Lots of references to great art and artists--Edvard Munch, DaVinci, Roy Lichtenstein (the three paintings in Hex's lair), Mark Rothko (the cube-like designs on Mainframe's buildings), Dali (Glitch melts after Bob walks into a version of "The Persistance of Memory"), Rodin ("The Thinker" statue), Michelangelo (scenes from the Sistine Chapel are shown on the exterior of the Principle Office), Monet (Dot walks across a surface resembling "The Bridge of Digiverny"), Andy Warhol (we see a Dot Matrix version of "Marilyn Monroe" on one building), Picasso (several cubistic works, including scense from "Guernica"), and van Gogh (the flowers pasted onto the Tor were from his "Sunflowers"), among others.
For some reason, this is the only episode I have managed to watch all three times it has aired on Cartoon Network. And I still find it hilarious! Tell me you didn't crack up upon seeing Mega-clown, or the Sistene Chapel on the Principal Office.
Some of these are too easy: Hex's "Submitted for your approval" scene is stolen from Night Gallery and Twilight Zone.
Twilight Zone; Serling had a different intro for Night Gallery.
I will clarify: "Submitted for your approval" came from TZ; but I saw Hex walking around in front of the gallery paintings as an homage to Night Gallery. I could have made that clearer.
Ah, I see your point. Good call.
When I watched this the other day, I noticed two buildings painted in the style of Piet Mondrian.
This is the best episode to feature Hexadecimal. Face it, she must be a difficult character to write effectively into a plot because her motives are very different from most antagonists.
The Al's Diner joke is established. Mike mentions Al and Hexidecimal screams, "WHAT?"
The result of unmasking Hex makes for a scary surprise, more frightening than you'd expect of a children's show.
Lastly, wrap it up with a "Psycho" homage!
Another artist reference. Mike the TV says his special will be called, "Hexidecimal: The Madness And the Glory." This is a play on the movie "The Agony and the Ecstasy", a movie about Michaelangelo and the painting of the Sistine Chapel.
This was a VERY creepy episode.
Very Creepy Moments:
When Bob sees the Guardian Nulls. A very vulnerable Hex curled into a fetal position. And finally, one of the scariest images I've ever seen; Hex's final look into the camera.