Top 10 Most Unrealistic Sitcom Storylines

“Malcolm in the Middle” (2000-06)

“Malcolm in the Middle” was always more surreal than the average family sitcom, but we have an especially hard time buying that a teenager as dense as Reese could trick the U.S. Army into believing he’s old enough to enlist. Proving to be a model soldier, Reese is sent to Afghanistan where he goes on the run. Posing as a woman and even getting wedded off, Reese makes it to India where his mother miraculously tracks him down. Reese faces no repercussions for lying to and deserting the Army. Likewise, the Army isn’t held accountable for any of this. Everything just goes back to normal. And by normal, we mean the boys dropping diaper-balloon bombs upon unsuspecting rapping grannies.

“Friends” (1994-2004)

In Season 4, Rachel and Monica are forced to switch apartments with Joey and Chandler after losing a bet. Apartment switching isn’t like trading lunches, however. For a switch like this to occur, an apartment lease transfer is required. This usually entails consulting one’s landlord, who Monica and Rachel have been dodging. Why? Because they’ve been illegally subletting the rent-controlled apartment in Monica’s grandma’s name. We guess that’s why they don’t involve the landlord, but wouldn’t some red flags be raised if Joey and Chandler started paying the rent for Nana’s apartment? For that matter, is the rent the same for both apartments? Well, it doesn’t really matter since Monica and Rachel switch everything back several episodes later. Seriously, they moved everything in one night?

“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (2013-21)

Usually taking place on Halloween, the heist episodes are among this sitcom’s most memorable. With each heist, however, the Nine-Nine pushes the limits of realism. Given how immature and competitive the characters can be, we can see why they’d make heists an annual tradition. We have a harder time believing that so many others would get involved, including a party bus of people and a group dressed as characters from “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Exactly how are they paying for their helpers, costumes, and “Mission: Impossible” spy gear anyway? Is it all out of their pockets on government salaries or is this our tax dollars at work? You’d also think that a higher-up would catch wind of these heists, especially after property is damaged.

“The Office” (2005-13)

Michael Scott can be a surprisingly persuasive salesperson, but he’s not very good at the business side of… well, business. Yet, he launches the Michael Scott Paper Company with Pam, who has no sales experience, and Ryan, who doesn’t have the best sales track record. Since Michael can’t even get his grandma to invest, it’s not surprising that the company verges on going broke within weeks. What is surprising is that Michael’s company does well enough to take business away from Dunder Mifflin. This results in Dunder Mifflin offering the four-week-old paper company $60,000 before ultimately rehiring its three employees - including Ryan, who got arrested for committing fraud as Vice President. Getting back to the status quo comes with a tough pill to swallow.

“Arrested Development” (2003-06, 2013-19)

Whenever we rewatch “Arrested Development,” we always catch ingenious details that we missed before. For example, at a claw machine, Buster wins a toy seal, foreshadowing that a seal is going to bite off his hand in a later episode. As clever as this is, it’s over-the-top even by “Arrested Development” standards. Things only get more ridiculous when it’s revealed that the seal coincidentally belonged to Gob, who gave the sea creature a taste for mammal blood by using terminal cats for bait. Also, we know that the Bluths have fallen on hard times, but we’d imagine they’d be able to afford something better than a hook for a prosthetic. Sure, Buster eventually gets a bionic hand, but why would they make one that big?

“Seinfeld” (1989-98)

Although Jerry has a cell phone, the gang does nothing to help when they witness a carjacking in Massachusetts. Breaking the Good Samaritan law, the four are arrested and put on trial. In addition to eyewitnesses, the District Attorney’s office somehow manages to track down several familiar faces who testify against them. This includes the Soup Nazi, who moved to Argentina, and Babu, who got deported to Pakistan. While “duty to rescue” laws exist, they rarely result in this much fanfare. We don’t think that a city would dedicate this much time, money, and resources to making an example out of four people for this, especially when they technically did help. Kramer recorded a video of the carjacker, which could be used to identify him.

“Gilligan’s Island” (1964-67)

Granted, “Gilligan’s Island” might’ve been a bit more outlandish than the average sitcom. That said, getting stranded on an uncharted island isn’t outside the realm of possibility. Santa Claus showing up on the island is another story. It’s Christmas and to raise morale, the Skipper seemingly dresses as Santa. When the real Skipper suddenly shows up, though, it’s strongly suggested that the castaways just encountered Santa himself. So, let’s get this straight. Santa is not only real, but he looks exactly like the Skipper with a white beard? What’s more, Santa could’ve rescued the castaways by giving them a ride in his sleigh and instead left them to rot? Whether they were on the naughty or nice list, that’s a pretty sadistic move, Saint Nick.

“Hannah Montana” (2006-11)

With most of the entries on this list, it’s only an episode or story arc that goes overboard. With “Hannah Montana,” the entire premise is beyond preposterous. On the surface, Miley Stewart is an average middle-schooler. Behind the scenes, though, she’s pop sensation Hannah Montana. How does Miley conceal her true identity? Does she wear a mask like Daft Punk? No, she wears a blonde wig with no other changes whatsoever. Miley is otherwise identical to Hannah, but most of her peers fail to notice the resemblance. People also don’t realize that Hanna’s manager looks just like country singer Robby Ray, only with a fake mustache. We know that it’s a Disney Channel sitcom, but this makes “That’s So Raven” look like a documentary.

“Happy Days” (1974-84)

We’ve all heard of “jumping the shark,” but where does this saying come from? Well, the phrase originated from radio personality Jon Hein in 1985. The inspiration comes from a Season 5 episode of “Happy Days” that aired in 1977. While “shark jumping” has since taken on many different forms, the original case is quite literal. On a trip to Hollywood, Fonzie is challenged to water ski over a tiger shark. Fonzie’s competitor, who seriously goes by “The California Kid,” chickens out. The Fonz isn’t one to back down, though, pulling off the stunt while wearing his signature leather jacket and swim trunks that leave little to the imagination. It’s totally surreal and arguably when the show declined. What’s next, Robin Williams as an alien?

“Family Matters” (1989-98)

“Family Matters” was a fairly straightforward sitcom until Steve Urkel entered the equation. The show officially leaps into sci-fi/fantasy territory when Steve develops a cool elixir that turns him into the suave Stefan Urquelle. Steve later invents a transformation chamber that not only turns himself into Stefan, but Bruce Lee and Elvis as well. This isn’t even the most logic-defying invention in Steve’s inventory. Over the years, he also cooks up a cloning machine, a teleportation device that takes the family to Paris, and a time travel watch that takes him aboard an 18th century pirate ship. One invention even results in NASA sending Steve to space. Steve should be a billionaire with his engineering skills, but for some reason still lives with the Winslows.