# Utterly odd sitcom moments **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 2, 2001, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021 "2001-10-02T18:52:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/21 "2001-10-04T13:59:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by delphica \* > \*\*I just saw an episode of Laverne and Shirley on Nick at Night that preyed on my mind. Laverne thinks she might be pregnant. She confides in Shirley that she went off with some guy at a staff party at the brewery, and _she doesn’t remember whether or not they had sex, because she was so drunk._ Of course, neither Laverne nor Shirley comes out and says “had sex,” but they exchange a lot of meaningful glances, and besides, how else do you get pregnant? The details of getting drunk, going behind the beer vats with some guy, and Laverne’s not knowing whether or not she actually had sex with him are repeated several times, and there’s a laugh track. > \*\* I remember that episode. Didn’t she wake up the next morning wearing the guy’s boxers? ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/22 "2001-10-04T17:24:57Z")
I used to watch _Cheers_ because it was better written than most sitcom fare. But there was one episode that involved some stupid story about the Cheers gang needing to distract the Tom Skerrit character for some reason. He was tired from a trip and wanted to just get some sleep. The culmination was that Norm had to carry him piggy-back around the yard. I remember thinking that this was the worst excuse for a plot device or attempt at humor the _Cheers_ writers ever came up with. Who knew they could stoop so low? I also remember thinking that the episode played out like a “Laverne and Shirley” episode. Based on other responses in this thread, that is no compliment. … I also remember the _Diff’rent Strokes_ molestation episode. Amazing, since I was a kid and only watched about 10 episodes total. I recall the actor that played the molester came on camera after the episode was over in order to have a “very special moment” where he talked to the viewers explaining how bad molesters were and how not to fall into the trap that Arnold and Dudley(?) (I’ll take your word for it, because I don’t even remember a Dudley character from the show.) did. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/23 "2001-10-09T00:38:08Z")
On M_A_S\*H they had the indoor set and the outdoor set. Sometimes two characters would be having a face-to-face conversation, and you could tell that it was spliced together from two takes, one indoor and one outdoor. The only example I can think of offhand is the episode where Hawkeye and Winchester convice everyone that Marilyn Monroe is going to visit the 4077th. There is a scene where Hunnycutt is recieving a Bronze Star, and it shows the General pinning it on him and they’re outdoors. Then it cuts to a shot of Hunnycutt standing there and he’s indoors. It’s as if they did every scene on both sets and then edited it together. And then of course there was the one where Harry Morgan played a deranged General a few years before he was cast as Col. Potter. I also find it strange how a lot of British shows use film for outdoor scenes and videotape for indoor ones. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/24 "2001-10-09T04:31:01Z")
There was that Sanford and Son episode where a guy was bragging about sneaking in the house years back and getting it on one night with Esther’s friend or sister, only to find out that it was most likely virginial Esther instead. Esther made a huge denial scene, and Sanford and son thought it over and decided, “Nah!!!” It couldn’t happen. I remembered that Different Strokes episode as well. Perhaps it was too well done. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/25 "2001-10-09T15:37:18Z")
I remember that Diffrent Strokes episode. Arnold and Kimberly had been hitch-hiking to get home, it was around Christmas. A “bad guy” picked them up. Arnold escaped but then had to be put under hypnosis to find the guy who had Kimberly. For me, the weirdest episode was of “Facts of Life” and Tootie was at a bus station and almost ended up with a pimp as she befriended a prostitute. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/26 "2001-10-09T16:13:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Poysyn \* > \*\*I remember that Diffrent Strokes episode. Arnold and Kimberly had been hitch-hiking to get home, it was around Christmas. A “bad guy” picked them up. Arnold escaped but then had to be put under hypnosis to find the guy who had Kimberly. > > \*\* I think that was a diff’rent episode. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/27 "2001-10-09T17:19:21Z")
I guess you guys haven’t got ‘One Foot in the Grave’ yet but, trust me, it is a very unusual comedy. For starters the main characters are in their sixties and are retired, not your current fad for young beautiful somethings. So things like love life and dating don’t play much of a part, except occasionaly and in a completely differant way. There is a very dark element to some of the humour too, for instance, Mr Victor Meldrew (the main charactor) is given an ugly glass paerweight which encapsulates a scorpion as a holiday souvenir gift. Intantly he starts to think it’s possessed by evil as everything goes wrong around him. A woman collecting money for a betting pool turns up and actually admires it, so he gives it to her being glad of the chance to offload it. Unfortunately a yob has been watching the money collecter and its obvious what is going to happen. Cut to next scene and there is a commotion outside in the street, the clooector gets mentioned in passing and Victor suddenly feels terrible for passing on the bad luck charm. As the ambulance dissapears down the street and the police can be seen in the background Victor looks guilty and shocked and turns to a someone next to him saying that he is very sorry such a terrible thing happened. To Victor surprise of course it’s the collector, who is beaming with gratitude to Victor, she used the bad luck charm to bash the yob unconscious. There are lots of very dark and almost surreal moments in this sitcom such as the murder of a neighbor, or the Meldrews returning home from holiday to find thier home burned out and in ruins, and yet even that has funny moments in it. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/28 "2001-10-28T16:05:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by slortar \* > \*\*Oh, good. I didn’t cook that up in a fever dream. “Okay, Alex, I’d like to take ‘Episodes That Won’t Be Showing On Nick-at-Nite’ for $1000…” \*\* I saw it on Nick-at-Nite last night! I am happy to report that Dudley didn’t _quite_ get the business from Gordon Jump after all. According to Dudley, “he tried to touch me.” Which leads me to believe that perhaps Mr. Drummond managed to save the day before anything too major happened. Thank goodness! Ever since I read this thread in the first place, the plight of poor Dudley has been weighing heavily on my mind. I was so glad to see that he hadn’t been completely defiled by that evil, evil Gordon Jump. ---
**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:** [October 28, 2001, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/29 "2001-10-28T16:46:43Z")
Ooh, sitcoms. Me like. The Brady Bunch. The episode where Jan has the need to prove herself against “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.” The whole “You don’t need to tell anyone, Jan” little voice was too frightening for words. :eek: Additionally, on the same show, it always rankled me how Davy Jones had this incredibly busy schedule but could find time to go to the prom with Marcia all of a sudden? Ugh. I really hated that girl. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/30 "2001-10-28T23:20:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by casdave \* > \*\*I guess you guys haven’t got ‘One Foot in the Grave’ yet but, trust me, it is a very unusual comedy. \*\* Adapted for US by Bill Cosby, can’t remember what they called it. Totally ruined it, of course, as ultimately all US comedy characters **have** to be lovable and sympathetic. (It’s the law, I think it’s written into the constitution or something.) He also never, ever said “I don’t belieeeeeeve it!” So obviously it bombed. ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/31 "2001-10-28T23:24:54Z")
The first thing that came to my mind was when George’s fiance Susan died on **Seinfeld**. That was sure an odd episode…it came from out of nowhere. At the time it wasn’t all that funny, but it was about the only way George was going to get out of that marriage anyway. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/32 "2001-10-28T23:27:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Osiris \* > \*\*George going after his cousin, and she’s into it! Ummmm, ok. You know who I’m talking about right? \*\* Man you are SO right about that ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2001, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/33 "2001-10-28T23:44:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Futile Gesture \* > **Adapted for US by Bill Cosby, can’t remember what they called it. Totally ruined it, of course, as ultimately all US comedy characters have to be lovable and sympathetic. (It’s the law, I think it’s written into the constitution or something.)** Ahem. George Costanza. 'nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2001, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/34 "2001-10-29T00:21:31Z")
“Are You Being Served?”: The entire staff, doing a song and dance. In blackface. shudder. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2001, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/35 "2001-10-29T03:34:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Futile Gesture \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by casdave \* > > \*\*I guess you guys haven’t got ‘One Foot in the Grave’ yet but, trust me, it is a very unusual comedy. \*\* > > Adapted for US by Bill Cosby, can’t remember what they called it.\*\* Would you believe they titled it [**Cosby**](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0115144)? ---
**Author:** ![Cholo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Cholo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cholo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2001, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/36 "2001-10-29T03:47:37Z")
I always thought the final episode of MASH was pretty bizarre. Hawkeye screaming at the Korean lady to shut her chicken up on a treacherous bus ride out of the 4077th…only to find out later that she suffocated her baby to appease him. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2001, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/37 "2001-10-29T03:56:05Z")
That was the last episode of MASH, so I guess it was a special case. ---
**Author:** ![pezwookiee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@pezwookiee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezwookiee)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2001, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/38 "2001-10-29T17:10:03Z")
Just thought of one… IIRC Joey Lauren Adans (of _Chasing Amy_ fame) guest-starred in _Married… With Children_ a couple of times. One time she played a cousin to the Bundys. The next time she played a love interest for Bud. Ewww. ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_Mann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@Rich\_Mann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_Mann)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2001, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/39 "2001-10-29T19:34:21Z")
After years of watching _The Andy Griffith Show_ and _Mayberry R.F.D._ I caught an episode of _The Danny Thomas Show_ on TVLand which, apparently, was essentially a pilot for the later “Mayberry” shows. In the episode Mr. Thomas got stranded in a sleepy little town called (you guessed it) Mayberry where the sheriff was named Andy Taylor and had a son named Opie (played by the same actors as later). Here’s the thing…The actress who later played Aunt Bea played a woman who was arrested as a shoplifter and jailed! I suffered an extreme bout of cognitive dissonance from which I still haven’t recovered. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2001, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021/40 "2001-10-29T20:35:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Otto \* > \*\*Example: An episode of Designing Women has Charlene’s cousin in an abusive marriage. The cousin leaves the husband and meets Charlene at a talent show where the designers are performing. Charlene sees her come in, the msuic swells in the background and everyone tears up. The problem is, the music they’re performing to is “Ain’t no Mountain High Enough” by the Supremes, which includes the lyrics “Ain’t no mountain high enough, and no valley low enough, ain’t no river wide enough to keep me from you.” This is music to play in a scene celebrating a woman escaping from an abusive husband?!? What were they thinking? \*\* This was on TV this morning - I thought they were talking about the relationship between Charlene and the friend. That nothing could keep the two of them apart and the music was celebrating that friendship. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/utterly-odd-sitcom-moments/85021.md?page=3)