A common logical leap that’s made in sitcoms is the financial health and well-being of some of our most beloved characters. But who wants to talk about what’s showing up on each character’s tax form in favor of engaging storytelling? But even still, sometimes we can’t help but wonder how characters can afford such good living situations and hobbies. We chalk this up to artistic license, but boy is it fun to point out that if these shows took place in the real world, then the finances wouldn’t quite add up.
And that’s the purpose of this list: to point out plot holes in the form of lifestyle vs location and salary. But keep in mind that this is all in good fun. Here are some of our favorite TV sitcom characters that have suspicious financial situations that make us wonder.
11Joey Tribbiani - Friends
It’s one thing to owe a dear friend a couple of hundred bucks because you’re in a tight spot, and you’re good to pay them back. ButJoey Tribbianiracks up quite the list of I.O.U. ’s to Chandler Bing inFriends. Not only was Joey unemployed for a substantial amount of time, but Chandler often took on the responsibility of rent, utilities, food, and even headshots for Joey’s acting career.
Though one could assume that good friends are always there to help each other out, experts on the internet are saying that throughout the entire run ofFriends,Joey owes upward of $120,000 to Chandler. So we’re just a little suspicious of the situation, because we all know a good friendship is priceless, but there comes a time when you simply have to address the mooching.
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10Frasier Crane - Frasier
Though we don’t know the entire inner workings ofFrasier Crane’s finances, his living situation certainly seems disproportionate to his earnings. And if we operate under the assumption that he accumulated a substantial amount of wealth back in Boston before moving back to Seattle, it still doesn’t add up. The median salary for a radio host in the ’90s was in the ballpark of $50,000 annually. Though we can assume that, due to the popularity of Frasier’s show on KACL, that he would see salary increases throughout the series through syndication deals.
Though Frasier’s salary is nothing to scoff at, we need to think about the expenses that we see onFrasier. Frasier Crane lives in a luxury apartment in downtown Seattle, and supports his retired father. One such form of support is hiring Daphne as a physical therapist. And we shouldn’t overlook how much Frasier is spending on a daily basis at Café Nervosa, on wine, sherry, dinner at the most exclusive restaurants, and opera tickets. He also drives a BMW, wears Armani suits, and has an antique dealer.
9Marshall Eriksen - How I Met Your Mother
Though Marshall Eriksen is often the voice of reason, and arguably the most fiscally responsible member of the friend group inHow I Met Your Mother, this doesn’t negate the fact that he was still pursuing his law degree in the early seasons of the show. So not only was Marshall not working, he was racking up an enormous amount of student debt, paying rent in New York City, and drinking beers at McLaren’s Pub almost every night.
Though one thing we need to consider is that Marshall was good at cutting corners. A noteworthy example of this is how he racked up 200,000 miles on his 1988 Pontiac Fiero with a broken tape deck before finally running it into the ground. We also know that before Marshall’s father’s passing that the two were very close. So we’re sure that Marshall was always picking Marvin’s brain for practical advice during one of his many phone calls to home.
8Homer Simpson - The Simpsons
Though we can always use the excuse of “artistic license” for many of these entries, Homer’s earnings onThe Simpsonsrequire some explanation. In the seventh season of the series, we actually get a good look at Homer’s check stub, and it’s not great. In fact, after the “bear tax,” Homer is only taking home $362.19 ($479.60 before taxes) a week for working at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant.
Though financial stress is often a topic of discussion inThe Simpsons, this only really seems to come up when it’s convenient to the story. Throughout the rest of the run, we often wonder how Homer can support a family of five, a dog, a cat, own two cars, and a house that’s above average in size. Even if we adjust for inflation, Homer is still taking home less than $25K annually, which was considered well below the median family income during the 1990s.
In other words, considering that Marge is a stay-at-home mom for a majority of the series, we’re wondering where Homer was getting all his beer money from.
7Tim Taylor - Home Improvement
Similar to Frasier Crane, Tim Taylor’s salary inHome Improvementcertainly makes us wonder about how his bank account can support his family and lifestyle. After all,Tool Timewas a public access show, which probably didn’t bring in a huge salary. But it’s worth noting that beforeTool Time, Tim Taylor was Binford’s top sales representative, which is why he landed theTool Timegig in the first place. So it’s probably safe to assume that he’s getting some sort of stock options, and benefits package that supports his hot-rod building hobby, as well as his own home repairs when a project goes wrong.
He’s also always bringing home Binford prototypes to test out around the house. So even though he takes frequent trips to the hardware store, we can reasonably assume he’s spending a lot less on tools and gadgets than his peers.
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6Lorelai Gilmore - Gilmore Girls
Though we know that Richard and Emily Gilmore are paying for Rory’s tuition (for both Chilton and Yale), there are still somegray areas that need to be addressedinGilmore Girls.It’s no mystery that Lorelai Gilmore has a deep-seated disdain for people born into privilege, and she does an excellent job pulling herself up by her bootstraps through her hard work and unwavering dedication to doing things her own way.
However, Lorelai is a single mother living in a sizable house in early 2000s Connecticut, does quite a bit of driving between Star’s Hollow, Hartford, and New Haven, and never cooks her own food in favor of getting takeout from Luke’s Diner. And when she does cook her own food, it’s in the form of raiding the freezer aisle for all the good name-brand stuff.
In the first several seasons ofGilmore Girls, Lorelai is putting herself through night classes while trying to open her own Inn, so we can also reasonably assume she’s a few years out from being profitable. But it’s worth noting that Rory’s father, Christopher, helps out whenever he can. What’s more, Lorelai is not above taking out a loan from Luke in dire times of financial need.
5Peter Griffin - Family Guy
Much like Homer Simpson, Peter Griffin is the primary provider inFamily Guy.Though he has many different jobs throughout the series, he’s often the low man on the totem pole, and he does the absolute bare minimum amount of work, which often puts his employment at odds.Drawing another parallel fromThe Simpsons,Peter Griffin is quite impulsive, and drinks an intimidating amount of Pawtucket Patriot Ale.
However, Lois Griffin comes from old-money wealth, so we can reasonably assume that her parents, Carter and Barbara Pewterschmidt, may be chipping in from time to time. But the most glaring financial discrepancy that needs to be addressed is the Griffins' utility bill. Stewie Griffin, their diabolical genius son, is often building elaborate contraptions in his nursery closet, and it’s safe to say that the Griffin family’s monthly meter readings are absolutely off the chart.
4Jerry Seinfeld - Seinfeld
InSeinfeld, it’s evident that Jerry is making a decent amount of money. And in a lot of ways, his earnings are justified. After all, he does frequently appear onThe Tonight Show,and he’s a popular up-and-coming comedian in the greater New York City area, which means he probably gets paid in cash after a good gig. But he also lives in a relatively spacious apartment, eats at Tom’s Restaurant every single day, and is often writing checks toGeorge, Elaine, and Kramerto help them out of their own financial jams.
Jerry is also a bit of a hypochondriac inSeinfeld.Considering that he’s adopted a gigging lifestyle, it’s safe to say that he doesn’t have the luxury of health insurance provided by an employer. In other words, those trips to the dentist probably aren’t cheap.
3The Bluth Family - Arrested Development
Okay, so we can actually explain the finances inArrested Developmentwith one word: embezzlement. In fact, fraud is the raison d’être in the series. Though the Bluth family’s main source of wealth was seized by the government, we’re often clued into cash in the form of hidden reserves. After all, there’s always money in the banana stand. They also live rent-free in a model home, so they’re at the very least able to cut some corners on their living expenses.
2Penny - The Big Bang Theory
If you consider Leonard and Sheldon’s combined salaries as researchers at Caltech, it’s safe to assume that they can afford their shared rent apartment inThe Big Bang Theory. They probably even make enough for their collectibles, comics, and takeout. But the real mystery is how Penny is affording her apartment across the hall that boasts a very similar floor plan. Though Penny sometimes gets acting gigs in B-horror movies, her day job is as a server at The Cheesecake Factory, making minimum wage plus tips.
And though Penny takes on a whole different career path later in the series, it’s the early seasons that make us wonder how she’s not getting an eviction notice every month. But throughoutThe Big Bang Theory,Penny is quite resourceful. We know all too well that Sheldon takes issue with Penny stealing the Wi-Fi signal. And when she’s in a relationship, Penny is quite good at using her charm to get some of her living expenses covered.
