# TV shows that used the commercial break to enhance the episode **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 24, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418 "2015-09-24T18:39:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/1 "2015-09-24T18:39:18Z")
What I’m looking for here are examples of incorporating the commercial break into the show somehow to actually enhance the show itself. Example: the TNG episode **Cause and Effect** - the Enterprise exploded, cut to commercial, and when it came back on it seemed to restart the episode as from the beginning, which worked perfectly in relation to the episode. I remember actually thinking UPN had screwed up when I first saw it. I remember a couple of Simpsons episodes where they made some comment about consumerism or something that escapes me right now… Any others? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/2 "2015-09-24T18:43:41Z")
Nitpick: _Star Trek: The Next Generation_ wasn’t on UPN. It was syndicated on a station-by-station basis. It was over in 1994. UPN didn’t start until 1995. I apologize for the hijack, but someone would have mentioned it sooner or later. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/3 "2015-09-24T19:07:36Z")
Back in the 80s, in the days when meta-commentary on TV was still fresh and inventive (as opposed to hackneyed and cliche as it is now), there was an episode of “Moonlighting” with a great exchange. It was the beginning of the final act (the last ad break before the episode ended), and David (Bruce Willis) and Maddie (Cybill Shepherd) confront their client. David abruptly launches into a thorough explanation of how their client set them up and intended to frame them for a crime. A stunned (but convinced) Maddie asks when he figured all of this out. David’s reply: “During the commercial.” Client admits it, chase scene ensues, the exchange is not mentioned again. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/4 "2015-09-24T19:35:35Z")
Serious Don?! You had to ninja me on that one? ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/5 "2015-09-24T19:41:46Z")
Not sure it counts but Alfred Hitchcock used to mention and make fun of sponsers all the time on his AHPresents program. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/6 "2015-09-24T19:58:25Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Example: the TNG episode **Cause and Effect** - the Enterprise exploded, cut to commercial, and when it came back on it seemed to restart the episode as from the beginning, which worked perfectly in relation to the episode. I remember actually thinking UPN had screwed up when I first saw it. An episode of _My Name Is Earl_ used a similar device. The show usually [opened](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZmrRUn0f1o) with the main character Earl introducing the show and finishing with the tagline. But they had an episode which followed other characters and each of them had [their own opening](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWnCe-naJL0). ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/7 "2015-09-24T20:01:12Z")
In all fairness, when you blow up the Enterprise in the PRE-CREDIT TEASER, you know damn well no one is going to duck out to the kitchen during the commercials! Although I did think it was clever. Best thing I can give you is some old episodes of SNL where the real commercials juxtaposed most unfortunately with the parodies, most notably a “New Army” commercial, featuring a drugged out John Belushi as your friendly recruiting officer. It’s my understanding this led them to alter they way they plugged commercials into the episodes; the Army was NOT happy about the misunderstanding. Something similar happened a while back on a sketch comedy show called “She TV.” They hilariously eviscerated a commercial for a women’s hygiene product… that was sponsoring their show. Show didn’t last long. Wonder why? Damn shame. It was hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/8 "2015-09-24T20:33:14Z")
I wonder if you can include MST3k and their meta humor in this thread. Certainly they incorporated “Commercial Sign” thru-out the series (over both networks), and the earlier episodes normally had “Magic Voice” ‘alert’ Joel and the Bots to the upcoming first commercial break. The host segments (and associated door sequence) did not necessarily coincide with the commercial breaks, though. The commercial breaks were normally bracketed by various bumpers, initially using the famous “spaghetti ball” Hey, it’s just a show… ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/9 "2015-09-24T20:35:14Z")
_Better Off Ted_ frequently book-ended actual commercial breaks with fake commercials for the show’s mega-corporation, Veridian Dynamics. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/10 "2015-09-24T21:20:14Z")
> [@Master\_Wang-Ka](#): > > In all fairness, when you blow up the Enterprise in the PRE-CREDIT TEASER, you know damn well no one is going to duck out to the kitchen during the commercials! Although I did think it was clever. True, but I liked the way the did it after the first few commercial breaks in the episode, not just pre-credits. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/11 "2015-09-24T21:22:50Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Back in the 80s, in the days when meta-commentary on TV was still fresh and inventive (as opposed to hackneyed and cliche as it is now), there was an episode of “Moonlighting” with a great exchange. > > It was the beginning of the final act (the last ad break before the episode ended), and David (Bruce Willis) and Maddie (Cybill Shepherd) confront their client. David abruptly launches into a thorough explanation of how their client set them up and intended to frame them for a crime. A stunned (but convinced) Maddie asks when he figured all of this out. > > David’s reply: “During the commercial.” “Moonlighting” did this several times. One of the others I remember is when Maddie tells David “You can’t burst in here like that!” and he replies “Tell it to the writers”. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/12 "2015-09-24T21:25:43Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > True, but I liked the way the did it after the first few commercial breaks in the episode, not just pre-credits. I thought so too, but I wanted to avoid spoilers. The first time I saw that episode, I just kept going, "Wait, what? _What_? **WHAT?** ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/13 "2015-09-24T22:30:09Z")
This is probably grasping, but an episode of M_A_S\*H was done in real time (a little clock was at the bottom corner of the screen); they had twenty minutes to something something or the soldier would be paralyzed permanently. When they came back from commercial break, **the clock had moved two minutes**. I yelled, **Hey, that’s not fair** , and immediately felt like an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/14 "2015-09-24T22:33:25Z")
> [@oft\_wears\_hats](#): > > _Better Off Ted_ frequently book-ended actual commercial breaks with fake commercials for the show’s mega-corporation, Veridian Dynamics. _Mr. Robot_ did a similar thing with its mega-corp E-Corp (Evil Corp). ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/15 "2015-09-24T23:02:50Z")
I don’t remember them doing anything with the commercials, but “Community” was about as self referential as it got. > [@](#): > > Annie … insists that no one will leave the room until she uncovers the culprit. Minutes later, Abed realizes what is happening and declares, “I hate bottle episodes. They’re wall-to-wall facial expressions and emotional nuance. I might as well sit in a corner with a bucket on my head.” ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/16 "2015-09-25T01:52:06Z")
The Simpsons: Cape Feare episode Came back from the first commercial break with the Opening for The Thompsons ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/17 "2015-09-25T02:27:21Z")
I’m not sure it was intentional, but I felt like the commercial breaks during “The Body” (Buffy) served to make the show more hyperreal in its dealing with death. They really brought home the way that, when you’re in the immediate aftermath of the death of a loved one, there’s this mindnumbing normal stuff going on all around you that becomes hypnotic in it’s ordinariness, and you start to relax a little, and then you jarringly return to the business at hand and time seems to have jumped forward and you just wish the world would stop and let you catch your breath while you deal. Again, not sure it was intentional, but I actually think the episode is better on air than on DVD because of it. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/18 "2015-09-25T03:52:21Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > I remember a couple of Simpsons episodes where they made some comment about consumerism or something that escapes me right now… **Homer:** Hey! Where are you going? **Bart:** Dad, you can’t expect a person to sit for thirty minutes straight. **Lisa:** I’m going to get a snack, or maybe go to the bathroom. **Marge:** I’ll stay here, but I’m going to think about products I might like to purchase. Ooh…mmm…ooh, I don’t have that! I always liked the way _24_ went to (and returned from) commercials with the current time of the show, steadily ticking forward. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/19 "2015-09-25T03:54:49Z")
> [@oft\_wears\_hats](#): > > _Better Off Ted_ frequently book-ended actual commercial breaks with fake commercials for the show’s mega-corporation, Veridian Dynamics. The pilot for **Six Feed Under** had commercial breaks despite being on HBO, but they were fake commercials for products morticians use. Funny, but I can see how it would’ve got old real fast. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418/20 "2015-09-25T12:29:03Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > The pilot for **Six Feed Under** had commercial breaks despite being on HBO, but they were fake commercials for products morticians use. Funny, but I can see how it would’ve got old real fast. _Better Off Ted_ did a good job keeping them short and funny. They declined in quality somewhat as the series went on, but they managed to keep them relevant to the given episode and at least chuckle-worthy. “We keep our employees…gruntled.” Heh. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-that-used-the-commercial-break-to-enhance-the-episode/732418.md?page=2)