Talk:Running gag/Running gags

The Following is an incomplete list of running gags:

In The Simpsons, two of the most well-known running gags throughout the series are the couch gag and the blackboard gag in the opening montage, in which Bart is always writing something different (and most times inane) on the school blackboard after school, and that the family always enters their house and sits on the couch in an absurd, new manner every episode. Additionally, it is unknown what state The Simpsons takes place in. There are often many clues which do not fit (like traffic signs listing states on opposite sides of the country), as well as characters being interrupted when the state is to be revealed.

In Star Trek: Enterprise, whenever the main characters meet people of a new alien culture and say they come from Earth, the stock response is “Earth? Never heard of it.”

In Hannah Montana, there is a running gag where the Stewart family (Robbie Ray, Miley, and Jackson) constantly use stereotypical Tennessee speech, such as "Sweet niblets!".

For several seasons of the television series South Park, the character Kenny McCormick dies in nearly every episode, followed by the character Stan Marsh shouting, “Oh my God, they killed Kenny!” and then Kyle Broflovski shouting “You bastards!” Kenny reappears in each subsequent episode as if nothing happened (even in two-parters), yet the children know that Kenny has died more than once.

Kramer's way of entering Jerry’s apartment (bursting through the door, sliding in) in the American sitcom Seinfeld.

On each Cheers episode, Norm Peterson’s initial entrance into the bar is always met with a shout of "Norm!" from all the patrons. As he approaches his traditional barstool, another character always addresses him with a commonplace greeting and Norm always makes a woeful, pessimistic (and frequently literally interpretive) reply. For example: Sam Malone asks, "What are you up to, Norm?" to which Norm replies, "My ideal weight… if I were eleven feet tall."

The sitcom Friends contains numerous running gags such as Ross’s line “We were on a break!”, references to Monica being overweight as a child, and the fact that nobody is sure what Chandler does for a living.

In Futurama, there is a running gag wherein New Jersey is considered to the be worst place to live in the universe (“I, Roommate”). For instance, “Robot Hell” is in New Jersey. Another running gag involves Bender saying “Neat!” and taking a picture with a purple camera. Another one is that whenever a problem happens, everyone uses Zoidberg as the scapegoat for blame. Another running gag is that the Professor begins almost every announcement with the words “Good news, everyone!”—this is usually followed by terrible news.

In the Metal Gear video game series, the cardboard box is an item used by the main character, Solid Snake, in order to hide from enemies. His fondness for the trick developed into a running joke over the course of the series.

In the television series The Fairly OddParents, Timmy Turner obtains many rare or illicit items through the use of magic. When he is asked where he obtained the object in question, he usually responds, “Uh, Internet?”

In The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air a favorite running gag is Jazz getting thrown out of the house after offending one of the Banks. Once Jazz was in the driveway and offended Phil, so Phil threw him inside the kitchen door after Jazz made a remark about already being outside. In another character’s dream sequence, a successful Jazz throws a down-on-his-luck Phil out of his house in the same manner.

In the television series Quantum Leap, Rear Admiral Albert “Al” Calavicci (Dean Stockwell) frequently confuses his third and fourth wives.

In Animaniacs, Yakko, Wakko and Dot frequently run through sketches not starring them, chased by Ralph the Guard. Also, whenever the brothers see a pretty woman, or the nurse in the series, they shout together, “Hellooooooooo Nurse!!!,” but Dot says it in reference to any well-built and studly man.

At the ending of each episode of Earthworm Jim, a cow falls down, and lands on a character.

In the anime Pokemon, Team Rocket (Jesse, James and Meowth), after being defeated they are usually sent flyig into the sky by an explosion usually accompanied with them screaming "Team Rocket blasting off again" (with slight variations depending on the situation). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 58.172.112.40 (talk) 05:26, 24 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

In Jim Henson's The Muppet Show, Gonzo is seen at the end of the opening credits trying to blow a horn or strike a gong embedded into the Muppet Show logo, always having something unfortunate happen instead. For example, water might spray out of the horn, or the gong might shatter when struck. Another example would be the interruptions that always happen when Wayne and Wanda start to sing some number. A few seconds into each attempt, something unfortunate always happens, such as one or both being blown up unexpectedly.

Humphrey Littleton often reports that they have received a letter from "a Mrs. Trellis from North Wales" on the popular BBC Radio 4 show I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. The letter is usually revealed to have been directed to ISIHAC by mistake, and that it should really have been delivered to one of Radio 4's other shows.

In the animated version of Wayside, one running gag is that the school principal, Mr. Kidswatter, always addresses Todd by his home address rather than by his name.

In the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy there is a running gag of a jailhouse dog with keys in its mouth, and the mention of sea turtles. Also, another running gag is that whenever Jack Sparrow says, "You will all remember this day as the day you ALMOST caught Captain Jack-" but he never is able to finish the sentence.

On the 4Kids TV cartoon show Viva Pinata, a running gag is that Les Galagoogoo always comes up with a plan, but when he tries to explain it to another pinata, that pinata doesn't understand what he's saying, and will then come up with the same idea, which angers Les.

On the Adult Swim animated series Aqua Teen Hunger Force, a running gag is the destruction the Aqua Teens' neighbour Carl's posessions. Carl's house, his car, and his pool have all been destroyed multiple times in the series, yet appear in the next episode completely unharmed. Other running gags include Shake trying to harm Meatwad in some way by telling him that what they'll do will be fun, and anything the Aqua Teens discard blowing up upon hitting the ground.

On the television series Home Improvement there are many running gags, such as Tim hitting his head on a pipe every time he enters a basement. Another one, even more famous than the previous is the character Wilson, played by Earl Hindman, having the bottom half of his face hidden in every episode, either by a fence, set props, other character's heads, or awkward camera angles. His whole face is only shown twice, briefly during the first episode, and during the last episode as Wilson takes a final bow.

In That 70's Show Fez is always interrupted when he is about to reveal his real name or country of origin, the several character's dream sequences and circles. And if it were up to Red Forman, he would throw a "dumbass" in every sentence he uses.

In Mallrats, a declaration of somewhere 'uncomfortable,' implied sexually, is followed by "What, like the back of a Volkswagen?" —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.99.65.64 (talk) 16:29, 21 November 2008 (UTC)[reply]

On the popular Gift Grub 'Radio Roy/Radio Jay' sketches broadcast on Today FM's Ian Dempsey Morning Show, a running gag involves the same three contestants repeatedly calling in with ludicrous answers to competition questions, having nothing remotely to do with the actual, often quite easy, answers.

In the Newgrounds Flash Portal submission 'Awesome Racer' by HotDiggetyDemon, a homage to the Awesome series by Egoraptor, Speed Racer's younger brother Sprydal says "Can I have some of your milk, Speed?" as a euphemism for one thing or another. The phrase was originated when he really did want the milk that Speed Racer has just obtained, but Speed replies 'Sorry kid, you're fat enough already. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.26.247.230 (talk) 22:35, 20 January 2009 (UTC)[reply]

On Frasier, the charachter "Bulldog" isn't always that satisfied, which results in an occasional "This stinks! This is total BS!" A short running gag appears in one episode of Frasier. After Maris is accused of murder, Frasier keeps repeating the phrase "I was punched in the face... by a man... now dead!"—Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.46.103.164 (talk) 09:36, 20 November 2008 (UTC)[reply]