Top 10 Most Unforgivable Moments in Sitcoms
#10: Schmidt Cheats on Cece “New Girl” (2011-18)
Top 10 Best Cece & Schmidt Moments on New Girl
While their relationship was always a little rocky, fans of “New Girl” were always rooting for Schmidt to step up for Cece! The two go through a lot throughout the series, but he ruins things in a major way in the third season after they start dating again. Schmidt’s always had feelings for Cece, yet he continues to secretly date his ex-girlfriend Elizabeth at the same time as her. Jess finds out, and rightfully freaks out. We can’t imagine why Schmidt would do anything to blow his chances so badly, and it makes it kind of challenging to like him as a character. Things work out for the duo by the end of the series, but that doesn’t make this okay.
#9: Ted Doesn’t Take No for an Answer “How I Met Your Mother” (2005-14)
You might think that the most morally corrupt character on “How I Met Your Mother” is Barney Stinson– the ultimate player! He’s done countless terrible things to women to trick them into sleeping with him, and shows little to no remorse for most of the series. He even treats them like objects to be sold, and we mean that pretty literally. Those behaviors are hard to beat, but Ted’s relentless dating habits are actually more insidious. Throughout the show, he frames himself as the “nice guy,” a victim and hero. But in reality, his persistence towards the women he’s interested in is pretty creepy.
#8: Larry’s Kidney Donation Scheming “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (2000-)
Top 10 Most Hilarious Larry David Moments on Curb Your Enthusiasm
Oh Larry David, no other TV character is quite as notorious for his unapologetically bad behavior! The main arc in “Curb’s” fifth season is dedicated to him doing everything in his power to avoid donating his kidney to his friend Richard Lewis. Since he and Jeff are both matches, they play “eenie meenie miney mo” to determine who will undergo the surgery– and Larry loses. So he goes to reprehensible lengths to avoid having to go through with the procedure. He even resorts to lies and manipulation in an attempt to get Richard bumped up on the transplant list. That may sound almost noble, but his whole quest is selfish. Of course, things don’t work out as planned.
#7: Mocking Jerry’s Heart Attack “Parks and Recreation” (2009-15; 2020)
No one takes as much heat as Jerry… or is it Garry? He’s always the butt of the joke on “Parks and Rec,” but in this case, things go a little too far. When Ann and Leslie inadvertently spook him at a Halloween event, Jerry is caught way off guard and has a heart attack. But he keeps passing gas in the process, and Tom responds with a barrage of insults. Okay, so the latter character doesn’t realize exactly what’s going on at first, but it’s pretty clear that Jerry is in distress! Plus, he kind of keeps it going in the hospital afterwards. Would mocking flatulence be funny in another context? Sure, but it’s just wrong here.
#6: Gina’s Behavior Toward Terry “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (2013-21)
Why didn’t anyone call HR? Gina is a beloved character on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” but her crush on Terry crosses some lines. She’s constantly making unwanted advances toward him that would be totally inappropriate in any real life workplace. Terry has a wife and a family and clearly isn’t interested, so Gina should back off! It’s odd that she’s never really called out about this by the other characters, and that the writers don’t tackle how unsettling some of her actions are. We know actress Chelsea Peretti is hilarious, but it’s hard not to be upset with Gina in this regard!
#5: Michael's Betrayal “The Good Place” (2016-20)
Top 10 Worst Things Michael Scott Has Done
“The Good Place” has an amazing season one finale twist that’ll have you screaming holy shirt! Throughout the first season, Eleanor believes she’s hiding her true identity from Michael, the architect of her heavenly afterlife neighborhood. But once the chaos escalates past the point of no return, she realizes what’s really been going on. Michael has been tormenting her and her newfound friends — they’re not in the Good Place at all. This evil reveal is shocking, and Ted Danson’s maniacal laugh sells it perfectly! It’s a gigantic and unforgivable betrayal that completely changes everything. Thankfully Michael does redeem himself by the end of the series though.
#4: “Scott's Tots” “The Office” (2005-13)
It might be impossible to find a TV character more cringe than Michael Scott. He always manages to make the worst possible decision in any situation– which makes for a great sitcom, but an awful boss! Michael goes way too far when he outs Oscar, and then forces a kiss not long after. But by a landslide, Michael’s worst moment is his infamous promise to pay for an entire class of students’ tuition. And when he can’t deliver, he instead gives the room of teenagers laptop batteries. Can you imagine thinking you’ll be getting money for college and instead receiving that? Alright, this scene is too painful– make it stop!
#3: Transphobia, Homophobia & Body Shaming “Friends” (1994-2004)
Some series are hard to rewatch years later without noticing major issues, and “Friends” is definitely one of them. Co-creator Marta Kauffman has recently spoken openly about the show’s lack of diversity and problematic treatment of the LGBTQIA+ community, but that doesn’t undo the mistakes. For one, Chandler has a transgender parent who’s used solely as a punchline and is consistently misgendered. The series in general does a poor job of representing LGBTQIA+ people, often poking fun at its gay characters. To top it all off, flashbacks of Monica in her younger years – played by Courteney Cox in a fat suit– make it clear that the series is far from body positive.
#2: Playing with Celia's Toys “Seinfeld” (1989-98)
Even though the “Seinfeld” crew are known for getting into all sorts of uncomfortable situations, sometimes it’s hard to be on their side! For example, does George go too far to avoid being caught napping, making the people in his office think they’re in serious danger with Jerry’s help? We’d say so. However, nothing is quite as bad as Jerry taking advantage of his girlfriend Celia. After their dates, he puts her to sleep to play with her toy collection, with George and Elaine ultimately participating as well. Needless to say, that’s a completely reprehensible thing to do. We’re surprised the network even allowed this plotline to stay in the episode.
#1: Ruining Rickety Cricket’s Life “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (2005-)
The “Always Sunny” gang has done some pretty awful stuff. In their defense… that's kind of why we love to watch them! But at the very top of their long list of unforgivable transgressions has to be what they do to poor Matthew Mara – aka Rickety Cricket. In season two, Dee accidentally manipulates him into leaving life as a priest behind because he wants to finally be with her. But she rejects him. After this moment, his entire life basically falls apart because of The Gang. He loses his home, struggles with addiction, and suffers all sorts of horrible injuries. We bet Cricket wishes he had never set foot in Paddy’s Pub…
