Coming home from spring break, we passed a skydiving spot off I-75 near Tampa. It looked like an attractive place and as we watched from the highway my passenger was tempted to give it a try.
No matter how tempting the place was, she wanted no part of it. Having been terrified of heights since my childhood, I drove past it.
The rest of the way home I pondered the art of skydiving, remembering TV shows in which a character takes up the hobby. Here’s the list we came up with, featuring classic sitcoms and modern series.
Howard Sprague in Mayberry, RFD
The milquetoast (played by Jack Dodson) from the most famous fictional town in North Carolina pretended to like skydiving, just because his girlfriend found it an enjoyable hobby.
bud bundy in Married with children
Al and Peg’s only son (played by David Faustino) finds himself on a plane with a girl, hoping to impress her with his courage.
marge simpson in The Simpsons
To get out of the routine, Homer’s wife decides to experience the sensation of free fall through the air.
Woody, Norm and Cliff in Health
In the episode titled “Jumping Jerks”, the three friends make a pact to go parachute landing.
peggy hill in King of the hill
In the episode “The Decline and Fall”, Hank’s wife takes up skydiving, something the propane salesman never attempted.
Drake Bell and Josh Peck in Drake and Josh
The guitar-playing stepbrother gets into a helicopter to jump from, prompting a more sensible Josh to jump on it in hopes of talking him out of it.
Jesse Katsopolis in Full house
Before their wedding, Mary Kate and Ashley’s favorite uncle (played by John Stamos) decides to take a literal step. He landed in a tree and ended up riding home in a tomato truck, only to be late for the ceremony.
Peter Griffin in family man
“Turban Cowboy” is the episode where Peter, Quagmire and Joe parachute out to end their boring lives. Peter finds the activity so invigorating that he keeps jumping until a landing on the Eiffel Tower sends him to the hospital, where he is nearly convinced to convert to Islam.
Carly, Spencer, Freddie and Sam in icarly
After being invited to accept an award in Japan, the gang ends up having to parachute into Tokyo in an episode titled “I’m Going To Japan”.