Television's 10 Best "Wrestling Episodes"

10. "Gorgeous Goerge" - Mr. Belvedere

If you had to guess what sitcom was least likely to feature a pro wrestling brawl as a central plot point, you might be tempted to go with Mr. Belvedere, the selling point of which was the extreme gentility of the title character. But the universe is a strange place: this episode concerns a man’s quest to get tougher, after getting roughed up in front of his kids at a wrestling show. Luckily, his fat little wuss of a butler was there to stand up for him, which only worsens our hero’s self-esteem.

There are a few appearances by a Sgt. Slaughter cap and the fact that the father is played by WWE Hall of Famer and Andre the Giant victim Bob Eucker, but that’s it; the trip to the local auditorium takes place off screen. But perhaps Mr. Baseball’s beating was deserved; eagle-eyed viewers will note that his kids left the arena with both Sgt. Slaughter and Iron Sheik merchandise. In any case, it’s a wonder that given the show’s relatively long run, a grappling analogue of Mr. Belvedere never made his way into a WWF ring (knowing Vince McMahon, this would have happened about 1995).

Immortal Dialogue: “Oh, don’t worry, honey. Wrestling’s respectable now. Now let’s get going. I don’t want to miss the midgets."