If you’ve caught The Simpsons on the 2026 Television schedule, you may have noticed something a bit different about the long-running animated series. The show has slowly been phasing out one of its oldest staples: the opening couch gag. The series showrunner, Matt Selman, is opening up about the decision behind gradually scaling back the iconic opening moment of the show.

Speaking on the Four Finger Discount after-show podcast, Selman addressed why those “funny” couch gags aren’t guaranteed every week, even though fans clearly love them and are the highlight of some of the best episodes. According to the showrunner, it's not a matter of not wanting to do them, but a matter of storytelling priority. He explained:

It’s a pretty straightforward explanation, but it gets at something easy to forget with a show that’s been running for over 36 years. At the end of the day, the couch gag is still a bonus. A fun one, sure, but not the main attraction.

When you think about how much The Simpsons tries to pack into each episode, the math starts to make sense. You’ve got an A-plot, usually a B-plot, a handful of running jokes... plus whatever cultural references they’re juggling that week. All of that has to fit into a pretty tight runtime. Something has to give, and sometimes, that something is the extra time needed to craft a more elaborate opening.

There’s also the reality of production. Some of the show’s most memorable couch gags have come from guest animators or involved entirely different animation styles. Those sequences don’t just happen overnight. They take time, money, and a lot of coordination that isn’t always feasible on a weekly schedule. Selman didn’t shy away from that side of it either, adding:

The Simpsons has managed to stick around for decades, not because of any one gimmick, but because it knows how to pivot and adjust while keeping its core intact. The couch gag is part of its identity, no question, but it’s not what keeps people coming back week after week. As much as this feels like the end of an era, it also makes a ton of sense.

All of this to say, it doesn’t mean couch gags are going away entirely. When the show does go all-in on a couch gag, it’s going to be because they’ve found an idea worth the time and effort. And when that happens, I’m sure they'll hit like some of the very best couch cags of the past.

The Simpsons just wrapped up its 37th season and airs on Fox at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sundays. After that, you can catch the episodes streaming with a Hulu subscription. While we wait to see what’s next for the show, fans can binge all their favorite character moments and storylines by streaming the whole series, and it's probably the best thing available on the Disney+ platform.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched American Dad’s Season 20 premiere, so be warned!

The sun in the sky definitely had a smile on its face today, as American Dad hit the rare TV benchmark of debuting its 20th season, but its arrival on the 2026 TV schedule wasn’t on the same channel the animated comedy has called home for the past twelve years. “Aw Rats, A Pool Party” marked its return to Fox’s Sunday night lineup after an extended run on TBS, and what a gloriously disgusting homecoming it was. Pool parties shouldn’t inspire pure disgust, but the Smith family rises above.

Not only did the episode showcase one of the all-time grossest gags of the show’s 380+ episodes, but it also featured an excellent Star Trek callback for Patrick “Picard” Stewart, and references to Ratatouille and The Simpsons. T’was a glorious night indeed, so let’s give each of these highlights their due celebration, all while trying not to throw up in one’s own mouth.

Stan's Dead Rat Balloon Animal Nearly Killed Me

As soon as Stan excitedly mentioned the family's shared pubic-hair razor as a lead-in to the family's pool party, I just knew something awful would happen. Stan doesn't bring out that time-honored toiletry for any ol' small-fry nonsense. It's the pube razor, people!

I didn't expect the pool party to get upended by a dead rat, though, or that the rat would lead to one of the most nauseatingly hilarious one-two jokes I can remember seeing. Not just on American Dad, but anywhere in life.

After Bullock & Co. arrived, and Stan was correctly called out for hiding the still dripping animal corpse behind his back after taking it out of the pool, he attempted to lie his way out of trouble by bafflingly claiming the cadaver in his hand was actually a balloon.

Not just a balloon, but one that he could then twist and turn into the shape of a rat, complete with some choice squelching noises from the foley dept.

I was already laughing too loudly as Stan started blowing air into the rat's gross little mouth, and then the floor dropped from beneath me as he rather methodically turned his balloon animal lie into something that actually resembled the truth. By the time the corpse exploded viscera as Jeff grabbed it, I was choking on my own laughter, and had to pause the episode.

That 15-second sequence is easily one of the funniest things I've seen so far this year, and I imagine I'll be using "No, it's a...balloon!" the next time I need to lie about something.

Patrick Stewart's Latest Nod To His Star Trek Catchphrase

Astonishingly enough, just before setting up Stan's disgusting array of vomit-worthy shenanigans, the great Sir Patrick Stewart made a fun callback to his famed catchphrase command as Star Trek's Jean-Luc Picard, "Make it so." As it went in the episode:

I've no clue how Picard would feel about having a taco guy onboard the USS Enterprise, but how could he not want one?

Jeff's Ratatatouille Joke

The dead rat in the pool wasn't even the first mention in the episode of a character doing something strange with a rodent (or at least sharing a story about it). When Jeff showed up late for...breakfast or whatever the family meets up around the dining room table for, he first celebrates doing a chore without being told, and then explains why it took him over an hour to take the trash out, saying:

Maybe having to deal with Jeff during the car theft was enough to make that rat want to jump into the pool to end its own life. Or maybe that was just a different rat, and the Smith's house is surrounded by them.

Roger And Rogu Make Simpsons Jokes

The less said about Roger's Season 20 premiere narrative arc, the better, since it involves his "drain," as he so elequently puts it at one point. The issue keeping him from the pool party story is a missing costume mustache. When Klaus asks why he can't just use another fake 'stache, Roger totally reveals the state where The Simpsons has been set all this time. (Or not.)

I think I'd be slightly more shocked to learn that one of The Simpsons’ funniest characters has actually been a space alien this whole time, as opposed to learning that Springfield is located in Michigan. I guess there are ways to try and prove that both can be true. But for that, we'd need all the elements for our detective character, and it looks like Rogu slurped those up, too. But as he put it, sounding not quite like Bart Simpson in doing so:

Gotta love that the show then took a shot at Ricky Spanish fanatics like myself by having Roger tell the whispering voice to shut up. My kingdom for another Ricky Spanish episode, though.

American Dad airs Sunday nights on Fox at 9:00 p.m. ET, and streams the next day via Hulu subscription. Will next week’s episode feature a sequence worthy of making it to the excellent American Dad’s Greatest Hits collection? I’ll never tell. (But yes.)

Nearly everything The Simpsons does at this point is a TV milestone, since few other series’ characters have similarly remained both present and relevant during that same decades-long stretch. For its gobsmacking 800th episode, the animated comedy pays tribute to Philadelphia-born entertainment icons such as Kevin Bacon, The Roots, and Abbott Elementary’s Quinta Brunson. The ep also honors another huge Pennsylvania-based TV show,The Pitt, with guest stars Taylor Dearden, Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa.

Several of The Pitt’s cast members were on-hand for an episode screening, a Q&A, and an award presentation at SCAD TVfest, and CinemaBlend’s Laura Hurley was on hand to speak with the stars. Amidst focus on the medical drama’s success, Laura excitedly noted Taylor Dearden joining the lengthy list of high-profile Simpsons guest stars for such an iconic episode, and the actress said it was a total pinch-me sitch, saying:

Despite already making waves with performances on shows like Sweet/Vicious and American Vandal, Dearden has earned some of the most widespread praise of her career as The Pitt’s neurodivergent practitioner Mel King. And while it’s perhaps not the most specific bar to measure one’s success, being asked to guest-star on The Simpsons is absolutely a general sign that one has “made it,” so to speak. Though not one of this year’s Golden Globe winners alongside Wyle and LaNasa, Dearden remains a definite standout in a series full of powerful performances.

Now, for all the respect and love I have for her, I was (jokingly) less than pleased by how she reacted to the show reaching 800 episodes, since her comment kinda makes me feel as old and decrepit as Mr. Burns. In her words:

Dearden's memory there is indeed correct, with the series' debut "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" airing on December 17, 1989, two years after the characters were first introduced on The Tracey Ullman Show. As someone who was born a bit earlier, in 1982, I was indeed part of that initial wave of viewers who watched The Simpsons' early years on a weekly basis while also rocking the early merch.

And wow, does it make me feel old thinking about my bedroom walls being covered in Bart Simpson posters at a time when Taylor Dearden wasn't even a sparkle in Bryan Cranston's eyes yet. I might as well get myself a Smithers and start running a nuclear power plant, I guess. Assuming a strong gust of wind doesn't take me all the way into Shelbyville.

Those aware of Dearden’s entertainment legacy know she’s the daughter of Breaking Bad great Bryan Cranston and actress Robin Dearden. Which makes her the second in the family to get Simpson-ized for TV, as Cranston first appeared as a James Bond-esque spy character in Season 23’s The Spy Who Learned Me, and then later made a rare live-action appearance alongside Aaron Paul for a Season 24 couch gag opener that spoofed Breaking Bad. The father-daughter duo appearing on-screen together in The Pitt is about as likely as him offering her acting tips, but I’m still hopeful.

The Simpsons’ 799th and 800th episodes are airing on Fox on Sunday, February 15, starting at 8:00 p.m. ET. While that season is now wrapped, The Pitt Season 2 continues to drop new eps on Thursdays via HBO Max subscription.

I’d say that every primetime TV show’s 800th episode is a meaningful one, but the number of series to actually hit that mark is pret-ty limited. So it’s indeed extra-special for The Simpsons to be the rare scripted entity to have produced so many installments, and with a truly incomparable group of guest stars coming and going over the years. The latest milestone ep will be no exception, as the Simpson family’s trip to Pennsylvania will feature several guest stars repping Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

In particular, The Simpsons is striking while the iron, er, scalpel is hot, and is bringing in a trio of The Pitt’s most acclaimed stars: Noah Wyle, Katherine LaNasa, and Taylor Dearden. On the one hand, this is obviously a smart movie for Fox’s animated staple, seeing as how The Pitt has been on an awards sweep from the jump — most recently evidenced at the Golden Globes — and its second season (streaming via HBO Max subscription) is currently garnering a similar amount of hype.

In this instance, however, the actors won’t just be joining the show in a random capacity, but will be working in the same circle as their on-screen characters. Wyle won’t be playing "Robby" Robinavitch, but “Doctor,” with LaNasa as “E.R. Nurse” and Dearden as “E.R. Intern.” Check out the first look at the characters below:

Why am I worried, you ask? First, because The Pitt is already well-known for stress-inducing and hyper-dramatic scenes involving authentically portrayed traumas and tragedies, with medical emergencies obviously playing a big role in that respect. (In-fighting amongst characters is also an issue.)

Second, The Simpsons’ creatives have been slightly more willing to kill off characters in recent seasons, as when Larry the Barfly was killed off a couple of years ago, when the show killed off Marge in a flash-forward, or when organ-playing Alice Glick during Season 37’s “Sashes to Sashes.” (We’re not lumping the brilliant Six Feet Under finale parody in here, but it almost counts.)

So the betting-man side of me would be fairly willing to put money on the idea that the Simpson family’s trip to the emergency room will end in someone’s death. (And the Whitaker lookalike getting his scrubs absolutely blasted with blood and goo.) But then again, this emergency room visit is presumably happening in Pittsburgh proper, making it less likely that any potential deaths will involve longtime Springfield regulars. (Unless that character is also taking a road trip, or unless the show finally pulls the trigger and kills Bart off.)

That’s enough time spent worrying about things, though. Let’s slip back into a more celebratory mood to shout out some of the other less ominous guest stars popping in for Episode 800, which centers on the family submitting Santa's Little Helper for the National Dog Show in Philly, where Homer and Marge stumble upon a wide-reaching conspiracy. (Thus the episode's punny title "Irrational Treasure.")

Guest Star #4: Abbott Elementary's Quinta Brunson

Abbott Elementary creator and co-star Quinta Brunson will be portraying a character named Adrienne who clearly loves being kissed by dogs. Don't ruin this, Santa's Little Helper!

Guest Star #5: Kevin Bacon

Kevin Bacon, whose co-directed comedy feature Family Movie will hit the 2026 movie schedule at some point, also joined the hubbub for the milestone episode. He only gets a description instead of a full-on character name, making me think his time on-screen will be limited. But then again, maybe "Philly Concierge" is his actual birth name.

Guest Stars #6+: Questlove & Boyz II Men

On the musical side of things, we have Questlove, who's kept busy along with the rest of The Roots as the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. It's unclear how he'll play into the episode, but the shot above does imply that the family may take in a concert while in town.

Unseen in any press pics are the members of the Grammy-winning R&B group Boyz II Men, who are confirmed to have recorded alternate versions of The Simpsons' iconic opening and closing themes to mark the occasion. How much that'll go beyond just harmonizing "The Simpsons" over animated clouds is anyone's guess.

Actually, Boyz II Men's cameo lines up with my Pitt-fueled worries, since the group's iconic track "End of the Road" is often used as a mournful tune to reflect on characters dying. JUST SAYING.

The Simpsons' 800th episode is set to air on Sunday, February 15, at 8:00 p.m.

2025 was one of my favorite years of television because it’s the year I (and many others) went three degrees beyond apeshit for Severance Season 2 after a three-year wait that felt more like 30. Thankfully, the presumably long wait for the in-the-works Season 3 across the 2026 TV schedule was made slightly less painful thanks to The Simpsons’ solid half-parody episode, fit-rightingly called “Seperance,” that was filled to the Gil (Gunderson) with easter eggs for fans to gawk over.

My expectations were admittedly kept low on purpose before watching, as I didn’t want to set myself up for disappointment. Thankfully, “Seperance” stands alongside Season 37’s superb “Treehouse of Horror” ep that sent up Late Night with the Devil among The Simpsons’ more recent pop culture spoofs that hit the upper echelon. (I can’t speak for how it hit for non-Macrodats, though.) Check out all, or at least the majority of, the A+ references peppered throughout the episode. (SPOILER WARNING for anyone who hasn’t yet watched on Fox or via Hulu subscription / Disney+ subscription.)

The Ms. Cobel-esque Consonance And The Lumon-ish Enthusiasm On Demand

Julianne Moore served as the voice of the jargon-spewing Consonance, a lower-nuance take on Patricia Arquette's Ms. Harmony Cobel. The company Enthusiasm On Demand is a more extroverted version of Lumon, and even though we've never heard of this century-old company in Springfield before, it clearly has the same kind of surveillance capabilities that Lumon does. How else could Consonance have had an eye on Homer at the bowling alley?

Later in the episode, Consonance taps into the Innie/Outie dynamic by saying EOD's workers are "Uppies," and that their less-energetic home selves are "Downies."

Super-Specific Snacks As Perks

Much as Lumon fills its vending machines with prepackaged sustenance like nuts, dried fruits, and cubed meats, with Season 2 upping that to include fruit leather, cut beans, Christmas mints, and salsa. The Simpsons features the above bee capsules, as well as pickled blueberries (that are a li'l pickled) and candied squid ink.

Riffing On Severance's Piano Theme

One cannot think of Severance without also hearing Teddy Shapiro's welcomed earworm theme, and this episode played that up winningly, and used it with a similar frequency. Severance never actually showed anyone playing a piano, though I wouldn't doubt that Choreography and Merriment has one somewhere in the building.

EOD's Exterior Mirrors Lumon's, Springfield Geography Be Damned

I couldn't tell you exactly where EOD is supposed to be located in or around Springfield, but I do love that this just adds another bonkers piece of geography for fans to puzzle over. It's also fitting, given Severance has yet to reveal where the town of Kier is located.

The Giant Face In The Lobby

One of Lumon's most eye-catching features is the massive wall depicting founder Kier Egan's face. I love that this was only seen in the episode for a second or two, but that everyone involved still took the time to craft it and other totally new and non-reusable locations. It matters.

The Haunting Hallway Portraits

A send-up of the bloody and war-torn portraits canonically created by Lumon merely to instill foul feelings between MDR and O&D workers. (Not that it helped.) I'd love to get this actual poster for my house, To-Be-Determined Website That Does Such Things.

Homer Gets An Elevator Zolly Shot

One of Severance's signature pops is the zoomed dolly (zolly) shot of characters going from Innie to Outtie, or vice versa, in the Lumon elevator, combined with the choppy audio sting. Homer (and later Marge) get their own versions here, even though there aren't actually any implants being affected. Oops, I'm skipping ahead.

Even beyond the idea of Work Self and Non-Work Self, Severance also threw in the haunting AF concept of shadow versions of Team MDR during the ORTBO excursion. I'm very grateful that this Other Homer's big difference is having hair, and not that he's a weird misshapen monster.

Zach Cherry Voices A Diamond Desk Co-Worker

First, Severance star Zach Cherry is one of the guest stars, which is less of an easter egg, and more of an Easter basket full of candy, since the actor is excellent at all times. His animated character Farley perhaps strangely doesn't specifically spoof live-action's Dylan G., but he's still a true friend to Homer.

Also, another A+ animated addition (that was technically shown empty earlier in the episode) is the custom-made "diamond desk" workstation where Mark, Helly, Irv and Dylan do their number-sorting. I'd be remiss not to bring up the green carpet, as well as the outdated computers and other tech. Dot matrix printers with perforated edges? Yes, please.

EOD Gives Employees Walnut Parties

Lumon is quite the people-pleaser for its various food-themed parties, and one of Severance's all-time best quotes is Dylan's "The egg bar is coveted as fuck." Naturally, EOD follows suit and offers...walnut parties. With such selections as "whole walnuts," "walnut halves" and "mixed whole and half walnuts." I'm starting to want some of those bee capsules now.

Woe And Contrition Corner

Another layered reference here. Much like Lumon makes employees repeat guilt-assuming statements to the point of misery, EOD seems to have a less traumatic approach: a stool in a corner for reflecting.

Beyond that, "woe" is a very important concept in the sci-fi-ish thriller. It's one of Kier Eagan's "Tempers," and inspired the name of Woe's Hollow, the waterfall-adorned destination for the ORTBO trip, as well as the title of that episode. (And yes, I almost counted the waterfall the family visited early in the ep.)

Duffman Is A Petey Surrogate

Duffman, one of the ep's consistent highlights, shows up later in the episode all disheveled and confused, referencing Yul Vasquez's former Lumon employee Petey. Later, an even more direct reference is made when Duffman shows the scar where he'd removed his non-existent implant, just as Cobel did to the existing implant in Petey's corpse.

Lisa Actually Referencing Severance

This isn't much of an easter egg, either, but rather a fourth wall-shattering namecheck alongside amusing spoof titles. I dunno that I'd call Severance a puzzlebox show, since there's a whole building at play.

Homer And Marge Are Dressed Like Mark And Helly

Once Marge is convinced to jump aboard EOD, she dons a green-leaning sweater and skirt that looks very familiar next to Homer's blue suit. I mean, Marge S/Mark S and Helly R/HomeR are basically the same.

Lumon Has Goats, But EOD Maybe Has Human-Breeding Kangaroos

For all the human characters that make Severance, the goats are also, well, GOATs. The Simpsons spun that by having the kids and Duffman find a room with an interruption-hating kangaroo feeding a human baby via bottle. What's in that bottle?! What's behind that other door?!

Running Down Red Hallways

Season 2's harrowing finale delivered some of the show's most arresting visuals thanks to those blinking red lights, and this episode even evokes that imagery when the kangaroo rats them out.

Most Of The Lumon CEOs' First Names Are Used

The Hall of Perpituity is where Lumon employees go to learn more about the presigious line of former CEOs, and most of EOD's past execs share the same first names.

• Kier Eagan / Kier Puzzlebox
• Ambrose Eagan / Ambrose Worldbuilding
• Myrtle Eagan / Myrtle Backstory
• Baird Eagan / Baird Retcon
• Gerhardt Eagan / Gerhardt Rethink
• Phillip Pip Eagan / Phillin Timeline
• Leonora Eagan / ??
• Jame Eagan / Jame Overthink

The main change was for the gag "Phillin Timeline," and I'm going to allow it.

Much like Kier Egan was revealed to have his own animatronic, and one that is somehow able to put on scripted comedic skits with Mr. Milchick, EOD's The Visionary is also a slow-moving bot. No laugh track, though.

Praise N.R.O.I.!

Throughout "Separance," characters voice their version of Lumon's cultish "Praise Kier" motto. But instead of them praising someone named Enroy, it's actually an abbreviation for "Net Return On Investment," as EOD is actually just a normal greed-based business, and not one invested in secret surgeries and other possibly nefarious acts.

Did I miss any of the references? Let me know, and get lost with Lumon by streaming both seasons of Severance via Apple TV subscription.

In an unexpected twist in my household, my daughter is a massive fan of The Simpsons.

I say unexpected, because when I introduced her to the show, I thought that much like the other shows that I've tried to share with her from my childhood, she would just give me a polite smile, and then find an opportunity to leave. But no, she loves The Simpsons, and now has seen every episode on Disney+ (including the shorts!). Well, every episode except for one.

And, that's Season 3’s first episode, “Stark Raving Dad,” which was pulled from Disney+ after HBO's Leaving Neverland aired. I lament that it's gone now, and for a number of reasons. Here are just three.

The Character, Leon Kompowsky, Reappears In A Later Episode, But My Daughter Has No Frame Of Reference

My daughter is at the point where she's seen every episode and is now rewatching them. Well, I actually stepped into the room when she was viewing Season 29’s episode 8, “Mr. Lisa's Opus,” and when I saw Leon Kompowsky, who was the character formerly voiced by Michael Jackson, I said, “Oh, yeah. They brought him back,” and my daughter was like, “Huh?”

That’s when I remembered that his first episode had been pulled, because my daughter hadn’t been into The Simpsons when it first appeared on Disney+. Since she’s seen every episode, season by season, it upset her since here was this character whom she didn’t recognize, and until I brought up that an episode had been banned from Disney+, she probably never would have known.

Now that she does, she’s disheartened because she’s a completist, just like me. And she thought she had seen every episode, IN ORDER, but now, that’s not the case, which is a bummer.

Both Of My Children Love Michael Jackson, And The Simpsons

I was a huge fan of Michael Jackson growing up (Well, except for Moonwalker, which scarred me as a child), and another aspect of my youth that I’ve shared with my children is Michael Jackson’s music, and they love it, too! (Especially my son. He can’t wait to see the Michael Jackson biopic).

Anyway, as viewers of The Simpsons, it would have been cool if my kids had gotten to watch “Stark Raving Dad,” as they likely would have questioned, just like many of us did as kids, if it really WAS Michael Jackson’s voice coming out of that big white dude’s mouth. But my children didn’t get that opportunity, which sucks.

I remember it being a pleasant surprise back then that The Simpsons was able to get MJ to lend his vocals that early on in the series. My kids probably would have also gotten a kick out of it, too, hearing one of their favorite singers make an appearance on one of their favorite shows. So, yeah, as I said, it sucks. My kids didn’t get to experience that.

It's A Really Good Episode, And It's A Shame That They Can't Just Watch It On Disney+

Lastly, most old-school Simpsons fans will agree that the best seasons of the show are Seasons 3-10, with Season 3 really being the one that jump-started the golden age. And, Season 3 STARTS with “Stark Raving Dad.” It’s the episode that, by all accounts, is the introduction to the best period of The Simpsons, and now that episode is completely gone from Disney+ for future generations.

Now, it’s been gone for a while, but that’s the thing about Disney+, it serves as an archive that younger generations can open up and enjoy. In every way, your Disney+ subscription offers new content, but it also acts as preservation. “Stark Raving Dad” is a really good episode of The Simpsons, full of heart and great jokes (and a great song! “Lisa, it’s your birthday! Happy birthday, Lisa!”), but now, my kids can’t enjoy that episode. At least not on Disney+.

It’s the holiday season, and for me, that means shopping for Lego sets. My niece and nephew are nuts for Lego, much like my sister and I were back in the day. Shopping for them, though, keeps me pretty confined to Star Wars and Harry Potter sets. While I was scrolling and shopping, I came back across The Simpsons' new-ish Krusty Burger Set, and now I’m wondering if I should do a little Christmas shopping for myself.

I Love The Krusty Burger Set

I don’t have any Simpsons Lego sets at the moment. There have been others released in the past, like the family home on Evergreen Terrace and the Quik-E-Mart, but this one would be the one I’m most interested in. Krusty the Clown is one of my favorite characters on the show, maybe my most favorite non-family member, and this set prominently features the chain-smoking clown and TV host. I do have a twinge of disappointment that the Krusty minifig is in a farmer outfit and not his standard garb, but maybe that makes it more fun? I dunno.

I also really love that it includes Homer’s clown car from the Season 6 episode “Homie the Clown.” That’s one of my favorite episodes from an era of the show when I loved pretty much every episode. Season 6 is legendary for a reason, ending with one of the best cliffhangers in TV history with “Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part One.” One of the main things I use my Disney+ subscription for is watching that era of The Simpsons.

One Of My Other Favorite Characters Is Missing

In all, the set comes with seven minifigs. Homer, Bart, Lisa, plus Krusty, the pimply-faced teenager who works at Krusty Burger, Lou the police officer, and Sideshow Bob. Sadly, Bob’s replacement on Krusty’s show, Sideshow Mel, is absent. Maybe it’s because he’s lactose intolerant and can’t enjoy cheeseburgers, but more likely, it’s just that he’s always been doomed to be less relevant than the murderous sidekick he replaced.

I love Mel because, at least in the early days, the writers of The Simpsons used him sparingly, which made every line he delivered perfect. That was in the days before side characters really got full episodes. His snobbish attitude matched Sideshow Bob, but in a snarkier kind of way. I love those kinds of characters. The show is beneath him, but he’s always willing to debase himself. It’s great.

Plus, Sideshow Mel has been Krusty's comedy partner for almost the entire run of the series. If you remember back, Bob was first busted way back in Season One. Including Bob makes sense, of course, but it still feels like a slight towards Mel, who has been dealing with Krusty’s abuse on the air and off for decades now, in every season but the first. Let him sell a few burgers! Or Lego sets, as the case may be.

No show on the 2025 TV schedule made my brain work in the way Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin’s The Chair Company did, and me thinks it real good thing. Ahem, I mean to say, I think it’s a net positive that in a world of overabundant, same-y programming, a show can exist that blends together conspiracy thriller intrigue with absurdist comedy timing and sympathetic family drama into one 30-minute time slot. But, now it’s over, at least until Season 2 gets here.

I can’t just make my entire life revolve around Tecca the way Ron did, though, so in between theorizing over finale questions and pondering which moments from the show might have been in Ron’s head, I started thinking about other shows I love where Tim Robinson’s signature off-kilter vibes would be amazing to see. Maybe if I think about all of them hard enough, at least one will actually happen!

Tim Robinson In Severance

If you're talking conspiratorial mysteries where all of the deviousness goes straight to the top, there's no better match than Severance, which just so happens to feature a lot of office chairs. Nearly everyone in the Apple TV series can be considered quirky in one way or another, but imagine if Lumon brought in a Tim Robinson character as one of Mr. Milchick's superiors who's barely coping with the responsibilities and has a habit of talking about secrets too loudly. Or, on the flip-side, if the SNL vet were to play Ricken Hale's less-grounded brother, or the darkest blight of a sheep in the Eagan family.

Tim Robinson In IT: Welcome To Derry

IT: Welcome to Derry's first season features both a monster who feeds on fear and a soldier who can no longer physiologically feel fear. But what if Robinson was cast as one of the kids in a future season where — stay with me here — the character is just kind of too...stupid...to understand what fear is, and doesn't fully understand that Pennywise and IT's other forms are meant to be threatening or intimidating. Also, maybe he's a dentist who tries to get a better look at all of Pennywise's teeth.

Tim Robinson In Abbott Elementary

In some ways, it might defeat the purpose for Robinson to join another flat-out comedy, given the strength of The Chair Company's genre-smooshing. However, of all the weird-ass characters that the I Think You Should Leave creator has played on that show and others, he hasn't technically portrayed a new teacher who gets increasingly paranoid and maniacal about constantly being filmed at all hours of the day. Not even Jacob's good nature could weather that storm.

Tim Robinson In The Pitt

Hospital dramas are an ever-present corner of the TV realm, and I can think of few things that would cause more (unwarranted) drama within a hospital's walls than literally any Tim Robinson character. Whether he's a patient, a visiting surgeon, a stressed-out nurse, or just the dude who restocks the vending machines, he would be the straw grenade strapped to the camel's back that causes Dr. Robby to snap at the tail end of an exhaustive shift.

Tim Robinson In The Boys

To see a suited-up Robinson standing toe to toe with Homelander and proudly expressing: "Oh, I have a power, and it's a great power." Maybe that "ability" would be the inability to filter his opinions around other supes, and he can't stop himself from magnifying everyone else's awfulness, especially The Deep, but with a jovial tone.

Tim Robinson In The Simpsons

Get any thoughts of an animated, Simpson-ized Robinson outta here, because there are only three-dimensional, skin-and-organs Tim Robinson characters on the docket today. (And the docket is steaming wet for some reason.) To be as realistic as I'm legally able to mid-article, it would make the most sense for him to show up in the opening credit sequence, nearly bumping into everyone as they go about their normal actions. Watch out for that glowing, radioactive rod, Tim's character!

Tim Robinson In Dexter: Resurrection

It's too MAD Magazine to suggest Robinson play a character with a Dark Passenger that drives his guilty pleasures. But it would be damned hilarious if one of the unseen killers Dexter starts tracking down in Season 2 winds up being a Tim Robinson character whose behavior is patently impossible for Michael C. Hall's character to decipher. Then he kills Dexter and takes over the show. Steal this idea, Clyde Phillips!

Tim Robinson On Jeoaprdy!

I know that the contestant's stories are edited down to size for airing in the middle of Jeopardy!'s first round, but I can easily fever-dream up an episode where a loquacious Tim Robinson character waxes on with a myriad-threaded tale that takes up the rest of the runtime and continues on into Wheel of Fortune or the local news like an Adult Swim infomercial that Ken Jennings forgot he wasn't supposed to feed after midnight. We'll never know who won that one.

I have roughly 0% confidence that any of my above wishes will come true, even though I laid them out quite clearly to this Tim Robinson-shaped genie that popped out of this new lamp I got. And no, you can't have my new lamp!

Julie Kavner is the iconic voice that has been behind The Simpsons’ Marge Simpson for nearly 800 episodes (not counting the specials, game, ride, movie and more). But, in a live-action sense, the actress hasn’t appeared in a movie since 2006. So, what brought her back to the big screen at the age of 75?

Following her last role in Click, where she played the mother to Adam Sandler’s character, you can catch Julie Kavner in one of the remaining 2025 movie releases, Ella McCay, where she plays the titular character’s secretary and the movie’s narrator. It actually reunites her with James L. Brooks, who’s the co-creator of the forever iconic The Simpsons. When CinemaBlend spoke to the legendary TV creator, here’s what he told us about bringing the actress back to live-action:

Kavner’s new role serves as the charming framework for Ella McCay, which is about a 34-year-old woman who must juggle a myriad of challenges after suddenly being asked to take over as governor in the year 2008. It’s a welcome return for the filmmaker behind Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News and As Good As It Gets.

Julie Kavner is, of course, one of the most popular voice actors we can think of. Before her long hiatus from live-action movies (and goodness knows she’s still been busy doing The Simpsons), she showed up in person for notable movies like 1990’s Awakenings with Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro, for example, and she starred in the 1970s sitcom Rhoda (which James L. Brooks also co-created).

Ella McCay serves as a bit of a homecoming for James L. Brooks, who hasn’t made his own movie since 2010’s How Do You Know. During our interview, the writer/director/producer told us he was “going crazy, not writing” when he started formulating the characters for Ella McCay, and shortly after, the story followed.

As he described it, “the wagon came first” rather than the horse, but the result is a hilarious and relatable family comedy also starring Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Lowden, Woody Harrelson, Rebecca Hall, Kumail Nanjiani, Spike Fearn, Albert Brooks and The Bear standout Ayo Edebiri.

It’s kind of perfect that the actress behind Marge Simpson is back for a live-action movie, thanks to The Simpsons co-creator, and her role adds a lot of charm to the movie. You can see Julie Kavner in Ella McCay when it hits theaters this December 12.

Disney's ongoing partnership with Epic Games has been great for fans of Fortnite, who recently spent this month bouncing between The Simpsons collaboration and a special Disney Parks game mode. We're still waiting to see if the House of Mouse will further incorporate the family into its theme parks, but until then, we know how people would react if they saw a bunch of Homer Simpsons roaming the streets.

In promotion for the Fortnite event, a bunch of people in Homer Simpson suits invaded the streets with The Simpsons creator, Matt Groening. Check out a video of the shenanigans below, and see if you can also spot the banana that resembles Springfield scientist Professor Frink:

I have to wonder how much money went into this stunt, and how long the actors had to romp around in those Homer Simpson costumes. I'm also impressed with how much runway they were given to goof off in that bowling alley, since attempting to dive through the pins like that will usually get most people removed from an establishment. Not that I would know anything about attempting to do that kind of thing as a joke....

I just can't properly express into words how much I love this. It feels like the early '90s all over again with how much love The Simpsons is getting in light of this collaboration with Fortnite. I've even seen TikToks of Gen Z kids referencing "The Bartman" and requesting it be an emote! Now, if only we could use this momentum to get Butterfinger BB's back in production.

With a sequel to The Simpsons Movie on the way, and the show still topping streaming metrics on Disney+, it has me thinking the series is about to enter a new era of relevance. Hilariously enough, it seems like it's happening without the newest episodes of the series playing a factor at all, but hey, leave it to one of the the longest-running animated shows of all time to find a way to find a new audience and survive into the future.

Unfortunately, it seems that the Fortnite season featuring The Simpsons is going to come to a close at the end of November. Honestly, I'd love to see it continue for much longer, but I guess I should be grateful that I'm left wanting more as opposed to begging it to go away. I just hope it can stick around long enough to get my "Evil Homer" costume, which is a reference to his devil costume he wore in "Whacking Day."

While Fortnite will be taking The Simpsons away, the series is still available to stream with a Disney+ subscription right now. I think it's about time for me to get current on the series again, because I'm already jonesing for how much I'm going to miss the series when I won't be able to compete in a Battle Royale in the town of Springfield.

The Simpsons will arguably always be the best TV show possible when it comes to pop culture references and crossovers, from the shared Family Guy episode to Futurama crossing over into Springfield to Bart & Co. getting haunted by Krusty’s Pennywise in the IT Halloween special. And that’s not even counting examples like the Rick and Morty opening and other applicable couch gags. As such, it’s always nice when other shows return the love.

Such as it went over the weekend, where Adult Swim’s fan-fave comedy Smiling Friends delivered a fun in-episode homage to TV’s longest-running scripted series, which was presumably in direct response to The Simpsons’ own winking nod to Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack’s weird ass series. Let's look at the back and forth below.

How The Simpsons First Paid Tribute To Smiling Friends

The Simpsons' Season 36 finale "Estranger Things" — currently available to stream via Disney+ subscription — centers on Bart and Lisa's broken promise to each other to watch Itchy and Scratchy together on a regular basis. As soon as the rift sets in, both kids start engaging with other bonkers TV fare, leading to a scene where Marge finds Bart watching the show "Screaming Friends" on his tablet. Check it out:

Marge is very obviously a surrogate for every parent who has ever questioned their children's taste after seeing the kind of shit they watch on YouTube and other places. Since, to the untrained eye, a show like "Screaming Friends" can appear to just be pure chaos. But Bart puts a perfectly crafted bow on top by qualifying it as such:

Remember when everyone thought The Simpsons itself was chaos and damnation whenever it spun out of The Tracy Ullman Show? (Maybe not for those who aren't as ancient as I am.) Looking back, those episodes seem downright quaint and tranquil, without the fast-paced joke rhythms that were developed in later years. I can't imagine how the world would have viewed Smiling Friends in 1989...

How Smiling Friends Returned The Favor

With its third season having debuted earlier in the 2025 TV schedule, Smiling Friends will sadly be all wrapped up by the time December gets here. But the show somehow managed a super-quick turnaround in delivering this homage in return with Episode 306, "Squirm Returns."

For those unable to watch, the episode kicks off with Pim watching the untitled spoof on TV, with amusingly crude depictions of the family members. The Lisacharacter's head looks like a mutated starfish, and she's holding a "No Facism" sign, so that's at least on point. Quasi-Marge has a wider-at-the-top purple beehive instead of her straight-up blue 'do, and is barefoot. "Blart" is naked save for socks and glasses. And then there's Not-Quite-Homer, whose body parts don't seem to be connected all at the same time.

All in al, it's about what I'd expect The Simpsons to look like if it premiered on Adult Swim in 2025. Although I have to say, the spoof's lone "joke" is so rough that it almost feels like a dig on the Fox comedy's approach to topical humor.

• MARGE: Blart! What the devil are you doing on that confounded computer tablet device?
• BART: Hawk tuah, man!

The fact that "Blart" is watching something on a tablet is proof enough to me that the clip is a direct response to The Simpsons' finale gag. Considering that was only 6 months ago, one would assume that Smiling Friends' animation studio is both fast and dependable to put that together so relatively quickly. Perhaps the crudeness of the animation helped in that regard. (I'm still giggling over Marge's mouth moving constantly despite her lack of dialogue.)

The Simpsons airs Sunday nights on Fox at 8:00 p.m. ET, allowing for NFL-related delays, while Smiling Friends airs late Sunday nights on Adult Swim at 11:30 p.m. ET, and can also be streamed the next day via HBO Max subscription.

It’s the end of an era in Springfield. There’s been a huge creative shift behind the scenes for The Simpsons, now in its 37th season running on the TV schedule, and though it is definitely bittersweet news, it also raises a very exciting possibility for the upcoming Simpsons Movie 2.

After more than a decade as showrunner and one of the longest continuous stints in Simpsons history, Al Jean is stepping down from his post. For fans who’ve followed the series from its golden age of episodes to its current pop-culture legacy status, the former It's Gary Shandling's Show producer announced the news himself on X , writing:

The post included a teaser image for the November 2 episode titled "Bad Boys… For Life?," which Jean penned and longtime Simpsons staffer Eric Koenig directed. While the animation legend makes it clear he’s not leaving the show entirely, this is the first time in over 13 years someone else will be steering the ship solo. So what could this mean for The Simpsons movie sequel?

What This Could Mean For The Simpsons Sequel

Let’s get to the big hope here: The Simpsons Movie 2. This move comes on the heels of 20th Century Studios confirming that The Simpsons sequel is officially in development, with a release date set for July 23, 2027, exactly 20 years after the first film. The teaser, featuring Homer holding a sprinkle-covered donut in the shape of a number 2, is pure classic Simpsons and signed by creator Matt Groening.

Jean co-wrote the original Simpsons Movie, and if his departure frees up time, it’s not a stretch to think he’ll play a major role in crafting the sequel. He’s always been a champion of storytelling consistency in The Simpsons universe, and having him on board would give the movie the kind of creative continuity that longtime fans more than likely want.

How Fans Are Reacting To The Shake Up

Al Jean has been part of The Simpsons since the beginning, writing for the first two seasons before becoming co-showrunner in Season 3 alongside Mike Reiss. After returning in Season 13 as the sole showrunner, he’s held that role for more than two decades. His impact on the tone, pacing, and humor of the modern Simpsons cannot be overstated. So naturally, fans have feelings about the news. Here are some of the standout reactions to the series stalwart’s announcement on X:

• “Great stuff Al. Would love to have you on the show to discuss your Simpsons legacy. Enjoy the well-deserved rest” – @fourfingerpod
• “Thanks for all the years and memories. This show means so much to so many people . Visiting Springfield is my go to when I'm stressed, sad, or worried. It always allows for an escape. Thanks for interacting with us fans on here when you don't have to.” – @DarbyD53
• “Thanks for creating probably the single greatest comedy ever on television.. I remember at work in the late nineties, and we were talking about what is The greatest show on tv, and I said the simpsons. People looked at me weird, but twenty five years later i'm right.” – @StevenTaub1
• “Mom is as old as The Simpsons introduced to me at 12 years old. Watch the entire show from season one to season 34 or season 35 Ish thank you for all your good episodes. Mr jean.” – @AWynn20406

The veteran writer has been the creative guardian of The Simpsons for an entire generation, and his stepping down marks a real changing of the guard. Judging by the outpouring of gratitude from long-time fans, it’s clear how deeply his influence and humor have resonated over the years.

What’s Next for The Simpsons

The Simpsons is currently in its 37th season (and yes, it’s still airing Sunday nights on FOX), with no signs of slowing down. But as it gears up for what might be its most ambitious project since 2007, this behind-the-scenes shift could be precisely what the franchise needs–fresh blood for the small screen and a longtime veteran handling the big screen. Because honestly, after 20 years, The Simpsons Movie 2 is long overdue, and Al Jean is just the man to helm, or at least co-helm, the long-awaited flick.

As we see how this plays out for the beloved series, fans can revisit all their favorite character moments and storylines by streaming the entire series —maybe the best thing on the streamer —with a Disney+ subscription.

Unless you live in the middle of the woods, you likely have neighbors. and most of the time (at least from my experience), our neighbors unfortunately tend to be more like Homer Simspson than Ned Flanders (whom I know quite a bit about as a Simpsons superfan).

However, as somebody who has watched a lot of sitcoms in my day, I can tell you that not all TV neighbors are created equally. In fact, most neighbors, for comical reasons, are the kinds who I would NEVER want to live next to – And I’ve included them on this list.

That said, there are a few who I would love to sing, “Would you be mine? Could you be mine? Won’t you be my neighbor?” to. So, here’s a list of both kinds of neighbors.

Would Welcome: Ned Flanders (The Simpsons)

As already mentioned, Ned Flanders is the ideal neighbor (and undoubtedly one of the best Simpsons characters who has been in some of the best episodes). Sure, he’s a little preachy, but his heart is ALWAYS in the right place. Not only that, but he’s also always looking out for people – even when they’re at their worst (like Homer).

A two time widower, Ned is also a devoted father who is doing his best to raise his children right. He brings great value to Evergreen Terrace, never tries to get in anybody’s way, and I would trust him with babysitting my kids, which is always a plus.

If there’s any one issue that I have with Ned (and this is a me thing), it’s that he seems like the kind of neighbor who likes to host events that the whole neighborhood is invited to. And, I’m more of a, “Hello, how are you doing?” kind of neighbor who is just creating small talk and doesn’t really care about how you’re doing. But again, that’s more a me thing.

Would Make Me Miserable: Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld)

Oh, God. Seinfeld’s exasperating neighbor, Kramer (Michael Richards) would be an absolute nightmare to live next to. For one thing, since he can’t just barge into my house like he does with Jerry (I lock my doors, you see), he’d probably hide in my bushes and rush out when he’d see me coming.

He also seems to attract weirdos, like Newman, and before you know it, I’d have him knocking on my door (“Hello, Newman.” “Hello, Richard.”). Kramer is also perpetually needy, as he’s always asking for something and then promising to give it back (sometimes to worse results).

However, the worst thing about Kramer is that he doesn’t seem to realize just how annoying he can be. Sure, Kramer plays a prominent role in a lot of the best Seinfeld episodes, and he’s certainly had some of the funniest moments, but that’s on TV. Let Kramer stay Jerry’s problem!

Would Welcome: Wilson (Home Improvement)

Honestly, when it comes to neighbors on this list, Wilson (Earl Hindman) from Home Improvement might be the very best for me personally. For one thing, as an introvert who occasionally likes talking to people, Wilson would seemingly be there whenever I’m in the mood to talk, which is selfish, I know, but important for me.

He’s also always doing something interesting outside, and almost always has something insightful to say. Not only that, but he’s a real bon vivant, sharing stories about where he’s been around the world, and all manner of fascinating things.

Wilson is by far one of the most ideal neighbors in sitcom history, and I’d love to go over to my fence to talk to him. I mean, I love my real neighbors (They have a cool dog named Knight…no relation), but Wilson just seems perfect. Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor is so lucky to have him!

Would Make Me Miserable: Bruh-Man (Martin)

Oh, bother. Now, here's the thing. Similar to Kramer, I probably wouldn’t even have a problem with Bruh-Man (Reginald Ballard) since I live in a house, and not in an apartment. But, let’s just say that Bruh-Man from Martin (Which is one of the best Black sitcoms from the ‘90s) did live in a house next door. What would I have to deal with then?

Well, I’d probably have to deal with constantly seeing him on my Ring Camera, since Bruh-Man (from the fifth ‘flo) is always somehow around Martin. Not only that, but he’d probably go through my drawers or raid my fridge if I ever invited him inside. Maybe both.

And, the thing is, he wouldn’t even see anything wrong with this. He’d just say, “Oh, was I not supposed to rifle through your business?” and he’d mean it! Because he’s not being malicious or anything like that. He just doesn’t understand the meaning of personal space, which would drive me insane! Chill, Bruh-Man, chill!

Would Welcome: Fred And Ethel Mertz (I Love Lucy)

Now, as somebody who doesn’t like being in uncomfortable situations, a part of me feels like I might regret wanting Fred and Ethel Mertz (William Frawley and Vivian Vance, respectively) to be my neighbors. And, that’s because they would often bicker quite a bit and not even worry that Lucy and Ricky were literally just sitting right there.

But then, I think about all of the silly antics that Fred and Ethel would get into, and I kind of change my tune. Because Fred and Ethel seem like they’d be really fun neighbors. They’re the kind who can teach you how to dance, or join you for chocolate dipping just because they want to be there for you.

They’re also entirely unpretentious and seem like they would genuinely just enjoy being around you. The only issue is that they’re kind of a package deal. But, that’s fine when they’re both so much fun to be around.

Would Make Me Miserable: Quagmire (Family Guy)

One kind of person I would not want to live next to is a sex offender, but that’s pretty much Quagmire. And look, I’m not trying to kink shame, but I’m a little too old to be living next to a sexaholic.

Plus, while I respect that he doesn’t hit on Peter’s wife, it's not cool that Quagmire immediately hit on Meg once she turned 18. I mean, who does that? Quagmire. That's who.

That said, a part of me feels like Quagmire would probably leave me alone since I wouldn’t be the kind of neighbor who finds his impulses funny, unlike Peter. Even so, I prefer not feeling like there’s somebody always peeking through their blinds at women walking down the street, thank you very much.

Would Welcome: Penny (The Big Bang Theory)

Do you know why I love Penny (Kaley Cuoco)? It’s because she’s so down to earth. She lives next to geniuses, but they all come to her because she’s kind-hearted and a great listener. She also pretty much befriends anyone she meets.

I also love her personality and the fact that she’s such a go-getter. When life deals her a blow, she pushes through it, which is a unique trait.

I mostly want her as a neighbor though because she’d be the type to just wave and go inside her house, which is truly my perfect neighbor.

Would Make Me Miserable: Steve Urkel (Family Matters)

Lastly is Steve Urkel (Jaleel White), who I would absolutely dread. It’s not that Steve is a bad kid, as he’s sweet and plays the accordion. Who could hate that?

But, he’s also really annoying. And clumsy! Two things that don’t go well together. I’d also have to worry about him always coming around, which I can’t take. I need quiet, please! Also, nobody needs a potential cheese thief.

Despite all that, Steve is a nice kid, and it’s really not him. It’s me!

But, how about you? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched The Simpsons’ latest “Treehouse of Horror” on Fox or via Hulu subscription, so be warned!

Give me all the spooky decorations, slasher movie marathons and fun-sized candy sales, but it doesn’t truly feel like Halloween until The Simpsons delivers its annual “Treehouse of Horror” episode. (Let’s no one speak the dark ages of November airdates.) Hitting the 2025 TV schedule is the 36th anthologized installment, which means there have been — let’s see, with three segments per, you carry the one, and….[hammering and sawing noises, dogs barking] — more than 100 movie spoofs, TV parodies, morality tales and the like have been crafted.

The three segments in “Treehouse of Horror XXXVI” (along with Matt Groening’s meme-friendly T-shirt in the opening) are all fun and highly watchable. it’s one of those episodes where segments play out in a proper viewing order on the spectrum from “the silliest shit” down to “a panic-inducing dose of reality.” In this case, the opener delivers a stomach-churning, Jaws-esque take on America’s fried food obsession,which perhaps is meant to be the small-picture reflection of the third segment’s doomsaying. In any case, let’s share this bigass bucket of triple-fried mozzarella logs while praising the other segments.

"Live" Krusty Specials Should Be A Yearly Ritual, With And Without The Horror

“Clown Night with the Devil“ brilliantly mashes up the sleazy charm of Krusty the Clown's TV past with the genre-stylized flair of Colin and Cameron Cairnes' buzzy 2023 hit Late Night with the Devil, with sprinkles of Jordan Peele’s Nope and decades of children's entertainment staples thrown in for flavor. It's essentially a Halloween special that goes haywire when the Dark Lord himself rises up and wreaks havoc on live TV, with Idris Elba providing ze Devil's voice. Michael Keaton and Ike Barinholz also guest in this segment, and everyone sounds like they were having some fun.

The color/B&W aesthetic changes and other specific tropes make me very hopeful that the creative team had so much fun putting this segment together that they'll pitch another "live" Krusty special for a future season, and that the entire episode will take that approach, as opposed to just slotting it into another themed anthology. I would absolutely also be down to watch a follow-up full-length Halloween special to be coupled with a "Treehouse" episode.

The show broke that mold already with the joke-filled IT parody in 2022, and repeated it in 2024, so it's not outside the realm of reality the way that a clown's 50-year TV career would be. But while I'd love to see more of Krusty's celeb-filled shindigs, an installment like "Plastic World" is a nightmare I wish wasn't such so already prevalent.

"Plastic World" Isn't Really Horror, But It's Terrifying All The Same

When The Simpsons really digs in with a passionate argument about something, it can be as effective as anything of a higher brow, and "Plastic World" takes aim at the rapidly expanding amount of disposable (but not biodegradable) plastic comprising possibly irreversible changes in the planet's waters and land. How? By setting the story at a point when the Earth's crust has been covered by additional layers of Halloween jack'o'lantern buckets, Buzz cola bottles, fast food kids' meal toys, and the refuse from myriad other one-use products. (So many ball pit balls.)

Sure, it's the most heavy-handed way to present such an idea, but it's the kind of exaggerated storytelling where you know there's a ticking clock on how long until it goes from hyperbole to reality. Lisa's group meets within space enclused by a circle made out of many hundreds of car batteries, and it's harder for me to believe that they would all stack up so well than it is to think that there are hundreds of thousands of discarded batteries that could make sure a fortified barrier. Milhouse joking about digging through a layer of "little yellow ducks" is frighteningly on point, because why are there so many of them?

The segment is also Mad Max-adjacent, which brings about some of the gorier moments as Bart's crew attempts to take all the resources for themselves. Also not really horror, but also likely not far from whatever reality would come out of this situation, which is the TRUE horror, amirite?

Of course, this 8-minute segment couldn't truly dig into the harrowing struggle that would come with living in this world, and instead goes for a wackier resolution where Homer and Marge turn into mutated plasticized versions of themselves, along with many other characters, and it all ends in the utopia/dystopia of a world populated by plastic Maggie clones. Definitely a fun visual element that hearkens back to "Homer3" and other episodes highlighting animation advancements.

I really, really hope this isn't a future example of The Simpsons predicting things, and it's that potential outcome that will poke at the back of my mind with a foam finger. But that's only for this segment. I'm perfectly fine with any predictions about PBS celebrities rising from their graves.

The summer movie season is here, and as usual Walt Disney Studios has some heavy-hitters to bring audiences to the movies during the warm months – and to infinity and beyond! The company just came off a huge box office slay with the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 has been breaking box office records. So, what’s next for the House of Mouse? You can take a look below and find out!

Before you continue, we should note that The Walt Disney Company also has a bunch more than you’ll see here: there’s upcoming Marvel movies like Avengers: Doomsday on the way this holiday season and more Star Wars movies after The Mandalorian & Grogu such as Starfighter coming next summer. Here’s a look at everything Disney has announced for the rest of this year and all the years to come.

Moana (Live-Action)

Release Date: July 10, 2026

Knowing how successful live-action remakes of Disney movies are, we probably could have guessed that a live-action Moana would happen someday, but few might have expected it to happen so fast. Just about a decade after the animated hit was released, the live-action version is set to debut from Walt Disney Studios. Dwayne Johnson will reprise his role in the flesh as Maui. Catherine Lagaʻaia will debut as the new Moana.

Super Troopers 3

Release Date: August 7, 2026

The Broken Lizard team is back with what is sure to be another incredible comedy with Super Troopers 3. Exactly what this movie will be about is unclear, but I can't imagine that anybody excited for it is going to care.

The Dog Stars

Release Date: August 28, 2026

When Ridley Scott makes a new movie, everybody should take notice. The Dog Stars is one of the upcoming book-to-screen adaptations on the way, as it is based on a bestseller from Peter Heller. The Dog Stars is a post-apocalyptic story that follows characters played by Josh Brolin and Jacob Elordi in the aftermath of a pandemic that has wiped out most life on the planet. The movie comes from Disney’s 20th Century Studios.

Whalefall

Release date: October 16, 2026

Another 20th Century Studios film, Whalefall is based on a novel by Daniel Kraus. It’s about a man scuba diving in search of his fathers remains, who is accidentally swallowed by a whale, and must find a way to escape. It stars Austin Abrams, Josh Brolin, and Elisabeth Shue and is written and helmed by Brian Duffield.

Wild Horse Nine

Release Date: November 6, 2026

Searchlight Pictures has a black comedy starring the likes of John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Tom Waits and Parker Posey coming out just in time for awards season. It’s about two longtime CIA officers living in 1973 who get stationed in Easter Island. The movie is written and directed by In Bruges and The Banshees of Inisherin filmmaker Martin McDonagh

Hexed

Release Date: November 25, 2026

Announced during Disney’s Destination D23 event in August 2025, Hexed is an original story from Walt Disney Animation Studios that follows a teenager named Billie and his “Type-A” mother who discover she has magical abilities. This discovery leads them to a world where magic can run free. Hailee Steinfeld plays Billie and Rashida Jones voices her mom, Alice.

Ice Age: Boiling Point

Release Date: February 5, 2027

After Blue Sky Studios shut down in 2021, there was a time when more Ice Age movies seemed out of the realm of possibility. However, when it was acquired by The Walt Disney Company as part of its acquisition of 20th Century Fox that soon changed. The new movie brings back all our favorite characters from the series: Ray Romano’s Manny, John Leguizamo’s Sid, Denis Leary’s Diego, Queen Latifah’s Ellie and Simon Pegg’s “Buck” Wild.

Gatto

Release Date: March 5, 2027

The upcoming original Pixar title is set in Venice and focuses on a cat named Nero who needs to pay back a debt to a feline mob boss. This leads Nero into an unlikely partnership with a street musician. It comes from the filmmaker of Luca, Enrico Casarosa, and stars Mark Ruffalo as the leading kitty.

Bluey

Release Date: August 6, 2027

Bluey, the Australian animated kids show, has proven to be a hit for all ages and is regularly among the most-watched shows on Disney+. Disney will also distribute a feature-length Bluey movie in 2027 directed by the show’s creator Joe Brumm and giving the show’s beloved characters a big-screen debut.

The Simpsons Movie 2

Release Date: September 3, 2027

20 years after their last big screen endeavor The Simpsons will once again hit the big screen thanks to Disney’s 20th Century Studios. We don’t have many details about the plot of this one yet.

Frozen III

Release Date: November 24, 2027

Frozen is too big of a phenomenon to not receive another sequel, and it’s on the way for next fall. We know the third movie will feature Anna and Kristoff having a royal wedding and a mysterious adventure will once again have Elsa using her magical abilities to save her family and kingdom. The Frozen 3 release date for November 2027. Jennifer Lee previously confirmed that the story is so big it will require two movies, though when we’ll see the second one has yet to be officially announced.

Untitled Disney Movie

Release Date: February 18, 2028

Disney is holding this date on the release calendar for an as yet unnamed movie.

Lilo & Stitch 2

Release Date: May 26, 2028

The sequel to the live action Lilo & Stitch was announced quickly after the first film's success, and the release date has already been set, indicating this movie is on the fast track. We expect to see Maia Kealoha’s Lilo, Sydney Agudong’s Nani and the voice of Stitch, Chris Sanders back, but details about the sequel are currently under wraps.

Incredibles 3

Release Date: June 16, 2028

Officially announced as being in development at D23 2024, Incredibles 3 has a summer release date which places its release at exactly a decade since the last one came out. Life moves as fast as Dash does!

Untitled Disney Movie

Release Date: November 10, 2028

Disney is holding this date on the release calendar for an as yet unnamed movie.

Untitled Disney Movie

Release Date: February 16, 2029

Disney is holding this date on the release calendar for an as yet unnamed movie.

Untitled Disney Movie

Release Date: March 9, 2029

Disney is holding this date on the release calendar for an as yet unnamed movie.

Untitled Disney Movie

Release Date: May 25, 2029

Disney is holding this date on the release calendar for an as yet unnamed movie.

Untitled Disney Animation

Release Date: June 15, 2029

Disney is holding this date on the release calendar for an as yet unnamed animated movie.

Untitled Disney Movie

Release Date: August 3, 2029

Disney is holding this date on the release calendar for an as yet unnamed movie.

Untitled Disney Movie

Release Date: October 5, 2029

Disney is holding this date on the release calendar for an as yet unnamed movie.

Untitled Disney Movie

Release Date: November 9, 2029

Disney is holding this date on the release calendar for an as yet unnamed movie.

Untitled Pixar Movie

Release Date: November 21, 2029

As of now, the movie set for this date is officially untitled, but since we know Coco 2 is in development, and the original film was also a November release, it's a safe bet that the movie is at least planned to go here.

Avatar 4

Release Date: December 21, 2029

James Cameron has said that parts of Avatar 4 were filmed alongside Avatar: The Way of Water and Avatar: Fire and Ash, but another massive production will need to get underway to finish out the five-movie cycle. Cameron had hinted the last two films may not actually happen, but thus far, we still expect them.

Avatar 5

Release Date: December 19, 2031

The final Avatar movie will finally arrive in 2031, assuming there are not more delays, or plans change for James Cameron.

Recent Releases

Are you looking for a recently released Walt Disney Company movie that already came out that you may have missed? Check out how you can watch the latest movies that came out within the past year below:

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Toy Story 5

Now Streaming On Disney+

Avatar: Fire And Ash
Hoppers
Zootopia 2
Tron: Ares

Now Streaming On Hulu

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come
Psycho Killer
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Available To Buy Only

The Devil Wears Prada 2 (On Digital Now, Coming To Disney+/Hulu on July 29)

2025 was already a banner year for Fox's longest-running animated series, with several shows earning four-season extensions, and the news that American Dad is returning to its former network. Then came the mostly shocking announcement that The Simpsons Movie is getting a sequel after years of fans' hopes and rumors. Now, Family Guy fans can celebrate this year's Halloween with the new A Little Fright Music special. These are good days indeed. (R.I.P. The Great North.)

After watching Stewie and Brian try to crack the pop culture conundrum of proper Halloween songs — no spoilers here — I talked to Family Guy's co-showrunner Alec Sulkin about giving the Griffin family another holiday special. But I first had to ask for his take on the recent Simpsons Movie news, and he sounded just as enthused about it as I am, saying:

Seeing any kind of a flat-out comedy getting a wide release on the big screen is especially rare these days, at least in comparison to the time when The Simpsons Movie first came out. We're at a point when Taylor Swift, who'd only released her self-titled album when Homer & Co. dealt with Springfield's dome in 2007, managed to top the entire weekend box office with the BTS look at her newest album, and it wasn't even the first time this year she did that. Enough about her for now, even though I'm sure the writers will try to get her in for a guest spot.

Sulkin continued, adding praise for just how funny he thought the first movie was:

Judging by all the responses to the news, more people are excited than otherwise, though there was definitely a wave of reactions that skewed more negative. No need to give that any attention here, though.

Instead, I'll draw focus to the number of reactions that questioned why the world was getting another Simpsons movie while we're still waiting on a single Family Guy feature to exist. (At least a full-length one that didn't just riff on the Star Wars movies.)

What's Happening With The Family Guy Movie?

When I asked the co-showrunner if he was privy to all the fans clamoring for Quahog to get a movie, he answered with:

It is wild to me to even start to consider that Seth MacFarlane is holding off on a first movie in order to avoid speculation and pressure regarding a second movie. But I guess that is indeed how creatives at MacFarlane's level have to think about them. Plus, he's literally seen that scenario play out in real time during the 18-year stretch it's been since The Simpsons Movie came out. Maybe if there's a point when he has fewer plates spinning at high speeds, he'll be more willing to commit to a theatrical movie.

If it does end up happening in the near future, on a timeline where the two could feasibly come out around the same time, I joked that the series creator could work with theaters to set the Family Guy movie to play an hour after The Simpsons sequel, and Sulkin responded with:

How wild would it be if Family Guy crossed over with The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers and American Dad in a big-screen epic adventure? And let's not forget about Ted's foul-mouthed bear, and the crew from The Orville. If you're gonna do it once, you might as well do it right.

Let us know in the poll below which animated film you'd rather see, and be sure to stream Family Guy: A LIttle Fright Music as soon as humanly (or ghostly) possible with a Hulu subscription.

Theme parks are always changing. Every park needs to have something new every now and then to entice new guests and get the old guests returning. Often, a change in an attraction comes when an old ride is based on an old IP that doesn’t excite guests, seeing it replaced by a newer franchise, but one possible major theme park change could all come down to a corporate merger.

The Simpsons Land currently exists at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort, despite the fact that The Simpsons are now owned by Universal’s chief theme park rival Disney. Fans have wondered if we might see a major change in the coming years, with Universal’s land closing, and a new Simpsons land opening at one or more Disney Parks. However, the current showrunner of The Simpsons hopes that doesn't happen

Simpsons Showrunner Doesn’t Want To See Theme Park Land Leave Universal

In a recent interview with EW, The Simpsons showrunner Matt Selman, who has been with the show since the late ‘90s, and was part of the team that developed The Simpsons Ride, says that, while he has no information on the future, he would be “shocked” if The Simpsons left Universal Parks. he said…

Selmen’s main argument, which is completely accurate, is that The Simpsons is still incredibly popular in the parks. The Simpsons Ride is still a favorite attraction that has long lines. The park sells a metric ton of giant donuts every day. He also points out that, especially at Universal Studios Hollywood, the land is a key location adjacent to both the iconic Studio Tour and the Starway escalator to the lower lot, and so closing it down would be a logistical nightmare. He explained…

Selman isn’t wrong. Seeing The Simpsons disappear from Universal would be a big deal, and it may be the last thing Universal wants. Universal Destinations & Experiences may want to keep The Simpsons land for decades longer. The problem is that they may not have a choice.

Universal's Deal For The Simpsons Is Likely Coming Due

Disney and Universal find themselves in a unique position regarding two distinct properties: The Simpsons and Marvel. Both brands signed theme park licensing deals with Universal in the years before they were bought by Disney, leading to a situation where the owner of the characters largely can’t use them in their own theme parks.

In the case of Universal’s deal with Marvel, the details of that contract are well known, as the deal has no official end date. As long as Universal continues to use the Marvel characters and keep the land and its attractions in good working order, Universal can continue to use Marvel characters at Universal Orlando Resort.

While the specifics of the Universal deal for The Simpsons are less well known, the current understanding is that in 2008, Universal and Fox entered into an agreement set to last for 20 years, which would mean it would end in 2028. It’s unclear what, if any, opportunities there are for extending the deal.

Universal May Not Have Much Choice If Disney Wants The Simpsons

It’s possible that at some point, the deal between Universal and The Simpsons will simply end. And even if Universal is interested in negotiating a new deal, that may simply not be a possibility. If Disney decides it wants its IP back, and it can take it, that may just be the way it goes.

At the end of 2024, Disney Parks put out a survey to guests asking, among other things, how interested they would be in The Simpsons coming to Disney Parks. These surveys are usually a good gauge of just where the thinking process at Disney is, so the company is clearly at least entertaining such an idea.

Of course, we don’t know what the interest in a Simpsons land or attraction at Disney Parks actually is. If there doesn’t appear to be that much interest, Disney might be more than willing to come to a new agreement with Universal over The Simpsons rights. It would mean money for Disney that would require little work on its part, and that might be more attractive than spending the money building new stuff in its own parks.

Walt Disney World has a lot of major new projects currently under construction, and Disneyland is at the beginning of a massive expansion of its own. Perhaps there’s a place for The Simpsons in all that. Perhaps Disney will decide it wants to focus its energy elsewhere and let The Simpsons stay at Universal. We'll have to simply wait and see.

In entertainment news that I'm not sure anyone was expecting in 2025, The Simpsons is headed back to theaters. After years of talk about a sequel, and Matt Groening explaining that the last attempt nearly killed the team, the upcoming movie has a poster and a release date. As a long-time fan of the franchise who recently enjoyed the show's return to the 2025 TV schedule, I'll admit I have mixed feelings about this movie.

CinemaBlend gave The Simpsons Movie a favorable review back in the day, and the team here isn't alone. In fact, many critics and audiences were high on the movie in a way I wasn't, despite being a superfan of the franchise from age 7 on. Now, almost two decades later, I feel the same way, and I can't help but feel the need to speak out about my concern this time.

The Simpsons Is Living On Legacy Alone At This Point

While fans of The Simpsons will have differing opinions, the general consensus from the mainstream over the years was that the show peaked in Seasons 3 through 9. I'd say the show continued to hold my interest well beyond that, but I can't deny that when The Simpsons Movie came out around Season 19, my interest had started to wane. I still found time to watch in 2007, but it wasn't quite appointment television like it was when I was younger.

A couple of decades later, I can't sit here and say The Simpsons is more relevant than it was then. Sure, the show is still going on Fox, and there are some shorts available to watch with a Disney+ subscription. It's a legacy, and I'll always have love for it, but at the same time, I've spent the bulk of my year covering Rick and Morty's latest season, celebrating King of the Hill's return, and preparing for Smiling Friends Season 3. All due respect to animation's royal family, but the new season is little more than white noise.

The Simpsons Movie Was Far From The Greatest Thing The Show Ever Did

As I mentioned, there's no shortage of praise for The Simpsons Movie, but as a longtime fan, the movie fell flat for me. I think what was jarring was how different it felt from a standard episode. I was hoping for the. same type of goofy humor, funny gags, and celebrity cameos I saw in the usual episodes.

I feel like the film really tried to do a lot of things differently than the show normally would. The humor was racier in bits, there was some real drama that felt reminiscent of Season 2, and I legitimately felt sad while watching at points. It wasn't necessarily bad, it just wasn't what The Simpsons was to me. It still isn't, even after rewatching over the years, and even when I compare it to a more modern episode of the series, it just doesn't feel the same. Some people may appreciate it, but I fear I'm the Comic Book Guy saying "Worst episode ever," in the back of the theater.

Why Now? It's Been Almost 20 Years

I'm not sure when the right time for The Simpsons to release a sequel to the original movie would be, but I can certainly say that a nearly two-decade gap between movies is quite a choice. Granted, I would wager that the movie won't be tied to the plot of the original, but even so. It's not like people have been talking nonstop about this happening, and creatives are finally just now getting around to it.

Not only that, the release isn't tied to any significant date in the legendary show's history. I guess I figured if there would ever be another movie, there would be a reason tied to it happening; like the long-running series finally coming to a close, or something of that nature. I guess if they were planning a legitimate holiday movie, I'd be on board with that, though they've already done it plenty of times on television. In fairness, I'm not sure of a plot the show hasn't done, which makes me all the more curious why a movie is happening.

There Are So Many Other Acclaimed Animated Shows That Don't Have A Movie

It isn't The Simpsons' problem, of course, but there is a part of me that wonders how it gets a second movie when so many other acclaimed animated shows do not. Rick and Morty, Smiling Friends, American Dad, Family Guy, and other successful animated shows have not had a movie greenlit, and I would imagine if this franchise can get a second movie where it's at currently, why not any of those shows?

I also look at a show like South Park, which might be the peak animation show in terms of relevance in 2025, and could make a case that butts would be in seats to see a movie if one were announced. I'm not 100% sure that's the case with The Simpsons, deserving as it may be.

Then again, I know that when CinemaBlend talked to Al Jean he revealed that The Simpsons and Bluey are among the top shows on Disney+ streamed consistently. The latter is also getting its own movie, and is the hottest kids show on the block, so maybe there's something to this sequel idea that I don't quite understand yet.

One thing I will say is that Disney+ has made it really easy to show this series to my young daughter, and she's obsessed. Assuming that there are other parents like me out there showing their children the show, and they're also getting hooked, I could see The Simpsons Movie 2 doing very well, and maybe being the catalyst to a major resurgence for the long-running series. I'd love it if that were the case, but we'll just have to wait and see what's planned.

More details about The Simpsons Movie 2 will come in time, and the series remains available to stream on Disney+. I'm about to do my binge of the "Treehouse of Horror" episodes, and now that I'm thinking about it, how cool would it be if the sequel were Halloween-themed?

Fox’s block of animated comedy favorites finally landed on the 2025 TV schedule with new season premieres, including The Simpsons’ wildly impressive Season 37 opener. The episode, "Thrifty Ways to Thieve Your Mother,” featured a plotline full of ‘90s nostalgia, and it’s far from the first time the Emmy-winning series has dipped back to that timeframe for storytelling purposes. Because despite its seemingly eerie ability to predict the future, The Simpsons does not aim for timely relevance very often.

That stance is counterbalanced by a show like South Park, which has returned to former peaks of relevance by focusing so heavily on Donald Trump and other current events, even at the risk of facing unforeseen delays due to its time-sensitive structure. When Simpsons showrunner Matt Selman was asked by EW about how the show as a whole is handling the current state of the country and the politicization of comedy, he explained why he’s actually happy animation’s long gestation time makes it harder for the writers to be timely, saying:

Selman is speaking of course of South Park's recent extended hiatus between episodes, which the co-creators admitted was completely on them for not being able to get it done in time. As well, the showrunner complimented Jimmy Kimmel, whose highly polarizing suspension at ABC turned Jimmy Kimmel Live! into not just a scorching-hot topic in Hollywood, but also a ratings beast when the show returned a week later.

As far as The Simpsons is concerned, Selman & Co. would likely need access to an undeniably powerful crystal ball and a sane-minded prognosticator in order to pull off the kind of in-the-moment relevancy of either the Comedy Central series or the late night talk show. But let's not forget that Springfield isn't exactly the most up-to-date city around, even when only compared to other fictional places.

The showrunner explains why real-world drama isn't meant to be the norm for Homer and others. in the first place, saying:

Back when The Simpsons first started, it could tackle legitimate content-related issues like violence on TV in ways that felt more timely, if only because the internet wasn't yet around to keep everyone constantly updated about any given topic at any given moment. Now, it's probably easier just to write at their own pace, even if it means parodying eight-year-old movies with frequency.

Matt Selman says he thinks The Simpsons can be watched with equal enjoyment by anyone, because most of us can relate to the follies and foibles of local populations. As he put it:

So don't expect for The Simpsons to make a joke in next week's episode about Bad Bunny performing at the 2026 Super Bowl, although if it does, that one is definitely going in the "magical prediction" pile.

The Simpsons airs Sunday nights on Fox at 8:00 p.m. ET, and streams the next day with a Hulu subscription.

TV characters may often lead more exciting lives than the average person, but they're just as susceptible as anyone to relaxing on the couch while watching their own televisions. Most of the time, those shows-within-shows are completely fictional, as not to cause any copyright friction, which can lead to some hilariously weird and inspired creations.

So, in the vein of fake bands we love listening to, fictional brandings we love promoting, and commercials for faux products, let's now celebrate fake TV shows that might just be as watchable as the real ones.

Married...With Children - "Psycho Dad"

Perhaps Al Bundy's favorite TV show, the "simple saga of a guy run amok in the Old West" was somehow a PBS series (and then a Fox one), despite being one of the most violent shows on TV, which the theme song alludes to. Didn't stop the spinoff Psycho Mom from happening, though.

Gravity Falls - "Duck-tective"

If it walks like a duck and solves mysteries like a detective, it can only be Gravity Falls' fine-feathered sleuth Duck-tective, who heads up the titular mystery series that relies heavily on bad puns and cheap effects, like so many shows of the '80s and '90s.

Community - "Inspector Spacetime"

Despite Community's Abed having once worn a Doctor Who T-shirt, his preferred sci-fi time-travel saga is Inspector Spacetime, a very on-the-nose homage to the long-running UK fave. (The American version introduced years later was portrayed by Luke Perry.) I'd wager I.S. has more canonical backstory than almost any other show-within-a-show, with lots of background for fans, real and otherwise, to dig into.

South Park - "The Terrance And Phillip Show"

Two of the biggest celebrities within South Park that aren't parodies of real-world celebs are Sir Phillip Niles Argyle and Sir Terrance Henry Stoot, best known to the Canadian comedy lovers as Terrance and Phillip, who have their own TV show that's a real gas...gas...gasssss.

Extras - "When The Whistle Blows"

One of the funniest things about Ricky Gervais satirizing BBC sitcoms in HBO's Extras is how little it feels like a parody, and how believable it would be as a real-world series with its lowest-common-denominator jokes, forever cementing "Are you 'avin' a laugh?" into the annals of love-to-hate TV catchphrases.

Saturday Night Live - "TV Funhouse"

Saturday Night Live has featured loads of fake movie trailers, songs, TV shows, etc., but perhaps the only applicable recurring sketch to get spun off with its own shows-within-a-show concept was "TV Funhouse," as created by Robert Smigel. Later a standalone series on Comedy Central, the OG run gave the world the Ambiguously Gay Duo, "Bambi 2002," and other SNL classics from the '90s and 2000s.

The Big Bang Theory - "Professor Proton"

I'd have to imagine Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper would have loved Mr. Wizard's World or Beakman's World if he were real, as his favorite small-screen personality was the science educator Professor Proton (real name: Arthur Jeffries). For viewers, Proton's excellence was naturally due to comedy legend Bob Newhart being cast. And you can't forget his puppet pal Gino the Neutrino, even if it's best not to bring up the puppeteer.

Parks And Recreation - "The Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show"

Chris Pratt's Andy Dwyer brought Johnny Karate to life initially as a guitar-playing act for children's birthday parties, but that just wasn't musical or explosive enough, so of course he got his own inspirational TV show. Johnny may have been a doofus, but alter-alter ego Jonathan Karate is the one who has it all together.

Rocko's Modern LIfe - "Meet The Fatheads"

Within Rocko's Modern Life, the Bigheads' lives were fictionalized as The Fatheads, a family sitcom centered on pretty awful and stereotypical characters. Amusingly enough, the revival special Static Cling also featured the in-universe revival of The Fatheads, which not everyone was a fan of.

Home Improvement - "Tool Time"

One of TV's ultimate "How-Not-To" characters, Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor somehow kept his job hosting the Detroit-set series "Tool Time," despite being shockingly consistent at destroying property and electrical equipment with ease. It's just as shocking that co-host Al Borland didn't quit or suffer grave injuries during that run.

Only Murders In The Building - "Brazzos"

No one remembers the detective series "Brazzos" as well as Only Murders in the Building's Charles-Haden Savage, the actor who donned the iconic hat for its surprisingly long run. (Okay, perhaps his loyal stunt double Sazz remembered it just as fondly.) But who else could have spun these banal words into an oft-ish-repeated catchphrase: "This sends the investigation into a whole new direction." So many new directions for this guy.

Rugrats - "Oodles The Talking Poodle"

As an avid Rugrats fan during the NickToons era, it's been 30+ years since I've been able to hear the world "poodle" without hearing a light "ding" behind it, as it goes in the talking dog's theme song. "OOdles. OOdles the TALking POOdle. Ding." How is this not a movie by now?

Stargate SG-1 - "Wormhole X-Treme"

While Stargate SG-1 didn't always show off its funny bone so directly, the self-spoofing 100th episode "Wormhole X-Treme," which focuses on the action-geared sci-fi series that provided the ep's title. I wish every show I love had a parody as faithful and fan-friendly as this one.

The Simpsons - "The Krusty The Clown Show"

If not for Krusty the Clown's quality-questionable variety show, Bart, Lisa and Simpsons fans around the world might never have been introduced to the hyperviolent "Itchy and Scratchy Show," which superceded its own source clown's popularity, with former sidekick Sideshow Bob amassing more notoriety.

Murderbot - "The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon"

It's easy to see why Alexander Skarsgård's sentient SecUnit just wants to spend all day, all 397 (at least) episodes of the sudsy space opera "The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon." With legit talents like John Cho, Clark Gregg and DeWanda Wise heading up the How to Get Away with Murder-esque series, this is easily worthy of a standalone spinoff to keep viewers rapt.

Young Justice - "Hello, Megan!"

Who knew superheroes would get into such normalcy as the sitcom "Hello, Megan!" A by-the-books sitcom from 1979-1980, the show follows a pretty cheerleader, her BFF, hunky boyfriend, and parents, and not even for large-scale adventures, but just everyday plots like taking care of the school frog. Okay, fine, I completely understand why everyone is obsessed.

Channel Zero - "Candle Cove"

The worst kind of TV show, I think we can all agree, is one that inevitably brings you harm just by watching it. So it goes for the first season of the excellent horror anthology Channel Zero, where "Candle Cove" is a pirate-based puppet show that may only exist in the minds of its viewers. Watch out for The Skin-Taker, that's all I'm saying.

Steven Universe - Crying Breakfast Friends

If you don't know the value of watching "Crying Breakfast Friends," then I don't suggest mentioning it to Steven Universe's titular crystal being. He adores watching the various food items, leaking both tears of joy and tears of sorrow. Glum Glass and Weeping Egg Cup are all of us, really.

Supernatural - "Ghostfacers"

Supernatural, a show that legitimately crossed over with the animated Scooby-Doo gang, brought an equally silly spin to the never-ending number of paranormal investigator series that took over cable in the 21st century. Founded by the Ghostbusters-homaging Harry Spangler and Ed Zeddmore, the Ghostfacers appeared quite a few times over the years, and even sparked a web series of shorts.

BoJack Horseman - "Horsin' Around"

For as dramatically serious and maudlin as BoJack Horseman could get, none of that was to be found in the cornball hijinks of the in-series sitcom "Horsin' Around," centering on three kids adopted by a horse, obviously. It fights right alongside fare like Punky Brewster, with a slew of wonderfully groan-worthy lines perhaps best exemplified by the pun "Now, that's a horse of a different...crueller."

Twin Peaks - "Invitation To Love"

Oh, to explore around inside David Lynch's brain to see all of the things he might have been thinking about for the expertly crafted soap opera "Invitation to Love," which was a favorite amongst some of the characters inhabiting Twin Peaks' titular town. The fact that the storylines reference the characters' lives only makes it more interesting.

Seinfeld - "Jerry"

While Seinfeld's show-within-a-show "Jerry" really only existed as a pilot and not as a fully ordered network-aired series, given the actions of its characters, its ridiculous plot is enough to make it one of the more memorable faux TV series out there. Jerry gets into a car accident, and the other insurance-less driver has to become Jerry's butler, making "Because he's MY butler" one of the more logically accurate fake TV catchphrases.

Family Guy - "Jolly Farm Revue"

With an aesthetic that mashed up the Teletubbies with other pastoral children's fare, Family Guy's faux UK series "Jolly Farm Revue" became an obsession of Stewie's, as he believed its characters actually existed, only to find them to be less real than his teddy bear Rupert. I prefer the American remake with that li'l cutie Karina Smirnoff.

Arrested Development - "Mock Trial With J. Reinhold"

Arrested Development's melting pot of humor is well-exemplified by Michael Bluth having a legal case heard as part of a courtroom reality show fronted by Judge Reinhold (who definitely isn't a real judge), with a theme song sung live on-set by William Hung and a backing band. Should this have turned into an actual series? "I'm going to allow it," even if it pretty much rips on a gag from Clerks: the Animated Series.

SpongeBob SquarePants - "Mermaid Man And Barnacle Boy"

Not only was the superhero series "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy" a fun show-within-a-show for SpongeBob SquarePants' characters, but the titular characters were a treat outside of their televised exploits as well. For one, they were originally voiced by legends Ernest Bornine and Tim Conway, and later boasted '60s Batman icons Adam West and Burt Ward in the respective hero and sidekick roles at one point or another.

30 Rock - "MILF Island"

A fake TV show that will likely exist before this sentence is finished, 30 Rock's reality TV-aping romance competition MILF Island was sold with the disturbing tagline "25 Super-Hot Moms, 50 Eighth Grade Boys, No Rules." Okay, maybe we should just keep this one hidden behind a locked door back in 2008.

Lost - "Exposé"

Lost's storylines didn't just flash backwards, forwards and sideways. They also went internal for the show-within-a-show Exposé, a '70s-esque action-adventure series in which Kiele Sanchez's Nikki was guest-starring. (With Billy Dee Williams as the lead of the faux show.) We see just enough to make me want more, although that would never happen, as audiences' dislike of Nikki and Rodrigo Santoro's Paolo was strong enough to get them killed off during the same season in which they were introduced.

DuckTales - "Ottoman Empire"

A TV parody that is too close to the real thing to be entirely comedic, DuckTales' "Ottoman Empire" centers on two twin rooster brothers, Johnny and Randy, who design custom ottomans for customers. It's like Property Brothers with a punnier title, and you know, roosters.

Drake And Josh - "Drew And Jerry"

Drake & Josh entered sitcom doppelgänger territory in Season 2 when Drake Bell and Josh Peck's namesake characters took a friendly break from each other, only to befriend someone else with the exact same personality. By the end, the titular teens were buds again, while their "others" were somehow given their own TV show that looks exactly like D&J. Presumably with its own Season 2 doppelgänger plot.

My Name Is Earl - "Estrada Or Nada"

We're at a point where real-life game shows are about as ridiculous as anything fictional, but My Name Is Earl's "Estrada or Nada" is still pretty special. Basically, anyone can challenge the CHiPs star to any imaginable challenge, from shooting basketballs to eating hot dogs to looking like Erik Estrada.

Futurama - "Everybody Loves Hynotoad"

I love Hypnotoad. You love Hypnotoad. Everybody loves Hypnotoad. Everybody loves Hypnotoad. Good show.

Garfield & Friends - "The Binky Show"

Hey, kids! No fake TV clown seemed quite as intent on waking everyone in the hosue up as Garfield & Friends' Binky the Clown, whose show seemed to be on at literally all hours. Because it was of such high production value, I can only assume.

I’ve watched every episode of The Simpsons since 1989. And, do you know what that makes me (Well, besides a hardcore fan)? It makes me old!

That's because for roughly 35 years, I’ve tuned into America's favorite family, and I'm happy to have grown up with The Simpsons. It’s something that I've introduced to my family, and I've even turned my daughter into a devoted fan (which I'm both overjoyed with, but also a little worried about).

That said, out of every episode, there's one that will always be my favorite. It's Season 9’s “Girly Edition,” in which Bart and Lisa host a kids' news show. I know it's nobody's choice for “Best Simpsons episode ever” (though I highly recommend it), but here's why it's my favorite.

First Off, It Has My All-Time Favorite Simpsons Gag With The Introduction Of The Cat Lady

There are a lot of Simpsons characters who make me laugh, but one character who I don't think gets nearly enough credit is the Crazy Cat Lady, a.k.a. Eleanor Abernathy.

Now, in later episodes, we actually learn a great deal about her backstory, which is actually quite tragic since she’s a hoarder. And, in the “Springfield Up” episode, we learn that a young Eleanor graduated from both Harvard and Yale. So, like most of the characters on The Simpsons, the showrunners have actually given her a rich history.

However, my favorite appearance by her has got to be the first time we see her, which is in “Girly Edition”. To get back at Bart for stealing her thunder, Lisa visits an old woman who people call “The Cat Lady.”

Lisa proposes that people think she’s crazy just because “she has a few dozen cats” (Note, not a dozen, but a few dozen). Lisa then asks if anybody who loves animals that much could really be crazy, only for the woman to open her door and immediately start throwing cats at her. Let me tell you, in all my years of watching The Simpsons, I never laughed harder than at this very moment. And the train scene afterward? Chef’s kiss.

It Also Has A Great A Story Involving Both Bart And Lisa

Honestly, even though I was there at the height of Bartmania, I don't really like Bart Simpson as a character. Now, Lisa, I like. She low-key has some of the best jokes on the entire show, but, Bart? Well, the older I get, the more I want to strangle him just like Homer.

So, it's refreshing to have an episode that works so well with Bart's character, and I think a lot of that goes to Lisa, as the two bounce off of each other well in this episode. In the A story (An “A” story being the main story) Bart overhears Lisa say that he's not very smart, and he makes it his mission to upstage Lisa at any chance he gets.

And upstage her he does! Because Bart has something that Lisa doesn't have. Call it “Zazz!” “Zort!” or “Kapowza!” But whatever it is, Bart has it, and when he turns the Kidz Newz show into mawkish dribble, Lisa tries to turn the tables on him…only to flop tremendously.

It all comes together in the end, which I'll get into later. I just love that both Bart and Lisa get extremely funny jokes for almost the entirety of the episode. A good Simpsons A story isn’t all that rare, but do you want to know what is?

Not Only That, But It Has My Favorite B Story Of All Time With Mojo, The Helper Monkey

Now, as I mentioned earlier, the A story is the main story, so that means that the B story is the subplot. When it comes to The Simpsons, B stories are typically hit or miss, especially in the later seasons.

However, in “Girly Edition,” the B story might be even funnier than the A story. Homer, being the lazy bum that he is, gets a helper monkey, and things go south pretty quickly. The monkey gains weight right before our eyes and soon needs to wear a diaper.

One of my favorite moments features Mojo laughing on a dresser and scaring Lisa. It makes me crack up every time. I also love when Homer tells Mojo to dance for Marge, and the monkey staggers into the wall, struggling to breathe.

Plus, have you ever heard of the band Mustard Plug? Well, similar to how the band Fall Out Boy got their name from The Simpsons, Mustard Plug titled their 1999 album, Pray for Mojo, which is a reference to when the moribund monkey is left on a doorstep, and he types out very those words: Pray…for…Mojo. I swear. Every time I watch this episode, I'm in literal tears at this scene. It’s hilarious.

The Pay-Off Involving Groundskeeper Willie Is Genuinely Surprising

Do you want to know another one of my favorite characters? It’s Ned Flanders. He has several memorable episodes, and every superfan knows he has one of the most interesting backstories in the entire series.

Yep, Ned has definitely been given the time and energy when it comes to his stories. However, you know what character I've always liked, but don't really think has gotten nearly as much screen time? Groundskeeper Willie. Yes, he had a great episode in “My Fair Laddy,” and he's a staple in several Treehouse of Horror episodes. But, he definitely hasn't been given engrossing stories like Barney, Moe, Ned, or Mr. Burns.

So, it's great to see the school groundskeeper have such a major role in this episode. Bart plays a trick on Willie, destroying his beloved shack with creamed corn, and Willie, now homeless, says he'll get back at Bart.

The thing is, this is such a jam-packed episode that you kind of forget that Willie made that threat at the beginning of the story. So, when Lisa sends Bart off on a puff piece to help an immigrant in need, it's actually surprising that the immigrant is Willie! It's a genuine twist, and I love that Lisa manages to coax Willie not to kill her brother. It's just a good turn, and the pay-off actually works! Great stuff.

Lastly, The Mattel And Mars Bar Quick Energy Chocobot Hour Is Such A Great Ending To The Whole Thing

Before the Barbie movie (which, I might add, when are we going to get a sequel?), the idea of making a show or movie centered around Mattel products or Mars Bars seemed like a joke, and a cynical one at that.

That said, after the Academy Award-nominated movie showed what a quality story actually looked like, centered around a popular toy, anything seemed possible. However, the Mattel and Mars Bar Quick Energy Chocobot Hour is anything but prestige. In fact, in true Simpsons fashion, it's just as sardonic as you'd imagine.

Because just when you think Bart and Lisa's news team might be on the right track, their show gets canceled to make way for what is essentially an hour-long commercial. And, it's just so funny. When the leader tells one of his subordinates to put down his doll so that they can save the day, they show a close-up of the toy before they fly off to the rescue. It's the perfect ending to what I feel is the perfect episode.

So, what do you think? Is “Girly Edition” also one of your favorite episodes of The Simpsons? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

As a student of journalism, a lifelong avid TV watcher, and a fan of late-night TV hosts, I have always been fascinated by the way television personalities are depicted in fiction. Sometimes these characters represent the best that the media can offer, while others serve as a mockery of the profession. Either way, I can’t get enough of them, and these are some of my favorites.

Ron Burgundy (Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy)

Most would agree that the best Will Ferrell character has to be the title role of his 2004 favorite, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. The former SNL star actually gave the world a taste of what it would be like if the charismatic, scotch-loving teleprompter loyalist were a real person when he hosted The Ron Burgundy Podcast.

Deborah Vance (Hacks)

Jean Smart has won multiple Emmys for her role in the HBO Max original comedy series, Hacks, as Deborah Vance, the host of Late Night and a hilarious, pitch-perfect representation of the business' intense, cutthroat nature.

Alan Partridge (Various)

Steve Coogan has portrayed Alan Partridge, the uproariously inept British TV personality he created with Armando Iannucci, in various projects. He debuted on the BBC radio program On the Hour, received his own mockumentary-style chat show Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge, led a sitcom called I'm Alan Partridge, and was the focus of a 2013 feature film called Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, in which he is forced to be a hostage negotiator.

Murphy Brown (Murphy Brown)

The eponymous lead character from the long-running, beloved sitcom, Murphy Brown, is not only one of multi-Emmy-winning Candice Bergen's most iconic characters, but one of the most influential fictional female figures in news media, depicted as a trailblazer in her profession.

Howard Beale (Network)

Originally released in 1976, Network remains a disturbingly relevant commentary on news media and society in general, with much credit due to Peter Finch's bold, Oscar-winning performance as Howard Beale. That being said, you rarely hear of a broadcast journalist being as boldly direct and brutally honest about their feelings as he is these days.

Gale Weathers (Scream)

In 1996's slasher movie favorite, Scream, Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) was your typical sleazy, self-serving gossip reporter, but would slowly evolve into a professional with some tact in the sequels. Not to mention, few people in her field can claim to have the kind of first-hand experience with the deadly topics she discusses, having survived several Ghostface killers over the years.

Wayne Campbell And Garth Algar (Wayne's World)

Local cable access television had never been as cool (or cool at all, really) before Mike Myers and Dana Carvey debuted as Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar, who later became the stars of two beloved movies based on the Saturday Night Live sketch from which they originated.

Sue Ann Nivens (The Mary Tyler Moore Show)

Betty White was brilliant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show as Sue Ann Nivens, balancing her perky, kindly on-camera persona as host of The Happy Homemaker with her vindictive and highly competitive off-screen personality with incredible ease.

Robin Scherbatsky (How I Met Your Mother)

Robin Scherbatsky, How I Met Your Mother cast member Cobie Smulders' role on the hit sitcom, is a real go-getter in the world of broadcast journalism. She always opted to put her career before everything else, even if it cost her a few chances in the department of romance. At least, that was the case in earlier seasons.

Larry Sanders (The Larry Sanders Show)

During its run from 1992 to 1998 on HBO, few comedy series had a sharper satirical outlook on show business than the Emmy-winning The Larry Sanders Show. Co-creator Garry Shandling starred as the titular late-night talk show host, who is constantly at odds with behind-the-scenes shenanigans courtesy of staff members and celebrities playing wild versions of themselves.

Murray Franklin (Joker)

It is fitting that Robert De Niro stars in a DC Comics adaptation that heavily borrows from some of his grittiest roles, especially Taxi Driver's Travis Bickle. The acting legend appears in 2019's Joker opposite Joaquin Phoenix's Academy Award-winning role of Arthur Fleck as Murray Franklin, the host of the Gotham-based late-night program, Live!, who might not have survived the airwaves today with his meanspiritedness. Yet, I can't help but respect his bold approach to humor and showcasing risque topics.

Kent Brockman (The Simpsons)

One of Harry Shearer's funniest characters on The Simpsons is Kent Brockman, a Springfield-based TV editorialist who has no filter when it comes to sounding off his typically judgmental opinions.

Veronica Corningstone (Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy)

If Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy actually was inspired by a true story, as it (sort of) claims at the very beginning, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) would have undoubtedly gone down in history as one of the most important figures of women's progress in the world of broadcast news.

Jack Delroy (Late Night With The Devil)

David Dastmalchian gives one of his career-best performances as infamous TV legend Jack Delroy, who has a life-changing brush with the supernatural in Late Night with the Devil. I imagine I would have been a fan of the Nite Owls host, at least right up until the night he brings his program to a screeching halt by conjuring a demonic spirit during a live broadcast on Halloween 1977.

Damon Killian (The Running Man)

I believe the eponymous, deadly reality competition show from the 1987 adaptation of Stephen King's dystopian novel, The Running Man, is abhorrent, and I pray it never becomes a reality. However, one thing I can commend it for is hiring a host as charismatic and enthusiastic as Damon Killian, played by former Family Feud emcee Richard Dawson.

Will McAvoy (The Newsroom)

Jeff Daniels' Emmy-winning role as Will McAvoy on creator Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom had the courage to call out dishonesty and corruption when few others would dare, which is a quality more TV journalists in the real world could certainly benefit from.

Enid "The Church Lady" Strict (Saturday Night Live)

Dana Carvey is the actor behind a few of the funniest recurring Saturday Night Live characters, including, arguably, his signature role as Enid "The Church Lady" Strict. No matter how many times she uttered her signature catchphrases, the host of a faith-based talk show called Church Chat, which was mainly devoted to accusing her guests of worshipping Satan, was always a joy to laugh at, which certainly makes her "special."

Space Ghost (Space Ghost Coast To Coast)

Making a relatively obscure Hanna-Barbera cartoon character the host of his own talk show, featuring real-life celebrity guests, is a pretty random idea, I will admit. That being said, how cool would it be if a superhero actually did broadcast a talk show from outer space, like on Space Ghost Coast to Coast?

Katherine Newbury (Late Night)

The 2019 comedy film Late Night takes audiences behind the scenes of the world of late-night TV, focusing on the unlikely bond between the eponymous host of Tonight with Katherine Newbury, played by Emma Thompson, and one of her writers, Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling).

Perd Hapley (Parks And Recreation)

A Parks and Recreation side character whom I cannot get enough of is Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson), the host of the brilliantly titled program, Ya Heard? with Perd. I would watch the Pawnee, Indiana-based, hilariously matter-of-fact broadcaster religiously if his show were real.

Gordon Deitrich (V For Vendetta)

The 2005 adaptation of legendary comic book writer Alan Moore's dystopian graphic novel, V for Vendetta, is a deeply bleak story, but it does manage to maintain a few glimmers of hope in the form of characters like Gordon Deitrich. The comedian, played by Stephen Fry, is literally murdered for his willingness to mock the United Kingdom's fascist leader, Adam Sutler (John Hurt), on his satirical program.

Alex Levy (The Morning Show)

Jennifer Aniston would not be who she is if not for her role in the Friends cast as Rachel Green, but the actor has never quite given a performance as powerful as that of Alex Levy on the acclaimed Apple TV+ original TV show, The Morning Show. The consummate professional makes it a personal goal of hers to maintain control of the eponymous news program she has anchored for years when her share of the power over it begins to fall through the cracks.

Pat Dubek (The Other Two)

Molly Shannon's character on the Emmy-nominated Comedy Central series, The Other Two, makes her show, Pat! The Pat Dubek Show, a memorable experience with her endlessly upbeat demeanor and willingness to take phone calls from her children, including her world-famous pop star son, while on the air.

Tom Jumbo-Grumbo (Bojack Horseman)

One of the key elements that makes Netflix's show business satire Bojack Horseman one of the best animated TV shows of all time is the incredible line-up of surprising talents in the voice cast. For instance, former MSNBC commentator Keith Olbermann lends his voice to several episodes as a talking, anthropomorphic whale named Tom Jumbo-Grumbo, who is a host for the network MSNBSea.

Diondre Cole (Saturday Night Live)

There are many celebrities who have a good reason to be annoyed by Diondre Cole, the host of a unique BET discussion program called What Up With That?, especially former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham (portrayed by Bill Hader). However, I personally cannot get enough of Kenan Thompson's hilarious recurring Saturday Night Live character and his unparalleled energy, no matter how terribly he struggles to conduct an interview without rudely interrupting his guests with another banging jam session.

Danny Tanner And Rebecca Donaldson (Full House)

At the beginning of the long-running family sitcom Full House, Bob Saget's character, widowed single father Danny Tanner, was introduced as a TV news reporter. In later seasons, he becomes the co-host of a local morning talk show called Wake Up, San Francisco, alongside Rebecca Donaldson (Lori Loughlin), who would eventually become his housemate when she marries his brother-in-law, Jesse (John Stamos).

George Papadopolis (Webster)

Alex Karras' character from the hit sitcom, Webster, in which he and his wife, Katherine (Susan Clark), become the guardians to their young godson (played by Emmanuel Lewis), must not have been much of a challenge for him to portray. Much like Karras himself, George Papadopolis was a former professional football player who went on to have a career in broadcasting.

Andy "Johnny Karate" Dwyer (Parks And Recreation)

In later seasons of NBC's beloved mockumentary sitcom, Parks and Recreation, Chris Pratt's character, Andy, becomes the host of his own children's program. His alter ego, Johnny Karate, is someone I think I would have loved to grow up with, and I probably would have shown him to my children as well.

Franklin Montague (Atlanta)

One of the best episodes of Atlanta, the clever, experimental, Emmy-winning "B.A.N.," is structured to appear as a snippet of programming from the eponymous network with a focus on Black audiences. Alano Miller guest stars as Franklin Montague, the host of his own self-titled talk show on B.A.N., who is clearly guilty of baiting his guests with combative rhetoric, but at least he manages to keep his show interesting.

Wally Sparks (Meet Wally Sparks)

While 1997's Meet Wally Sparks is widely considered to be one of the weaker of comedian Rodney Dangerfield's films, it is still a Rodney Dangerfield movie, after all. If the title character, a veteran tabloid television reporter, were real, I have no doubt that I would tune into his program on a regular basis just to hear him tell one of his priceless one-liners.

Betty Caruso And Jodi Deltz (Saturday Night Live)

One of the funniest catchphrases from Saturday Night Live comes from Maya Rudolph as Jodi Deitz, who often complains about her husband's frequent tendencies for moronic behavior, only to tearfully proclaim, "But I love him!" In fact, Jodi's husband is one of various recurring topics that she and fellow New York housewife Betty Caruso (Amy Poehler) like to boisterously sound off on as the co-hosts of a local talk show called Bronx Beat.

Dave Skylark (The Interview)

James Franco gives one of the funniest performances of his career in directors Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's 2014 comedy, The Interview, as Dave Skylark, who discovers that he is the favorite TV personality of none other than Kim Jong-Un (Randall Park). Little does the leader of North Korea know, however, that, after he invites the talk show host and his producer (played by Rogen) to visit his home, the CIA has recruited them to help carry out his assassination.

As I sit here in my humble abode poring over Amazon's entertainment-friendly Prime Day deals, I am surrounded by Funko Pop figures that represent a vast swath of pop culture interests. For all my current obsessions, it's safe to say that quite a bit of shelf space honors my favorite movie and TV characters from the 1980s and 1990s. My greedy inner child cannot be silenced sometimes. (Most times.)

So you can bet that I've been keeping an eye on all the Funko discounts noted so far during Prime Day, and even though I don't NEED any additional figures to bolster my collection, it seems silly not to at least LOOK at what's available, knowing that Amazon already has my payment information for quick purchases. I'm just looking, though... At least at first.

Check out the best Prime Day entertainment deals for Funko Pop figures from '80s movies and TV shows, and then head to the best Prime Day streaming deals to land a subscription or two to rewatch the properties reflected below.

Prime Day Deals On '80s Movie & TV Funko Pops

• Rocky - Ivan Drago ($11.49, was $14.99)
• Rocky - Clubber Lang ($9.99, was $11.93)
• The Breakfast Club - Brian Johnson ($7.99, was $14.99)
• The Breakfast Club - Andrew Clark ($9.99, was $14.99)
• Sixteen Candles - Jake Ryan ($10.49, was $14.99)
• Sixteen Candles - Samantha Baker ($10.49, was $14.99)
• Pretty in Pink - Andie Walsh ($9.99, was $14.99)
• Beetlejuice - Lydia Deetz ($8.49, was $14.99)
• Beetlejuice - Delia Deetz ($9.99, was $14.99)
• Leprechaun - Leprechaun Bloody ($11.49, was $13.99)
• Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Cameron Frye ($10.99, was $14.99)

Lots of classic John Hughes comedies represented above, and those alone are enough to fill up my shopping cart. And it's not exactly easy to repress the urge to add to my growing assortment of Beetlejuice figures. (My favorite is from the under-remembered animated series, but that's not so relevant to Prime Day.)

Even more horror-comedy vibes are present when it comes to Funko's deals for '80s TV shows.

• The Real Ghostbusters - Winston Zeddemore ($10.49, was $14.99)
• The Real Ghostbusters - Ray Stantz ($6.99, was $14.99)
• Jem and The Holograms - Jem ($9.99, was $14.99)
• Jem and The Holograms - Synergy ($9.99, was $14.99)
• Jem and The Holograms - Aja Leith ($9.99, was $14.99)

I'm sure there were some kids in the '80s who played with Ghostbusters and Jem figures at the same time. This is your time, people!

Now let's shower some love on '90s pop culture with these Prime Day deals.

Prime Day Deals On '90s Movie & TV Funko Pops

• Alien 3 - The Runner Funko Pop Super ($14.27, was $24.99)
• Mars Attacks - Martian Spy Girl ($8.99, was $11.00)
• The Nightmare Before Christmas - Mayor [Blacklight Special Edition Chase White Glitter] ($27.28, was $38.98)
• Ghost Face Funko Pop Jumbo ($33.99, was $39.99)
• Star Trek First Contact - Locutus of Borg ($9.99, was $14.99)
• The Aristocats - Duchess Funko Pop VHS Cover ($12.99, was $19.99)
• Bride of Chucky - Chucky with Protector Case ($9.56, was $16.99)

Can we all agree that The Muppet Christmas Carol's "Marley and Marley" is one of the all-time greatest Muppet-related songs? It's not "Rainbow Connection," sure, but it's also not as over-used as that track, either. Statler and Waldorf sadly aren't around for Prime Day deals, which they'd certainly have something to say about, but even Scrooge would think the duo of Bob and Tiiny Tim is a steal.

Amusingly enough, children's movies and sci-fi/horror fare are the most prominent genres offerings for Prime Day deals on '90s Funko Pops. Which was 100% up my alley at the time, so no complaints here.

On the '90s TV side of things, SNL and Matt Groening's creations are represented well, as seen below.

• Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary - Mary Katherine Gallagher ($6.49, was $14.99)
• Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary - Gilly ($6.49, was $14.99)
• Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary - Debbie Downer ($6.99, was $14.99)
• Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary - Stuart [Californians] ($4.99, was $7.79)
• The Simpsons - Martin Prince as Calliope ($6.99, was $14.99)
• The Simpsons - Sideshow Bob ($8.49, was $14.99)
• Futurama - Fry ($8.99, was $14.99)
• Futurama - Turanga Leela ($6.99, was $14.99)

Hopefully even more Funko Pop figures will make their respective ways into Amazon's Prime Day entertainment deals. But I'll still just be looking, and definitely not buying...too much.

After 36 seasons, is there anything to say about The Simpsons that hasn’t been said before? Possibly, and doubly so if Pig Latin is involved. In any case, the all-time great animated sitcom provoked a lot of the same shocked and confused reactions with its latest season finale, “Estranger Things,” a flash-forward installment that killed off Marge Simpson. (Dun-dun-dunnnn!)

The episode, which was a so-so endeavor focusing on Lisa and Bart’s bond as siblings, sparked the usual online array of genuine shock, hyperbolic shock, hyperbolic trolling, and abject dismissal, among other reactions. Which really just gave me reason to be all the more excited (and slightly desperate) for King of the Hill’s revival to finally hit the 2025 TV schedule.

Marge's Death, While Touching, Ultimately Doesn't Mean Anything Longterm

The Simpsons’ adherence to strict continuity is as malleable and fluid as the sludge lining Lake Springfield, with character demises being among the few narrative-shifting changes, with Bleeding Gums Murphy being the strongest example. (Another would be barfly Larry Dalrymple dying inside Moe’s, one of the more surprising TV deaths in 2024.) But remember when we all thought Dr. Marvin Monroe was dead, only for him to show up years later saying he’d been extremely sick?

At this point, we all know that The Simpsons’ flash-forwards are even less canonically focused than normal episodic events, and aren’t meant to reflect “real” life any more than all the show’s so-called future predictions are. That’s perfectly fine, since that’s what viewers have been signing up for since 1989, not to mention animated series being years away from embracing truly serialized storytelling.

Sometimes, though, we need to see changes in places where it never seemed possible before, to make experiences feel more meaningful. No one wants to play baseball just to maintain the exact same level of skill for years on end. No one wants to eat the same meal day in and day out without changing up the recipe. In the same vein, I don’t want to watch a beloved character get faux-killed off to explore a story that won’t ever actually happen, all for the sake of an emotion or two. It's not like Bart and Lisa will remember their rift in a way that informs their current lives.

I need actual cause and effect to be at play to knock the dust off of my own emotions, which feeds into why I’m so particularly excited for King of the Hill’s return.

King Of The Hill's Revival Reflects A Changing World

I doubt anyone would have batted an eye if King of the Hill returned for its 14th season by adhering entirely to the status quo in place when it ended its Fox run in 2009-2010. As the old adage goes, "If it ain't broke enough that a streaming service ordered up two new seasons of episodes, don't fix it." But Mike Judge and Greg Daniels thankfully didn't want to just repeat themselves, and opted for an evolution of sorts.

When new King of the Hill begins streaming (with a Hulu subscription), fans will see Hank and Peggy Hill similarly refamiliarizing themselves with their former surroundings in Arlen, Texas, after having spend the past seven years in Saudi Arabia for Hank's job. Bobby is 21 years old now, and is a burgeoning chef with perfectly splotchy facial hair. The neighborhood crew now has a new member who was befriended in Hank's absence. There are drones now!

Not that I truly care how any of these characters use newer technologies — okay, I do want to know everything Dale thinks about A.I. conspiracies — but it's the promise of seeing an entirely new era for something so familiar. Also the promise of knowing that all the differences and new details will still be there when the next episode starts, without any narrative elements being anthologically retconned.

The Simpsons is and will always be among my very favorite shows of all time, and I'll never stop watching it with glee. But for now, with apologies to Milhouse, everything's coming up King of the Hill in my mind.

Check out the latest video for the show below.

King of the Hill's return for Season 14 is set for August 4, 2025.

There are so many fun, fake products in movies and TV. Sometimes, they become so iconic that they become real products. There are a few examples of that on this list of fake products from movies and TV shows, but most of them are just things we fondly remember from our favorite films and shows. So here it is, our list of just some of the best products we could come up with.

Apollo Bars - Lost

One of the things Lost did really well was building a world beyond the island. Apollo Bars were part of that world. The chocolate bars were seen all throughout the season, including when Hurley raided the pantry in the hatch when it was first discovered.

Big Kahuna Burger - Pulp Fiction

Quentin Tarantino has done a really cool job over his career, not only inventing unique products for his movies, butalso using them in multiple films. Big Kahuna Burger from Pulp Fiction is a perfect example. We first find out about the "new Hawaiian burger joint" when Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) tries Brad's nutritious breakfast. It is a tasty burger! Eagle-eyed viewers may know that the brand was actually introduced in Reservoir Dogs when Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) is seen drinking from a cup from the fictional restaurant.

ACME - Looney Tunes

The ultimate example of fake products on TV has to be the ubiquitous ACME company from Looney Tunes. It's most often seen in Road Runner cartoons as the company where Wile E Coyote buys all the equipment he tries in vain to use to catch his nemesis. It seems it was the Amazon of the Looney Tunes world.

Sweetums - Parks & Recreation

Sweetums are the controversial candy seen a few times in Parks & Recreation. Loaded with high-fructose corn syrup, Leslie (Amy Poehler) is appalled by their popularity, while Ron (Nick Offerman) is predictably less worried about how unhealthy they are.

Wonka Candy - Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory

One of the examples on this list of a fictional food product that was eventually a real brand name is Wonka Chocolate (or candy in general). Obviously, it's been seen in all the movie versions of the classic novel by Roald Dahl.

Hoverboards - Back To The Future Part II

When Back To The Future Part II came out, it was filled with futuristic products, but by far the one kids most wanted to be real was the Hoverboards (from Mattel in the movie). We're still waiting, decades later–and no, the "hoverboards" with the one wheel don't count.

The Cornballer - Arrested Development

Perhaps the most dangerous product on this list is the Cornballer from Arrested Development. Invented by George Bluth (Jeffrey Tambor), the product was recalled because it basically burned anyone who ever tried to use one, including Michael (Jason Bateman) multiple times in one episode. Getting Richard Simmons to help sell it in an infomercial was a bad idea, too.

Kitten Mittons - It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Does your cat make too much noise? If so, Charlie (Charlie Day) from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has the solution for you. Kitten Mittons! Of course, your cat may not like them as much as you hope, so be careful!

Brawndo - Idiocracy

Brawndo has what plants crave! Actually, no... no it doesn't. It turns out water is still better for growing crops, but don't tell those corporate suits at Brawndo, they pay a lot of money to sponsor basically everything you would use water for... except the toilet.

Top Of The Muffin To You

Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) sure loves the tops of muffins. Personally, I like the whole muffin, but it seems enough people love the tops enough to make an entire bakery making only the tops of muffins in the world of Seinfeld. Just don't expect the local food pantry to accept only the stumps.

Dapper Dan - O Brother Where Art Thou?

Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) is a Dapper Dan man. He's not interested in any other pomade to style his hair. If he can't get his Dapper Dan, he'll be sure to let you know. Accept no substitute.

Allied Biscuits - The Simpsons

Apparently, Springfield is big enough to have not one or two cracker brands, but no less than eight! Luann Van Houten's family's fortune comes from Southern Cracker, but poor Kirk is a terrible manager and leads the brand to a tie for the sixth most popular with Table Time and Allied Biscuits. Marge was so embarrassed that she emptied her plate back into the box.

Soul Glo - Coming To America

Soul Glo is quite the product in Coming To America. It's made a fortune for Darryl's family, and Akeem (Eddie Murphy) seems jealous of anyone wearing the hair product. Fun fact: the song in the fake commercial was written and performed by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Nile Rodgers of Chic.

Stay Puft Marshmallows - Ghostbusters

Not only does Ray (Dan Aykroyd) manifest the giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man at the end of Ghostbusters, eagle-eyed viewers will notice that there is a bag of the sugary treats on the counter as Dana (Sigourney Weaver) is unloading her groceries before Zuul takes over her refrigerator.

Rocket Fuel Malt Liquor - NewsRadio

The legendary newsman Bill McNeil (Phil Hartman) only endorses products he uses and enjoys. Or, it turns out, anyone willing to pay him enough money. The best example of the latter is Rocket Fuel Malt Liquor, which he records ridiculous commercials for in one episode of NewsRadio.

Tracy Jordan Meat Machine - 30 Rock

Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) was always looking for ways to branch out, and that extended to endorsing a product called "Tracy Jordan Meat Machine" in the vein of the George Foreman Grill. It's not a bad strategy, as it clearly worked for the former heavyweight champion.

Los Pollos Hermanos - Breaking Bad

Los Pollos Hermanos, the fictional chicken chain in Breaking Bad, is another example of a brand on the TV show that has become real, with pop-up versions of the fictional restaurant taking over old storefronts on occasion.

Oceanic Airlines - Lost

Of the many different fictional brands in Lost, none were more prominent than Oceanic Airlines. The ill-fated flight that crashed onto "The Island" on the show was an Oceanic flight. There was even a fake website set up in the real world where fans could learn more about the airline and check out the "schedule." That flight from Sidney was on it, too... lost.

Duff Beer - The Simpsons

The Simpsons has been around a long, long time, and almost since the beginning, Homer (and everyone else in Springfield) has always been loyal to one brand of beer: Duff's. There are a lot of "flavors" of Duff, but they all come from the same vat, so it's really all about marketing. Duff Man agrees.

Cheesy Poofs - South Park

Eric Cartman loves his Cheesy Poofs. All the kids love them, but Cartman really loves them, as he's most often the one seen eating the fake snack food that seems to be off-brand Cheetos.

Mockolate - Friends

Mockolate on Friends makes light of products like Olestra that were popular in the 1990s. Mockolate is a synthetic version of chocolate that tastes terrible and is dangerous to ingest. It was eventually banned by the FDA on the show, but not before Monica tried to get a job inventing new candies with the chemicals. Yikes.

Soylent Green - Soylent Green

By far the most terrifying fake product on this list, Soylent Green is people! Never forget. And never, ever eat anything called "Soylent Green." Just starve yourself, it's safer.

Dunder-Mifflin Paper - The Office

Does anyone actually think about what brand of paper they are using? Do you sit in your office or at an office supply store, and make your decision based on the brand? I worked in a paper warehouse (for real) when I was in high school, and I never gave it a second thought ever again. Still, Dunder-Mifflin endures. on the US version of The Office. In the British version, it's the Wernham Hogg Paper Company.

Pawtucket Brewery - Family Guy

Like The Simpsons, the guys on Family Guy have a preferred brand of local beer from Pawtucket Brewery. The big difference is that the brewery in Family Guy is owned by a Willy Wonka-like character, instead of being promoted by a Superhero-looking mascot.

Mooby's - Clerks II

In the original Clerks, Randall and Dante worked in a nondescript shopping center (which is a real location in New Jersey). In the sequel, they've both taken jobs at the fictional Mooby's. It has since become a regular brand in Kevin Smith's films.

Bubba Gump Shrimp - Forrest Gump

Another example on this list of a fictional brand that became all too real is the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. Started by Forrest (Tom Hanks) in tribute to his friend who was killed in Vietnam, the name was eventually licensed out and became a popular fast-casual fish joint with locations all over the world.

Pizza Planet - Toy Story

Pizza Planet must be based on the real-life pizza places like Showbiz Pizza and Chuck E Cheese, right? Kids love it, parents probably hate it, but it does look pretty darn fun in the Toy Story universe.

Rekall - Total Recall

Rekall, where fake memories are implanted in your head to make it seem like you went on a fun vacation, is...messed up. Total Recall is a wild movie, and the whole idea of having memories implanted is about as disturbing an example of a messed-up future anyone could ever come up with. Even if it's a trip to Mars.

Shotz Beer - Laverne & Shirley

When bffs Laverne and Shirley move to Milwaukee, they get a job at that most Milwaukee of places–a brewery. Of course, it helps their dreams come true, so it seems like the kind of beer we'd all like to try.

Butterbeer - Harry Potter

Butterbeer is a brand and a way of life. It also seems to be the only thing anyone wants to drink in the world of Harry Potter. It's even become a real thing, I get to try it when I toured the Harry Potter studio outside London. I'm honest, it's way too sweet for Muggle consumption. At least this Muggle.

Opti-Grab - The Jerk

I've worn glasses for most of my life, but I've never had the need for anything like the Opti-Grab from The Jerk. Sure, it makes Nathan a very rich man (at least until it's sued out of existence), so some people might be interested, but glasses can be awkward enough without having that weird thing you can pinch.

Strictland Propane - King Of The Hill

Strictland propane and propane products! The best money can buy!

It’s a time of year when TV networks are gearing up for fall debuts, with past projects just specks in the rearview mirror. But for fans, those specks represent all the beloved shows that were canceled (or ended), and some of those wounds just won’t heal over all the way. Such as CBS canceling Blue Bloods in November 2023, a decision that still ruffles feathers even despite the olive branch of Donnie Wahlberg’s spinoff Boston Blue. coming to the 2025 TV schedule. And these new ratings stats don’t exactly help.

Now, it was never a secret that Blue Bloods was one of the most-watched scripted shows for the bulk of its 14-season run at CBS, even if its key 18-49 demographic ratings skewed far lower than others. The consistency of the Friday-night drama’s core viewership was an oft- touted reason for why the network’s decision to cancel it was seen as misguided. TVLine’s audience breakdown for the 2024-2025 season indeed supports that notion, and sets up a bonkers comparison that speaks to the spectrum of network decisions.

In terms of total viewers, Blue Bloods ended its run as the fourth-hightest scripted series on TV, falling below three others CBS dramas: FBI, the instant hit Matlock, and Tracker’s list-topping second season. (Sunday Night Football, MNF and 60 Minutes also scored higher total averages.) Here was its weekly total:

• Blue Bloods' Average Viewership: 7.9 million

That number alone, while not matching up with the show’s ratings heights of yesteryear, would still be enough to draw assumptions that CBS renewed Blue Bloods rather than axed it. But here’s a wild detail to consider: Fox renewed its entire animated comedy lineup, and the total combined audience for all six series is still smaller than Blue Bloods’ group. Check out this breakdown.

• Universal Basic Guys - 1.79 million viewers +
• The Simpsons - 1.5 million +
• Bob's Burgers - 1.2 million +
• Family Guy - 926,000 +
• Krapopolis - 566,000 +
• Grimsburg - 505,000 +
• FOX ANIMATION TOTAL = 6.48 million

To be sure, this is akin to comparing live-action apples to animated oranges, so it’s definitely not a 1:1 ratio. A broadcast drama in its 14th season is going to be far more expensive and unwieldy than most animated series, with completely different production processes involved, and the expectations from network execs are also on different wavelengths. So I get it. But it’s still a baffling thing to notice and think about.

Just to put it out there, though: never cancel Bob's Burgers, not even if there's going to be a Boston Bob spinoff.

For now, fans can only hope to see Tom Selleck’s Frank Reagan and others returning for family dinners with Donnie Wahlberg’s Danny whenever Boston Blue hits CBS’ fall lineup. And until then, all 14 seasons can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription.

I’m not gonna lie. I watched a lot of shows that I probably shouldn’t have when I was younger.

Married…with Children, Beverly Hills, 90210, hell, even some of my favorite Black sitcoms had some questionable content for a little kid (for example, I was only 11 when I fell in love with the Dick Wolf crime drama, New York Undercover). Well, of all the shows that left a massive impression on me, The Simpsons had the greatest impact.

I’m glad that I grew up watching it. Even after all these years, it’s still one of the smartest shows on TV. So, when my 9-year-old daughter decided that she wanted to watch the series, too, I was overjoyed. But, now that I’ve watched several episodes with her, I’m also a little worried. So, here’s why I have mixed feelings about my daughter’s newfound enthusiasm for The Simpsons.

Why I'm Overjoyed: We Already Bond A Lot, But Now We Have Something Else That We Can Share

First off, my daughter and I share a lot of commonalities.

For example, we both have a limited palate, we're both massive pessimists (I’m sure she gets that from me), and we like a lot of the same entertainment.

So, when she asked if we could watch The Simpsons together, I was over the moon. I’ve referenced jokes from the show ever since my kids were babies, and I have several Simpsons toys and books in the basement.

I honestly have nobody to blame for my daughter’s interest but myself, and I’m mostly okay with that. I love hearing her guffaw at jokes that had me rolling when I was a kid. And, nothing makes me happier than hearing who her favorite character is (in case you’re wondering, it’s Ned Flanders).

What’s also great is that unlike a lot of Simpsons fans, my daughter doesn’t say things like “The Simpsons peaked at Season 10.” Nor does she compare it to other shows like Bob’s Burgers, which she also likes. Instead, she’s been enjoying the episodes for the first time, going through the various seasons since it’s on Disney+ (it’s still the best thing on the streaming service, if you ask me). However, since she’s been going through all the seasons…

Why I'm A Little Worried: There Are A Lot More Adult Themes Than I Remember There Being

If you were born in the ‘80s like I was, then I'm sure you remember Bartmania.

But, if you weren’t, then let me explain. Bart Simpson was everywhere in the early ‘90s, and he was definitely the main focus of the show. So, even though the entire family was important, Bart was the star attraction. And, since he was the star, a lot of kids tuned in just to see him.

Anyway, all of this is to say that a lot of the adult themes and jokes went way over my head when I was younger, since I wasn't focused on the “adult” content. I was only focused on Bart. That said, my daughter is a lot smarter than I was, and she’s not focused on Bart at all. In fact, she finds him kind of annoying.

Instead, she’s focused more on the adults, like in the episode, “Homer’s Night Out” where the patriarch gets caught with an exotic dancer, or in “Life on the Fast Lane” in which Marge seriously considers cheating on Homer.

I grew up with this show. In that way, even though there were jokes and themes that I kind of got when I was a kid, I understood a lot more of them when I became a teenager. This is because I watched throughout the years. But, since my daughter can just go through the seasons right now, there are some episodes with themes like adultery, or questioning one's faith, that my daughter’s watched. That said…

Why I'm Overjoyed: The Humor Is Really Intelligent, So It's Making Her Think

I mentioned episodes about questioning one’s faith, and the one that resonated the most with my daughter was “Lisa the Skeptic,” in which a so-called angel is uncovered in Springfield.

My daughter, who always groans, “Why do we have to go to church?” on Sunday mornings is definitely a skeptic, and possibly a future cynic (Again, most likely from me). She's always curious, and constantly asking me hard-hitting questions.

When Lisa started to question whether a real angel was found in Springfield, I could tell my daughter wanted to know the answer herself.

Once it was all over, and “the angel” turned out to be a hoax, my daughter said, “I knew it!” which actually made me feel pretty good. Because even though I’m her father, I’m also a teacher, and I want her to question things. I like that my daughter doesn’t just believe everything she’s told, and I’m happy that a show like this could make her think about her own beliefs.

Yes, a show like Bob’s Burgers is clever, and it has its own sort of intelligence. But, I don’t think it matches the caliber of The Simpsons’ storytelling. Even so…

Why I'm A Little Worried: Unlike Myself When I Was Younger, My Daughter Gets A Lot Of The More Risqué Jokes

As I said, my daughter is smarter than I was at 9.

That means she gets a lot of the more risqué humor on the show that I never understood. The ones that she doesn’t get, she actually ASKS me what they mean.

For example, in the episode, “The Frying Game,” Agnes Skinner, who is elderly, casually remarks, “Who do I have to gum to get a refill?” and I’m sure you could imagine that my jaw was on the floor. When my daughter asked, “What does she mean?” I just shook my head and said, “I don’t know.” But, my daughter knew I was lying. She gave me the side eye.

Also, since she is now a Ned Flanders superfan, she wanted to watch some of the episodes where he’s married to Edna Krabappel. But, if you know anything about Edna (RIP, Marcia Wallace), you’ll know how lascivious she could be. So, some of her jokes had me cringing next to her, who would often say, “Oh!” at some of her lines.

All of this is to say that I'm a tad worried that my daughter might be learning a bit too much when it comes to ribald humor. Even so…

Why I'm Overjoyed: Since The Show Was So Topical, I Can Teach My Daughter About Events From Different Eras

A few semi-dirty jokes is a small risk that I'm willing to take as long as it means that my daughter will get a crash course in learning about the past 60 years or so.

Sure, as a ‘90s kid, I like that I can point out certain topical things to my daughter, like references to Twin Peaks, or Jurassic Park that were current when the show first aired.

But, what I like even more is all of the much older historical references, like when the show mocks President Nixon, or JFK.

In fact, I've shown my daughter several Presidents on the show, such as Clinton holding hands with Bob Dole in Treehouse of Horror VII, or even Trump himself in the more recent episodes.

In a lot of ways, it's is a great introduction to the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, and I like that I can teach aspects of history to my daughter through such a fun medium.

Why I'm A Little Worried: My Daughter Now Also Wants To See Family Guy, Which I Refuse To Let Her Watch

Bob's Burgers is one thing, and The Simpsons is another. But, one show that I refuse to let my daughter watch is Family Guy.

And, she wants to! Because a lot of her friends at school are fans. Naturally, with The Simpsons coming before Family Guy, my daughter doesn't see the problem with also watching that show.

That said, anybody who’s actually watched Family Guy will tell you that it’s not for children. And, my problem is telling her “No,” without explicitly telling her just why it is so much more coarse and vulgar.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I like the comedy. That said, I feel like I opened the gateway to my daughter when it comes to “adult” cartoons, and I just hope that she doesn’t try to sneak into my Hulu account to check it out when I’m in another room writing.

What do you think? Do you also let your kids watch The Simpsons? If so, how young did you start them off?

It is never not a blast to see celebrities make funny cameos in movies or TV shows, or even appear in starring roles, as themselves, especially as a version of themselves that bears little resemblance to their actual personality. Take a look at some of the funniest examples of actors and other artists poking fun at themselves in a hilarious onscreen performance.

Michael Cera (This Is The End)

Each member of the cast of 2013's This Is the End is a celebrity playing an exaggerated version of themselves, but the absolutely wildest of the bunch is Michael Cera. The actor plays dramatically against type as a destructive force of chaos at James Franco's house party... before destructive forces of chaos begin descending upon the entire Earth in Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's blistering apocalyptic satire.

Kate Winslet (Extras)

Co-creator and star Ricky Gervais' Hollywood satire, Extras, boasted a gut-busting rotation of celebrity guest stars playing the most ridiculously antithetical versions of themselves, one of the most memorable being Kate Winslet. Years before she took home an Academy Award for The Reader, the English actor appeared in an episode in which she openly obsesses over finding the role that will win her an Oscar.

Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

Seinfeld cast member Jason Alexander eventually realized that his hopelessly neurotic character, George Costanza, was the fictional alter ego of co-creator Larry David. However, none of George's self-destructive and alienating flaws on the beloved TV sitcom could compare to David's self-parodic portrayal of himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm, on which the comedian would seemingly go out of his way to offend friends, family members, and just about anyone he came into contact with.

Bill Murray (Zombieland)

Out of all the amazing, random Bill Murray cameos to choose from, the most iconic would have to be his appearance in 2009's Zombieland when our four protagonists (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin) stumble upon him while taking refuge in his mansion. It is actually not too much of a stretch to believe that this is how the comedy legend might live during the zombie apocalypse, from dressing himself up as one of the undead to blend in, to citing Garfield as his one regret before succumbing to an accidental shotgun blast.

Bob Barker (Happy Gilmore)

After decades of maintaining a sunny demeanor as the host of The Price is Right, it was shocking to see Bob Barker appear as anything but in his iconic cameo in 1995's Happy Gilmore. Adam Sandler's title character gets fed up with Barker's incessant criticism of his golfing skills, driving him to show him that "the price is wrong," only to discover that the older man has some real fight in him.

Stephen Hawking (The Simpsons)

Influential theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking played himself on The Simpsons on multiple occasions. One of the funnier instances comes from the Season 10 episode, "They Saved Lisa's Brain," in which he clocks Seymour Skinner in the face with a spring-loaded boxing glove built into his wheelchair.

Prince (New Girl)

As New Girl creator Liz Meriwether recalled in an article for Vulture (via Slate), Prince loved the quirky sitcom, which is why he agreed to guest star in an episode that, essentially, portrays him as some sort of mysterious magical guide. Quite frankly, it is hard to think of this portrayal as much of an exaggeration from the late, great pop star's true, legendary persona.

David Hasselhoff (The Spongebob Squarepants Movie)

Even though most young audience members seeing The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie in 2004 likely were not familiar with David Hasselhoff, it still makes perfect sense that the former Baywatch star would come to SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) and Patrick's (Bill Fagerbakke) rescue near the end. The actor uses his body as a motorboat to transport the duo back to Bikini Bottom, which was achieved in part with the use of a frighteningly realistic, double-sized replica, which he later brought home with him.

Zach Galifianakis (Between Two Ferns)

Zach Galifianakis has a great reputation as a wonderful talk show guest, despite his alter ego on Between Two Ferns being an absolute disaster as a talk show host. After years of mercilessly roasting celebrities to their faces on Funny or Die's web series, it inspired a mockumentary-style Netflix original movie in which the Hangover star also got to be the butt of the joke.

Neil Patrick Harris (Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle)

You might as well call Neil Patrick Harris' performance in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle his audition to play Barney Stinson, considering his highly fictionalized alter ego has much more in common with his role in the How I Met Your Mother cast. The Emmy winner goes further with the uproarious portrayal in the sequels, which reveal the actor is only pretending to be gay to better his career.

Nicolas Cage (The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent)

I can understand why Nicolas Cage was initially reluctant to play himself in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, especially for the pretty far-out ways the Academy Award winner pokes fun at himself and his unique career in the film. Then again, it does paint him in a largely positive light and even allows him to be the hero of its irreverent, comedic action plot in the end.

David Bowie (Zoolander)

Admittedly, David Bowie's cameo in Zoolander is relatively tame when compared to his out-of-this-world stage presence. However, the idea of the rock 'n roll legend randomly appearing out of nowhere to help judge an impromptu "Walk Off" between Ben Stiller's eponymous male model and his rival, Hansel (Owen Wilson), is still pretty ridiculous.

James Marsden (Jury Duty)

It takes a special kind of performance as one's self to receive an Emmy nomination for it, and that is what James Marsden achieved with Jury Duty. In the Amazon Prime original reality show, a gentleman named Ronald Gladden is called into serve on a trial he does not know is an elaborate prank on him, involving a cast of actors that includes the X-Men and Sonic the Hedgehog actor as a more vain portrait of himself.

Debra Messing (Bros)

Will & Grace star Debra Messing poked fun at her status as an icon in the gay community with her cameo in the LGBTQIA+ rom-com, Bros. The Emmy winner feels compelled to remind Bobby (Billy Eichner) that she is "NOT GRACE" when he asks her for romantic advice when all she wanted to do was tour his museum.

Keanu Reeves (Always Be My Maybe)

In addition to leading classic action movies like Speed and John Wick, Keanu Reeves has become a cameo king with funny, random appearances, such as in Netflix's 2019 comedy Always Be My Maybe. Marcus (Randall Park) is shocked to discover that his childhood friend, Sasha's (Ali Wong), new boyfriend is the actor, who partially improvised his portrayal as a pretentious weirdo who wears glasses without lenses and asks for a meal inspired by "the concept of time" at a restaurant.

John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich)

John Malkovich's performance in director Spike Jonze's inventive fantasy comedy, Being John Malkovich, is a special case of an actor playing an exaggerated version of himself because he is technically playing multiple roles. One famous scene sees the two-time Oscar nominee entering a portal that leads to his own mind, but places him in a nightmarish world filled with people who have his face and can only speak his last name.

LeBron James (Trainwreck)

LeBron James has made a decent living outside of his professional basketball career by playing fictionalized versions of himself in the likes of Space Jam: A New Legacy and the 2023 House Party remake. However, the movie that started it all was 2015's Trainwreck, which portrays him as the best friend of a doctor (played by Bill Hader) who specializes in treating star athletes.

Olivia Newton-John (Glee)

One of the most memorable guest appearances on Glee was the late Olivia Newton-John. The Grease star showed up on the coming-of-age musical-dramedy a couple of times, in which she is portrayed as extremely rude and "hopelessly devoted" to herself.

Bruce Campbell (My Name Is Bruce)

No matter what role he plays, it is hard to see Bruce Campbell as anything other than the hero of the Evil Dead movies, Ash Williams. The Scream King leans into that reputation in the 2007 horror-comedy movie, My Name Is Bruce (which he also directs), as a hard-drinking, washed-up version of himself who becomes the last hope to save a small Oregon town from a malevolent demon.

Jessica Biel (BoJack Horseman)

Netflix's animated Hollywood satire, BoJack Horseman, is especially famous for its uproarious celebrity cameos, one of the funniest being Jessica Biel. Not only does the former 7th Heaven cast member boldly call out her own career low points, but is also portrayed as the spouse of Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins), whom she leaves for her real-life husband, Justin Timberlake.

Eminem (The Interview)

Earlier in his career, Eminem was criticized for lyrics that were interpreted as homophobic, which he pokes fun at in a hilarious way in Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's The Interview. Arguably the funniest scene in the 2014 comedy sees the Grammy-winning rap artist speaking to talk show host Dave Skylark (James Franco), to whom he very nonchalantly reveals that he is a closeted gay man.

Kelly Ripa (Broad City)

TV personality Kelly Ripa brilliantly mocks her clean image with her cameo on Comedy Central's Broad City. During a visit to the beloved daytime talk show host's apartment, Abbi (co-creator Abbi Jacobson) discovers that she can be a pretty hard partier, especially when cracks open a jar of moonshine.

Ryan Reynolds (Family Guy)

Many celebrities have stopped by to voice appropriately cartoonish versions of themselves on Family Guy, including Ryan Reynolds, who clearly had a lot of fun with his guest spot. He moves in across the street from the Griffins and appears to take an intense liking to Peter (Seth MacFarlane), who begins to suspect that the actor has a crush on him.

Cher (Will & Grace)

In Season 3 of Will & Grace, Jack (Sean Hayes) becomes uncomfortably attached to a doll modeled after Cher, treating it as if it were the real multi-talented icon, much to the chagrin of his friends. When the real Cher appears to voice her concerns about his obsession, Jack mistakes her for a very convincing drag queen.

Carl Weathers (Arrested Development)

Some of Arrested Development's remarkably clever meta humor involved hilarious cameos by celebrities as themselves, most notably Carl Weathers. The Rocky and Predator star's appearances on the cult favorite sitcom saw him dropping clues of being extremely thrifty, to the point that he would save the meat on a mostly eaten rib to make stew.

Dave Grohl (Studio 666)

Each member of Foo Fighters willfully takes aim at themselves in the 2022 musical horror-comedy movie, Studio 666, but frontman Dave Grohl especially goes wild here. He becomes a threat to his bandmates after becoming possessed by a spirit that haunts the California house where they choose to record their tenth album.

Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)

One of Matt LeBlanc's most successful gigs after leaving the Friends cast was playing a very personal role on Showtime's Episodes. The actor earned a Golden Globe for portraying himself as likable but overbearing, as the married creators of a new TV show that he is cast in discover.

Shaun White (Friends With Benefits)

Olympic Gold Medal-winning snowboarder Shaun White seems like a fun, down-to-earth dude, which makes his cameo in Friends with Benefits as anything but that so memorably funny. Because of his interest in Jamie (Mila Kunis), White takes an immediate and very intense dislike toward her platonic, occasional lover, Dylan (Justin Timberlake), threatening him at every turn.

James Van Der Beek (Don’t Trust The B– in Apartment 23)

James Van Der Beek's first major return to TV after leading the Dawson’s Creek cast was a main role on Don’t Trust the B– in Apartment 23 as... James Van Der Beek. The actor's absurd portrayal of the famous best friend to Krysten Ritter’s Chloe is miles away from his true self, but it did somehow predict that he would later appear on Dancing with the Stars.

Ryan Seacrest (Knocked Up)

The timeline of Ryan Seacrest's hosting gigs is so prolific and extensive, he is almost (if not more) famous than many of the people he has interviewed over the years. He acknowledges this in his cameo in Knocked Up, in which the then-E! News presenter portrays himself as comically vain, ill-tempered, and foul-mouthed, which are not good qualities on camera.

Tom Brady (Living With Yourself)

The Netflix sci-fi comedy series, Living with Yourself, stars Paul Rudd as Miles Elliott, who discovers that a life-changing wellness spa has cloned him into a better version of himself when he comes face-to-face with his "flawed" double. In the first episode, Miles sees the New England Patriots quarterback walking out of the spa before revealing he has visited it six previous times, which also happened to be his number of Super Bowl wins at the time.

Al Pacino (Jack And Jill)

If there is one good thing about 2011's Jack and Jill, which stars Adam Sandler as both a family man and his obnoxious twin sister, it is Al Pacino's performance as himself. In the comedy, the Oscar winner expresses affection for Jill, which leads him to star in a "Dunkaccino" ad that he believes should be destroyed moments after watching it.

Great sitcom families come in all shapes and sizes when it comes to the expansive landscape. From animated favs to semi-autobiographical cranktakorous comedians, and even classic Hollywood iconic fams, all show up, good, bad or ugly. Regardless of their grade or feelings for one another, each brood left an indelible mark on the television genre. Wherever you stand within your family tree, this list is for the fathers, mothers, step-parents, kids, siblings, cousins and much more.

The Addams - The Addams Family 5/5

Though they can be considered creepy and kooky, the Addams remain as relevant as ever in pop culture. Starting as a single-panel New Yorker comic strip, the blended oddballs continue to showcase true love through dark and dismal ways. The success of these longstanding family unit vibes is due to one of the best couples (outside of rom-coms), Gomez and Morticia, and their unwavering love and pride.

The Simpsons - The Simpsons 4/5

The long-running cartoon has become a recognizable pop culture staple worldwide. Even if Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie aren’t the Cleavers of the past thirty years, they still show up for one another however they can. Realistically, though, Marge has and continues to be the anchor of the Simpson family dynamics.

The Taylors - The Andy Griffith Show 5/5

Mayberry, North Carolina, wouldn’t be the same without the Taylors, in my opinion. Andy, Aunt Bee and Opie paved the way wholesomely for many other families, of any shape or size, in the sitcom landscape. Now and again, though, small conflicts would arise between the trio (I still can’t get over the Opie, slingshot and bird episode) that would get addressed head-on and with care.

The Bunkers - All In The Family 3/5

The Bunkers live in a working-class Queens home fueled by loud opinions, generational clashes, and sharp-tongued debates. Archie’s old-school views and Edith’s unwavering sweetness lend to the frequently boisterous home. Though daughter Gloria and husband, Mike, are no strangers to stirring the pot, either. Underneath it all lies a stubborn but constant love for each other amid all the high-strung dynamics.

The Jeffersons - The Jeffersons 4/5

The titular unit first starred on All in the Family as the Bunkers' neighbors. Not long after did George, Louise and their family moved on up. The Jeffersons showcased a pretty average but caring reflection of familial dynamics–dad’s arrogance clashed with mom’s calm, while their son, Lionel, tried to be a voice of reason. Along with the trio’s inner workings, extended relatives were added into the mix in a humorous but heartfelt way.

The Stephens - Bewitched 3/5

Though Bewitched was presented as generally lighthearted with a focus on comedic situations, the storylines made the Stephens’ experience some turbulence. Between Samantha’s relatives interfering in her everyday dealings, to Darrin initially doubting her abilities, and even her kiddos stirring the pot, the familial layers ran through a whole gamut.

The Sanfords - Sanford And Son 3/5

Fred and Lamont make up this parent-kid relationship, and while it’s relatively stable, the less-than-stellar communication skills hinder these two from leveling up. Notably, it’s a love-hate vibe between the two, with Fred’s habits and personal beliefs that cause the most trouble in their day-to-day lives.

The Munsters - The Munsters 5/5

Presented as a satirical counterpoint to the other familial shows during the 60s, the spooky eponymous unit was quite loving. Herman and Lily, Frankenstein’s monster and a vampire, respectively, were good-natured parental role models who welcomed open conversations, even when things went haywire.

The Petries - The Dick Van Dyke Show 4/5

The veteran black and white trio balances everyday life with Hollywood dealings. Filled with quick wit, heartfelt moments, and the occasional misstep (often turned laugh), they face the ups and downs of everyday personal and professional issues as a unit. The Petries are a great example of running a home with grace, humor, and even a little song and dance when needed.

The Gellars - Friends 2/5

Monica and Ross are typical sister-brother fodder. They both hang with all of their pals in a home I've wanted to explore forever, and from time to time, break out an iconic childhood dance number. When their parents come into play, that rating dives off a cliff. While Ross is viewed as a golden child, Monica continuously gets scrutinized or patronized for every element of her life, and her bro is MIA to defend her.

The Costanzas, The Seinfelds - Seinfeld 3/5

While Seinfeld isn’t centered on regular relative relations, the Seinfelds and Costanzas got featured somewhat consistently. Jerry and his parents' (and occasionally, Uncle Leo's) dynamics are pretty run-of-the-mill, but can be somewhat quirky. Meanwhile, George’s mom and dad illustrate the louder side of caring, but also outspoken heads of the family. Together, they’re a hilarious blended group poking and prodding at their kids.

The Banks - Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air 4/5

Like many of the other blended broods, the Banks show up at the end of the day for one another. Will coming to stay with the Bel-Air residents showcased from the jump what type of good-willed, community-driven people they are. Their actual reactions in their relationships on the surface may look quite different, though.

The Bundys - Married… With Children 1/5

The Married… with Children family is built differently. The Bundys are filled with insults, bad luck, and relentless sarcasm, paired with Al’s bitterness, Peg’s laziness, and the kids’ scheming--making it one unpredictable place. As miserable as they claim to be in regards to money, love and success, they’re stuck together—and wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Tucker-Pritchetts, Pritchett-Delgados and Dunphys - Modern Family 5/5

Ed O’Neill’s second run with a family sitcom was as notable as Married… With Children, but related much better to his loved ones, playing Jay Pritchett, the staunch but understanding patriarch. Between him and his OG kids, Claire and Mitchell, their respective families, his new wife and kids, and everyone interacting regularly, it’s more often than not a fun-loving and humanistic give and take of blended familial relationships.

The Flinstones - The Flintstones 3/5

The titular family of the first notable animated sitcom premiered back in the 1960s. And while it was widely successful and has multiple iterations a la The Addams Family, Fred is far from Gomez. But the fictionalized caveman continued to show up for his family even when the going got tough, or got him flustered.

The Belchers - Bob’s Burgers 4/5

As one of the most rewatchable shows ever, The Belchers' family dynamic is the stuff of magic. While they may be far from perfect, overly successful, or even popular (to some), the five humorously and oddly show up for one another every week. Now and again, Bob or one of the other four shows some defiance with the goings on, but it never lasts for long.

The Tanners (and co.) - Full House 4/5

The blended household has a lot going on within all of its floors, including regularly showing up for each other. Danny, Joey, Becky and Jesse do their best for the collective kiddos but can also lead them into trouble from time to time. All in all, though, the collective fam has nothing but the best intentions, except maybe when DJ’s neighbor's best friend, Kimmy Gibbler, comes around.

The McCulloughs - The Bernie Mac Show 4/5

The Bernie Mac Show is another classic, somewhat reflective look into the late comedian Bernie Mac’s real life. As the McCulloughs take in their two nieces and nephew after their mom has issues, lots of boundaries are explored for the new fivesome. With his bold humor but well-intended grace, they all learn to bond.

The Wilkersons - Malcolm In The Middle 3/5

Malcolm and the rest of his family live in middle-class chaos, outside of careers, much of which is due to the close-knit but quarrelsome four brothers. Regardless of how messy, wild, or outlandish it gets, Lois, with the help of Hal, is there to rein it all back in time and again. Through thick and thin, and a bonkers way of getting their feelings across, they continue to stick together.

The Barones - Everybody Loves Raymond 4/5

Ray and his family live in a whirlwind of sarcasm, guilt trips, and unsolicited visits, mostly stirred up by their impossibly close but constantly bickering dynamic. With Marie’s meddling, Frank’s gruff indifference, and Robert’s simmering resentment, Ray and Debra are rarely left in peace. Still, no matter how overbearing or absurd it gets, they always find a way to resolve any quip.

The Rocks - Everybody Hates Chris 4/5

The Chris Rock reflective sitcom is the perfect blend of comedy and heart between the core five. Even though the noted balance hangs true in most episodes, the reactions and happenings that fill out the original UPN show highlight the realities of their normalcy. All of them are trying their best in their personal and collective lives, and it’s an excellent showcase.

The Mitchells - Moesha 3/5

The Mitchells on Moesha broke barriers and still remains a part of pop culture due to breaking untrue industry perceptions. Though Frank ran his household in a tight manner, alongside his second wife, Dee (remarried after his first wife, Marguerite, passed), they faced issues head-on and together. (Including Frank’s past infidelities.)

The Lopezes - George Lopez 4/5

Another outstanding example of parents and their kids comes from the early ‘00s George Lopez series. Not that it didn’t have its issues, including Lopez’s spotty communication skills, the fivesome navigated their best through an array of ups and downs using humor and diverse perspectives.

The Davids - Curb Your Enthusiasm 1/5

In the off chance you’re not familiar with this somewhat factual Larry David sitcom, Larry has and always will be the problem. It’s exactly why Cheryl Hines divorced him during the long-running 12-season show. The writer and comedian loosely based this on his own marriage, but with a larger-than-life comedic spin to it.

The Mosbys - How I Met Your Mother 3/5

It may be a forgotten fact that the Mosby kids are sprinkled throughout the series, but their presence is the hinge of the show. From the small sampling we have of Ted with his son and daughter, it all seems pretty average (depending on who you ask). During the 9 seasons, Mosby ignores direct questions from his children, albeit comedically, and focuses on recounting the whole thing in order.

The Bluths - Arrested Development 2/5

The Bluth family and their fictional company were a comedic trainwreck from start to finish. Even though they all had shining moments of showing up for each other, their rich, out-of-touch ways, personally and professionally, wreaked some major havoc. With the corrupt and scheming patriarch George Bluth at the helm, sooner or later, all the issues were bound to hit a boiling point.

The Griffins - Family Guy 2/5

As one of the more outlandish cartoon families, the Griffiths don’t hold down the homestead title as well as others. From Peter to Stewie, each of them has some highlights, but their flaws and how they relate to each other through those traits are the glue that somehow holds them together. Overall, they have fine moments of true connectedness, but it's not commonplace.

The Landrys, Campbells - Sister Sister 5/5

The still lovable Sister Sister shows just how to work through a wildly unexpected happening together. Starring Tia and Tamera Mowry as long-lost twins of the same name to reunite and live with their respective parents under one roof takes a lot of gumption. By no means did the new era between the four run smoothly, but all were onboard to give it their best shot to let the sisters get to know each other.

Schitt’s Creek 5/5

Co-creators and real-life father-son duo, Eugene and Dan Levy, nailed this fictional riches-to-rags story’s foursome. The Canadian sitcom took over the world because of the Schitt’s humor, ridiculous banter, but a pure heart of gold for one another. From start to finish, we watched them grow as a family and as individuals who truly realized that our relationships are the most important thing any of us has.

The Hills - King Of The Hill 4/5

You’d never expect a place like small-town Texas to house one of the best animated shows and families of all time, but it does. The Hills reflect a completely average American family in suburbia, with, generally, semi-realistic issues they work through together. Hank may be a little rough around the edges when something goes wrong, but he usually works through it and celebrates by cracking open a cold one with his pals, uh-huh.

The Reynolds - It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia 2/5

The Philadelphia area-based family isn’t for the faint of heart. They are a ragtag bunch that dysfunctionally can be supportive, but often through very muddied lenses of narcissism, manipulative behavior or shallowness. Somehow, through all of the dynamics, they continue to co-own and successfully tend a bar together.

The Solomons - 3rd Rock From The Sun 3/5

This case stands a little differently from the rest, in terms of human family dynamics vs. alien ones. As the Solomons, the quartet of ETs are wacky and get into a lot of antics Earthside that get them into trouble. But how they act toward one another as who they really are helps bump their score up.

One of the key streaming highlights hitting the 2025 TV schedule during the second week of May is no doubt the Season 2 return of former late night fave Conan O’Brien’s Max travel show Conan O’Brien Must Go. But even before that anticipated arrival, the ginger-haired comedian’s fans can join in on celebrating his TV efforts by watching the new special Conan O’Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize For American Humor, available to stream with a Netflix subscription.

The special is undeniably hilarious from beginning to end thanks to a plethora of lighthearted roasts from some of the Oscar host’s funniest friends, longtime colleagues and mainstay late night guests. From John Mulaney and Andy Richter to Adam Sandler and David Letterman, everyone was on their A-game, and that was especially true for Kumail Nanjiani, whose “TWAINTalk” addressed the vital question of whether O’Brien actually deserves the award, with The Simpsons as a key component.

While talking about influence as a benchmark for a comedian’s impact on the world at large, Nanjiani addressed Conan O’Brien’s career highlight of working on The Simpsons, saying:

It's not immediately clear whether that "93%" stat was based on any kind of data, or if it was crafted out of thin air, but there's no questioning the credited nature of O'Brien's work on The Simpsons. While he was indeed part of the writing staff early on, and certainly contributed jokes and story ideas for other episodes, the rather limiting nature of TV writing credits means that only three episodes from that iconic era can serve as irrefutable proof of his time there.

To break that number down further is just asking for chuckle-worthy trouble, but Kumail Nanjiani showcased the surprisingly teensy percentage that sums up Conan's Simpsons efforts, and made a bonkers comparison in the process. As he put it:

Both out of context and within the context of this special, that's one of the wildest sentences ever uttered for others to hear and react to. I'm trying to think of how many other ways Conan O'Brien and Charles Manson would be comparable, and all I can think of is that O'Brien and Bob Odenkirk wrote together on SNL and acted together, with Odenkirk having portrayed Manson on The Ben Stiller Show. But that's not even a proper 1:1 comparison.

In reminding the crowd which episodes Conan wrote, Kumail Nanjiani provoked quite the audible laugh from the honoree, saying:

The rest of Nanjiani's segment was obivously also amusing as it poked fun at the longtime late-night staple, and the Silicon Valley vet talked about Masturbating Bear being his very first taste of not just Late Night but of American television altogether. And somehow he stuck around and didn't run screaming back to his Pakistani stomping grounds.

Conan O’Brien Must Go will arrive anew with Season 2 on Thursday, May 8, for fans with Max subscriptions. But his whopping three episodes of The Simpsons can be streamed in full with a Disney+ subscription.

People have a lot of opinions on sitcoms, and the more popular, the more opinions there are. So, for this, our list of the best episodes of the best sitcoms, we combed through sites like IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes to see if we could find a consensus. It's probably not perfect, and opinions will vary, but at the very least, it's as close as a list can get to all the best episodes of these classic sitcoms from every era of television.

Seinfeld - The Contest

There is no question that "The Contest" in Season 4 ranks among the best episodes of Seinfeld ever. There may be one or two episodes that compete for that top spot, as would be expected from a show as beloved as Seinfeld, but just hearing Kramer yell "I'm out!" is enough for us to include it on this list.

Modern Family - Caught In The Act

Everyone fears walking in on their parents doing the deed, and that's the aptly titled "Caught In The Act" in Season 2 of Modern Family. The episode hilariously explores that one thing that everyone can relate to.

The Golden Girls - One Flew Out Out Of Cuckoo's Nest

Over the many years it ran, The Golden Girls just kept getting better. In fact, it's rare to see a series finale be ranked among the best ever, but that is the case with "One Flew Out Out Of Cuckoo's Nest." The classic NBC came to a wonderful conclusion with a couple of marriages and a move out of Florida. It does have some of those classic Golden Girls insults, though! What a way to end!

Good Times - The Evans Get Involved: Part 1

Sometimes the best episodes are not necessarily the funniest. Take, for example, "The Evans Get Involved: Part 1" from Season 5 of Good Times. Not only does it introduce Penny, played by a young Janet Jackson, who would become a major character going forward, but it also addresses the deadly serious subject of abuse. So, it's not the funniest, but it is great TV.

The Brady Bunch - The Subject Was Noses

Multiple generations grew up watching The Brady Bunch, and when asked about episodes, it's inevitable that many will immediately cite Marcia's broken nose episode as one of their favorites and certainly one of the most memorable. The episode, from Season 4, is a classic, and the ridiculousness of the football hitting Marcia in the face is one of the best moments in TV history.

Scrubs - My Best Friend's Baby's Baby and My Baby's Baby

The second episode of Season 4 of Scrubs, "My Best Friend's Baby's Baby and My Baby's Baby," takes the top spot for the medical comedy. Honestly, just the title is perfect for the show's over-the-top nature and earns it this spot on the list.

All In The Family -  Too Good Edith

All In The Family was never afraid to blur the lines between drama and comedy and take on heavy subjects. The series finale, after nine incredible seasons, takes the top spot here. Titled "Too Good Edith," the show explores the love Archie has for Edith and his fear of her death. The death comes off-screen, after the show concluded, and is dealt with the the show's sequel series, Archie's Place. A fitting end to the classic show.

The Simpsons - Homer's Enemy

Ask 100 fans of The Simpsons what the best episode is, and you'll probably get 100 different answers (though anyone who says anything after Season 10 is wrong). The most popular answer on the internet seems to be "Homer's Enemy" from Season 8, which tells the story of Homer's hapless co-worker Frank Grimes, aka "Grimsy," may he rest in peace.

Community - Modern Warfare

Ah, the famous paintball episode of Community. It feels like all we really need to say here is, "If you know, you know."

Family Guy - Road To The Multiverse

Years before the MCU movies took us into the multiverse, The Family Guy offered us a "Road to the Multiverse" in Season 8. It's a little surprising that this one is so loved by fans. It's a great episode, but it's also very different from a standard episode. Sometimes going this far astray doesn't work, but Seth McFarlane and his crack crew nailed it here.

Cheers - One For The Road

It turns out that fans actually kind of love series finales. "One for the Road" was the last episode of the classic sitcom Cheers, and while it's a great ending to the show, there are funnier episodes, for sure. Still, these episodes clearly rank highly for many shows. The same probably can't be said for dramas like Game of Thrones and Lost.

Gilligan's Island - Don't Bug The Mosquitoes

It's become cliche to joke about all the visitors who came to the castaways' island in Gilligan's Island, only to leave without the poor stranded folks on the island. So that's not what we'll do here, but "Don't Bug The Mosquitoes" from Season 2 is a prime example of just how ridiculous (and great) the show was. The Mosquitoes are pretty much a parody of mid-'60s rock stars, just as cheesy as you'd expect from the show.

The Odd Couple - Password

There really isn't a funnier premise than Felix and Oscar from The Odd Couple trying to work together on a game show like Password, as they did on this episode from Season 3 of the classic sitcom. Hijinks ensue!

Friends - The One Where Everybody Finds Out

Like a lot of really popular shows on this–and few shows ever have been as popular as Friends–there are sure to be people who disagree that the Season 7 episode "The One Where Everybody Finds Out" is the best. But c'mon, Phoebe yelling "My eyes!" is classic Friends!

Abbott Elementary - Volunteers

Abbott Elementary seems to be an unstoppable force. The multiple Emmy-winning show is probably the best sitcom of the 2020s, and it's because of episodes like "Volunteers." Though there is likely some recency bias baked in the reviews here, as it's a relatively new episode, coming from Season 4.

WKRP In Cincinnati - Turkeys Away

WKRP In Cincinnati is an all-time great sitcom, and this episode, the Thanksgiving episode from Season 1 titled "Turkeys Away" is almost certainly considered by all of the show's fans to be the best–or at the least in the top two or three. It's a show where clips still get shared every Thanksgiving, even decades after the show aired. And no, Les, turkeys can't fly.

I Love Lucy - L.A. At Last!

What would sitcoms be without I Love Lucy? The pioneering show starring the legendary Lucille Ball broke ground in more ways than we could ever talk about on this list. Books have been written about it. The Season 4 episode, "L.A. At Last!" is a classic episode, as Lucy and Desi go to Los Angeles and rub shoulders with the stars... with predictably disastrous results.

Arrested Development - Development Arrested

Season 3 of Arrested Development was supposed to be the series finale for the show that always seemed in danger of imminent cancellation. The episode, called "Development Arrested," does a great job of tying a bow on the series and, like pretty much every episode from those first three years, is absolutely hilarious.

Schitt's Creek - Happy Ending

Yet another series finale of a classic sitcom that tops the list of best episodes is "Happy Ending" from Schitt's Creek. It's a mostly happy ending for everyone, especially David and Patrick, as they finally get married after a lot of hassle!

Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Doll

There is nothing unique about "The Doll" from Curb Your Enthusiasm; it's just classic Curb, with Larry getting angry over mundane things, like how to act in a movie theater and locks on bathrooms (or the lack thereof). There are so many great episodes of the cringy classic that picking one is impossible, but this one is as good as any, and definitely one of the best.

Full House - Secret Admirer

For a certain generation, Full House will forever be an important part of their childhood. That makes "Secret Admirer" from Season 4 the perfect choice here. Everyone has had, or wishes they've had, a secret admirer, and in this episode, every member of the family finds that wish coming true, even though it was true for any of them. It really should be ranked number one.

Designing Women - Killing All The Right People

For whatever reason, Designing Women doesn't seem to have stood the test of time as other sitcoms from the era have. It's odd because in its day, it was wildly popular and a real cultural phenomenon. It was also a show that didn't shy away from commenting on the most controversial issues of the day, as it did in "Killing All The Right People" when it addressed the AIDS epidemic in a time when few were paying as much attention as they should have been.

The Jeffersons - Sorry, Wrong Meeting

Few spinoffs in television history have been as popular as The Jeffersons, which was one of the spinoffs from All In The Family. Like the show it came from, The Jeffersons loved to poke fun at series issues, like George accidentally attending a meeting for the KKK in "Sorry, Wrong Meeting."

Roseanne - War And Peace

"War and Peace," from Season 5 of Roseanne, is all about rumors and family squabbles. That might sound like most episodes of the sitcom, but this one is actually one of the best, as is evident by its ranking at the top. It's a classic Dan episode, which, if we're honest, is the best kind of episode.

Futurama - Jurassic Bark

Any show as beloved as Futurama is going to have a lot of opinions about the best episode. Season 3's "Jurassic Bark" is surprisingly agreed upon by many, though. It's one of the rare times the show got somewhat serious, and that always bumps a show up, it seems.

Diff'rent Strokes - First Love

We have to admit, this one surprised us. Diff'rent Strokes had its fair share of episodes that tackled controversial subjects, but this episode, "First Love," is a pretty straightforward sitcom episode centered around Willis and his new girlfriend, Charlene. Willis isn't allowed to see her, but he finds a way anyway, much to Mr. Drummond's ire.

Murphy Brown - Frank's Appendectomy

Putting this list together, it seemed certain that the most popular episode of Murphy Brown would be "You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato" about Murphy raising her child as a single mother. Instead, a relatively normal, but very funny episode from Season 2, "Frank's Appendectomy," won out.

Sanford And Son - A Guest In The Yard

One of the classic re-occurring bits on Sanford and Son had Fred berating Lamont for being a "big dummy." In the classic episode "A Guest In The Yard," it's pretty much a whole episode of just that. A homeless man tries to scam Fred and Lamont, and they can't figure out how to get rid of him. Lamont wises up, but it's no use; the man still manages to have them get him drunk.

Will & Grace - Grandpa Jack

Jack McFarland on Will & Grace is one of the best supporting characters in sitcom history, and many of the shows that focus on him are among the best in the show's history. Grandpa Jack...wait, Jack is a grandpa?... is no exception, and it's no surprise that it's ranked at the top.

Frasier - Ham Radio

It's incredible that Kelsey Grammer has been playing Frasier Crane for as many decades as he has. It's one of the most enduring characters in TV history, and "Ham Radio" from the fourth season of Frasier embodies everything we love to hate about the character when he tries to create an old-timey radio drama on his station. Of course, he's controlling and bossy, and everything falls apart...

The Big Bang Theory · The Stockholm Syndrome

The series finale of The Big Bang Theory, called "The Stockholm Syndrome," is, in a lot of ways, just another episode of the popular show. The gang of nerds gets into trouble on a flight to Sweden. But it definitely feels like a finale in many ways, most notably with the revelation that Penny is pregnant. The show's enduring popularity has led to multiple spinoffs, but the original is still the best for episodes like this.

Night Court - A Day In The Life

There is no question that "A Day In The Life" from Season 4 of Night Court is the best episode. The courtroom gang has to work at warp speed to get through hundreds of cases before midnight, and the frantic pace of the episode is hilarious and wonderful.

"The Simpsons are going to," is a long-running catchphrase of Homer Simpson, and whatever adventure follows that phrase rarely disappoints. Fire up a Disney+ subscription and pick any one of their vacation episodes as evidence, and trust me, there's no shortage of episodes to "choo choo choose" from.

Whether The Simpsons is traveling abroad or staying within the United States, the family has never failed to find fun on their various adventures. Below, we'll break down some of the best trips they ever took, for anyone hoping to take a walk down memory lane and check those episodes out.

Japan

"Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo" shows the family make an impromptu trip to Japan after stealing tickets from the Flanders family. It blows up in their face when Marge has to bail Homer and Bart out of jail, and they have to go on a crazy game show in an attempt to win money to go back home.

The Yellow Lotus

In what's meant to be a not-so-subtle parody of The White Lotus, The Simpsons travel to a luxury resort they've been paying for since Bart's birth, only to learn they've only accumulated a short amount of time. They find a way to sneak in anyway and get caught up in some wild rich person drama. Oh, and Sideshow Bob is there.

Brazil

When Lisa runs up a huge phone bill making a call to Brazil to speak to an orphan she's sponsoring, the family makes a trip to go and see him. There, they get a taste of life in South America, including questionable children's television shows, and Speedos. We also learn that children taste like sugar to monkeys.

Mr. Burns' Summer Estate

In what is without question one of the best movie parodies The Simpsons ever did, "Treehouse Of Horror V" shows the family watch over Mr. Burns' vacation home during the winter. Unfortunately, the lack of television and beer drives Homer insane, not unlike what happens in The Shining. They call it "The Shinning," as no one wants to get sued.

Dude Ranch

When Homer writes a hit song hating on Ned Flanders, the family flees to a Dude Ranch to escape its success. "Dude, Where's My Ranch" shows Lisa fall for a cowboy teen, while Bart and Homer wage war with some aggressive beavers. Moe also kidnaps producer David Burns and writes his hit song "Moe, Moe, Moe."

Australia

"Bart vs. Australia" features The Simpsons taking another trip based on a phone bill, as the family travels to the continent so that Bart can apologize for running up a large phone bill. As fans might guess, Bart doesn't give in, and the family ends up escaping the country by helicopter.

New York

Barney goes on a bender and is missing with Homer's car for two months, the family finally learns the car is in New York. While Homer struggles with the obscene amount of tickets the car received and a boot hooked to the tire, the rest of the family sees the sights. "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson" is a classic, and one of the show's many references to C.H.U.D.

Tanzania

A bag boy strike ultimately results in the family heading to Tanzania in "Simpson Safari," after Homer bites into a decades-old golden animal cracker. There, they journey everywhere from the jungle to a chimp sanctuary, and find the country in the midst of political strife as they board the flight home with its former leader.

France

The Simpsons has done a few episodes set in France, though "The Crepes Of Wrath" seems to be one that fans remember the most. Bart is sent to France as part of a foreign exchange program and ends up being taken in by winemakers spiking their product with antifreeze. Bart ends up getting them arrested and gains widespread acclaim in the country for doing so.

London

"The Regina Monologues" features The Simpsons in London after Bart gifts the family a trip to London, England, with the proceeds he earned from showcasing a $1000 bill. Grandpa Abe goes in search of his long-lost love, Edwina. This episode is notable due to the voice appearances by Sir Ian McKellen, Tony Blair, J.K. Rowling, and Evan Marriott, all playing themselves.

Iceland

Homer and the guys at the bar pursue Carl (one of The Simpsons' most amazing characters) in his homeland of Iceland when they learn he fled the country with money he obtained from a shared lottery ticket. Check out "The Saga Of Carl" for a lot on the character's backstory, and why he would seemingly betray his friends.

China

"Goo Goo Gai Pan" is a travel episode that also centers around a side character in The Simpsons, and features Marge's sister Selma attempting to adopt a child in China. Selma lists Homer as her husband because she believes being a single parent will lessen her odds of adoption, but ultimately comes clean and still gets her daughter, Ling.

Israel

"The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed" takes The Simpsons to Israel, as Ned Flanders makes a desperate play to try and save Homer's soul. Suffice it to say the Simpson family isn't on their best behavior in the country, Homer ultimately impresses in the end, however, and Flanders realizes his neighbor might be better than he might've thought.

India

When a TV series lasts over ten seasons, it's going to go a lot of places. Even so, I find it odd that it took seventeen seasons for The Simpsons to make it to India! Homer mistakenly ends up in the country when he hears the Springfield power plant is being relocated, thinking he's moving to Illinois or Indiana. Homer soon becomes a "god" to his employees, though they later reveal they were just humoring him and grateful he gave them American luxuries like coffee breaks on the job.

Toronto

Bart breaks up with actor Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter, but after realizing he still likes her, sets off with the family to Toronto, Canada, in an effort to win her back from Milhouse. The boys fight over her and end up interrupting a curling match, and both end up losing the girl and rekindle their friendship.

The Grand Canyon

The death of Maude Flanders is one of the darkest episodes of The Simpsons, but she returns in "The Fland Canyon," where Homer recalls when the Simpsons and the Flanders family made a trip to the Grand Canyon. While the families are classically at odds, they find a way to come together and bond when getting stuck at the natural wonder.

Antarctica

Bart takes the family on a luxury cruise by selling his possessions, but as the trip winds down, he creates a fake message warning the entire ship of a pandemic, encouraging them to extend the cruise until further notice. "A Totally Fun Thing Bart Will Never Do Again" ends with everyone learning of Bart's prank, and the family being left behind in Antarctica while the ship returns home.

Space

In a classic case of The Simpsons predicting something, Homer Simpson was one of the first private citizens in space long before Gayle King was looking panicked about taking her own space flight. "Deep Space Homer" is nothing short of a disaster for the astronauts forced to take Homer in space with them, but they make it back alright.

Utah

Lisa makes a documentary on her family, and surprisingly enough, it gets accepted for a screening at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. "Any Given Sundance" is a great episode to watch for those who have never been to the popular movie event, and even more enjoyable to watch if you have.

Italy

"The Italian Bob" sends the family to Italy on a trip to retrieve a classic luxury car for Mr. Burns. While there, they run into Sideshow Bob, who has rebuilt his life in Italy and has a family and reputable status in the community. Unfortunately, Lisa inadvertently exposes his past, and it takes an assist from Krusty to protect him from his former co-host.

Michigan

"Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" presented an early shocker in Grandpa Simpson, revealing Homer had a half-brother. While Herb Powell never became a meaningful character in The Simpsons in the long run, he did invite the family to his mansion in Detroit, where the family was impressed with the life he built for himself.

Scotland

"Monty Can't Buy Me Love" may be a reference to The Beatles, but this Scotland adventure in The Simpsons was all about tracking the Loch Ness monster. In one of the more hilarious endings to an episode, the monster ends up getting a job at a Las Vegas casino.

Ireland

Homer gets into the pub business during "In The Name Of The Grandfather," all in hopes of restoring a bar in Ireland that his father used to drink at during the war. Star Trek actor Colm Meaney is a guest star in this one, which is fitting as he's the most accurate representation of Ireland in the sci-fi franchise.

Aruba

This is a bit of a weird one, considering this is a trip that Marge took with Moe. Yes, despite it being an odd pairing, the two were linked at the hip in "Mommie Beerest" when she became a business partner in the tavern. Who would've thought they'd ever be friends, considering the number of times he called her "Midge."

Las Vegas

"Viva Ned Flanders" might be the most notable vacation episode of The Simpsons, as Homer and Ned have a night on the town that ends with them marrying two Las Vegas showgirls. Unfortunately for the two, what happened in Vegas did not stay in Vegas, and they had to do some work to get out of that.

Hawaii

Bart and Homer are sent to an isolated colony in Hawaii after they believe they contracted leprosy, though I'm not sure many will remember "Little Big Mom" for that. More fans of The Simpsons may better remember it for the scene in which we get a great view of Ned, where it's like he's wearing "nothing at all."

Los Angeles

Considering how much The Simpsons deals with Hollywood and movies, it's a wonder it took. It finally happens in "Angry Dad: The Movie" in which Bart and Lisa have to distract Homer so they can attend the screening of Bart's successful short film that his father keeps taking all the credit for.

Vancouver

The Simpsons has an episode about just every topic imaginable, and if you don't believe that, look no further than this episode that took place at the Vancouver Winter Olympics and centered entirely around the sport of curling. This episode only became more relevant years later, when the show correctly predicted the men's U.S.A. team winning a gold medal.

Morocco

This one may be a bit questionable, considering the family trip took place in a dream. "Treehouse of Horror II" featured the family in Morocco, where Homer happens upon a monkey's paw. The family uses it to attempt to make their wildest dreams come true, but as many are familiar with how a monkey's paw works, it all comes at a price.

Pennsylvania

After public humiliation, Ned Flanders quietly relocates his family to Pennsylvania and find a town more wound tightly than he is at his most unbearable. Meanwhile, Homer gets harassed by an aggressive new neighbor, and "Home Away From Homer" ultimately ends in both men realizing they love being neighbors far more than they don't.

Mexico

"The Bob Next Door" ultimately leads the family to Mexico, thinking Sideshow Bob kidnapped Bart and took him to the country to murder him. It all ends up being a deception as he actually went to the Five Corners, but that's not important to this story. What is important is that while Bart is in danger, Homer somehow gets caught up in arguing with someone in Mexico about what the word "taco" is in Spanish.

Cuba

"The Trouble With Trillions" sends Mr. Burns and Homer to Cuba, where they flee the government after Homer agrees to help his wealthy boss evade them. Unfortunately, their attempt to buy the island is unsuccessful, as Fidel Castro asks to see the bill and then refuses to return it.

Hong Kong

"Bart On The Road" takes the little hellion a lot of places, as he obtains a fake driver's license and takes his friends on a road trip. When that plan goes south, Bart is forced to become a courier for money and has to board a plane to Hong Kong to deliver eyeballs so he can make it back to Springfield.

Comedy sometimes ages like milk. The things that were funny in say the '80s may not be as funny in ’20 or '25, and as time passes so does the nature of things people laugh about. Everything from roasts to impressions to specific jokes can eventually go from light comedic jabs to being offensive over time. Which brings us to The Simpsons Apu. While voice actor Hank Azaria stepped away from the character in 2020, he opened up about what convinced him to retire Apu on The Simpsons despite initially thinking the backlash would blow over.

In an interview on the podcast ‘Pablo Torre Finds Out’, voice actor and human jukebox Hank Azaria talks about some of the inspirations for some of his most iconic characters, as well as his previous comments about AI and the outsourcing of his job to a machine. During the discussion, the actor was asked about how he approached the controversy regarding the character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, and he got real about the "deep dive" that came when people called for him to quit the character.

The conversation grew bigger after the 2017 release of The Problem With Apu, a documentary by comedian Hari Kondabolu about the negative impacts of the stereotypes that the character of Apu had perpetuated. Azaria commented on this topic at the height of the controversy, and again in 2020 when he officially stepped down from voicing Apu.

Despite stepping back from the role, he still gets questions about characters he has voiced on The Simpsons.

Both the documentary and Azaria’s interview on ‘Pablo Torre Finds Out’ touch on how other people felt about the Apu character outside of the context of those working on the show. Azaria went on to share that when he realized the level of ridicule and hurt feelings he was inspiring, he realized that while he himself did not mean to cause harm, he inadvertently was.

The Simpsons has long been a staple of media, and it has never been immune to controversy around its satirical humor. Episodes like ‘Stark Raving Mad’ have made headlines, as did the time the show got into a battle with Brazil over the episode ‘Blame it on Lisa’. Other times the show has brazenly jumped into touchy topics in ways that look more positive years later, with ‘Homers Phobia’ still marked as landmark TV many years later.

It's been several years since Hank Azaria first changed his mind on the topic, but his willingness to pipe about it speaks volumes about his character, no pun intended.

"We're all going to be cool like Fonzie" are the words that Jules Winfield (Samuel L. Jackson) says in Pulp Fiction. It's not random, of course, that he chose Henry Winkler's character from Happy Days to define cool. The Fonz remains one of, if not the coolest characters in television history, but he's hardly alone on the small screen for his coolness. This list includes many of those cool characters you could always see yourself being friends with.

Rico Tubbs - Miami Vice

Often on cop shows, you'll get one buttoned-up straight cop and one "cool" cop. On Miami Vice, that wasn't the case. Both detectives oozed '80s cool, but in very different ways. James "Sonny" Crockett (Don Johnson) was aloof most of the time, but cared when it mattered. Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs cared all the time, but played it off as pure cool.

Charlie Harper - Two And A Half Men

Charlie Sheen has been some wild ups and downs in his personal and professional life, but his character on Two and a Half Men has always been the definition of laid-back cool. Maybe too much, compared to the other characters around him. He does bring a great balance, though.

Bunk Moreland - The Wire

The Bunk, Bunk Moreland (Wendell Pierce), on The Wire, is well-dressed and as smooth as his silk ties. He's one of the best "murder police" in the Baltimore PD, and he never misses a trick. It's easy to understand why he's on this list.

Thomas Magnum - Magnum P.I.

There are a lot of cool TV detectives, but the top of the list has to be Thomas Magnum from Magnum P.I. He drives a Ferarri, he wears short shorts, and he's got some of the best facial hair in the game. The ladies want him, and the gentlemen want to be him. He's got all the game, and he gets to live on a giant estate in Hawaii. That's winning.

Carol Peletier - The Walking Dead

In the beginning of The Walking Dead, Carol Peletier didn't seem like much of a survivor. She suffered at the hands of an abusive husband and seemed well out of her depth when the zombie apocalypse started. She used everything she learned, though, and by the end, she wasn't just one of the baddest survivors on the show; she was also one of the coolest.

Barney Stinson - How I Met Your Mother

This one might be a little controversial because despite having a ton of amazing quotes and having a classic aloof nature, Barney Stintson is pretty swarmy. Of course, everyone has a friend like that, and almost everyone lets those friends get away with their bad behavior because they are so cool.

Sydney Bristow - Alias

Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) on Alias is the epitome of cool under pressure. She always knew what to do and was as capable as any spy in Hollywood history. She deserves a spot high on any list about cool characters.

Mrs. Maisel - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Any woman in the 1950s who chooses to strike out on her own and take a chance like Midge Maisel should be cool in anyone's book. When she's as funny as Mrs. Maisel, it's an open-and-shut case. She's the coolest.

Chandler Bing - Friends

Chandler on Friends, played by the late Matthew Perry, isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it's hard to deny his coolness. Of all the friends, he's easily the coolest. There is an aloofness to him that lends itself to cool, and compared to Joey and Ross? It's not even a race, really, Chandler wins every time.

Michael Knight - Knight Rider

Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff) had a great perm, he wore an awesome Members-Only-looking leather coat, and he drove a Trans Am that talked to him. By any standard, that is cool. By the standards of the '80s? It was the top of the mountain. Everyone loves David Hasselhoff.

Fonzie - Happy Days

Here we are, at the coolest of the cool. Arthur Fonzarelli, or "The Fonz" or "Fonzie," if you like. He could do things like fix jukeboxes just by hitting them. He rode a motorcycle and wore a leather jacket. And he had that great hair! Plus, he's everyone's favorite person, including all the parents and authority figures. It just doesn't get cooler.

Al Swearengen - Deadwood

He's mean, he's nasty, and he makes an enemy out of everyone. Yet, for some undefinable reason, Al Swearengen (Ian McShane) is definitely cool. Maybe its his verboseness, or maybe it's his confidence, it's hard to pinpoint exactly. Even though he's a violent criminal, he's still really cool.

Daria - Daria

For an entire generation of disaffected teenagers in the 1990s, Daria on Daria summed up everything they were feeling. Unimpressed with the world, beaten down by modern life, and more interested in being sullen than anything else, Daria was everything a cool kid was in the '90s.

Daryl Dixon - The Walking Dead

Of all the characters on The Walking Dead, none were cooler than the cross-bow-wielding, motorcycle-riding, complete stud, Daryl Dixon. He was soft-spoken, but when he did speak, everyone listened. He didn't have to say much to be cool, he just had to be himself. He was always ready for a fight and always backed his friends. He's just the best.

Don Draper - Mad Men

The mid-20th Century produced a lot of "cool." Don Draper, who led the charge in culture, defines that cool. There are a million moments in Mad Men where Draper (Jon Hamm) proves just how cool he is. He may have been living a lie, but man it was a cool life!

Cosmo Kramer - Seinfeld

To paraphrase Jerry on Seinfeld, Kramer does nothing, falls backward into money, mooches food off your neighbors, and hooks up without dating. While actor Michael Richards has had a checkered career since starring on one of the best sitcoms of all time, his character on the show was always cool. He was the one we all wanted to be.

Fleabag - Fleabag

Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) is so cool, she doesn't even need a name. That's really saying something. She's smart, funny, cynical, and yeah, sometimes angry or mean, but most of the time, it's her biting wit that puts her on this list. There are a lot of people who strive to have that kind of wit, but very few ever do. Cool.

Sam Malone - Cheers

Anyone who owns a bar like Cheers is going to have to be on this list. He's loyal to his friends and regulars, he's an ex-pro athlete, and he never has problems dating beautiful women. He's also one of the funniest characters from one of the funniest sitcoms ever. We all want to be Sam, in some ways.

Face - The A-Team

Templeton "Face" Peck is the coolest character on The A-Team and usually the coolest under pressure, too. He's most likely to be the one that to go undercover because of it. He's also got some of the best lines on the show. Everyone on the team is cool in their own way, but Face takes the cake when it comes to real "coolness."

Mary Richards - The Mary Tyler Moore Show

She's gonna make it after all! Mary Richards oozes everything cool in all seven seasons of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She showed girls and women everywhere that they, too, could make it in the corporate world and in the news business, all while looking sheik and being insanely cool.

Spock - Star Trek

Of all the characters in the original Star Trek, Spock has to be the coolest, right? Bones seems like the most fun, and Kirk would be hilarious to hang out with, but Spock has them all beat. He's cool, calm, and collected at all times, and he has just even of a human side to make him real. He has all the facts, too, which is good for all those arguments in a bar, right?

Tyrion Lannister - Game Of Thrones

The list of "cool" Lannisters on Game of Thrones is a short list. It's a list of one, really, and that one is, of course, Tyrion. From the way he dances to his trial, or the way he stays as loyal as he can to people until the end, he's the one family member you can trust. Obviously he's also a lot of fun.

Columbo - Columbo

What can we say about Peter Falk's amazing character, Columbo, in the show of the same name? He plays the bumbling detective who actually knows exactly what is going on at all times. He doesn't put on airs, and he doesn't care what people think of him at first blush. In fact, his nonchalant nature is exactly what makes him so effective - and cool.

Sonny Crockett - Miami Vice

One half of the coolest '80s TV detectives, Sonny Crockett oozes cool. He drives exotic cars, looks great in a white suit and pastel shirts, and he is, in the end, Don Johnson. Don Johnson is as cool as his character, and it all comes across on the screen. With all the wild guest stars in Miami Vice history, he had to hold his own, and he more than did.

Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy

Lucy Ricardo was a television pioneer in every way. She not only had one of the first legitimately huge hits on the medium, she did it as a women. That only is enough to make her cool enough for this list. The fact that her character on I Love Lucy was a little goofy and a little batty only adds to the cool factor.

Buffy Summers - Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Talk about a character who became a role model for teenagers everywhere! The way Buffy Summers from Buffy The Vampire Slayer always handled herself made her formidable, but cool as heck while she was.

Lester Freamon - The Wire

"Cool Lester Smooth" is just one of Lester Freamon's nicknames on The Wire. He does have a certain tweed impertinence, but he's got all the answers. The show is too realistic to have a real Holmsian character, but Lester, played brilliantly by Clarke Peters, is as close as the show comes, and everyone knows that's cool. Plus, he looks out for his friends and has endless patience. Oodles of coolness.

Silvio Dante - The Sopranos

Every kingpin needs a trustworthy #2, and for Tony Soprano, that's his consiglieri, Silvio Dante. He is as loyal as it comes, and he does a mean Al Pacino impression. It helps that the character is played by a bona fide rock star, "Little" Steven Van Zandt from the E Street Band. Silvio was "peak cool" from the peak era of prestige TV.

Arya Stark - Game Of Thrones

Unlike the Lannisters in Game of Thrones, there are a lot of cool Starks. How can you pick just one among Ned, Robb, and all the rest? Well, really, it's easy. Arya is the coolest. In fact, she's pretty much the coolest character in the whole series, both on screen and in the books.

Sawyer - Lost

Okay we'll admit, Sawyer on Lost is often a jerk. But man, he's so cool sometimes. If you like bad boys, he's the ultimate bad boy and as we all know, bad boys are cool. It's just the way it goes. It's a fact. Plus, that hair... that hair is awesome.

Lisa Simpson - The Simpsons

This is a hill not a lot of Simpsons fans will die on, but those of us who will, will go down fighting. Lisa Simpson is the best. She's the best family member and the heart of the show's morality. If Lisa disapproves, you should do that thing. She's also really fun when she wants to be, even if some people disagree. Nerds are cool!

Wednesday Addams - Wednesday

Just like bad boys are always cool, bad girls are too. Wednesday Addams is as bad a girl can get, in the very best way. That means she's the coolest. The level of aloofness is frankly incredible and means she has to be on this list.

Arguably the best animated TV show of all time, The Simpsons is responsible for some of TV’s best side characters, all-timer episodes, and countless visual gags over the past 36-plus years. And over the years, Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie (and other Springfield residents) have made some wild predictions that ended up coming true in the real and three-dimensional world.

That being said, here are 32 shocking times The Simpsons correctly predicted future events. And yeah, there are some bonkers scenarios on this list…

The Three-Eyed Fish (Season 2)

The three-eyed fish has popped up on The Simpsons multiple times over the years, including way back in the Season 2 episode “Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish,” in which Mr. Burns was served the mutated creature for dinner. Well, instead of art imitating life, it was the other way around in 2011 when a group of Argentine anglers pulled up a three-eyed fish, per the CBC.

Disney Buying 20th Century Fox (Season 10)

Around 20 years before Disney pulled off the acquisition of the century by purchasing 20th Century Fox (which included The Simpsons), the show predicted the merger in “When You Dish Upon a Star.” At one point in the Season 10 episode, a sign can be seen listing 20th Century Fox as a division of Walt Disney Co. Talk about a prediction!

Siegfried & Roy Tiger Attack (Season 5)

Years before the Siegfried & Roy show came to an abrupt and tragic ending when Roy Horn was attacked by one of his white tigers, The Simpsons predicted something like that would happen in the Season 5 episode "$pringfield (or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling).” In the episode, Gunter & Ernst (a parody of the Las Vegas duo) were pounced upon by their trusty tigers.

Cypress Hill Playing With The London Symphony Orchestra (Season 7)

Cypress Hill playing with the London Symphony Orchestra seemed like nothing more than some off-the-wall gag when the two groups got together in the Season 7 episode “Homerpalooza.” But that ended up happening nearly 30 years later when the iconic rap group teamed up with the world-renowned symphony for a special concert. Maybe we have Homer to thank.

The Election Of Donald Trump (Season 11)

A Season 11 episode was made to be a riff on Back to the Future, but it ended up predicting our real-life future in a scene where it is revealed that Donald Trump left the country in rough economic shape after his presidency. Years later, we’d have not one Trump term in office but two.

The U.S. Men’s Olympic Curling Victory (Season 21)

Remember when the U.S. Men’s Curling team shocked the world and took home the gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics? Well, The Simpsons did it first back in Season 21’s “Boy Meets Curl,” when Homer and Marge pulled off the impossible and won the top prize. However, they didn’t have those righteous mustaches.

Smartwatches (Season 6)

The Simpsons got futuristic in the Season 6 episode “Lisa’s Wedding,” which followed an adult version of the middle Simpson child as a grownup preparing to get married. At one point, Lisa’s fiancé, Hugh Parkfield, can be seen talking into his smartwatch nearly 20 years before they became a big hit in the tech world.

Predicting Super Bowl XXVI (Season 3)

Back before Super Bowl XXVI, The Simpsons predicted that the Washington Redskins (now known as the Washington Commanders) would defeat the favorited Buffalo Bills in the biggest game of the year in Season 3’s “Lisa the Greek.” The very thing happened just weeks later when Washington gave the Bills yet another Super Bowl loss.

JCPenney’s Bankruptcy (Season 18)

In the Season 18 episode “Please Homer, Don’t Hammer ‘Em,” the family walks through a defunct mall and sees a JCPenney’s department store left in ruins. Well, in 2020, more than a decade after the episode’s premiere, CNN reported that JCPenney had filed for bankruptcy in real life.

An Underwater Disaster (Season 17)

The Season 17 episode “Homer’s Paternity Coot” sees the Simpson family patriarch meets his biological father, and together they go on a disastrous underwater journey. More than a decade-and-a-half later, the Titan submersible would tragically implode on the way to see the wreckage of the Titanic.

Covering Up David (Season 2)

Nearly a quarter-century before Deadline reported on a group of Florida parents losing their minds over Michaelangelo’s David, The Simpsons had an episode about it. Back in Season 2, there was a huge fight over the statue when it came to Springfield as part of a traveling exhibit. And this time, it was wearing pants!

A Late Beatles Letter (Season 2)

Way back in Season 2 of The Simpsons, Ringo Starr can be seen responding to fan letters from back in the 1960s. Well, several decades after the episode aired, Paul McCartney responded to a real fan letter that had gotten lost for 50 years. Better late than never, right?

People Stealing Cooking Grease (Season 10)

No marathon binge of The Simpsons would be complete without watching “Lard of the Dance,” a Season 10 episode in which Homer concocts a get-rich scheme that involves stealing and reselling grease. Seem too far-fetched? Over the years, outlets like KDSK in St. Louis, Missouri, have reported on thieves coming in at night to steal restaurants' used cooking oil.

Murder Hornets (Season 4)

The Season 4 episode “Marge in Chains” has a lot of eerie coincidences that would become true years after the fact. One is the “Osaka Flu,” which some could say is a COVID-19 prediction, but the funnier angle is the killer bees that were also present in the episode. You know what else came in 2020? Oh, just murder hornets…

Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl Entrance (Season 23)

Lady Gaga’s performance during the Super Bowl LI halftime show in February 2017 was a massive spectacle that kicked off with a wild entrance involving the singer flying with sparklers fixed to her outfit. Well, The Simpsons predicted this in the 2012 episode “Lisa Goes Gaga,” which saw the Oscar winner in a very similar get-up.

Video Chats On Phones (Season 6)

Video-chat technology has appeared all over the place over the years, including The Simpsons Season 6 when an older Lisa is talking to Marge over her phone. The tech would become widespread a couple of decades later, and the rest is history.

The FIFA Corruption Scandal (Season 25)

Years before movies, shows, and documentaries were made about the 2015 FIFA corruption scandal, The Simpsons predicted it. In the Season 25 episode “You Don’t Have to Live Like a Referee,” Homer was tasked with watching over a World Cup game, and during the match, he was bribed by a player. A year later, the international sports body was nearly brought down by one of the biggest scandals in modern sports history.

The Greece Financial Crisis (Season 23)

In the Season 23 episode “Tales from the Public Domain,” Homer is on a news show when the ticker at the bottom of the screen reads, “Europe puts Greece on eBay.” A few years later, Greece (and the EU) was at the center of one of the most prolific and consequential financial crises of all time.

Voting Machine Issues (Season 20)

Ahead of the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, The Simpsons had an episode where Homer tried to vote for Barack Obama, but all of his votes kept going to John McCain. Four years later, something very similar happened. According to NBC News, there were reports of voters casting ballots for Obama going to challenger Mitt Romney instead.

A Horse Meat Scandal (Season 5)

Back in Season 5 of The Simpsons, there was an episode where people were unknowingly being fed “assorted horse parts” in their meals. Well, in 2013, the BBC reported that several people were going to trial after being caught using cheap horsemeat in beef products throughout Europe.

The NSA Spying Program (The Simpsons Movie)

We’ll probably never get a sequel for The Simpsons Movie, which is a shame because the 2007 big-screen affair was a hilarious expansion of the franchise. One of the funniest moments in the movie comes when Marge and the kids joke about the NSA spying on them, only for the train conductor to be revealed as a spy robot. A few years later, Edward Snowden leaked information about the agency doing just that.

The ‘God Particle’ (Season 10)

The Higgs boson, also known as the “God Particle,” was one of the biggest scientific discoveries of the 21st century and perhaps of all time. Well, you know, you kind of, sort of, maybe solved it first? Yep, Homer Simpson. In a Season 10 episode, Homer jots down an equation that was very similar to the one used years later.

Ferrets Sold As Toy Poodles (Season 13)

Years ago, The Simpsons had an episode in which some of Springfield’s criminal underbelly thought it would be a good idea to glue cotton balls to ferrets and pass them off as toy poodles. Surely, no one would fall for that trick, right? RIGHT? Well, that happened in 2013 when The Independent reported on a group tricking customers in Argentina with that very trick.

A Nobel Prize Winner (Season 22)

Bengt Holmström won the Nobel Prize for Economic Sciences in 2016, but The Simpsons predicted it a whole six years earlier. In the Season 22 episode “Elementary School Musical,” Millhouse put Holmström’s name down in the Economics section of his betting pool.

Storming The Capitol Gates (Season 7)

Decades before the January 6, 2021, attacks on the U.S. Capitol, The Simpsons had a similar situation in the Season 7 episode “The Day the Violence Died.” In this episode, a group of cartoon bills (like the ones in the School House Rock video) stormed the steps of the capitol building in anger. It was only a small part of the episode, but the similar event would become a piece of American history no one will ever forget.

An Ebola Outbreak (Season 9)

Sure, Ebola has been around for a long time, but after the 2014 outbreak in Africa, we’ve started to notice the disease a whole lot more. So, imagine watching a Season 9 episode of The Simpsons in which Marge reads a book about Curious George and Ebola to Bart as a nighttime book?

The Donut-Shaped Universe (Season 10)

The late Stephen Hawking appeared on The Simpsons multiple times, including the Season 10 episode “They Saved Lisa’s Brain.” In this episode, Homer said the universe was shaped like a donut, a theory that has been discussed in great detail in the years following.

Tom Hanks’ Credibility Speech (The Simpsons Movie)

Tom Hanks showed up in The Simpsons Movie as a way to give the government some legitimacy and the American public peace of mind after the events of the film. Well, who would host the 2021 inauguration video for President Joe Biden? Well, none other than Tom Hanks. Coincidence?

AI Taking Jobs (Season 23)

The Season 23 episode “Them, Robot,” offers a scenario in which Mr. Burns replaces all of his workers with robots with increased AI. Well, except for Homer. More than a decade after the episode aired, fears of AI taking jobs are even more of a fear and potential reality in the very near future.

A Fourth Matrix Movie (Season 15)

Back in Season 15 of The Simpsons, there was an episode in which Homer took the kids to see The Re-Deadening at the local theater. While walking to their auditorium, the family walks by a movie poster for A Matrix Christmas. A fourth movie in the franchise wasn’t out at the time but would arrive in theaters 17 years later with The Matrix Resurrections, which continued the story of Neo.

VR Headsets Taking Over (Season 28)

The Season 28 episode “Specs and the City” predicted a world in which people are attached to their VR headsets, even when leaving the house into the real world. Well, not even a decade later, VR headsets are all over the place, with companies like Meta even offering fully digitized worlds to explore.

Richard Branson… In Space (Season 25)

It was only a matter of time before Richard Branson went to space, and The Simpsons made sure to predict it. In the Season 25 episode “The War of Art,” the billionaire adventurer can be seen lounging in space with his art collection. More than a half-decade later, his Virgin Galactic spaceship took him beyond the confines of Earth’s atmosphere.

In any television show out there, some episodes genuinely take the cake for their dark themes – or rather, just being dark overall. Some shows are darker than others, but there's always an episode that genuinely makes people sit there for a moment and contemplate what they just watched – those are the kinds of dark episodes we are going to get into today.

Oh, and also, spoiler alert!

'The Rains Of Castamere' (Game of Thrones)

I mean, of course, I have to put "The Rains of Castamere" here. It's one of the most shocking Game of Thrones moments ever, when we watch basically a third of the Stark family get taken out by traitors. And yes, I will still never forgive the Boltons or the Lannisters for what they did.

'The Day Will Come When You Won't Be' (The Walking Dead)

It would be a sin for me not to put "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" here. It features Glenn's demise, one of the most heartbreaking The Walking Dead deaths, and really shows the entire group that we have come to love for six seasons straight get absolutely blasted with the arrival of Negan and his Saviors. It's still a dark episode, one I skip on any The Walking Dead rewatch.

'Ozymandias' (Breaking Bad)

There are some fantastic Breaking Bad episodes, but oftentimes, most of them are pretty dark, and "Ozymandias" is one of those. Considered one of the best television episodes ever by many critics, this episode really capped off the damage that Walt had done to his life when he watched Hank, his brother-in-law and DEA agent, get shot dead.

'To You, In 2000 Years - The Fall Of Shiganshina: Part 1' (Attack On Titan)

There are plenty of great dark anime out there that I could steal episodes from to put on this list, but I have to say the winner must be "To You, in 2000 Years—The Fall of Shiganshina: Part 1." I mean, you really can't get darker than having your mom get eaten in the first episode of your series—right in front of you as you're being dragged away. No wonder Eren was so messed up.

'Pretty Much Dead Already' (The Walking Dead)

For a time, The Walking Dead was the show out there that everyone talked about each week, and one of the darkest episodes of that time was "Pretty Much Dead Already." It was the first midseason finale for the show and featured a stumbling Sophie coming out of the Greene farm when everyone had been looking for her for several episodes already. Breaks your heart every time.

'The Hellfire Club' (Stranger Things)

I don't really consider a lot of Stranger Things dark, but I will say that as the series has progressed, these episodes have gotten a lot scarier, and the first that comes to mind is "The Hellfire Club." The episode starts off well enough—including the introduction of Stranger Things Season 4 All-Star Eddie. But then Vecna makes his first appearance at the end of the episode, and it is a horrorfest that instantly turns the entire thing darker than ever.

'Phoenix' (Breaking Bad)

Walter White has done some pretty horrible things as a human being, and one of his darkest moments, for sure, in Breaking Bad, was in "Phoenix." We already knew that Walter didn't like Jane, but standing there, watching her overdose right next to Jesse, was another level of darkness that I didn't think he was capable of.

'Heaven's Half Hour' (Daredevil: Born Again)

There are many moments in the original Daredevil series that I could point to, but I have to give it to a recent entry, Daredevil: Born Again, and the premiere episode. We literally open up with Matt and his friends just getting a drink, and BOOM, Foggy is shot, and Matt literally hears him die by the sound of his heartbeat. Darkness to the brim.

'The Dance Of Dragons' (Game Of Thrones)

While "The Dance of Dragons" isn't a super dark episode in itself, it's a moment in it that makes it super dark. One of the most heartbreaking Game of Thrones deaths happens here when Stannis burns his daughter alive because of Melisandre's ridiculous nonsense about a king's blood sacrifice. And then we watch her die. It's messed up in the worst ways.

'Living Doll' (The Twilight Zone)

I think The Twilight Zone is one of those shows where the episodes might not seem so dark now in comparison to what we have experienced on TV, but there are still some good ones there, and one is "Living Doll." The episode is all about a husband who is annoyed by a talking doll his stepdaughter has, but the doll begins to talk back to him, saying how much she hates him and how she wants to hurt him—it gets really dark, real quick.

'The Bent-Neck Lady' (The Haunting Of Hill House)

Honestly, every Mike Flanagan TV show has some incredibly dark episodes, but "The Bent-Neck Lady" is by far the darkest. It shows Nell finally realizes that the visions and ghosts that have been haunting her all her life are actually her. The reveal is incredibly sad and dark and one I often think about.

'72 Hours' (The Golden Girls)

I'm sure that at first glance, you would never expect me to put something like The Golden Girls on this list, but "72 Hours" is a very dark episode. Rose's doctor reaches out to her and says that her blood transfusion may have included HIV-positive blood, and now she has to wait for three days for results. It's a very harrowing episode for a show that is, at its core, a sitcom.

'Honor' (The Walking Dead)

There are plenty of moments in The Walking Dead that I could put on here, but one of the darkest episodes was "Honor." I'm sure most don't even know it because it happened in Season 8, but it was the episode where Carl, Rick's son, ended up getting bitten while trying to save a doctor for their community. It's literally one of the darkest episodes of the entire series, especially watching Rick and Michonne wait for the gunshot that signals Carl's death.

'Bullets Over Bel-Air' (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was an iconic sitcom for many reasons, but it also wasn't afraid to go dark in some of its episodes. One of which was "Bullets Over Bel-Air," in which Will is shot by a robber and then Carlton goes out and buys a gun to try and be safe. It's an entire episode focused on gun violence.

'ABQ' (Breaking Bad)

There are plenty of Breaking Bad episodes out there that are genuinely dark, but one I always think of is ABQ, which is the finale of season 2 of the show. While most of the episode isn't necessarily super dark, the ending moment is where Walt watches as two planes crash above his home, sending debris to the ground, because the air trafficker's daughter just died – you know, the daughter that Walt watched overdose and didn't do anything about it.

'Bad News' (How I Met Your Mother)

At first, we all think that the "Bad News" in this episode is going to involve a fertility test with Lily, but the bad news is suddenly broken to Marshall that his father has suddenly passed from a heart attack. It's so out there that it creates a devastating episode in this sitcom.

'Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken' (Game Of Thrones)

The episode 'Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken' isn't necessarily dark itself, but rather the ending scene. After Sansa is forced to marry Ramsay Bolton, he forcefully assaults her on their wedding night. Meanwhile, Theon (Reek at this point) is just standing over there forced to watch. My god.

'To The Lost' (Boardwalk Empire)

Boardwalk Empire wasn't afraid to venture into dark territory, and one of its darkest episodes was "To The Lost," mainly because of the death that happens when Nucky shoots Jimmy, a protege of his, because he failed to start a feud. The moment is shocking, considering that throughout the series, these two have basically been side by side, and now, all of a sudden, it was over.

'Coda' (The Walking Dead)

I will never forgive The Walking Dead for what they did to Beth in "Coda." One of the darkest episodes of the series, it shows the group reuniting with Beth only for her to get shot in the head when she stands up for herself. She didn't even get to reunite with her sister again. Talk about awful.

'Long Term Parking' (The Sopranos)

The Sopranos cast is filled to the brim with epic talent, which only means there will be epic episodes that tend to lean a little darker. When Silvio finds out that Adriana's slipping info to the FBI, she's taken out. It was dark and scary and showed just what happened when you crossed the Soprano family.

'Connor's Wedding' (Succession)

With how talented the Succession cast is, I wouldn't be surprised if they made half of their episodes darker, but the darkest I could point to was "Connor's Wedding." At first, it feels like just a normal episode, but all of a sudden, Logan Roy drops dead, and we, as well as the kids, are left to deal with the fallout of what occurred as the episode progresses.

'Two Storms' (The Haunting Of Hill House)

First of all, this episode is an absolute unit of cinematography. It's shot beautifully. But aside from me geeking out about how amazing it looks, "Two Storms" is dark because it's so creepy, and we keep seeing Nell's casket repeatedly getting moved or messed around with.

'Hardhome' (Game Of Thrones)

The first half of "Hardhome" is pretty tame, honestly. It's all about watching Jon and the Wildlings try to come to a compromise to, you know, survive. But then the White Walkers come and literally destroy it all, and the number of deaths that occur makes it one of the most brutal episodes for me to watch ever.

'Please Remain Calm' (Chernobyl)

I. Can't. Stand. This. Episode.

At all.

As someone who recently rewatched Chernobyl, I find this to be the darkest episode of the miniseries. Watching those three brave souls go into the factory to drain the radioactive water and try and stop this madness was terrifying, but seeing their lights go out at the end? Good god. The entire episode is shot beautifully, but man, is it dark in many instances.

'Endure And Survive' (The Last Of Us)

As someone who is one of the biggest fans of The Last of Us franchise, this episode took it out of me, both mentally and physically. I already knew that Henry and Sam (from The Last of Us cast) would die from playing the game but man, they made this episode twenty times darker with the ending and it still makes me jump and look away each time I've watched it.

'Papa's Got A Brand New Excuse' (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has some serious moments that often lead to darker episodes, and one of those was definitely "Papa's Got A Brand-New Excuse." Will's father shows up out of nowhere, but, of course, by the end, he gives an excuse not to spend actual time with Will. We get an entire monologue from Will about how he doesn't need his father before he breaks down. It's so sad.

'Alone Again, Natura-Diddly' (The Simpsons)

There are some side characters on The Simpsons that you might have forgotten about, but one was taken out in the darkest possible way. In "Alone Again, Natura-Diddly," Ned Flander's wife, Maude, is struck in the head by a t-shirt and then knocked to her death. Yes, this happens in real-time on The Simpsons. This is an actual episode from Season 11.

'Too Far Gone' (The Walking Dead)

You want to talk about dark episodes of The Walking Dead? "Too Far Gone" is up there. The episode is the midseason finale for Season 4 and shows the all-out war that happens at the prison. But before then, we also watch The Governor completely snap and kill Hershel, who was hands down the group's moral compass for a long time.

'Teddy Perkins' (Atlanta)

This episode is just creepy, man. It's creepy in all the right ways. Aside from the social commentary that every episode of Atlanta seems to have, seeing Donald Glover dressed up in full prosthetics and makeup and creeping out Lakeith Stanfield is an episode I will never quite get over.

'Playtest' (Black Mirror)

There are plenty of dark episodes on Black Mirror, but one that I always think of is "Playtest," specifically for its ending. There are so many twists and turns that it's hard to keep up with it, and then the main subject, Cooper, is just killed because everything was all in his head and nothing was real—it's just too much and too dark so quickly.

'Chikhai Bardo' (Severance)

Severance is an excellent Apple TV+ show, and usually, I don't think I'd put an episode here, but "Chikhai Bardo" is a dark episode because we find out what really happened to Gemma and how she's essentially a slave for Lumon, forced to carry out multiple Severance scenarios for whatever grand design they are planning. It's messed up in so many ways.

'The Female Of The Species' (The Boys)

As someone who loves Kimiko in The Boys, the first episode, where we really see her and get to know her, is one of the darkest of the series. We see just how violent and terrifying she really is. She is not for those who have a weak stomach, but man, I love it.

What are some dark episodes that you would think of? I need to go watch some of the best rom-coms as a palette cleanser now. Goodness gracious.

There are a lot of bad companies in the world of film and TV, companies that would be brutal work for like Inotech in Office Space. Those are hardly the only ones. Imagine having to show up to work every morning for Lumon in Severance. Or even a place that might seem like fun like Dunder Mifflin in The Office, would really be awful. Here is our list of companies that would be terrible to work for from TV shows and in movies.

Inotech (Office Space)

Bill Lumberg (Gary Cole) from Inotech in Office Space would be just a terrible boss to work for. The worst part is that he was just one of the many bosses working for the company. It's no wonder everyone was so miserable that everyone had their idea on how to get out of the rat race, from embezzling money to burning the place to the ground.

InGen (Jurassic Park)

Sure, on the surface InGen in Jurassic Park would be an amazing place to work. It's on a tropical island, there seem to be great benefits, and if you're a scientist, it's cutting edge work. Of course, then you have to consider the dinosaurs. Life will find a way and when it does, you're going be in a lot of trouble.

Nakatomi Trading (Die Hard)

Let's be honest, just having to work with a guy like Ellis (Hart Bochner) would be bad enough. Adding in an attack by a bunch of psycho thieves at the Christmas party and well, yeah, it would be pretty awful working for Nakatomi Trading in Die Hard.

The Dharma Initiative (Lost)

It's pretty hard to decide what the worst job would be if you were a part of the The Dharma Initiative in Lost. Desmond being stuck in the hatch typing in the numbers ever few hours has to be close to the top of the list. It's also very cult-like and for anyone who has worked for a company like that, they know just how weird it can be.

Omni Consumer Products (RoboCop)

Omni Consumer Products in RoboCop does some terrible stuff. It's basically a company, led by an egomaniac, that has absolutely no moral compass. Sure, it's a pretty dystopian situation in the world of RoboCop, but that's no excuse, you need to do better than work for an awful company like Omni.

Kruger Industrial Smoothing (Seinfeld)

George (Jason Alexander) in Seinfeld had a few bad jobs on the show. When working for the Yankees is the best job, you know the rest have to be bad. Kruger Industrial Smoothing has to be the worst though. Mr. Kruger is a guy who just doesn't seem to care about anything at all, and what in the world is "industrial smoothing"? Christmas at Kruger Industrial Smoothing seems especially annoying.

Pierpoint & Co. (Industry)

The British hit Industry shows all the worst sides of investment banking. One of the worst aspects of working in that industry is the cut-throat competition that all bankers deal with, especially at Pierpoint & Co o the show. Some may thrive, but most people would hate it.

Weyland-Yutani Corporation (Alien)

Weyland-Yutani Corporation from the Alien franchise is one of the most morally bankrupt companies on this list, and that is really saying something. Over and over it is clear that the powers that be don't care one bit for the health and safety of their employees. Over and over, those employees wind up dead. You'd think someone would blow the whistle, but all these years later, Weyland-Yutani is still at it.

Dunder Mifflin (The Office)

Everyone loves The Office and we all love laughing along with all the whacky stuff that goes on every day at Dunder Mifflin. But think about it, how awful would you feel if you had to deal with Michael Scott (Steve Carell) every day of your life. IT wouldn't take long before you lost it on him, right? It's easy to understand why Jim (John Krasinski) is so miserable all the time.

Wernham Hogg (The Office - UK)

Perhaps the only place worse to work in a sitcom world than Dunder Miflin would be Wernham Hogg in the British version of The Office. Michael Scott is terrible, but David Brent (Ricky Gervais) is mean-spirited and just plain nasty sometimes, in addition to being a total idiot. How anyone ever works for Brent is really hard to understand.

Lumon (Severance)

This list has a lot of sketchy, miserable companies on it, but Lumon from Severance probably takes the cake for the worst. It has everything that makes everyone else terrible all wrapped up into one. Menial tasks with little reward, shady technology, psychopathic leadership, a cult-like atmosphere... the list goes on and on.

The Wonka Chocolate Factory (Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory)

Working at a candy company might sound like a dream for many people, until you learn that all of your co-workers are weird orange beings that are liable to burst into song at the drop of a hat. Add on to that a wildly narcissistic CEO who is completely unpredictable and throws up little tests all the time to test your loyalty and it's safe to say you'd want no part of working for Willy Wonka.

Miller/Gold Talent Agency (Entourage)

Nobody wants to work for a boss whose base level is "yell as much as I can at everyone." It might be a great place to get ahead in a tough entertainment industry, but working for Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) on Entourage would be completely soul-sucking, right? Right.

Tyrell Corporation (Blade Runner)

Anyone working in a giant building that looks like a cross between an Imperial ship from Star Wars and a mid-century brutalist building in Germany should know exactly what kind of company they are working for, right? Building and designing replicants, who are basically enslaved techo-humans, seals the deal. You don't want to work here.

The Springfield Nuclear Power Plant (The Simpsons)

Being a low-level drone in Sector 7-G at a nuclear power plant would be a pretty miserable existence. It seems to work for Homer Simpson, and he's never permanently lost his gig, no matter what he does, but let's be honest, Homer is an idiot. Anyone of even normal intelligence would be out there in a hurry.

Bluth Company (Arrested Development)

A family filled with morons running a company mired in controversy and corruption like the Bluth Company in Arrested Development sounds pretty awful on its face alone. When you get in there, you'd realize that the one family member who is trying to make it work can't control anyone else in his family. Even working for the Banana Stand would be better than going into the office every day at Bluth.

Spacely's Sprokets (The Jetsons)

Even back in the 1960s no one wanted to work for a giant corporation like Spacely's Sprokets. Not only do they not make a real product (sprockets?) but Mr. Spacely is the worst kind of CEO, the kind that rules with fear and intimidation. That's no way to run a company no matter what year it is. We should all have flying cars by now though.

Umbrella (Resident Evil)

As the name of the show implies, Umbrella, the over-arching company in charge of seemingly everything in the world of Resident Evil is, well, evil. The list of things it does that are pure evil is far too long to list in one place, but it's safe to say that you could never truly feel good about your job here.

BiffCo (Back To The Future 2)

The future looks pretty bleak if Biff is in charge. After stealing the time machine and the Sports Almanac, Biff rakes up so much money that he can pretty much do whatever he wants. No one should have to work for a boss like Biff or a company like BiffCo. Who names a company "BiffCo" anyway? Beware the man who builds monuments to himself.

J. Peterman Company (Seinfeld)

The J. Peterman Company on Seinfeld doesn't seem like the worst place to work. it's a trendy catalog, and there is cake in the break room all the time. The serious drawback is working for an egomaniac like Peterman himself. It would be impossible to take orders from a guy like that.

Happy-Go-Lucky Toy Factory (Family Guy)

It would take about ten seconds to sour on a CEO like Jonathan Weed, owner of the Happy-Go-Lucky Toy Factory on Family Guy. His smug, pretentious behavior would get old quickly and there aren't enough toys in the world to make going to work for a guy like that every day worth it. Peter got lucky when Mr. Weed died and the whole factory was torn down.

Sunshine Taxi Company (Taxi)

Two words, Louie De Palma. Or is that three? Either way working for Danny DeVito's character on Taxi would be miserable. There are some appeals to driving a cab. You can make your own hours, and you can be alone with your thoughts a lot, but then you remember you have to return to the garage and put up with that jerk. No thanks.

Veridian Dynamics (Better Off Ted)

Senior vice-president of the Research and Development department at Veridian Dynamics sounds like a pretty sweet gig for Ted on Better Off Ted and for the most part, the day-to-day isn't bad at Veridian. The problem is that it is the definition of a soul-sucking multinational conglomerate and it takes a real toll over the long term when you realize you are a completely replaceable cog in a giant machine.

E Corp (Mr. Robot)

A company like E Corp - what kind of name is that anyway? - would make anyone want to be a bad hat hacker working to bring the whole place down. They prey on the most vulnerable and have no morals or ethics whatsoever. This is easily one of the worst companies in television history

Hooli - (Silicon Valley)

It's pretty easy to understand why anyone worth their salt would want to ditch Hooli and strike out on their own. Anyone would have been in the same kind of position with a company like Hooli, knows what it's like to watch others benefit from your good ideas and hard work. Pied Piper is chaotic, but it's theirs.

Zorg Industries (The Fifth Element)

Gary Oldman is brilliant as Zorg, the leader of Zorg Industries on The Fifth Element. The character is completely unhinged and that is not the kind of person anyone wants to work for, setting aside how awful the company itself is. It's simply a company with way too much power.

ENCOM (Tron)

On its surface ENCOM seems like a pretty standard technology company that could do a lot of good for the world. Then you realize it's being run by a total megalomanic. Ed Dillinger cheated his way to the top, and holds onto his power in a ruthless and morally bankrupt way. He's despicable.

MomCorp (Futurama)

Planet Express in Futurama may have it's own set of issues, but working for its rival, MomCorp and dealing with Mom would be way, way worse. At least Planet Express feels like a family. Sometimes, anyway.

Soylent Corporation (Soylent Green)

There is nothing worse on this list than people serving people to other people and Soylent Green is people! That's really all that needs to be said. It's not the only terrible thing that the Soylent Corporation does, it's just the worst thing in the world.

LexCorp (Superman)

It's good to have a hard and fast rule that working for a supervillain like Lex Luther is never a good idea. LexCorp does so many evil things it's hard to know exactly where to start when it comes to reasons why no one should work for a company like that. The worst thing might be that Superman, of all people, could show up and end everything you're doing in a hurry.

Buy N Large Corporation (WALL-E)

The Buy N Large Corporation might have started as an innocent yogurt company but it grew into something far too large, with far too much influence and power. Like other companies on this list, it's just too good for anyone's own good.

Oscorp (Spider-Man)

Oscorp wasn't started by one supervillain, it was started by two! Yeah, there's no way anything you could do at that company would be for the good of anyone except the two evil geniuses that run it. Easy pass.

The Grateful Dead were never really part of mainstream culture for most of their 30-year career that ended in 1995 with the death of Jerry Garcia. Sure, they had a hit song in the '80s and now they are ubiquitous, but for years they flew under the radar despite a huge fanbase of dedicated fans. With so many diehards loving the Dead, it's actually not surprising that they are referenced quite often in pop culture. Sometimes one of their songs may pop onto a soundtrack and other times it's as simple as a lyric or a bumper sticker sneaking into a movie or TV show. This list of times the Grateful Dead have been referenced in a movie or on TV is hardly exhaustive, but it's a good start - and we're not talking about concert films here, either.

Freaks And Geeks

Freaks And Geeks doesn't seem like the kind of show that would have the Grateful Dead play an important role, but in the end - literally the end - it turns out they completely change Lindsey's life. After being gifted a copy of the band's American Beauty album, Lindsey (Linda Cardellini) decides to skip her trip to Ann Arbor and "hops on the bus" as Deadheads would say and travels with her friends to Colorado to catch the Dead in concert.

Romancing The Stone

One of the funniest scenes in Romancing The Stone comes when Jack (Michael Douglas) and Joan (Kathleen Turner) come across a downed plane full of grass. The pilot, long dead and nothing but a skeleton, is shown wearing a jacket with "Grateful Dead" written on the back. Gotta love those flyboys.

Flirting With Disaster

Until we meet Mel's parents, played by Alan Alda and Lily Tomlin, Flirting With Disaster isn't the kind of movie that screams "Grateful Dead," but after, it makes total sense that Mel (Ben Stiller) would decide his unborn child after the bands guitarist Jerry Garcia and he does, at the very end of the movie as "Truckin'" plays.

Seinfeld

This is a tough one to spot, but believe it or not, there is a quick Grateful Dead reference in a Season 4 episode of Seinfeld called "The Airport." In the episode, George catches a ride with Kramer to the airport to pick up Elaine and Jerry, and while they are driving, you can see what is clearly the top of the famous "Steal Your Face" Grateful Dead logo.

Friends

There are a few hints from time to time that Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) is a Deadhead in Friends. One of the more obvious times is after she "learns" how to play basketball with a new boyfriend, she arrives at the Central Perk wearing a Dead tie-dye the band made to honor the Lithuanian national basketball team for the Olympics.

Game Of Thrones

Author George R.R. Martin, whose books were adapted for HBO's massive hit Game Of Thrones, is a self-professed Deadhead and he has sprinkled in numerous subtle Grateful Dead references into his books and the show. Dire wolves (named after a Dead tune), Weirwood trees (named after member Bob Weir) and others are all throughout the series. Martin has even said when he is writing that "I always have Grateful Dead lyrics rattling around in my head."

LA Law

One of the more ridiculous references to the Dead came in an episode of LA Law from Season 8 called "Dead Issue." One of the plotlines involves a couple getting divorced in part because of the husband's love of the Dead. Something all Deadheads can probably relate to on some level.

Tommy Boy

Another quite subtle reference comes in the Chris Farley classic Tommy Boy when Farley is seen on his sailboat at the end of the movie. He is wearing a pretty sweet looking jacket that clearly shows a Smiling Skeleton Sun patch, another logo used by the Dead.

The Simpsons

Over the years, The Simpsons have made multiple references to the Dead, including the not-so-subtle dig at Deadheads in the episode where Homer meets people who travel the country following the Krusty Burger Ribwich. A more direct reference comes in the Season 10 episode "D'oh-in' in the Wind" when Flanders accidentally takes peyote and hallucinates seeing the band's famous Dancing Bears as he drives.

The Facts Of Life

Famously, the Grateful Dead allowed their fans to record their concerts and trade the tapes. It's a big reason the band found such a loyal fanbase. This practice was even referenced on a 1982 episode of The Facts Of Life called "Kids Can Be Cruel." Carl 'Rocky' Price (Dan Frischman) is seen carrying a tape recorder and tells Mrs. Garrett that he tapes Dead shows.

Roseanne

A Season 8 episode of Roseanne brought us one of the most bizarre Grateful Dead references. In the episode, Roseanne is in the hospital giving birth to her son, and Jerry Garcia appears as a ghost telling her that everything is going to be alright and in light of the "encounter," she decides to name her baby after the singer. It's...very odd.

One More Saturday Night

Al Franken and fellow SNL writer Tom Davis were both huge Deadheads. They often appeared with the band and went to hundreds of Dead shows over the years. In 1986 they made a movie together that you might not have even heard of. They play musicians in the movie, but the band sounds nothing like the Dead. However, they did name the movie after a Grateful Dead song, One More Saturday Night.

The Office

In a Season 3 episode of The Office called "Branch Closing" there is a brief Dead reference when Pam signs a goodbye message to Kelly with the lyrics to "Truckin'", "What a long, strange trip it's been."

South Park

The guys behind South Park don't seem like the biggest fans of the Grateful Dead. In one episode, Jerry Garcia is shown as a resident of Hell, and in another Mr. Mackey gets upset when he tells Jimbo that he can't go to a Grateful Dead concert because "Jerr-bear is dead." They also take a few shots at bands like the Dead in the episode where Cartman exterminates hippies.

Splash

In a "blink or you'll miss it" moment in Splash, Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah are walking past Radio City Music Hall and you can just make part of the Dead's name on the marquee. The band famously played the venue in 1980, though the movie was shot later.

Mask

In a tear-jerking moment at the end of Mask, after Rocky (Eric Stoltz) has died, the Dead's beautiful song "Ripple" is played just as the movie ends. It's the perfect way to end the movie and there's no way you won't cry when you watch. The movie is filled with great music from the '60s and '70s.

Ted Lasso

It's really not surprising to find that Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) on Ted Lasso is a Deadhead. He admits that he once saw a concert featuring the Dead, The Black Crowes, and Phish jamming together. Unfortunately, in real life such a jam never actually happened, though the Crowes did open for Dead once in 1995, but they didn't share the stage.

My So-Called Life

The Grateful Dead are mentioned a few times in My So-Called Life, including when Rayanne (A.J. Langer) wears a tie-dye and talks about going to see them in concert while she is in an argument with Angela (Claire Danes) on the show. Graham also listens to the album American Beauty on the show.

Runaway Bride

There are numerous references to the Dead in the Julia Roberts and Richard Gere rom com classic The Runaway Bride. It might not be one of Roberts' best movies, but the band comes up repeatedly because one of her ex-fiances was a Deadhead. It's something Richard Gere throws in her face a few times, like it's a bad thing.

Around The Fire

Around the Fire is not a great movie, though it is notable for starring Tara Reid and, in his big screen debut, Colman Domingo as traveling fans of an unnamed rock band that is clearly meant to be the Grateful Dead. It is pretty unintentionally funny and although no Dead music is used in the movie, there is a soundtrack filled with the likes of Phish and String Cheese Incident.

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas

During one of Raoul Duke's many benders in Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas (one of the best movies set in Vegas), there is a very brief snippet of the Grateful Dead playing in concert amongst the other images of bombs falling on Vietnam and other horrors.

Spider-Man 2

Some of the best references to the Dead come with no explanation. Take, for example, Peter's doctor in Spider-Man 2. In the scene where Peter (Tobey Maguire) meets with the doctor, the doctor is inexplicably wearing a Grateful Dead T-shirt. It's something only Deadheads would pick up on, and that is what makes it so great.

The Ben Stiller Show

In the '90s, it was never surprising to see hip comedians like Bob Odenkirk and Ben Stiller taking shots at the Dead and their fans. In one skit on The Ben Stiller Show, Odenkirk plays an insurance salesman who specialized in selling his policies to Deadheads. Of course it's filled with cliche jokes about the band and their fans and drugs, but it's hard to admit some of it isn't pretty funny.

Family Guy

In one of Family Guy's patented flashbacks, Stewie is seen at a Grateful Dead concert wearing no shirt and clearly, um, messed up, based on the state of his pupils. He makes a joke about trading his shirt (a tie-dye, of course) for a grilled cheese. Honestly, it's not that far off from reality, if we're honest, even if it is the easy joke to make.

Indian Summer

In the underrated movie Indian Summer, Bill Paxton's character is a Deadhead and is seen wearing a tank top with a classic Steal Your Face logo on it. He also mentions that work is what he does between Dead shows. In another scene, he's wearing a Crosby, Stills, and Nash tie dye, so it's easy to see what kind of music he loves.

WKRP In Cincinnati

One of the more predictable references comes from WKRP In Cincinnati. In one episode Johnny Fever (Howard Hessman) plays "Shakedown Street" by the Dead. The only thing surprising about it is that there weren't more references to the band on a show all about great '70s rock.

30 Rock

One of the most famous quotes in 30 Rock history has to be Jack advising Liz to "never go with a hippie to a second location." In another hippie reference, Jack (Alec Baldwin) tells Liz (Tina Fey) that he isn't interested in quashing his argument with the Post Master General over a Jerry Garcia stamp.

Half Baked

Half Baked is a terrible movie filled with lazy stoner jokes. It's just not a funny way to ever portray smoking. In one scene, Jim Breuer (the worst actor in the movie) "preys" to Jerry Garcia to protect them. It's stupid, but hey, it's a reference, so we'll count it.

The Wonder Years

In a TV show filled with great music from the '60s and '70s, of course there has to be a little Grateful Dead. In one scene, the whole class loads up in a bus for a field trip and as the bus heads down the highway, the all-too-appropriate "Truckin.'"

Black Hawk Down

One of the weirdest references to the Dead has to be the taxi driver in Black Hawk Down. How a cab driver in Mogadishu would end up wearing a Dead shirt is a mystery, but there it is, as he pulls up to the target he is sighting for the US military.

Apocalypse Now Redux

This one only sort of counts for this list, but it's an important one. When Francis Ford Coppola started making Apocalypse Now, he originally had the drummers in the Dead, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzman create the soundtrack. In the end, Coppola went a different direction with the music, but when he recut the movie for the Redux version, some of their original work was used.

The Music Never Stopped

Deadheads love the song "The Music Never Stopped" so it's not surprising that it was used a movie title for a movie about a father and son reconnecting with the Dead music in common.

There are a lot of great bartenders in film and TV history. Guys like Same Malone in Cheers and Moe in The Simpsons. The kind of guys that quick with a joke and ready to hear you lament about your job. Pouring stiff drinks and beers while their patrons celebrate and mourn, congratulate and commiserate, and everything else that happens at your local water hole. This list celebrates all those great bartenders in movies and TV shows.

Sam Malone - Cheers

Of course Sam Malone has to be on this list. The owner (at least some of the time) and operator of Cheers bar in Boston's Back Bay. Played by Ted Danson for all eleven seasons of the smash hit Cheers, Sam is always ready to poor Norm, Cliff, and the rest of the gang great drinks and cold beers.

Isaac Washington - The Love Boat

For many people, the most important person on a cruise ship is the bartender. These days modern cruise ships have dozens of bartenders, but back in the day, the Pacific Princess, better known and The Love Boat only needed one, Isaac Washington (Ted Lange). At least, Isaac we pretty much the only bartender anyone ever ordered a drink from, and he always served it with a smile.

Marion Ravenwood - Raiders Of The Lost Ark

Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) tried to run away from her problems (and her former lover) by heading to Nepal and opening a rundown shack of a bar that at least had a warm fire and some stiff drinks to help her customers get through the long, cold nights - at least until that ex-boyfriend showed up looking for her father in Raiders Of The Lost Ark.

Lloyd - The Shining

There aren't a lot of people for Jack (Jack Nicholson) to talk to at the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. Unfortunately, Jack either invents Lloyd or supernatural forces create him, but either way, audiences quickly learn he's not the friendly bartender we've all come to expect in hotel bars. He does know how to mix up a whole bunch of martinis in a hurry though.

Guinan - Star Trek: The Next Generation

Even the crew of the USS Enterprise need a place to unwind and have a few drinks after a long day below decks. On Star Trek: The Next Generation, that means heading to the Ten-Forward lounge and sipping on the concoctions created by Guinan, played by the legendary Whoopi Goldberg.

Al Swearengen - Deadwood

Al Swearengen is the foul-mouthed, mean, criminally-minded propriator of the Gem Saloon on Deadwood. Played brilliantly by the great Ian McShane, Swearengen is so much more than a drink-slinger, as he is the most powerful person in town and the most likely to get violent, or have his crew get violent, in a town full of mayhem.

Horace - The Family Guy

For 11 seasons (and decades in show-time), Horace was the owner and bartender at The Drunken Clam, Peter and company's preferred watering hole in The Family Guy. It's hard to say how long Horace was serving up drinks, as he's there in almost every flashback to the bar going back...well... again, who knows. Sadly we lost Horace in Season 11 when he died and the guys have to go all out to save "The Clam."

Razor Charlie - From Dusk Till Dawn

Audiences don't get a ton of Razor Charlie in From Dusk Till Dawn, played by the menacing (and awesome) Danny Trejo. While he tries to run the bar with iron fist at the beginning of the movie, it comes up against a crew that he shouldn't have messed with.

Brian Flanagan - Cocktail

Brian Flanagan (Tom Cruise) is a terrible bartender at the beginning of Cocktail, one of those '80s movies that just has not stood the test of time. He soon meets Doug (Bryan Brown), a veteran bartender who literally knows every trick in the book and soon Brian and Doug are a superstar team of bottle-flipping bartenders who are much performers as they are servers. At least the movie has a great soundtrack.

Coach - Cheers

One of the bartenders we miss the most is "Coach" Ernie Pantusso. he was Sam's original partner behind the bar on Cheers, who was, let's just say, a few bottles short of a case. Sadly, when actor Nicholas Colasanto died after Season 3, Coach followed him to that great bar in the sky and we've been mourning the loss ever since.

Butchie - The Wire

If we're honest, as awesome as Butchie in The Wire is, we're not sure it's the kind of bar we'd want to hang out. Butchie, played by S. Robert Morgan, is more of a banker to the criminals of Baltimore than he is strictly a bartender and while he's always loyal, he keeps some awfully shady company.

Moe Szyslak - The Simpsons

What would Homer Simpson do with his free time if it wasn't for Moe's Tavern? That goes for Lenny, Carl, and especially Barney too. Moe is the surliest bartender on TV, but that's part of his charm. He's gruff, ugly, and quick to lose his temper, especially to those annoying kids who keep prank-calling him, but he's also always sincere and genuine.

Rick Blaine - Casablanca

While not strictly a bartender, more of an owner and keeper of secrets, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) surely knows how to mix a mean martini after all those years running Rick's in Casablanca. He's probably served drinks all over the world and for that, he deserves to be on this list.

Spider - GoodFellas

Spider in GoodFellas, bless his heart, is clearly trying his best. The hapless drink server, played by future Sopranos star Michael Imperioli, just can't keep Tommy (Joe Pesci) happy. At first, his punishment is getting shot in the foot by the psychopath, but it gets worse from there. You're not alright, Spider.

Wuher - Star Wars

Every small town in the world - nay, the universe -has a gruff, somewhat racist bartender like Wuher in the first Star Wars movie. Sure, it probably takes an iron fist to run a bar in wretched hive of scum and villainy like Mos Eisley, but he's not the friendliest bartender on this list, for sure.

Woody Boyd - Cheers

After Cheers lost Coach, it wasn't long before they hired Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) to replace him. Sure Woody was a lot younger than Coach, but he was just as... innocent and, well, dumb, as Coach. Luckily he was just as charming and the bar (and the show) didn't miss a beat with the new addition.

Doug Coughlin - Cocktail

Doug Coughlin (Bryan Brown) from Cocktail is easily the flashiest bartender on this list. He can flip a bottle and charm a customer like nobody's business. He's also good for business as the show he puts on draws people from all over the Tri-State area.

All Of The Bartenders In Coyote Ugly

Lil (Maria Bello) may own the bar in Coyote Ugly, but she's just one of the amazing bartenders who serves up drinks, and takes no guff, to the wild, drunken patrons every night of the week. It's impossible to have a favorite so it's only fair to include all of them on this list of great movie bartenders.

Gary - The Big Lebowski

Audiences never actually see Gary in The Big Lebowski, but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to be on this list. You can just tell by the way he interacts with The Dude (Jeff Bridges) and the rest of the guys at the bowling alley that he's a good guy and mixes a great White Russian.

Short Bartender - Desperado

Listed in the credits as "Short Bartender) and played by Cheech Marin, the barkeep in Desperado is clearly unimpressed by Buscemi (Steve Buscemi) from the moments he walks in the door. He even gives off as many hints as he can to warn Buscemi about acting correct in the tough saloon. That isn't enough, but you can't blame him for what happens next.

Georgie - The Sopranos

Georgie Santorelli on The Sopranos, played by Frank Santorelli, is pretty much a total idiot. While he seems to be decent at his job, serving up drinks to Tony and crew at the Bada Bing, he's pretty much a moron in every other way, but he's great comic relief on the show.

The Gang In Always Sunny In Philadelphia

This list is called "great bartenders" but let's be honest, the gang on Always Sunny In Philadelphia are all pretty terrible at everything, including bartending most of the time. There isn't much to say nice here, so let's move on.

Carl - How I Met Your Mother

Carl on How I Met Your Mother is hard to read. At times, the bartender at the show's popular pub MacLaren's, played by Joe Nieves, is sometimes the nicest guy in the room, but other times he's brutal and unforgiving. When you think about it, that's probably how all great bartenders need to be.

Mark Donnelly - Paradise

Mark Donnelly (Michael Hogan) on Paradise isn't a main character, like most of the bartenders on this list, but it doesn't take much to understand that he's an empathetic guy who not only serves a stiff drink, but he's ready and willing to let you talk about your problems. He's also pretty helpful in a pinch, as he proves when he tries to help Xavier (Sterling K. Brown) keep his children safe.

iZac - Futurama

One of the signature things about Futurama is putting a futuristic spin on cultural references and it doesn't get any better than a robot bartender with a sweet mustache name "iZac" as a callback to Isaac on The Love Boat. He's not always the most empathetic bartender, but he gets the job done.

The Octopus - Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

The only thing better than a two-armed bartender is an eight-armed one like the Octopus in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Anyone who has ever bartended knows that there would be nothing better than having a few extra appendages when the crowd fills up and the bar gets crazy at peak hours. This guy will make any server jealous with his skills.

Jim - Three's Company

Jim the bartender at the Regal Beagle on Three's Company, played by Paul Ainsley, is the most notable of all the bartenders and servers at the legendary TV watering hole. He doesn't have much to do as a character, but serving up drinks quickly and efficiently is enough for us.

Nick Miller - New Girl

Nick Miller in New Girl, played by Jake Johnson, is one of just a few bartenders on this list who also happens to be one of the main characters on a show. Nick is perfectly suited to be a bartender too, as his quick wit and empathetic nature make him a natural.

Margo - Gone Girl

Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) in Gone Girl is, if we're honest, a pretty terrible person. He may not be as psycho as his wife, but he's not a good guy. His sister, on the other hand, Margo (Carrie Coon) is actually a pretty good person who is loyal - maybe too loyal - to her brother and helps out however she can at his bar.

Arthur - Passengers

Arthur in the sci-fi romance Passengers is a character clearly inspired by Lloyd in The Shining, with the twist that instead of a figment of a character's imagination or worse, he's an android. He is the only person on the ship Jim (Chris Pratt) can call on to talk about his depression, but he can't keep a secret, which is something all bartenders should be able to do.

Frankie - Road House

Frankie (Jessica Williams) in Road House, the bonkers 2024 remake of the 1980s classic, really wants to save her bar in any way she can. She's a good owner, loyal to her staff, and fearless. She isn't just a bartender, of course, but she certainly knows how to pour a whiskey and open a cold beer, right?

Nick - It's A Wonderful Life

Nick the bartender in It's A Wonderful Life, played by Sheldon Leonard isn't the kind of guy who suffers fools and he's really got little time for dealing with any of his patrons' nonsense. That's exactly what some people need in a great bartender. Just keep 'em coming.

Since The Simpsons has been on TV for, like, a million years, and has created some legendary characters outside of the five nuclear family members of the Simpsons, it makes sense that there would be a lot of great episodes that feature these "side" characters. It's a little weird to call them side characters, as in many ways some of these are as important as the family members. Still, these are episodes allowing other characters to shine like Marge, Homer, Lisa, Bart, or Maggie.

The Last Temptation of Krust

Krusty the Clown is one of the OG side characters. He's been the focus of a lot of shows, but maybe the best "The Last Temptation of Krust" from Season 9. Krusty bombs on stage with his stand up act that includes jokes that were offensive in the 1940s. Krusty re-invents himself as a George Carlin-like comedian and once again reaches the pinnacle of his profession, only to sell out once again.

Who Shot Mr. Burns?

One of the greatest TV cliffhangers of all time came at the end of Season 6 with "Who Shot Mr. Burns." Seemingly everyone in town has reason to murder the owner of the Nuclear Power Plant, and most of the episode follows Mr. Burns and his various run ins. The first episode of Seven 7, when it's reveals who actually shot him, is mostly about him too

Flaming Moe's

"Let's all go to Flaming Moe's" is the catchy jingle that every Simpsons fan is humming to themselves right now. As implied, the episode from Season 3 is all about everyone's favorite surly bartender, Moe. Moe is forced to re-invent his bar with a drink he invents that includes being lit on fire, to the detriment of Lenny and Carl, among others. It also featured the first appearance by a band on the show when Aerosmith guest stars.

Selma's Choice

Patty and Selma are technically family members, but they aren't always welcome by everyone, especially Homer. "Selma's Choice from Season 4 is about Selma deciding she doesn't want to die alone and desires having a child. The episode also has some classic moments, like Lisa returning from Duff Gardens while "coming down" and Homer eating a giant Hoagie for days.

The Principal And The Pauper

For many, "The Principal And The Pauper" in Season 9 is the moment the show jumped the shark. There is a solid argument for it, but not because it's about a supporting character, Principal Skinner. It's because the episode re-writes his backstory, which is silly.

Radioactive Man

Despite the episode's name, "Radioactive Man," the one from Season 7 is mostly about Milhouse. Milhouse wins a role in the latest Rainier Wolfcastle's action movie, filming in Springfield. Bart takes it hard and eventually Milhouse loses his zest for movie-making as well.

Two Dozen and One Greyhounds

"Two Dozen and One Greyhounds" is, as the name hints at, a parody of 101 Dalmatians. In the Season 6 episode, Mr. Burns decides he needs a coat made of greyhound puppies, including 25 sired by the Simpson family dog, Santa's Little Helper.

Lady Bouvier's Lover

Grampa Simpson is one of the most often seen supporting characters, but Marge's mother, Jacqueline Bouvier, isn't nearly as common. However, in a Season 5 episode called "Lady Bouvier's Lover," she plays a big part when she and Grampa start dating.

22 Short Films About Springfield

"22 Short Films About Springfield" is about a lot of different characters on The Simpsons who aren't family members. It was a completely new approach to an episode when it debuted in the shows seventh season, telling, well, 22 different stories about various characters both familiar and new.

Much Apu About Nothing

Hank Azaria has been voicing Simpsons characters since the very beginning of the show. One voice he no longer voices, however, is Apu. The character was retired after it was (rightly) decided that a white guy should be the voice of an Indian character. That said, there are still some classic episodes focused on the Kwik E Mart owner, like "Much Apu About Nothing."

Sideshow Bob Roberts

Kelsey Grammer is one of the most famous guest voices in the show's history for his legendary character, Sideshow Bob. The murderous former sidekick to Krusty has been the focus of multiple episodes over the years, like "Sideshow Bob Roberts" when Bob runs for office (and almost wins).

Krusty Gets Kancelled

"Krusty Gets Kancelled" is the finale of Season 4 and it is, by most accounts, a true classic episode. The episode focuses on Krusty the Clown, obviously, who loses his show after his ratings tank due to a rival called "Gabbo." Bart and Lisa team up to get Krusty's show back on the air.

When Flanders Failed

Poor Ned Flanders. Not only does he have to live next door to the Simpsons, he often faces a lot of bad luck. In "When Flanders Failed," Ned's store, The Leftorium, is forced to close and the "Flanderses" fall on hard times. It ends with one of the sweetest moments between Homer and Ned, though.

Burns, Baby Burns

In Season 8, audiences learn that Monty Burns fathered a child when we meet his son Larry, voiced by the great Rodney Dangerfield. In a nod to a movie where Dangerfield had some of his most ridiculous lines, Caddyshack, when "Anyway you Want It" by Journey plays over the credits.

A Milhouse Divided

As the episode title reveals, "A Milhouse Divided" is all about Bart's best friend and his parents. After a disastrous dinner party at the Simpson's house, Kirk and Luanne, Milhouse's parents, decide they are divorcing. It's hard to believe this was in the eighth season, as it seems like they've always been divorced.

Homer and Apu

The 13th Episode of Season 5 is all about Apu when Homer helps to get him fired from the Kwik E Mart. It's one of the episodes that likely led to the decision to retire the character, but it was a classic at the time.

The Otto Show

"The Otto Show" from Season 3 is...well... all about everyone's favorite palindrome, Otto the bus driver. Otto loses his driver's license and at first Patty and Selma aren't interested in helping him, until it's revealed Otto only wants to get his license back to make Homer mad.

Rosebud

"Rosebud" from Season 5 opens with a bang, when The Ramones appear to sing happy birthday to Mr. Burns. The episode focuses on Burns, even managing to, at least temporarily, make him a sympathetic character when we learn he longs for his long lost teddy bear, an analog, of course, for one of the greatest MacGuffins in film history, the sled in Citizen Kane.

Like Father, Like Clown

Krusty is Jewish, and it turns out his father is a Rabbi. And he's a Rabbi that disowned his son many years ago. This hurts Bart and Lisa when they learn about it in the Season 3 episode "Like Father, Like Clown," so they team up to get the two to reconcile.

Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'

There are countless backstories about Abe Simpson and one of the wildest is told in "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish.'" It turns out Grampa was once part of an elite fighting squad during World War II and he enlists Bart to help him recover a lost treasure in this episode from Season 7.

Hurricane Neddy

Ned Flanders is one of the chillest residents of Springfield, but he has his limits, as we see in "Hurricane Neddy" when he loses after a series of bad luck befalls the hapless neighbor of the Simpsons. His explosion at the whole town is one of the funniest moments in the show's history in this Season 8 episode.

A Fish Called Selma

You might remember Troy McClure from his hit movies from the '70s like 'P is for Psycho' and 'The President's Neck is Missing!' You also might remember him as the love interest to Selma in one episode of The Simpsons from Season 7. It's episodes like this that make us really miss Phil Hartman, who voiced the washed up star.

Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish

Local politics has long been part of The Simpsons. Very early on, in Season 2, Mr. Burns runs for governor in "Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish," after Bart catches a three-eyed fish near the power plant. It all goes very wrong for the old man.

Dumbbell Indemnity

Moe has always been unlucky in love, as highlighted in Season 9 when he and Homer team up to get him a girlfriend in "Dumbbell Indemnity." Oscar winner Helen Hunt guest stars as Moe's girlfriend, Renee. Sadly, the relationship doesn't last.

Brother from Another Series

While Kelsey Grammer has long guest-starred on The Simpsons, in Season 16 Grammer is joined by David Hyde Pierce who plays Bob's brother, Cecil Terwilliger. Pierce, of course, also plays Nils Crane on Frasier, hence the title of the episode, Brother from Another Series.

Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk

Mr. Burns' whole identity is wrapped up in being the owner of the power plant and therefore the most powerful man in Springfield. When he sells the plant in Season 3, it doesn't take long for him to realize that he can't live without the power and the fear it instills in everyone, so he has to buy it back.

The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase

There really isn't a more obvious example of episodes on The Simpsons about supporting characters than "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase." As the name explains, it's all about possible spin offs, including the best idea, Principal Skinner and Chief Wiggum teaming up as PIs in New Orleans. Just remember, New Orleans isn't really a party town.

The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons

"The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons" from Season 9th Season is a wild one. There are some somewhat offensive moments with Apu and his wife Manjula, especially from Homer, but it's a good example of the redemption of the characters at times, too.

Grade School Confidential

A truly classic episode, "Grade School Confidential" is all about Skinner and Bart's teacher Edna Krabappel. The two end up in a relationship after they fall for each other at a party at the Simpson's house. Even Ralph Wiggum sees them making out in a closet.

Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming

Some of the Sideshow Bob appearances are more about Bart, but this one is all about Bob. It's one of the most ridiculous plots Bob ever tries to pull off too, entering that realm of James Bond Villain when he steals a nuke. It's over-the-top and wonderful.

The PTA Disbands

Before they briefly dated in Season 8, Ms. Krabappel and Principal Skinner were furious with each other in Season 6, in the episode "The PTA Disbands." A lot of other characters take place in this ensemble episode of the show.

Dog of Death

You never know which character is going to take center stage and it could even be the family dog, Santa's Little Helper. In the Season 3 episode "Dog of Death," vet bills overwhelm the family and they start to resent their lovable mutt. He ends up running away and into Mr. Burns' arms. The evil power plant owner trains the dog to be a vicious guard dog, at least for a while, until Bart reconnects with his beloved pet.

For its ability to bring both football obsessives and non-sports fans together, the Super Bowl is regarded as a national holiday. Thus, just like with any other major day of celebration, there are plenty of movies and special TV show episodes that make “The Big Game” a focal point of the plot. These are some of the best examples of small and big screen favorites that were clearly ready for some football!

Heaven Can Wait (1978)

Heaven Can Wait is actually a remake of the 1941 drama Here Comes Mr. Jordan, in which a boxer is sent back to Earth in another body after he is taken before his time. Co-writer, co-director, and star Warren Beatty's version makes Joe Pendleton a football player who aspires to bring the Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl when he is sent back to Earth in a new body and ultimately succeeds.

"Monday Night Football" - How I Met Your Mother (2007)

In Season 2 of How I Met Your Mother, the gang misses the Super Bowl to attend a MacLaren's employee's funeral but still decides to honor their annual tradition of watching it together by recording the Big Game for the following night. The catch is that they want to keep the outcome of the game a surprise and jump through hoops to prevent spoilers, from Ted (Josh Radnor) wearing the "Sensory Deprivator 5000" while picking up wings from a sports bar and Robin (Cobie Smulders) bribing her producer to avoid any mentions of the winning team in her news broadcast.

American Underdog (2021)

In 2000, Kurt Warner achieved his lifelong dream of playing in the Super Bowl at 29 years old and became the third oldest quarterback at the time to do so for the first time, with the St. Louis Rams. The inspiring moment was dramatized in the sports biopic, American Underdog, starring Zachary Levi as the two-time Most Valuable Player winner.

"Death Has A Shadow" - Family Guy (1999)

The very first episode of Family Guy, called "Death Has a Shadow," features a pivotal scene taking place at the Super Bowl. It is where Peter Griffin (creator Seth MacFarlane), with Brian's help, attempts to get rid of the excess money he has received from his welfare fund by dumping it from the sky in a blimp.

Black Sunday (1977)

Not to be confused with a horror movie from 17 years earlier, Black Sunday is an espionage thriller based on the novel by Thomas Harris. It follows an Israeli commando who works with the FBI to prevent a terrorist plot involving an explosive device mounted to a Goodyear blimp that is scheduled to fly above a packed stadium during the Super Bowl.

"The Label Maker" - Seinfeld (1995)

"Re-gifting" is a phrase introduced in Seinfeld in Season 6's "The Label Maker," in which Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld), after he is invited to a wedding, gives up his Super Bowl tickets to his dentist, Tim Whatley (Bryan Cranston), who thanks him by giving him a "Label Baby Jr." However, when the wedding is called off, he tries to get the tickets back to no avail, which makes him especially mad after learning Whatley regifted the label maker, which he originally received from Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). After Whatley and Elaine make up, Jerry ends up going to the Big Game but has to sit next to Newman (Wayne Knight).

The Replacements (2000)

Director Howard Deutch's The Replacements stars Keanu Reeves as one of several football players hired to fill in when a team's regular members go on strike. The sports dramedy, also starring Gene Hackman as the Sentinels' reinstated head coach, is loosely based on the true story of how the Washington Redskins managed to win Super Bowl XXII in a season with replacement players during an NFL strike.

"Sunday, Cruddy Sunday" - The Simpsons (1999)

Fox aired a special Season 10 episode of The Simpsons that involved the Big Game right after the network broadcasted Super Bowl XXXIII. "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday" sees Homer Simpson (Dan Castellaneta) traveling to see the event until they discover their tickets are counterfeit, forcing them to sneak into the stadium.

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

One of the best Jim Carrey movies (or, at least, the one featuring his definitive, star-making performance) is director Tom Shadyac's Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. In the uproarious comedy, the goofy eponymous sleuth is given the assignment of his life when he is tasked with finding the Miami Dolphins' beloved mascot, Snowflake, before the team plays on Super Bowl Sunday.

"Band Geeks" - SpongeBob Squarepants

To be fair, "Band Geeks" – a classic episode of the beloved animated series, SpongeBob Squarepants – does not actually revolve around the Super Bowl, but the undersea equivalent, the Bubble Bowl. Squidward attempts to upstage longtime rival Squilliam Fancyson by putting together a marching band to play at the game which he assumes will be a trainwreck until he sees their truly victorious performance of "Sweet Victory."

"Super Bowl Fever" - Home Improvement (1995)

Tim Taylor (Tim Allen) and his nigh-obsessive love of football has been known to get him in trouble on a few occasions on Home Improvement. However, the trouble in "Super Bowl Fever" stems from his wife, Jill (Patricia Richardson), coming down with the flu on the day he invites his friends over for a Super Bowl party at the house.

80 For Brady (2023)

In the tradition of comedy films that include a famous athlete's name in the title – such as Like Mike and Bend It Like Beckham – we have 80 for Brady, which is inspired by a true story and features a cameo by the real Tom Brady as himself. The film takes place in 2017 during Super Bowl LI, in which a quartet of older women (played by Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field) travel to see and root for their beloved New England Patriots quarterback.

"Super Bowl Sunday" - All In The Family (1978)

The Season 8 All in the Family episode "Super Bowl Sunday" fittingly followed CBS's broadcast of Super Bowl XII and told a story related to the big event. Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) anticipates that the game will bring great business to his bar, only for it to become the site of a robbery.

Kelce (2023)

Director Don Argott's Kelce follows Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce as he wrestles with the decision to retire after 13 seasons. The climax of the Amazon Prime original documentary sees him compete against his own brother, Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce, at Super Bowl LVII, which came to be known as the "Kelce Bowl."

"Our Parents, Ourselves" - Frasier (1999)

A Season 6 episode of Frasier – a series equally as good as the show it spun off from, Cheers – called "Our Parents, Ourselves" sees the titular psychiatrist (played by Kelsey Grammer) attempting to play matchmaker for his father (John Mahoney) and Roz's (Peri Gilpin) mother. So, he invites the woman to his Super Bowl party at his apartment to surprise Martin, only to discover that he cannot stand her.

"Easy Com-mercial, Easy Go-mercial" - Bob's Burgers

For some people, the best thing about the Super Bowl is the commercials, especially if you are one of the businesses advertising during what is, typically, the most-watched television event of the year. The Season 4 Bob's Burgers episode, "Easy Com-mercial, Easy Go-mercial," reflects on that with a story that sees the Belchers attempting to film an ad for their restaurant with the hope that it will air during the Big Game.

"My Name is Bev" - Roseanne (1995)

Roseanne's Super Bowl-themed episode touches on the serious topic of drunk driving, which Roseanne's (Roseanne Barr) mother, Beverly (Estelle Parsons), is caught doing and is forced to attend an AA meeting. Later on in the show, she appears at Dan's (John Goodman) Super Bowl XXIX party, which prompts Roseanne to tell the guests to hide their keg.

A Saintly Switch (1999)

Directed by Peter Bogdanovich, A Saintly Switch is a family film made for ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney series in which two children cast a spell that causes their bickering mother (Vivica A. Fox) and father (David Alan Grier), who recently started playing for the New Orleans Saints, to switch bodies. The story concludes with the father, having returned to his own body, playing in the Super Bowl just as his pregnant wife has gone into labor.

"Super Bowl" - Everybody Loves Raymond (2001)

Of course, there would be an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond in which the titular character (Ray Romano), who makes a living as a sports columnist, goes to the Big Game. In the aptly titled, "Super Bowl," Ray acquires a pair of tickets to the event and opts to take his friend, Gianni (Jon Manfrellotti), much to his family's chagrin.

The Great Brady Heist (2020)

There are quite a few movies where some interesting criminal activity takes place during the Big Game, but it is all just make-believe, right? Well, there was one amusing instance in which New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's game jersey was stolen from his locker during Super Bowl LI, as covered in the Fox Sports original documentary, The Great Brady Heist.

"Super Bowl" - Aqua Teen Hunger Force (2003)

Even in the bizarre world of Adult Swim's hit series, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, such a thing as the Super Bowl exists. In a Season 2 episode of the popular animated TV show, Master Shake (Dana Snyder) and Carl (Dave Willis) bow to Meatwad's (also Willis) every will in hopes that he will pick one of them to accompany him to the Super Bowl after he wins two tickets.

"The Eskimo" - Boy Meets World

In a classic episode of Boy Meets World, Mr. Feeny (William Daniels) assigns Shawn (Rider Strong) the challenge of getting Super Bowl tickets, Cory (Ben Savage) the challenge of helping him succeed, and Topanga (Daniell Fishel) to avoid helping either of them in any way. Shawn does find a way to score the tickets, which requires him to sit at the top of a billboard in freezing temperatures for as long as possible.

“Super Bowl” - George Lopez (2003)

To some people, the Super Bowl is more important than even family, as expressed in a Season 2 episode of George Lopez. It follows George (Geoge Lopez) and his wife, Angie (Constance Marie), attempting to convince his mother, Benny (Belita Moreno), to reconcile with the dying Uncle Joe (Ismael 'East' Carlo). She agrees, but only because she really just wants to get her hands on his tickets to the Big Game.

"Rooferman, Take One" - Smart Guy

In the underrated WB sitcom, Smart Guy, a commercial for Floyd's (John Marshall Jones) roofing business airs in the wee hours of the morning, prompting T.J. (Tahj Mowry) to sneak into the network's studio and try to get the ad a better time slot. Much to his surprise, he accidentally schedules it during the Super Bowl, helping his father's business immensely but also getting himself into trouble.

"Lisa The Greek" - The Simpsons

In "Lisa the Greek," Homer enlists his bright daughter, Lisa, to help him predict the outcome of football games. The episode marks one of several mysterious instances in which The Simpsons correctly predicted future events, having aired just days before Super Bowl XXVI and foretold that the Washington Redskins would win.

Natural Born Killers (1994)

Director Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers is a disturbing crime thriller that has nothing to do with sports, save one small connection. Robert Downey Jr's overzealous journalist Wayne Gale convinces notorious murderer Mickey (Woody Harrelson) to participate in a live interview that would air after the Super Bowl.

"Super Sunday" - The Middle (2011)

One of the multiple storylines in this episode of ABC's hit sitcom, The Middle, involves Mike (Neil Flynn) encouraging Brick (Atticus Shaffer) to take an interest in football right as the Super Bowl is impending.

Maybe This Year (2019)

It was not until Super Bowl LII that the Philadelphia Eagles finally became season champions. Kyle Thrash and Jenifer Westphal's documentary, Maybe This Year, chronicles that journey from the perspective of the team's famously passionate fans.

You're In The Super Bowl, Charlie Brown! (1994)

Originally airing on NBC and later distributed on VHS through Shell Gasoline, You're In The Super Bowl, Charlie Brown! is a fun, 25-minute special in which Charlie Brown and the other kids from Peanuts try to win tickets to the Super Bowl by participating in a football punt pass kick contest.

Superdome (1978)

Superdome follows various dramatic storylines occurring around the Super Bowl, including a killer running amuck during the game. The star-studded cast of this ABC movie of the week includes David Janssen, Edie Adams, Tom Selleck, and more.

"Rabbit Or Duck" - How I Met Your Mother (2010)

This Season 5 episode of How I Met Your Mother was cleverly promoted during the Super Bowl as faux footage of the real game which was also featured in the cold open. The B-plot sees Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) struggling to balance the excess of female attention he receives after attending the Super Bowl and holding up a sign displaying his phone number.

The Sum Of All Fears (2002)

To be fair, the nuclear attack on U.S. soil from director Phil Alden Robinson's The Sum of All Fears, starring Ben Affleck as Jack Ryan, merely takes place at a typical pro football game in Baltimore. However, in Tom Clancy's 1991 novel that inspired it, the tragedy takes place at the Super Bowl, so it technically counts.

It’s not too much of a stretch to say that we’ve all been in a position where we put off folding laundry for so long we’re left with a giant mound of clothes, sheets, towels, and orphaned socks. What do you do in that situation? Put on a show that is perfect for background noise, of course!

With some of the best cartoons of all time, one or two of the greatest sitcoms ever made, or random docuseries and educational programs, here’s a list of 32 shows that are perfect for background noise while folding laundry.

Law & Order (1990 - 2010; 2022 - Present)

Law & Order, with its 500-plus episodes, has made the laundry-folding process a little better for decades now thanks to its grisly murders, captivating courtroom sequences, and too many “Jack McCoy” moments to count. This isn’t a knock on the show, but you don’t even really have to pay attention all that much to know what’s going on.

How It's Made (2001 - 2019)

Okay, you might get distracted by the manufacturing processes for things like Crayons, crackers, pillows, bowling balls, and thousands of other items featured on this long-running educational program, but How It’s Made makes for some great background noise. The soothing narration, that catchy music, and endless shots of everyday items being made make this a perfect option.

Home Improvement (1991 - 1999)

Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor (Tim Allen) probably never folded a shirt in his life (at least not properly), but that doesn’t mean Home Improvement is a great option for the laundry-folding machine in all of us. If you’re folding one basket, or two baskets, or trying to save your room from the pile that never goes away, this beloved ‘90s TV show will help you pass the time.

The Simpsons (1989 - Present)

With countless characters we love to hate, all kinds of zany situations, and more than 700 episodes to choose from, The Simpsons is one of those shows you can have on in the background in any situation. So, it’s not all surprising that this is a great option for laundry day.

The West Wing (1999 - 2006)

Considered one of the “peak TV era” shows, The West Wing was a staple of network television in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. That said, it’s not hard to imagine that at least a few people have gone through much of the Bartlet Administration while folding and pressing their laundry.

Friends (1994 - 2004)

When you have an episode with a title like“ The One with the East German Laundry Detergent,” you know Friends is going to be a great show to have on while folding your clothes. The landmark sitcom is pretty much the TV equivalent of a warm blanket, so it makes total sense.

Unsolved Mysteries (1987 - Present)

One of the greatest true crime shows to ever hit the small screen, Unsolved Mysteries has been there for many of us for years. First, the classic episodes hosted by Robert Stack helped us pass the time and eat snacks after school. Now, those very same episodes (as well as the Netflix revival) are there for… laundry. Where all these clothes come from is the real unsolved mystery in households around the country.

Scrubs (2001 - 2010)

Bill Lawrence’s Scrubs is one of the best comedies set in a hospital and one of the best medical shows of all time. That said, it’s also a perfect show to watch while folding laundry. Well, unless you experience one of J.D.’s elaborate daydreams while sorting socks. Maybe that explains where those missing socks have gone.

Cheers (1982 - 1993)

No judging here, but some of us have a certain stack of clothes that are pretty much like Norm from Cheers at this point. You know that the laundry will be there tomorrow like it was there today and yesterday (and the day before that).

Planet Earth (2006)

Planet Earth is one of those shows that’s perfect for just about any task around the house, especially with David Attenborough’s comforting narration perfectly explaining everything on the screen. And who knows, maybe you’ll go through the entire docuseries and its various sequels and spinoffs by the time you finish.

Burn Notice (2007 - 2013)

Aziz Ansari’s cousin Harris loves Burn Notice, but does he love watching the USA Network original show while folding his clothes? We’re kind of afraid to ask. Regardless, this spy series starring Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, and Bruce Campbell is one of those shows that feels tailor-made for the mindless task of laundry sorting.

Trailer Park Boys (2001 - 2007; 2014 - 2018)

Trailer Park Boys probably isn’t the first show that comes to mind when you’re trying to be productive, but this Canadian comedy series about the residents of Sunnyvale Trailer Park is the very definition of mindless, crude entertainment. Sure, you won’t want the kids around with the show’s profanity, but this would be great for a late-night laundry session.

30 Rock (2006 - 2013)

With seven seasons and nearly 140 episodes to watch, 30 Rock has more than enough laughs and crazy moments to get you through even the biggest of laundry piles. With its cast of characters working on the fictional TGS sketch comedy series, this beloved NBC comedy will do the trick.

Full House (1987 - 1995)

What would Danny Tanner do? Well, he probably wouldn’t let his laundry situation get out of hand, despite having an ever-growing group of roommates. All jokes aside about the Full House patriarch’s obsession with cleanliness and order, this long-running sitcom has gotten millions of people through laundry baskets over the years. Join in on the fun.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005 - Present)

Now, there’s a chance you get distracted by all those absurd It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia side characters (or even the main cast), but this FX comedy series is peak-laundry folding material. Just make sure you don’t come up with some ridiculous scheme to hide the clothes or pass the task on to someone else.

The Office (2005 - 2013)

Though the series did “jump the shark” near the end, The Office is still one of the best American sitcoms ever made. With a total of 201 episodes and thousands of hilarious and iconic jokes, there’s more than enough to keep you entertained while you work your way through that basket of socks that’s been taunting you for years.

Pawn Stars (2009 - Present)

With more than 650 episodes, all kinds of remarkable and odd pieces of memorabilia and historical artifacts, Pawn Stars has been one of the most popular shows on the History Channel for years now. And while we would love to be able to say “I know a guy” who can handle all these clothes, Rick Harrison and company at Gold & Silver Pawn Shop will help make the folding process a little more entertaining.

American Pickers (2010 - Present)

Like a lot of other great History Channel shows, American Pickers is one of those series perfect for background noise. You don’t really have to follow along to the finer points of the reality program, which is perfect when you’re about halfway through a load of clothes that you really need to finish.

Seinfeld (1989 - 1998)

Who would have thought that a show about nothing would be perfect for laundry? Well, that’s the case for Seinfeld. Sure, you’re probably going to get distracted, put mismatched socks together, or accidentally merge the “keep” and “give away” stacks on the foot of the bed, but it’s worth it.

Parks And Recreation (2009 - 2015)

Though it’s unlikely that Ron Swanson would be too fond of spending hours folding clothes, Parks and Recreation is a show that is perfect for the task. Sure, you may be stuck in a pit of clothes that were washed weeks ago before you finally pull yourself out, but it’s all about the journey.

Family Guy (1999 - Present)

Family Guy, one of the best-animated series of the 21st century, is also a great show to have on in the background while doing just about anything. This includes doing laundry. Sure, there are things we’d rather be doing than folding clothes, but this long-running Fox show certainly makes the task less mind-numbing.

Gilmore Girls (2000 - 2007)

Lorelai and Rory Gilmore guiding us through the ups and downs of small-town life is a great way to make doing laundry a lot more fun, or at least more melodramatic. With seven seasons, 153 episodes, and so many romances to explore, this is definitely a great option for folks who’ve put on laundry for like two months.

The UnXplained (2019 - Present)

How did this stack of clothes get so big? Is this clean, cleanish, or dirty? Does William Shatner fold his own clothes? These are questions with no answers, but The UnXplained will distract you from those mysteries while you search for that missing sock or No Country for Old Man bootleg t-shirt that disappeared in the wash.

Suits (2011 - 2019)

From 2011 to 2019, few shows reached the heights experienced by Suits. This USA Network drama about the high-stakes world of corporate law introduced viewers to all kinds of characters and intense situations along the way. And while few, if any, of those managing partners and ladder-climbing associates did their own laundry, they can help you do yours.

The X Files (1993 - 2002; 2016 - 2018)

A show that made it more than 10 seasons, The X Files was one of the most well-known and watched series of the ‘90s. If you want to mix things up with the laundry and imagine a world in which aliens and other paranormal creatures appear (and possibly help fold those fitted sheets), this landmark sci-fi show will do the trick.

The Great British Baking Show (2014 - Present)

The Great British Baking Show, or The Great British Bake Off as it’s known in its native United Kingdom, is one of the most delicious, hilarious, and watchable cooking shows to ever grace the small screen. While we typically prefer seeing these delectable creations (or disasters) in all their glory, maybe folding clothes will distract and prevent you from mindlessly eating as you watch.

Modern Family (2009 - 2020)

There’s nothing dysfunctional about the Dunphy and Pritchett families from Modern Family, right? Well, maybe a little. This long-running sitcom is one the best options when you’re trying to fold clothes, or really do anything around the house. You’ll be so fixated by Phil coming up with some scheme, Cameron and Mitchell having a meltdown, or Jay being over it all that you’ll forget you’re doing laundry.

Somebody Feed Phil (2018 - Present)

Somebody Feed Phil, a show that follows Everybody Loves Raymond co-creator Phil Rosenthal as he travels the globe to eat anything and everything in his field of view. With so many seasons, so many culinary explorations, and some hilarious moments involving a man loving food way too much, there’s a lot to enjoy.

House (2004 - 2012)

House is one of those shows you can start watching halfway through an episode and still get a lot of enjoyment out of it. One of the best medical dramas of the 21st century, this show starring Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House will allow you to solve all sorts of medical problems and mysteries as you fold your kids' clothes that never really seem to get clean.

Grey's Anatomy (2005 - Present)

Since its debut in 2005, Grey’s Anatomy has combined elements of the medical drama genre with romance and sometimes action to create an experience like no other. If you’re looking for hundreds of hours of TV to help make the laundry go from a mound of madness to a stack of clothes you’ll soon forget to put away, this is the stuff.

MTV True Life (1998 - 2017)

MTV True Life was a long-running documentary series that chronicled pretty much every aspect of life for teenagers, adults, and everyone else. With dozens of episodes about everything from wrestling to odd obsessions, you’ll have a lot of variety when you’re folding the sheets.

How I Met Your Mother (2005 - 2014)

How I Met Your Mother has nine seasons of romance, bromance, chaos, and more twists and turns than anyone can count. That’s why it’s such a darn good show for the weekly (or monthly) laundry experience. Watch Ted Mosby fall in and out of love and back in it again as you contemplate your own life, or at least laundry decisions.

From Downton Abbey to the Red Keep to 742 Evergreen Terrace, there are so many cool houses I'd love to explore from television shows. Some have even gotten quite famous for their use on these shows. Obviously I understand these are mostly sets on a soundstage with an exterior of a completely different house, but let's take a moment to use our imagination and talk about how fun and cool these houses I've always wanted to explore would be.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

Of course with have to include Uncle Phil and Aunt Bev's house on The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. Most of the show pretty much takes place in two rooms, the kitchen and the living room, with other scenes in various bedrooms and occasionally other spots. There must be so much more to see!

The Addams Family

Who doesn't want to explore a house like that of the Addams family? It's creepy and kooky, mysterious and spooky! It's got a dismembered hand running around, a cousin covered in hair, and an uncle who can light up a light bulb in his mouth! This is the kind of house I want to learn a whole lot more about!

Friends

Much has been made about the apartments on Friends and how unrealistic they are. Sure, that may be true, but that doesn't mean they aren't cool, especially where Monica and Rachel live. As someone who lived in a shoebox in the East Village for years, this is the kind of place I'd love to explore and dream about how I could have been living... in a fever dream.

Full House

The Painted Ladies in San Francisco are some of the most iconic houses in the entire United States Of America. For that reason alone it's worth it to explore the Tanner home on Full House. I might not have a chance to explore one otherwise (not that would in this fictional scenario anyway!)

Succession

Let's be honest, I can't stand the Roy family and it makes it hard for me to love the show Succession, because I need someone to root for and there is no one on this show worthy of that. Except maybe the houses and locations, those all look amazing. So that's decides it, I'm rooting for fictional houses.

Game Of Thrones

I've included the Red Keep here from Game of Thrones, but really it's a stand-in for basically every castle, keep, and ancestral home on the show. They all look really cool and I love old European castles, so an architectural tour of Westeros is right in my wheelhouse. Winterfell, Dragonstone, the Eyrie, Sunspear... they are all amazing. Even the ruins of Harrenhal would be awesome to hang out in for a bit.

Gossip Girl

I lived a very different life in my shoebox in the East Village when I lived in New York than the families in Gossip Girl lived. Frankly, every location looks incredible in its own way and I want to see them all and the well-dressed people who live in them.

Frasier

Frasier Crane doesn't live in the most extravagant condo in TV history, but it still seems like a really cool place. Seattle is a beautiful city and the view they had would make a quick tour very worthwhile. Plus, who doesn't want to have a good sit in Martin's chair?

Diff'rent Strokes

The 1980s was filled with over-the-top residences, and the Drummonds apartment in Diff'rent Strokes is close to the top of the list. We really only got to see a little bit of the two-story New York apartment, as almost every scene was in the living room, kitchen, or Willis and Arnold's bedroom. I want to see more! There must be a cozy study in there somewhere with a fireplace filled with many old books and rich mahogany!

Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey is one of the few fictional houses on this list that one can actually spend some time in. The house, which is known as Highclere Castle in real life, is open for tours to the public, and not only can you explore the grounds, but many of the rooms from the show as well. I've not done it yet, but I'd love to do the tour at some point.

Silver Spoons

As a kid of the '80s, the Stratton's mansion on Silver Spoons is close to the top of my list of houses I wished I lived in. There was a train running through the living room, multiple arcade games, and a racing car bed! It's everything I ever wanted and more. Plus, we never got to see much other than a couple of rooms, there has to be so much to explore!

Dynasty

The 1980s were a time when incredibly rich families stirred up melodrama among themselves on shows like Dynasty. Set in Denver, the show's family, the Carringtons, lived in an amazing home. The exteriors of the home were actually a palatial home in Pasadena called Arden Villa.

Modern Family

Jay and Gloria Prichett's house on Modern Family fits the name of the show well. It's...well... modern and it's the kind of house I like to stalk on Zillow. It's not the most over-the-top, or biggest (nor the smallest, for sure), but it seems like a really awesome, realistic house that would be perfect for a week-long AirBnB rental.

Mork & Mindy

This is one of those homes on TV that actually seems like a place I could actually afford and live in. It's a simple house in Boulder, CO, where the show is set and while the prices all over Colorado for real estate are kind of insane, it's still a very cool looking, sensible house. Mork (Robin Williams) is the only thing that isn't sensible about it.

The Munsters

There are few houses in TV history as iconic as the Munster's mansion from The Munsters. Though I'm not a big fan of horror movies, even I can appreciate all the Easter eggs and tributes to old monster movies that must be hidden all over the house. It's the kind of place that is a museum of the weird as much as it is a home.

The Brady Bunch

I love Mid-Century Modern architecture, especially houses. There is no better example of a cool Mid-Century Modern house in TV history than the house designed by Mike Brady on The Brady Bunch. It's also one of the rare shows where we basically see every room in the house in almost every episode. The one part we never see is where Alice lives, so that's something new to explore.

The Golden Girls

I'm a total sucker for those weird Florida gated communities like the one in The Golden Girls and for that reason, I'd love to check the house shared by the four retired roommates in the classic NBC sitcom. It's not the most extravagant, nor the most interesting, but it's still the kind of realistic house I love.

The Sopranos

This is a little bit of an outlier because really, the house in The Sopranos is everything I kinda hate in a house. It's pretty much a standard suburban McMansion, so that means my exploration would really be to make fun of it. I get that it's not a great idea to criticize Carmela's decorating or Tony's house in general, but it's a risk I'd be willing to take.

Mad Men

Don Draper's apartment in Mad Men looks amazing. It's not the biggest home on this list, but it's so perfectly set in its time, it would be amazing to spend a few hours in listening to some jazz and smoking cigarettes.

Dallas

Southfork Ranch is a real place. It's a popular spot in Dallas to hold weddings and other events. That means that exploring the house, which is home to the Ewing clan in Dallas is possible, but I'd want to go back in time and see it as it was when the Ewings lived there (on the show anyway). There would be so much to see across all of the property.

The Simpsons

There are few addresses as famous as 742 Evergreen Terrace. It's not the grandest house on this list, obviously, but still, it's just so iconic. I can just see myself having a Duff on the back patio while Homer relaxes in his hammock, or lying on the floor with Lisa and Bart watching the latest episode of Itchy & Scratchy. Maybe even helping Marge in the kitchen cooking pork chops for dinner.

Dexter

Okay, I'll admit, this one is the most depraved choice on this list. Checking out Dexter's apartment from Dexter is sure to be disturbing and morbid, so it's the kind of place where it's good to keep in mind this is all fictional! Demented and sad, but fictional!

Seinfeld

Jerry's apartment on Seinfeld is probably the smallest home on this list. It's really just the kitchen and living room open-plan space (that doesn't actually make sense) and Jerry's bedroom, but there is always some cool stuff in the background, like Superman memorabilia and cereal boxes. Those are worth exploring, right? Maybe not, but Kramer may have the hot tub open in his apartment.

Charmed

Like a few others on this lit, visiting nd exploring the house on Charmed is less about the house - though it does look stunning - and more about learning about what is really going with these three witches. It has to be fascinating to see how they live when they aren't fighting demons and the like.

The Nanny

I'll admit I'm pretty fascinated by huge New York City apartments. It's just so different from how most people live in the city. The opulence and ease of living in multi-story dwellings in the city must be amazing, and the home on The Nanny certainly fits the bill like others on this list.

Desperate Housewives

This entry isn't about one house, it's about all the house and the neighborhood that makes up Wisteria Lane on Desperate Housewives. There isn't anything particularly special about any one house, but wow what a subdivision to live in! My suburban street was nothing like this... or maybe it was and I was just ignorant of it. Probably not.

The Crown

There are a lot of palaces and castles in Netflix's The Crown and all of them are real places, though none of the show was actually filmed in them, of course. Of all the castles and palaces that Queen Elizabeth is seen in on the show, the coolest and most interesting has to be Balmoral, her castle in Scotland where she ultimately died in real life. That's the castle and grounds I want to explore.

Billions

Even by TV show standards, Bobby Axelrod (Damien Lewis) on Showtime's Billions has a ridiculous beach house in the Hamptons. I mean, it looks like a country club clubhouse or a hotel, it's insane. It feels like you could spend a month there and never hang out in the same room twice.

Ozark

I've been to the Lake of the Ozarks a bunch of times in my life and while it's a super fun place, you don't really think of it as having interesting houses. On the show Ozark, the Byrdes definitely live in one that you wouldn't ever expect to see there, and it's based on a real place there. It's exactly the kind of house I love. It's also one of the few places that is actually based on a real thing at Lake of the Ozarks, as the show was primarily shot in Georgia.

Beverly Hills, 90210

As someone who grew up watching Beverly Hills, 90210 every week, this is definitely a very personal choice. I just always thought the house was really nice looking and I'd love to spend some time hanging out with the Walshes.

Arrested Development

Yes, it's only a model house, and yes, it's basically cheap construction of plywood and chewing gum, but still, the house in Arrested Development would be a wild place to hang out for a while. You could look for George in the attic, or count the number of blue handprints on the wall... there's just so much. I wouldn't mess around with the cornballer though.

Falcon Crest

One of the wildest wealthy fictional families on TV in the '80s was the Channing/Gioberti clan on Falcon Crest. It's a show that no one talks about anymore, but the house, set in a fictionalized version of Napa Valley is amazing and really, we should be talking about it as the star of the show, though Jane Wyman is pretty fantastic on the show too.

With its 36^th season returning to the 2025 TV schedule this spring, The Simpsons continues to be the longest-running animated series in the country. However, while there isn’t an end in sight, that doesn’t mean things won’t change. Of course, the animation style has evolved over three decades, and there's been a rotating cast of voice actors, and all of that is a given. However, longtime Simpsons voice actor Hank Azaria’s recent comments about the show’s future are bumming me out.

Azaria has been providing voices for The Simpsons since it started in 1989, and he's best known as Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Apu and many others. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem too confident that he will be sticking around to voice the iconic characters. In an opinion piece for The New York Times, Azaria shared his take on AI, and it’s certainly sad to think about how it could impact the beloved animated series:

AI is one of the reasons why the actors were on strike in 2023, and as much as most people don’t want it to happen, it wouldn’t be surprising if it became a bigger part of making films and television. The Simpsons has been on the air for almost 40 years, and it’s still going strong. So, I'd hope that if any show can avoid the AI complexities, it would be The Simpsons. But the fact that Azaria thinks that AI will eventually take over says a lot and is quite scary.

While it's unclear how AI would impact The Simpsons, it could be used to recreate voices for characters as it moves forward, as Azaria implied, and that would certainly be a crappy situation for anyone involved. Plus, watching The Simpsons characters that make us laugh made by AI would not be the same. Technology is forever changing, and with artificial intelligence making advances, it’s hard to predict how it will be even five years from now. Hopefully, it won't be in a place where it's taking opportunities away from voice actors.

At the very least, The Simpsons doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon, and it’s likely the show wouldn’t want to replace any of the voice actors with AI. Fans will just have to remain positive that Hank Azaria and the rest of the cast will be able to stay on for as long as possible and that AI won’t be taking over their jobs.

The Simpsons won’t be back until the end of March on Fox, but those with a Disney+ subscription can watch the first 35 seasons, while those with a Hulu subscription can watch Season 36. There is still quite a lot to look forward to (including voices from Azaria), as long as it’s without AI.

Some of the most extraordinary performances in movie or TV history have seen the actor completely disappear into a role, not only changing their appearance but also adopting a voice almost entirely different from their own. Take a look at some of the most impressive voice alterations that an actor took on to perfect their unique portrayal of a now iconic character (or characters).

Robert De Niro (Cape Fear)

One thing that makes the 1991 remake of Cape Fear one of the most amusing Martin Scorsese/Robert De Niro collaborations is the actor's approach to playing Max Cady. The Academy Award-winning Italian-American dons a thick, over-the-top Southern accent but is still no less chilling as the sadistic, recently released convict seeking revenge on the defense attorney (Nick Nolte) who put him away.

Lupita Nyong'o (Us)

One of the scariest modern horror movie villains is Red (Lupita Nyong'o) from writer and director Jordan Peele's 2019 sophomore feature, Us. The Academy Award winner brilliantly differentiates the vengeful, "tethered" person from her above-ground double, Adelaide, and gives her an even more unsettling presence, with a raspy voice inspired by a condition called spasmodic dysphonia, which inhibits airflow and is commonly a symptom of traumatic experiences.

Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

As he would with any other role, Daniel Day-Lewis went to great lengths to become the sixteenth President of the United States for his Oscar-winning performance in Steven Spielberg's 2012 biopic, Lincoln. He even made sure to match Honest Abe's voice, which was high-pitched and reedy (according to the Library of Congress), as opposed to the low bellow many previous portrayals mistakenly attempted.

Mel Blanc (Looney Tunes)

To this day, it is almost shocking to learn that most of the original Looney Tunes characters were brought to life by just one actor. Until he passed away in 1989, Mel Blanc provided the diverse voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and plenty more favorites under the Warner Bros. animation umbrella.

Austin Butler (Elvis)

The key to portraying Elvis Presley is nailing his distinct Southern drawl, which Austin Butler went to great lengths to perfect when he was cast as the influential musician in Baz Luhrmann's 2022 biopic. The work he put into the voice seemed to have a lasting effect on the actor, whom audiences could not help but notice continued to speak in the same accent during public appearances.

Seth MacFarlane (Various)

In addition to being one of the creative forces behind two of TV's longest-running hit animated shows for grown-ups, Seth MacFarlane is also responsible for bringing many of their most important characters to life. He voices Peter, Stewie, and Quagmire on Family Guy and plays Stan and Roger on American Dad – all of whom require him to be completely unrecognizable, while Family Guy's Brian is no different from his real voice.

Catherine O’Hara (Schitt's Creek)

What makes Moira Rose (Catherine O'Hara) one of the funniest characters on Schitt's Creek is the way she pronounces certain words with her over-the-top, posh accent. Classic examples include "baby" (beh-beh) and "enchiladas" (ahn-chuh-lah-dahs).

Jim Carrey (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

It is still sometimes hard to believe that it is Jim Carrey playing the title role in Ron Howard's live-action adaptation of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas from 2000. Not only is he covered head-to-toe with green skin and matching fur in the Christmas movie classic but the comedic mastermind disguises his voice with an accent that earned comparisons to Sean Connery, as he told Entertainment Weekly.

Eddie Murphy (Coming To America)

Eddie Murphy started a career staple of playing multiple roles in the same movie with 1988's Coming to America. He dons an African accent to play Prince Akeem and brings his voice to higher octaves as Randy Watson and Clarence, but he undergoes the most intensive alteration of both his appearance and voice when playing elderly barber shop patron, Saul.

Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

The Dark Knight is a superhero movie that won Oscars for Sound Editing and for Heath Ledger's astonishing, transformative performance as The Joker. No matter how many times you watch Christopher Nolan's acclaimed 2008 sequel to Batman Begins, it is always shocking to hear that wheezy, menacing voice coming from the late Australian actor.

Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons)

If you have ever seen any of comedian Dan Castellaneta's live-action acting credits, it might shock you to learn that his most famous role is Homer Simpson. However, the Simpsons cast member provides the voice of plenty more characters than the infantile, Duff-swilling family man, including Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, and Groundskeeper Willie.

Bill Skarsgård (Nosferatu)

Bill Skarsgård is no stranger to dramatically altering his appearance and his voice for the sake of scaring the living daylights out of audiences, having played Pennywise in back-to-back creepy clown movies, It and It Chapter Two. However, his transformation into Count Orlok for Robert Eggers' 2024 reimagining of Nosferatu was an even more challenging process, requiring a month-and-a-half of vocal training to perfect the vampire's dread-inducing growl.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix did all of his own singing when portraying Johnny Cash in James Mangold's acclaimed music biopic, 2005's Walk the Line. While appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien that year, the future Oscar winner told the late night talk show host that he worked with a dialect coach to replicate the Man in Black's deep baritone voice as authentically as possible.

Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout)

For her Emmy-winning performance on the Hulu original true crime miniseries, The Dropout, Amanda Seyfried had the challenge of imitating the infamous low voice of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and CEO of the fraudulent blood-testing company Theranos.

Hugh Jackman (X-Men)

Many have been shocked to learn that Hugh Jackman is an Australian as his most famous role is the Canadian-native, Adamantium-clawed mutant, Wolverine. Of course, the Tony winner does more than just drop his natural accent for the X-Men movies but also incorporates a deep, nigh-animalistic growl.

Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

When Stephanie Beatriz debuted in the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, she used her natural, higher-tone voice to play Det. Rosa Diaz. However, over time, the character's voice became progressively deeper until the actor settled on a low, more gruff tone that better suited the cop's hard-edged exterior.

Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Trilogy)

To play the lead in Christopher Nolan's beloved live-action Batman movies, Christian Bale pulled double-duty on changing his voice. In addition to dropping his Welsh accent when appearing as Bruce Wayne, he adopted a gravelly, identity-concealing growl when patrolling Gotham as the Dark Knight.

Kristen Stewart (Spencer)

Kristen Stewart did more to earn her Academy Award nomination for portraying Princess Diana in the 2021 biopic, Spencer, than donning a blonde hairdo and an English accent. The actor revealed to Howard Stern that she went so far as to dramatically evolve her vocal inflection by opening her mouth more widely than she normally would and, as a result, practically altered her physical appearance in the film.

Phil LaMarr (The Adventures Of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius)

Prolific voice actor Phil LaMarr, in addition to his transformative characters as a MADtv cast member, has made himself unrecognizable for countless iconic animated roles, such as John "Green Lantern" Stewart on Justice League or the title hero of Samurai Jack. However, no blip on his resume is nearly as surprising as the recurring role of foreign exchange student Bolbi Stroganofsky on Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series)

There are two different kinds of Mark Hamill fans. There are those who know the actor as Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars movies and then there are those who know him as The Joker on Batman: The Animated Series and many subsequent animated Batman movies. The voice he puts on for the role – a wonderful mix of comically over-the-top theatrics and scintillating intimidation – has been recognized as the definitive portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime in the eyes of many DC fans.

Robin Williams (Popeye)

Robin Williams proved that he was the perfect choice to lead director Robert Altman's live-action adaptation of the Popeye comic strip. He matched the brave, spinach-swilling sailor's fast-paced growl, as originated by voice actor Billy Costello, to a tee in the 1980 film.

Maggie Wheeler (Friends)

Maggie Wheeler stole the show from the Friends cast with her recurring role as Janice Hosenstein, who was famous for her signature catchphrase, "Oh. My. GAWWWWWD!" What sold the character was her thick, nasally Brooklyn accent, which the actor came up with when she auditioned to play the character, as she revealed to Access Hollywood.

Idris Elba (Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom)

Idris Elba earned rave reviews for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the Oscar-nominated 2013 biopic, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Being raised by West African immigrants helped the English-born actor develop an appropriate dialect to play the influential South African President, as he revealed to Oprah Winfrey.

Mia Goth (X)

Mia Goth played dual roles in Ti West's acclaimed A24 horror movie, 2022's X – both of which required her to conceal her mousy English accent. She spoke with a raspy Southern drawl as young aspiring starlet Maxine Minx and sounded similar, but significantly aged up, when playing homicidal elder, Pearl.

Megan Mullally (Will & Grace)

Megan Mullally absolutely earned her two Emmy Award wins for her committed performance as Karen Walker on the classic TV sitcom, Will & Grace. The key to the spoiled socialite's scene-stealing presence was her ear-piercing voice, which truly sounds nothing like the actor in real life.

Ana De Armas (Blonde)

Cuban-born actor Ana de Armas is known for having a strong accent, which she concealed in order to portray Marilyn Monroe in Blonde. Her commitment to matching the Hollywood icon's dialect in the 2022 Netflix original biopic would earn her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Billy West (Various)

Billy West could be called the Mel Blanc of his generation as he can claim to have played about as many memorable animated characters as the iconic voice actor behind much of the Looney Tunes line-up did. To list just a few of West's best-known credits, he was both of the title characters from The Ren & Stimpy Show, took over as Popeye at one time, led Futurama as Fry, and plenty more.

Nicole Kidman (Being The Ricardos)

Nicole Kidman's Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Lucille Ball in 2021's Being the Ricardos was achieved with more than just makeup. The actor shed her Australian accent and added a smokiness to match the I Love Lucy star's natural voice but was also challenged to imitate the more high-pitched tone of the comedy icon's onscreen alter ego.

Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory)

Dr. Bernadette Maryann Rostenkowski-Wolowitz easily boasts one of the most impossibly high-pitched voices in sitcom history. However, The Big Bang Theory cast member Melissa Rauch actually sounds nothing like Howard Wolowitz's bride, yet maintained the façade convincingly for 10 seasons on the hit CBS comedy.

Chris Pratt (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)

Despite making "total sense" to the directors of Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie, fans of the original Nintendo video game series had some initial hesitation over Chris Pratt's casting as the older Mario brother. However, the actor wisely avoided the plumber's stereotypical Italian dialect from the games in favor of a Brooklyn accent that effectively masked his natural voice.

Robert Pattinson (Mickey 17)

Robert Pattinson plays the title role of Bong Joon-ho's 2024 sci-fi comedy Mickey 17 with an entirely unrecognizable and, admittedly, kind of goofy voice. According to IndieWire, the English actor based the voice for his "expendable" character and his many clones off of comedian Steve-O.

Johnny Depp (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory)

Say what you want about Tim Burton's 2005 adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but you have to admit that Johnny Depp did try something amusing with the role of Willy Wonka. To play the eccentric chocolatier, he adopted a high-pitched wheeze that almost makes you question if it really is the same guy who played Capt. Jack Sparrow under that top hat.

Walt Disney famously said that “Disneyland will never be complete,” and his words have remained true for nearly 70 years. With a major milestone happening for the original theme park this year and massive construction plans slated for Walt Disney World in Orlando, no statement has been more true.

Super fans don’t always agree on the changes made to the parks, but it's always exciting to see how the company finds new ways to incorporate brand-new ideas and beloved IP into the world’s greatest theme park. A new round of guest surveys that rolled out in December 2024 suggest the Walt Disney Company may be thinking about adding The Simpsons to its various theme parks, and I’m honestly not on board with the idea.

How Disney Parks Is Apparently Gauging Interest In The Simpsons

For years, guests have received surveys after spending in the House of Mouse's various theme parks. The overviews often vary in length and questions but, ultimately, they’re all used to analyze one’s experience in the parks and find ways to make improvements. As an avid Disneyland goer, I love receiving these surveys because they often include hints as to new ideas Imagineers are floating around. That can include seeing if guests are interested in seeing fans' favorite Springfield family in the theme parks.

X user Drew Smith, who shares news about the Walt Disney Company on his account, was one of the first to break the news in December. He shared a screenshot of a recent survey question regarding whether consumers would like the parks to utilize The Simpsons. The options ranged from more short-form content and an episode of the long-running series that's long surpassed 10 seasons to character meet and greets inside the theme parks and even a new land or attraction.

It goes without saying that there are a lot of possibilities here. However, just because Disney -- which owns the famous characters -- could do this, it doesn't mean the company should.

Why I Don’t Think Adding The Simpsons Is A Good Idea

As much as I love seeing Walt Disney’s vision for the theme parks honored, I can’t help but feel like incorporating The Simpsons into the locations would be a bad idea. The vibe of the beloved animated show just doesn't seem to fit in with the atmosphere of the existing Disney parks around the world.

My biggest concern, if Disney were to go through with this, comes down to one big question: Where would the characters be utilized? Disneyland is already packed full, and I don’t see Homer and the rest of his family fitting in with any of the themed lands in the park. One might argue that they could could be added to to Disney’s California Adventure Park’s Hollywood Land but, with rumors of it being demolished to make room for the new Avatar land, that doesn’t seem likely.

I can’t see The Simpsons being incorporated into any of the international parks either, which leaves either the Disneyland Forward project or one of the four Walt Disney World parks as its only option for a full-sized land or attraction. But, again, with all the new attractions coming to the four parks, I just don’t see it happening any time soon. And, without a full-fledged land, I don’t know where the Simpson family could have a meet and greet without disrupting the theme of the existing lands.

Not to mention, a nearly perfect Simpsons-themed land already exists on both coasts at Universal Studios. Why would Disney Parks want to invest time and money into a new version of land and attraction that their competitor has already had for years now? Of course, with Universal’s rumored contract set to be up in 2028, there is a very real possibility that the beloved Krustyland section of the parks will be transformed into something else if Disney decides it wants the theme park rights itself.

Still, I’m hoping the Mouse House decides that The Simpsons don’t fit into their theme parks and let Universal keep giving fans of the series a place to interact with their favorite characters. In the meantime, you can stream the storied animated series using a Disney+ subscription.

Since its debut in 1989, The Simpsons has cemented itself as one of the best adult animated shows of all time, weathering challenges like pay disputes, the tragic losses of cast members Marcia Wallace and Phil Hartman, and voice talent retirements. Despite these changes, the show remains a cultural phenomenon. Among Springfield’s iconic cast, few characters are as beloved as Marge Simpson. Often overshadowed by Homer’s antics or Bart’s mischief, Marge has always been the show’s heart and soul. Whether standing up for her family or embarking on her own adventures, she consistently proves she’s more than just the glue holding the Simpson family together. Here are 32 episodes where Marge truly shined.

“Marge on the Lam” (Season 5, Episode 6)

Ever wonder what would happen if Marge threw caution to the wind and just let loose? In this Thelma & Louise–inspired romp, she teams up with neighbor Ruth Powers for a night of adrenaline-fueled fun that is reminiscent of the best female relationship movies. Beneath the squealing tires and on-the-lam shenanigans, we see Marge’s quiet longing for excitement—and it’s downright exhilarating.