The good ol’ internet. It’s been our friend and our enemy since the military’s ARPANET network switched on in the late ‘60s. Online communication has led to an enormous amount of acquired knowledge, and it’s given many people their livelihood (this writer raises his hand). Internet memes, however, have also taken some of the best moments in TV history, shown them to the masses out of context, and in turn ruined the original intent of the message from said TV shows.
We’re here to look back on some of the biggest dichotomies between the incredible performances onscreen and the jokes and laughs they weren’t supposed to produce, but did, on social media and beyond.
Breaking Bad: Walter White is Devastated
The Meme: Walter White Breaks Down
The Scene:
Breaking Bad is an absolute masterclass in storytelling and acting. Bryan Cranston somehow makes Walter White not only relatable, but often even likable despite being a drug kingpin. It’s in this relatability that one of his most emotional scenes turned into a meme: his reaction to his brother-in-law, Hank Schrader (Dean Norris), dying right in front of his own two eyes. It was an act that was indirectly affected by Walter’s decision-making throughout the series. Walter drops to his knees in agony, and people have been using this clip to signify their own misery in jest ever since 2013.
The Punisher: Frank Castle’s Torment
The Meme: Punisher’s No No No Wait Wait Wait
The Scene:
Jon Bernthal is one of the most underrated actors on TV, but his recent role as The Punisher, a crowning achievement in his portfolio, has been boiled down into one very hilarious meme on Twitter. In a terrifying dream sequence, Frank Castle is distraught over trauma from his past. His screams of “NO, NO, NO!” have been synonymous with others identifying times they hyperbolically felt like the world was ending, but none of us were actually feeling like Bernthal’s character.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Will’s Dad
The Meme: Sad Will Smith Entanglement
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The best scene in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is arguably when Will Smith is comforted by Uncle Phil after a discussion about Will’s father leaving him. It was what signified Smith as a Hollywood superstar, but it also spawned memes from people online when they’re perplexed about their own self worth. One of the funniest uses of the scene was when basketball player Andrew Wiggins was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014, a rare occurrence for a first overall draft pick. The most mainstream use of the meme was when people changed the line from the show to “why don’t she want me, man?” referencing Will Smith’s contentious marriage with Jada Pinkett Smith.
The Walking Dead: Rick Grimes Weeps
The Meme: Carl
What was supposed to be an emotional, powerful moment in AMC’s longrunning zombie series quickly transformed into one of the most-memed moments in TV history. After Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) has to endure the death of his mother Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), his father Rick (Andrew Lincoln) lets out a grieving bellowing of sadness and shock in his son’s face. Fans found so many ways to misconstrue this scene that it’s hard to take it seriously when rewatching the show over a decade later. It doesn’t help that Lincoln’s British accent makes his pronunciation of “Carl” sound like “Coral”. Even though Rick doesn’t address Carl by name in this clip, people have constantly interjected this into the meme.
Euphoria: Cassie Loses It
The Meme: Cassie Hiding in Bathtub
HBO’s current hit teen drama Euphoria isn’t always acclaimed for its writing or ability to tell a coherent story. What it usually gets positive notoriety for is the ability of the incredible actors in the series, from Zendaya as drug addict Rue Bennett, to Sydney Sweeney as Cassie Howard. Sweeney has to portray a lot of emotional breakdowns in the second season of the series, and this particular one in which her character is hiding in a bathtub turned into a viral sensation.
Ozark: The Wrath of Ruth Langmore
The Meme: If You Wanna Stop Me You’re Gonna Have to Fucking Kill Me
What’s your favorite TV scene that was altered to the point of no return? Let us know in the comments section below!
