Tuning into Arnold Schwarzenegger’s action series and wondering what FUBAR means? Is it the name of a character? Is it a fun catchphrase? Perhaps it’s the name of a beloved pet? No, no and no. The name of the Netflix series is actually derived from a sweary military acronym.
Created by Nick Santora, the series follows a father and daughter duo, Luke (Schwarzenegger) and Emma Brunner (Monica Barbaro), who discover that they’re both secret agents for the CIA. Throughout the series, they team together to fight common enemies and patch up their complicated family dynamic. In addition to the two actors, the large ensemble cast features Jay Baruchel, Aparna Brielle, Andy Buckley, Fortune Feimster, and Gabriel Luna. Schwarzenegger also serves as an executive producer.
The phrase FUBAR pops up repeatedly in the series as a title card, though the format changes every time. In one episode, the phrase illuminates on a highway billboard sign as Luke jets off on a motorcycle, and in another, it appears as a barcode on an app as Luke teases his son. In lieu of an official theme song, the term appears on the screen five to ten minutes into the episodes, constantly reminding you: “Huh, I don’t know what FUBAR means.”
Curious about what the title of this action comedy means? Well, you’re in the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about the origins of the phrase.
What Does FUBAR Mean in the New Netflix Series?
Like most words, there are multiple definitions of FUBAR. According to Merriam-Webster, the phrase dates back to 1944 and stands for Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition. The acronym is commonly used among military personnel and originated around the time of the Second World War, much like the other popular phrases SNAFU and SUSFU, which respectively mean Situation Normal: All Fucked Up and Situation Unchanged: Still Fouled Up. The Oxford English Dictionary states the word appeared 1944 print of Yank, the Army Weekly Magazine.
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Along with the Netflix series, the phrase was also used in Ken Burns’ 2007 documentary The War, which focuses on WWII. PBS censored the phrase in the documentary, depending on which station it played on, per Reuters.
At the time, a spokesperson for the network criticized the Federal Communications Commission as the phrase was allowed in Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, but not Martin Scorsese’s documentary The Blues.
Other definitions for the phrase include, Fucked Up Beyond Repair, Fucked Up By Assholes in the Rear, and for the faint of heart, versions of all the phrases with “fouled” replacing fucked. However, the overall message of the varying definitions remains the same: there’s an unpleasant situation unfolding.
But what does this have to do with the Netflix series? Well, throughout the show, the CIA agents get themselves in several tricky situations, both in the field and in their private lives. Though, unlike the meaning suggests, there may be a chance of redemption. I mean, have you ever seen Schwarzenegger lose?
FUBAR is currently streaming on Netflix.
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