Get ready for a hilarious trip down memory lane! We're diving into the most unforgettable and iconic moments from classic sitcoms that have made us laugh, cry, and everything in between. From Steve Urkel to the M*A*S*H finale, these are the scenes that defined television comedy!
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most memorable moments
00:12from popular sitcoms, live-action only.
00:22Halfway through Family Matters' first season, an episode aired which would change the course
00:36of the series forever.
00:37Titled, Laura's First Date, the episode introduced viewers to the Winslow's geeky
00:42neighbour Steve Urkel, who Carl had set up on a date with his eldest daughter, Laura.
00:54Although Urkel is ultimately rejected by Laura, who has decided to ask Mark to the dance instead,
00:59he stays with the Winslow's anyway, quickly making himself at home.
01:03It's a set-up that was initially conceived as a one-off joke, with Urkel intended to
01:07never be seen again, or audiences fell in love with Laura's annoying admirer.
01:15In fact, by the time Family Matters ended in 1998, Urkel was effectively the show's
01:20main character.
01:29A lot happens in How I Met Your Mother, but it never loses sight of the fact that its
01:45title-framing device is its true heart and soul.
01:48One particularly moving moment occurs in The Time Travellers, in a scene entirely fabricated
01:53by a future Ted.
01:59Speaking to his children, he imagines travelling back in time to a lonely night in 2013 and
02:03knocking on the door of their mother.
02:05He tells her that they are destined to meet and fall in love in 45 days, but that he would
02:10do anything to spend those extra days with her.
02:13It's an incredibly sweet scene, and one that has taken on a heart-wrenching new meaning
02:24following the finale's reveal that the mother is dead.
02:44After their life of luxury is brought to a screeching halt, the Rose family struggles
02:48to adjust to a normal life.
02:49One of the many mundane hurdles they must overcome is cooking their own family dinner
02:53A skill Moira insists she maintains from her life before Fortune and Fame.
03:02She begins to teach her son David how to cook enchiladas, with what she claims is an old
03:06family recipe, but ultimately hits a roadblock when it calls for folding in the cheese.
03:11The only thing funnier than David's confusion at the instruction is Moira's complete inability
03:15to explain what it means.
03:28It's an early series example of what makes Schitt's Creek so great, with some pitch-perfect
03:33timing by two unbeatable comedic actors.
03:42Niles irons his pants, Frasier.
03:49Cheers' spin-off, Frasier, moved its title character from Boston to Seattle and introduced
03:54audiences to an entirely new cast of characters, including Frasier's uptight brother, Niles
03:59Crane.
04:00Niles' aloof sense of superiority is often used as a foil to Frasier's own discriminating
04:04nature, but one of the character's best moments occurs as a solo act.
04:08Getting ready for a date, Niles decides to iron his pants, setting in motion an absurdly
04:13funny comedy of errors.
04:21He cuts his finger, faints and inadvertently sets fire to his forgotten slacks.
04:26Even his attempt to quell the blaze with a fire extinguisher is pure slapstick gold.
04:36Before Frasier, Cheers was making audiences laugh with its own unique brand of chaos.
04:47In Thanksgiving Orphans, the show's central characters realise they all have nowhere to
04:51go for the holiday, and decide to meet up at Carla's.
05:04They initially get along, but tensions rise as it's clear the dinner will be taking
05:08longer than expected.
05:09Norm and Carla each blame the other for the unfinished turkey, and throw food at each
05:13other in frustration.
05:14The act creates a domino effect, as the gang begins an all-out food fight.
05:25It's hilariously immature, and messy in more ways than one, adding to the scene's
05:32significance is the fight's final victim, Norm's wife Vera, in her only on-screen
05:37appearance.
05:57Even the most well-intentioned satire has the ability to age poorly, with a better understanding
06:01of social dynamics.
06:0230 Rock is one of many shows that has come under scrutiny as of late, having several
06:06of its episodes pulled from streaming due to their depictions of blackface.
06:10While this scene has not suffered the same fate, it's clear that it's riding a line
06:14of political correctness.
06:16And yet, somehow it still works.
06:26In an effort to help Tracy deal with family issues, Jack brings the star to a therapist.
06:31She suggests role-playing, and Jack is all too happy to oblige.
06:41It's hard not to cringe alongside her, as Jack imitates the members of Tracy's family,
06:50but there's also something undeniably funny about the whole situation.
07:05In spite of its title, the Evans were not always having a good time on Goodtimes.
07:09The central family lived in an inner-city Chicago neighbourhood, where they often struggled
07:13to make ends meet.
07:14While they often found humour in their lives despite their circumstances, following a series
07:18of disagreements with Goodtimes producer, John Amos, who played the family patriarch,
07:22James, was written off of the show in a brutal way.
07:37While celebrating an upcoming move, the family receives news of this passing.
07:40It's a soberingly serious moment that ends an otherwise light-hearted episode, and carried
07:46into a memorable follow-up in which Florida struggles to stay strong for her family.
08:06Much of The Odd Couple's humour comes from the differences between its two unlikely protagonists,
08:10Felix and Oscar, and no episode exemplifies their differences quite as well as Password,
08:16a third-season outing set on the game show of the same name.
08:22Felix's actor, Tony Randall, was a regular on the real-life version of the show, and
08:29practice sessions with his then-wife had begun devolving as she offered him more and more
08:33absurd clues.
08:35He realised a similar set-up would be perfect for The Odd Couple's protagonists, and so
08:39presented the concept to its writers.
08:45The result is a very silly, but just as funny take on the classic game, in which Oscar struggles
08:50to understand Felix's baffling answers and niche clues.
09:01Even if you've never seen a single episode of
09:12Curb Your Enthusiasm, it's likely you've seen a gif of Larry David looking indecisive
09:17in between two groups of protesters.
09:19The popular reaction meme actually comes from Larry David's favourite episode of the long-running
09:23series, Palestinian Chicken, which focuses on a subject just as relevant today as the
09:28day it was made.
09:29The set-up sees Larry obsessed with a Palestinian restaurant, both because of its attractive
09:33owner and its good chicken.
09:35Unfortunately, the restaurant also has some anti-Semitic values, causing Larry's friends
09:40to criticise his obsession with it.
09:50The ending scene, seen in the gif, showcases some brilliant face acting from Larry, as
09:54he mentally considers the pros and cons of each side.
10:14Although Parks and Rec isn't discussed quite as much as another mockumentary, The Office,
10:19many of its most iconic moments have seeped into people's everyday lives.
10:23Valentine's Day is now recognised as an actual sister holiday to Valentines, with
10:27real-world merchandise and celebratory posts by celebrities.
10:31And of course, who doesn't like to treat themselves, every now and again, like Tom
10:34and Donna?
10:42Pony Rangers was the episode that introduced the concept of treat-yo-self to the world,
10:47described as a day to, well, treat yourself, with everything from massages to mimosas,
10:52to fine leather goods.
10:53For those who like to partake in a bit of retail therapy, this sitcom-created concept
10:57completely changed the game.
11:17Sometimes good television calls for actors to go places they'd never go in their day-to-day
11:20life.
11:22But in this instance, that place was a ball pit.
11:23In the Einstein approximation, Sheldon is unable to figure out a pressing science conundrum
11:28and goes days without sleeping.
11:30His behaviour becomes increasingly irrational as the episode progresses, eventually ending
11:34with the physicist shoulders-deep in a ball pit.
11:46As Leonard attempts to capture him, Sheldon pops in and out of the sea of colourful balls,
11:50shouting,
11:55The phrase is by far the show's most iconic and recognisable quote, and this is definitely
11:59its most memorable usage.
12:15This Miami-set NBC series was the subject of its fair share of controversies back in
12:19the day, and it was already pushing boundaries as early as its second season.
12:23Fortunately for the Golden Girls, controversy worked in its favour.
12:26Tied with Isn't It Romantic, an episode in which Dorothy's lesbian friend crushes
12:30on Rose, Ladies of the Evening proved to be one of the series' most-watched episodes.
12:44It features the show's main trio being arrested after being mistaken for Ladies of the Evening,
12:49or sex workers.
12:50The girls' brief stint in jail is full of expert comedy writing, and Sophia's portrayal
12:55to see the premiere of a new Burt Reynolds movie without them acts as the perfect icing
12:59on the cake.
13:10When the idea for Chuckles Bites the Dust landed on the desk of CBS execs, they were
13:26concerned that it would be too morbid a concept for a sitcom.
13:30Thankfully, the episode moved forward anyway, and is now considered one of the best bits
13:34of dark comedy writing within the sub-genre.
13:45The episode concerns the death of a clown named Chuckles, whose shocking end quickly
13:50becomes the subject of jokes within the WJMTV studio.
13:54Mary is perturbed by her colleague's lack of respect, and openly criticises them, but
13:59ends up shocking herself and everyone else when she is struck by a case of the giggles
14:03at the clown's funeral.
14:15It's a hilariously hypocritical moment that also proves to be shockingly cathartic for
14:19Mary herself.
14:48Almost every joke on Arrested Development is incredibly layered, and plenty of them
14:52could have earned a spot on this list, but ultimately we had to feature the visual spectacle
14:56that is an almost fully blue David Cross.
15:08In the show's second season premiere, Tobias comes across a flyer for the Blue Man Group,
15:13which he believes to be a depression support group.
15:15Though he comes to realise his mistake, the show reinvigorates his desire to be on stage,
15:20causing him to blue himself for an audition.
15:33What is already a pretty funny visual gag, and double entendre, is made better when the
15:37character's blue skin inadvertently leads to his hospitalisation, where a very literal
15:42doctor notes that he looks dead.
15:44But, we'll be fine.
16:05Part of a line-up of heavy hitters like 30 Rock, Parks and Rec and The Office, Community
16:09was somewhat of an underdog sitcom, but its writing was often just as strong as its contemporaries.
16:15One of its best episodes is Remedial Chaos Theory, which plays out several different
16:18realities born from the rolling of a die, the most iconic of which is also its darkest.
16:32In that reality, Troy enters his new apartment with a stack of pizzas, only to find complete
16:37chaos.
16:38Everything that could have gone wrong, has gone wrong.
16:40There's a raging fire, a misfired gun and a rather demonic-looking troll doll.
16:47In our reality, gifs of the scene have appropriately been used to indicate when a situation has
16:51gone completely south.
17:00The Nightman Cometh, it's always sunny in Philadelphia.
17:08Before the streaming era, plenty of shows featured musical episodes, but rarely were
17:12those musicals written by a character in the show.
17:15In The Nightman Cometh, Charlie shares a stage play he's written with the gang, which has
17:19been transcribed into readable English to varying degrees of success.
17:23The characters do their best to perform it earnestly, but it's clear from the start
17:26that it will be a disaster.
17:38Their singing is off-key, the plot makes very little sense and the play's weak attempts
17:42at tension fall flat, causing the audience to laugh.
17:56Worst, or perhaps best of all, it's revealed that it was all a set-up for Charlie to ask
18:01for the waitress' hand in marriage.
18:03Unsurprisingly, she says no.
18:25Those happy days moments not only stood out within the show, but changed the way we thought
18:28about TV forever.
18:30Early in the series' fifth season, the Fonz dons swim trunks and boards a set of water
18:34skis to, literally, jump over a shark.
18:40It's impressive, it's ridiculous, and it's wildly off-base from the once-relatable
18:46family comedy that made up the sitcom's early years.
18:49So much so that jumping the shark became a term used by critics to describe when a show
18:53had veered so severely off its original path that it became something new.
19:06After the term caught on, Fonzie's actor Henry Winkler would go on to jump the shark
19:09once more, this time on Arrested Development.
19:23It may be hard to believe now, but the puppy episode was once so controversial that its
19:27true focus had to be concealed with its comically agreeable title.
19:40When news got out about the episode's plot, the studio was subjected to at least one bomb
19:45threat, and stars Ellen DeGeneres and Laura Dern were blacklisted from productions.
19:50All because Ellen was coming out.
19:52In Laura Dern's character, Susan, suggests that Ellen is gay.
19:55She initially denies it, but slowly comes to realise that she has been suppressing her
19:58true sexuality for years.
20:08In a history-making moment, Ellen rushes to meet Susan at an airport, and accidentally
20:13comes out not only to her, but the entire room.
20:34As a satirical take on a conservative patriarch in the 70s, Archie Bunker is far from progressive.
20:40But when famed actor and musician Sammy Davis Jr takes a ride in his taxi, he can't help
20:45but be starstruck.
20:55Realising that Sammy has left his briefcase in his car, Archie arranges a meeting with
20:58a celebrity and tries his best to be a good host.
21:01Unfortunately, with Archie being Archie, attempts at compliments turn into inappropriate questions
21:07and micro-aggressions.
21:08But Sammy is ultimately the one to get the last laugh, planting a kiss on Archie's
21:20cheek as their picture is taken together.
21:41Will's shenanigans in Bel-Air were the fodder for many laughs over the series' six-season
21:45run, but some of the Fresh Prince's best episodes dropped the humour for heartbreaking
21:50These very special episodes highlighted everything from armed robberies to substance abuse disorder,
21:55with its most memorable tackling the harsh reality of an absent father.
22:02Will's father, Lou, first appears in season four, and it initially seems to Will that
22:13he'll finally be making an effort to be in his son's life.
22:16Poor old habits are hard to break, and the episode ends with Lou disappointing his son
22:20once again.
22:27The character is never seen after this moment, and both Will and the audience are left to
22:31mourn the relationship that could have been.
22:50Not every scene needs to be culturally or historically significant to be considered
22:53iconic.
22:54Sometimes it can just be really funny.
22:56That's certainly the case for this office cold open, which sees Dwight testing his co-workers
23:00with an impromptu fire drill.
23:09It's just under five minutes, but typewriting and punchy editing allow the whole cast their
23:13moments to shine.
23:15They all become increasingly frantic as each exit proves unviable, eventually devolving
23:19into utter chaos as it becomes clear they are trapped.
23:23Angela throws her cat into the ceiling, Kevin breaks into a vending machine, and Michael
23:27even throws a projector through a window.
23:34With every man for himself, it's the characters at their most primal.
23:38And it's absolutely brilliant.
23:53The one with the embryos is an iconic episode in more ways than one, but for the sake of
23:57this list, we'll be focusing on the trivia game played by Rachel, Monica, Joey and Chandler.
24:09After arguing about which group knows more about the other, the men and women decide
24:12to split and finally put their knowledge to the test.
24:15The scene has some of the best character interactions of the entire show, while simultaneously
24:20providing fun new facts to the audience about their favourite on-screen friends.
24:35The girls lose in the end, and the episode's final punchline sees them struggling to live
24:39in the boys' filthy apartment, while Chandler chills with his chicken duck on their couch.
24:50The gamer loses the contest, Seinfeld.
25:00Before there was No Nut November, Seinfeld played out its own version of the adult challenge
25:04in the contest.
25:05For $300 or $350 if Elaine lost, the four friends try to see who can go the longest
25:11without succumbing to their own desires.
25:22Kramer is the first out, and his loss is one of the episode's funniest moments.
25:26After pointing out a nude woman in a window across the street, the character suddenly
25:30leaves Joey's apartment for his own.
25:32Only 50 seconds later, he's back, frankly announcing that he's lost the bet.
25:46The shock on Elaine, Jerry and George's faces says it all.
25:50Before leaving, Kramer is sure to warn the other men about the woman across the street.
25:59This classic comedy bit has become so iconic that you may not even know that it's originally
26:12from I Love Lucy.
26:13It's been referenced by the likes of Drake & Josh, Mad TV and even My Little Pony, but
26:18there is no beating the original.
26:26Following a disagreement, Lucy and Ethel decide to switch roles with their husbands, Ricky
26:29and Fred, getting jobs while the men do the housework.
26:32What initially seemed like a cushy job at a chocolate factory, quickly becomes a nightmare,
26:36as candy keeps coming faster than Lucy and Ethel can wrap it.
26:43It's a masterfully funny sequence, with the women futilely stuffing their faces and
26:50clothes with chocolate, as even more pieces continue to roll down the conveyor belt.
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27:18The popularity of M.A.S.H. resulted in it running longer than the Korean War itself.
27:29The finale, Goodbye, Farewell and Amen, was not only its most-watched episode, but remains
27:33the most-watched single episode of any series in US history.
27:48War has changed these men, a fact most evident in the finale's depiction of PTSD through
27:53the character of Hawkeye, but their bonds to each other help them transition to new
27:57lives apart.
27:58In the show's final moments, BJ declares that he expects to see Hawkeye back in America,
28:03but has left him a note just in case.
28:11Hawkeye is initially confused, until his helicopter pulls away to reveal Goodbye, written next
28:17to the camp, with rocks.
28:25So which sitcom moments had the biggest impact on you?
28:28Let us know in the comments.
28:55And as always, thanks for watching.
28:56We'll see you next time.