Caption Contest 11: Recap & Review
For Caption Contest 11, we presented you with an intergalactic standoff—a bewildered alien meeting a very good boy. And just like a UFO sighting, the results were unbelievably good. You delivered captions that were out of this world, light-years ahead in humor, and truly barktastic. Some of you aimed for universal domination, while others simply wanted to know if the alien had treats in its spaceship.
What We Saw a Lot
Many captions leaned into the classic alien tropes—requests to be taken to leaders, leashes, or treat dispensers. Others focused on probing jokes, which are always a gamble (just like the probes themselves). A significant number of entries also played with the dog’s unwavering loyalty and the alien’s bewildered fascination at Earth’s top species.
Missed Opportunities
🐾 Underplaying the Dog’s Perspective: Many captions focused on the alien’s reaction to Earth, but flipping the perspective could unlock fresh humor. What if the dog is the one reacting to the alien? For example, instead of “Strangest human I’ve ever sniffed”, something like “Do you fetch?” makes the dog’s voice more playful and engaging.
🛸 Not Leaning Into Sci-Fi Tropes: There were plenty of great alien jokes, but some missed chances to reference classic sci-fi. Playing with ideas like tractor beams, UFO abductions, mind control, or intergalactic treaties could’ve added an extra layer of fun. For example, instead of “Take me to your leader”, a more creative version could be “Take me to your kibble supplier.”
👽 More Creative Alien Names & Lingo: A few captions simply referred to the alien as “alien” or “visitor.” But giving them a ridiculous sci-fi name or making up alien slang could have added originality. Imagine a caption like “I am Xorgath of Nebulon-5. We come in peace. Also, does your species give belly rubs?”
🚀 Missed Dog Behaviors: Some captions could have leaned harder into classic dog traits—chasing UFOs like frisbees, sniffing alien butts, or marking new planets. A caption like “New planet, same old hydrants” would have been a solid way to merge canine instincts with the extraterrestrial setting.
💍 No One Commented on the Woman Wearing a Ring: A small but intriguing detail—she’s wearing a ring, yet no captions played with this! Is she married to the alien? Is the dog her true soulmate? A caption like “’Til death, abduction, or neutering do us part” could have spun a fun angle.
Head to Head
Two captions that played on famous sci-fi references made it to the final round:
- “Close encounters of the K-9” – A simple but clever play on the classic Spielberg film.
- “How E.T. learned to Heel.” – A delightful mix of pop culture and dog training lingo.
Both were strong contenders, but the latter edged ahead by giving us a fresh and unexpected spin on a well-known phrase.
Red Lines
🛸 Overcomplicated Setups: Humor works best when it’s quick and clear. Captions like “Aliens have come to Earth seeking companionship, but they didn’t expect to find a four-legged creature with an obsession for tennis balls” could be tightened into “We traveled light-years for intelligent life, but we’ll settle for fetch.”
👽 Missed Opportunities: Some captions introduced a good setup but didn’t land a strong punchline. For example, “On my planet, we have beings like you” could be more playful with “On my planet, we call you ‘barklings.’”
Some captions missed the mark due to length—brevity is key in comedy! Others had funny ideas but would have been stronger with a snappier delivery. For example, a caption like “Dogs can go in stores on my planet, anything goes!” might have been sharper as “On my planet, dogs go in stores.”
🐶 Too Many Ideas in One Caption: Trying to cram multiple jokes into one caption can dilute the impact. For instance, “I come in peace, I love your ears, do you have treats, and what’s that thing you do with your tail?” would be stronger if it picked one core idea, like “We come in peace. Also, where do you keep the snacks?”
Winning Captions & Why They Worked
Here’s a breakdown of our finalists and why they shined:
🐶 “Take me to your breeder.” – A hilarious dog-themed twist on the traditional “Take me to your leader” alien trope.
👽 “Close encounters of the K-9.” – Sci-fi wordplay at its finest.
🐾 “How E.T. learned to Heel.” – The best of both worlds—pop culture reference + dog humor.
🚀 “We come, sit, and stay in peace.” – An excellent blend of classic alien diplomacy and pet training lingo.
🌌 “What the hell was in that dog treat?” – Short, punchy, and perfectly absurd.
🛸 “In my defense, UFOs look a lot like frisbees.” – A stellar misinterpretation that makes perfect sense in a dog’s world.
Final Thoughts
This contest was doggone incredible, proving that humor is truly universal (and possibly interdimensional). Whether you beamed up the laughs with a sci-fi spin or stayed loyal to good old-fashioned dog logic, your captions were light-years ahead in creativity. One thing’s for sure—if aliens ever invade Earth, they’ll probably bring treats just to stay on dogs’ good side.
Think you can top this? The next Caption Contest is already preparing for takeoff—fetch your best ideas and get ready to launch! 🚀🐾
