9 Classic Sitcom Characters Michael Fassbender’s Assassin Uses As Aliases In The Killer

David Fincher’s latest Netflix film, The Killer, sees Michael Fassbender’s titular assassin utilizing the names of classic sitcom characters as aliases. The crime thriller follows its nameless protagonist as he travels across the US seeking revenge on those complicit in a hit attempt that left his girlfriend hospitalized. The Killer explores the psyche and process of a professional assassin as he eliminates his targets utilizing various methods while his inner monologue contemplates each event as it happens. A notable aspect of Fassbender’s character is that he uses several fake IDs and passports to travel and access his banking, all of which use aliases based on fictional characters.

David Fincher’s best movies are known for their meticulous detail, and The Killer follows a character with similar attention to specificity. The Killer is extremely careful, constantly having to repeat his mantras as he carries out horrible acts of violence, focusing on the required discipline of his line of work. It’s an interesting contrast to his character that his fake identification would be sitcom characters, showing a dry, darkly humorous tone to the film.

9 Felix Unger (The Odd Couple)

The Killer uses the alias Felix Unger to board a flight to Miami.

Following the film’s initial botched assassination sequence, the Killer’s paranoia is shown as he exits his perch and plans his escape from the country. He boards a flight from Paris to Miami using the alias Felix Unger before the desk agent comments on his impressive amount of air miles. This name is in reference to the 1970s sitcom The Odd Couple, in which actor Tony Randall played the character Felix Unger. The Odd Couple was originally written as a play in 1965, adapted into a Jack Lemmon-starring film in 1968, and remade again as a sitcom in 2015.

8 Archibald Bunker (All In The Family, Archie Bunker’s Place)

The Killer uses the name Felix Unger to board a flight to Santo Domingo.

After landing in Miami from Paris, the Killer books his next flight to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. After he gets spooked by a man on the same flight path as him, he swaps to a new flight, using a different name. In this case, he utilizes the alias Archibald Bunker. Archibald “Archie Bunker” is another classic ’70s sitcom character from the series All in the Family and the spin-off Archie Bunker’s Place. Actor Carroll O’Connor played Archie Bunker in the two series from 1971 to 1983.

7 Oscar Madison (The Odd Couple)

The Killer uses the name Oscar Madison to ship a package.

In the Dominican Republic, the Killer sends a FedEx package to Dolores, which he would later use to infiltrate her office and assassinate her and Hodges. This decision rewards a re-watching of the film, as it’s easy to miss on the first go. He uses a Visa card to pay for the shipping, which shows his name as the alias Oscar Madison. Oscar Maddison is Felix Unger’s other half in The Odd Couple and was played by Jack Klugman. In the recent reboot of the series, Oscar Madison was played by Matthew Perry.

6 Howard Cunningham (Happy Days)

The Killer uses the alias Felix Unger to board a flight to New Orleans.

After killing Leo, the taxi driver, the Killer sets off on his mission to eliminate those who pose a threat to him and his girlfriend. He boards his first flight to New Orleans to carry out his first hit on Hodges and Dolores. When boarding this flight, he again uses a new alias, Howard Cunningham. Cunningham was another ’70s sitcom character from the ABC show Happy Days, which starred Ron Howard. Actor Tom Bosley played Howard Cunningham in the series, one of the show’s main characters and the father of the show’s family.

5 Reuben Kincaid (The Partridge Family)

The Killer uses the alias Felix Unger to rent a car in Florida.

Following the Killer’s business in New Orleans, he drives his rental vehicle to Tampa, Florida, to eliminate the Brute. He drops off the keys for one vehicle, then purchases another car rental with a different service, using the alias Reuben Kincaid. The alias is a reference to the 1970s sitcom The Partridge Family, which centered around the musical career of the titular family’s band. Most of the cast was composed of the musical Partridges, with Reuben Kincaid as their manager. Kincaid was played by actor David Madden.

4 Lou Grant (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Lou Grant)

The Killer uses Lou Grant as his name to book his flight to New York.

After an intense brawl with the Brute in Florida, Fassebender’s Killer lights a Molotov cocktail and leaves the barbaric man’s home in flames, burning all evidence that may lead back to him. Now covered in blood and bruises, the Killer moves on to his next target in New York. To board his flight up north, he uses the alias Lou Grant. Played by Ed Asner, one of the best TV actors of all time, Lou Grant was a character who appeared in both the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1970-1977 and its spinoff, Lou Grant, where Asner took the character in a more serious direction.

3 Sam Malone (Cheers)

The Killer uses Sam Malone as his alias for a car rental in New York.

After landing in New York, the Killer takes a train out to an upstate New York suburb, where he rents another car to pursue Tilda Swinton’s character, the Expert. When renting the new vehicle, he uses a Massachusetts driver’s license with the alias Sam Malone. Malone was a character on the ’80s sitcom Cheers, played by another iconic TV actor, Ted Danson. The Massachusetts license is another reference to the sitcom, which takes place in Boston.

2 George Jefferson (The Jeffersons, All In The Family)

The Killer uses George Jefferson as his fake name at the bank.

Shortly before The Killer’s ending, the protagonist arrives in Chicago to assassinate his last target. But first, he ties up loose ends in the United States, closing his account with a bank to transfer his wealth to a Caribbean account, setting himself up to disappear back to his home in the Dominican Republic and live out his days once his work is done. He fills out the paperwork under the name George Jefferson, a reference to a character from the 1970s sitcom All in the Family and its spin-off, The Jeffersons.

1 Robert Hartley (The Bob Newhart Show)

The Killer uses Robert Hartley as the name for his gym membership.

To study his final target the Killer books a trial membership at the Baliquinox gym. He checks into the gym under the name Robert Hartley, which is in reference to Bob Newhart’s character on The Bob Newhart Show. The ’70s sitcom sees Newhart play Dr. Robert Hartley, a Chicago-based psychologist. The use of the name in this specific location is another sly reference, signifying a bit of levity in The Killer, contrasting the film’s darker, violent tones. Meanwhile, Fassbender’s Killer never actually reveals his real name.