15 First Jokes, Roasts, and Zingers from Iconic Characters

A great show can really sum up a character’s personality in their first moment. The genius of the show’s creators and writers were subtly on display here because, although we may not have known it at the time, we actually learned a lot about these now-iconic characters from their first lines. Some characters evolve over the years, and some never learn any lessons, but either way, it’s always nice to look back on the incredibly flawed person they were in the beginning (and for a large portion of the show’s run).

If we’re hooked, and follow the show season after season, a once over of the pilot feels like an old yearbook. They have these primitive, sometimes almost embarrassing atmospheres that were luckily good enough to keep the show chugging along. As money flowed in, the characters started looking a lot better (or worse if you’re Rob McElhenney tackling this trope). And as the actors and writers worked to round out the character, they became finely crafted into someone to love for the long haul. Let’s look back to where it all began with these 15 of your favorite character’s first ever lines of dialogue.