The 25 Best Running Gags on TV Shows

PocketEpiphany Published 11/30/2021 in Funny

Many TV shows like to reward longtime viewers in different ways. And perhaps the best way is with a good running gag!

But which running gags are best? We scoured the internet to come up with the best gags in all of TV history!

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1. Mr. Burns referencing things from like 150 years ago
2. Rowdy the stuffed dog on Scrubs
3. Jerry’s beautiful wife in Parks and Rec
4. On It's Always Sunny, the season-spanning downfall of Cricket. Every time we see him, he's in worse condition than before.
5. The banners in Bojack Horseman, where any time there's a banner shown it was clearly dictated aloud and the person entering it didn't know when to stop.

"Happy Birthday Diane and Use a Pretty Font"

"Happy Bat Bat Mitzfah Yes Use Two Bats Because Shes a Bat"

"Congrats Diane and Mr. Peanut Butter Peanut Butter is One Word"

"Mr. Peanutbutter's Housewarming Bash and Can You Send Me a Picture of the Banner Before it Goes Off to the Printer This Time?"
6. The Deans ever-expanding sexuality in Community
7. Bill from Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

From him being a Charles look-alike to being a male prostitute to being in a Scientology themed pyramid scheme to him slowly getting worse every time you see him
8. Have you tried turning it off and on again?
9. Uncle Phil throwing Jazz out of the house.
10. Karen from Will and Grace is basically a continuous running gag. And practically carries the show.
11. Jason Mendoza and his Molotov cocktails in The Good Place.
12. Julian's drink in Trailer Park Boys. He's always holding it. They're in a car crash where the car flips, and he climbs out the car holding his drink.
13. In Futurama, a lot of times when something really bizarre or shocking happened everyone would react appropriately, except for Bender, who would take out a camera and snap a picture. Going, “Neat!”
14. Bart's prank calls to Moe.
15. John Redcorn sleeping with Nancy Gribble and everyone knowing it except for Dale.
16. You heard about the Ginger?

You mean the ostrich?

Allegedly!
17. Paul Rudd playing that same clip from Mac and Me every time he goes on Conan's show.
18. Never learning Fez’s real name in That 70’s Show
19. In Psych, any time Shawn went to introduce Gus, it would always be a made-up name.
20. One of my favorite parts of Parks and Rec was the Pawnee town murals.
21. Archer's elaborate voicemails pranks.
22. "Hi, I'm Troy McClure. You may remember me from such films as..."
23. Never seeing Maris (Niles' wife) on Frasier but getting hilarious descriptions of her
24. Kenneth being very old, and potentially immortal, in 30 Rock.
25. Arrested Development is a masterclass is running jokes, but my favorites are either the Chicken dance, or the Bluth family’s reaction to Ann whenever she is brought up.

1. Mr. Burns referencing things from like 150 years ago
2. Rowdy the stuffed dog on Scrubs
3. Jerry’s beautiful wife in Parks and Rec
4. On It's Always Sunny, the season-spanning downfall of Cricket. Every time we see him, he's in worse condition than before.
5. The banners in Bojack Horseman, where any time there's a banner shown it was clearly dictated aloud and the person entering it didn't know when to stop.

"Happy Birthday Diane and Use a Pretty Font"

"Happy Bat Bat Mitzfah Yes Use Two Bats Because Shes a Bat"

"Congrats Diane and Mr. Peanut Butter Peanut Butter is One Word"

"Mr. Peanutbutter's Housewarming Bash and Can You Send Me a Picture of the Banner Before it Goes Off to the Printer This Time?"
6. The Deans ever-expanding sexuality in Community
7. Bill from Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

From him being a Charles look-alike to being a male prostitute to being in a Scientology themed pyramid scheme to him slowly getting worse every time you see him
8. Have you tried turning it off and on again?
9. Uncle Phil throwing Jazz out of the house.
10. Karen from Will and Grace is basically a continuous running gag. And practically carries the show.
11. Jason Mendoza and his Molotov cocktails in The Good Place.
12. Julian's drink in Trailer Park Boys. He's always holding it. They're in a car crash where the car flips, and he climbs out the car holding his drink.
13. In Futurama, a lot of times when something really bizarre or shocking happened everyone would react appropriately, except for Bender, who would take out a camera and snap a picture. Going, “Neat!”
14. Bart's prank calls to Moe.
15. John Redcorn sleeping with Nancy Gribble and everyone knowing it except for Dale.
16. You heard about the Ginger?

You mean the ostrich?

Allegedly!
17. Paul Rudd playing that same clip from Mac and Me every time he goes on Conan's show.
18. Never learning Fez’s real name in That 70’s Show
19. In Psych, any time Shawn went to introduce Gus, it would always be a made-up name.
20. One of my favorite parts of Parks and Rec was the Pawnee town murals.
21. Archer's elaborate voicemails pranks.
22. "Hi, I'm Troy McClure. You may remember me from such films as..."
23. Never seeing Maris (Niles' wife) on Frasier but getting hilarious descriptions of her
24. Kenneth being very old, and potentially immortal, in 30 Rock.
25. Arrested Development is a masterclass is running jokes, but my favorites are either the Chicken dance, or the Bluth family’s reaction to Ann whenever she is brought up.