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[Editor's note: While your Flavorwire editors take a much-needed holiday break, we'll spend the next two weekends revisiting some of our most popular features of the year. This post was originally published October 7, 2011.] Cartoon creators don’t always borrow personalities from live action film and TV, but when they do, it sometimes isn’t as obvious as we’d think. Have you ever noticed that Milhouse is a flawless animated rendition of The Wonder Years’ Paul Pfeiffer? And Doug Funnie’s retired neighbor? Y’know, that Dink guy who hangs around giving Doug strange advice? He’s most certainly an homage to Home Improvement‘s Mr. Wilson, the wisest man on the other side of Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor’s fence. Check out some quirky cartoons and their live equivalents after the jump, and hit the comments to let us know the others you’ve found. They’re everywhere.

Milhouse Van Houten and Paul Joshua Pfeiffer

Before growing up to graduate from Yale and become a lawyer, Josh Saviano stole our hearts as the lovably dorky Paul Pfeiffer. In addition to being Kevin Arnold’s trusty best friend, Paul Pfeiffer served as inspiration for the cartoon world’s beloved blue-haired Milhouse. They have the same hairstyle, the same outfits, the same impaired vision, and serve the same character purpose — to stand by Kevin Arnold’s and Bart Simpson’s respective sides through thick and thin.