Top 30 TV Moments That Broke the Internet

#30: I Want It That WayBrooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-21)

As hysterical of a sitcom as B99 is, it took music to create the shows most viral moment. In this cold open, detective Jake Peralta has a witness view a lineup. However, she didnt see the perpetrators face, only heard him singing I Want It That Way by the Backstreet Boys. Naturally, Jake has the lineup sing the lyrics. The criminals have surprisingly good pipes, and Jake gets into the spirit of things, getting each to sing in turn and all together. Its a great scene that perfectly blends a catchy song and a hilarious premise. We dont even have to tellllll you whyyyyy it gained so much traction online.

#29: Pepe SilviaIts Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-)

As one of the longest running American sitcoms, Always Sunny has had plenty of standout moments. But its biggest impact on pop culture will probably end up being this scene of Charlie Kelly losing his freaking mind! While working in a mail room, Charlie tries to explain the supposed conspiracy hes uncovered to his friend Mac. According to Charlie, he has boxes of mail for someone named Pepe Silvia, who doesnt exist. His unhinged rant is funny on its own, particularly since A- Charlie cant read, and B- he got the idea from a hallucination. However, the image of his crazed expression in front of a string covered board is not only a meme, but practically internet shorthand for dubious conspiracies.

#28: Bigger!67th Annual Tony Awards (2013)

Musical numbers from the annual Broadway awards show dont generally go viral, but this one somehow seems to get shared on social media even years after it debuted. Although it starts small, this opening number starring host Neil Patrick Harris, and featuring music by legends Lin-Manuel Miranda and Tom Kitt, certainly lives up to its name. Just when you think it cant go any more ham, it somehow surpasses itself. More singers, more dancers, references to Broadway shows past and present, child stars, former child starsMike Tyson?! Theres even a full-on disappearing magic trick in the middle! Like the performance itself, Bigger! and its reputation only increases over time.

#27: Carpool Karaoke with Paul McCartneyThe Late Late Show With James Corden (2015-23)

Everybody likes music, and most people like singing along with their favorite songs in the car. But seeing your favorite artists sing along with their own songs in a car is even better. Such is the premise behind James Cordens famous Carpool Karaoke segments. And while plenty of them have gone viral, none have quite reached the same level of trending appeal as Sir Paul McCartneys. Seeing Sir Paul riding around talking and singing about some of his greatest hits, both from the Beatles and his solo career, is an absolute joy. And given this segments popularity, that happiness is shared by many.

#26: It was PerfectThe Boys (2019-)

Actor Anthony Starr seems to make a meme worthy face every other episode in this dark superhero series. But this line of dialogue is arguably his hall of internet fame moment. While giving an interview describing his fictionalized childhood, Homelander describes a cake his non-existent mother made him as perfect, down to the last minute detail. Since the episode aired, it has become a meme clip. Its usually used to describe something as flawless, either in isolation, or often as part of a compilation of other reactions and descriptions. You might say, itswell, you get it.

#25: The Slap94th Academy Awards (2022)

Even if you werent there to see it live, absolutely everybody heard about this crazy moment. While presenting an award, Chris Rock made a joke about Will Smiths wife, Jada-Pinkett Smith. After seeming to laugh it off, Will Smith came up on stage and slapped Rock across the face. He then berated Rock for the remark. Its maybe the wildest thing to ever happen at the Oscars! Plus, the moment became an overnight meme, spawning remixes and pictures with other characters or famous figures in place of Rock and Smith. Smith may have wanted Rock to keep his wifes name out of his mouth, but the internet couldnt stop talking about this!

#24: Surprise Mother-...!Dexter (2006-13)

Some scenes take on a life of their own years after an episode airs. Such is the case with this expression, from a scene where James Doakes confronts Dexter Morgan with his suspicions about his creepy behavior. His exclamation utilizes one of his and Samuel L. Jacksons favorite expletives. The line has become a meme in the years since. Sometimes its simply used as a way to emphasize one person surprising another. Other memes take the word surprise and replace it with a word or words that rhyme with or sound similar to it for comedic effect. With how fun it is to say or play off, its no surprise why this catchphrase took off.

#23: Tom Cruises Couch JumpThe Oprah Winfrey Show (1985-2011)

Oprahs talk show had several viral moments during its history. And while the famous you get a car moment was a contender, our pick goes to one dealing with one of her guests. During Tom Cruises appearance on the show to promote the War of the Worlds remake, the attention was instead on his bizarre behavior. His declaration of love for Katie Holmes was accompanied by the actor leaping up onto Oprahs couch. And sure, the internet wasnt what it is today back in 2005 when this happened, so it didnt go quite as viral as it might have. But everybody was still talking about how unhinged Cruise seemed at the time and parodies have been made of it for years.

#22: Surfin BirdFamily Guy (1999-2003; 2005-)

Memes and Family Guy go together like peanut butter and chocolate. One of the animated sitcoms most viral gags involves Peter Griffins favorite song. After hearing it on a jukebox and remembering it from his childhood, Peter becomes obsessed with the song Surfin Bird by the Trashmen. The repetitive lyrics and Peter trolling his friends and family with the tune have led to several clips from the show receiving millions of views. At this point, it seems like everyone has in fact heard that the bird is the word thanks to Family Guy.

#21: Wednesdays DanceWednesday (2022-)

You never know where the next dance craze will come from. In this viral scene, Wednesday Addams performs a truly unique set of moves to the song Goo Goo Muck by The Cramps, while at a dance with a boy, Tyler. Tyler may be rendered speechless by her skills, but the internet has stayed far from silent on the subject. The dance, which was choreographed by actress Jenna Ortega herself, has been viewed hundreds of millions of times on YouTube. It also became a dance sensation, with thousands of imitators sharing their own versions everywhere from professional dance shows to TikTok.

#20: Tom Hanks Reacts to Ricky Gervais

77th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2020)

When Ricky Gervais hosts the Golden Globes, Hollywood holds its collective breath. The comedian is known for pulling no punches when mocking the tinseltown elite to their faces. It was no different when he hosted for a record fifth, and supposedly last, time in 2020. As Gervais delivered his monologue, the camera caught various celebrities reacting. Tom Hanks seemed to be showing that he was not too subtly repressing disgust or at least unease, something most people in the room were probably feeling. This wasnt lost on people on Twitter - who turned the legendary actors scrunched face into a meme almost instantly.

#19: Winona Ryder Reacts at the SAG Awards

23rd Screen Actors Guild Awards (2017)

When Stranger Things won a SAG award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, all eyes in the room were on David Harbour as he gave a passionate acceptance speech against bullying and toxic culture. Viewers at home, though, couldnt help but be drawn to his co-star Winona Riders reactions. Her eye movements and hand gestures ranged from confusion to approval. Whether she was reacting to what Harbour was saying, and, as one observer noted in The Verge, going through the stages of becoming an ally, is not clear, but what is certain is that this moment was meme-worthy right out of the gate.

#18: Woman Yells at Cat

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (2010-)

While the journey from TV segment to Internet fame is usually a short one and sometimes almost instantaneous, sometimes it can take close to a decade. In a 2011 episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, cast member Taylor Armstrong broke down during an argument and started pointing as Kyle Richards tried to talk her down. The Daily Mail used a still from the breakdown in its review of the episode and in 2019, Twitter user @MISSINGEGIRL paired that image first posted on Tumblr the previous year of a cat sitting in front of a plate of vegetables - from that, a famous meme was born.

#17: Lip Sync Battle with Emma Stone

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014-)

When Jimmy Fallon took over The Tonight Show, he turned the entity into a viral video factory; for instance, when the host and Justin Timberlake went hashtag crazy or when Daniel Radcliffe proved his rapping credentials, the internet went crazy. But it was Emma Stones complete and total commitment to lip syncing that was truly beloved. Watching her mime along to Blues Traveler was fun, but it was her exaggerated gestures and facial expressions during DJ Khaleds All I Do Is Win that absolutely won our hearts once we were able to share it far and wide and watch it together online.

#16: Tommy Wiseau Stands on Stage at the Golden Globes

75th Golden Globe Awards (2018)

Tommy Wiseau isnt someone youd expect to see on an awards show stage, unless it was at the Razzies. In 2018, though, the writer, director and star of the so-bad-its-classic film The Room did appear at the Golden Globes. James Franco, who won Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for playing him in The Disaster Artist, invited Wiseau up on stage, then promptly stopped him from taking the mic. Twitter exploded at the strange sight, but also wondered just what Wiseau had wanted to say to the audience. He later said he would have started with a line from The Room and then plugged his film.

#15: Net Neutrality

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014-)

John Olivers segments are built to be shared online and you only have to look to his 2020 take on police brutality to see a prime example. They also frequently cause people to take action online, starting with this plea from Last Week Tonights first season for viewers to help save Net Neutrality. After hilariously laying out the case that this will save the Internet, Oliver called on not just his supporters but even his trolls to let the FCC know how they felt. While this figuratively broke the Internet, it also quite literally broke the FCC websites servers, at least for a little while.

#14: Best Cry Ever

Intervention (2005-)

Following participants with disorders who are expected to undergo an intervention orchestrated by people close to them, this A&E series is still going strong in 2025. Intervention is arguably the ultimate example of the reality TV genre, as it allows audiences to witness people hitting rock bottom and then showcase their unpredictable reactions. One thing we know for certain though is that the cries of anguish that came out of this grown mans mouth were unlike anything wed ever seen - and thats what made them entirely unforgettable. Then, when the internet took this clip and ran with it, it gifted us with a remixed version that is, quite frankly, nothing short of extraordinary.

#13: Lie Witness News - Coachella 2013

Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003-)

Whatever it is that makes us care so much about how others perceive us that we feign knowledge of things we are totally ignorant of, Jimmy Kimmel Live knew exactly how to turn it into entertainment. Coachella can be described as the home of wonderful music and a bevy of people whose greatest desire is to be cool. Knowing this, the late night talk show sent an interviewer and camera crew to the music and arts festival where they asked concertgoers for their opinions on acts... that do not exist. One after another, these misled wannabes professed either appreciation for or at least some level of knowledge of them.

#12: 'Apparently' This Kid Is Awesome, Steals the Show During Interview

WNEP-TV (1953-)

Nobody could have possibly realized what would have happened when this child was plucked out of obscurity by Newswatch 16s Sofia Ojeda at the Wayne County Fair. But were certainly glad it did! Asked what he thought of one of the rides, the little boy named Noah instead opted to rant about his live television debut. While doing so, he peppered what seemed like every second sentence with the word apparently. Completely adorable and funny in the best ways, Noahs newfound fame landed him appearances on The Ellen Show and - apparently - a place on our list.

#11: South Carolina Answers a Question

Miss Teen USA 2007 (2007)

Pageants are a cultural phenomenon that have also become a lightning rod for controversy over the last few decades. This is due to the fact that women and girls have increasingly been prized more for who they are than how they look. One particular reason that such competitions are increasingly dismissed is the perception that the contestants, though beautiful, are not the most intelligent people on the planet - and for those people, this clip seemed to be confirmation of that. When asked a question about the current state of education, Miss South Carolinas incoherent, fumbling answer soon transformed into a thing of internet legend.

#10: Coffee Cup

Game of Thrones (2011-19)

Given how much Game of Thrones has shaped our culture in the 2010s, its surprising that the most talked about and shared moment of the hit fantasy series final season was an accidental one. We could have brought up the plastic water bottle that made its way into the finale, but decided on the now infamous modern coffee cup that showed up on the table during the Winterfell banquet scene. After eagle-eyed viewers pointed it out, HBO admitted the mistake and removed it from the episode, but the cup talk continued and the series stars even got involved. Sophie Turner blamed co-star Emilia Clarke for the error before Clarke turned the blame on Conleth Hill.

#9: Steve Harvey Announces the Wrong Winner

64th Miss Universe (2015)

When Steve Harvey hosted the Miss Universe pageant in 2015, he most certainly left an impression. Instead of announcing Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutiérrez as the first runner-up and Miss Philippines Pia Wurtzbach as the winner, Harvey mistakenly named Colombia the new Miss Universe. After being told of the error backstage, Harvey corrected it on TV four minutes later. But the damage was already done to both the contestants and Harveys reputation. The clip was shared countless times and Harvey became a meme announcing the wrong winner in everything from sporting events to politics. His career would survive this incident, but for a while, Steve Harvey was synonymous with getting things wrong.

#8: The Lonely Islands Digital Short with Akon

Saturday Night Live (1975-)

When Andy Samberg became the main force behind the digital short segments on Saturday Night Live, audiences were gifted with one amazing clip after another. With skits like The Shooting or songs like Jack Sparrow, Im on a Boat or Jizz in my Pants, he and his cohorts in The Lonely Island proved they were masters of the genre. But one of their best efforts has to be this tune about getting down. I Just Had Sex features help from Akon and producer DJ Frank E. Its also hilariously boastful, while simultaneously showing some horrendously low standards and shame in the eyes of their bedfellows.

#7: Kids Interrupt Live BBC World News Broadcast

BBC News (1997-)

Working from home has its advantages and disadvantages. When your work involves being on live TV, those disadvantages can lead to viral fame. In 2017, professor Robert Kelly was being interviewed live on the BBC. He may have been talking about South Korean politics, but all eyes were on his children. First, his daughter Marion who burst into the room to visit with her dad, then his son James who followed in a rolling chair. Eventually, Kelly's wife Jung-a Kim entered and retrieved the kids. While the Kellys were initially horrified, their almost immediate Internet fame led to the BBC inviting the whole family back for a proper interview a few days later.

#6: The Lonely Islands Debut with Justin Timberlake

Saturday Night Live (1975-)

When we were listing off some of The Lonely Islands greatest hits, we knew that some of you were probably blown away that we hadnt yet mentioned the song about boxed-in genitals - but good things come to those who wait. The second SNL Digital Short to go viral after previous hit Lazy Sunday, Dick in a Box took subjects that traditionally were far too risqué for national television and well, put them on television. And of course, made them absolutely hilarious, catchy and unforgettable in 3 easy steps. Featuring Justin Timberlake, theres no denying that the holiday track was certainly a memorable one when it comes to official debut singles by comedy troupes!

#5: Antoine Dodson

WAFF-48 News (1954-)

The origin of this TV moment that went viral is actually quite serious: a break-in and attempted assault in the Lincoln Park housing project in Huntsville, Alabama. When local Huntsville TV interviewed Antoine Dodson, the victims brother and the man who had chased the perpetrator out of the house, there was something about his response to the questions that really caught on. The clip was shared millions of times and spawned several remixes and autotunes, the most notable being Bed Intruder by The Gregory Brothers. Dodson used his newfound internet fame and proceeds from Bed Intruder to raise enough money to move his family into a better neighborhood.

#4: Kanye West Ruins Taylor Swifts Night

26th MTV Video Music Awards (2009)

Okay, Imma let you finish the list, but this incident from the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards has got to be one of the greatest internet-breaking moments of all time, of all time! When a belligerent Kanye West stormed the stage during Taylor Swifts Best Female Video acceptance speech, he not only ruined Swifts night and reportedly got himself kicked out of the event, but he also unexpectedly set a precedent for how powerful Twitter would be culturally. After the night ended, MTV tried to bury the moment, but people on Twitter kept talking about it, keeping the story alive for days, weeks, years and now over a decade. This was truly a social media first.

#3: Ain't Nobody Got Time for That

KFOR TV (2012)

When Kimberly Wilkins was interviewed by the Oklahoma TV station KFOR-TV, she managed to steal the focus from the subject she was being asked about thanks to her dynamic personality, with the subject in question being a fire. Sweet Brown, as shes otherwise known, immediately caught peoples attention after being asked about her apartment building going up in flames. Whether it was her pronunciation of Bronchitis or her famous tagline, Sweet Browns short clip has been viewed millions of times and has also been given the remix/AutoTune treatment. Thats when you know youve made it at least on the interwebz!

#2: Baby Yoda Drinking Soup

The Mandalorian (2019-)

The breakaway character of the hit Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian is clearly Baby Yoda. That's at least how the adorable puppet is known online. In subtitles and captions, the character was initially referred to as The Child, but is now known as Din Grogu. Social Media didn't just name Baby Yoda; they also made the 50-year-old kid the subject of many memes, quite a few of which involved eating. The made-up Chicky Nuggies are a frequent go-to, but the most popular gif and meme involves Baby Yoda calmly drinking soup while watching a fight. This may actually replace Kermit the Frog drinking tea!

#1: Red Light, Green LightSquid Game (2021-)

The debut episode of this thriller sees a group of desperate, indebted contestants brought to an island to participate in various games to win money. Their first game seems simple initially - a regular game of red light, green lightwith a creepy oversized robot shaped like a little girl. But then, the first guy diesand then a second. The ensuing panic and the desperate, nail-biting dash to make it over the finish line got everyone talking. Plus, the distinctive setting and robot girl got the internets meme creation team working overtime. The Korean wave was already riding high at this point, but Squid Game turned it into a veritable tsunami, with arguably this scene alone!

Is there an internet breaking moment youre broken hearted we forgot? Tell us the word about your favorites in the comments!