Top 10 TV Examples of the Mandela Effect

There are plenty of TV shows that have had us all experience the Mandela Effect. For this list, we’ll be going over some of the notable examples of collective false memories related to TV shows. To be clear, we won’t be including cartoons, as those have a list of their own. Our countdown includes Fonzie's jacket from "Happy Days" (1974-84), Judy's gavel from "Judge Judy" (1996-2021), "Beam Me Up, Scotty" from "Star Trek" (1966-69), and more! If there’s something about a TV show you could’ve sworn was different, share your conspiracies in the comments.

#10: “I Pity the Fool”

“The A-Team” (1983-87)

This ‘80s classic has a surprising number of Mandela Effects attached to it. While it was tempting to discuss Howling Mad Murdock being misremembered as “Mad Dog” Murdock, or the confusion around the team’s van color, we’re going with a catchphrase that never was. Mr. T starred in the show as B.A. Baracus. Many seem to recall the character using the phrase “I pity the fool.” And while Mr. T himself is known for this catchphrase, he never used it in arguably his most famous role. Do you pity the fools who remember this wrongly, or are you one of us-…them! Them…

#9: “Hi-Ho Silver!”

“The Lone Ranger” (1949-57)

While “The Lone Ranger” may have been before the time of most of our viewers… and most of us too, the general facts about it have pervaded pop culture. A masked ranger fights for right with his Native American friend Tonto, and he says “Hi-ho Silver!” when he rides his horse. Except, that catchphrase may not be the same as most remember it. What he’s actually saying is “Hi-yo Silver.” The difference is subtle, which is probably why so many misremember it. Plus, “hi-ho” seems way more common than “hi-yo.” Just ask the Seven Dwarfs!

#8: “Sex in the City”

“Sex and the City” (1998-2004)

The famous TV series and later films about a group of women and their often sexual escapades in New York, “Sex and the City” has caused some confusion. There are some who will swear that its title used to be “Sex IN the City,” rather than “and.” The most likely explanation is that people tend to slur the word “and” to just “n,” like when people say “Ben and Jerry’s.” However, there are still people who insist that they’ve seen the title printed to read as “Sex in the City.” We’d write it off as bad eyesight from a night with Carrie and the girls, if there weren’t so many eyes involved.

#7: Judy’s Gavel

“Judge Judy” (1996-2021)

Judge Judith Sheindlin presided over her reality TV show-based courtroom for over two decades. A staple of daytime television, “Judge Judy” was watched or at least famous among millions of people. But one aspect of her show that reality seems to have ruled against is her use of a gavel. While it is true that Judy occasionally used one early on during her show’s run, and in some promotional photos, by and large throughout her time on TV, she didn’t use one. So, has someone altered reality? Or do people just associate a gavel with judges and therefore one of the most famous judges? We’ll leave it up to the jury to determine guilt or innocence.

#6: Holy Relevant Phrase, Batman!

“Batman” (1966-68)

Let’s get one thing clear – Burt Ward’s Robin does have a catchphrase where he says “Holy [insert relevant, yet bizarre in or out of context phrase here].” You’re not misremembering that! One-half of the Caped Crusaders somehow managed to turn the oddest part of he and Batman’s adventures into an exclamation. But one thing all of these ridiculous outbursts have in common is that Robin almost never says “Batman” at the end. He does, rarely, yes, but not usually. When other people do the gag, it’s understandable why they add the Batman – it makes it clear they’re doing a reference. Yet, if somehow memories or the world have been changed, we know who we’d call to solve the case! Holy conspiracy!

#5: Fonzie’s Jacket

“Happy Days” (1974-84)

Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli is a pop culture icon. And of course, everyone knows his deal – he’s your typical greaser, with slicked back hair, a black leather jacket, and he says “ayyyyy.” But many find themselves doing a double take when they look at his jacket now. It’s not black, but rather dark brown. Granted, it’s a darker color, so that may account for the discrepancy in people’s memories. They might also be conflating the Fonz’s look with other famous greaser characters, like Danny Zuko from “Grease.” No matter his wardrobe though, the Fonz is still the Fonz.

#4: “Yeah Science, Bitch!”

“Breaking Bad” (2008-13)

As one of the most acclaimed and popular TV shows of the 21st century, so far, “Breaking Bad” has inspired plenty of catchphrases and memes. Jesse Pinkman’s famous phrase “yeah science, bitch!” is actually only one of the latter, although many mistake it for being a catchphrase of his too. While Jesse is indeed famous for favoring the derogatory word for a female canine, he doesn’t use it along with his famous line about science. Instead, he says: “Yeah Mr. White! Yeah science!” A famous meme macro has combined Jesse’s actual catchphrase with this scene, so it’s no wonder people got this one mixed up.

#3: “Lucy, You've Got Some 'Splainin’ to Do!”

“I Love Lucy” (1951-57)

“I Love Lucy” is one of the most influential TV shows of the 20th century. It basically codified a lot of the tropes of sitcoms and was watched by millions. Lucy’s husband Ricky is well known for saying the phrase, “Lucy, you’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do!,” whenever his wife got up to her usual shenanigans. However, while he does say “’splain” and variations thereof in the show, he never says this phrase exactly. There are plenty of parodies of the show which use this misquoted catchphrase. But surely with how widely viewed the show was, there would be more consensus about it. Can someone ‘splain this to us?

#2: “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”

“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” (1968-2001)

Oof, this one hits right in the childhood! Mr. Fred Rogers entertained generations of children on his program “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” He would begin every show by singing the song “Won’t You Be My Neighbor.” However, the lyrics of that song are not what most people remember them as. The song does not begin with the line “it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood,” but rather “this neighborhood,” not “the!” This is arguably a completely different meaning for the song. And it’s rather odd that not only parodies of the song got it wrong, but also the title of the biopic from a few years ago and the sign in Rogers’ own hometown! Are we living in a world of make-believe?!

#1: “Beam Me Up, Scotty”

“Star Trek” (1966-69)

The “Star Trek” franchise has a whole quadrant full of things people never picked up on, like Picard fiddling with a crystal on his desk a lot. But much more shocking is the fact that the phrase “beam me up, Scotty” is never said once in the entire original “Star Trek” series… or onscreen at all, for that matter. There are a few times where characters come close, but this exact phrase, despite its fame, is entirely a fan invention. Although… James Doohan, Scotty’s actor, did write an autobiography with this title. Could there have been some sort of transporter accident? We all know how pesky those can be…