Top ten emotional sitcom moments!
Marshals Dad dies - How I Met Your Mother. Marshal is so excited about his news from the fertility clinic and the first person he wants to tell is his best friend, his dad! It punches you right in the gut that first time and doesn’t get any easier upon repeat viewings. Also knowing that Jason Segal wasn’t aware that it was going to happen and that his reaction is one of genuine shock and raw emotion makes it all the more heart-breaking. Don’t get me started on the countdown.
Doctor Cox is actually attending Ben’s funeral - Scrubs. This is scrubs at its finest, taking you in one direction, big laughs full on humour and then pull the rug from under you! They set you up with this loveable, goofy character, the complete opposite of Dr Cox (very similar to JD), despite this they’re best friends. Only to realise that at the end of the episode, Ben’s cancer treatment didn’t work, he actually died and they are attending his funeral, not his sons birthday party. The sad musical accompaniment of Joshua Radin’s, Winter is enough to make the coldest hearts break.
Will’s dad leaving again – Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Throughout the series, Will’s parents are both fairly absent, (the premise of the show is him moving to live with his Aunt and Uncle). However, his dad abandoning him as a child, then popping back up when he realises that Will is living in Bel-Air and that he might get some money from him, then bailing again is generally awful. However, it is the reaction of Will, “Why don’t he want me man?” and the embrace with his father figure Uncle Phil, gives the final blow!
Chandler at the adoption agency -FRIENDS. When Erica mistakes Monica and Chandler for a reverend and a Doctor and they pretend that’s true, subsequently Erica decides she won’t let them adopt her baby. A sweet moment ensues in which Chandler explains to Erica just how ready and committed they are to having a baby. “My wife, she’s already there… she’s a mother, without a baby” It’s the contrast of such a tender moment being delivered by the sarcastic, joking Chandler.
The family reacting to Paul’s death – 8 Simple Rules. The circumstances surrounding this episode are really what make it so devastating, John Ritter, the actor who played Paul, died in real life of a heart attack. The reactions to his death on screen are real, genuine emotions from his TV family. Also the death being something so normal and relatable, makes it more distressing, the family churning over their last words spoken to their father, tears every time.
Kitty’s grief over Red’s mother – That 70’s Show Another relatable death, sometimes people die who we don’t have the best relationship with, it’s hard to process those emotions, the what if’s, the wasted time. In this episode, Red’s mother dies after being her usual spiteful self at a family dinner, all of the families reactions are upsetting, but it is Kitty, the maternal, nurturer of the show that hits hardest. Kitty goes into over drive, baking and taking care of things, until she runs out of ingredients and has no form of escapism left, ultimately breaking down in the arms of her husband and son. TEARS!!!
Howards mother’s death – The Big Bang Theory. Another scene brought about by genuine tragedy, the death of the voice actress who played Mrs Wolowitz, meant that the character also died. It opened up some heartfelt discussions from the characters about times spent with Howards mother, a strange one for the audience as we never actually see her on screen, but feel their loss and pain all the same.
Terry gets racially profiled – Brooklyn 99. Brooklyn 99 is big comedy, huge laughs and general silliness, however a show about cops in America would be foolish not to take the opportunity to reflect what is happening on the streets in their country. Terry the most loveable, honourable guy in the precinct is stopped, whilst looking for his daughters blanket, simply because he is black. Later, Jake and Amy try and gently discuss the incident with Terry’s kids. It is awful to watch and even more awful when you realise this actually happens to innocent people everyday. I’m not crying…well I am, and so are you!
“Do it for Her” – The Simpsons. I could write a whole list based on The Simpsons episodes that make me cry but this one is a real hard hitter. In a flashback episode, brought about by looking at photo albums, Bart and Lisa wondering why there are no photos of Maggie. We learn that Homer had just left the Nuclear Plant, and was working a job that he loved and was fulfilled, however after they discover Marge is pregnant, Homer is forced to grovel to Mr Burns for his job back to support his growing family. The closing scenes we see Mr Burns installing a sign “Don’t forget you’re here forever”, we see that Homer has a whole collection of Maggie photos, strategically placed to make the sign read “Do it for her”! maaaaaan, I’m tearing up!
Dwight & Jim’s Heart to Heart in the stairwell – The Office. Another show hitting you in the feels on several occasions, but this one is a more subtle episode, Jim and Dwight connecting over their shared heartbreaks. It’s a genuinely sweet moment, and proves that their friendship is more than just Bears, Beets and Battlestar Galactica.
