This is one of those staple sitcom / tv show storylines (although curiously, it tends to get overlooked in the ever-recurring ‘trite TV show cliches’ threads): The character having an out-of-body experience. How many examples can we come up with? Let’s keep the parameters wide - this can include anything from characters who die and are temporarily a ghost, to ‘Scrooge’ like episodes in which the character ‘dreams’ he is being led around by three spirits. Some random examples -
St. Elsewhere - Howie Mandell got shot and his heart stopped in the ER. As the other doctors race to save him (they shouldn’t have bothered IMO, but -), Howie experiences visions of purgatory, hell & heaven - encountering patients & doctors who’ve previously been in the hospital but expired. in Hell, he remet the druggie, rapist, wife abusing Dr. White; in Heaven, he met God played by - Howie Mandel(“I made you in my image!”)
Married…With Children - As Peg, Kelli & Bud go over to Marcy’s house to impersonate the Village People (long story), Al sleeps on the couch, unaware that carbon monoxide is leaking about the house poisoning him. As his body lies on the couch, Al’s spirit gets up and meets Death - who looks just like Peg, and who threatens to take him to his afterlife ("Here’s a hint for where you’re going Al, pack a bathing suit!). Al gets saved, but Death warns him “I’ll see you again - the day after you win the lottery!”
One Life to Live - Back in the 80s, long-sufferin’ heroine Viki went into a coma after a brain operation went south. While comatose, her guardian angel took her to Heaven (which resembled the Fortress of Solitude from ‘Superman’ movies, but with a starfield screen like they have on ‘Star Trek’). Viki got reacquainted with past dead loved ones, including at least one husband, a couple of past enemies, and even her own evil split personality! Viki got better, even though Maria (who was scheming to steal her husband Clint away from her) tried to shut off her life-support.
WKRP In Cincinatti - On Christmas Eve, the big guy has decided to invest money his mama gave him into a new soundboard, rather than give out X-Mas bonuses. Typically, he falls asleep, has a ‘dream’ that he’s visited by the ghosts of X-Mas past (Jennifer), present (Venus), and future (Johnny Fever). Mr. Carlson wakes up, recanting his decision & doles out big X-Mas bonuses to one & all. I can’t recall exactly what happened next, but Fever does something that makes Arthur think that maybe it wasn’t just a dream after all…
What other examples can we think of?