Top 10 Shockingly Dark Sitcom Moments That Will Leave You Speechless

Summary

Sitcoms often include dark moments that tackle serious topics in a sometimes comedic way, providing a fresh and interesting twist to the show's usual light-hearted format.

These significant moments often have a specific role to play, whether it's to shape the characters or provide commentary on real-life matters, thus enriching the show's storyline as a whole.

Though these moments can leave a lasting impression on viewers and carry emotional weight, it is crucial to recognize and approach the sensitive subjects depicted, such as sexual violence and suicide, with utmost sensitivity and respect.

Content Warning: This article includes discussions and portrayals of sexual violence and suicide.

While sitcoms are known for their light-hearted and comedic nature, there are instances when humor takes a darker turn. Even in the most well-crafted sitcoms, certain storylines delve into more serious subjects, albeit usually handled with sensitivity. However, occasionally, there arise moments that fail to recognize the significance of the message they convey.

10 Malcolm Nearly Kills Himself In His Car - Malcolm In The Middle

Malcolm in the Middle

Release Date: January 9, 2000

Cast: Bryan Cranston, Frankie Muniz

Genres: Sitcom

Seasons: 7

In the season 6 episode "Malcolm's Car," Malcolm makes the questionable decision to purchase a dilapidated sports car. Despite the numerous warnings from his loved ones, Malcolm becomes the center of attention while driving. However, his joy is short-lived as the car breaks down. Panicking, he manages to restart the engine, but it becomes stuck. In a desperate attempt to escape, Malcolm yanks on the door handle, only for it to break in his hand. Trapped in a garage slowly filling with smoke from the car, Malcolm coughs out jokes to the audience. Thankfully, he is eventually rescued by Stevie and Reese, who remain unfazed by the fact that he narrowly avoided a tragic accident.

9 The Flasher - The Office

The Office is a comedy-drama sitcom that premiered on March 24, 2005. It stars a talented cast including Mindy Kaling, Jenna Fischer, Kate Flannery, Ed Helms, Craig Robinson, Paul Lieberstein, Ellie Kemper, B.J. Novak, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, Rainn Wilson, Brian Baumgartner, Phyllis Smith, Leslie David Baker, Creed Bratton, Steve Carell, and John Krasinski. The show spans 9 seasons.

In the season 3 episode "Women's Appreciation", Phyllis encounters a flasher in the parking lot, causing tension throughout the entire office. Surprisingly, Michael dismisses the incident and fails to comprehend why someone would choose to expose themselves to Phyllis. Met with a negative response from the rest of the office, Michael attempts to rectify his mistake by organizing an educational session for the entire group. In his own unique Michael Scott fashion, he arranges a shopping trip for the women in the office to buy underwear, perceiving it as a way to show support for women's rights and feminism.

8 The Mole Women's TV Interview - Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Release Date: March 6, 2015

Cast: Ellie Kemper, Carol Kane, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski

Genres: Sitcom

Seasons: 4

In Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, we follow the incredible journey of the Indiana Mole Women who are finally rescued from the underground bunker they called home for the past 15 years. During the show's pilot, one of the initial scenes features the women being interviewed on television about their harrowing experience. However, instead of showing empathy, the host makes insensitive comments, insinuating that the women were kidnapped because of their supposed rudeness. He patronizingly labels them as 'victims' and prioritizes giving them a makeover over addressing the trauma they have just endured.

7 The Nightman Cometh - It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Release Date August 4, 2005Cast Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, Kaitlin Olson, Glenn Howerton, Danny DeVitoGenres ComedySeasons 16

6 Monica & Chandler's Infertility - Friends

"The Nightman Cometh" episode of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia showcased some of the most hilarious quotes from Charlie Kelly. In his attempt to propose to the Waitress, Charlie takes an unconventional route by writing and staging a play, in which the entire gang participates. Unbeknownst to Charlie, the script includes veiled references to his traumatic childhood experiences, suggesting that he may have been a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of his Uncle Jack.

Friends

Release Date: September 22, 1994

Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Sitcom

Seasons: 10

In season 9 of Friends, Monica and Chandler, facing the heartbreaking news of their infertility, decide to explore the option of starting a family. Despite their hopes, visiting a fertility clinic brings them disappointing results. Faced with this devastating news, the couple makes the difficult decision to pursue adoption. This storyline provides some memorable and often underestimated moments for Monica and Chandler's journey. True to his character, when Chandler shares the news with his wife, he humorously remarks, "My guys won't get off their Barca Loungers, and you have a uterus that is prepared to eliminate any potential contenders."

5 Abed's Film - Community

Community

Release Date September 17, 2009Cast Ken Jeong, Chevy Chase, Joel McHale, Jim Rash, Gillian Jacobs, Alison Brie, Yvette Nicole Brown, Donald Glover, Danny PudiGenres ComedyRating TV-PG

4 Dede's Death - Modern Family

In the first season of Community, Britta feels sorry for Abed as he is compelled to study subjects unrelated to his true passion, filmmaking. Sympathetic to his situation, Britta generously pays for Abed to enroll in a class. However, her patience quickly wears thin when he incessantly thrusts his camera in front of the group's faces. Eventually, Abed presents his first film, which he made for his father, Britta, and Jeff, revealing that it is based on the heartbreaking tale of his mother's abandonment of their family. Despite the comedic appearance of the film, characterized by poorly edited images of his parents superimposed over Britta's face and cringe-worthy transitions, it effectively sheds light on Abed's tumultuous past.

Modern Family

Release Date: September 23, 2009

Cast: Ed O'Neill, Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, Nolan Gould, Rico Rodriguez

Genres: Comedy, Mockumentary

Rating: TV-PG

In season 10 of Modern Family, one of its core supporting characters, Dede Pritchett, was unexpectedly killed off. Dede was the mother of Clare and Mitchell, and her appearances often involved her trying to attack Jay's new wife, Gloria, out of jealousy. When the family learns of Dede's death, they are shocked and each cope with their grief in their own unique ways. Lily, in a mixture of humor and affection, takes advantage of the situation by moving a small, lifelike figurine of her grandmother around the Dunphy house to scare Gloria. She believes that this is what Dede would have wanted after her passing.

3 Gina's Inappropriate Comments To Terry - Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a police comedy series set in the fictional 99th precinct of the NYPD. Created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur, the show follows the adventures of protagonist Jake Peralta and the comedically serious Captain Raymond Holt. Together, they and the other detectives of the 99 tackle a range of crimes and peculiarities in New York City. While providing laughs and entertainment, the show also touches on real-world issues surrounding police perception and social concerns of the 2010s and earlier. Each detective brings their own unique personality to the mix, resulting in charming dynamics that have captivated audiences for eight seasons.

Release Date: September 17, 2013

Cast: Stephanie Beatriz, Melissa Fumero, Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, Joel McKinnon Miller, Dirk Blocker, Terry Crews, Chelsea Peretti, Joe Lo Truglio

Genres: Comedy, Crime

Rating: TV-14

Throughout Gina's time on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, her problematic and sexualized comments towards Terry are consistently present. Despite their platonic friendship, Gina's relentless harassment of Terry creates some darker moments within the show. One notable instance occurs in the season 3 episode "Yippie Kayak" when Jake requests a favor from Gina. She attempts to negotiate by requesting a photo of Terry in the locker room, immediately after showering.

2 Charlie's Death - That '70s Show

Release Date: August 23, 1998

Cast: Topher Grace, Laura Prepon, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Wilmer Valderrama, Debra Jo Rupp, Kurtwood Smith, Danny Masterson

Genres: Comedy, Sitcom

Rating: TV-14

Charlie (Bret Harrison) made his debut in the narrative of That 70s Show during the concluding moments of season 7, as a substitute for Eric Foreman who had departed to Africa. In an off-screen event, the character met his demise between seasons 7 and 8 by tragically falling from the water tower. The show had previously employed the water tower fall as a recurring motif, but it was Charlie alone who succumbed to this unfortunate fate, much to the amusement of the other members of the gang.

1 Morty Gets Assaulted In The Bathroom - Rick & Morty

Rick and Morty

Release Date: December 2, 2013

Cast: Spencer Grammer, Justin Roiland, Kari Wahlgren, Chris Parnell, Sarah Chalke

Genres: Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Seasons: 6

In the episode "Meeseeks and Destroy" of season 1 of Rick and Morty, the characters find themselves in a tavern located in a staircase within a giant's house. During a bathroom break, Morty encounters King Jellybean, who is unbeknownst to Morty the hero of the nearby village. Unfortunately, Morty is forced to defend himself as King Jellybean initiates unwanted advances. Later, as Morty exits the bathroom, he sees King Jellybean injured and beaten, implying that he may have been assaulted or, at the very least, had an assault attempted on him.