It’s Friday the 13th… for the third time in 2026! An event on the calendar that occurs every 6-7 years on average. So while you might be spending the day avoiding black cats or walking under ladders, I’ve pulled together some entertaining superstition clips in some of our favorite sitcoms from the 80s and 90s.
Frasier – Head Game
Rubbing a lucky rabbit’s foot for good luck is a well-known superstition. But what about rubbing a psychiatrist’s head?
In this episode of Frasier, Seattle Supersonics star Reggie Macklemore is in a basketball slump. After appearing as a guest on Bulldog’s sports radio show, he runs into Dr. Niles Crane in the studio. Niles had been filling in for his brother.
Reggie explains to Niles that he needs help. After a series of winning plays that happen right after he coincidentally rubs Niles’ head, he begins to believe that the hair rubbing is what’s bringing him good luck.
But of course, Niles thinks this is nothing but a bunch of hogwash, and decides to no longer attend the games.
Married with Children – Luck of the Bundys
Horoscopes can be a very persuasive way to shape how you live your life. And if things go well for you like they did for Al Bundy in this episode of Married with Children, you might just believe in them.
Peggy reads Al his horoscope: he is about to receive a streak of good luck. But Al dismisses any chance of good luck as the Bundy Curse ensures that something bad is sure to come after any bit of good luck.
And just when Al thinks the curse has finally lifted, the whole thing comes crashing down.
Friends – The One With the Giant Poking Device
“Every time I go to the dentist, someone I know dies.” In this episode of Friends, this is the very fear Phoebe claims happens to her. And unfortunately, she is experiencing a major toothache and needs to see a dentist.
After biting the bullet (no pun intended) and visiting the dentist, she realizes that everyone she knows she is still alive. She is instantly relieved, and feels the curse must be broken.
While the gang celebrates they notice that the naked guy who lives across the way hasn’t moved from his chair in some time. There is now a new panic that maybe someone may have died after all. Joey comes up with a plan to make a giant poking device out of chopsticks and they cleverly use it to poke him. The naked man swats it away, and the gang once again are relieved and back to celebration.
Home Improvement – Unchained Malady
Who remembers chain letters? Are they even still a thing? Well, in this episode of Home Improvement, Tim quickly dismisses a chain letter he’s received. And for those who know and believe in this superstition (like his wife, Jill), there’s a rule: if you break the chain by not writing and sending more letters within 24 hours of receiving it, bad luck will be bestowed upon you for seven days.
Tim can’t seem to break his new bad luck streak. But as it turns out, it wasn’t “bad luck” after all. And thanks to a heart-to-heart with Jill, turns out Tim is just a klutz and it wasn’t the chain letter causing him to have all these accidents.
ALF – Superstition
Oh darn those blasted curses! In this episode of ALF, ALF experiences a bunch of bad-luck accidents and declares that he’s been put under a Melmacian curse. According to the legend on Melmac, destroying a history book brings about 14 years of bad luck.
Throughout the episode, ALF’s attempts to avoid the curse although he still needs to work through these unfortunate mishaps. The Tanner family eventually humors him in that the curse is real, and try to help him break it. But by the end, the curse appears to be lifted and all is well in good ALF fashion.
Has watching these sitcom superstitions got you looking around for that chain letter you might have tossed years ago? Don’t fret. According to all of these episodes, no matter what curse, bad luck, or superstition is feared, everything ends up ok in the end. Happy Friday the 13th!
