TV Shows Episodes That Mention/or Break The "Fourth Wall" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Wreckless · 01-14-2009, 05:21 AM

For those of you that don't know what the fourth wall is, it's basically when an actor or actress as a character on a sitcom at any time in an episode refers to reality, or something to do with the set of the show. It can also happen when a character refers to that character being popular in real life. For example, on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, they broke the fourth wall a lot. Uncle Phil would talk about "Vivian believing Will if he said he was a multi millionaire rapper", when Will was in fact one, and references to the set, like when Will mentioned "that he had no roof" and pointed to the top of the house/set. So talk about shows & episodes where a character breaking the 4th wall, and who it was & what they said.

sunshinefizzy · 01-14-2009, 08:00 AM

On Three's Company when Mr. Roper would make a degrading Joke about his wife he would look right at the camera and laugh.

Goldilocks · 01-14-2009, 10:05 AM

The Monkees did it ALL the time.

"Who writes this stuff?", one of them would say (often Micky or Mike) and look right at the camera.

Ozzie Nelson did it frequently at the end of the episodes, often looking at the camera with a comment to the audience. For example, in one episode, Ozzie is asking David, since David was a lawyer, a legal question and then Ozzie looks at the camera and says proudly, "My son. The lawyer. I like saying that!"

tv star collector · 01-14-2009, 10:13 AM

George Burns did that all the time on the Burns & Allen show, as did
Bob Hope in the Hope/Crosby "Road" movies. So did Rocky & Bullwinkle on
The Bullwinkle Show. Zack did it, too, on Saved by the Bell.

Marvo301 · 01-14-2009, 06:34 PM

Garry Shandling broke the fourth wall regularly on It's Garry Shandlings Show.

Ohio8 · 01-14-2009, 08:52 PM

Dobie Gillis on "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" did it.

Mikado · 01-14-2009, 08:59 PM

The do it on Corner Gas....like when Brent is "acting" on his security camera and says"I'm not really much of an actor, basically, I play myself" (Which is of course what he did on the show), there's other examples but, the best one is when Wanda mentions that when people watch TV, they are more interested in the dialogue than the production values...and at just that moment, one of the boom microphones recording the scene comes down and whops her in the head! (She brushes it away, without comment)

Kristen · 01-14-2009, 11:30 PM

Once on Murphy Brown, Miles told Murphy, "There's no studio audience out there laughing at every cute thing you say!" as he pointed directly AT the studio audience, LOL.

Also, didn't Zach break the fourth wall all the time on Saved By the Bell? He would stop time, and tell the audience what he thought, or what he planned to do. Looking back on it, that seems pretty unrealtic, LOL.

- Kristen

catlover79 · 01-15-2009, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kristen

Once on Murphy Brown, Miles told Murphy, "There's no studio audience out there laughing at every cute thing you say!" as he pointed directly AT the studio audience, LOL.

Also, didn't Zach break the fourth wall all the time on Saved By the Bell? He would stop time, and tell the audience what he thought, or what he planned to do. Looking back on it, that seems pretty unrealtic, LOL.

- Kristen

Yes, he did. So would Tia and Tamera, the twins on Sister, Sister. Moonlighting broke the fourth wall all the time!!

Marvo301 · 01-15-2009, 01:29 AM

In the very last episode of Happy Days (in fact it was the very last scene) Tom Bosley broke the fourth wall and directly addressed the audience.

catlover79 · 01-15-2009, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

In the very last episode of Happy Days (in fact it was the very last scene) Tom Bosley broke the fourth wall and directly addressed the audience.

You know, that scene still chokes me up. "Thank you all for being part of our family...to Happy Days!"

Kristen · 01-15-2009, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

Yes, he did. So would Tia and Tamera, the twins on Sister, Sister. Moonlighting broke the fourth wall all the time!!

I forgot about Tia and Tamera. But at least they didn't stop time like Zach did! LOL Oh, didn't Clarissa talk to the audience all the time on Clarrisa Explains it All?

Dusty's Fan · 01-15-2009, 07:41 AM

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Green Acres yet, such as when Lisa comments on the show's production credits appearing on screen.

MrRetro_08 · 01-15-2009, 07:46 AM

There's an episode of "The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air" when Will says, "why can't we afford a ceiling" and the camara looks up to the stage lights above.

megamanj2004 · 01-15-2009, 03:30 PM

Malcolm in the Middle broke the fourth wall, mainly b/c of the way the cameras always using a single camera shot whenever Malcolm himself always talked to the viewer.

01-14-2009, 05:21 AM	#1
Wreckless Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Nov 04, 2007 Location: Banned Posts: 9,406	TV Shows Episodes That Mention/or Break The "Fourth Wall" For those of you that don't know what the fourth wall is, it's basically when an actor or actress as a character on a sitcom at any time in an episode refers to reality, or something to do with the set of the show. It can also happen when a character refers to that character being popular in real life. For example, on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, they broke the fourth wall a lot. Uncle Phil would talk about "Vivian believing Will if he said he was a multi millionaire rapper", when Will was in fact one, and references to the set, like when Will mentioned "that he had no roof" and pointed to the top of the house/set. So talk about shows & episodes where a character breaking the 4th wall, and who it was & what they said.

01-14-2009, 06:34 PM	#5
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,452	Garry Shandling broke the fourth wall regularly on It's Garry Shandlings Show.
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01-14-2009, 08:52 PM	#6
Ohio8 Member Forum Star Join Date: Jul 29, 2003 Location: Wherever you aren't. Posts: 18,914	Dobie Gillis on "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" did it.
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01-14-2009, 11:30 PM	#8
Kristen Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 17, 2000 Location: New York, USA Posts: 4,042	Once on Murphy Brown, Miles told Murphy, "There's no studio audience out there laughing at every cute thing you say!" as he pointed directly AT the studio audience, LOL. Also, didn't Zach break the fourth wall all the time on Saved By the Bell? He would stop time, and tell the audience what he thought, or what he planned to do. Looking back on it, that seems pretty unrealtic, LOL. - Kristen
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01-15-2009, 07:46 AM	#14
MrRetro_08 T'ank you veddy much! Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 19, 2007 Location: A Place Far Away Posts: 823	There's an episode of "The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air" when Will says, "why can't we afford a ceiling" and the camara looks up to the stage lights above.
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01-14-2009, 08:00 AM	#2
sunshinefizzy Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 27, 2006 Location: Craptown Posts: 2,054	On Three's Company when Mr. Roper would make a degrading Joke about his wife he would look right at the camera and laugh.

01-14-2009, 10:05 AM	#3
Goldilocks Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 08, 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 693	The Monkees did it ALL the time. "Who writes this stuff?", one of them would say (often Micky or Mike) and look right at the camera. Ozzie Nelson did it frequently at the end of the episodes, often looking at the camera with a comment to the audience. For example, in one episode, Ozzie is asking David, since David was a lawyer, a legal question and then Ozzie looks at the camera and says proudly, "My son. The lawyer. I like saying that!"

01-14-2009, 10:13 AM	#4
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,486	George Burns did that all the time on the Burns & Allen show, as did Bob Hope in the Hope/Crosby "Road" movies. So did Rocky & Bullwinkle on The Bullwinkle Show. Zack did it, too, on Saved by the Bell.

01-14-2009, 08:59 PM	#7
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,880	The do it on Corner Gas....like when Brent is "acting" on his security camera and says"I'm not really much of an actor, basically, I play myself" (Which is of course what he did on the show), there's other examples but, the best one is when Wanda mentions that when people watch TV, they are more interested in the dialogue than the production values...and at just that moment, one of the boom microphones recording the scene comes down and whops her in the head! (She brushes it away, without comment)

01-15-2009, 01:29 AM	#10
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,452	In the very last episode of Happy Days (in fact it was the very last scene) Tom Bosley broke the fourth wall and directly addressed the audience.

01-15-2009, 07:41 AM	#13
Dusty's Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 13, 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,093	I'm surprised no one has mentioned Green Acres yet, such as when Lisa comments on the show's production credits appearing on screen.

01-15-2009, 03:30 PM	#15
megamanj2004 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 21, 2004 Posts: 2,357	Malcolm in the Middle broke the fourth wall, mainly b/c of the way the cameras always using a single camera shot whenever Malcolm himself always talked to the viewer.
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