A common logical leap made in sitcoms is the financial health and well-being of some of our most beloved characters. But who wants to talk about what appears on each character’s tax form in favor of participating in the storytelling? But even then, sometimes we can’t help but wonder how the characters can afford such good living situations and hobbies. We attribute this to artistic license, but it’s fun to point out that if these performances took place in the real world, the finances wouldn’t quite add up.
And that is the purpose of this list: to show gaps in the form of lifestyle versus location and salary. But keep in mind that this is all in fun. Here are some of our favorite TV sitcom characters who have shady financial situations that make us wonder.
11 Joey Tribbiani – Friends
It’s one thing to owe a dear friend a few hundred dollars because you’re in trouble, and it’s a good idea to pay them back for that. But Joey Tribbiani presents the IOU list to Chandler Bing friends. Not only was Joey out of work for an extended period of time, but Chandler often took responsibility for rent, utilities, food, and even headshots for Joey’s acting career.
Although one might assume that good friends are always there to help each other out, experts on the internet say that all along. friends, Joey owes over $120,000 to Chandler. So we are a little skeptical about the situation, because we all know that a good friendship is priceless, but there will come a time when you simply have to address this issue.
10 Fraser Crane – Fraser
Although we don’t know the full inner workings of Frasier Crane’s finances, his living situation certainly seems out of proportion to his earnings. And if we operate on the assumption that he amassed quite a bit of wealth back in Boston before returning to Seattle, it still doesn’t work. The average salary for a radio host in the 1990s was in the $50,000 ballpark. Although we can assume that due to the popularity of Frasier’s offer on KACL, he will see a salary increase throughout the series through syndication deals.
Although Fraser’s salary is nothing to scoff at, we need to think about the expenses we incur. Fraser. Frasier Crane lives in a luxury apartment in downtown Seattle, supporting his retired father. One form of support is Daphne’s employment as a physical therapist. Nor should we overlook how much Fraser spends on a daily basis at Café Nervosa, on wine, sherry, dinners at the most exclusive restaurants, and tickets to the opera. He also drives a BMW, wears Armani suits, and has an antiques dealer.
9 Marshall Eriksen – How I met your mother
Although Marshall Eriksen is often the voice of reason, and is arguably the most financially responsible member of the group of friends in how i met your motherHowever, this does not negate the fact that he was still pursuing a law degree in the early seasons of the show. So not only was Marshall working, but he was racking up a massive amount of student debt, paying the rent in New York City, and drinking beer at McLaren’s Tavern almost every night.
Although one thing to keep in mind is that Marshall was pretty good at cutting corners. A noteworthy example is how he logged 200,000 miles on his 1988 Pontiac Fiero with a broken duct tape before finally running it to the ground. We also know that before Marshall’s father died, the two were very close. So we’re sure Marshall was always picking Marvin’s brain for practical advice during one of his many phone calls home.
8 Homer Simpson – The Simpsons
Although we can always use the excuse of “artistic license” for many of these entries, Homer’s earnings on The Simpsons require some explanation. In Season 7 of the series, we get a closer look at Homer’s heels, and he’s not great. In fact, after the “bear tax,” Homer takes only $362.19 ($479.60 before taxes) a week to work at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant.
Although financial pressures are often a topic of discussion in The SimpsonsHowever, this appears to only come out when it is relevant to the story. Throughout the remainder of the run, we often wonder how Homer can support a family of five, a dog, a cat, owning two cars, and an above-average-sized home. Even if we adjust for inflation, Homer still takes in less than $25,000 a year, which was considered well below the average household income during the 1990s.
In other words, given that Marge is a stay-at-home mom for the majority of the series, we wonder where Homer got all his beer money from.
7 Tim Taylor – Home Improvement
Similar to Frasier Crane, Tim Taylor’s salary in home improvement It definitely makes us wonder how his bank account can support his family and lifestyle. After all, tool time It was a public show, which probably didn’t bring in an exorbitant salary. But it should be noted before tool timeTim Taylor was the biggest salesperson in Binford, and that’s why he got his name tool time gig in the first place. So it’s probably safe to assume that he was given some sort of stock options, benefits package that supports his hobby of building hot rods, as well as repairs to his house when a project goes wrong.
He also always brings home Binford’s prototypes to test around the house. So even though he makes frequent trips to the hardware store, we can reasonably assume that he spends much less on gadgets and gizmos than his peers.
6 Lorelai Gilmore – Gilmore Girls
Although we know that Richard and Emily Gilmore pay for Rory’s education (both for Shelton and Yale), there are still some gray areas that need to be addressed in Gilmore Girls. It’s no mystery that Lorelai Gilmore has a deep disdain for people who are born into privilege, and she does an excellent job of pulling herself off with her hard work and unwavering dedication to doing things her own way.
However, Lorelai is a single mom who lives in a big house in the early 2000s in Connecticut, does a lot of driving between Star’s Hollow and Hartford, New Haven, and never cooks her own food in favor of takeout from Luke’s Diner. And when she cooks her own food, it’s in the form of raiding the freezer aisle for all things good brand names.
For the first several seasons of Gilmore GirlsLorelai puts herself through night classes while trying to open her own inn, so we can also reasonably assume that she’s a few years away from being profitable. But it’s worth noting that Christopher, Rory’s father, helps him out whenever he can. What’s more, Lorelai is never above borrowing from Luke in dire times of financial need.
5 Peter Griffin – Family Guy
Like Homer Simpson, Peter Griffin is the main provider in Family man. Although he has many different jobs throughout the series, he is often the low man on the totem pole, doing an absolute minimum of work, which often puts his job at odds. Another parallel drawing of The SimpsonsAnd Peter Griffin is very reckless, and drinks an alarming amount of Pawtucket Patriot Ale.
However, Lois Griffin comes from an old cash fortune, so we can reasonably assume that her parents, Carter and Barbara Pewterschmidt, might be a flinger from time to time. But the most obvious financial discrepancy to address is the Griffins’ utility bill. Stewie Griffin, their devilishly genius son, often builds contraptions in his nursery cupboard, and it’s safe to say that the Griffin family’s monthly meter readings are completely off the chart.
4 Jerry Seinfeld – Seinfeld
in SeinfeldObviously, Jerry makes a decent amount of money. And in many ways, his earnings are justified. After all, he appears so often tonight show, He’s an up-and-coming comedian in the greater New York City area, which means he’s probably getting paid cash after a good gig. But he also lives in a relatively spacious apartment, eats at Tom’s every day, and often writes checks to George, Elaine, and Kramer to help them out of their financial troubles.
Jerry is also a bit of a hypochondriac Seinfeld. Considering that he has adopted a rough lifestyle, it is safe to say that he does not have the luxury of health insurance provided by his employer. In other words, those trips to the dentist probably don’t come cheap.
3 The Bluth Family – Arrested Development
Well, we can actually explain the finances Development stopped In one word: embezzlement. In fact, fraud is the raison d’être of this chain. Although the Bluth family’s main source of wealth was seized by the government, we often get by with cash in the form of hidden reserves. After all, there is always money in the banana stand. They also live rent-free in a typical home, so they are at least able to reduce their living expenses.
2 Penny – The Big Bang Theory
If you consider Leonard and Sheldon’s combined salaries as researchers at Caltech, it’s safe to assume that they could afford the shared rental apartment in The Big Bang Theory. Maybe they make enough for their collectibles, comics, and takeout. But the real mystery is how Penny furnishes her apartment across the hall, which has a very similar floor plan. Although Penny occasionally gets acting gigs in B-movies, her day job is as a butler at The Cheesecake Factory, making minimum wage plus tips.
And although Penny takes on a completely different career path later in the series, it’s the early seasons that make us wonder how she doesn’t get an eviction notice every month. But all the time big bang theory, Resourceful Penny. We know very well that Sheldon is having trouble with Penny stealing the Wi-Fi signal. And when in a relationship, Penny is very good at using her charm to cover some of her living expenses.
1 The Gang – It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Although Paddy’s Tavern is a source of income in It’s always sunny in PhiladelphiaAnd It should be noted that the bar is almost always empty. However, in true entrepreneurial spirit, Charlie, Dennis, Mac, Dee, and Frank always scheme in highly questionable ways. Although financial insecurity is common to the series, it’s safe to say that the combined income that comes from all their efforts keeps them afloat. And while we don’t know the size of Frank’s net worth for sure, it’s clear that he has deep pockets.
Logical inconsistencies aside, it’s not like they live an excessive lifestyle. Considering that Charlie spends most of his free time blowing glue in his apartment, it’s safe to say he’s coming from a desperate place, financially speaking. Otherwise, why would he pull a gun on his landlord when he comes to collect the rent?
