If there’s one thing that can be said aboutThe Far Side, it’s that it has a unique way of looking at everything, including television. Gary Larson was a master at looking at things and applying his particular humorous bend to them,whether it be the Old West, space exploration, or even the prehistoric age.
WhileThe Far Sidewasn’t primarily consumedwith pop culture references, the comic didn’t shy away from making the occasional jab at famous movies, stories, and yes, television programs. And as one would expect, the punchline was never the show itself, but Larson found clever, offbeat, or sometimes disturbing twists to the shows audiences loved. He’d have the Flintstones’ bones show up in an archaeological dig or have the police investigate the murder of a beloved icon fromSesame Street. For better or worse,theseFar Sidestripswill show readers classic TV shows through Larson’s comedic lens.
10The Lone RangerDiscovers the Truth
Publication Date: July 01, 2025
The Lone Rangerwas infamous for its relationship between the title character and his partner, Tonto. But asThe Far Sideshows, that dynamic might not have been all it appeared as the elderly ranger looks up the meaning of Tonto’s nickname for the Lone Ranger, discovering the ‘Kemosabe’ actually describes ‘a horse’s rear end’.The Far Sidedidn’t shy from turning classic media on its head, and it’s hilarious to think that for their entire partnership,Tonto was actually calling the Lone Ranger a horse’s ass.
9Aliens InterruptLaverne and Shirley
Publication Date: June 29, 2025
Is there anything more annoying than being interrupted while watching a favorite television show? According to this strip, no. A woman is calling a friend of hers to discuss how the television went out right in the middle ofLaverne and Shirley. She’s either unaware or absolutely does not care that the reason for the glitch is due to an alien invasion. While the strip is less aboutLaverne and Shirley,The Far Sidenails how angry people can get when they’re disturbed from watching their programs(even if it’s by aliens arriving on Earth.
8Star Trek’sScotty Keeps Hell Going
Publication Date: June 21, 2025
The Far Side wasn’t afraid to joke about the afterlife and, unfortunately, for one member of the USSEnterprise, that meant eternal damnation. This strip is set in Hell (not an uncommon location for the Far Side), where engineer Scotty emerges from the flames to inform a devil that Hell is losing power fast. Why is Scotty in Hell? Why does he care if a place of torment is becoming more tolerable? All good questions, but it’s a hilarious way of reinterpreting Scotty’s devotion to his work (even if it shows theStar Trekcharacter working for the literal devil).
7Popeye on Trial
Publication Date: August 08, 2025
Popeye was one of the most popular cartoon characters of the early 20th century, so what doesThe Far Sidedo to skewer this animation icon? Puts him on trial for murder, of course! In this strip, the sailor man is being grilled by a lawyer, who notes that Popeye’s iconic pipe was found at the scene of the crime. When asked what he has to say for himself, Popeye can only mutter his classic line “I yam what I yam”.OnlyThe Far Sidecould turn Popeye’s spinach-induced fighting into the basis of a murder trial.
6Lassie Doesn’t Help at All
Publication Date: June 19, 2025
Even readers who never actually watchedLassieknow all about how helpful the Collie dog was whenever Timmy or one of her other human companions were in trouble. ButThe Far Sideopts to tweak that idea to make the concept a lot funnier. A boy is sinking in quick sand, and he pleads for Lassie to go get help. The faithful dog runs, jumps, and even gets on a plane to find aid, only to stop when she realizes her name isn’t Lassie. Tough luck for Timmy,but it sure gaveFar Sidereaders a chuckle.
5Daffy Duck Work History
Publication Date: June 05, 2025
It’s hard to imagine howThe Far Sidecould take on something likeLooney Tunesand still be considered funny. After all, those cartoons are about as absurd as Larson’s strips. But he managed to find a unique way of tackling the classic animations. Here, Daffy Duck is shown, but rather than having him act in his normal, over-the-top manner, he’s filling out his resume. While it’s got his usual antics on there, it also reveals he had a short stint in politics. An offbeat turn,but it’s exactly the kind of twist thatThe Far Sidewould bring.
4The Flintstones’Archaeological Dig
Publication Date: Unknown
Who didn’t like seeing the misadventures of The Flintstones’ modern Stone Age family?The Far Sideis no stranger to getting some laughs out of anthropological scenarios, so Larson goes for the obvious route and mixes classic television with natural history. A pair of archaeologists are at a dig where they discover treasures from the past, including a mailbox belonging to Fred and Wilma Flintstone. While not as gruesome asThe Far Sidecould have made it, it’s a damning reminder that,for all the laughs the Flinstones gave audiences over the years, they’re literally ancient history.
3Brady BunchMonster Comes Alive
Publication Date: July 31, 2025
The Brady Bunchtold the story of two families who came together to form a happy new clan. So, as isThe Far Side’snature, Larson takes this idea to its extreme by having the Brady Bunch literally come together as a Frankenstein’s monster-type abomination. And, much like the original creature from Mary Shelley’s novel, the monster is turning on its creator.ThisFar Sidestrip is playing with a lot of ideas at once, but at the core of it is a hilarious and demented spinon one of the most well-known sitcoms from the ‘60s.
2Who ShotSesame Street’sBig Bird?
Publication Date: July 07, 2025
Sesame Streetis one of the most beloved shows in television history and it’s supposed to be a place of wholesomeness and learning. And yet, it’s not safe from the demented humor of The Far Side. In this strip, someone has murdered everyone’s favorite giant, talking fowl, Big Bird. The detectives note that the death was caused by bird shot (‘Big Bird’ shot, specifically). How one could think up such a horrible thing happening in such a happy show likeSesame Streetis outrageous, butit’s exactly the type of humor one would expect fromThe Far Side.
1Mr. Ed’s Gruesome Fate
Publication Date: August 04, 2025
The Far Sideis always at its best when it goes full macabre, and Larson does just that with his comedic, yet perturbing strip. The setup seems innocent enough, a kid working on a model. However, the nearby glue he’s using is asking where he is and looking for his pal, Wilbur. As the caption confirms, the glue is what remains of the beloved television equine, Mr. Ed. Why the horse was sent to the glue factory or how he retains his speech is a mystery,but as morbid as it is, thisFar Sidestrip is pretty damn funny.
