14 Hilarious Moments from Spy Spoofs and Comedies
There are few film genres as reliable in modern times as spy films, shows and even video games. James Bond led the way to Remington Steele to Ethan Hunt to Solid Snake to Austin Powers. But the somber seriousness of the espionage game makes it a prime target for comedians and comedy writers to mine some humor out of all the profession’s sternness, violence and ludicrous clandestine nature.
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Your mission (should you choose to accept it) is to enjoy these funniest moments from or about the spy genre in pop culture...
Johnny English Knocks Out His Boss’ Secretary
Rowan Atkinson, i.e., Mr. Bean himself, tackled the spy genre in the Johnny English franchise, poking fun at the spy gadget pen joke by having English unintentionally knock out his boss’ secretary and trying to save face.
‘The Man Who Knew Too Little’ Isn’t Going to Fall for It
You can never be too careful, and you should never presume a dead body is actually dead if you’re in the espionage business.
‘Top Secret!’ is Self Aware
It’s Hard to Disarm a Bomb on ‘NTSF:SD:SUV’
It’s difficult to concentrate on making sure a bomb doesn’t blow up when friends and coworkers keep blowing up your phone and mentions.
‘Saturday Night Live’ Emphasizes the Importance of Strong Wi-Fi
If negotiating with terrorists via webchat, please ensure your internet connection is strong enough that a sex cam show doesn’t interfere with it.
The Swiss Army Crossbow in ‘Get Smart’
Steve Carell portrays the film version of spy Maxwell Smart as he tries to cut his zip-tied wrists with a special spy crossbow on his spy Swiss Army knife. Why doesn’t he just use the knife portion of the gadget? Who knows?
‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’s Invisible Spy
There is no better spy than one that looks so normal and so unremarkable that even if they are seen, nobody will remember where they saw them from. Or if they just disappeared.
Solid Snake Sneaks Out on His Date
Robot Chicken explores how tactical espionage action can happen when trying to depart from a one-night stand.
Q’s Replacement in ‘The World Is Not Enough’
Bond meets the new Q (who happens to be John Cleese) in a very Monty Python-esque introduction.
‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ Have Dinner
It’s one thing to hide your spy profession from your spouse, but another thing when you find out your spouse is also a spy assassin. Marriage counselors aren’t ready for anything like this.
The Sneeze in ‘Spy’
If you’re threatening the life of the only person who knows where a nuclear device is located, for the love of God, don’t sneeze!
Exploding Firework Heads in ‘The Kingsman’
In the film, Merlin (Mark Strong) triggers Valentine’s (Samuel L. Jackson) fail-safe, which blows up all of the bad guys’ heads in a lovely fireworks display (hilarious).
‘Phrasing’ in ‘Archer’
This running gag has been a staple of the animated spy comedy since its first season, becoming a superb go-to joke that the show keeps in its back pocket and never disappoints.
The Steamroller Scene from ‘Austin Powers’
R.I.P. (eventually)
