You might expect a TV show that’s not labeled as a crime show to be free of characters committing crimes. Police procedurals and ambitious crime sagas likeThe SopranosandBreaking Badhave their place in television history, sure, but sometimes, you might want to spend time watching characters who aren’t breaking the law or solving crimes. Sitcoms or down-to-earth dramas can be a nice change of pace from those more crime-focused shows that seem to dominate the airwaves.
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Yet a character doesn’t have to be on a crime show to commit criminal activity, as some shows demonstrate. They vary wildly in terms of seriousness and damage caused, but in all cases, these characters committed actions that can be considered crimes (and often unpunished ones, too).
‘Seinfeld’ — Kramer committing arson in “The Bubble Boy” (1992)
When you have four main characters who are all very self-centered and ambivalent at best to the interests of others, offenses against society are almost inevitable. This is the case forSeinfeld, where the core cast is entertaining (and sometimes likable) despite the damage they do to those around them.
Kramer is probably the least selfish of the four and maybe the closest to the well-meaning of the lot, but he is clumsy and irresponsible, leading to him causing a substantial amount of havoc. This is best demonstrated in the iconic Season 4 episode, “The Bubble Boy,” where he leaves a lit cigar in a wooden cabin before swimming in a nearby lake, only to return and find that the entire structure has burned to the ground.
‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ — Buffy firing a rocket launcher in public in “Innocence” (1998)
When supernatural forces emerge from a literal Hellmouth every week, and you’re the only one stopping them, perhaps some rule-bending can be excused. This is the situation that the title character fromBuffy the Vampire Slayerfound herself in constantly, and justifiably, desperate times often called for desperate measures.
Few solutions were as extreme, memorable, and hilarious as her getting her friends to steal a rocket launcher from an army base and then using said rocket launcher to destroy an ancient demon said to be impervious to any (old-fashioned) weapon in “Innocence.” That the show does something so funny and audacious during one of its most emotionally devastating and surprising episodes speaks tohow skillfullyBuffycould blend comedy and drama.
‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ — The Gang supplying alcohol to minors in “Underage Drinking: A National Concern” (2005)
The Gang inIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiatend to be even more destructive and less law-abiding than the characters inSeinfeld, which is saying something. They were morally dubious at best right from the start, as is shown in one of thefirst season’s highlights, the episode"Underage Drinking: A National Concern."
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The episode sees the main characters turning their pub, Paddy’s, into one that turns a blind eye to whether the patrons are of legal age. In effect, they provide alcohol to countless people who are underage, and even if they rationalize it among themselves as them having a “social responsibility” to provide a safe drinking environment, it still breaks the law.
‘Rick & Morty’ — Rick enslaving and destroying a mini-universe in “The Ricks Must Be Crazy” (2015)
Even if Rick Sanchez fromRick & Mortyhas proven to be an immensely popular character, it should be clear to all viewers that he’s not really a good person. Maybe he’s entertaining and occasionally has moments where he cares for his family (his moralityfluctuates as wildly as the show’s quality), but he also commits crimes on a galactic scale, seemingly at least one per episode.
Few of Rick’s crimes are as massive as destroying an entire universe he created full of enslaved beings who exist solely to power his car battery. Further, there was another mini-universe within that first mini-universe, meaning the number of beings wiped out because of Rick’s actions would be astronomical.
‘Seinfeld’ — George stealing someone’s identity in “The Limo” (1992)
George Costanza is probably the character inSeinfeldwho broke the most laws. He was notorious for acting on his impulses and thinking only for himself. Thissometimes made him (regrettably) relatable, but when he pushed things too far, it made him arguably the worst of the main four.
“The Limo” sees him assuming someone else’s identity to get a limo ride from the airport, thereby not needing to go the usual route of hailing a taxi. Jerry accompanies him during this escapade (which, of course, blows up in their faces), but since he identifies himself using a made-up name, he technically doesn’t commit identity fraud like George does.
‘The Beatles: Get Back’ (2021) — The Beatles disturbing the peace during the rooftop concert
This is admittedly the most minor of crimes, but it can technically still be counted as one. At the end ofPeter Jackson’sminiseries,The Beatles: Get Back, the band is shown performing their last ever show as a group, unannounced and on a rooftop in the middle of central London’s office and fashion district.
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Some bystanders are pleasantly surprised to hearThe Beatlesperforming live, but others find it loud and disruptive. Indeed, the police end up being called because of noise complaints, meaning that even if this is a really petty crime — and one that’s frustrating to see get treated like a crime in the first place, given the concert’s historical significance — it still counts.
‘The Simpsons’ — Homer drunk driving in “Duffless” (1993)
Homer Simpson might mean well, but he’s certainly not the most consistent role model for his family throughoutThe Simpsons'30+ seasons. Nothing he does has ever made him irredeemable in the eyes of fans. Still, given he’s been featured in hundreds of episodes, it’s unsurprising to realize he’s committed his fair share of crimes and misdemeanors.
One of those comes from the Season 4 episode “Duffless,” which addresses Homer’s drinking habits by having a main storyline where he’s arrested for drunk driving and gives up beer for a month. BeingThe Simpsons, this doesn’t persist beyond the one episode, but it’s a solid attempt to address one aspect of Homer’s character that’s a serious one in reality while usually being played for laughs in the show.
‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ — Charlie trespassing/vandalizing The Waitress’s apartment in “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System” (2009)
UnlikeSeinfeld, it’s hard to single out one character from the main gang inIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiaas the least law-abiding. That’s perhaps one of the show’s greatest strengths; it really does balance them all out evenly, making them equally flawed (and, as a result, equally funny).
There’s a strong argument to be made that Charlie’s the most chaotic, though many of his misdeeds are more precise and less subtle. This includes many of the intense ways he tries to get the attention of The Waitress he pines over, which is particularly noticeable in “The D.E.N.N.I.S. System,” which sees him breaking into her apartment and vandalizing her garbage disposal, so he could later come back to “fix” it.
‘Peep Show’ — Mark drinking in public and spying/stalking in “Local Zero” (2004)
The two main characters ofPeep Show- Mark and Jez — are both pretty terrible people. The show’s aware of this and always has them as the butt of the joke, or the instigators of their undoing.
While most of their indiscretions are offenses against decency more so than offenses involving breaking laws, they occasionally cross over into lawless territory. Mark’s probably the worst of the two, so it happens more often with him, such as when he spies on a woman he fancies while drinking in public (the latter of which gets captured by a news crew and broadcast on TV, much to Mark’s dismay).
‘Seinfeld’ — George and Mike obstructing traffic in “The Parking Space” (1992)
While blocking traffic might not sound like the worst of crimes, consideringSeinfeld’sset in the city of perpetual traffic jams, New York, George and Mike’s (a friend of Kramer’s) stand-off over a parking space is pretty disruptive. Both are adamant they began pulling into it first, with neither wanting to back down.
It’s shown to last most of the episode, with the dispute beginning during the daylight and continuing well into the night. Even if most other cars could drive around, their two vehicles were still taking up more space than legally allowed for hours, making them both technically guilty of obstructing traffic.
