Warning: spoilers for various sitcom episodes.
Sitcomsusually have a variety of guest stars and surprise cameos from time to time, but some had great cameos that shocked the audience. Sitcoms are one of the most popular and beloved branches of TV, and every decade has had some unforgettable sitcoms, some of which have earned a spot amongthe best TV shows of all time.
Shows likeI Love LucyandFriendsrank amongthe best sitcoms of all time, as well as the best shows in general, as do animated sitcoms likeThe SimpsonsandFamily Guy. The style, format, and popularity of sitcoms make it easy for them to have big names as guest stars and in cameo appearances, but only a few have truly shocked viewers.
8Liam Neeson in Derry Girls
Episode “The Night Before”
Derry Girlsis a teen sitcom created by Lisa McGee and set in Derry, Northern Ireland.Derry Girlsfollows Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), her cousin Orla (Louisa Harland), their friends Claire (Nicola Coughlan), Michelle (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell), and the latter’s cousin James (Dylan Llewellyn) during the end of the Troubles in Derry.
Throughout its three seasons,Derry Girlssees the main characters in absurd situations, and in its third season, it counted on the presence of none other than Liam Neeson. In the episode “The Night Before”, the group is worried about their GCSE results and decides to break into the school to find their results.
There, they come across two men who claim to be clearing out old computer equipment, and the group helps them, but when the men drive away, the friends are arrested.At the police station, they are interrogated by Chief Inspector Byers, played by Neeson.
His surprise appearance as he emerges from the shadows, his deadpan style compared to the over-the-top performances of the main cast, and the overall absurdity of the situation (enhanced by the arrival of Uncle Colm) make Neeson’sDerry Girlscameo memorable and hilarious.
7Stephen Hawking in The Big Bang Theory
Episode “The Hawking Excitation”
Given the themes ofThe Big Bang Theory, it made sense that Stephen Hawking would appear, but his cameo in “The Hawking Excitation” was still a pleasant surprise.The Big Bang Theoryfollows awkward astrophysicists Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and their equally socially awkward friends.
In season 5’s episode “The Hawking Excitation”, Howard, who will be working with Stephen Hawking as he’s coming to lecture at Caltech, refuses to introduce Sheldon to Hawking despite being a big fan, as Howard finds Sheldon to be a “condescending jerk.” However, after making Sheldon perform various tasks for him, Howard agrees to introduce him to Hawking.
Days prior, Howard gave Hawking Sheldon’s paper on the Higgs boson. When Sheldon finally meets Hawking, the latter points out an arithmetic error in the paper, with Sheldon fainting.Hawking had perfect comedic timing, and his subtle microexpressions made his brief cameo hilarious, iconic, and fitting with the show.
6Jack Black in Community
Episode “Investigative Journalism”
Created by Dan Harmon,Communityfollows a group of adults with different personalities and backgrounds as they attend Greendale Community College in Colorado. In season 1’s episode “Investigative Journalism”,the group has an unwanted member when they return from their winter break: a man named Buddy, played by Jack Black.
As much as he tries, with lemon squares, songs, etc., the group finds Buddy annoying and offensive. They eventually get rid of him, but Buddy tells them they were his safety study group, so now he will have to join another one.It’s typical Jack Black, with his signature over-the-top comedy stylethat no one, including Jeff and the rest, expected.
5Bill Murray in Parks & Recreation
Episode “Two Funerals”
Parks and Recreationhas a long list of guest starsand celebrity cameos, but if I had to choose the most shocking and amazing one, it would definitely be Bill Murray.Parks and Recreationtakes the audience to Pawnee, Indiana, to follow eternal optimist Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and her friends and colleagues from the Parks Department.
Throughout the show, Pawnee’s Mayor Gunderson is mentioned but never shown, until the show’s final season. “Two Funerals” sees the death of Mayor Gunderson, so he’s shown in his casket and in a video message – andas it turns out, Gunderson is Bill Murray.
It’s such a Bill Murray thing to simply be lying there, slightly smiling, while a video message plays and a big personal secret is revealed thanks to Ethel Beavers. Murray didn’t have to do much to leave his mark inParks and Rec, and his brief and simple cameo is as memorable as it is surprising.
4Billy Crystal & Robin Williams in Friends
Episode “The One With THe Ulitmate Fighting Champion”
Friendsfollowed the lives of Chandler (Matthew Perry), Monica (Courteney Cox), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Ross (David Schwimmer), and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) as they navigate adulthood in New York City. It’s a simple premise, but the group got into fun yet relatable situations, which were key to the show’s success.
Friends’ popularity led to it having various celebrity guest stars, and though I have to make a special mention to Brad Pitt, Jeff Goldblum, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Susan Sarandon, and Gary Oldman, the most surprising cameo by far was that of Billy Crystal and Robin Williams in the cold open of “The One With The Ultimate Fighting Champion.”
As Monica tries to explain to her friends what’s going on with her boyfriend, Pete, two friends named Tim (Crystal) and Thomas (Williams) ask them to make some room on the sofa as Central Perk is full. However, they get intoa heated conversation about Thomas’ wife cheating on him and Tim revealing he slept with her, and Monica is unable to continue her story.
Crystal and Williams’ conversation was improvised, as was Joey’s interruption and Tim’s annoyance at it. No one would have expected two comedy legends to appear so casually at the beginning of aFriendsepisode, but they did and showed why they are two of the best comedians ever.
3Prince in New Girl
Episode “Prince”
New Girlhad some iconic cameos, such asTaylor Swift’s surprise appearanceamong the attendees at Cece’s (first) wedding, but the best of all is definitelyPrince’s cameo.New Girlfollows quirky teacher Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel) and her roommates Nick (Jake Johnson), Winston (Lamorne Morris), and Schmidt (Max Greenfield), with whom she often gets involved in some bizarre but funny situations.
InNew Girlseason 3 episode “Prince”, Jess and Cece are invited to a party at Prince’s house, but as they are about to leave, Nick tells Jess that he loves her. Nick, Schmidt, Winston, and Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.) crash the party so Nick can take his words back, but Jess tries and fails to tell him she loves him too.
Prince asked to appear inNew Girl, and as the show had secured the post-Super Bowl XLVIII timeslot, it was the perfect chance to bring him to the show.
As Jess and Nick try to talk about it, Prince shows up, and after getting over the shock of being in front of Prince,Jess and Nick, with Prince’s help, solve their relationship problems… but not before he has some time alone with Jess (with pancakes included) so she can let her feelings out.
It’s not just how Prince suddenly appears (in his own garden, but still) as Jess and Nick are arguing, but also how he casually invites Jess inside the house for pancakes, a makeover, and some wise advice that make hisNew Girlcameo so beautifully iconic.
2Elizabeth Taylor in The Nanny
Episode “Where’s The Pearls?”
The Nannyfollows the daily adventures of Fran Fine (Fran Drescher), who, after breaking up with her boyfriend and being fired from his store, ends up as the nanny of the wealthy Sheffield family, formed by widowed Broadway producer Maxwell (Charles Shaughnessy) and children Maggie (Nicholle Tom), Brighton (Benjamin Salisbury), and Grace (Madeline Zima).
Taylor asks Fran to take her black pearls to a courier, but Fran ends up losing them and getting temporary amnesia.
Thanks to Maxwell’s job and connections, Fran comes across many celebrities (some playing themselves, others playing a character), and the most surprising one is Elizabeth Taylor. In the episode “Where’s The Pearls?”, Elizabeth Taylor visits Maxwell, and Fran can’t hide her excitement. Taylor asks Fran to take her black pearls to a courier, but Fran ends up losing them and getting temporary amnesia.
AsThe Nannyhad previously had fake celebrity cameos, such as Cher supposedly staying at the Sheffield house after getting plastic surgery, it’s truly surprising to see Elizabeth Taylor actually show up, and she’s as charming and effortlessly funny as one would expect.
1Cher in Will & Grace
Episode “Gypsies, Tramps and Weed”
Cher didn’t appear inThe Nanny, but she did inWill & Grace. Created by David Kohan and Max Mutchnick,Will & Gracefollows best friends Will (Eric McCormack), a lawyer, and Grace (Debra Messing), an interior designer. Accompanying them is their friend Jack (Sean Hayes), an actor, Will’s close friend, and a huge Cher fan.
Jack comes across the real Cher, who points out how weird it is that he talks to her doll.
In season 3’s episode “Gypsies, Tramps and Weed”, Jack carries a Cher doll around, annoying his friends as he even has a seat for her at a restaurant. There, Jack comes across the real Cher, who points out how weird it is that he talks to her doll. However,Jack believes she’s a drag queen and criticizes her Cher impersonation.
Jack even tries to out-Cher the real Cher, who, after giving up, returns to sing a part of “If I Could Turn Back Time” to prove she’s the real Cher, but Jack still doesn’t buy it.Cher slaps him, and he finally gets it.
No one, including Jack, would have expected Cher to casually pop up behind him while he sat next to his Cher doll.What makes this scene even better and more surprising is Jack trying to teach Cher how to be Cher, with Cher being as iconic, chill, and charming as always.
