Your Favorite TV Comedy and Drama Food Scenes

[SethG]

Fawlty Towers.

The Kipper and The Corpse.

One of my favorites.

[hillvalley]

Joey eating the whole turkey

The thanksgiving that everyone wanted something different and they locked themselves out of the apartment

joe and his sandwiches

the turkey sandwich that ross's boss ate out of the staff fridge

etc etc

How about the Friends Thanksgiving episode where Rachel makes a trifle with suated beef and onions?

How about The Cosby Show? Cliff and his hoagies, his special spaghetti sauce, all the junk food he tries to sneak, when he takes Rudy and a group of her six-year old friends to a fancy restaurant for lunch and they all demand hamburgers and fries....

Or on the Cosby show when in a nightmare Cliff gave birth to a hoagie?

I *LOVE* Adam. I *LOVE* Northern Exposure!!!!!!!

Here here sister

[FistFullaRoux]

And Three's Company! It's the first place I ever heard (I was like 8 when the show came on) of Coq Au Vin and Creme Brulee.

It seemed to be the only thing that Jack could cook, though. Those two were in a lot of episodes.

And would the factory tours on Mr Rogers' Neighborhood count?

[Pickles]

seinfield:

when kramer feeds chile to the horse

Beefaroni--purchased by Kramer in massive quantity from Costco or some such place.

[bigbear]

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned Lenny Henry in Chef.

[docsconz]

  Also from SNL, Alec Baldwin and "Schwetty Balls."

One of the funniest skits ever on SNL IMO.

Edited March 30, 2004 by docsconz (log)

[docsconz]

Speaking of SNL, how about belushi's Samurai deli?

[Jason Perlow]

Monty Python.

Oh man, you got the Blancmanges that take Wimbledon... The Cheese Shop Sketch... SPAM... Mr. Creosote... and from the same movie,

"THE SALMON MOUSSE!!!"

Just to name a few but I am sure there are several more.

And then of course there's Black Adder, what with Baldric and his turnips, and in the fourth series, with the classic "filet mignon in bearnaise sauce" ... ugh.

Baldrick:      I have a cunning plan to get us out of getting killed sir.

Blackadder:    Ah yes, what is it?

Baldrick:      Cooking.

Blackadder:    I see. [enters the dugout again]

Baldrick:      You know staff HQ is always on the lookout for good cooks?

                Well, we go over there, we cook 'em something, and get out

                of the trenches that way.

Blackadder:    Baldrick, it's a brilliant plan.

Baldrick:      Is it?

Blackadder:    Yes, it's superb.

Baldrick:      [delighted] Permission to write home immediately sir, this

                is the first brilliant plan a Baldrick's ever had! For

                centuries we've tried, and they've always turned out to be

                total pig-swill. My mother will be as pleased as Punch.

Blackadder:    Hm-hm, if only she were as good-looking as Punch,

                Baldrick. There is however one slight flaw in the plan.

Baldrick:      Oh?

Blackadder:    You're the worst cook in the entire world.

Baldrick:      Oh yeah, that's right.

Blackadder:    There are amoeba on Saturn who can boil a better egg than

                you. Your Filet Mignon in sauce Bernaise look like

                dog-turds in glue.

Baldrick:      That's because they are.

The rest of that scene and that episode can be read here:

http://brit_skits.tripod.com/BlackAdder/ba41.txt

That whole site BTW is a treasure of stuff.

http://brit_skits.tripod.com

They even have the Red Dwarf stuff, which has TONS of food references. Lister with his curries and Papadums and the vindaloo monster (which was defeated by a strong lager)...

[docsconz]

And then of course there's Black Adder, what with Baldric and his turnips, and in the fourth series, with the classic "chateaubraiand in bearnaise sauce" ... ugh.

speaking of Rowan atkinson, how about Bean and his "turkey head"? This was in the movie, "Mr. Bean" as well as the british television show, "Bean". He certainly has a way with food.

[Jason Perlow]

And then of course there's Black Adder, what with Baldric and his turnips, and in the fourth series, with the classic "chateaubraiand in bearnaise sauce" ... ugh.

speaking of Rowan atkinson, how about Bean and his "turkey head"? This was in the movie, "Mr. Bean" as well as the british television show, "Bean". He certainly has a way with food.

I've never seen the Turkey Head one, but I remember a particular episode from the first season of that show (it might even be in the first episode) where he makes a fish sandwich on a park bench (sitting next to someone else who is eating a pre-prepared sandwich) and going thru the most rediculous and complicated steps to do so -- he uses his credit card to butter the bread, kills the fish by smacking them against the bench, etc. Its brilliant.

[tanabutler]

Joey eating the whole turkey

The thanksgiving that everyone wanted something different and they locked themselves out of the apartment

joe and his sandwiches

the turkey sandwich that ross's boss ate out of the staff fridge

etc etc

How about the Friends Thanksgiving episode where Rachel makes a trifle with sautéed beef and onions?

"It tastes like FEET!"

One of David Schwimmer's only truly funny whiny moments.

Of course, the mere word "sandwiches" makes my daughter laugh, if you say it like Joey does.

What about Monica auditioning food for a potential employer (Jon Lovitz) who got stoned on the way to the apartment?

Lovitz was adorable. Perfect.

She sets out some amuse-bouche (Chandler said, "Well, they are amouzing") for him. Lovitz's response to the food:

Well, smack my ass and call me Judy! These are fantastic!

And this line:

Tartlets? Tartlets? Tartlets? The word has lost all meaning.

(That would make a great signature line, wouldn't it?)

And then trying to save the drowing gummy bears. "Bears overboard!"

I loved lots of Elizabeth Montgomery's moments with food in "Bewitched," but probably because we were often hungry in my house, and the idea of twitching your nose or waving your arms (to harp music), and producing a spread of food like she did, really had its own appeal. I bet most of the people here my age will remember her little cooking disasters (in black and white) as a newlywed, when Darren refused to let use magic.

(Oddly, none of the food Alice prepared on "The Brady Bunch" looked appetizing. It all looked so suburban and boring, if not downright dead.)

I have never watched an entire episode of "Seinfeld." And I hope I never have to.

Edited March 30, 2004 by tanabutler (log)

[jhlurie]

Speaking of Jon Lovitz, his appearances on the cartoon show "The Critic" involved all KINDS of food scenes and references. Almost non-step, since the main character was portrayed as having... food issues, in the Homer Simpson sense.

Actually, has there BEEN a 'toon sitcom which HASN'T included at least one major character with a food consumption problem? Peter, on "The Family Guy". Fred on "The Flintstones". Homer Simpson, of course. Lovitz's character on "The Critic". The Robot, Bender, on "Futurama" (drinking problem--close enough!). Okay, maybe "The Jetsons". I can't think of anyone on "The Jetsons".

[Jason Perlow]

I can't think of anyone on "The Jetsons".

That's because in the Future, they're eating nutritionally balanced processed food that comes out of machines a-la Star Trek and presumably monitored by Robots. They also have to walk their dogs on high-speed treadmills every night, so it keeps them in good shape.

Frankly, I think we're gonna end up like in Futurama fattening ourselves on Slurm only to become the next meal for Lrrr, the king of Omicron Persei 8.

[chromedome]

I forgot the exact circumstances, but another funny scene was the man who was dying on the sidewalk and taking his last breath.  He  gasps out to his companion how to finish cooking a dish. (I may have it all wrong, but it was along that line).

As his life leaks out of him, he explains to his mistress about a place where, at a certain time of the year, the wild boars live almost entirely on yams. You kill your boar, you see, and then you take out his intestines and gently grill them in your campfire. Then you eat them, pre-stuffed with yams.

And he dies, gasping, with a beatific smile on his face.

Personally, I loved the scene where the prim schoolmistress has her charges in a western-style restaurant, explaining to them the intricacies of occidental etiquette. Specifically, how it applies to the eating of spaghetti. The tableful of them are sitting about, delicately nibbling noodles in the most ladylike fashion, when a loud noise from another table distracts them.

It turns out to be an oversized caucasian, slurping his spaghetti in the loudest "eight-year-old-boy-loaded-on-sugar-at-a-birthday-party" fashion. The girls squirm in an almost painful way, watching this vulgar display, but eventually succumb to temptation. Their painfully mannered meal disintegrates into an orgy of obscenely, loudly, VULGAR pasta-inhalation.

One of many memorable moments.

[Aussie_Gusto]

Movies:

Big Night About the brothers who open a restaurant and invite the neighbourhood and the HEAD of the neigbourhood. The food was entrancing as they prepared, and suffered agonies over the preparation..The serving of each course was an important part of the movie. My salivary glands were working overtime!

Babettes Feast.....mmm wonderful!

The Party - when Peter Sellers Character is trying to eat his spatchcock/or chicken and it flies off the plate and lands on the high hairdo of the woman opposite, then the drunken waiter tries to get it off her head.

[KatieLoeb]

SNL has an embarrassment of riches in this category:

Bass-o-Matic.

Dan Akroyd as Julia Child severing a finger and projectile bleeding all over the set.

Any of the Belushi "Samurai______ (fill in the blank)" skits.

Mrs. Loopner's Egg Salad.

[Bombdog]

but have you noticed in "The Sopranos" that they are CONSTANTLY eating!!??

Have you taken a good look at Tony? (Gandolfini) The surpise is that the rest of the "boys" don't look like him.

[hjshorter]

I always loved in Star Trek TNG how Captain Picard always ordered "Earl Grey. Hot"

[formerly grueldelux]

SNL has an embarrassment of riches in this category:

Bass-o-Matic.

Dan Akroyd as Julia Child severing a finger and projectile bleeding all over the set.

Any of the Belushi "Samurai______ (fill in the blank)" skits.

Mrs. Loopner's Egg Salad.

And a SNL peak moment (at least for me) - Crystal Gravy. For those who never saw it, it was a mock ad for a clear, colorless and viscous gravy. It was sending up the trendlet of crystallizing various products - eg. Crystal Pepsi. Hilarious.

-michael

[Pickles]

(Oddly, none of the food Alice prepared on "The Brady Bunch" looked appetizing. It all looked so suburban and boring, if not downright dead.)

Well so did Alice. (just kiddin'...) Gotta love Carol. What DID the woman do all day besides needlepoint? Maybe she needlepointed pictures of food. The only time I remember her cooking anything was when she and Alice went head to head in that jam cook-off. Is was jam, yes? I think so... She was always stirring steaming pots of nothingness on that stove, too. According to Florence Henderson, they were just filled with water. And cooked water is about as bland as you can get...even for the Brady's!

[Al_Dente]

Fawlty Towers had some great stuff involving food-- Basil had no idea what to do with the American couple insisting on Waldorf Salads and Screwdrivers, a hotel guest dies and Basil thinks it's due to food poisoning from old kippers, Manuel's "rat", purportedly a Filigree Siberian Hamster and the health inspector, etc.

[Pickles]

Calling all Brits...has anyone seen a Brit-Com called "The Dinner Ladies"? I think it takes place in a hospital canteen and they're the workers there. If it comes out on DVD I'd love to get it. If it's funny... I can't understand why there hasn't really been a successful food-industry-related sit-com here in the US except for "Alice" which of course takes place in Mel's Diner. Flo: "KISS MAH GRITS!!"

[Gifted Gourmet]

SNL has an embarrassment of riches in this category:

Bass-o-Matic. 

Dan Akroyd as Julia Child severing a finger and projectile bleeding all over the set.

Any of the Belushi "Samurai______ (fill in the blank)" skits.

Mrs. Loopner's Egg Salad.

Thanks for the memories, Katie!! I loved Mrs. Loopner!! and I remember the Ackroyd skits as if I had just seen them yesterday .....

Edited April 3, 2004 by Gifted Gourmet (log)

[tanabutler]

"The posture of a land shrimp."

[Pezchef]

When Michael and that Salazzo guy take the Policeman to, I think it was "Louie's" Restaurant in the Bronx. They tell him the veal is really good... and Michael goes to the Bathroom to get the gun and then shoots the guy with a mouth full of veal. That gurgling sound he makes as he hits the table face first is just great.....I don't have to mention the name of the movie...do I?????