20 TV Comedy Scenes That Are Basically Perfect

20 TV Comedy Scenes That Are Basically Perfect George holding a golf ball in Seinfeld By  Ben Sherlock Published 35 minutes ago Ben Sherlock is a Tomatometer-approved film and TV critic who runs the massively underrated YouTube channel I Got Touched at the Cinema. Before working at Screen Rant, Ben wrote for Game Rant, Taste of Cinema, Comic Book Resources, and BabbleTop. He's also an indie filmmaker, a standup comedian, and an alumnus of the School of Rock. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

From George’s golf ball monologue in Seinfeld to Dwight’s hands-on fire drill in The Office, a perfect TV comedy scene is a thing of beauty. Pulling off a comedic sequence is very different from nailing a masterfully crafted drama scene, because it needs a punchline.

There are so many great moments from the history of TV comedy that could’ve had a place on this list, whether it’s Phil’s Godfather montage in Modern Family or Alan encountering his biggest fan in I’m Alan Partridge. But these scenes are pure comedy gold.

Folding In The Cheese

Schitt's Creek

David and Moira baking in Schitt's Creek

It’s just a little moment, but the funniest scene in Schitt’s Creek is when David and Moira are attempting to bake and the recipe tells them to “fold in” the cheese. This is a perfect example of a recipe instruction that makes no sense to a layman. Unless you already know culinary terms, it does not compute. Are you supposed to fold it like paper?

David and Moira’s confusion is hilarious to watch, but it also speaks to their character. It shows how useless the Roses have become at everyday tasks after years of being waited on hand and foot. Before losing all their money, they had a staff who could fold cheese for them, and they wouldn’t have had to worry about this.

Mac & Charlie Fake Their Deaths

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Mac in a wedding dress firing a gun in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia works best when it throws its characters into ludicrous situations and allows the actors to just have fun with it. A perfect example of that is Mac and Charlie’s pathetic attempts to fake their own deaths in the two-parter “Mac and Charlie Die.”

They do poppers, they crash a car into a wall, they chuck a grenade in the backseat, and they empty a revolver into the gas tank. Charlie pulls out his own teeth and Mac puts on a second-hand wedding dress. It’s wonderfully anarchic, and Charlie Day and Rob McElhenney play it hilariously straight.

Cartman Feeds Scott Tenorman His Own Parents

South Park

Cartman licking Scott's tears in South Park

The season 5 episode “Scott Tenorman Must Die” marked a turning point for South Park. After an older boy cons Cartman into buying his pubic trimmings, Cartman sets out to exact revenge. There are some fun farcical gags along the way, but it builds to a shocking twist ending when Cartman feeds Scott his own parents in a bowl of chili.

This is the moment that Cartman became evil incarnate, and the show became the shock comedy to end all shock comedy. That twist is as disturbing as anything in a horror movie — it’s a complete tonal left turn for the episode — and Cartman licking up Scott’s tears is the icing on the comedy cake.

Richard's Middle-Out Epiphany

Silicon Valley

Gilfoyle calculating mean jerk time in Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley was a good sitcom from the beginning, but the iconic “middle-out” scene from the season 1 finale ensured it would become an all-time classic. On the eve of Pied Piper’s Tech Crunch presentation, Erlich promises to win them the prize money even if he has to give a handjob to every man in the room.

They proceed to spend all night working out the logistics of such an endeavor. This combination of complex mathematics and a crass discussion of mass jerkage encapsulates the show’s signature mix of highbrow subject matter and lowbrow humor. Plus, it gives Richard the epiphany that leads to “middle-out compression,” which became the driving force of the entire series, so this raunchy gag is surprisingly crucial to the overarching plot.

Mr. & Mrs. Peters Come To The Door

The Dick Van Dyke Show

Rob greets Mr and Mrs Peters in The Dick Van Dyke Show

At a time when TV shows were still tiptoeing around depicting an integrated society, The Dick Van Dyke Show addressed it head-on. In “That’s My Boy??,” Rob recalls his growing fears that he’d taken home the wrong baby from the hospital. This storyline builds to the perfect visual punchline when the family he thinks has his son comes to the door — and they’re Black.

Ben Treats Himself To A Batman Costume

Parks & Recreation

Tom sits next to Ben in a Batman costume in Parks and Recreation

When Tom and Donna begrudgingly took a heartbroken Ben along for their annual “Treat Yo Self” celebration, Donna realized his version of “Treat Yo Self” would be different from theirs, and encouraged him to follow his heart. This led to Ben buying himself a Batman costume, recognizing their kind gesture, and breaking down in tears. It’s an uncomfortable moment, but so funny — especially with Aziz Ansari and Retta’s reactions.

Tina's Driving Lesson

Bob's Burgers

Tina driving in Bob's Burgers

In a stark contrast to other animated family sitcoms like The Simpsons and Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers gets laughs and storylines out of mundane everyday situations. It’s more like King of the Hill; it’s grounded and relatable. The most hilarious set-piece in the series works so well because, despite being in a cartoon, it feels real.

When Bob and Tina find themselves in an empty parking lot on a supply run, Bob decides to let Tina drive the car. It’s initially a nice fatherly gesture that should lead to a touching bonding moment. But once Tina gets behind the wheel, she freaks out and manages to crash into the only other car in the entire lot.

Jen Sees Roy In A Wheelchair & Moss Tending Bar

The I.T. Crowd

Moss standing behind a bar in The IT Crowd

This moment in The I.T. Crowd’s season 2 premiere “The Work Outing” is one of the greatest visual punchlines in the history of filmed comedy. Unbeknownst to Jen, while she’s enjoying a musical with her office crush, Moss is mistaken for an on-shift bartender and Roy is caught in the disabled toilets, where he claims his wheelchair was stolen.

As Jen goes into the bar, she’s baffled to see Roy in a wheelchair. Then, when she turns to get a drink, she sees Moss in a bartender’s uniform, asking for her order. It’s a double whammy of hysterical comedic payoffs. It makes perfect sense to us with the context, but it’s one of the most surreal moments Jen has ever experienced.

Cheryl's Family Confronts Larry With The "Beloved Aunt" Obituary

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Cheryl and her dad confront Larry with an obituary in Curb Your Enthusiasm

Curb Your Enthusiasm was at its absolute funniest when a room full of people were yelling at Larry David for something that wasn’t really his fault. Season 1’s “Beloved Aunt” set the gold standard when Larry came home to Cheryl’s family and found that the obituary he wrote for her deceased aunt contains a very unfortunate, very profane typo.

As usual, Paul Dooley, in the role of Cheryl’s dad, plays it totally straight, which makes the whole thing even funnier. He seems genuinely furious at Larry for besmirching the legacy of a beloved family member, and Larry’s reactions are perfect as usual, feebly trying to defend himself. It’s a deliciously dark comic situation and a masterpiece of cringe humor.

Del Boy Falls Through The Bar

Only Fools And Horses

Del Boy falls through the bar in Only Fools and Horses

It’s impossible to talk about the history of British comedy without talking about Del Boy falling through the bar in Only Fools and Horses. Physical comedy is often looked down on, or considered to be cheap or easy, but when it’s properly set up, it can be magical.

This moment in Only Fools and Horses is staged beautifully. Del leans against a bar flap in a bistro, briefly turns away to point Trigger to some nearby women, then turns back to find that a bartender has opened the flap, and falls straight through. Then, Trigger does a double-take as he sees that Del has spontaneously vanished. It’s comedy gold, executed perfectly.

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