5 of the Cringiest ‘Very Special’ Sitcom Episodes
These days, every sitcom episode has a dark underbelly. But back when TV comedies were all about sunshiny setups and perky punchlines, producers occasionally took a break from the laughs to deliver an incredibly serious message. While well-intentioned, Very Special Episodes often were more hilarious than the intentionally funny ones, thanks to overwrought moralizing and goofy characters who flipped into melodramatic emoting.
Get those very special Emmy nominations ready because these are the five worst examples of very special sitcom episodes...
‘Saved By the Bell’: Jessie’s Song
“We were going to explore something different on a Saturday morning show, and we were going to go deep,” says Elizabeth Berkley, who played overachieving Jessie on Saved By the Bell. “As a young actress, I was finally going to have something juicy. All the others felt the same way. Like, ‘Oh wow, we were going to really act this week. It’s not just who’s going to ask who to the dance.’”
Don't Miss
Unfortunately, Berkley turned in a cringey performance that foreshadowed her over-the-top histrionics in the camp classic, Showgirls. Jessie, overwhelmed by college applications and school activities, turns to caffeine pills to keep up. The wigged-out high schooler insists she can sing at an event that night with the help of her magic pellets, belting out a frenzied, “I’m so excited! I’m so excited! I’m so… scared.”
A true classic.
‘Diff’rent Strokes’: The Bicycle Man
Very special episodes don’t get more disturbing than the two-part ‘Bicycle Man,’ in which WKRP in Cincinnati's Gordon Jump guests as a kindly older fella who tries to — let’s go ahead and say it — molest Gary Coleman’s Arnold and his best pal Dudley. Better turn off the laugh track. The episode was so creepy that Mr. Drummond had to warn viewers about the disgusting story they were about to watch.
While some critics lauded the episode for shining a light on a difficult topic, the tone shift was disconcerting. “Remember, Diff’rent Strokes was a sitcom. You watched it to laugh at Arnold and wait for him to say “Whatcha talkin’ about Willis?’” wrote Bill Simmons at Grantland. “I can’t imagine any sitcom ever went to a darker place. And no, I have never forgiven Gordon Jump for what he did to Dudley.”
‘Family Ties’: Say Uncle
It’s easier to forgive Berkley for her Saved By the Bell theatrics when you remember that acting god Tom Hanks also jumped off the top rope as Uncle Ned on Family Ties.
Chew some scenery, Uncle Ned! You know you’re an alcoholic when you’re chugging vanilla extract straight out of the bottle. Clue #2: You’re throwing Alex P. Keaton across the room like a rag doll.
‘Full House’: Shape Up
D.J. hasn’t eaten anything in three days! But can you blame her? How else is she going to get in swimsuit-shape for Kimmy Gibbler’s pool party? Luckily, this is one eating disorder that can be overcome in 22 minutes, thanks to a pep talk from Aunt Becky.
“Deej, if you wanna lose a couple of pounds, all you have to do is eat sensibly. You could have boiled fish, lean chicken without the skin, fresh fruits, delicious steamed vegetables, a nice whole grain pasta with a light tomato sauce and just a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.”
See? Problem solved.
‘Mr. Belvedere: Wesley’s Friend’
No one’s saying it isn’t possible for a sitcom to responsibly address an issue like the AIDS epidemic. But this isn’t the way to do it. “Well, I got AIDS,” says l’il Danny. “But other than that, I’m doing pretty good!”
