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The Far Side often channeled outright sitcom energy with some of its best jokes, as illustrated by the panels aggregated here. The cartoons collected here are just a taste of the situational comedy gold that author/artist Gary Larson delivered bite-sized installments of on a daily basis through the 1980s and early '90s.
In addition to being an avid fan of history, an animal lover, and a jazz musician, The Far Side's creator was also a huge fan of movies and television, something that was constantly reflected in his work.
As often as Larson shouted out actual sitcoms and films, he also took cues from them in more subtle ways, as the tropes on display here highlight.
"Uncle Irwin From The City Sewer": The Far Side's Cold-Blooded Take On A Classic Trope
First Published: June 23, 1982
"It's Uncle Irwin from the city sewer," a pair of rural Far Side alligators, who crawl onto the bank of their swamp to get a better look at the reptile getting out of a taxi, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses, and carrying a suitcase, while waving with a big, toothy 'gator grin on his face.
Entire sitcoms, and many more classic sitcom episodes, have been based on the "cool relative from out-of-town visits" premise, and this Far Side panel puts a brilliant anthropomorphic animal spin on it. With comics like this, Gary Larson was able to flex his deep knowledge of pop culture by lampooning a classic trope.
"FOCUS": A Classic Sitcom Mishap Befalls This Far Side Theater Projectionist
First Published: July 15, 1982
"FOCUS," the increasingly irate crowd of Far Side moviegoers shout at the screen, while behind them, the projectionist deals with an unfortunate, sitcom-style circumstance: his glasses fell off his face and broke, leaving him unable to determine whether the image on screen is clear or not. It is an effective Far Side rendering of a classic comedic bit.
In the illustration, the projectionist pokes his head out of the projection window and looks down helplessly at his broken glasses. It has the feel of the kind of a joke a sitcom would use as a cliffhanger before a commercial break in the third act, in which the protagonist's foibles start to have a ripple effect on the surrounding scene.
"Young Jimmy Frankenstein": The Far Side Predicts The Future "Young ______" Trend In TV And Movies
First Published: July 24, 1982
Before there was Young Sheldon, or Young Rock, Gary Larson was already poking fun at the practice of giving backstories to recognizable characters. Here, he's also riffing on Mel Brooks' seminal '70s film Young Frankenstein, by depicting "young Jimmy Frankenstein," a wholesome-looking kid with his arm around a dog made from stitched-together canine parts.
It is a strange and silly "slice of life"-style Far Side gag, one that honors Larson's love of Frankenstein while also showing his prescient recognition of America's increasing appetite for prequels and origin stories. While the premise of this Far Side panel hasn't been made into a movie or show yet, it seems almost like it's only a matter of time.
"Your Side Of The Family": The Far Side's Snakes Have A Sitcom-Style Parental Squabble
First Published: October 12, 1982
"This is your side of the family, you realize," a snake parent says to its spouse, as their offspring's head rattles, rather than its tail. Jokes like this have been a staple of American sitcoms practically since their inception, but became particularly common in the 1980s and '90s, once again putting Gary Larson a bit ahead of the curve.
As weird as The Far Side tended to get, Larson's humor was also highly relatable, albeit warped through an unusual perspective. Like a great sitcom, he was able to take common household scenarios and extract humor from them, as is the case with this lighthearted joke about rattlesnake genetics and arguing parents.
"Knuckle Sandwich": The Far Side Perfects The Art Of The Comedic Misunderstanding
First Published: November 4, 1982
In this all-time classic Far Side alien cartoon, Gary Larson channels the humor of mistranslation and misunderstanding that has been a hallmark of multiple iconic sitcoms. In this case, an alien lands on Earth, parks its flying saucer in a dark alley, and throws on a haphazard human disguise, before making first contact with a pair of street thugs.
Funnily enough, they might not recognize the creature's extraterrestrial nature under its mask, fedora, and trenchcoat, despite the purple tail poking out the back of the coat, but what the human characters do know is that a stranger is on their turf, and is about to get a "knuckle sandwich."
"Lulu's Adventure": The Far Side's Farm Cartoons Are A Sitcom Gold Mine
First Published: January 15, 1983
This Far Side cow cartoon chronicles the aftermath of what looks like a madcap sitcom-esque mishap, in which a cow commandeered the farm's tractor and then promptly ran it into the barn. "Lulu's adventure," the caption notes, "had come to an abrupt end." While readers only get a glimpse of this situation, it feels straight out of an animated sitcom.
The static nature of The Far Side was a limitation on how sitcom-y Gary Larson could get, and for years fans have said that many Far Side characters and scenarios warrant their own animated, or even live-action adaptations. The farm, and Larson's menagerie of familiar animals, is of course at the top of this list, as "Lulu's adventure" showcases.
"Duggy's Science Project": The Far Side Hilariously Reinvents The "Science Class Mishap" Joke
First Published: October 24, 1985
Science class mishaps are a sitcom staple, and with this prehistoric Far Side panel, Gary Larson envisioned the earliest incarnation of this trope. In the cartoon, "Duggy's science project gets in Mr. Og's hair," and, unfortunately for the teacher, the project in question is the invention of fire, compared to the rocks and bones presented by other students.
Like with many legendary Far Side comics, this one blurs the line between contemporary humor and archaic energy, with Larson using deliberate anachronisms to the pinnacle of comedic effect here. At the same time, the way it captures action has the feeling of a big third act sitcom moment, when an episode likewise reaches the zenith of its hilarity.
"An Animal Who Didn't Like To Be Surprised": The Far Side Takes The "Surprise Party" Trope To A Dangerous Place
First Published: October 29, 1985
Surprise parties gone awry are another go-to sitcom gag, one that Gary Larson puts his own patently ridiculous spin on in this Far Side comic, featuring a rhino and two unfortunate explorers who mistake it for their friend "Frank." Rather than their buddy "returning to camp," they are instead greeted by "an animal who didn't like to be surprised."
In sitcoms, this joke tends to be used as a moment of deflation; the characters "waste" their surprise on the wrong person, only for the guest of honor to stroll in a moment later. This Far Side cartoon evokes this feeling, but adds a layer of implied danger, resulting in a hilariously dark send-up to this joke.
"Sit Next To Some Weirdo": This Fully-Realized Far Side Joke Has Sitcom Written All Over It
First Published: December 4, 1985
"Why do I always have to sit next to some weirdo," a man in the middle seat of an airplane row thinks to himself, as a giant individual with an absurd, over-the-top look on his face appears in the background, headed straight for the open aisle seat next to him.
This is a great visual Far Side joke, and representative of Gary Larson's knack for comedic irony. Further, it is indicative of Larson's development as an artist, compared to the rough sketches of The Far Side's early years. Here, he is an illustrator in full control of the details, and it adds great comedic effect to the punchline.
"Worm Away": A Classic Far Side First Date Joke Is Instant Sitcom Material
First Published: December 13, 1993
Since the dawn of sitcom history, bad dates have been central fodder for humor. The same can be said for The Far Side, as Gary Larson depicted some hilariously disastrous dates. This is one classic example, in which a dog named "Sparky" is driving a poodle around on their date, when "a pothole" reveals a secret he didn't want her to know.
That is, when the glove compartment pops open, the girl dog gets a glimpse of Sparky's can of "Worm Away." This is the kind of cringe moment sitcoms have harvested humor from for decades, and this Far Side comic is further proof that Gary Larson could hang with the best of them when he wanted to.
