Netflix's teen dramedy series On My Block may not have garnered national attention like some of its other teen shows, but the series had a loyal following enough to earn it four seasons on the streaming service. Set in South Central Los Angeles, the show follows a group of four best friends as they navigate the ups and downs of high school in their less-than-perfect town.
While On My Block had its fair share of drama, dealing with breakups, broken promises, and rival gangs, the series also was full of hilarious moments. While a large part of the comedic moments stemmed from the show's hysterical characters, the series also had several running gags that spanned seasons and sometimes even the entire series.
Jamal's Injuries In Season One
Jamal (Brett Gray) has become one of the best comic relief characters on any teen show. He's quick-witted and ultimately finds himself in the most bizarre and hilarious situations, which makes him the perfect character to bestow a running gag on.
Throughout all of season one, Jamal fakes various injuries to keep from playing football, because he's afraid he'll get seriously hurt. The injuries start out minor, with Jamal claiming he has a scratched cornea forcing him to wear an eye patch, and grow in intensity until he's walking around with a fake neck brace. Though the joke only lasts for one season, it's a hilarious one.
The Gnomes
With all the drama going on throughout the four seasons of On My Block, no one thought that garden gnomes would play a central part in bringing humor to the show. But that's exactly what Chivo and his family of garden gnomes did for the series season after season.
Coincidently, it's Jamal who discovers and bonds with Chivo and his family of gnomes. The gnomes become characters of their own, especially Juanita, a promiscuous-looking garden gnome who is Chivo's love interest and takes an interest in Jamal. The humor of the gnomes stems from them randomly popping up at odd places in unexpected scenes.
Ruby's Sex Life
Sex is a big deal in most teenagers' lives, but for Ruby (Jason Genao) it's a massive deal. In fact, Ruby's ever-evolving sexual life is a large part of his character arc over the four seasons. It's also a hilarious running gag that takes various forms.
In the first season, Ruby is perpetually single, causing the major frustrations that lead him to spend most of his time in his room. Ruby's solo sexual activities are a constant source of jokes for his friends but Ruby doesn't mind too much. As the show progresses, and Ruby gets a girlfriend his life becomes even more colorful. His need to do the deed at inappropriate times, like when his family is right outside, becomes an even more hilarious farce.
The Rollerworld Money
Not only is Jamal one of the funniest characters in On My Block, but he's also one of the smartest. In season one, he goes on his own side quest in the hopes of finding the infamous Rollerworld money that the Santos stole from the Prophets and buried. The missing money is a constant source of comedy for Jamal, as he goes on crazy tangents about where the money could be.
Even after Jamal finds the money, the silliness continues as the group figures out what to do with the money next. The hunt for the Rollerworld money also has a running gag in itself since the money ends up going missing again during season 3 and becomes one of the season's biggest questions.
Jamal And Abuelita's Friendship
Another hilarious running gag that stems from Jamal is his relationship with Ruby's Abuelita (Peggy Blow). These two might seem like an unlikely pair, but they're comedy gold together and one of the show's best friendships.
On many occasions Jamal finds himself confiding in Abuelita instead of his own friends. However, the real comedy stems from Abueltia's candid advice where she encourages him to break laws and even smoke if she thinks it'll help him achieve his goals.
Monse's "Swears"
While teenagers usually have a colorful vocabulary, especially on Netflix original shows, Monse's (Sierra Capri) vocabulary takes on a whole other shade of the rainbow. As the only girl in the core four, Monse regularly has to put up with the boys' antics, and sometimes it's just too much.
Instead of calling them the typical to swear words, Monse gets creative regularly telling them to "eat a butt" and other weird yet hilarious "swears." It's one of the best parts of her character.
Jasmine's Obsession With Ruby
It seems like every character in On My Block is obsessed with something, but fans can agree that when it comes to most obsessive, Jasmine (Jessica Marie Garcia) wins the award. Not only is she obsessed with herself, but she's also obsessed with Ruby - even when they're not actually dating.
Jasmine's love for Ruby is endearing and hilarious, making it one of the best continuing jokes of the show. She'll literally drop everything to support him even if he doesn't want her to.
Abuelita Drug Habits
Abuelita may not be the main character in On My Block, but she's definitely one of the most likable characters. Her personality alone is hilarious, as are her relationships with the kids, especially Jamal. However, she's also the source of humor when it comes to her constant drug use.
Though she may be older, Abuelita is often seen smoking pot. She even encourages Jamal and Ruby to do it to release tension. The gag comes to an all-time high in season four when she sends Jamal looking for her stash after she lands in the hospital due to her health.
The Mystery Around Lil' Ricky
There are several mysteries that arise over the course of On My Block's four seasons but one of the most hilarious that turned into a running gag was the mystery surrounding Lil' Ricky (Ricardo Galindo). As the founder of the Santos, Lil' Ricky was instrumental in the Rollerworld money before disappearing without a trace.
While everyone speculates he's dead, his spirit is present through Chivo's Lil' Ricky gnome. It isn't until season four though that the real story about what happened to Lil' Ricky is revealed. It's a running gag that's worth the wait, especially since Jamal forgets ever meeting him.