The notepad, beard, and elongated shape of the hole indicate that he is a psychiatrist whose couch (and patient) have abruptly disappeared. The caption is a pun on a purported sudden success in treatment, but in reality reveals the shrink’s relief about the disposal of a difficult case that he was tired of working on.
You’ve got it, Kilby. It’s a pun (and I normally defend puns), but this is an extremely weak one. There is no context for why this happened in-universe. If there were and then the shrink said it, it would be a bit better.
I didn’t get it until seeing the comments, though possibly I might have done with a bit more of the paraphernalia of psychiatry on the walls, like certificates. And a large pot plant. But even then, I might not have.
My first, fleeting, thought was that this was some agoraphobic chap who spotted an opportunity to commit suicide by jumping to his death indoors rather than have to brave the outside world. Which in turn – going even more off topic – reminds me of driving around with an American friend in an area of rural France where he lived and I often visited. As we drove down a quiet lane and over a bridge over the river, I commented that the locals sometimes jumped from this bridge. He said, why? it’s not nearly high enough. I didn’t get it at first, until I realised he thought they were tried to kill themselves whereas I just meant they liked to jump into the river and splash about.
I took it as an “I’m sick of my job and looking for an excuse to quit” gag.
Narmitaj is right: there should have been at least a diploma on the wall. If Baldwin was too lazy to draw it, he could have scanned one and ‘shopped it down to illegibility, until just the rough outlines of the text remained. I also agree with Singapore Bill’s point about “context”, but it didn’t have to be explicitly in the dialog. The patient could have been implied to be morbidly obese by leaving a couple of fast-food containers and soda bottles on the edge of the hole.
Well, it’s not a great gag. But I don’t see any problem with how the gag is conveyed; and, with no offense intended toward those who missed it, … um, .. you really shouldn’t have missed it! :)
Comics I Don't Understand 
The notepad, beard, and elongated shape of the hole indicate that he is a psychiatrist whose couch (and patient) have abruptly disappeared. The caption is a pun on a purported sudden success in treatment, but in reality reveals the shrink’s relief about the disposal of a difficult case that he was tired of working on.
You’ve got it, Kilby. It’s a pun (and I normally defend puns), but this is an extremely weak one. There is no context for why this happened in-universe. If there were and then the shrink said it, it would be a bit better.
I didn’t get it until seeing the comments, though possibly I might have done with a bit more of the paraphernalia of psychiatry on the walls, like certificates. And a large pot plant. But even then, I might not have.
My first, fleeting, thought was that this was some agoraphobic chap who spotted an opportunity to commit suicide by jumping to his death indoors rather than have to brave the outside world. Which in turn – going even more off topic – reminds me of driving around with an American friend in an area of rural France where he lived and I often visited. As we drove down a quiet lane and over a bridge over the river, I commented that the locals sometimes jumped from this bridge. He said, why? it’s not nearly high enough. I didn’t get it at first, until I realised he thought they were tried to kill themselves whereas I just meant they liked to jump into the river and splash about.
I took it as an “I’m sick of my job and looking for an excuse to quit” gag.
Narmitaj is right: there should have been at least a diploma on the wall. If Baldwin was too lazy to draw it, he could have scanned one and ‘shopped it down to illegibility, until just the rough outlines of the text remained. I also agree with Singapore Bill’s point about “context”, but it didn’t have to be explicitly in the dialog. The patient could have been implied to be morbidly obese by leaving a couple of fast-food containers and soda bottles on the edge of the hole.
Well, it’s not a great gag. But I don’t see any problem with how the gag is conveyed; and, with no offense intended toward those who missed it, … um, .. you really shouldn’t have missed it! :)