# Most absolutely ridiculous sit-com episodes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 29, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885 "2004-10-29T17:33:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/121 "2004-11-03T14:39:55Z")
> [@Middlecase](#): > > Well, most “new-borns” in birth scenes seem to be at least 2 or 3 months old, for obvious reasons: although I think they should at least paint them mauve and douse them in bloody slime for added realism. I’m thinking a mixture of cream cheese and grape jelly would be a good bloody slime substitute. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/122 "2004-11-05T05:14:55Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > I wrote an article for my site on female robots in fiction, and a part of my research I did some Googling and came up with several sites about a robotic woman built by the Air Force who lives with an Air Force shrink in his swinging 50s bachelor pad. Bob Cummings played the doctor, Julie Newmar played AF709, the doll. > > Being a 50s show, they could never have dealt with the sexual issues that a female android would have brought up in any natural or direct manner, so the show HAD to have been creepy on a number of levels, too. > > [Linky-link link.](http://www.cvalley.net/~canote/living_doll.html) One thing that link doesn’t mention that I remember, is that the reason that the robot had to be female was because her gigantic breasts were necessary for the equipment to fit inside her. They didn’t say it quite that baldly, but the implication was certainly there. The perfect show for a 14-year-old boy. I don’t care what the plots might have been like. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/123 "2004-11-05T05:37:43Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I have to admit there was one (1) episode from the last season of _Roseanne_ that I loved: Debbie Reynolds as Dan’s psychotic mother who tries to kill him and bury him alive. I **hated** that episode! First of all, this whole business of Dan’s mom being mentally ill was a continuity error. In the second season, she was played by a different, younger actress, and was a self-sufficient real estate agent. Then, a few seasons later, they bring up this “Dan’s mom is having psychotic episodes **again** ”, with the understanding that this has **always** been the elephant in the room. That could be chalked up to the many changes in the writing staff: the same people who wrote the mom (who I think even had a different name) as a savvy, non-mentally ill person with no resentment of her ex-husband were not the ones who came up with the “she needs to be institutionalized before it’s too late” plot. But nothing can excuse the way the Debbie Reynolds incarnation. I **despise** portrayals of mentally ill people as stereotypical loonies. Plus, at the end of the episode, everyone seems to just shrug off the fact that she’d been trying to kill her only child! Not funny; not good; not a departure from the rest of that sucky season. Just MHO, though. Oh, and since I’m here, **Sampiro** , I will point out that on **Happy Days** , they did always manage to scare up some snow for their Christmas episodes. But that’s typical for a lot of sitcoms. I don’t remember it ever snowing on non-Christmas episodes of **Roseanne** , either, or **Cheers** or **Mary Tyler Moore** , or any show set somewhere that’s known for its harsh winters. And then they usually have to make a huge calamity of it, with everyone getting snowbound and separated. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/124 "2004-11-05T05:40:16Z")
> [@cowgirl](#): > > On the subject of dating people with disabilities, who disappear in the next episode: > > remember in _Night Court_, Bull’s blind girlfriend? She was cool. > > Roz: “It’s the blind … leading the blank.” > > Good times. Joy (Elayne Boosler) appeared twice on the show. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/125 "2004-11-05T14:44:28Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > I **hated** > > Oh, and since I’m here, **Sampiro** , I will point out that on **Happy Days** , they did always manage to scare up some snow for their Christmas episodes. But that’s typical for a lot of sitcoms. I don’t remember it ever snowing on non-Christmas episodes of **Roseanne** , either, or **Cheers** or **Mary Tyler Moore** , or any show set somewhere that’s known for its harsh winters. And then they usually have to make a huge calamity of it, with everyone getting snowbound and separated. I would cite the Phoebe’s wedding episode of Friends, as having snow without Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/126 "2004-11-05T14:45:25Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Debbie Reynolds as Dan’s psychotic mother who tries to\*\* kill him\*\* and bury him **alive**. THAT would have been a neat trick 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/127 "2004-11-05T19:00:49Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#): > > I would cite the Phoebe’s wedding episode of Friends, as having snow without Christmas. Well, I never watched **Friends** , but okay then! Also, on **'70s Show** , there have been episodes where they’ve gone up to Jackie’s parents’ cabin and there was snow, as well as bad weather condtions on the highway. But the implication is that they have to **leave** town to find snow, plus which, the snow becomes a plot device: someone’s car always gets stuck in it. Also, my memory is **very** fuzzy on this, but when there was an apocalyptic blizzard on **Bob Newhart** , I think that was Valentine’s Day, not Xmas. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/128 "2004-11-05T19:46:52Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Also, my memory is **very** fuzzy on this, but when there was an apocalyptic blizzard on **Bob Newhart** , I think that was Valentine’s Day, not Xmas. Which would, at least, be appropriate for a show set in Chicago. The first Valentine’s Day I spent here, in 1990, we had at least 9" of snow in 8 hours. One of the things I always hate in a sitcom is the utterly inappropriate and improbable appearance of a celebrity, generally a singer who can be counted on to lip-sync his/her biggest hit. It’s acceptable in a show that’s set in or around the entertainment industry, but not a midwest-family vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/129 "2004-11-05T20:07:46Z")
How about a show set in the rural south? Remember how many country singers got caught in Boss Hogg’s speed trap and had to sing at the Boar’s Nest? It seemed about once a week or so. Gilligan’s Island had at least two shows with duplicates. An unattractive woman shows up on the island and when Ginger cleans her up, lo and behold, she looks just like Ginger and then there was the one with the foreign agent who looked just like Gilligan. But despite the cliche heavy plots, it still had one of the coolest theme songs of all time! ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/130 "2004-11-05T20:27:36Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Didn’t _Alice_ also have one with Art Carney? Yes! That was a two-fer. Alice wheedled Mel into marketing his chili. For once, this didn’t mean kitchen-in-shambles, startup-money-goes-down-the-drain, because Mel actually knew what he was doing, and had been doing it for years. Only problem was, he knew his face wouldn’t sell anything, so he said he wouldn’t do it unless they could get a celebrity spokesperson. And whaddya know, Vera found out that she was a third cousin or something of Art Carney. Somehow, they tracked down Carney and got him to taste what was now going to be called Chili Con Carney. But just before he was ready to sign, he found out about being related to Vera. (Everyone thought someone else had told him; he thought they only contacted him because of the name.) “Sorry; I can’t go into business with a relative.” :smack: Oh, and **Odin** , there was another Gilligan’s lookalike besides the two you mentioned: a guy who was impersonating Mr. Howell. And just \*\*happened[/b to get washed overboard from a yacht at the right location to end up on the island. What killed me about that show was that everyone who landed on the island, and could have taken the castaways with them, or at least informed the authorities, was such a jerk! They didn’t want anyone to know where they’d been. Or, in the case of the Mosquitoes, they were afraid the women’s singing group would be competition. Or in the case of Eva (?) Gabor, they could only describe the location as “next to a beeyoooootiful tropical flower”. Not to mention the fact that every radio broadcast they heard had to do with them… ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/131 "2004-11-05T20:28:55Z")
> [@photopat](#): > > One of the things I always hate in a sitcom is the utterly inappropriate and improbable appearance of a celebrity, generally a singer who can be counted on to lip-sync his/her biggest hit. It’s acceptable in a show that’s set in or around the entertainment industry, but not a midwest-family vehicle. “Roseanne” had at least two of these episodes: one where Lorreta Lynn stopped by at a fair in Lanford (right), and where the Blues Travelers come to town. I like it better when celebrities, if they have to be on the show, actually plays a character. And there were numerous times when celebrity guests would show up on Tim Taylor’s “Tool Time” on “Home Improvement”. I highly doubt someone like Bob Villa or George Forman would guest star on a local Detroit, Michigan TV show that barely anybody knows of. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/132 "2004-11-05T21:05:27Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > However, so did the Black Adder episode, “Beer,” which was unarguably freaking hilarious. God damn, the second season of Black Adder was some of the funniest TV ever. Could never bring myself to like Season 3, though. Miranda Richardson was such an adorable queen that I just wanted to bend her over and spank her… “Cold is God’s way of telling us to burn more Catholics!” -Joe, Catholic, has a thingy shaped like a turnip ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/133 "2004-11-05T21:56:23Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Well, I never watched **Friends** , but okay then! > > Also, on **'70s Show** , there have been episodes where they’ve gone up to Jackie’s parents’ cabin and there was snow, as well as bad weather condtions on the highway. But the implication is that they have to **leave** town to find snow, plus which, the snow becomes a plot device: someone’s car always gets stuck in it. Umm…you’re saying that you don’t think it’s plausible for side roads (say, on the way to a skiing cabin) to be less plowed than highways, interstates, or the main roads in town? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2004, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/134 "2004-11-05T22:25:24Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Umm…you’re saying that you don’t think it’s plausible for side roads (say, on the way to a skiing cabin) to be less plowed than highways, interstates, or the main roads in town? > > -Joe I wasn’t talking about side roads at all. The episode that I’m thinking of involved near-zero visibility that forced the car off the **highway** , and huge drifts on the side of the highway that caused the car to get stuck. They didn’t even get to the side road. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/135 "2004-11-06T05:48:24Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Also, on **'70s Show** , there have been episodes where they’ve gone up to Jackie’s parents’ cabin and there was snow, as well as bad weather condtions on the highway. But the implication is that they have to **leave** town to find snow, plus which, the snow becomes a plot device: someone’s car always gets stuck in it. The way weather is treated on **That '70s Show** make it pretty clear that most of the writers and costume designers are SoCal residents who have no clue what a Wisconsin winter is like. There was one episode that centered around Red’s Veteran’s Day cookout. A cookout in November in Wisconsin? I was willing to believe that this was perhaps a warmer than usual November (it can happen), but no, the episode made it clear that this was a big annual event. All the guests were hanging out in the yard wearing nothing heavier than a long-sleeved T-shirt or light sweater. There was another episode where the gang went out to the cabin (I think the same episode you’ve been talking about) and Jackie intentionally left behind her jacket so her boyfriend would have to “prove his love” by giving up his. Not even a bimbo like her would do this. She wasn’t risking minor discomfort or chilliness for herself/loverboy, we’re talking possible death from exposure. Even if she wasn’t thinking that far ahead, she would have realized that just standing around for a few minutes without a jacket would be unpleasant for _her_. > [@Agrippina](#): > > And there were numerous times when celebrity guests would show up on Tim Taylor’s “Tool Time” on “Home Improvement”. I highly doubt someone like Bob Villa or George Forman would guest star on a local Detroit, Michigan TV show that barely anybody knows of. Ah, but on **Home Improvement** it seemed that _everybody_ knew **Tool Time**. Everytime they went out it seemed that someone recognized Tim, and not just the kinds of people who looked like likely viewers of home improvement shows. I seem to remember numerous glamourous young women approaching him in restaurants to say “Hey, you’re that guy from **Tool Time**! I love Al!” ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/136 "2004-11-06T07:28:50Z")
> [@Agrippina](#): > > “Roseanne” had at least two of these episodes: one where Lorreta Lynn stopped by at a fair in Lanford (right), and where the Blues Travelers come to town. I like it better when celebrities, if they have to be on the show, actually plays a character. Blues Traveler played a band that Dan had been in before he and Roseanne got married. I don’t think they were ever mentioned by name, though they did play a couple signature songs. So yeah, it was a celebrity show, but they DID have at least a plausible connection to the show… ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/137 "2004-11-06T14:26:16Z")
How would people this stupid manage to find jobs, maintain a house, pay bills, etc.? These people are dumb beyond belief! ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/138 "2004-11-06T14:30:58Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Ah, but on **Home Improvement** it seemed that _everybody_ knew **Tool Time**. Everytime they went out it seemed that someone recognized Tim, and not just the kinds of people who looked like likely viewers of home improvement shows. I seem to remember numerous glamourous young women approaching him in restaurants to say “Hey, you’re that guy from **Tool Time**! I love Al!” But did they know of Tim outside of Detroit? They would have these incredible celebrity guests (like astronauts) come to the show. And I’m thinking, “How great for their career is it to appear on a show only known around Detroit?” ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/139 "2004-11-06T15:58:50Z")
I seem to remember them saying that _Tool Time_ was on cable. This could account for Tim being known by celebrities. Still, it was supposed to be a fairly obscure show. Certainly not in the same league as _This Old House_ or _New Yankee Workshop_. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885/140 "2004-11-06T16:14:27Z")
Everyone Loves Raymond had a cross over with King of Queens, where Raymond lets Doug drive his car while his brother the cop is in the back seat, despite the fact that Doug’s driver’s license is suspended. Oh the hilarity of someone letting someone do something illegal in front of someone they don’t know is a cop, and then getting pissed when the cop does his job of enforcing the law. I went with a cop for 10 years, and I never introduced him without adding “He’s a cop.” Then, if anyone did anything illegal in front of him, I figured they were so stupid they deserved to be arrested. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-absolutely-ridiculous-sit-com-episodes/271885.md?page=8)