Tony the Talking Clock comes from Don't Hug Me I'm Scared, the surreal British web series, and stars in its time-themed second episode, released in 2014, where he cheerfully teaches the puppets about clocks, schedules and the passing of time. His musical number became one of the series' most quoted moments, and short clips of his voice were soon reused in YouTube edits, remix videos and surreal meme compilations. He remains popular because that mix of bright children's television energy and underlying strangeness works instantly, even for viewers who have never seen the full episode.