The 13 Most (and Least) Realistic Portrayals of Drugs in Sitcoms

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The 13 Most (and Least) Realistic Portrayals of Drugs in Sitcoms

Whether or not you’ve dabbled in the alteration of your biochemistry, the unrealistic drug use in sitcoms can be painfully obvious. Shows with writers who’ve experienced drugs and addiction can more accurately portray the usage, but even then, the drama and the drug’s effects are amped up for compelling storylines. It took some real gritty, dark comedies to accurately portray drug use without sacrificing the funny. 

Looking back, it makes total sense that campy sitcoms wouldn’t have writers with substance abuse issues, but it was so glaring that they didn’t even do their research. Because of the “Just Say No'' anti-drug campaign of the ‘80s and ‘90s, sitcoms used drugs (not in that sense) whenever they needed a heavy, “real” episode. Clearly, many of them just copy-and-pasted that PSA jargon. Peer pressure was a solid theme, but for some reason, a lot of shows felt that a drug theme needed to begin and conclude in one 22-minute episode. This made for some overly dramatic and hilariously rushed stories of addiction and recovery that were never spoken of again. So for some do’s and don’ts, here are some of the most and least realistic portrayals of drugs in sitcom history. 

Realistic:

CRACKED REALISTIC: DAN & ROSEANNE GET STONED. ROSEANNE In A Stash from the Past, Roseanne lectures David about weed, but realizes it was hers from 20 years ago. The struggle of a parent who did it, but doesn't want their kids to do it is very real. Dan, Roseanne, and Jackie smoke it and have very realistic trips.

Youtube

Unrealistic:

GRACKED UNREALISTIC: JESSIE ON CAFFEINE. SAVED BY THE BELL nd They treat Jessie's caffeine pill usage like a meth addiction. It seems like the show wanted that classic overdramatic drug use episode, but had to keep it PG, so they used caffeine as the drug.

Youtube

Realistic:

GRACKED REALISTIC: THEO IS CAUGHT WITH A JOINT. THE COSBY SHOW His classmate Braxton admits it was his, and the realism is in Cliff's matter-of-fact, not overly dramatic Hey, I'm here if you need to talk approach. You'd think the show would be lame about it, but they handled it well.

Slate

Unrealistic:

CRACKED UNREALISTIC: CARLTON ON SPEED. THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR Не unknowingly takes Will's speed pills and feels it the second he swallows. The show uses it to show off Ribeiro's dancing and physical comedy, but it's overly cartoonish. Не ends up in the hospital, and the blowback from Uncle Phil is classic drug PSA jargon.

Youtube

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