Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Buying Guides
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
Trending
  • Saros review
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Best turn-based RPGs
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  • Delta Force giveaway
Don't miss these
Pragmata co-star Diana
Action Games The full story of the Pragmata fan grieving his late daughter, so viral he even reached Capcom
Saros gameplay showing a flying beast hover over multiple statues of hands
Third Person Shooters I asked Saros devs about their hand obsession and got a fascinating insight into game development
Robert Downey Jr. on stage at CinemaCon 2026 for Avengers: Doomsday
Marvel Movies When it comes to Avengers: Doomsday spoilers, Russo brothers say they "can't control everything"
Lego Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight preview
Adventure Games Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight hands-on preview
Epic Games Star Wars toolkit image of Droid Tycoon with Jonesy selling a droid
Fortnite I don't think anyone is prepared for the amount of Star Wars that's about to hit Fortnite
Mario riding Yoshi through space with Luigi and Peach flying along beside him
Animated Movies The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review: "Never quite reaches Galaxy's gravity-defying game heights"
Star Wars Legion, Star Wars Villainous, and Star Wars Unlimited: Intro Battle Hoth laid out on a wooden surface
Tabletop Gaming Settle in with the best Star Wars board games this May 4
Starfield ending explained
RPGs Todd Howard thinks the message behind Starfield's original New Game Plus "got lost on a lot of people"
Headshot of Todd Howard, executive producer and game director of Bethesda Game Studios. Image supplied to GamesRadar by BGS.
Games Ex-Bethesda senior artist says Todd Howard would tell devs "we can do anything but we can't do everything"
Invincible season 4
Superhero Shows Invincible creator Robert Kirkman says MCU-style superhero storytelling isn't "novel" anymore
Spider-Man 2 PC
Action Games The 10 best superhero games that you should play today
Jared Padalecki as Mister Marathon in The Boys season 5 episode 5
Superhero Shows The Boys season 5 just made a perfect dig at Spider-Man and the MCU in its latest episode
The Future of Starfield hero image
RPGs The Future of Starfield: How Bethesda Game Studios is beginning to breathe new life into its most misunderstood RPG
Hades 2
Roguelike Games They weren't "distributed on Steam," but Hades 2 lead who oversaw that true ending change says myths are also "told and retold" by design
Lewis Pullman as "Bob" in Thunderbolts
Marvel Movies It turns out the MCU is actually pretty terrifying, as Marvel fans share their favorite scary moments
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
  1. Games
  2. Action Games
  3. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy's fridge gag was inspired by Modern Family and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

News
By Jordan Gerblick published 2 February 2022

Spoiler alert: It'll never stay shut

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
(Image credit: Square Enix)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Subscribe to our newsletter

There's a subtle running gag in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy that was inspired by similar jokes from Modern Family and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

If you ran through Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy without really poking around the Milano ship, there's a good chance you missed its perpetually broken fridge. You can interact with the fridge to close its door, but it won't stay shut for long. As it is so often in real life, there is no resolution to this situation; you never find out what's wrong with the fridge and it never fixes itself. You just sort of deal with it, popping in now and again to fruitlessly slam the thing shut against the overpowering will of its worn-out hinges.

The fridge gag is just one detail that makes the Milano feel like a lived-in space, and GamesRadar's Heather Wald enjoyed it so much that she asked the developers for a sit-down to dig in deeper. And as it turns out, the gag has origins in two popular American sitcoms.

Latest Videos From
You may like
  • Official marketing image of the Astro Bot Mini Fridge by Sony. An Astro Bot Mini-Fridge exists, and you too can let Astro's decapitated head keep your drinks cool
  • Invincible season 4 Invincible season 4 has Iron Man in its sights as it pokes fun at MCU's superhero costume "problem"
  • No Man's Sky No Man's Sky's latest patch fixes a bug that's in the top 2 hardest issues the devs have ever had to solve

"My inspiration was based on Phil Dunphy in Modern Family constantly stumbling on the house stairs that he never repaired, and one episode from Always Sunny in Philadelphia," explains senior creative director Jean-François Dugas. "In that one, Charlie passes by a stool in the bar where he works many times during the episode, and each time, he replaces/shakes the stool before going to his next objective."

This reasoning behind it never gets justified, but it is just so funny. So, based on that, I started to see how the fridge door would be an endless joke that would never get resolved."

If you haven't noticed this little detail yet, go take a little tour around the Milano - you'll probably find a few new details you haven't noticed that collectively help to ground the world in some reality. And hopefully, even though you know now that the fridge door will never stay shut, you continue the good fight. It's what Phil Dunphy would do.

Guardians of the Galaxy tips | Guardians of the Galaxy upgrades available | Hide the creature or hide the tech in Guardians of the Galaxy? | Guardians of the Galaxy box under the stairs | All Guardians of the Galaxy choices | Guardians of the Galaxy Huddle answers | Sell Groot or Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy? | How long is the Guardians of the Galaxy game? | Should you throw Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy? | Is Guardians of the Galaxy co op? | Guardians of the Galaxy game Easter eggs | Guardians of the Galaxy new game plus options | Guardians of the Galaxy lottery ticket | Guardians of the Galaxy escape the foggy cave 

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming PS5 PS4 Xbox Series X Xbox One Platforms PlayStation Xbox
Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Social Links Navigation
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

Read more
Official marketing image of the Astro Bot Mini Fridge by Sony.
Accessories An Astro Bot Mini-Fridge exists, and you too can let Astro's decapitated head keep your drinks cool
 
 
Invincible season 4
Superhero Shows Invincible season 4 has Iron Man in its sights as it pokes fun at MCU's superhero costume "problem"
 
 
No Man's Sky
Survival Games No Man's Sky's latest patch fixes a bug that's in the top 2 hardest issues the devs have ever had to solve
 
 
Fallout screenshots from Retro Gamer Magazine issue 186
Fallout Most of the original Fallout's humor was added just to make creator Tim Cain laugh: "We made this game for each other"
 
 
Future Games Show
Games Smiling Friends, Monty Python, and a whole lot of milk all helped shape the comedy stylings of this upcoming RPG parody
 
 
Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary
Sci-Fi Movies Project Hail Mary directors think it was important to make sure their end of the world sci-fi drama was funny
 
 
Latest in Action Games
Link is shocked in a screenshot from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D.
The Legend of Zelda The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake "all but confirmed," fans conclude following Star Fox reveal
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto GTA 6 was delayed to avoid crunch, Take-Two CEO says, comparing working at Rockstar to college
 
 
Best Assassin's Creed protagonists: A collection of several of the heroes in the Assassin's Creed games edited together.
Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed Hexe creative director opens new studio just 2 months after leaving Ubisoft
 
 
Bond peeks around a corner at a guard in 007 First Light
Action Games 007 First Light's License to Kill system adds nuance to its escalating action as "Bond won't shoot an unarmed man"
 
 
Star Fox Switch 2 screenshot shows Fox McCloud speaking to a hologram of General Pepper.
Action Games Former Star Fox actor says it's "not my voice" in the remake, but "I'm so honored to have been part of Star Fox history"
 
 
Star Fox Switch 2
Action Games OG Star Fox character designer is "so proud" as Switch 2 remake is revealed: "This isn't a dream, right?"
 
 
Latest in News
Psychonauts
Xbox First-party Xbox studio Double Fine is unionizing
 
 
Black and white shot of stunned Fortnite character
Battle Royale Games Epic knows everyone's afraid "AI is going to take all our jobs," but the goal is efficiency
 
 
Nintendo Nintendo Switch 2 YouTube hack yanked days after players find a way to watch videos in a free battle royale game
 
 
Baldur's Gate 3 screenshot showing Withers, a mummified corpse-like man with gray features and golden adornments
Baldur's Gate One Baldur's Gate 3 fan is on a mission to complete the weirdest collection in the RPG
 
 
Imogen Poots in Outer Range
Comedy Shows Chronology of Water and Stranger Things stars set to lead new TV show based on popular comic
 
 
Exodus screenshot
RPGs Mass Effect hasn't been great in "a long time," but Exodus can fill the gap according to Hasbro CEO
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Psychonauts
    1
    First-party Xbox studio Double Fine is unionizing
  2. 2
    Out of respect for Slippy Toad, I need you to play the OG Star Fox 64 on an actual N64
  3. 3
    Nintendo Switch 2 YouTube hack yanked days after players find a way to watch videos in a free battle royale game
  4. 4
    Epic knows everyone's afraid "AI is going to take all our jobs," but the goal is efficiency
  5. 5
    One Baldur's Gate 3 fan is on a mission to complete the weirdest collection in the RPG

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...