Saddest Moments in Television History?

[jmt225]

I know this thread has been done for Film before, but since it hasn't for television, I thought it'd be nice to hear people's thoughts.

First off, let me share a list from a website who listed their top ten saddest moments in Television history:

10. Lost — “Through the Looking Glass”

Episode Description: Ben confronts Jack, claiming that Naomi is not who she seems. Meanwhile, Sawyer and Juliet try to come up with a plan to rescue the hostages at the beach. Inside the Looking Glass, Charlie and Desmond struggle to find a way to shut off the blocking signal.

9. Quantum Leap — “M.I.A. April 1, 1969”

Episode Description: As an undercover police officer, Sam is caught in a familiar scenario to Al when he must prevent a M.I.A. Naval officer’s wife (who is actually Al’s wife) from marrying another man until he returns from captivity. But the other man keeps showing up and Sam thinks it may just be fate that the two come together.

8. BBC’s “The Office” — “Christmas Special”

Episode Description: Tim’s world is rocked when Dawn turns up at the office to say hello. Despite a stern warning from Gareth and wise words from Keith in Accounts, Tim can’t help but get his hopes up again. Meanwhile, David Brent has secured the services of a dating agency and, in between making celebrity appearances in nightclubs for £500 a go, he meets up for drinks with a rather disappointing selection of single women. The office Christmas party kicks off like any other but there are a few surprises in store.

7. Wonder Years — “Independence Day”

Episode Description: In the end, the narrator tells us that Paul went on to study law at Harvard, that Karen has her baby and that he looks like Kevin, that Norma goes on to become a board chairman and that Wayne takes over the family furniture business after Jack passes away two years later. Kevin and Winnie write to each other every week for the eight years after she leaves for France to study art history. When she returns, Kevin is married and has a son. Kevin realizes that nothing turns out how you plan, but that his memories of childhood will be with him forever.

6. “West Wing” — “Two Cathedrals”

Episode Description: On the day of Mrs. Landingham’s funeral, the staff deals with a Haitian presidential crisis and the law suit against the big tobacco companies, and Bartlet must decide about running for reelection.

5. “Friday Night Lights” — “Pilot”

Episode Description: A newcomer coach Eric Taylor finds himself helming a promising high school football team, the Dillon Panthers, that has a real chance to make it to the top.

4. Futurama — “Jurassic Bark”

Episode Description: Fry reads in the newspaper that archaeologists have recreated an old Pizzeria from the 20th Century. He and Bender go to see it and discover that it is in fact Panucci’s Pizza, the pizzeria Fry used to work at in 1999. Fry also discovers that the fossilized remains of his old dog Seymour are on display. Fry campaigns to get Seymour back and eventually does, and Farnsworth says he can use the cloning machine to bring Seymour back to life.

3. Buffy the Vampire Slayer — “The Body”

Episode Description: Buffy is devastated when she arrives home and finds her mother dead. The rest of the gang try their best to pull themselves out of their own grief so that they can help Buffy and Dawn to deal with the worst day of their lives.

2. Scrubs — “My Screw Up”

Episode Description: Jordan’s brother and sister return, but Dr. Cox learns that his brother-in-law Ben hasn’t visited a doctor about his cancer in the two years he has been gone traveling the world.

1. “Six Feet Under — “Everyone’s Waiting”

Episode Description: The drama about a Los Angeles funeral home meets its maker after five compelling seasons. Three weeks ago, Nate Fisher Jr.’s death ended speculation about which of the show’s major characters would die. But in the hands of creator Alan Ball, who wrote and directed this episode, you can bet the finale will be anything but anticlimactic. One issue certain to be resolved involves the health of Nate’s unborn child, since tonight, Brenda goes into labor. While the last two seasons have been downbeat, the writing has remained original, the acting terrific. Like Nate, the series will be missed.

So, with that... what are the most heartbreaking moments YOU have ever had watching a television program?

I have to be honest and say there haven't been many shows I ever followed with a passion. In fact, there's only one on that entire list that I've seen an episode of, and that's The Wonder Years, which is where I will start off.

I've already mentioned this in the Bar Room (which is what gave me the inspiration for this thread), but there's an episode of The Wonder Years titled, "Denial", and at the very end of the show there's this touching, touching moment between Kevin and his father. I'm going to post it below, but the back story here is that a couple of nights before, while on a field trip to the Museum with his class and also Winnie's school, Kevin finds out that Winnie has been 'cheating' on him and doesn't want to be in a relationship with him anymore. So, Kevin comes up with this plan to win Winnie back, by having Paul set up a party and inviting Winnie to it so he can get some alone time with her. But Winnie invites her boyfriend, so instead of Kevin being able to try and woo Winnie back to him, he has to watch as Winnie and her boyfriend dance and have fun and shit like that. Kevin, in the meantime, makes a complete ass of himself in front of everyone trying to showboat in front of Winnie, which leads to a very heated argument between Kevin and Winnie. Kevin says some hurtful shit he doesn't mean, and this is what happens when he leaves the party and returns home:

[youtube]7HmicD3WO_Q[/youtube]​

And there are so many more moments from The Wonder Years I could post, but I'll be here all day. This here just beats them all for me, though.

Another show I've loved over the years is Dawson's Creek. And there are two moments from this show that comes to mind:

1. The season 2 finale. Pacey's girlfriend Andie gets sent to a mental hospital towards the end of the show, and this somehow manages to finally bring Pacey closer to his father in one of the most touching scenes I've ever seen, on television or film. Joshua Jackson is such a great, underrated actor. And then there was the very end of the show where Joey completely writes off Dawson due to him forcing her to turn in her father to the police for drug dealing. That was pretty heart wrenching as well.

2. Season 5, Dawson's father dies and the episode following is just heartbreaking from start to finish. I get teary eyed every single time I watch it.

So, yeah... that's pretty much it for me. I would mention a couple of things from Roseanne since I was raised on the show, but even though Rosanne had some touching moments throughout it as well, the ******ed series finale completely ruined anything the show ever did, thus nothing deserves to get mentioned.

 

[NSL]

I have a few...My favorite show ever is Boy Meets World, and the last few shows of the series, were some of the most touching moments I've ever seen on TV. They do a lot of flashbacks, and there's a lot of times where it really relates to my own personal life, as far as people leaving for college, people moving away, and not knowing where life is going to lead you. Mr. Feeny is also superb in the final episode, and finally tells the students he loves them, after dismissing them from "class", to go live their lives, and enjoy wherever life leads them.

I'm also a sucker for the final show ever of M*A*S*H. I'll never admit to watching the entire series, but I did watch it enough to know who everyone was, and most of the story. The last episode is some of the best written stuff in the history of cinema, and still makes people cry when it airs as a re-run for the 500th time.

I also used to watch a ton of Roseanne, and when Dan had the heart attack at the wedding, there really was no clue that he'd live, and return for the following season. The show, and the media, played it out that it could be ending any week, so the heart attack truly felt real. He was just about everybody's favorite character on the show, and no one wanted to see him leave...

 

[Nate DaMac]

Lmmfao! Futurama made the list? Thats hilarious. I love the show, don't get me wrong. But damn. Anywho, there was a moment on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that comes to mind. Where Wills father comes back into his life, they start hanging out and start gettin close to the point where his dad invites him to go with him on a trip(he is a truck driver). Well on the day of the trip, daddy bails, leading to a very emotional moment between Will and Uncle Phil. Sad shit. Also some shit on Full House worth mentioning, just don't feel like it right now. Feel free.

 

[NSL]

Lmmfao! Futurama made the list? Thats hilarious. I love the show, don't get me wrong. But damn. Anywho, there was a moment on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that comes to mind. Where Wills father comes back into his life, they start hanging out and start gettin close to the point where his dad invites him to go with him on a trip(he is a truck driver). Well on the day of the trip, daddy bails, leading to a very emotional moment between Will and Uncle Phil. Sad shit. Also some shit on Full House worth mentioning, just don't feel like it right now. Feel free.

This reminds me of another Boy Meets World sad moment. On the 4th or 5th episode, the grandmother comes to visit, and gets Cory all excited about going to an Orioles game, and getting a Cal Ripken Jr. card signed. The morning of the big game, she takes off, only to come back a few days later with a signed card, trying to make amends for her mistake. Cory, as a young boy, is obviously still upset, and doesn't get over it...

 

[Nate DaMac]

You know, I used to love Boy Meets World, but for the life of me I can't think of any sad moments. Didn't Shawn's dad die? Well on an episode of Full House, wasn't there something like Stephanie having a classmate getting abused by his father? Can't remember if it was Steph or DJ.

 

[The Dewbliners]

As a proud Whedonite, even though it's been mentioned, the saddest moment in TV for me was "The Body". It just touches me, that Buffy finally showed emotion. The scenes that did it in for me were: 1) when Buffy found Joyce on the couch, and started yelling "Mommy!" That part makes me cry, every fuckin' time.

2)Anya's speech on death: Again, the fact that Anya showed concern for someone besides herself and Xander was startling. And for her to cry? Once more, that speech turns me into a blubbering idiot.

3.All the flashbacks were touching.

and finally

4)When Dawnie gets told by Buff that Joyce had passed away. Everytime I see Dawn hit the ground, I feel nothing but sadness. You see, in a way I can totally relate, being so young and losing ones mother. Everytime I see that scene, I just wish I could reach through my screen and comfort all of them.

Sorry to bring down the mood, guys!

 

[NSL]

You know, I used to love Boy Meets World, but for the life of me I can't think of any sad moments. Didn't Shawn's dad die? Well on an episode of Full House, wasn't there something like Stephanie having a classmate getting abused by his father? Can't remember if it was Steph or DJ.

Thanks for bringing back all the memories

But, yes. Shawn's dad died, and Mr. Turner had a bad motorcycle accident. Since his last episode ever, was with him in the hospital, and there was never a funeral, you can assume he lives, and has a normal life, but they don't explain it. There's also the few episodes where Topanga thinks that Corey had cheated on her while they were in Aspen, and the few episodes where Corey tries desperately to get Shawn and Angela back together. One of the sadder storylines, which had a rather funny scene, was where all the friends were arguing, and there's a flash-forward to their reunion, where Eric now goes by "Playswith Squirrels". He writes a manifesto of his life, and all it says "Lose one friend. Lose all friends. Lose yourself."

There's a load of sad moments in the history of that show...

 

[Nate DaMac]

Sorry man. Thanks for the reminder though. Its all coming back to me now. I remember how intense some of that shit got sometimes. Especially with Shawn and Angela. I thought of something that should have been number 1 on the list. The episode of 8 Simple Rules after the real life death of John Ritter. I don't remember a lot of it, but it was made sadder, for me at least, by how real it was. I heard a lot of the dialogue was meant to be a farewell from the cast and crew.

 

[juggalo]

well since all ur examples are actual tv shows im not shur if mine counts but i havta say....CNNs coverage of the columbine shooting
i was 8 when this happend i was home sick from school and it came on tv i watching it for what must hav been 12 hours

 

[ztwhite]

It appears as if live news events didn't count in that list, because the moment the second plane hit the Twin Towers on 9/11 would have to be number one.

I was sitting in a college lecture class and we had the tv on the Today show and when that shit happened, I knew what people meant when they say "my heart was in my throat".

Most definitely the saddest day in American television history.

 

[NSL]

I'd have to say that the 9/11 attacks, the Columbine shooting, and now Michael Jackson, don't qualify for "Television history", because they were bigger in real life, than they were on TV. They were real world happenings, and not something that was based on TV. Good ideas, but I just figured I'd clarify as best I can...

If you want to include real life, than it should have a sense of TV added to it. For instance, when Pedro Zamora died (the guy with AIDS from MTV's Real World), it was a sad moment in television history, because that was the only reason he was so famous. Sure, he had been doing speeches and tours, but Real World was what got him his popularity, and bought his story to the mainstream.

 

[Lee]

I am going to second NSL's Boy Meets world one, where they all sit in class with Feeney and Feeney tells them he loves them. A truly touching scene, to this day when I think of it I well up.

 

[X]

A few off the top of my head...

The last episode of Spin City that Michael J. Fox did (which I am actually watching as I write this, it was on FX about half an hour ago) has always really gotten to me. When Mike and all of his friends are in the bar, going over the good old times after Mike has taken a fall to save the mayor and resigned is really touching stuff, as is his farewell to the mayor. What really makes the episode though is the ending. It's a strange mixture of sadness and really a kind of strange joy. The second Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" starts playing and Michael J. Fox comes out (legit) to the audience and and says farewell and all the cast is hugging and crying, it gets me every god damn time. Part of the sadness is that at the time we had all just learned that Fox had been living with Parkinson's Disease and that he would be semi-retiring from acting, so it felt like we were really saying goodbye to Michael J. Fox forever, that this was it. But mixed in with that sadness is the joy that Springsteen's "Glory Days" always brings up in me. Very underrated show, and one of the best half hours of television ever in my book.

Another which was mentioned in the initial list was when Charlie died on Lost. He was always my favorite character on the show, and Dominic Monaghan played that character to absolute PERFECTION. Going through all of his struggles from season to season, from being a junkie to being (practically) a father, to see him sacrifice his life for everyone was both a testament to the character and to the writers. Not often does a TV show get me teary-eyed, but god damnit the tears were flowing during this one. A big part of what makes it so heartbreaking is the amazing Michael Giacchino's score. And finally, when Claire finds out that Charlie's dead, her face is just heartbreaking. Alot of the romance on Lost can feel very forced and well, un-romantic, but those two worked perfectly together and to see Charlie taken away when they were all so close to getting off the island was so sad.

I'll come back with more later, I can already think of some from Scrubs, The Wonder Years, and others.

 

[The Todd]

The number two on the list, Ben dying on Scrubs is the closest I have come to tears from a TV show. The way the episode was done fooled me, I had no idea Ben died. When you watch it again it's obvious, but the first time gets you. It makes it worse that he's been dead for days when you find out.

Also from Scrubs when Laverne (sp) dies is pretty sad. Even though she is a bit part character her actual death was emotional. Though the lookalike in series seven was funny.

There's also the ending to Prison Break which i saw the other day. Other than them I don't tend to get too worked up by televesion storylines. I haven't even seen most of the moments listed in this thread. I need to watch more TV.

 

[CH David]

There are definitely many out there.

Some have mentioned the Boy Meets World ending, and I completely agree. The emotion from Mr. Feeny is amazing.

I will also add one from Scrubs that I haven't seen mentioned yet. It would be towards the end of the episode of "My Lunch". 3 patients are found to have had rabies, and each start dying one by one, with How to Save a Life by The Fray playing to it. It gets really emotional during it, and especially at the end when Dr. Cox has an emotional breakdown.

Another one, and I am sure Buffy Fan may agree, but the end of Season 5 where Buffy has the fight with Glory, and then sacrificing herself for her sister. That always gets me when I watch it. From the first time to watched it, even until now it still gets to me.

Lastly, and I may get shit for it, but it is the original final episode of Futurama. Known as The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings, it is an awesome ending, and always gets me, because I love the ending. Fry has made an opera with the holophoner about Leela, with the use of the Robot Devil's, and the opera is great until Fry gets forced to choose between his hands and his love, Leela. So he chooses Leela, and the opera then sucks. Everyone leaves except Leela and she wants to see how it ends. So Fry plays as well as he can, and it ends with him and Leela kissing in the opera, and ends with a simple violin playing, and it gets me every freaking time.

 

[The Hiphopapotamus]

In the episode of house where a college graduate gets radiation poisoning from a graduation preszent from his father.The whole episode is sad,the kid lost his mother as a child and they are a disfunctional family.As the boy was dying,I almost cried.It was very touching.

Also the episode of srcubs mentioned in the opening post was very emotional.

 

[Loveless]

Various moments of The Wonder Years come to mind.

There 4 that come to mind with Scrubs, those being the death of Ben, Dr Cox's losing it and trashing the room after losing 3 patients, Carla saying goodbye to Nurse Roberts (Judy Reyes fucking nails that scene) and lastly the ending, which was truly the most perfect show ending I've ever seen.

Willow breaking down just before she's about to destroy the planet in Buffy.

End of Ugly Betty Season 1. You don't hear what's said but the physical reaction is one of devastation. Also Claire's talk with Bradford before she's taken away in handcuffs and he dies.

The Boy Who's Skin Fell Off

Top of my list though is Billy dying in Ally McBeal. The end of a 20 year love affair and any hope of a happy ending disappears in the space of 5 seconds. The show never recovered it's heart.

 

[mareek]

I remember the one episode on Saved by the Bell where Jesse gets addicted to sleep pills. She gets so addicted that out of nowhere she starts singing for Zack "I'm so excited!!......I'm so excited!!". It was kind of sad.

Idk if you guys watch Degrassi but the part where Jimmy gets shot is more shocking then sad but yeah.

 

[pyrusane]

There are a few for me.

21 Jump Street, La Bizca Hanson and Penhall go to el Salvadore to find Penhall's deported wife Marta. They go through hell trying to get to her mother's small village, including being captured and tortured by soldiers at one point. They finally arrive at the village in time to be taken to Marta's fresh grave. She's been dead for two days, which means that they could have gotten there in time to save her if they hadn't hit so many obstacles. Pretty heavy stuff for FOX at that point in time.

X mentioned Charlie dying on LOST, that was one of the most emotional moments that show has ever had. I watched the entire first three seasons over the course of about two weeks, and when Charlie died, it wrecked me.

The final episode of Quantum Leap. Sam makes the decision to go back and fix the episode mentioned in the first post, so that Al and his first wife stay together. In the words that flash on the black screen at the end of the episode, it talks about how Al and his wife remained married for the rest o their lives, or something to that effect, then the final words, "Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home." You spent that whole series assuming he would eventually make it home, only to find out that he eventually just faded away into nothing.

The final episode of Enterprise. Trip Tucker was my favorite character on that series, and the fact that they killed him off in what was basically a throw-away episode was sad and wrong.

 

[Shadowmancer]

well to bring in something that I never saw when it originally happened because I wasn't even born yet, but I have seen it numerous times due to having the DVDs and also on TV as repeats and that is the death of Lt.Col. Henry Blake at the end of season 3 of M*A*S*H. It truly is one of the saddest moments on the show, along with when Radar leaves. But Radar giving everyone the news within the operating room of the fact that Henry Blake's plane had been shot down actually brings in the fact that M*A*S*H was set in a war and that the characters were involved not just the ones that patched up people but they were affected by the war due to people they know getting killed.

 

[Blade]

I thought the last Lost episode was pretty sad at the ending.
Sawyer and Juliet broke up, and Jack wants to use the nuke to erase everything that has happened to them. After some hesitation Jack drops the nuke down the hole. But it doesn't go off. Then the island's magnet starts up, sucking everything metal in the area. A nearby chain wraps around Juliet's waist and she starts to get pulled down into the hole. Kate and Sawyer try their best to hold onto her, but her hand slips out of Sawyer's and she falls down the hole. There's that moment where you realise that the plan with the nuke not only didn't work, but it cause Juliet's death too.
Then, on the very last scene of the season, we see Juliet at the bottom of the hole. She's somehow still alive and covered in blood. She regains consiousness and starts crying when she realises where she is and that she going to die slowly. Then she looks beside her and sees the nuke. She starts hitting it with a rock screaming at it to explode.

Those ten or so minutes are some of the most heart wrenching minutes I've ever watched. And Juliet's death is sadder than Charlie's...

 

[Phoenix]

As a proud Whedonite, even though it's been mentioned, the saddest moment in TV for me was "The Body". It just touches me, that Buffy finally showed emotion. The scenes that did it in for me were: 1) when Buffy found Joyce on the couch, and started yelling "Mommy!" That part makes me cry, every fuckin' time.

2)Anya's speech on death: Again, the fact that Anya showed concern for someone besides herself and Xander was startling. And for her to cry? Once more, that speech turns me into a blubbering idiot.

3.All the flashbacks were touching.

and finally

4)When Dawnie gets told by Buff that Joyce had passed away. Everytime I see Dawn hit the ground, I feel nothing but sadness. You see, in a way I can totally relate, being so young and losing ones mother. Everytime I see that scene, I just wish I could reach through my screen and comfort all of them.

Sorry to bring down the mood, guys!

The other factor that I think makes this episode stand out as amazing to add emphasis on the death situation, the lack of backing music. I don't there's ever been a TV episode (to my knowledge) that's done a death without emotional music, this really gets to you because of the reality of the situation.

I would add the finale of Season 5 as previously mentioned, you feel the pain that Buffy's friends all feel because you didn't believe it but it happened.

This is might be an odd one to some, but I'm adding a Heroes sequence, the death of Daphne. Despite the fact that they did the whole "she's dead, she's alive, barely" stuff that ruined some effect, her last few minutes had a thing of beauty about it, Matt gave her as much as he could to keep her happy as it was too late to save her, but the moment you realise that this occurs, it hits you. My best friend and myself felt really sad about this because she was a good character and was sent off with an emotion that none of the other characters have really been given.

I don't know whether it's a sad ending or just one of the best moving endings to a series, but Blackadder Goes Forth, where they're going over the top, just simply amazing, I wouldn't call it a tear-jerker, but it's certainly a moving one, especially with the effect of the final build up as they prepare to go over:

[youtube]/v/9Ba-64h6d6Q&hl=en&fs=1&[/youtube]

 

[tbanger]

4 that come to mind with Scrubs, those being the death of Ben, Dr Cox's losing it and trashing the room after losing 3 patients, Carla saying goodbye to Nurse Roberts (Judy Reyes fucking nails that scene) and lastly the ending, which was truly the most perfect show ending I've ever seen.

Dunno about the ending, it was brilliant but it wasn't that much of an emotional episode for me, but certainly agree with the other 3.
One forgotten classic is My Tormented Mentor (or at least I think thats the name). its the first of two episodes with Michael J Fox in. His character has OCD. Turk, JD and Cox all want to confront him at the end because he has unwittingly made them all feel bad, but then JD realises how bad his OCD is, as he reveals he can't leave the hospital despite his shift ending 3 hours ago, because he has to wash his hands perfectly. The music, "Everything's not lost", by Coldplay, is perfect, Braff and Fox are perfect, and it gets me every time i watch it.

 

[LamaNamaneumi]

The show Suddenly Susan when Susan can't get ahold of Todd. She looks all over for him and finds out about a bunch of good things he did for others. When she gets back to the office the cops come and tell everyone he was dead.
I think the Fatboy Slim song went well with the show.

 

[pyrusane]

Another one that just came to mind was the season finale of Season 1 of How I Met Your Mother. We spent the entire season seeing Marshall and Lily as this perfect couple that were just so damn right for each other, and watching Ted try to move on and get over his feelings for Robin. Then, in the next to last episode of the season, Milk, you find out that Lily is having second thoughts about the wedding, and thinking about moving to San Francisco for an art fellowship. Then in Come On, the season finale, Marshall finds out about it, and he and Lily spend the whole episode pausing and unpausing their argument so that neither one says something to hurt the other one. Ted finally convince Robin that they should try a relationship, and finally spends the night with her. He walks home in the rain the next morning, and finds Marshall sitting on the front steps crying because Lily left, and that's how the episode, and the season, ends. It was almost like being a kid watching your parents get a divorce (well, not really, but go with me). Marshall is such a nice guy, and he and Lily are so perfect together, that when they break up it feels like you just went through a breakup (well, at least it did for me).