Shoelaces As Seen In TV Shows

In TV Shows

Shoelaces occasionally make an appearance on the “small screen”, usually as the butt of jokes because of their perceived insignificance. Here's some of my collection of shoelaces as seen in TV shows.

NOTE: Click on any small TV show screenshot to view a larger screenshot plus the relevant excerpt of the TV show's dialogue (JavaScript required).

TV Show Excerpts

Twirlywoos episode 1.05 – “Connecting” (2015)

Screenshot from “Twirlywoos” episode 1.05

At a bus stop, the Twirlywoos witness a boy re-tying his loose shoelaces. They are learning about “connecting”, so they start by connecting the boy's shoelaces together, then continue to connect the three waiting passengers together via their shoelaces.

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The Paradise episode 2.04 – “Episode 4” (2013)

Screenshot from “The Paradise” episode 2.04

Mr Fenton (Adrian Scarborough) has lost a bet, and agrees to pay the original asking price that Mr Weston (Ben Daniels) wanted for The Paradise. Mr Weston – obviously vengeful – replies that he wouldn't even sell Mr Fenton a shoelace.

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The Big Bang Theory episode 11.08 – “The Tesla Recoil” (2017)

Screenshot from “The Big Bang Theory” episode 11.08 (2017)

Howard (Simon Helberg), Raj (Kunal Nayyar), Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) are ready to watch a movie but are waiting for Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Amy (Mayim Bialik) to arrive. The two are running late thanks to Sheldon's untied shoelace, which Amy re-ties.

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The Big Bang Theory episode 6.20 – “The Tenure Turbulence” (2013)

Screenshot from “The Big Bang Theory” episode 6.20

Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and his friends and co-workers are up for tenure. Penny (Kaley Cuoco) offers to accompany Leonard to an informal meeting with members of the tenure committee, and bends over to tie her shoelaces to demonstrate to him that she would be an “ass”et.

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The Big Bang Theory episode 5.11 – “The Speckerman Recurrence” (2011)

Screenshot from “The Big Bang Theory” episode 5.11

Leonard (Johnny Galecki) is up in the middle of the night, churning over whether to meet with his former classmate, Jimmy Speckerman, who used to bully him. Leonard recounts to Sheldon (Jim Parsons) that Speckerman once made him floss his teeth with his own shoelaces.

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Curb Your Enthusiasm episode 8.06 – “The Hero” (2011)

Screenshot from “Curb Your Enthusiasm” episode 8.06

Larry (Larry David), emerging from an airplane bathroom, trips on his excessively long shoelace and inadvertently brings down a drunk, abusive passenger, making him an instant hero. Back on the ground, the same long laces also end up getting tangled in a subway train door.

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Two and a Half Men episode 6.12 – “Thank God for Scoliosis” (2009)

Screenshot from “Two and a Half Men” episode 6.12

Berta (Conchata Ferrell) is telling Charlie (Charlie Sheen) how she worked for actor Telly Savalas, who had the type of passion that could be aroused by someone tying their shoelaces in front of him.

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Phineas and Ferb episode 2.03 – “Tip of the Day” (2009)

Screenshot from “Phineas and Ferb” episode 2.03

Phineas and Ferb learn that the tip of a shoelace is called an aglet. Soon the whole town is trying to raise awareness of this little-known word, including singing a song spelling out “A-G-L-E-T”. Virtually the whole episode is devoted to aglets!

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The Suite Life of Zack & Cody episode 1.22 – “Kisses & Basketball” (2006)

Screenshot from “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” episode 1.22

London (Brenda Song) – a teenage shopaholic – wants to shop, but Maddie (Ashley Tisdale) is in control of her credit card. London is desperate to buy something – anything – whether it be a pair of shoes, a single shoe, a shoelace – or even less.

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SpongeBob SquarePants episode 2.01a – “Your Shoe's Untied” (2000)

Screenshot from “SpongeBob SquarePants” episode 2.01a

Gary – somewhat surprisingly – ties SpongeBob's shoes, then lifts his (snail) body to reveal that he also wears shoes himself. To explain how he learned, Gary lifts his shell to reveal a record turntable and plays a shoe-tying song titled “Loop de Loop”.

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Spin City episode 3.06 – “Three Men and a Little Lady” (1998)

Screenshot from “Spin City” episode 3.06

Mayor Randall Winston (Barry Bostwick) and his assistants Mike (Michael J. Fox) and Paul (Richard Kind) are taking a shortcut through a back alley when the mayor stops to re-tie a loose shoelace. The laneway turns out to be a dead end, where the three are mugged by a schoolgirl.

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Seinfeld episode 9.01 – “The Butter Shave” (1997)

Screenshot from “Seinfeld” episode 9.01

Jerry (Seinfeld) – an obsessive germophobe – removes and discards one of his shoelaces when he discovers that a loose end touched the floor of a men's room (lavatory).

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Seinfeld episode 8.04 – “The Little Kicks” (1996)

Screenshot from “Seinfeld” episode 8.04

Jerry (Seinfeld) is walking along the street with Kramer (Michael Richards) when, for no apparent reason, he stops to re-tie his right shoelace.

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Seinfeld episode 7.23 – “The Wait Out” (1996)

Screenshot from “Seinfeld” episode 7.23

George (Jason Alexander) and his fiancé, Susan (Heidi Swedberg), are sitting in a café, obviously at a conversational dead-end. No doubt recalling how the last such conversation (see below) led to Susan buying shoelaces, George notes that they're working out okay.

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Seinfeld episode 7.18 – “The Friar’s Club” (1996)

Screenshot from “Seinfeld” episode 7.18

George (Jason Alexander) and his fiancé, Susan (Heidi Swedberg), are sitting in a café, obviously at a conversational dead-end. George finds himself recounting how his shoelace broke, and resignedly accepts Susan's help in buying a replacement.

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Seinfeld episode 6.24 – “The Understudy” (1995)

Screenshot from “Seinfeld” episode 6.24

Gennice (Adelaide Miller), an understudy for Bette Midler, gets her big chance to take the stage, only to come unstuck after barely singing one line due to an untied shoelace. In a parody of Tonya Harding's skate lace incident in the 1994 Olympics, she tearfully begs to be allowed to start over.

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Seinfeld episode 5.10 – “The Cigar Store Indian” (1993)

Screenshot from “Seinfeld” episode 5.10

Kramer (Michael Richards) and Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) are on the New York subway. At Queensboro Plaza, Kramer re-tightens both his shoelaces in preparation for a dash onto the station to buy a Gyros and get back onto the same train.

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Full House episode 6.06 – “Educating Jesse” (1992)

Screenshot from “Full House” episode 6.06

Danny (Bob Saget) decides to give Michelle (Mary-Kate Olsen) an impromptu shoe-tying lesson and song. This doesn't go well, as Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) argues with Danny that the “overs” and “unders” in his song are incorrect.

Besides this initial scene, the episode contains several more shoelace-tying scenes.

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Full House episode 3.05 – “Granny Tanny” (1989)

Screenshot from “Full House” episode 3.05

Michelle (Mary-Kate or Ashley Olsen) asks her older sister Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) to tie her shoes for her. Stephanie then tries to teach her younger sister how to tie them for herself, using a bunny-rabbit mnemonic.

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Cheers episode 1.06 – “Any Friend of Diane’s” (1982)

Screenshot from “Cheers” episode 1.06

Diane (Shelley Long) is trying to impress a friend by pretending that she is in a relationship with her handsome boss Sam (Ted Danson). Sam decides to torment Diane by asking her to tie his shoelace. Diane immediately reciprocates by tying them excruciatingly tight.

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M*A*S*H episode 5.02 – “Bug Out” (1976)

Screenshot from “M*A*S*H” episode 5.02

Hawkeye (Alan Alda), Hot Lips (Loretta Swit) and Radar (Gary Burghoff) stay behind while the rest of the M*A*S*H 4077th unit retreats. Radar brings in some foodstuffs that they were left, including some shoelaces, which Hawkeye jokes about how he would like them served.

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Columbo episode 4.01 – “An Exercise in Fatality” (1974)

Screenshot from “Columbo” episode 4.01

Columbo (Peter Falk) proves to Milo (Robert Conrad) that the victim's shoelaces were tied by someone else due to the different orientation of the loops. A murderer undone by a shoelace bow! Contains great close-ups of shoelaces being tied.

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Happy Days episode 1.06 – “The Deadly Dares” (1974)

Screenshot from “Happy Days” episode 1.06

Richie (Ron Howard) and Potsie (Anson Williams) have to carry out six “deadly dares” to join a local gang. In one dare, they tie together the shoelaces of a policeman while he is trying to ask Marsha (Beatrice Colen) out on a date.

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If you know of any other TV shows in which shoelaces make a notable appearance, please Contact Ian.

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This page last updated: 27-May-2023. Copyright © 2016-2023 by Ian W. Fieggen. All rights reserved.

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