# Shows that have characters who are addicted **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 6, 2008, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303 "2008-05-06T15:23:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/21 "2008-05-06T17:52:50Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby] There was a guest star on _Good Times_ who was a teen alcoholic–she kept locking herself in the bathroom which caused distress to JJ. (god help me, I remember this). [/QUOTE] I guess I don’t… I thought it was heroin and I swear I remember her tying the rubber tubing around her arm. Maybe a different episode. Marge Simpson is a gambling addict. Lisa became addicted to “pep” pills. ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/22 "2008-05-06T18:39:40Z")
There was a single episode of “Family Ties” where Alex got hooked on ‘diet pills’, (speed). It was all better by the end of the 30 minutes, though. “Alex, what are all those trenches in the back yard?” “Sprinkler system, Dad.” Satch ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/23 "2008-05-06T18:56:57Z")
[QUOTE=3acresandatruck] On _That 70’s Show_, Eric, Donna, Steven, Michael, Fez, Jackie, Leo, Bob, and Midge are all apparently suffering acute reefer madness, as cannabis addicts. [/QUOTE] Lol, are potheads really considered addicts? I never considered them as such. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/24 "2008-05-06T19:03:46Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby] We could call Carla from _Cheers_ a skank, but we could also consider her a sex addict (or heck, call her both!). [/QUOTE] Actually, she doesn’t seem to get laid all that often and never goes looking for it. Her defining characteristic is that she’s so fertile, she gets pregnant if a man sneezes in her general direction. ---
**Author:** ![bubastis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bubastis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubastis)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/25 "2008-05-06T19:10:23Z")
[QUOTE=kunilou] On the sitcom\* Blossom \*, the lead character’s older brother was a recovering addict. Unlike many other shows, this was a continuing (although occassional) story line. On \*WKRP in Cincinnati \* the salesman (Herb Tarlek) admitted his alcoholism, went to AA and stopped drinking. \*Hill Street Blues \* featured two alcoholics: Furillo and LaRue. [/QUOTE] This is what I came to post, first thing I thought of. As far as I remember, the brother (anthony?) was a recovering dope fiend, who had a seriously addictive personality; in later episodes, he was hooked on smoking, gambling and, eh, faberge eggs, or something. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/26 "2008-05-06T19:12:56Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Actually, she doesn’t seem to get laid all that often and never goes looking for it. Her defining characteristic is that she’s so fertile, she gets pregnant if a man sneezes in her general direction. [/QUOTE] Each of her many children has a different father= skank to me. (but I’m wrong about the sex addiction–Sam probably has the sex addiction!) RE the _Good Times_ episode–this girl was a cousin, come to stay for a visit and she always had a cup in her hands. So, there must be at least 2 episodes. I always thought Floyd the barber on _Andy Griffith_ was most likely a tippler, too. I am sure \*Happy Days \*covered this–they covered everything, no? _Friends_ had an episode where a character was a lot of fun at parties, and then once he stopped drinking, he was no fun at all anymore. (perhaps doesn’t qualify). ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/27 "2008-05-06T19:13:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Lisa [Simpson] became addicted to “pep” pills. > [@](#): > > I think Jesse from Saved by the Bell got addicted to speed at one point, leading to her attempting-to-be-serious-but-way too ridiculous breakdown: “I’m so excited! I’m so - Scared!” I think both of those are instances of abuse, not addiction, though I guess you could make a case for [Jesse](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bflYjF90t7c). ---
**Author:** ![Monstera\_deliciosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monstera_deliciosa/32/109_2.png) [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/28 "2008-05-06T19:22:15Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby] Each of her many children has a different father= skank to me. (but I’m wrong about the sex addiction–Sam probably has the sex addiction!) [/QUOTE] No, her eight children only have three fathers: first 5 are her ex-husband’s (the fifth being born after they divorced, when they had a one-night stand for old times’ sake.) The 6th was the product of a fling with a mentor of Frasier’s, and the last two were twins from Eddie LeBeck, whom she married. Only the sixth was the product of a non-serious relationship. Doesn’t seem overly skanky to me. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/29 "2008-05-06T19:26:24Z")
[QUOTE=D\_Odds] Hawkeye Pierce on _MASH_ had a few episodes relating to problems with alcoholism, but I don’t remember if he stopped drinking. [/QUOTE] He did. In one episode he got an enormous bar tab and decided not to drink for a week. On the seventh day after a rough surgical session, the gang went to the officers’ club and Hawkeye ordered a drink. Everyone was all “aw you were so close” and Hawkeye gave a little speech about “I admit it, I need this drink…I’ll come back when I want it.” > [@kunilou](#): > > On WKRP in Cincinnati the salesman (Herb Tarlek) admitted his alcoholism, went to AA and stopped drinking. A character trait that was discarded when he returned for the syndicated sequel. > [@eleanorigby](#): > > Each of her many children has a different father= skank to me. Each of her children didn’t have a different father. IIRC she had three by her first husband Nick, twins by hockey player husband Eddie and one from some visiting professor or something. ETA: According to Wikipedia I’m mistaken about how maany kids she had. Eight, not six, but no mention of who the fathers of each of them were. Someone’s mentioned Andy Sipowicz for NYPD Blue. Diane Russell was also an alcoholic and one of the PAAs, Delores, ended up addicted to herion. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/30 "2008-05-06T19:29:00Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] He did. In one episode he got an enormous bar tab and decided not to drink for a week. On the seventh day after a rough surgical session, the gang went to the officers’ club and Hawkeye ordered a drink. Everyone was all “aw you were so close” and Hawkeye gave a little speech about “I admit it, I need this drink…I’ll come back when I want it.” [/QUOTE] That was the line. Good memory, **Otto**. Do you know if Hawkeye would drink in future episodes, or was that the end of his drinking on the show? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/31 "2008-05-06T19:29:40Z")
[QUOTE=VarlosZ] I think both of those are instances of abuse, not addiction, though I guess you could make a case for [Jesse](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bflYjF90t7c). [/QUOTE] But she wasn’t addicted to speed, she was addicted to caffeine pills. That’s it. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/32 "2008-05-06T19:30:35Z")
[QUOTE=D\_Odds] That was the line. Good memory, **Otto**. Do you know if Hawkeye would drink in future episodes, or was that the end of his drinking on the show? [/QUOTE] I’m pretty sure that was it. ---
**Author:** ![3acresandatruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e79b87/32.png) [@3acresandatruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3acresandatruck)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/33 "2008-05-06T19:37:09Z")
[QUOTE=Indygrrl] Lol, are potheads really considered addicts? I never considered them as such. [/QUOTE] Well golly, the DEA says its as bad as heroin and LSD. They wouldn’t lie to us, would they? ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/34 "2008-05-06T19:40:22Z")
From **The Golden Girls** , Dorothy was addicted to gambling (like her father) and Blanche was pretty clearly a sex addict. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/35 "2008-05-06T19:56:33Z")
Most of the characters in Grace Under Fire were in one 12-step program or another. In one episode it was shown that her ex-husband and several past and present boyfriends were all in the same AA chapter. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/36 "2008-05-06T20:00:04Z")
[QUOTE=Indygrrl] Lol, are potheads really considered addicts? I never considered them as such. [/QUOTE] Wow. Two hours to come to the defense of the mighty pot. I expect more from the SDMB Pro-Pot Brigade. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/37 "2008-05-06T20:19:08Z")
Cookie Monster is addicted to cookies, of course (and, contrary to the rumors, he did not give them up for vegetables). _Futurama_’s Bender is addicted to alcohol, although it may not be a true addiction, but rather a neccesity- at least one episode states that if Bender needs to drink beer to stay sober, although some episodes contradict this. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/38 "2008-05-06T20:24:45Z")
[QUOTE=bouv] But she wasn’t addicted to speed, she was addicted to caffeine pills. That’s it. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] Yeah, that’s what made it so lame. I mean…caffeine? really? They couldn’t have made it something a little racier? On “The Simpsons,” Marge had a gambling problem. And the “Friends” character with the drinking problem who stopped drinking and became no fun…was Fun Bobby, Monica’s boyfriend. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/39 "2008-05-06T20:41:40Z")
Studio 60 - both the main characters have drug problems. Bradley Whitford’s character is in recovery, Matthew Perry’s has an unresolved (by the time the series was cancelled, anyway) addiction to painkillers. And on the other Sorkin show, Leo McGarry is a recovering alcoholic, as is the first vice president, John Hoynes. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303/40 "2008-05-06T20:41:57Z")
On _South Park,_ [Towelie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Towelie#Towelie) is a pothead, and both Kennie and Kyle’s Dad Gerald [are Cheesing addicts.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Boobage) (Half the school was getting wasted on cough syrup at one point but addiction was not suggested.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shows-that-have-characters-who-are-addicted/448303.md?page=3)