Ladies and genetlemen, please welcome once again Josh Kurp, Warming Glow’s official Listführer. I think this is his finest contribution yet.
Considering no one actually reads intros to lists, I’ll just say one thing: catchphrases like “D’oh!” or “Hello, Newman” aren’t recurring jokes. To the list!
#10. Peggy’s Huge Feet on “King of the Hill”
The average-sized Peggy has gigantic feet, measuring at 16 and 16 ½ (women’s sizes), causing her much distress. Throughout the show’s (still sadly underrated) existence, the writers went back to her huge feet time and time again, including the episode “Transnational Amusements Presents: Peggy’s Magic Sex Feet,” which presumably inspired this lovely piece of slash fiction and these sensually slowed-down YouTube videos.
#9. The Misery of Hans Moleman on “The Simpsons”
Someone getting hurt is always an amusing gag, which is why Hans Moleman is one of “The Simpsons’” biggest fan favorites. According to this website that hasn’t been updated since 2000, Moleman has died eight times on the show. I will never doubt the reliability of a Lowb.org site, so we’ll go with that figure, but here’s what else we know about Hans: he’s 31 years old, looking the way he does because he’s an alcoholic; basically blind; often gets hit in the groin with a football; had his brain drilled in by Mr. Burns, who mistook Hans for the Lucky Charms leprechaun; slept with Lars Ulrich’s grandmother; and clamors for blood at youth hockey games. Most tragically, no one’s gay for Moleman.
#8. Frank’s Gun on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”
A friend once described to me an “Always Sunny” drinking game, where viewers have to take a shot every time Dennis takes off his shirt, the guys make fun of Dee, Charlie does “Charlie Work,” etc. But my favorite was this: every time Frank Reynolds, played to disgusting perfection by Danny DeVito, whips out his gun (an actual gun, you perv), the group has to drink. Considering Frank takes out his gun in situations ranging from shooting a bunny in the woods (or at least trying to) to entering Paddy’s Pub when he thinks it’s on fire, contestants get blackout drunk quicker than Charlie and Frank do huffing glue and eating cat food.
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I… I agree with everything on this list… complaining powers diminishing…
“Rocko’s Modern Life” was awesome, and best of all it’s available on Netflix Instant. Not only did I make my kids watch an entire afternoon of it, for a good week after I subjected them to my Filbert impersonation.
That’s it, I’m Zip-listing Arrested Development. For non-Canadians, Zip is similar to Netflix. Who am I talking to?
Only one tiny complaint (since Archer was addressed) with an excellent list — maybe weasel in one of Futurama’s gags?
/Retires to the nerdery
I would consider adding the Kenny Loggins “Danger Zone” references on Archer but that’s it.
I would’ve gone with Gil instead of Hans Moleman, but good enough.
What about Top Gear (the real one) running into james may
More remarkable is Duchovny’s eventual admittance of sex addiction.
Seconding Gil.
Hi, I’m Larry; this is my brother Darryl, and this is my other brother Darryl.
This slideshow didn’t have nearly enough slides. OPTIMIZE YO CLICKTHROUGHS!
What about the running joke about Carlton being short on Fresh Prince of Bel Air?
What about the running joke about Charlie on 2 1/2 Men being a complete and total fuck-up drug addicted felon?
An MST3K reference…fantastic.
What about the running joke of men liking the women on Sex and the City?
Good call, Privy potty. That was the first running gag that came to my mind and it is always funny.
jazz getting thrown out of the house on the fresh prince of bel-air (but I believe matt hates that show)
also, I prefer Franklin Delano Bluth, but that wasn’t long running
This list was
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Norm!
One glaring omission…..Arrested Development’s chicken dance.
Perhaps I should actually read instead of just look at pictures.
Sorry, listfuhrer, but I am keeping my rental copy of “The Other Side of Darkness” through the weekend.
Robin Sparkles was a great gag in the beginning, but it’s been done to death now. Remember season 1 it was impossible to find any information on Robin Sparkles? I don’t think the writers did.
For Family Guy, I would’ve gone with the creepy pedophile old man. “Got a nice tip for ya right here in my pocket.”
I seriously love that you included Mulder’s porn addiction. And the red Speedo. A+ for you, sir.
I like the running gag on 30 Rock that Kenneth is actually hundreds of years old.
When I watched Rocko’s Modern Life as like a fifth- and sixth-grader, I was like, “Hmmm, this sure is better than Doug. But I’m not sure why…” Today, my Nick Toons viewing experience has come full circle. … Also, there is no biggest city in North Dakota. Just thousands of people huddled together in an effort to share body heat and avoid death from 40-below temperatures. (Seriously, that’s the wind chill in Fargo right now.)
You should write at cracked .com. That’s not a compliment.
Haha, good list. Love #1, and I always remember “Ponce de Leon” with the episode where the tickets were sold out for whatever they actually wanted to see.
You’ve made a huge mistake.
The Simpsons has a shit-ton of running gags…moes annual holiday suicide attempt, Marge’s gambling problem,Smithers’ ambiguous sexuality,I could go on all day but I wont.
Im not gonna lie, i used to hate on How I Met Your Mother. But recently the show has grown on me, thank Robin Sparkles for that.
Arrested development is the shit. You could write a book on all the ongoing jokes.
Rocco’s modern life was great and all, but it’s not the best Nick Toon by a long shot. Ren and Stimpy was one of the original three and was kind of amazing.
“Rocko’s Modern Life” made the cut? Awesome,awesome and,oh yeah,awesome!
Lenore!
How about the broken step on the stairs in Modern Family?
you killed kenny!
Old guy pre-1990 running gags:
-Archie Bunker’s perfectly timed toilet flushes on ‘All in the Family.’
-Batman and Robin scaling buildings with celebrities popping out of windows.
-Carlton the doorman on “Rhoda”
-Lisa’s attempts at making hotcakes on “Green Acres.”
Isn’t the fact that Grey’s Anatomy is still on the air a running gag on all of us?
Matt Damon’s impression of Matthew McConaghey on Letterman
I loved the “hamstrer ball” recurring scene in Malcolm in the Middle. Dewy loaded up hthe class hamster in the ball with a bunch of food and set it free. It would roll past in the background for several episodes after that.
1. Coming from the biggest city in North Dakota, a friendly fuck you too.
2. I think “check out banner, Michael!” is a waaaay better running gag in Arrested Development… Even Steve Holtz is way better.
@DjDeathCool
Steve Holtz wasn’t as funny as Steve Holt
Death Blow
Best article I have read anywhere in a while! Good call on #1
The unexplained disdain that everyone in the Parks department has for Jerry is certainly worth mentioning.
Another list, another call out to how “great” Arrested Develpment was. Gang…hate to be the bearer of bad news but there is a reason it never got good ratings….ready for this? It sucked! Wasn’t funny at all! Worst of all? It introduced Michael Cera. For that reason alone everyone should be forced to reevaluate this show and realize how awful it actually was.
People who hate Arrested Development are idiots.
But I think “Franklin” is a funnier bit, not to mention his ever-present hit single, which referenced him without his character even being in the episodes.
Also, good on ya for including Rocko. Criminally underrated.
And people who like Arrested Development are bandwagon jumping sheep. They think it’s cool because it’s plastered all over the ‘net how great this show was so they must love it because it gives them the internet version of “street cred”!
My name is Earl, karma is a bitch.
I call dibs.
One legged girlfriend.
I’d argue that the best MST3K running joke was “Switch: Jimmy Smits”.
Putting on the nerd hat here…
Ahem…
The Mannix reference usually refers to the opening credits of the show, which always ended with Mannix jumping off a small cliff and then stopping in mid jump. And yeah, I could see it being more exciting to yell than “Rockford!” or “Vega$!”
Brian’s novel in Family Guy was never funny. The Family Guy writers constantly try to milk their reoccurring jokes far beyond what they’re worth when they can’t come up with anything actually funny.
burns thought moleman was poppin fresh, just sayin’
wait, no he didn’t. my bad.
/is idiot
IASIP funniest show on tv