10 times TV shows broke the fourth wall in the best way

Breaking the fourth wall is one of the most inventive and unique ways of letting the audience interact with the characters of the show. Not only does it challenge the line between fiction and non-fiction and blur it, but it is also a postmodern technique that believes in letting the viewers engage with the art themselves. Over the years, many shows have tried using this medium to connect with the viewers effectively. Here are 10 times when shows broke the fourth wall effectively.

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Fleabag's interactions, Will's questions, and other times when shows broke the fourth wall effectively

1. When Will questioned his rich family’s tastes – The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

The popular sitcom of the 1980s and 1990s is popular for its adorable family, the antics of Will Smith and his cousins, and a wholesome plotline. The show catapulted Will Smith to fame and proved his talents as a comedian and actor. The show is about Will Smith’s character coming to live with his rich relatives and is known for regularly breaking the fourth wall, and this technique is a great way of letting the audience be a part of the family.

Breaking the fourth wall makes viewers a part of the family’s gags and exploits. The technique also allows the characters to feel connected with the audience. There are various instances when the fourth wall has been broken.

One of those is when Carlton runs into the audience and screams and waves around his arms. Another iconic instance is when, in season 5, episode 12, Will is sitting on the sofa and asks himself if his extended family is so rich, why can’t they afford any ceiling, and the camera showcases the studio lights over the set. This keeps the viewers connected to the fictional aspect of the show and adds humor.

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2. Fleabag’s honest opinions – Fleabag

If there is one show that breaks the fourth wall every few minutes, then it is Fleabag. Conceived by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the series is acclaimed for its breaking of the fourth wall technique and humor. The show follows the unnamed protagonist, played by Phoebe, and her views on relationships, feminism, and love.

To keep the audience engaged and feel relatable to the character, Phoebe uses this technique brilliantly. She regularly expresses disgust or nervousness by looking at the camera and letting the viewers feel one with her troubles. Some instances include when she laughs at her sister’s haircut and looks at the audience. In season 2, episode 4, she falls for the Priest and comments about his good looks by looking at the camera. Amusingly, the Priest is the only one who notices this practice and questions her about it. This proves that the Priest is the only one who can see through her completely and understand her.

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3. The trio in Only Murders in the Building references itself – Only Murders in the Building

Starring Selena Gomes, Steve Martin, and Martin Short, this crime comedy has gained popularity in modern times for its unique pairing of the three central stars. The show revolves around the exploits of the trio as they try to solve murders and speak on a podcast about it. Thus, the show has found a unique way of breaking the fourth wall.

The show and its characters reference themselves through the podcast within the show. The podcast has the same name as the show, and that is another manner in which the show keeps its audiences connected. The three central characters also interact with their fan club members, and that is another way in which the viewers feel as if they are the audience of the podcast and the three protagonists are the writers. There is a close connection between the audiences and the central characters of the show as the podcast stands for the characters interacting with the fans, and the fans of the podcast stand for the viewers of the show, who like to theorize about each case and go along with the investigation’s progress.

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4. Abed’s love for theorizing – Community

Created by Dan Harmon, known for using the breaking of the fourth wall technique in his shows, it is no wonder that in Community as well, there is a character who uses this medium. Played by Danny Pudi, Abed is a socially awkward character in the show. He loves to observe what is happening with the other characters and breaks the fourth wall to interact with the audience and give his views on any incident.

Abed talks to the viewers about the plot structure in each episode and the tropes, which is hilarious. His love for movies and shows is reflected in his conversations with the viewers, as he compares each new day to an episode and each year at college as a season. He even compares his friends to the members of a cast. This technique also allows for the show to be self-reflexive. Abed’s character is an important medium for the show as it allows the creators to keep the audiences engaged with what is happening within the show. Abed’s metacommentary and views on themes and character arcs are a symbol of postmodern shows.

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5. Jim regularly breaks the fourth wall – The Office

One of the most critically acclaimed and popular shows currently, The Office, is a pop culture staple. It has been applauded not only for its humor and characterizations but also for its inventive use of mockumentaries and breaking the fourth wall. Many shows have tried to mix mockumentary and breaking the fourth wall technique like the show, but none have been able to do it this well.

The show is built on sarcasm and artifice, and using the breaking of the fourth wall technique is an effective way for viewers to feel connected with the quirky characters and their antics. One character who uses this medium regularly is Dunder Mifflin’s most balanced but sarcastic employee, Jim Halpert, played by John Krasinski. There are many instances when his eccentric boss, Michael, says something funny and inappropriate, and then Jim’s one look into the camera is enough to get the audience laughing uncontrollably.

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6. The self-awareness of What we do in the Shadows – What we do in the Shadows

A mockumentary sitcom, What We Do in the Shadows, is another show that uses the breaking of the fourth wall technique to reference itself and let in the audience. There are several instances when the characters either give interviews directly to the camera and engage with the audience, or the show adopts a shaky handheld style of shooting, which indirectly drives home the point that the show is a piece of fiction.

Guillermo is one character who serves as the medium between the viewers and the other characters and is relatable for audiences as he has the same viewpoint as them. The character sees the show from the viewers’ vantage point, which adds a nice touch of relatability. The series has many instances when it has commented upon its own absurd premise in multiple ways. In season 6, episode 1, Jerry questions how the vampires have conquered the world and directly questions the presence of a camera crew. He even asks the vampires why they allow humans to film them and what use the footage will have. It is therefore, an interesting manner in which the technique has been used.

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7. Ron Howard’s narration – Arrested Development

Arrested Development is a critically acclaimed series that revolves around the Bluths family, which is highly dysfunctional and was formerly wealthy. The show is known for using handheld camera work, voice-over narration, and archival footage. The show is all over the place, and in this chaos, Ron Howard’s voiceovers and narrations are symbols of some balance and stability for the audiences. As the narrator of the show, his deadpan delivery infuses the show with humor and commentary and helps to make sure that audiences don’t lose track of the chaos depicted in the show.

Howard presents the show from the viewers’ vantage point, which puts him on the same team as the audience members and allows the viewers to feel connected and relatable. There are many instances when Howard has made self-aware commentaries on the show. One example is when the show was on the brink of cancellation in the third season, and Bluth's family tried to think of ideas to save themselves from financial disaster. Howard is quick to quip that they should tell their friends about this show.

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8. Zack’s self-awareness – Saved by the Bell

Another popular sitcom from the late 80s and early 90s, which is known for its humor and breaking of the fourth wall technique, Saved by the Bell, is a classic comedy show known for its high-school students and their exploits. The show regularly shatters the fourth wall through the character of Zack. At the beginning of each episode, Zack watches the show as if he is a part of the audience. He constantly delivers commentaries on the series and talks with the viewers so that the viewers feel that he is one of them.

Zack’s self-reflexivity is commendable as he knows he is a character in a TV show but still wants to connect with the real audience. Amusingly enough, the creators also make Zack’s connection with the viewers into a gag. In one instance, he uses his knowledge of being in a TV show to his advantage and stops time by yelling it out. He uses these “superpowers” to help himself during moments of crisis, and the show therefore, has to maintain a balancing act between Zack being able to manipulate the show and being a part of it.

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9. Jen Walters conversations with the audiences – She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Played by Tatiana Maslany and revolving around her character Jen, who is a lawyer and becomes a She-Hulk after a car accident, this superhero series is another show that uses the shattering of the fourth wall to speak to its audiences about the absurd situation in which the protagonist finds herself and let the viewers inside her daily life. The show focuses on the hilarious situations that arise as Jen tries to get back to her lawyering job and finds herself being handled by the superhuman law division. Interestingly, Jen remains in her Hulk form throughout, which makes her day-to-day life even more interesting.

As the central character of the show, Jen regularly breaks the fourth wall to speak with her viewers so that she can share her emotional load with them. The technique allows the show to have a conversational momentum and brings the viewers along for the ride as Jen tries to tackle her newfound abilities and challenges with gender and career.

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10. Rich’s final farewell – Skins

This British comedy-drama series gained a cult following and is critically acclaimed for portraying sensitive and important issues like mental illness, bullying, dysfunctional families, and more through the lens of a group of high school students. The show is extremely relatable for teenagers, and even though it was raunchy, it gave a true depiction of the challenges of teenagerhood and adolescence.

The show ran for multiple seasons, and even though it did not use the breaking of the fourth wall technique very often, it did use it when needed the most. In season 6, episode 10, there is an important scene towards the end of the season. While Mimi is giving birth, Rich waits outside the room and suddenly stares at the camera and says just one word – “Bye.” The small scene is important to this day as it was a farewell to the fans and viewers of the show and was also seen as a goodbye to Grace, a character who died tragically at the start of the series.