Television's 10 Best "Wrestling Episodes"

It's an inescapable law of television that, if a series survives long enough, it will do a pro wrestling episode. It's right up there with beach episodes, weddings, and the addition of marketable new characters when ratings start to sag. It's a grand tradition, going back to the early days of the medium. The earliest example I've come across is from the early 60's, but it's a safe bet that Philo T. Farnsworth ran out of ideas like 30 seconds after inventing television and ran off to find a wrestling match to broadcast. It's ubiquitous, man.

That's not to say there's not variety. In this article you'll find plots revolving around attending wrestling shows, instances of writers getting utterly confused about the differences between pro and amateur graps, and cameos from authentic superstars of the ring. There are shows that treat wrestling as a legitimate contest, while others deftly skew its predetermined peculiarities.

Included, per usual, is Immortal Dialogue charmingly devoid of context.

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."