What does FUBAR stand for on Netflix? We discuss the comedy-action series from Netflix, which may contain some small plot spoilers.
The lineup of huge Hollywood A-listers making their TV scripted debuts continues with Arnold Schwarzenegger starring in the Netflix comedy thriller FUBAR.
It seems that the days of A-list celebrities only appearing on the big screen have been and gone, with many of them following the scripts, and the money, to streaming platforms.
The hows and whys of the situation will probably never really be known to me, but we can assume that these heavy hitters of the silver screen have decided that there are many benefits to doing a TV show compared to a massive blockbuster theatrically released movie.
I can only imagine that stars like Helen Mirren, Kevin Costner, and Sylvester Stallone have found that TV is an easier gig than your average studio Summer release, and with the streaming services being able to match the budgets of some movies, then why not give TV a shot?
Arnold has taken the plunge, so we will take a quick and easy-to-read look at the new show and start by answering what FUBAR actually means.
What is the premise for Netflix’s FUBAR?
FUBAR is a comedy thriller produced by Blackjack Films and Skydance Television. It was created for Netflix by Nick Santora, who also worked on Prison Break and Scorpion, and was released in May of 2023.
The show is the first scripted TV series in that A-List ex-barbarian and the robot from the future Arnold Schwarzenegger has appeared, making it a huge draw for audiences.
The story is one you may have seen before in similar projects and follows Arnold, a CIA agent called Luke Brenner, who is ready for retirement but going on one final mission. It seems that a family secret has reared its head, and his daughter is also a CIA operative.
During the show, both characters discover they have been working in the same field and neither realize nor recognize it.
Cue plenty of dysfunctional family behavior as they try to balance their work and new relationship dynamics.
What does FUBAR stand for on Netflix?
So as far as the Netflix show goes, the series title is an acronym that originates in the military. Although there have been other interpretations of the acronym, it stands for “F****d Up Beyond All Repair.”
Are there any other definitions for FUBAR?
There are a few. The first one is pretty much a variant of the OG acronym and only changes the last word, “F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition.”
Similarly, you could replace the last word with any of the following: reason, reality, repair, recall, etc.
There is another definition of the word, which seems to come from the idea that the higher-ranking officers would often cause many problems on the front lines. That variant of the phrase reads “F***ed Up By Assholes in the Rear.”
Oddly, with the resurgence of the acronym after its original use in World War Two, the phrase would be associated with workers in high-pressure offices, used by consultants and troubleshooters in the 70s and beyond.
Film fans might be interested to know that the phrase can be found in the 1989 movie Tango and Cash, starring Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone, and then again in the harrowing epic war tragedy Saving Private Ryan.
In the UK, the acronym seemed to be in use during the rave culture of the 1990s and beyond and the increased use of E or Ecstasy tablets.
The controversial drug became synonymous with the rave scene, and the word FUBAR also entered the vocabulary of clubgoers.
Again, a slight variant was inferred with the meaning “F***ed Up But All Right,” probably referring to anyone who had taken the drug and appeared distressed.
