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Underrated throwaway lines in film and TV

17 replies

Blooboo · 12/02/2023 12:29

Was thinking this morning about underrated throwaway lines in fims and TV. The ones that don't get all the attention of the big gags but are nevertheless properly funny.

For example, the absolutely hilarious Get On Your Feet scene in Parks and Recreation when they are on the red carpet on the ice rink is the big gag that has been built towards all episode. I love it, it never fails to crack me up. But there are also so many other throwaway jokes that are brilliantly funny: in another episode, Leslie makes a super quick joke about slam poetry that could easily have been cut and not affected the meaning of the episode in any way but is just so fabulous that I snort every time I think of it.

Another favourite throwaway joke of mine is from Sex Education when Aimee picks up Maeve, and as she gets in, Maeve sees that there is goat in the backseat on Steve - Aimee's boyfriend's - lap. Maeve says, "Whose this?" And Aimee hisses, "Maeve! That's Steve!". I love it, it's just so silly it cracks me up every time.

Anyone else care to share their favourite throwaway lines?

OP posts:
pottshrigley · 12/02/2023 12:35

Broad City do an amazing blink and you'd miss it joke about the actor/comic Hannibal Burress' role in unmasking Bill Cosby.

SuspiciousDuck · 12/02/2023 12:46

“Milk was a bad choice” in Anchorman.

KatnissNeverdone · 12/02/2023 12:54

There was a throwaway line in an episode of Bones that made me snigger. "Everyone loved him." Booth: "Well somebody didn't."

Sporty2022 · 12/02/2023 12:56

Not funny, but a scene from Only Fools and Horses. Rodney’s wife Cassandra had a miscarriage and Rodney and Del are trapped in a life.
Rodney’s upset and Del try’s to comfort him Del then says “She's strong, Rodney. Look, it's just a dropped stitch in life's tapestry. That's what Mum used to say.”

Very poignant I thought and I’ve seen that episode many times since it was first broadcast.

I guess he’s saying, look, sometimes in life bad things happen, it’s all part of being human.

FaintlyMacabre · 12/02/2023 12:59

Great News- Chuck’s tomato juice advert. ‘Tomatoes- take a sip. Please?’

Shesasuperfreak · 12/02/2023 12:59

Mine is from Better call Saul when he is telling the old bingo players about shifting through the sunroof.

"He wanted soft serve, I gave him soft serve"

BigBadBoom · 12/02/2023 13:03

Another subtle beauty from Parks & Rec...

Kpo58 · 12/02/2023 13:09

Amanda Hillard (from Mrs Doubtfire): The truth is, I didn't like who I was when I was with him. I would turn into this horrible person. I didn't want my kids growing up with a mother like that. When I'm not with Daniel, I'm better.

catfunk · 12/02/2023 13:10

“Who put a picture of a ghost on my desk?” -Moira Rose, schitt's creek
It was a baby scan

Twiglets1 · 12/02/2023 13:15

catfunk · 12/02/2023 13:10

“Who put a picture of a ghost on my desk?” -Moira Rose, schitt's creek
It was a baby scan

😂

Ameanstreakamilewide · 12/02/2023 13:19

There's a great Twitter thread about this subject...

twitter.com/aliplumb/status/1622963269852966913?s=46&t=l3VA0DS_pZyJibJjkpXAnA

Some of the comments are gold.

Ameanstreakamilewide · 12/02/2023 13:19

catfunk · 12/02/2023 13:10

“Who put a picture of a ghost on my desk?” -Moira Rose, schitt's creek
It was a baby scan

😂😂😂 That's gold!

NotAnotherBathBomb · 12/02/2023 13:24

Bridesmaids, on reading someone's diary: at first, I didn't know that it was a diary. I just thought that it was a sad, hand-written book.

AHS Asylum: bend me over a bread rack and pound me into shape

Bbq1 · 12/02/2023 13:24

Blooboo · 12/02/2023 12:29

Was thinking this morning about underrated throwaway lines in fims and TV. The ones that don't get all the attention of the big gags but are nevertheless properly funny.

For example, the absolutely hilarious Get On Your Feet scene in Parks and Recreation when they are on the red carpet on the ice rink is the big gag that has been built towards all episode. I love it, it never fails to crack me up. But there are also so many other throwaway jokes that are brilliantly funny: in another episode, Leslie makes a super quick joke about slam poetry that could easily have been cut and not affected the meaning of the episode in any way but is just so fabulous that I snort every time I think of it.

Another favourite throwaway joke of mine is from Sex Education when Aimee picks up Maeve, and as she gets in, Maeve sees that there is goat in the backseat on Steve - Aimee's boyfriend's - lap. Maeve says, "Whose this?" And Aimee hisses, "Maeve! That's Steve!". I love it, it's just so silly it cracks me up every time.

Anyone else care to share their favourite throwaway lines?

@Boobloo Parks & Rec is one of my all time favourite shows. The scene on the Ice rink is one of the funniest things I have ever seen. I am laughing jusr thinking about it! Absolute genius.

WhoNeedsSleepNotISaidMyBody · 12/02/2023 13:31

KatnissNeverdone · 12/02/2023 12:54

There was a throwaway line in an episode of Bones that made me snigger. "Everyone loved him." Booth: "Well somebody didn't."

@KatnissNeverdone

thank you!!!!

I've been trying SO hard to remember the name of that program!! I used to love it, I was out the other day & saw a tiny snippet on a random TV. It's been driving me nuts and my poor recall hasn't been enough to find it on Google.

thank you 😘

@Blooboo A lot of this has been lost due to 'correctness' over the years. I'll
pay more attention & report back when I see it!

ElegantlyTouched · 12/02/2023 13:34

My favourite is from Bing (sorry!):

Amma: No pee-pee in the water!
Sula: I would never pee-pee in the water.
Bing: Erm...and I...... won't.

HappyHolidaysEveryone · 12/02/2023 13:36

It's not a funny line or anything, but one that has always stuck with me is from The West Wing. The President's daughter is explaining that she never felt like she could live up to his expectations, or something like that. He replies "the only thing you ever had to do to please me was to come home at the end of the day".
Makes me a bit weepy- exactly something many of us want to say to our lovely children I am sure!

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