If there’s one thing that can be said about whether it be the Old West, space exploration, or even the prehistoric age.

While these Far Side strips will show readers classic TV shows through Larson’s comedic lens.

10 The Lone Ranger Discovers the Truth

Publication Date: May 6, 1988

The Lone Ranger was infamous for its relationship between the title character and his partner, Tonto. But as The Far Side shows, 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 Side didn’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.

9 Aliens Interrupt Laverne and Shirley

Publication Date: June 26, 1980

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 of Laverne 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 about Laverne and Shirley, The Far Side nails how angry people can get when they’re disturbed from watching their programs (even if it’s by aliens arriving on Earth.

8 Star Trek's Scotty Keeps Hell Going

Publication Date: October 29, 1993

The Far Side wasn’t afraid to joke about the afterlife and, unfortunately, for one member of the USS Enterprise, 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 the Star Trek character working for the literal devil).

7 Popeye on Trial

Publication Date: November 10, 1987

Popeye was one of the most popular cartoon characters of the early 20th century, so what does The Far Side do 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”. Only The Far Side could turn Popeye’s spinach-induced fighting into the basis of a murder trial.

6 Lassie Doesn’t Help at All

Publication Date: October 17, 1991

Even readers who never actually watched Lassie know all about how helpful the Collie dog was whenever Timmy or one of her other human companions were in trouble. But The Far Side opts 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 gave Far Side readers a chuckle.

5 Daffy Duck Work History

Publication Date: October 13, 1993

It’s hard to imagine how The Far Side could take on something like Looney Tunes and 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 that The Far Side would bring.

4 The Flintstones’ Archaeological Dig

Publication Date: Unknown

Who didn’t like seeing the misadventures of The Flintstones’ modern Stone Age family? The Far Side is 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 as The Far Side could 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.

3 Brady Bunch Monster Comes Alive

Publication Date: August 15, 1988

The Brady Bunch told the story of two families who came together to form a happy new clan. So, as is The Far Side’s nature, 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. This Far Side strip is playing with a lot of ideas at once, but at the core of it is a hilarious and demented spin on one of the most well-known sitcoms from the ‘60s.

2 Who Shot Sesame Street’s Big Bird?

Publication Date: February 26, 1991

Sesame Street is 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 like Sesame Street is outrageous, but it’s exactly the type of humor one would expect from The Far Side.

1 Mr. Ed’s Gruesome Fate

Publication Date: January 25, 1990

The Far Side is 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, this Far Side strip is pretty damn funny.