welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
sitcom storylines that would never
happen today if you like this video then
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for all things pop culture celebrity and
entertainment for this list we’re
looking at sitcom storylines that pushed
boundaries further than the format
should whether it’s a case of a series
taking on subject matter better left two
dramas subject matter ill-suited to its
intended audience humor at the expense
of a minority or marginalized group or
just a case of a show that really should
have known better
these are plot lines that would have
been shot down in writers rooms today
number 10 fear strikes back the facts of
life first prize is two tickets to the
Bruce Springsteen concert in New York
this episode starts off simple enough
the girls are going to a Halloween party
where the prizes tickets for a sold-out
Bruce Springsteen concert but then the
very special episode card gets played
with fists of ham yeah this evening on
her way to her car
a man attacked her when mrs. G tells the
girls a woman in town has been raped
they are briefly phased but when Natalie
is attacked by a stranger it registers
limited sympathy and instead characters
carry on with easy-to-reach jokes while
complaining about how Natalie’s trauma
affects them I’ve been up almost every
night with family this week we’ve all
been up with her those nightmares of
hers are getting worse by the end of the
episode it’s hard not to feel like the
lesson is that Natalie’s at fault for
not having protected herself the 80s
number nine death in a funny position
Benson clouds that classic sitcom trope
you know the one where a newly made
friend invites you to a party on his
yacht gets murdered and hilarity ensues
it’s basically a game of Clue meets
Murder on the Orient Express with Benson
this show’s resident definitely not a
detective there to solve the whodunit
this story was actually split over two
episodes rather than just ending with
someone making sure everyone was safe
and then calling the Coast Guard or
another such logical conclusion instead
much of the story involves characters
suspecting everyone else and Benson
cracking this thing wide open
talk about a show taking on more than it
can handle number 8
urban fear punky brewster henry’s rookie
who a child copes with old trauma during
a senseless killing spree not exactly
the standard plot line for a family
sitcom we learned good and early that a
killer is prowling the north side of
Chicago a killer who doesn’t look
anything like David Letterman surrogate
father figure Henry ignores the
sensationalism to protect punky but
nonetheless she becomes obsessed with
the possibility that Henry will most
definitely be murdered it’s gonna keep
killing isn’t okay I want you to stop
thinking about him there are no wacky
threats or zany misunderstandings
fueling the story either
it’s just straight-up unshakable fear on
Punky’s part which is resolved just in
time for the credits by the vague notion
of trust where you take the case don’t
number seven the one with Chandler’s dad
friends ladies and gentlemen please
welcome the incomparable
one basket today the idea of a non trans
actress playing the part of Helena would
raise a few eyebrows but the way the
character Chandler’s estranged
biological father is addressed would go
well beyond eyebrow raising Helena and
her son are estranged due to Chandler’s
embarrassment of her gender identity and
you look up into the stands and there’s
your dad cheering you on dressed as
Carmen Miranda wearing a headdress of
real fruit that he will later hand out
to your friends as a healthy snack he
grows to accept it but the dialogue and
framework of the episode treats Helena
as something more akin to a gay man or
drag artist rather than a trans woman
what an unusual name he was about
terribly fascinating parents oh they’re
a hoot for bonus awkward points Alexis
Arquette who was Courtney Cox’s in-law
at the time and who herself later
number six running Zack Saved by the
Bell
well my great-great-great grandfather
was a slave in the Old South that’s
terrible during class presentations on
ancestry we learned that Slater’s
great-grandfather was a matador screech
is a 1940’s cartoon approximation of an
Italian Lisa is the descendant of slaves
and Jesse of slave traders believe it or
not that is not the biggest misstep in
this episode Zack finds an old picture
of a Native American man and thus claims
to be one himself using screech as a
canvas for war paint and stereotypes I
come from a long line of fierce warriors
and great hunters when his teacher calls
him out on his lack of effort research
and good taste
Zack is forced to tutor with a genuine
First Nations man chief Henry who
himself is a canvas for a whole other
set of stereotypes number five the
counselor mr. Belvedere I have to go to
some stupid day camp anyway it’s a
textbook very special episode when
Wesley the youngest of the Owen family
is enrolled
decamp he’s not all that into it but
councillor Perry is totally ok with that
lends him a fancy set of binoculars and
gives him treats
however after participating in
watersports the counsellor takes it upon
himself to help Wesley dry off then
drops the pretense change over there
Wesley withdraws and only finally opens
up to his family when he sees that his
friend Kyle is the counselors next
victim which is what you told us as soon
as it happened you know you can always
talk to daddy me the topic itself is
reasonably well handled all things
considered
but it’s far removed from the concept of
comedy and likely wasn’t what fans
wanted from their evening sitcom and
number four for every man there’s two
women too close for comfort
[Music]
rape isn’t sitcom fodder but this
writers room tried to tackle it anyway
Munroe the show’s resident confirmed
bachelor is abducted by two women and
subsequently raped rather than sympathy
and support Munro story is met with
disbelief and police who don’t want to
investigate it in addition to a less
common scenario most viewers assumed the
character of Munro was gay the series
lead Ted Knight objected strongly to the
plot rewrites delayed it a season but
the episode ultimately saw the light of
day only to be largely avoided and
syndicated reruns number three the
Puerto Rican Day Seinfeld
it’s the Puerto Rican Day Parade
it’s very nearly the perfect Seinfeld
episode except leaving a Mets game early
to beat traffic
the gangs route is blocked by the Puerto
Rican Day Parade when the cast splits up
various forms of mayhem follow but
Kramer’s is the most unfortunate getting
into the spirit of the day Kramer gets
carried away and accidentally lights a
Puerto Rican flag on fire with a
sparkler miss reading the situation
hazards by are livid and that outrage
was shared by real-life Puerto Rican
groups who were not at all
used by creamers takeaway from the riot
nor the episodes portrayal of Puerto
Rican people maybe which would you like
you’re done with the prize number two
Edith’s 50th birthday all in the family
what are you doing here while the rest
of her family is next door planning her
surprise party
Edith busies herself by baking her own
birthday cake that however is the end of
the silliness a man claiming to be a
detective arrives to warn Edith about a
rapist but it soon becomes apparent that
he’s referring to himself and he keeps
her terrified until her cake burns and
gives her an out rather than mining the
situation somehow for humour the episode
instead looks at the depression the
attack leaves
Edith with it’s all handled with respect
but it’s unlikely a modern succumb would
ever dare to broach such subject matter
please don’t be scared number one the
bicycle man different strokes you know
what I like about mr. Horton he’s just
an all-around great guy after doing some
odd jobs for mr. Horton a bike shop
proprietor Arnold and Dudley become
friendly with the men who gives them ice
cream and free bike radios but these
visits lose their innocence pretty fast
at a pizza and comics session horton
slips a porn magazine wine and nude
photos of himself with boys into the mix
their final visit involves Boston cream
pie
a porno cartoon and sedatives
fortunately this party is crashed by the
police it’s among the most infamous very
special episodes and one that disturbed
cast member Todd bridges who had
reportedly experienced similar abuse in
his youth are you alright do you agree
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