The office suffers when Larry and Darlene tentatively begin a romance, prompting a domino effect of hurt feelings and jealousy.
WAR
67.6
Wins Above Replacement
“Office Romance” ranks #86 of 90 The Larry Sanders Show episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 82.1 — Elite. The episode packs 76 scored jokes at 3.5 per minute, averaging 7.0 on craft and 6.8 on impact, with Larry landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Artie: 'And it was 3 evenings.' — Artie's correction, delivered deadpan
Artie Deadpan/Understatement Escalation Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Artie · Larry: Artie: 'I thought we agreed that our evening of bliss was an event best not repeated.' Larry: 'Well, you picked a fine time to tell me this.' Artie: 'And it was 3 evenings.'
Artie Larry Callback Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Callback Phil: Did you guys fuck between the 9th and 10th floor?
Artie Larry Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Artie: Oh, me neither. This is the easiest 2,500 I've ever made.
Hank Larry Cringe/Discomfort Physical/Slapstick ★ Rewatch Callback Darlene · Paula: Darlene tells Paula: 'Remember that guy I told you I was seeing who I thought could speak French, and then I found out it was just all made-up words? That was Phil?!'
All Jokes — 76 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ The charges were immediately denied by denny's grand Imperial wizard.
Hank Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Ex-wife lorena has offered to do the circumcision.
Hank Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Bob Barker: Barker denies the charges, saying he's been spayed and neutered since '89.
Larry Setup/Punchline Dark/Subversive Darlene: You said you weren't coming last year, and you ended up winning the sack race.
Larry Setup/Punchline Dark/Subversive Larry: Yeah. Well, you know, I'd do anything to win the sack race.
Larry Setup/Punchline Wordplay/Pun Hank: Couple of rats got caught in the mechanism.
Larry: How long before I come back around?
Artie: I'll cancel the ranch. And the rest of us can sit in a sensory deprivation tank and see who takes a shit first.
Larry: You feel like you're sitting in the gift shop of the u.N.
Larry: I believe it's so she can use the diamond lane.
Artie: A thousand bucks says this means big trouble.
Hank Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Larry: Make it an even 2,000.
Artie: I've never been so turned on in my life.
Larry: Oh, me neither.
Artie: This is the easiest 2,500 I've ever made.
Darlene Character Comedy Reaction Beat Callback Artie: Oh, me neither. This is the easiest 2,500 I've ever made.
Hank Larry Cringe/Discomfort Physical/Slapstick ★ Rewatch Callback Larry: It ain't dipped in gold. Like I'm supposed to know what that means.
Artie Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Hank: Well, I'm not into interracial dating, 'cause it just, uh...Never works. I mean, sex is good, but in the morning, the cultural differences start to rear their ugly heads.
Larry: I believe that cultural differences would happen with you and any woman.
Artie Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Hank Kingsley: Back off, jack.
Hank: Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?
Darlene: Screw him. It's not like it's a dog or--
Larry Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Hank: How about the time Tipper Gore complained about my breath? Because I think Larry was a little pissed about that. But my god. I-- I had an infection.
Artie Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Phil: Did you guys fuck between the 9th and 10th floor?
Artie Larry Setup/Punchline Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Phil: Next week it'll be Bill Clinton and who else, Hillary?
Artie Larry Deadpan/Understatement Escalation ★ Rewatch Callback Clinton is in deep trouble with whitewater. Remember the days when he was only in trouble with white women?
Artie Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Clinton is in deep Trouble with whitewater. Remember the days when He was only in trouble With white women?
Larry Character Comedy Escalation Sadly, it turned out to be gene rayburn.
Larry: With the olsen twins?
Larry Awkward Silence Character Comedy Paula: I thought you said it made me look like Pat Benatar's shorter, fatter sister.
Larry: No, I said 'cuter.'
Phil Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Should we keep saget? And he'd be like that. Like, should we get rid of cagney and lacey? He'd be like that.
Phil Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Phil: Now I'm doubly screwed because I went a whole month without having an orgasm.
Darlene: Well, guess what. So did i.
Phil: Well, that's the point, right?
Phil Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Phil: You and paula are not best friends. You're girls.
Phil Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Phil: You and paula are Not best friends. You're girls.
Phil Larry Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Darlene: I could never leave Hank.
Phil Larry Cringe/Discomfort Misdirection ★ Rewatch Callback Beverly: Twice in one day is two times too many.
Paula: It's got A flashlight, Compass, stopwatch. I can do anything With this.
Larry Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Larry: She's not a thinker. The blond hair? Big breasts?
Paula: You should have kept jerry and fired phil for being a lying prick.
Phil: I will sue the Show. I want you To know that.
Hank Character Comedy Observational Artie: You'll be getting the bill from the browning dealer for this sweetheart. 5 grand. I'll pay the extra grand.
Phil Cringe/Discomfort Dark/Subversive Artie: Well, I thought we agreed that our evening of bliss was an event best not repeated.
Phil Irony/Sarcasm Setup/Punchline Larry Sanders: Well, you picked a fine Time to tell me this.
Larry: And it was 3 evenings.
Phil Meta/Self-Referential Character Comedy Callback Larry: I want my money back.
Writer Visual Gag Character Comedy Writer: Writer in the writers' room has been reading the Sharper Image catalog 'to see how to spend your money' — offering a $3,000 satellite locator for when you're 'bombed one night'
Writer Character Comedy Observational Artie: Artie: 'I believe they're still standing by the elevator, frozen in shock and amazement.'
Artie Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Callback Larry · Writer: Writer doing a British accent: 'Hello, mum, hello.' Larry: 'That's funny.' Writer: 'That's funny to you?'
Larry · Artie: Larry, panicking about Darlene/Phil news, asks: 'How long has Darlene been dating Phil?' Artie immediately: '4,500.'
Larry Artie Callback Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Callback Larry: Clinton/Whitewater joke: 'Remember the days when he was only in trouble with white women?'
Larry Setup/Punchline Dark/Subversive Larry: Gene Rayburn asthma joke: 'Researchers have identified a gene that may cause asthma and hayfever. Sadly, it turned out to be Gene Rayburn.'
Larry Setup/Punchline Wordplay/Pun Bob Saget · Phil: Bob Saget arriving at the show greets Phil; Phil introduces himself. Bob asks if Phil is seeing anyone. Phil clears his throat and leaves.
Bob Saget · Writer: Bob Saget to a writer: 'There's somebody in the office that I like, and I don't know what to do about it.' Writer: 'Office romance. That's a bad idea.' 'With the Olsen twins?'
Phil · Paula: Phil asks Paula out; Paula mentions her new hair; Phil says he previously said it made her look like 'Pat Benatar's shorter, fatter sister'; Phil denies it, claiming he said 'cuter'
Phil · Paula: Phil: 'We have a natural banter going already. It's gonna be fun!' Paula: 'What the hell? It's just dinner.' Then: 'Actually... never mind.' Phil: 'What?' Paula: 'I was gonna ask you out eventually.'
Darlene · Paula: Darlene tells Paula: 'Remember that guy I told you I was seeing who I thought could speak French, and then I found out it was just all made-up words? That was Phil?!'
Paula · Darlene: Paula: 'So he just asked me out to piss you off.' Then: 'I have to go get the phone.' — Paula exits twice using the same excuse
Darlene · Paula · Larry: Darlene: 'So he just asked me out to piss you off.' Paula: 'If I had known...I'm sorry.' / 'I have to go get the phone.'
Bob Saget: Bob Saget's toupee executive story — the CBS exec who took advice from his toupee, talking to it like a pet, taking it home to dinner
Phil · Darlene: Phil and Darlene's breakup: 'I went a whole month without having an orgasm.' / 'Well, guess what. So did I.' / 'Well, that's the point, right?'
Larry · Darlene: Darlene and Larry argue; Darlene says 'she's not my type' / Larry: 'Really? What don't you like? The blond hair? Big breasts?' Larry: 'You know, she's not a thinker.' Darlene starts crying quietly.
Larry · Darlene: In the elevator: Larry and Darlene both prefer the same one of the dolls she holds up. 'Which one of these do you like the most? / Oh. This one. / Yeah. Me, too.'
Larry Darlene Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Callback Larry · Darlene: Larry in the elevator tells Darlene 'we can't let things go on like this.' Darlene: 'I'm serious. She's not my type.' Larry: 'Really? What don't you like? The blond hair? Big breasts? You know, she's not a thinker.' Darlene cries quietly. Larry: 'I'm sorry to hear that, darlene. Who's next?'
Larry Darlene Cringe/Discomfort Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Larry · Darlene: Larry breaks it off with Darlene in the elevator: 'She's not my type.' 'What don't you like? The blond hair? Big breasts?' 'You know, she's not a thinker.'
Paula: Paula: 'You should have kept Jerry and fired Phil for being a lying prick.'
Paula Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Phil: Phil to Larry: 'Paula has threatened me with physical violence, and if something is to happen to me here, I will sue the show.'
Phil Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Larry · Artie: Larry: 'I'm gonna fire one of these idiots. Which one?' Artie: 'You know, you're right. Both of 'em. Both of those idiots.' Larry: 'Maybe 3?' Artie: 'Yeah. Maybe 4.' Larry: 'I quit.'
Larry Artie Escalation Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Artie: Artie's reply to Larry's 'I quit': 'Right. Heh! You want your money in cash or a check?'
Artie Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Callback Artie · Larry: Artie has purchased a Browning shotgun ('this sweetheart') worth $5,000 with engraving; tells Larry he'll pay the extra $1,000 for it. Larry: 'Load it.'
Artie Larry Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Artie: Artie announcing the retreat: 'Sixth annual Larry Sanders Annual Retreat! Fun and sun... in the sun.'
Artie Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Artie: Artie's retreat announcement: 'Sixth annual Larry Sanders Annual Retreat! Fun and sun...In the sun.'
Artie Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Hank: Hank to Larry on the bus: 'Here's Larry!' — doing the show's own intro on the bus
Hank Character Comedy Meta/Self-Referential Artie · Larry: Artie and Larry on bus, agreeing the staff brought it on themselves: 'I must say, they brought it on themselves.' 'Yes, they did.' 'Serves 'em all right.' 'It sure does.'
Artie · Larry: Artie: 'I thought we agreed that our evening of bliss was an event best not repeated.' Larry: 'Well, you picked a fine time to tell me this.' Artie: 'And it was 3 evenings.'
Artie Larry Callback Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Callback Artie: 'And it was 3 evenings.' — Artie's correction, delivered deadpan
Artie Deadpan/Understatement Escalation Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Larry: Larry: 'I want my money back.' — final line of the episode, referring to the bet
Larry Callback Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Callback Top Episodes — The Larry Sanders Show