It’s often said that if life is a joke, death is the punch line, and plenty of great sitcoms over the years have found hilarious ways to kill off their characters. Dark humor allows us to laugh at taboo subjects that people don’t like to talk about, and death is at the top of the list. Comedy has always had a perverse fascination with death, and there are many classic sitcoms that use it.
Dark sitcoms often kill minor characters in comical ways to highlight the absurdity of size and the fragile, fleeting nature of life. These jokes provide an instant shock and a cathartic release, but they also reveal something deeper about human nature. Some sitcoms even have funny deaths for some of their main characters, which tone down the serious tone that TV shows usually have for such situations. The cause of death, timing, and other characters’ reactions can all contribute to a comical death.
10 Susan – Seinfeld
Season 7, Episode 24, “The Invitations”
Characters in action Seinfeld Always harming himself and others, but the season 7 finale took things to a new level by killing off George’s fiancee Susan Ross. Susan dies after ingesting too much toxic glue from some cheap envelopes That George had chosen for their wedding invitation. He spends most of season 7 trying to find a way to stop their engagement, and she finally grants his wish in the most disturbing way.
By killing Susan, the friends can go back to business as usual without marrying one of them.
Death of Susan Seinfeld One of the show’s most famous moments. “Showing Nothing” did little to advance the overall plot, and George’s engagement was a major exception. By killing Susan, the friends can go back to business as usual without marrying one of them. The only change in the dynamic of the show was that George took over the burden of the Susan Ross Foundation after his death. Even from beyond the grave, Susan finds a way to monopolize George’s free time.
9 Country Mac – It’s always sunny in Philadelphia
Season 9, Episode 5, “Mc Day”
It’s always sunny in Philadelphia Dennis and Dee’s mother have seen many characters die over the years, including Shelly Kelly and Maureen Ponderosa. The show isn’t afraid to kill off random characters as a punch line, like when Frank arranges a deadly game of Russian roulette in the back room of the bar. The death of Country Mac is the punch line of an entire episode where the gang finds a version of Mac that they all like a lot more.
It’s always sunny in Philadelphia
Dennis and Dee’s mother have seen many characters die over the years, including Shelly Kelly and Maureen Ponderosa.
Country Mac is Mac’s cousin. He rides a motorcycle, flexes some serious karate skills and even jumps off a bridge for Project Badass. He is everything Mac demands and more, right up to his hilariously tragic death. Although Country Mac clearly lives on the edge, he dies in a low-speed motorcycle accident, tipped over while traveling at walking speed. with It’s Always Sunny Season 17 is coming, It’s a safe bet that the show’s dark humor will result in a few more deaths.
8 Gerrard – Peep Show
Season 8, Episode 1, “Jeremy’s Therapy”
Gerard is Mark’s main rival for Dobby’s affections. Even when Mark and Dobby are in a relationship, Gerard gets in the way with his chronic illness, forcing Dobby to move in and take care of him. One night, Mark has had enough, and he convinces Dobby to ignore Gerard so he can be with her. This happened the night Gerard died. The timing couldn’t be worse for Mark, who sees Gerard’s death as the ultimate insult.
Gerard manages to maintain his rivalry with Mark from beyond the grave, as he leaves enough money to make Dobby think twice about going with him.
Of all things, Gerard dies of the flu. Jez puts it best when he dismisses the news as a joke, before accepting it and telling it “It is so Gerard.” Only Gerard could die of such an illness in the prime of his life. It would make no sense The Peep ShowIts other iconic supporting characters meet their ends this way. Gerard manages to maintain his rivalry with Mark from beyond the grave, as he leaves enough money to make Dobby think twice about going with him.
7 Frank Grimes – The Simpsons
Season 8, Episode 23, “Homer’s Enemies”
The Simpsons Famous for his single characterFrom slick monorail huckster Lyle Lanley to Hank Scorpio, the villainous megalomaniac who bid farewell to a shoe. Frank Grimes ranks up there with the best of them, though he’s best remembered for his hilarious death. Frank’s hatred of Homer pushes him over the edge and he goes on a rampage that causes him to grab some high voltage power lines with his bare hands.
Frank Grimes is the most rational man in Springfield, and seeing Homer’s stupidity in such an important task drives him crazy.
Frank Grimes is the most rational man in Springfield, and seeing Homer’s stupidity in such an important task drives him crazy. It’s a great meta joke from the writers that points out the quirks of the show that no one ever mentions. Frank is the only one who realizes that it’s absurd for a lazy slob to have everything he wants in life, including Grammys and space travel. The layers of comedy in Frank’s death contribute to one of the best The Simpsons all episodes
6 Jason Mendoza – Good place
Season 1, Episode 11, “What’s My Motivation?”
In season 1, good place Shows how each of the main characters die, as well as providing some important backstories in their lives. Jason, the group’s favorite dolt, dies in the most absurd way. His life of crime with his best friend Pilboi ends when he strangles a safe as part of his ingenious heist. Their plan immediately fails, but Jason dies before being freed.
His life of crime with his best friend Pilboi ends when he strangles a safe as part of his ingenious heist.
The cop who arrests Pillboy sums it all up when he says that Jason got the life he deserved.. Anyone who believes a snorkel can help them breathe inside an airtight safe gets what’s coming to them. However, that doesn’t stop Jason from redeeming himself later in life. He won’t necessarily be any smarter in the years after his death, but he shows that his heart is in the right place.
5 Black Swan – Curb your enthusiasm
Season 7, Episode 7, “The Black Swan”
Larry David is constantly falling into terrible social faux pas stop your zeal, And he has been forced to account for a few deaths. when It’s not really Larry’s fault that Norm dies of a heart attack or that Kenny Funkhouser gets trampled by a bull in Spain.He deserves the blame for killing Mr. Kyoko is Takahashi’s favorite black swan on the golf course.
Although death itself is funny,
curved
The joke extends brilliantly, as Larry mr. Takahashi’s murder investigation.
The image of the black swan charging at Larry with its wings spread is the perfect introduction to Larry bludgeoning with his golf club. Although death itself is funny, curved The joke extends brilliantly, as Larry mr. Takahashi’s murder investigation. This episode is popular enough to warrant a callback Control your impulses Final series Mr. Takahashi harbors a long-held grudge for trying to imprison Larry whenever he gets the chance.
4 Captain Dozerman – Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Season 3, Episode 1, “The New Captain”
Bill Hader has a brief but memorable role Brooklyn Nine-Nine. After Captain Holt’s promotion, Seth Dozerman entered the precinct as his replacement, and he immediately underlined his commitment to efficiency and hard work. Naturally, his high-intensity lifestyle comes with high levels of stress and he suffers a heart attack before he can even finish his speech. He learns nothing from this health scare, and his second heart attack kills him later that day.
It’s probably for the best that he’s killed early, because Jake can push him past his limits in a matter of days.
Bill Hader is a master of deadpan comedyAnd he makes every line in it Brooklyn Nine-Nine Whether he’s telling his squad to work while collapsing or announcing with a stony face that he’s having a heart attack, Dozerman is all business. It’s probably for the best that he’s killed early, because he’ll be overpowered by Jake in a matter of days.
Season 5, Episode 4, “Cooperative Polygraphy”
Chevy Chase’s controversial departure from community Coming for a while, but it still presents a problem for the show. was part of the chase community From the beginning, therefore, killing off his character risked disrupting the group’s dynamic. However, after a disagreement with Dan Harmon and accusations of racist comments, Chase had to leave. Harmon gave Pierce a death that was the ultimate insult to the actor portraying him.
When Pierce’s will is read to his study group, each of his friends is presented with a ridiculously large vial of his frozen sperm.
When Pierce’s will is read to his study group, each of his friends is presented with a ridiculously large vial of his frozen sperm. It is one last despicable and unexpected act that sums up Pierce’s character. His revelation that the cause of his death was dehydration from filling vials is a humorous punch line to his meaningless life. It can also be seen as a meta joke that expresses Harmon’s feelings about Chase.
2 Denholm Rainholm – The IT Crowd
Season 2, Episode 2, “Return of the Golden Child”
The Chris Morris character is a whirlwind of bluster and machismo in the first season IT crowd, But the actor decided not to stay for long. To give him the happy farewell he deserves, The IT crowd Delivering one of their most memorable moments. As Denholm Reinholm holds a meeting in the boardroom, an assistant arrives to tell him that the police are waiting to speak to him about some financial anomaly. Without skipping a beat, I politely dismissed the assistant and headed straight out the window.
Denholm had such a casual approach to his suicide that the other executives didn’t even register that anything had happened.
Denholm had such a casual approach to his suicide that the other executives didn’t even register that anything had happened. He takes a step from the window with the same unsteadiness he would if he were walking down an empty hallway. No big speeches and no dramatic leaps; Only a man without a hint of emotion realizes that the jig is up, and he can choose between prison or a skyscraper.
1 Kenny – South Park
Many episodes over many seasons
Kenny dies in almost every episode South ParkIts early season, and many more times after that. His frequent deaths become a running gag unlike any other, with the show seemingly trying to one-up the most gruesome murders imaginable. He’s been cooked in a microwave, savaged by mutant turkeys, and run over by a train in the very first season. This is just the beginning for poor Kenny.
He’s been cooked in a microwave, savaged by mutant turkeys, and run over by a train in the very first season.
Kenny’s gruesome death is one way of doing that South Park sets itself apart from other animated sitcoms, and typifies the show’s controversial status in its early years. Beyond that, The jokes provide a clever way for the show to comment on the moral panic over cartoon violence. Just as some commentators have suggested that cartoon violence desensitizes children to the real thing, Stan and Kyle become increasingly jaded and apathetic as they say the catchphrase: “Oh my god, they killed Kenny!” Finally, they are just going through the motions.