Top 10 Sitcom Examples of the Mandela Effect

“The Addams Family” has spanned multiple generations and mediums, from the original comics to the movies. The 1960s TV series might be the definitive interpretation with Vic Mizzy’s opening theme song still being a franchise staple. Even if you know every lyric and snap, you might not know how to spell “Addams.” Some recall the family name being spelled with only one “D,” although it’s actually two. The name “Adam” usually has a single “D.” So, this has likely led many to assume that “Adams” is spelled the same way with an “s” added. People have been misspelling “Addams” for so long that they distinctly remember it being one “D.” Don’t worry, “The Addams Family” Twitter assures followers that they’ve “always been A-D-D-A-M-S.”

Rewatching “Happy Days” from the beginning, you might’ve noticed that Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli wears a gray jacket in his first scene as opposed to his signature black jacket. It’s rather jarring, but as you continue to watch the show, you’ll find that… Fonzie didn’t wear a black jacket? While he eventually traded in the gray one, the Fonz usually wore a brown leather jacket. Fonzie was the resident scene-stealing, almost always wearing his jacket - even when jumping the shark. How did we not notice the color? Both are dark colors that can be hard to make out on TV. People often associate greasers and bikers with black jackets. Plus, numerous parodies have also gotten the colors mixed up. Or maybe Mork messed with our memories.

As far as live-action sitcoms go, “King of the Hill” was among the most grounded. Season 7’s “Pigmalion” was uncharacteristically out-there with Trip Larsen, an unstable pork entrepreneur, attempting to slaughter Luanne when she denies his bizarre proposal. Trip ultimately ends up on the conveyor belt, becoming dead meat. It’s probably the show’s darkest ending, but some believe there’s an even darker one. Accounts claim that upon its initial airing, the episode featured Trip’s body hanging from a hook as Peggy and Luanne reunite. This rumor has been disproven, as some had the foresight to tape the episode when it first aired. If someone claims they saw Trip’s corpse, it’s either due to false memories or they just want to keep the urban legend alive.

For a show that was often categorized as a sitcom, “M*A*S*H” had its fair share of heartbreaking deaths. Some might include “Radar” O’Reilly in that lineup, but there’s a crucial detail they’d be overlooking: Radar didn’t die. Season 8’s “Good Bye, Radar” marked the character’s exit from the 4077th. Radar receives a hardship discharge when his Uncle Ed passes, leaving his teddy bear behind. Since death was a key theme in “M*A*S*H,” it’s understandable why people falsely remember Radar dying, especially since he didn’t appear in any future episodes. However, Radar would resurface alive and well in “AfterMASH” and the TV movie “W*A*L*T*E*R,” which was supposed to launch a spinoff that never materialized.

“Eat my shorts,” “I didn’t do it,” these are just some of the catchphrases associated with Bart Simpson. People also recall Bart regularly saying cowabunga. While Bart has uttered this phrase, he’s hardly said it enough to constitute a catchphrase. Antonia Coffman believes people get “Cowabunga” mixed up with other similar-sounding iconic Bart quotes. Coffman also thinks the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles factored into the confusion. Bart T-shirts reading “Cowabunga” have led consumers astray as well. The same goes for Bart merchandise that have him wearing a blue shirt, which he doesn’t own on the show. Bart even directly addresses the misconception of his lingo in one episode.

We all know Chandler Bing’s catchphrase: “Could I be any more…,” followed by the situation at hand. How often does Chandler say this, though? Not as many times as some remember. He mainly says the line during the earlier seasons and even then, it’s usually a variation like, “Could you be any more,” “Could she be any more,” or “Could we be any more.” Chandler uses this phrase less frequently in the later seasons, although his friends continue to impersonate him using the line. The most notable example is when Joey wears everything that Chandler owns. Since that’s one of the show’s most memorable moments, it’s probably conditioned fans to think that Chandler has said the line more times than he actually has.

Animation historians will know that “The Flintstones” was originally entitled “The Flagstones,” but the creators wanted to avoid comparison to the Flagstons from the “Hi and Lois” comics. Although we think Hanna-Barbera went with the best name, “The Flagstones” might’ve spared people a few false memories. As you can see from the credits, “Flintstones” is spelled, “F-L-I-N-T-S-T-O-N-E-S.” Yet, some neglect to include that first “T,” convinced that the show is entitled “The Flinstones.” We suppose kids and even adults have an easier time saying “Flin” than “Flint,” hence the confusion. The two “Ts” are also so close together that it’s only natural for some to merge them. Either that or the timelines got messed up when the Jetsons met the Flinstones.

It was one of the most popular sitcoms that HBO ever aired and the franchise is still going to this day. So, why can’t everybody get the title right? As we see it, there are two types of people in this world: those who say “Sex IN the City” and those who say “Sex AND the City.” Only the latter are right, although some remain resolute that the show once went by the other title. This likely boils down to “in” and “and” having an “n” in common. Instead of taking the time to say “And,” many simply say “N,” which sounds like “In.” It’s not just average viewers who falsely remember the title. Even outlets like the Associated Press have made this error.

We all know the routine. Ralph Kramden comes up with a get-rich-quick scheme. Alice points out how foolish her husband is with a snarky remark. Ralph delivers an empty threat masked behind um… “colorful language.” The 50s were a different time. When most people impersonate Ralph, they’ll often say, “Bang, zoom, straight to the Moon!” Ralph does say, “Bang, zoom,” as well as “Straight to the Moon.” However, he doesn’t say them simultaneously. They’re two separate catchphrases that people have falsely combined into one. We guess since both lines have the same implication, it makes sense for imitators to merge them. Plus, “bang,” “zoom,” and “to the Moon” can take on numerous different meanings. When you put them together, though, it’s clearly a “Honeymooners” reference.

Another classic comedy bit. Lucy’s latest plan backfires. Ricky enters to find everything in disarray, famously telling his wife, “You have some splainin’ to do.” Well, forget that last part because Ricky doesn’t say it. Sure, Ricky would occasionally say “splain” in his distinctive Cuban accent, but the exact line that so many people quote and remember has never emanated from the character’s mouth. We get where “Lucy” and “Splain” came from, but we’re not sure how the rest of the misquoted catchphrase came to be. As famous as the show is, you probably just have to chalk it up to the endless parodies it has inspired.