben is a little irritating he
means well he also always has his camera
even proclaiming that his camera will be
with him until he is no longer alive so
you still doing the whole kooky guy who
brings his camera everywhere thing till
the day I die
mmm-hmm well later in the episode his
camera is mysteriously absent and no one
seems to acknowledge been except for
cocks where’s your camera aren’t you
aren’t you gonna take some pictures
thank you the watt no crying babies
covered in chocolate people singing
happy birthday to my son who have never
even met him before you know that the
whole routine where do you think we are
it’s not until the end of the episode
that it’s all painfully put together
with the help of those around you and I
don’t have to get through this to number
3 Marvin Erikson’s death How I Met Your
Mother
something’s happened um your father he
had a heart attack he didn’t make it
this is supposed to be a comedy that’s
what everyone yelled at their screen as
they discreetly wiped away their man
tears after hearing of Marvin’s death
via heart attack however an innocent
throwaway joke predicted the event two
seasons earlier it is so good to be home
mom Lily fantastic job good food good
meat good god let’s eat right as
Marshall cuts the Thanksgiving turkey in
a flash forward his father Marvin is
mysteriously absent from the family
table while this is obviously not a 100%
accurate scenario since you know
lightsabers it’s still a haunting
depiction of their family life in the
near future when Marvin’s senior is no
longer with them I’m not ready for this
number two light versus dark lost what
is it like checkers now really it’s a
better game than checkers lost is
chock-full of foreshadowing lore and
complexities but that’s what fans love
so much about it in its first season as
John Locke and Walt Lloyd played
backgammon Locke explains the game using
the concept of light versus dark two
players two sides one is light star do
all those English majors out there it’s
obvious that the scene is not just
filler about backgammon as it explains
the moral complexities of the characters
and reveals the rivalry between Jacob
white and the man in black dark you have
any idea how badly I want to go yes as
it turns out the island is just one big
game of backgammon well
before we go into the future with our
top pick here are some honorable
mentions Lucille had given it to Lupe I
had one in my room one that when it went
right there I never thought I’d miss a
hand so much new people just left me how
hungry are you scale one to ten fifteen
twenty eight oh it’s been a wall I’m
gonna go check the snares can I get with
you how else you gonna learn can’t
believe I turn the Machine off for that
you never had any kids right Leslie
hello
you got a great oven okay time ago got
ample room in there honestly if you
wanted to you could go triplets right
off the bat Leslie you got a big
industrial sized oven so we’re done
right we are not nominating you for
Secretary of State I know he made you a
promise but circumstances have changed
the nature of promises Linda is that
they remain immune to changing
circumstances Garrett has thought long
and hard about this and he’s decided we
need you to stand Congress when was this
decision made and why wasn’t i part of a
conversation sorry Frank if it had been
up to me I wouldn’t have waited this
long to tell you so you knew you were
going to do this
Hey look at these weird lion turtle
things I’ve seen weirder egg did you
know in a past life you were left-handed
I always knew I was special
number one pink teddy bear Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad had a fantastic second
season thanks in no small part to the
black and white cold opens which
included haunting images of dead bodies
and a mysterious pink teddy bear it left
us wondering just what the hell it meant
all the way until the season finale when
we finally find out the devastating
truth after Jane dies her air traffic
controller father accidentally causes
two planes to crash when he loses focus
as a result of his grief for his
deceased daughter
thanks to Walter White’s indirect role
in the collision and the eventual
discovery of the teddy bears origins we
realized that the bear is also a dark
and horrifying symbol of the
protagonists descent into evil do you
agree with our list
it’s a chickenshit move fad was vetted
what instances of foreshadowing and TV
did you notice it’ll be okay dude for
more mind-blowing top 10s published
every day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com guys
where are we
really do think far ahead welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top ten instances
of foreshadowing in TV why are you not
my name you whispered my name in my ear
we have to tell anyone my name for this
list we’re looking at examples of
television foreshadowing such as the use
of a seemingly unimportant plot point or
a piece of dialogue that ends up
revealing an important part of the story
later in the series parents and
co-workers my girlfriend I’ll never see
any of them again to be eligible it has
to be a legit form of foreshadowing that
was clearly intended by the writers
meaning no fan theories or coincidences
we’re also limiting it to one instance
per TV show also a spoiler alert is in
order
Buffy I know about the ritual I have to
stop it no number 10
Finn’s lost arm Adventure Time I got it
I wish the Lich never even ever existed
one of the Cartoon Network’s treasures
Adventure Time has been a hit for both
teenagers and older audience members
alike as it follows a human boy and his
magical dog in the Land of Ooo mom mom
what’s wrong Finn I need you to do
something for me it’s very important on
their adventures they meet alternate
versions of themselves many of which
portray Finn without his right arm which
is odd considering that he has both of
them Jake look golden crown unbelievable
we can sell it and keep Bartram Bongbong
hold it right there
it’s not until season six that we get
our answer as to why he’s portrayed this
way as Finn loses his arm to the grasp
sword
Oh number nine lane prices suicide
madmen I’m going to need your
resignation madmen was still in its
heyday during its fifth season and this
episode only helped raise the excitement
in the twelfth episode lane Pryce hangs
himself after being forced to resign for
stealing money from the company what’s
going on I think something’s terribly
wrong in mr. Pryce’s office I can’t get
the door open however if you paid close
attention throughout the season this act
by price would be of no surprise to you
examples include Pete discussing life
insurance in the event of suicide look I
already have life insurance it came with
my junior partnership and it’s six times
my annual salary and after two years to
cover suicide so make your pitch brief
price himself ironically exclaiming I’ll
be here for the rest of my life hell
I’ll be here the rest of my life and
even done sketching a noose suffice it
to say that the show’s writers knew
exactly where they were going with price
it’s in the countdown number eight
Scully’s howler the x-files tell me
where Alice Brandt is
she’s safe from howlers this season four
episode is not only notable for being
written by Vince Gilligan of Breaking
Bad Fame but also for introducing a
major story element
in horseys mulder and scully tracked
down a killer who gives lobotomies to
women do I remind you of your sister
why did your sister kill herself Jerry
what did your father do to her he didn’t
do anything
it was the howlers okay when he captured
Scully he tells her that she has howlers
in her head that he wants to remove they
live inside your head they make you do
things and say things that you don’t
mean and all your good thoughts can’t
wish them away
you need help you’ve got them right
there fast forward to a few weeks later
in the 12th episode when it’s revealed
that Scully has brain cancer and
wouldn’t you know it it’s in the exact
same place that the lobotomy killer
pointed to I have cancer it is a mass on
the wall between my sinus and cerebrum
if it pushes into my brain statistically
there is about zero chance of survival
number seven expiration date Buffy the
Vampire Slayer Buffy became a major
contender for Fantasy show of the decade
thanks in no small part to its numerous
uses of foreshadowing this includes the
famous lesbian alternate willow and the
character’s eventual revelation of her
sexuality it’s horrible that’s me as a
vampire so evil
skanky I think I’m kind of gay but for
this entry we’re focusing on Joyce’s
credit card which has an expiration date
of May 2001 as read out loud by faith
six four four seven expiration five old
one uh-huh fast forward one season when
Buffy tragically dies by jumping into a
portal the episodes aired eight May 22nd
2001 looks like the expiration date of
the credit card was actually referring
to the expiration of Buffy’s life and
knowing Joss Whedon there is no way that
this was just a coincidence
I love you I will always love you this
is the work that I have to do
number six watch your back Babylon 5
those boxes with your life to let
anything happen to them will do this is
blue alpha stand by this space Western
is notable for being planned out in
advance from the beginning so of course
the head writer J michael Straczynski
would drop many hints and bits of
foreshadowing throughout its run I told
you not to poke around in things that
are too big for you yeah well it’s a
little late for that up against the wall
I think not one of the best examples has
to be when Walker Smith tells Chief
Warrant Officer Michael Garibaldi that
he’s going to learn to watch his back
one of these days go well learn to watch
it better
Walker Smith well you can guess what
happens next
during the first season finale Garibaldi
is shot in the back in an attempt to
keep an assassination plot a secret
if he’d been watching it like Smith told
him to then maybe this wouldn’t have
been an issue nothing’s the same anymore
number five
nibbler shadow Futurama what happened to
me Philip J fry on the night of December
31st 1999 clarification request well
known for its intricate stories and
complex lore Matt Groening other cartoon
baby follows an eclectic group of
individuals in the 31st century you are
the single most important person in the
universe oh snap
in the pilot fry accidentally falls into
a cryogenic device or does he if you
look very closely you can see a
mysterious shadow on the ground right
after he tips over it’s not until the
fourth season that we discovered that
nibbler is actually responsible for
pushing fry into the cryogenic tube
which accounts for the extra shadow
scene in the pilot sixty three episodes
earlier ah nibblers there wait what
number four Ben Sullivan’s absence
camera scrubs so how come you don’t have
to get all dressed I am dressed uh you
see any holes in these pants at home
glad you made it in one of the filthiest
scrubs episodes of all time
Ben’s famous death proves just how final
line this show walks between comedy and
drama there’s one more thing you have to
do for me you can’t keep me from getting
drunk you have to forgive yourself for
everything that went down the other day
you’re so annoying yeah okay
while Ben is a little irritating he
means well he also always has his camera
even proclaiming that his camera will be
with him until he is no longer alive so
you still doing the whole kooky guy who
brings his camera everywhere thing till
the day I die
mmm-hmm well later in the episode his
camera is mysteriously absent and no one
seems to acknowledge been except for
cocks where’s your camera aren’t you
aren’t you gonna take some pictures
thank you the watt no crying babies
covered in chocolate people singing
happy birthday to my son who have never
even met him before you know that the
whole routine where do you think we are
it’s not until the end of the episode
that it’s all painfully put together
with the help of those around you and I
don’t have to get through this to number
3 Marvin Erikson’s death How I Met Your
Mother
something’s happened um your father he
had a heart attack he didn’t make it
this is supposed to be a comedy that’s
what everyone yelled at their screen as
they discreetly wiped away their man
tears after hearing of Marvin’s death
via heart attack however an innocent
throwaway joke predicted the event two
seasons earlier it is so good to be home
mom Lily fantastic job good food good
meat good god let’s eat right as
Marshall cuts the Thanksgiving turkey in
a flash forward his father Marvin is
mysteriously absent from the family
table while this is obviously not a 100%
accurate scenario since you know
lightsabers it’s still a haunting
depiction of their family life in the
near future when Marvin’s senior is no
longer with them I’m not ready for this
number two light versus dark lost what
is it like checkers now really it’s a
better game than checkers lost is
chock-full of foreshadowing lore and
complexities but that’s what fans love
so much about it in its first season as
John Locke and Walt Lloyd played
backgammon Locke explains the game using
the concept of light versus dark two
players two sides one is light star do
all those English majors out there it’s
obvious that the scene is not just
filler about backgammon as it explains
the moral complexities of the characters
and reveals the rivalry between Jacob
white and the man in black dark you have
any idea how badly I want to go yes as
it turns out the island is just one big
game of backgammon well
before we go into the future with our
top pick here are some honorable
mentions Lucille had given it to Lupe I
had one in my room one that when it went
right there I never thought I’d miss a
hand so much new people just left me how
hungry are you scale one to ten fifteen
twenty eight oh it’s been a wall I’m
gonna go check the snares can I get with
you how else you gonna learn can’t
believe I turn the Machine off for that
you never had any kids right Leslie
hello
you got a great oven okay time ago got
ample room in there honestly if you
wanted to you could go triplets right
off the bat Leslie you got a big
industrial sized oven so we’re done
right we are not nominating you for
Secretary of State I know he made you a
promise but circumstances have changed
the nature of promises Linda is that
they remain immune to changing
circumstances Garrett has thought long
and hard about this and he’s decided we
need you to stand Congress when was this
decision made and why wasn’t i part of a
conversation sorry Frank if it had been
up to me I wouldn’t have waited this
long to tell you so you knew you were
going to do this
Hey look at these weird lion turtle
things I’ve seen weirder egg did you
know in a past life you were left-handed
I always knew I was special
number one pink teddy bear Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad had a fantastic second
season thanks in no small part to the
black and white cold opens which
included haunting images of dead bodies
and a mysterious pink teddy bear it left
us wondering just what the hell it meant
all the way until the season finale when
we finally find out the devastating
truth after Jane dies her air traffic
controller father accidentally causes
two planes to crash when he loses focus
as a result of his grief for his
deceased daughter
thanks to Walter White’s indirect role
in the collision and the eventual
discovery of the teddy bears origins we
realized that the bear is also a dark
and horrifying symbol of the
protagonists descent into evil do you
agree with our list
it’s a chickenshit move fad was vetted
what instances of foreshadowing and TV
did you notice it’ll be okay dude for
more mind-blowing top 10s published
every day be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com guys
where are we
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