Don't Hug Me I'm Scared: Theories and Themes

[colour]

Hey everyone, thank you so much for your response on my video! I really appreciate all your feedback, whether you agree or disagree. I'm thinking about making a follow up replying to the comments and theories towards the end of the month, so keep your eyes peeled 👀 

Thank you, again!!
-600 Colour

[ripleyandweeds]

My one disagreement on your analysis of 'Friendship' is that its more of a parody/criticism of those 90s-2000s antibullying campaigns and toxic friendships. As the 'Ok Stop' organization Warren was once a part of, and is still appropriating, is a clear reference to the kinds of anti-bullying catchphrases you'd see in schools. Warren is also a textbook example of an abusive/toxic friend, as he doesn't so much want friends but the idea of friendship that he can control. Its why he insists on calling himself an eagle, he's pretending to be something he's not, a literal parasitic worm, so people will trust him.

[Will-I-Maybe]

TBH I've been kind of disappointed with how little coverage this show is getting on youtube. It's mostly just reaction videos and the occasional non-spoiler review, so I'm really happy to see a video like this which goes a bit more in depth into this incredible show. As for the theories in this video, I'm not sure i agree with a whole lot of it, the idea that the Mulhoven sequence is a representation of something that actually happened to the characters is pretty farfetched, as it isnt presented any differently to sequences like yellow's retirement party, or the transport montage. And the idea that Leslie is yellow's mother doesn't seem to have any compelling evidence pointing to that either. Although the theory of Duck being a former soldier does make some sense, as he does seem to be frequently placed near war memorabilia or discussing the military, however the photo of him in a spitfire Duck did say wasn't something he ever did. All in all, any interpretation of this show is just as significant as any other, and I appreciate you sharing yours. Great Video.

[syixxtrixx]

I love how one minute your talking about some really interesting theories about the show and it themes and then all of a sudden "Roy's having an affair with officer Sinclair" had me cackling

[bungbananaman]

I have a mini theory about it. The Lamp from the Dreams episode reappears in Death for a brief cameo and tries to answer Yellow Guy's question "Where do we go when we die?"
The Lamp goes on a detailed, almost comical explanation about how everyone who dies is transported below the Earth and meets the council where they have to relive their life as a performance for a pound. In the first episode you might remember at the end, the briefcase tosses a coin (possibly a pound) into Duck's eye.
So the cast could be dead and in the afterlife.

[zackfake]

I feel like there's something significant being implied by Yellow Guy's ascent through the house and through the big boy's and bigger boy's rooms, where they are very obviously warped versions of Red Guy and Duck, but neither room has a Yellow Guy variant (unless you count the test subject from the bigger boy's room), but they all seem to be pretty familiar with Yellow Guy

Personally I think it either means that yellow guy is linked closely to Lesley and by proxy fairly important throughout the house, or that he is wholly unrelated to everything happening and is not really supposed to be there at all

[hilotakenaka]

Whilst I agree with the anti-authority theme is more prevalent in this series, I do think that they also tie in with the "parody of common topics in kids shows" theme that the original series seemed to have:
Jobs' is about how sometimes kids shows try and make having a job sound more special than valuing childhood and spare time
Death is the most genuine lesson even it's a bit cruel, because it's the only subject that isn't covered frequently in kid's media.
Family's is fairly obvious, making fun of people who value blood ties over everything, even if their family is full of awful people
Friends is about anti-bullying programs and how their advice might just lead to friend groups being torn apart. It's worth pointing out how the episode also has strong ties to the internet, and whilst this might just be because both this episode and the original computer episode were both episode 4, I think it's also poking fun at online anti-bullying initiatives (ie BullyHunters)
Transport is probably the hardest but I think it might be about how one doesn't need to pursue something greater to enjoy life
Electricity is about how kids shows often try and to portray anything that is new as being automatically better

I also read a theory that Time Child was going to be about the trope of "cool kids who force you to do dangerous things to be considered their friend" but spun in a far more positive light, where he is doing his best to teach the lesson instead of torturing them.

[gingerbar]

I think one major detail is that yellow guy has 2 names. His maiden name Rat-eyes and his other name which contains a hyphen.

[helton]

another thing in support of David being YG's real name, the Coffin originally thought Yellow Guy was the dead character and might've made the Gravestone before he realized his mistake

[JohnDRuddyMannyMan]

The animation segment with the bus is straight out of the intro to Playdays

[Merchantic]

Lesley isn't the overseer of the house though. When yellow guy starts to leave, you see in the background there's another hidden staircase which leads to another floor above Leslie, which you called the attic stairs at 6:35 . Every flight of stairs is quite literally ascending levels of consciousness, so if there's anything above her (which is assumed since there's another flight of stairs), then she's just a fake overseer. Whatever he would have gotten from the book would have been a false truth

[calebmccardell]

I love that you're as deranged as I am and family is your favorite.

Also such concise analysis. You've basically summarized every Easter egg and piece of analysis I've seen in countless other videos, but in 7 min. Love it

[bleedingberryjuice]

"Support the show legally" I would if I could but I'm in 🇺🇸 😭
Great video I'm happy to see so much thought put into DHMIS videos again like the old days

[ArcherGhost]

I have a TON of theories about this show but one of the main ones I have has to do with the order of the last two episodes.

Just like how people theorised about the youtube episode 6 being a prologue, I also think that TV episode 6 isn't in chronological order and happens before episode 5 and that's because of the intro.

The part where Yellow guy describes his dream and enters a downward spiral when he can't remember the entirety of it aligns PERFECTLY with the plot of episode 6 when you connect the dots.

[dbilly]

I think the stairs in the attic just proves Lesley wasn't the mastermind behind it all as she tried to lead Yellow Guy to believe, she may know who the puppetmaster(s) are, but they're above even her. Her book likely didn't continue all the answers, just ones plausible enough to trick the trio into believing that's the truth and moving on. I believe the series creators may have been in the even higher room, or Yellow Guy, an older version perhaps.

[uno]

See, with my theory, is that every episode they forget everything that they’ve done the episode before. Unless, of course, they see it. Let me explain, it’s like a trigger. If any of you have PTSD, or trauma, you may have had one before. Seeing something, smelling something, hearing something, touching something, or even tasting something can give you a trigger. This happens to Yellow Guy in the original web series when all of the teachers taunt him in his dream, with Red Guy watching. As can see, Red Guy didn’t necessarily have one, but he experienced something that could possibly be traumatic, although they basically experience traumatic shit all the time. Duck Guy was definitely traumatized watching Yellow Guys arm be severed apart by the machine in Episode 1 of the new series, which could maybe cause something in a newer season (if it is happening). All of these could lead to them finding out. That book that Lesley gave them had all the secrets that could unlock so much to them, but they shredded it because of Yellow Guys ignorance. In Episode 5, Red Guy doesn’t want to go back to their “home” because he wants to find something new. Something different. But what they don’t get yet is that they are stuck in a maze, and are unable to find the exit. Red Guy freaks out at this and tries finding any way to leave, because he knows some shit is going on, because compared to both Duck Guy and Yellow Guy, he’s the more intelligent and precise one. But that all changes when they get restarted back at their “house.” When Yellow Guy mourns over Ducks death, he digs him up, does that mean Duck Guy is still dead? When Red Guy was stuck in the computer realm in the original web series, did he ever leave it? When Yellow Guy ate Duck Guy in the original web series, did he eat him on purpose? This show is so confusing, but these just might be my overthinking dramatic brain speaking, and this show could just be for comedy.

[rhys]

My one quibble with your proposed backstory for Duck is that the memories shown by the grave aren't his. David is inscribed on the tombstone and it's implied that they got the wrong headstone since Duck comments that he didn't do any of the things shown in the little slideshow. Otherwise brilliant!

[catsock]

she may have a dead son and a cheating closeted husband but god damn does lesley have mad drip. i want that jacket on my body NOW.

[devastatheseeker]

"Please support this show legally"
Ah well you see, I would do that but they made it impossible to do so

[ellis]

This video is fantastic. I was waiting for someone to talk about this show for forever