Certain life situations just make you want to go, "Homina, homina, homina!"
Luckily, the classic television favorite, The Honeymooners, offered us a plethora of life lessons to help us keep our cool. Ralph Kramden, Alice Kramden, and Ed Norton were just average Americans, who made a significant connection with viewers — after all, they were just like us. Whether they were making trouble, dealing with hardship, or just wriggling out of a sticky situation, the cast always knew how to make the audience feel at home.
When you really sit down and think about it, The Honeymooners had much more to offer us than the unmatched comedic prowess and entertaining story lines.
The show provided loyal watchers with loads of wisdom and advice, hidden between each laugh. For every funny episode, there was something bigger to learn within.
Get ready to reminisce and check out the biggest life lessons that The Honeymooners taught us below.
And please SHARE with fellow fans of the show!
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1. "It's The Thought That Counts"
When Ralph pawns his bowling ball in order to buy his wife, Alice, an impressive Christmas gift, things take an unexpected turn.
In the episode, "'Twas The Night Before Christmas," Alice buys him a bag for his bowling ball, which is pretty much useless since Ralph sold the ball to afford Alice's gift. Although things don't turn out as planned, they both appreciate the time and effort they put into one another's present.
Because it really is the thought that counts.
2. "Friendship Makes You Wealthy"
Ralph and his best friend, Ed, have an unbreakable friendship that can survive even the most difficult of situations.
In "Better Living Through TV," Ralph and Ed go on live TV to promote a multi-purpose kitchen tool, one of Ralph's get-rich-quick schemes. When stage fright hits him, Ed tries to help and guide him through it, but Ralph is frozen.
Once again, this dynamic duo find themselves in some kind of trouble, but together, they discover a way out — or at least make the best of it.
3. "Always Check Where Your Train Is Headed"
In an episode called "Unconventional Behavior," Ralph and Ed are on a train to a raccoon convention after losing their wives at the station.
Of course, a ton of shenanigans and tests of patience ensue, leading up to the big reveal — they are on the wrong train the whole time, going in the opposite direction. That's why it's always a good idea to double check!
4. "Don't Pick On The Little Guy, His Friend May Be A Lot Bigger"
When Ralph starts arguing with a shorter man at the pool hall in the episode, "The Bensonhurst Bomber," the small man threatens to bring over his friend, Harvey.
Ralph, being someone of great pride, brushes it off and mocks the man, but he quickly realizes that the smaller man actually has a much, much bigger friend, who then towers over him and challenges him to a fight.
5. "Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch"
When Ralph finds a suitcase full of money, he decides to go a little crazy and spend it without a second thought.
Too bad all of the money turns out to be counterfeit — and the suitcase's owner wants it all back!
6. "There's Always Something You Don't Know"
In "The 99,000 Answer," Ralph prides himself on knowing the titles and tunes of every song there is.
When he gets his big chance to prove it on a game show, he learns that the one song he can't name is the one he's been hearing Ed play on the piano all day. Sometimes, it can be hard to admit when you don't know something, and it is especially difficult for Ralph!
7. "Embrace Your Age"
In the episode, "Young At Heart," Alice is visited by a teenager and begins to miss her youth.
She asks Ralph to go rollerskating, and when he attempts to skate as well as he did when he was a kid, he ends up hurting himself. Finally, they all realize that thinking about those younger times is what truly keeps you young.
8. "Always Be Yourself"
When Ralph meets Alice's ex-boyfriend in "A Man's Pride," he learns of the man's great success. Soon, he becomes ashamed of his career as a bus driver and pretends to be a big shot.
Ralph offers to pay the bill at a restaurant, expecting the man to deny his request and cover it himself. Instead, he accepts and tells Ralph to cover the enormous check. This lesson goes to show that staying true to yourself will always keep you out of trouble!
9. "Always Get A Second Opinion"
In the episode titled, "A Matter Of Life And Death," Ralph reads a letter addressed to his wife that states, "He might live for as long as 6 months."
He then thinks he has 6 months left to live and begins to panic about his health. As it turns out, the letter is actually referring to a dog that Alice is caring for, not Ralph.
If he had seen a doctor for a second opinion, Ralph would have avoided the whole mess.
10. "A Face-To-Face Apology Goes A Long Way"
After throwing Alice's mother out of the apartment and getting into a blowout fight in "A Matter Of Record," Ralph entrusts Ed to record his voice as he apologizes and sends it to his wife.
Alice ends up receiving the wrong recording, one where Ralph calls her mother a "blabbermouth." Maybe an in-person apology would have gone over better.
Sometimes, life can be hard, but at least we have these beloved life lessons from The Honeymooners to help us out, one step at a time. Please SHARE with other fans of the show!
