15 Shows We Don’t Think Are Funny Anymore
Some sitcoms are better left as fond memories. You put on an old favorite expecting to laugh at the same jokes, only to spend half the episode wondering how certain scenes made it onto television. A surprising amount of comedy in the 1990s and 2000s came down to fat jokes, creepy behavior played for laughs, and characters saying things that would get them thrown out of most workplaces. Of course, plenty of those shows knew exactly what they were doing. Others seemed genuinely convinced that being offensive was enough to be funny. These 15 popular comedies still have their fans, but some of their most familiar jokes are getting harder to defend.
Friends Made Monica’s Weight a Punchline
Whenever Friends revisited Monica’s teenage years, the joke usually involved her weight. The padded costume and exaggerated eating habits did most of the work.
Barney Stinson Was Basically a Walking Red Flag
Barney’s elaborate lies and schemes to sleep with women were a huge part of How I Met Your Mother. Watching him manipulate dates isn’t quite as charming now.
Howard Wolowitz Wasn’t Just an Awkward Nerd
Early The Big Bang Theory frequently had Howard making unwanted advances toward Penny. His creepy comments and attempts to impress women were played as harmless nerd behavior.
Charlie Harper’s Entire Personality Was Sleeping Around
Two and a Half Men relied heavily on Charlie’s endless stream of dates and casual insults about women. Eventually, the same joke started feeling pretty repetitive.
2 Broke Girls Had a Joke for Every Stereotype
Han’s accent, height, and background were constant targets on 2 Broke Girls. The show’s reliance on cheap sexual jokes didn’t help matters either.
Little Britain Went Further Than Most Sketch Shows
Little Britain featured blackface and exaggerated racial stereotypes among its recurring characters. Matt Lucas and David Walliams later apologized for portraying characters of other races.
Scrubs Had Some Pretty Questionable Fantasy Sequences
Several Scrubs episodes included characters appearing in blackface during fantasy sequences. Creator Bill Lawrence supported removing three of those episodes from Hulu in 2020.
30 Rock Had to Pull Some of Its Own Episodes
Tina Fey requested the removal of four 30 Rock episodes featuring blackface in 2020. The show’s satirical intentions didn’t make those scenes any easier to revisit.
Glee Could Be Cruel for No Particular Reason
Sue Sylvester’s insults were relentless, but Glee sometimes went well beyond harmless teasing. When Ryder opened up about childhood abuse, other characters initially treated it like a joke.
Ari Gold Would Be an HR Nightmare
Ari’s treatment of Lloyd on Entourage included a steady stream of homophobic insults. The character’s explosive temper was entertaining, though his workplace behavior was another matter.
Family Guy Made Ida’s Identity the Joke
In “Quagmire’s Dad,” Brian vomits repeatedly after discovering that Ida is transgender. It’s an especially uncomfortable scene in a show already known for pushing boundaries.
The Office’s Diversity Day Is Still Hard to Sit Through
Michael Scott’s diversity training session includes racial impersonations and wildly inappropriate comments. The episode deliberately mocks his ignorance, but the discomfort is very real.
Al Bundy Had an Insult for Every Customer
Women entering Al’s shoe store on Married… With Children could expect jokes about their bodies. “Crimes Against Obesity” took that routine particularly far.
The Man Show Was Exactly What It Sounds Like
Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla built The Man Show around beer, crude jokes, and women bouncing on trampolines. Subtlety wasn’t exactly part of the format.
The Inbetweeners Was Relentlessly Crude
Will, Simon, Jay, and Neil could barely finish a conversation without sexual boasting or an offensive insult. Their immaturity was the point, but plenty of those lines sound dated now.