Which of these moments shocked you the most? Let us know below, and check out our video of the Top 10 Shocking Facts About Sitcoms - ua-cam.com/video/eiX1kutMXa8/v-deo.html
"Where do you think we are?" Almost two decades later, this moment STILL makes me ugly cry. Ben was so lovable, and the only character who Cox really liked and respected. Brendan Fraser certainly made the most out of his small role.
Was I the only one sad at the season Finale of season 7, when JD's walking out the Hospital, seeing past characters throughout the series and not seeing Ben?
Ben's death just hit way differently, because it's all too familiar for some of us. How we wish we could get just one more moment with them, and never having that chance.
I always found the "8 Simple Rules" episode paying tribute to John Ritter's untimely passing to be incredibly moving. They allowed both the characters and the actors to grieve for a treasured coworker and friend.
That was a great show that could have lasted for many more years. .The pairing of John Ritter and Katie Segal was probably the best pairing ever. It was a very sad day when the news broke. A comedy legend and genius.
It was like a funeral for the actor, so all of his fans could say goodbye. At the time he was making 8 Simple Rules he was also voicing Clifford the Big Red Dog, which my young son was a fan of. When he heard there wasn't going to be anymore Clifford he was confused. We watched that episode of 8 Simple Rules and talked a little bit. Then he got it.
Many episodes in "Golden Girls" could fill half this list - Sophia's friend desiring to end her life, Rose's HIV/AIDS scare, the homeless shelter visit, Blanche experiencing harassment at the hands of her professor, Phil's death, Big Daddy's death, the robbery, Mario's deportation, and too many others.
Marshall's "I'm not ready for this" is so haunting... my parents are in their 60s now, my mother already lost two older sisters and i'm so afraid of the day my parents will die. I love them so much and i can't imagine a life without them. Hopefully they will have a lot more years on this planet...
This is the first I've watched that clip since I lost my dad in 2021...I felt that in my soul even more than before. It's like you go into a fugue state, whether it's sudden or expected. I'm still not ready.
My parents are both 70 and relatively healthy and i live with them to help them out with different things and I'm m terrified of them passing away but they are getting old now and we lost my one brother, but I still have my other brother, and he has 2 boys, (my 2 nephews) but they have their own lives so ill probably be alone when my parents pass away, but hoping not for another 20 years!!!! It is possible. 👍☺️ Let's hope everyones parents live a long life as well!! ❤❤❤❤
My dad passed away a month ago. The HIMYM clip had me in tears! I'm 54 and I completely understand how Marshall felt. "I'm not ready for this." I don't think any of us are ever ready for the loss of a beloved parent. RIP Dad. One of these days the tears will stop but today is not that day.
The MASH “chicken” episode was shocking and heart breaking. Hawkeye- a beloved character- breaking down over the horrific act reminded a generation of the horrors of war and of the “real” men and women who lived it. A generation who knew many Vietnam vets felt as if they got a glimpse into the horrors of war and of ptsd. We didn’t know what that was at that time but we knew they were hurting. That scene still gets me after so many years.
@@alfredoaguilera5138 my dad was on the frontlines during WW2 and he literally broke down during that episode. this was a guy whom i had never seen cry before. after he told me tat episode hit hard for him cause during his time he saw his buddies mentally breakdown in similar fashions. he said he saw one guy literally commit suicide due to being mentally drained
That Growing Pains episode stays with me to this day and I was a child when it first aired. Tracey Gold's acting in that scene when receiving the news of his death has haunted me for 35 years.
I think the most underrated, unnoticed detail of that episode was Ben's camera. Someone asked him "you're still taking pictures huh?" And Ben said "until the day I die." Ben always had that camera around his neck. But as soon as he died in the episode and Dr. Cox was just hallucinating him, the camera was no longer there, hinting at what happened.
I do like how they dealt with Debbie Wollowitz' passing, giving her a peaceful departure rather than the sad ending the actress had. And I loved the episode where they made a dinner with all the last food she'd prepared and share it with all their friends.
The truest scene ever is when Dan asks Rosie what’s going on and Roseanne told him. You see the anger well up in him and grab his keys. Dan really embodied every real Man when he hears about abuse.
The honorable mention where Dr. Cox broke down after losing someone was actually several patients, they unknowingly used someone that died from rabies as an organ donor (they thought she had overdosed on drugs. Rabies is contagious via donated organs. All the recipients died one by one, including a friend of Dr. Cox. The next episode was him sitting at home not speaking and trying to get drunk as much as possible because he was done with medicine and no one except JD was able to reach him. Dr. Cox was a complex and well written character, almost like Dr. House without the leg injury.
John Ritter's death actually affected 2 sitcoms. Remember, Mr. Ritter was also playing the father of #JD on #Scrubs. Season 4, Episode 6 titled "My Cake" dealt with John Ritter's death.
I have never seen a show do the death of a lead character as perfectly as 8 Simple Rules did. The fact they let the cast show their true emotions and didn't simply have them act it out, was a brilliant decision.
#8. The scene in "All In The Family" when Archie tries to console his daughter Gloria after her miscarriage is so heartbreakingly sad and genuine that I cry every time I see it.
As All in the Family went on they tried to soften Archie, especially with the "shoe-botty" episode. BUT the one thing that he had right from the beginning was his loyalty to those he loved. He was a racist and a bigot and many other awful things, but was always loyal and protective of HIS people. When he first met Mike he hated him instantly, not because he was a "pollock", or a jobless, dirty hippie, but because Archie thought Mike was going to be bad for Gloria. As he realized Mike was a good man with good intentions for Gloria he eventually, reluctantly, accepted Mike.
@@hanksballoonsMike wasn’t a good man. He was a lazy deadbeat POS that continually mooched off Archie while acting like he was so much better than everyone else, aka a typical liberal. He got off on feeling better on thinking he knew better on how to spend other people’s money, which he did. He ABANDONED Gloria in the sequel show. The entire show was created by socialist atheist Jews who wanted to change the culture from Pro-American values by strawmaning "conservatives" as racists and bigots and almost always wrong. Bunker was never MEANT to be ever right, let alone be liked. Yet the fact that the character worked hard and supported his family made him FAR better than any liberal character on the show.
What makes the Fresh Prince scene even MORE amazing is how improv Will Smith's performance was. His entire tirade was off-script and sooooo amazingly done.
Most focus on Will’s performance here, but I always thought this was a really good example of how Philip Banks is over the best TV dads of all time. IMO. R.I.P. James Avery.
Boy Meets World had several story lines that would fit this list. A teacher assaulting a student, Shawn hiding his friend who was being beaten or Eric having to make the decision not to adopt Tommy.
@@Hallmark44when Alan shoves the cult leader up against the wall in the hospital.....I so wished Amy had let him keep going and beat the crap out of him
@@Hallmark44 Funny how the writers intended to have Cory be the main focus and the one everyone loved, but because of Shawn's rough upbringing, he ended up resonating with a lot of people that didn't have that perfect home life growing up
Full House episode "the last dance" was a tear jerker. Michelle returns from school to learn that her visiting great grandfather and Jesse's grandfather, Papouli, died in his sleep. Everyone is in 😭. Michelle tries to hide her grief from uncle Jesse after being told that it might make Jesse "sad". Jesse and Michelle have a wonderful heart to heart and are able to express their feelings and are able to grieve in a healthier way.
I was only a kid when the MASH episode about Henry Blake's death aired and even now it still breaks my heart but the episode where Hawkeye breaks down is killer. Alan Alda is such a fantastic actor and to see a character that was always so flippant suddenly in so much pain--only Alda could portray it as well as he did.
My parent's (who were both Boomers who were in the military and while neither served in Vietnam both knew people who died in it... like most people their age) said they still to this day can't watch that episode with Henry's death.
I had a friend i knew since middle school who died from a drug overdose on February 22 and hearing about the overdose of a character in the 20th spot made me wanna cry. She was an angel and I had no idea she was struggling until it was too late. I was told she was in rehab, but that was all I knew until the day of her death. She was with her family for the past couple of months before her death and she looked happy. I miss her so much and I wish I could see her again one last time. It hasn't been easy for her family and friends, myself included.
Scrubs is my comfort show so I rewatch it constantly and while Ben's death always hits me hard, Dr. Cox breaking down over the rabies deaths in My Lunch absolutely kills me. Seeing this concrete wall of a man not only break down but then continue to blame himself makes me lose it just about every time.
The music was really impeccable in that episode too. I mean Scrubs was always great about using the right music at the right time but the climax during the liver patient's death...truly masterful scoring.
Dr Cox feeling all upbeat when coming into work after a day in which he had been an asshole to Laverne only to be told that she had been in a car crash and was in a coma, which she then subsequently died from is another of those moments.
I'm turning 32 this year and still to this day does the Fresh prince episode haunt me. My biological father never wanted me either and that never goes away. The moment I see a part of that episode I just freeze and cry.
When I showed that episode to my kids, they were so heartbroken at the idea that a father would or could ditch their child like that. I’m glad it’s a confusing thing for them & saddened that so many children have to go through it.
Edith’s 50th birthday deserved more than an Honorable mention. When she breaks down after told she has to go to the police station is just so sad and real
The sad part is that if this had happened today the lawyer would say she went too far because throwing a scolding hot product in the face could cause him damage that would require years of medical treatment.
Allyson Hannigan's tears when telling Marshall his dad died are so authentic that I cry every time. She looks so sad and his reaction is so real, the whole thing is heartbreaking even though I've seen that episode so many times.
Yes, she does a terrific job of quietly displaying her sorrow at this news, her shock at the suddeness, and her "omg, I have to tell my husband his dad is dead," and trying to comfort Marshall even as she is still trying cope with and absorb it.
I disagree with the number one pick, but it definitely belongs on this list. Personally I think Hawkeye's Confession about what happened to the baby should have been number one. Not just because of what Pierce said, but because a mother smothered her own child to keep the entire bus load of people safe while they travelled through enemy held territory. The amount of agony that woman must have suffered (if this had been a true to life story) is immense. Hawkeye's guilt over being the one to have demanded she keep the infant silent is as heartbreaking as the child's death. His trauma over this caused a psychotic break that required a lot of therapy for him to even accept the actual events; and help put him on the path of recovery.
The clip from Al be seeing ya where Blake died, was actually supposed to end where he takes off in the chopper. The only actors who knew about his death were McLane and Alan. After they wrapped up the episode. The actors/actresses were told to do one more surgery scene and Radar was given the script off camera. When radar came on screen and said his lines about Blake's death, it hit them all hard for real. So, all the emotions and tears were true and real. That's why it was better than the story on the bus in the episode goodbye, farewell and amen.
The reason why the Henry dying episode is worthy of #1 on this list is because of the shock of it. Henry was a beloved character and even though McLean Stevenson(stupidly) was leaving for another show(Hello, Larry), no one expected him to be killed off.
That M.A.S.H. episode where Hawkeye goes nuts over the dead baby really shook me to the core. Several of the shows mentioned were emotional. All featured extraordinary writing and the acting was awesome. Every one of them left me in tears. But that one really shook me. I never thought I could be so affected by a TV show.
That was an incredible episode. The way they reveiled the actual truth piece by piece with every retelling of that day at the beach. I discovered the series when I was 19 yo and was obsessed with it. And now 21 years later still think its one of the best series.
@@vexxdc6291 They revealed the truth piece by piece because that was how Sydney walked Hawkeye through it. He placed barriers against the truth in his mind because he couldn't handle it. Sydney got him to confront the truth, but slowly and in small increments so that he could absorb it. And we were along for the terrible ride. My wife and I still talk about that episode and how deeply we felt its impact. There is a Star Trek Next Generation episode called Dark Page that is equally as emotional. Counselor Troi's mother comes aboard the Enterprise to act as an ambassador to a new alien race. She meets her counterpart's daughter and suffers a mental breakdown and falls into a coma. Deanna has to use her telepathy to help her, but it is difficult because her mother doesn't want help. It turns out the alien little girl resembles Deanna's older sister, who died before she was born. She drowned, and Lwaxana blamed herself for it. Seeing the little girl who resembled the dead girl triggered a severe response. It is my favorite Star Trek episode for the same reason that I love the M.A.S.H. episode. Amazing writing, directing, and acting on the part of everyone involved.
That one really was great. But the one MsMojo picked (the plane crash) actually never really shocked me that much, probably because how the actor who played Henry handled it. He basically starred in a comedy skit with him in a lifeboat screaming "I'm alive, boys, I'm alive!" Except for the final episode the moment that I consider one of the most emotional was the episode where we learned of Radar's fate, after he left. He himself writes a letter keeping up the appearance, but later the crew at MASH (and we at the same time) learn that he's actually struggeling massively, that his farm is failing and so on.
@@badbiker666it's one of the reasons why this kind of technique is weird and unneeded. If someone think that this kind of truth is more bearable served piece by piece then they are wrong. His reaction would pretty much be the same if he would reminded him what happened right away.
When Kutner (Kal Penn) was killed off in House, M.D., watching the panic set in on Foreman and Thirteen when they tried reviving him but realizing he was cold...still gets to me every time.
The fresh prince episode about his dad hit with me. I had a dad that promised to get me and never showed up. I was supposed to go live with him in 85 when I was 11 years old. In the end, I was the winner. He and my mom got back together when I was 32 so we did a chance to mend some fences, but that wound never really healed. My mom died in 2020 and he moved away in 2021 with my blessing
As awful as it was that Gloria had a miscarriage on All in the Family, I truly believe that episode should've been in honorable mentions instead of the episode where Edith almost was a victim of SA. Watching Edith go through that was horrific.
How dare you deem that any traumatic event is worse than another. I pray you never suffer the pain of a miscarriage. It is extremely traumatic and should never EVER be "ranked" as being worse than another traumatic event.
@@clueless4238 well miscarieges are natural. Most pregnancies end in them before the mom even knew she was pregnant in the first place. R4pe isn't natural. It is the result of someone getting violeted by a vile human being.
The people that laugh at and mock the Saved by the Bell episode where Jessie takes "caffeine pills", fail to realize that network censors at the time would not allow the mention of cocaine, speed, meth, heroin, or any other illicit narcotic, especially on a children's/young teen sitcom. The writers wanted to tell a very serious story about addiction in that episode and were hobbled, so they used caffeine pills instead
Ben's death in Scrubs wrecked me. He was the one character who Cox really let his guard down with. And supposedly Ben had beat the leukemia. That episode was a shocker but so well done. Being set in a hospital there were a few deaths that hit hard.
Sadly, he hadn't even tried to beat the leukemia, as Cox points out that Ben had not been seeing his doctor or getting treatments like he was supposed to. "Psst...Cancer's the sort of thing you wanna check in on once in a while..." - Dr. Cox to Ben
For the #1 Mash the actors didn't know about Blake's death until Radar read the news to them the actors thought when Blake left in the helicopter the episode ended but the director said we have one more scene to shoot the actors said we don't know what to do the director said just stand there only Gary has lines even the actor Mclean Stevenson Who played Blake didn't know about the death until Radar read those lines
Sitcoms have an amazing ability to have some of the best dramatic or heartwarming moments because its such a contrast to the usual material. I love moments like that.
Edith's 50th birthday should be number one. It consumed two episodes, it actually affected the personal life of the actor who played the would-be rapist, and the audience's reaction when she did eventually escape from him would rival any WWE pop.
“News Radio” and the way they dealt with the murder of star Phil Hartman. They had the character Bill McNeal die of natural causes and frienemy Matthew refusing to believe he was gone. The farewell episode was difficult to watch. The actors’ grief was painfully obvious.
The most poignant part about Henry Blakes death is that every reaction is real and genuine. Nobody knew about that part of the script as it was kept from them until Gary Burghoff delivered the lines.
The death caused a furious backlash from fans who wrote angry letters and made angry phone calls to their local CBS affiliates! Finally their cries of anger were heard and the writers and producers of MASH promised that they would never again kill off another key character.
When the series first went into syndicated reruns, the scene of Radar talking about Henry's death was removed. Instead the closing theme immediately followed the shot of the helicopter disappearing over the horizon.
Knowing the stories behind Joe Jackson, I wonder how much real life experience Janet brought to her character on Good Times? #3 hurts every time I watch it.
WKRP in Cincinnati - "In Concert" In terms of shocking character arc, there is little of the surface. However the way it handled a very recent tragedy at a "Who" concert just months earlier was excellent. The fact it even wasa broadcast based upon a real situation so fresh in the minds of its many viewers made it shocking and important.
Even with my parents being gone many years, any of these sitcom episodes with a parent dying still hits home. I lost my mom in 2003 (about 6 days after John Ritter's death; was too late to say goodbye) and I lost my dad in 2016 (I was present when he died and said goodbye but not sure he heard me - I think that hurt worse than not being there). I felt what these characters conveyed; the grief, the pain, and the uneasiness that comes with not being ready and not wanting to do this. I cried like a baby when I saw them paying tribute to John Ritter. 😭
A lot of people may not remember it, but my mom used to watch the Highlander series when I was a kid. And what happened to Tessa (and Richie for that matter) hit me hard, especially when you add Queen's "Who Wants to Live Forever." It was the first time I really felt the loss of someone I cared about.
So, I was a tiny kid. I'm still only 4'10" tall today. I watched that "Diff'rent Strokes" episode as a little girl and there was a whole PSA thing at school too. It was true. Most often kids are hurt by the adults they KNOW in their lives, not really strangers. Stranger danger was a problem kids were taught in the early 80's.
I never watched Growing Pains but what hits even harder about Sandy's ultimately death is that Matthew Perry was abusing drugs and alcohol for many years, including at this time, and it wasn't altogether impossible to picture Perry himself in this situation.
While I was never a fan of Marshall in HIMYM, his father's death tore me up. Like so many fans of the show, I cried with Marshall and just wanted to hug him. Hawkeye's confession was a gut punch. He was under so much stress at the time and when the baby was constantly crying, him yelling at the mother to make him stop crying (squawking as he was thinking it was a chicken. Defense mechanis?) and then the mother showing him it was her baby whom she smothered to death. It was a serious shock to me.
Imagine being an Ivy League educated physician and the first person of Indian descent to serve as the Surgeon General of the United States and being referred to only as "a real life doctor."
What are you talking about? The episode was about drug addiction and what it can do to you and all you care about is viewers being reassured the person giving medical advice is a real doctor, not an actor portraying a doctor?
@@AlbertaRose94 calling the Surgeon Genral a "real life doctor" is like calling the President or a Prime Minister "an elected official." While true, it diminishes the respect that comes with the position. But I'm sure you don't give a shit about respecting people who earned their accomplishments.
Imagine watching a top 20 list on UA-cam and thinking, “You know what I should do? Be an utter Karen and also Wikipedia some guy so I can virtue signal for people I don’t know.”
I'd say on Moesha when Frank admitted to Dorian that he's his father and not his uncle . Cause it made the show more inrto a drama. Also on Full House when Danny tells Stephanie that Gia was in a car accident but was gonna be ok
The cold, calm way the mother acted, knowing she was about to burn her daughter with the iron for pissing her off, still haunts me. That mom was a sociopath.
I knew I recognized that face! That show is from b4 i was born and I've never watched it but in the clip they showed here I knew it was someone who's face i knew i just couldn't put my finger on who she was
In Family Ties I remember an episode in which Alex took pills in order to be able to study longer, and then he got addicted. That also was a very shocking and moving episode.
Yep, back when you could get "cutting edge, prescription diet pills" that were straight-up amphetamines. A lot of people ended up having to work even harder in their later years to stay at a healthy weight, because abuse of those diet pills pretty much wrecked their metabolisms.
I remember that episode, I also remember a coworker of Stephen's made a pass at Mallory and forced a kiss on her. I also remember Uncle Ned's alchoholism and how desperate he was to get a drink he drank some cooking stuff.
very good point. good episode. however, the car accident one hit me harder because it hit less than 2 or 3 years after my sister died the same way. just watching this video made me lose it all over again.
I agree with others that the MASH episode where the chicken turns out to be a baby should be #1. The reality of the choice that the mother made in order to save the others is absolutely gut-wrenching. And yeah, the Scrubs episode about Ben still makes me cry. Good list, MsMojo.
The Crazy Ex Girlfriend episode was so dark. I believe it really shows the desperation some people go through to stop the pain in their lives. It was a shocking and powerful moment.
Or is it propaganda for the pharmaceutical companies & the DSM-5? I have not seen this show. This is the first I've heard of this. Damn right I'm shocked. I'm shocked this is what is praised & accepted in our western society.
@@kaitlyngault3987 OH NO.....we can not discuss mental health on in media. So says you. Some of us (myself included) have been in those dark places where we just want the pain to end & it is GOOD that CXG brought it up. Watch the damn show before you give an uninformed opinion.
@@kaitlyngault3987 I don’t know about in other countries but in the US mental health has been highly stigmatized. Shows like this helps people see it’s okay to struggle, it’s okay to ask for help and hopefully in time the stigma will go away.
It would definitely help if society would stop minimilizing the events/struggles/traumas that lead to having bad mental health (sa, child molest.., abuse,..).
Fun fact: to make the reactions to the plane crash scene in Mash more authentic, only 2 people in the acting cast knew of it. Hawkeye and Blake. Those reactions in that scene are genuine shock to his end.
Edith Bunker's death on All In the Family could have easily been on this list. There are also a number of incidents from the Golden Girls that could have made the list: Rose's PTSD after the house was robbed, Rose being assaulted by her dentist, Blanche being abused, Blanche finding out her brother was gay and going to marry a man, Rose's AIDS scare, Sophia's friend wanting assisted suicide, Mario being deported.
The assault of Dr. Greene on ER was incredibly shocking. Although since this is sitcom moments, I guess that doesn't really count. But the death of Alex Keaton's friend episodes stayed with me for a long time.
Dr Greene's death was one of the most memorable for me. How the staff took the news of his passing, pausing in their duties to reflect on it, and then carrying on as if nothing happened show's how well written and acted the shows were
I’d read it too, and I remember that making sense. Cuz even as a kid I felt that getting that worked up and that reaction, over caffeine, seemed a little melodramatic and blown way outta proportion.
That was one my mom and I would sob every single time we saw it! It took a couple seasons of FRIENDS before I quit seeing Perry as Sandy. He had been in several things, I knew the actor, but episode made him Sandy.
First off, thanks for having more clips and less talking - that's a huge improvement to your great channel! Secondly, thank you for including us older folks in your lists!
I’ve watched a bunch of junk tv over the years but two lines that always hit me hard and have stuck with me have always been Will Smiths “How come he don’t want me man?” And Jason Segals “I’m not ready for this.” So raw and full of emotion that I never really expected outta a sitcom.
I always remember the episode of Full House where DJ starts developing an eating disorder, she doesn't eat and exercises until she passes out. Golden Girls had quite a few episodes that dealt with serious irl issues too: Rose possibly getting AIDS from a blood transfusion, Rose being sexually harassed by her doctor, Blanche getting involved with an abusive man... That episode of Fresh Prince always made me cry "why doesn't he want me, man?" bc I had an absent father too. Brendan Fraser is finally getting some of the recognition he deserves but he's always been an amazing actor including in Scrubs!
There's another espiode in Fresh Prince, in which Will and Carlton got arrested for "stealing a car", when they were driving the car of a friend and colleague of Phil. They called Vivian from a cell, and she and Phil rushed over to the station. The sheriff/deputy/whatever treated Phil also with rasicm, not believing him being a renowned lawyer. The situation is only resolved by his friend entering the station, clarifying that Phil is indeed a lawyer, and that he gave Will and Carlton the keys to his car. Carlton almost lost trust in the legal system that night, as he truely believed the police would never treat them like criminals since they didn't do anything wrong, and only judging them by their skin.
John Ritter, Carol Susiand Cory monteth were hard for me, because watching the cast grieve was so hard. There was no need for acting That was all raw true emotions!
The saddest thing about the death of Marshalls father was the countdown following through the whole episode that most of us didn't realise when it counted down... And did I miss it or did you really forgot the death of Laverne in Scrubs? I cried really hard when Karla let her go.
"You can go home now, Laverne." "He did NOT just say that!" A little 'peak' on the emotional rollercoaster at first watch - until you realize Carla wasn't there for that convo in Season 1, so JD must be imagining her as well. :(
I remember when John Ritter died in 8 Simper Rules. That was really upsetting to watch. Also Ben in Scrubs was a really sad episode. Brendan Fraser was amazing.
@@UnknownAz They devoted an episode to his character's death and Shannon Doherty was a guest star. I'm not a mushy person but I found it incredibly touching.
I was such a huge Ritter fan. Grew up watching Three's Company, Real Men and as an adult loved seeing him in Scrubs and then 8 rules. Gut punch when he died.
Mash, the chicken episode when Hawkeye reveals it wasn't a chicken. All in the Family, Edith Bunker getting assaulted and her death. Both very very ahead of their time in how they talked about it. Family Guy, Brian's death (before we knew) And many many others.
Like many folks from Gen X and earlier, I was and still a big fan of John Ritter. From Three's Company to the Problem Child films to 8 Simple Rules and even when Ritter played a sadistic, vengful mean police cheif uncle to his teen neice in BRIDE OF CHUCKY (1998), Ritter always did great work and he is still greatly missed. The day Ritter passed was the evening of his daughter Stella's 5th birthday. Then about 8 hours later during the morning hours of September 12, of 2003, country music legend Johnny Cash passed on. That was a hard time for America indeed.
Roseanne was a show that made me feel okay about growing up in lower middle class. Made me feel at home. Still a great show even after the original series ended 25 years ago.
She and Dan are one of my favorite sitcom couples, because instead of trying to romanticize them or anything like that, the writers made them very relatable to anyone trying to raise a family, where they may not always be perfect parents and everything will always work out fine, but they're just two people trying to get by who will do anything for their children and anyone else they love
Or roses pill addiction, or roses extreme anxiety after their home break in, or blanche not able to accept her daughters pregnancy via a doner, blanches gay brother, blanches plus size daughter being verbally abused by her fiance,or when rose nearly gets seriously duped by a stranger pretending to be her late husbands army buddy, or when Sophia makes a friend at the boardwalk that has alzheimers. Golden Girls tackled so many things!! I have seen it in its entirety many times ahaha
Am I the only one who thinks the honorable mention of MASH where Hawkeye's orders led to a woman smothering her own baby is more shocking than #1 where their senior officer dies in a plane crash? Honestly...
I agree, Hawkeyes breakdown was extremely shocking. However, the thing that got me about Henry's death was that after the team heard the news, they only had a moment or so to take it in before they had to continue working on the wounded.
“Wonder Years”, the original. When Winnie’s brother died in Vietnam and the series finale when it says the the brother took over the company after they lost their father. Period shows like that have a tendency to be easily depressing. I was young when I watched that show. So when their father died, I cried forever it seemed. I don’t do well with sad stuff.
I grew up watching Saved by the Bell and 8 Simple Rules. Those episodes got me. I remember sitting on the sofa with my mom crying as we watched the 8SR episode. Well done. I'm sad it's not higher up on the list. Also, the Fresh Prince episode about his dad gets me every time. I remember Carlton's turmoil over Will getting shot as well. Also, I know it's not a comedy show, but I feel like Buffy's "The Body" episode had the same level of impact. That one rocked me too.
The Jefferson’s Sorry, Wrong Meeting is a great episode about racism. George mistakenly goes to a KKK meeting. When the meeting leader suddenly has a heart attack George saves his life. When the man son tells him George saved his life. He replies to his son “you should have let me died”
Which of these moments shocked you the most? Let us know below, and check out our video of the Top 10 Shocking Facts About Sitcoms - ua-cam.com/video/eiX1kutMXa8/v-deo.html
Marshalls dad
WHY DID WE NOT INCLUDE JAMES' DEATH ON GOOD TIMES AND FLORIDA'S REACTION TO IT???
top 20
is not enough
there is alot more
in the feels
Some great ones but MASH is my favorite one.
The MASH one with Hawkeye still haunts me
"Where do you think we are?" Almost two decades later, this moment STILL makes me ugly cry. Ben was so lovable, and the only character who Cox really liked and respected. Brendan Fraser certainly made the most out of his small role.
yeah, that episode almost broke me when i first saw it.
Was I the only one sad at the season Finale of season 7, when JD's walking out the Hospital, seeing past characters throughout the series and not seeing Ben?
Right. As soon as I saw Cox I knew and started crying. How was it so low on the list?
I would've love to see Dr Cox's breakdown after he lost his transplant patients, shocking scene
Ben's death just hit way differently, because it's all too familiar for some of us. How we wish we could get just one more moment with them, and never having that chance.
I always found the "8 Simple Rules" episode paying tribute to John Ritter's untimely passing to be incredibly moving. They allowed both the characters and the actors to grieve for a treasured coworker and friend.
That was a great show that could have lasted for many more years. .The pairing of John Ritter and Katie Segal was probably the best pairing ever. It was a very sad day when the news broke. A comedy legend and genius.
Fun fact: The crying in that episode was real. Not fake.
I never heard of the show is it good
@@theartoonnerdologist411 Yes. It’s good.
It was like a funeral for the actor, so all of his fans could say goodbye. At the time he was making 8 Simple Rules he was also voicing Clifford the Big Red Dog, which my young son was a fan of. When he heard there wasn't going to be anymore Clifford he was confused. We watched that episode of 8 Simple Rules and talked a little bit. Then he got it.
Many episodes in "Golden Girls" could fill half this list - Sophia's friend desiring to end her life, Rose's HIV/AIDS scare, the homeless shelter visit, Blanche experiencing harassment at the hands of her professor, Phil's death, Big Daddy's death, the robbery, Mario's deportation, and too many others.
Absolutely!!
Sophia's friend tears me to shreds everytime, I thought for sure that would be on here.
Dementia, addiction, gambling, homophobia, medical gaslighting, domestic abuse, menopause, loneliness, homelessness… it’s endless x
That's for sure, I've only been watching Golden Girls here and there over the past 3 years now. They've addressed everything
Agreed. That series could do it all! The writing, the actors. Few series have come close.
Marshall's "I'm not ready for this" is so haunting... my parents are in their 60s now, my mother already lost two older sisters and i'm so afraid of the day my parents will die. I love them so much and i can't imagine a life without them. Hopefully they will have a lot more years on this planet...
This is the first I've watched that clip since I lost my dad in 2021...I felt that in my soul even more than before. It's like you go into a fugue state, whether it's sudden or expected. I'm still not ready.
@@Danielle0785 Sadly, nobody will ever be truly ready for that to happen in our lives 😥😞.
My parents are both 70 and relatively healthy and i live with them to help them out with different things and I'm m terrified of them passing away but they are getting old now and we lost my one brother, but I still have my other brother, and he has 2 boys, (my 2 nephews) but they have their own lives so ill probably be alone when my parents pass away, but hoping not for another 20 years!!!! It is possible. 👍☺️ Let's hope everyones parents live a long life as well!! ❤❤❤❤
SAME
For me it's the countdown in the background just creates and air of anxiety know what it's counting down to and how long there is left.
My dad passed away a month ago. The HIMYM clip had me in tears! I'm 54 and I completely understand how Marshall felt. "I'm not ready for this." I don't think any of us are ever ready for the loss of a beloved parent. RIP Dad. One of these days the tears will stop but today is not that day.
Praying for you 🙏🏼
My dad died last February. There's not a day that goes by that I don't miss him dearly. I wasn't ready to lose him.
Feel you I was not ready either. No time to prepare especially hits hard. Big, big hugs.
Agreed
May God bless you with comfort, strength and peace. Sorry for your loss. ❤and 🙏
The MASH “chicken” episode was shocking and heart breaking. Hawkeye- a beloved character- breaking down over the horrific act reminded a generation of the horrors of war and of the “real” men and women who lived it. A generation who knew many Vietnam vets felt as if they got a glimpse into the horrors of war and of ptsd. We didn’t know what that was at that time but we knew they were hurting. That scene still gets me after so many years.
Meant *Korean War
That episode was a masterpiece, if you ask me. So hard to watch.
@alfredoaguilera5138 yes I have a hard time watching that.
@@alfredoaguilera5138 my dad was on the frontlines during WW2 and he literally broke down during that episode. this was a guy whom i had never seen cry before. after he told me tat episode hit hard for him cause during his time he saw his buddies mentally breakdown in similar fashions. he said he saw one guy literally commit suicide due to being mentally drained
Me too ❤
Rest In Peace Matthew Perry
That Growing Pains episode stays with me to this day and I was a child when it first aired. Tracey Gold's acting in that scene when receiving the news of his death has haunted me for 35 years.
Hard to believe on the 28th of this month would mark 1 year since he passed away. Still hurts to this day.
The Matthew Perry one from Growing Pains hit hard. R.I.P Matthew Perry.
Ben's Death in Scrubs is amazingly well told. To take such a strong turn in comedy and not overdo or undersell it. Fantastic
It's because Brendan Fraser and John McGlinley
sometimes I just go back and watch it because it's so well done. Everytime I'm in tears.
I have hold on hope on my playlist it still hurts
I think the most underrated, unnoticed detail of that episode was Ben's camera. Someone asked him "you're still taking pictures huh?" And Ben said "until the day I die." Ben always had that camera around his neck. But as soon as he died in the episode and Dr. Cox was just hallucinating him, the camera was no longer there, hinting at what happened.
@kristenbergeron8515 yeah actually it was dr. Cox himself who said he's still carrying around the camera
I do like how they dealt with Debbie Wollowitz' passing, giving her a peaceful departure rather than the sad ending the actress had. And I loved the episode where they made a dinner with all the last food she'd prepared and share it with all their friends.
What was the sad ending the actress had?
@@ioanna1934 She died of cancer.
@@ioanna1934 she died from cancer and was only diagnosed a week before she passed.
"I'm not ready for this."
You never are.
The truest scene ever is when Dan asks Rosie what’s going on and Roseanne told him. You see the anger well up in him and grab his keys. Dan really embodied every real Man when he hears about abuse.
I have a loose meat restaurant....
Reminds me of when Roseanne Barr wasn't nuts... I miss the old Roseanne
Dan was the Man.
Growing up, I saw Roseanne as an only somewhat fictionalised version of my life. My dad was Dan...
Not to nitpick but Dan grabs his coat...not his keys.
Dan didn’t always got on with Jackie but was never going to let anyone beat her and get away with it.
The honorable mention where Dr. Cox broke down after losing someone was actually several patients, they unknowingly used someone that died from rabies as an organ donor (they thought she had overdosed on drugs. Rabies is contagious via donated organs. All the recipients died one by one, including a friend of Dr. Cox. The next episode was him sitting at home not speaking and trying to get drunk as much as possible because he was done with medicine and no one except JD was able to reach him. Dr. Cox was a complex and well written character, almost like Dr. House without the leg injury.
That sounds like a ridiculous storyline, considering they test for everything under the sun for organ donation.
That was a tough episode
John Ritter's death actually affected 2 sitcoms. Remember, Mr. Ritter was also playing the father of #JD on #Scrubs. Season 4, Episode 6 titled "My Cake" dealt with John Ritter's death.
Jd’s bro living in the bath
I have never seen a show do the death of a lead character as perfectly as 8 Simple Rules did. The fact they let the cast show their true emotions and didn't simply have them act it out, was a brilliant decision.
#8. The scene in "All In The Family" when Archie tries to console his daughter Gloria after her miscarriage is so heartbreakingly sad and genuine that I cry every time I see it.
As All in the Family went on they tried to soften Archie, especially with the "shoe-botty" episode. BUT the one thing that he had right from the beginning was his loyalty to those he loved. He was a racist and a bigot and many other awful things, but was always loyal and protective of HIS people. When he first met Mike he hated him instantly, not because he was a "pollock", or a jobless, dirty hippie, but because Archie thought Mike was going to be bad for Gloria. As he realized Mike was a good man with good intentions for Gloria he eventually, reluctantly, accepted Mike.
@@hanksballoonsMike wasn’t a good man. He was a lazy deadbeat POS that continually mooched off Archie while acting like he was so much better than everyone else, aka a typical liberal. He got off on feeling better on thinking he knew better on how to spend other people’s money, which he did. He ABANDONED Gloria in the sequel show. The entire show was created by socialist atheist Jews who wanted to change the culture from Pro-American values by strawmaning "conservatives" as racists and bigots and almost always wrong. Bunker was never MEANT to be ever right, let alone be liked. Yet the fact that the character worked hard and supported his family made him FAR better than any liberal character on the show.
What makes the Fresh Prince scene even MORE amazing is how improv Will Smith's performance was. His entire tirade was off-script and sooooo amazingly done.
What makes is worst is that Will apparently thought about his own dad who left him
That whole scene broke me (including the leadup to that line).
That was the moment when Will Smith went from Rapper/Actor to Actor/Rapper
Most focus on Will’s performance here, but I always thought this was a really good example of how Philip Banks is over the best TV dads of all time. IMO. R.I.P. James Avery.
No it wasn’t but great acting nonetheless
@@YeahOkayNow It really was improv AND entirely powerfully done.
Tackling daily problems (drugs, violence) and normal situations (loss of a loved one) in sitcoms are just praiseworthy. ❤
The NewsRadio episode after Phil Hartman's death. The cast could barely stop crying. Big miss, MsMojo.
Boy Meets World had several story lines that would fit this list. A teacher assaulting a student, Shawn hiding his friend who was being beaten or Eric having to make the decision not to adopt Tommy.
Any storyline involving Shawn, really. Joining a cult, drinking problems, losing his dad, etc...
@@Hallmark44when Alan shoves the cult leader up against the wall in the hospital.....I so wished Amy had let him keep going and beat the crap out of him
The spinoff Girl Meets World resolved in what happened to Tommy when Eric ran for state Senator.
@@DarthSideous63 it made me happy to see Tommy was doing good
@@Hallmark44 Funny how the writers intended to have Cory be the main focus and the one everyone loved, but because of Shawn's rough upbringing, he ended up resonating with a lot of people that didn't have that perfect home life growing up
Full House episode "the last dance" was a tear jerker. Michelle returns from school to learn that her visiting great grandfather and Jesse's grandfather, Papouli, died in his sleep. Everyone is in 😭. Michelle tries to hide her grief from uncle Jesse after being told that it might make Jesse "sad". Jesse and Michelle have a wonderful heart to heart and are able to express their feelings and are able to grieve in a healthier way.
I was only a kid when the MASH episode about Henry Blake's death aired and even now it still breaks my heart but the episode where Hawkeye breaks down is killer. Alan Alda is such a fantastic actor and to see a character that was always so flippant suddenly in so much pain--only Alda could portray it as well as he did.
I was 9 months pregnant with my first child when I watched that episode. It haunted me for sure.
My parent's (who were both Boomers who were in the military and while neither served in Vietnam both knew people who died in it... like most people their age) said they still to this day can't watch that episode with Henry's death.
I had a friend i knew since middle school who died from a drug overdose on February 22 and hearing about the overdose of a character in the 20th spot made me wanna cry. She was an angel and I had no idea she was struggling until it was too late. I was told she was in rehab, but that was all I knew until the day of her death. She was with her family for the past couple of months before her death and she looked happy. I miss her so much and I wish I could see her again one last time. It hasn't been easy for her family and friends, myself included.
Scrubs is my comfort show so I rewatch it constantly and while Ben's death always hits me hard, Dr. Cox breaking down over the rabies deaths in My Lunch absolutely kills me. Seeing this concrete wall of a man not only break down but then continue to blame himself makes me lose it just about every time.
The music was really impeccable in that episode too. I mean Scrubs was always great about using the right music at the right time but the climax during the liver patient's death...truly masterful scoring.
Dr Cox feeling all upbeat when coming into work after a day in which he had been an asshole to Laverne only to be told that she had been in a car crash and was in a coma, which she then subsequently died from is another of those moments.
I'm turning 32 this year and still to this day does the Fresh prince episode haunt me. My biological father never wanted me either and that never goes away. The moment I see a part of that episode I just freeze and cry.
Same
yes, it is a sad moment, but no one ever talks about Carlton being put in the hospital due to drugs, that episode was a hard watch as well
yes it was speed, but still a heartbreaking episode
When I showed that episode to my kids, they were so heartbroken at the idea that a father would or could ditch their child like that. I’m glad it’s a confusing thing for them & saddened that so many children have to go through it.
"Archie Bunker's Place": Edith's death offscreen - when Archie find's her slipper. Still brings me to tears.
What happened to Edith?
“How come he doesn’t want me, man?”
Yes, that moment always makes me emotional, no matter how many times I've seen it. Will Smith can certainly act!
Partially for personal reasons, I still can't watch that episode without crying.
UGLY TEARS.
Who feels it ....knows it....and don't I fucking know it 😢
@@raidernation7427#toorelatable
Edith’s 50th birthday deserved more than an Honorable mention. When she breaks down after told she has to go to the police station is just so sad and real
And when you consider when that episode aired - it was such an important issue that people didn’t talk about.
The sad part is that if this had happened today the lawyer would say she went too far because throwing a scolding hot product in the face could cause him damage that would require years of medical treatment.
I completely agree...Edith almost becoming a victim of SA is as disturbing to watch today as it was back then.
This was a very difficult episode to watch as a kid. Still makes me uncomfortable to this day.
Everything I've seen that episode I cry. It was a huge episode. Watching Archie fight with the facts still stay with me
Allyson Hannigan's tears when telling Marshall his dad died are so authentic that I cry every time. She looks so sad and his reaction is so real, the whole thing is heartbreaking even though I've seen that episode so many times.
Yes, she does a terrific job of quietly displaying her sorrow at this news, her shock at the suddeness, and her "omg, I have to tell my husband his dad is dead," and trying to comfort Marshall even as she is still trying cope with and absorb it.
The news of Marshall's father's death was a genuine reaction because Jason Segal didn't know what the line Alyson was going to say
She does amazing crying in Buffy too - painful to watch at times
I disagree with the number one pick, but it definitely belongs on this list. Personally I think Hawkeye's Confession about what happened to the baby should have been number one. Not just because of what Pierce said, but because a mother smothered her own child to keep the entire bus load of people safe while they travelled through enemy held territory. The amount of agony that woman must have suffered (if this had been a true to life story) is immense. Hawkeye's guilt over being the one to have demanded she keep the infant silent is as heartbreaking as the child's death. His trauma over this caused a psychotic break that required a lot of therapy for him to even accept the actual events; and help put him on the path of recovery.
Saw that episode as a kid and will never forget it.
Definitely an emotional episode
The clip from Al be seeing ya where Blake died, was actually supposed to end where he takes off in the chopper. The only actors who knew about his death were McLane and Alan. After they wrapped up the episode. The actors/actresses were told to do one more surgery scene and Radar was given the script off camera. When radar came on screen and said his lines about Blake's death, it hit them all hard for real. So, all the emotions and tears were true and real. That's why it was better than the story on the bus in the episode goodbye, farewell and amen.
Agreed! I was very certain it would be the number one, with an honourable mention to Henry's death.
The reason why the Henry dying episode is worthy of #1 on this list is because of the shock of it. Henry was a beloved character and even though McLean Stevenson(stupidly) was leaving for another show(Hello, Larry), no one expected him to be killed off.
That M.A.S.H. episode where Hawkeye goes nuts over the dead baby really shook me to the core. Several of the shows mentioned were emotional. All featured extraordinary writing and the acting was awesome. Every one of them left me in tears. But that one really shook me. I never thought I could be so affected by a TV show.
That was an incredible episode. The way they reveiled the actual truth piece by piece with every retelling of that day at the beach.
I discovered the series when I was 19 yo and was obsessed with it. And now 21 years later still think its one of the best series.
@@vexxdc6291 They revealed the truth piece by piece because that was how Sydney walked Hawkeye through it. He placed barriers against the truth in his mind because he couldn't handle it. Sydney got him to confront the truth, but slowly and in small increments so that he could absorb it. And we were along for the terrible ride.
My wife and I still talk about that episode and how deeply we felt its impact.
There is a Star Trek Next Generation episode called Dark Page that is equally as emotional. Counselor Troi's mother comes aboard the Enterprise to act as an ambassador to a new alien race. She meets her counterpart's daughter and suffers a mental breakdown and falls into a coma. Deanna has to use her telepathy to help her, but it is difficult because her mother doesn't want help. It turns out the alien little girl resembles Deanna's older sister, who died before she was born. She drowned, and Lwaxana blamed herself for it. Seeing the little girl who resembled the dead girl triggered a severe response. It is my favorite Star Trek episode for the same reason that I love the M.A.S.H. episode. Amazing writing, directing, and acting on the part of everyone involved.
That one really was great. But the one MsMojo picked (the plane crash) actually never really shocked me that much, probably because how the actor who played Henry handled it. He basically starred in a comedy skit with him in a lifeboat screaming "I'm alive, boys, I'm alive!" Except for the final episode the moment that I consider one of the most emotional was the episode where we learned of Radar's fate, after he left. He himself writes a letter keeping up the appearance, but later the crew at MASH (and we at the same time) learn that he's actually struggeling massively, that his farm is failing and so on.
@@badbiker666it's one of the reasons why this kind of technique is weird and unneeded. If someone think that this kind of truth is more bearable served piece by piece then they are wrong. His reaction would pretty much be the same if he would reminded him what happened right away.
@@badbiker666 Kestra... and I love that they picked up that thread in Picard Season 2 giving Deanna's child the name. Just tie that in a bow.
When Kutner (Kal Penn) was killed off in House, M.D., watching the panic set in on Foreman and Thirteen when they tried reviving him but realizing he was cold...still gets to me every time.
Absolutely shocking and so well done
The fresh prince episode about his dad hit with me. I had a dad that promised to get me and never showed up. I was supposed to go live with him in 85 when I was 11 years old. In the end, I was the winner. He and my mom got back together when I was 32 so we did a chance to mend some fences, but that wound never really healed. My mom died in 2020 and he moved away in 2021 with my blessing
As awful as it was that Gloria had a miscarriage on All in the Family, I truly believe that episode should've been in honorable mentions instead of the episode where Edith almost was a victim of SA. Watching Edith go through that was horrific.
Oh God I haven't thought of that in decades. That was harsh.
Losing a child is also horrific.
How dare you deem that any traumatic event is worse than another. I pray you never suffer the pain of a miscarriage. It is extremely traumatic and should never EVER be "ranked" as being worse than another traumatic event.
@@clueless4238 well miscarieges are natural. Most pregnancies end in them before the mom even knew she was pregnant in the first place. R4pe isn't natural. It is the result of someone getting violeted by a vile human being.
The people that laugh at and mock the Saved by the Bell episode where Jessie takes "caffeine pills", fail to realize that network censors at the time would not allow the mention of cocaine, speed, meth, heroin, or any other illicit narcotic, especially on a children's/young teen sitcom. The writers wanted to tell a very serious story about addiction in that episode and were hobbled, so they used caffeine pills instead
Ben's death in Scrubs wrecked me. He was the one character who Cox really let his guard down with. And supposedly Ben had beat the leukemia. That episode was a shocker but so well done. Being set in a hospital there were a few deaths that hit hard.
Sadly, he hadn't even tried to beat the leukemia, as Cox points out that Ben had not been seeing his doctor or getting treatments like he was supposed to. "Psst...Cancer's the sort of thing you wanna check in on once in a while..." - Dr. Cox to Ben
For the #1 Mash the actors didn't know about Blake's death until Radar read the news to them the actors thought when Blake left in the helicopter the episode ended but the director said we have one more scene to shoot the actors said we don't know what to do the director said just stand there only Gary has lines even the actor Mclean Stevenson Who played Blake didn't know about the death until Radar read those lines
Sitcoms have an amazing ability to have some of the best dramatic or heartwarming moments because its such a contrast to the usual material. I love moments like that.
Edith's 50th birthday should be number one. It consumed two episodes, it actually affected the personal life of the actor who played the would-be rapist, and the audience's reaction when she did eventually escape from him would rival any WWE pop.
“News Radio” and the way they dealt with the murder of star Phil Hartman. They had the character Bill McNeal die of natural causes and frienemy Matthew refusing to believe he was gone. The farewell episode was difficult to watch. The actors’ grief was painfully obvious.
The most poignant part about Henry Blakes death is that every reaction is real and genuine. Nobody knew about that part of the script as it was kept from them until Gary Burghoff delivered the lines.
Agreed. That was a genius way to shoot that scene
Really? He was fired because he had been mad that Hawkey became the main character. How could everyone else on set missed that?
The death caused a furious backlash from fans who wrote angry letters and made angry phone calls to their local CBS affiliates! Finally their cries of anger were heard and the writers and producers of MASH promised that they would never again kill off another key character.
When the series first went into syndicated reruns, the scene of Radar talking about Henry's death was removed. Instead the closing theme immediately followed the shot of the helicopter disappearing over the horizon.
It was only kept secret from most, Alan Alda knew.
Knowing the stories behind Joe Jackson, I wonder how much real life experience Janet brought to her character on Good Times? #3 hurts every time I watch it.
WKRP in Cincinnati - "In Concert" In terms of shocking character arc, there is little of the surface. However the way it handled a very recent tragedy at a "Who" concert just months earlier was excellent. The fact it even wasa broadcast based upon a real situation so fresh in the minds of its many viewers made it shocking and important.
Even with my parents being gone many years, any of these sitcom episodes with a parent dying still hits home. I lost my mom in 2003 (about 6 days after John Ritter's death; was too late to say goodbye) and I lost my dad in 2016 (I was present when he died and said goodbye but not sure he heard me - I think that hurt worse than not being there).
I felt what these characters conveyed; the grief, the pain, and the uneasiness that comes with not being ready and not wanting to do this. I cried like a baby when I saw them paying tribute to John Ritter. 😭
He heard you❤
Thank you for that. It helps to hear it. ❤🩹
A lot of people may not remember it, but my mom used to watch the Highlander series when I was a kid. And what happened to Tessa (and Richie for that matter) hit me hard, especially when you add Queen's "Who Wants to Live Forever." It was the first time I really felt the loss of someone I cared about.
Highlander was not a sitcom.
So, I was a tiny kid. I'm still only 4'10" tall today. I watched that "Diff'rent Strokes" episode as a little girl and there was a whole PSA thing at school too. It was true. Most often kids are hurt by the adults they KNOW in their lives, not really strangers. Stranger danger was a problem kids were taught in the early 80's.
The Real death of Phil Hartman on News Radio, and the story death of Kutner on House are both up there for me as well.
8 Simple Rules is still and will always be the hardest to watch cause there's no acting, it all real life.
The Punky Brewster episode after the Challenger disaster was also a strong one.
I agree. The Challenger explosion was the first major news story I remember.
I never watched Growing Pains but what hits even harder about Sandy's ultimately death is that Matthew Perry was abusing drugs and alcohol for many years, including at this time, and it wasn't altogether impossible to picture Perry himself in this situation.
we are lucky to still have him.
@@rosee7011 😥
@@rosee7011 That did not age well
While I was never a fan of Marshall in HIMYM, his father's death tore me up. Like so many fans of the show, I cried with Marshall and just wanted to hug him.
Hawkeye's confession was a gut punch. He was under so much stress at the time and when the baby was constantly crying, him yelling at the mother to make him stop crying (squawking as he was thinking it was a chicken. Defense mechanis?) and then the mother showing him it was her baby whom she smothered to death. It was a serious shock to me.
Imagine being an Ivy League educated physician and the first person of Indian descent to serve as the Surgeon General of the United States and being referred to only as "a real life doctor."
What are you talking about? The episode was about drug addiction and what it can do to you and all you care about is viewers being reassured the person giving medical advice is a real doctor, not an actor portraying a doctor?
@@AlbertaRose94 calling the Surgeon Genral a "real life doctor" is like calling the President or a Prime Minister "an elected official." While true, it diminishes the respect that comes with the position. But I'm sure you don't give a shit about respecting people who earned their accomplishments.
@@HandsomeLongshanks Again, it was a quick way to state the person was not an actor. How would you state within 2 seconds someone is not an actor?
Imagine watching a top 20 list on UA-cam and thinking, “You know what I should do? Be an utter Karen and also Wikipedia some guy so I can virtue signal for people I don’t know.”
@@lanceharlow8621if you had to Wikipedia the Surgeon General under Obama you shouldn’t be commenting. It doesn’t seem like you are aware of much.
I'd say on Moesha when Frank admitted to Dorian that he's his father and not his uncle . Cause it made the show more inrto a drama. Also on Full House when Danny tells Stephanie that Gia was in a car accident but was gonna be ok
Janet Jackson’s Penny hit me the hardest. She was such a sweet character and was about my age.
The cold, calm way the mother acted, knowing she was about to burn her daughter with the iron for pissing her off, still haunts me. That mom was a sociopath.
I knew I recognized that face! That show is from b4 i was born and I've never watched it but in the clip they showed here I knew it was someone who's face i knew i just couldn't put my finger on who she was
Same with me. Watching as a kid, it was shocking to see.
In Family Ties I remember an episode in which Alex took pills in order to be able to study longer, and then he got addicted. That also was a very shocking and moving episode.
Yep, back when you could get "cutting edge, prescription diet pills" that were straight-up amphetamines. A lot of people ended up having to work even harder in their later years to stay at a healthy weight, because abuse of those diet pills pretty much wrecked their metabolisms.
I remember that episode, I also remember a coworker of Stephen's made a pass at Mallory and forced a kiss on her. I also remember Uncle Ned's alchoholism and how desperate he was to get a drink he drank some cooking stuff.
very good point. good episode. however, the car accident one hit me harder because it hit less than 2 or 3 years after my sister died the same way. just watching this video made me lose it all over again.
@@mistermattmoose im sorry for your loss. Good thoughts going to you and your family.
@@sandyr-w6906 yep, vanilla, remember it well (I think).
I agree with others that the MASH episode where the chicken turns out to be a baby should be #1. The reality of the choice that the mother made in order to save the others is absolutely gut-wrenching. And yeah, the Scrubs episode about Ben still makes me cry. Good list, MsMojo.
The Crazy Ex Girlfriend episode was so dark. I believe it really shows the desperation some people go through to stop the pain in their lives. It was a shocking and powerful moment.
Or is it propaganda for the pharmaceutical companies & the DSM-5?
I have not seen this show. This is the first I've heard of this. Damn right I'm shocked. I'm shocked this is what is praised & accepted in our western society.
@@kaitlyngault3987 OH NO.....we can not discuss mental health on in media. So says you. Some of us (myself included) have been in those dark places where we just want the pain to end & it is GOOD that CXG brought it up. Watch the damn show before you give an uninformed opinion.
@@kaitlyngault3987 I don’t know about in other countries but in the US mental health has been highly stigmatized. Shows like this helps people see it’s okay to struggle, it’s okay to ask for help and hopefully in time the stigma will go away.
It would definitely help if society would stop minimilizing the events/struggles/traumas that lead to having bad mental health (sa, child molest.., abuse,..).
Fun fact: to make the reactions to the plane crash scene in Mash more authentic, only 2 people in the acting cast knew of it. Hawkeye and Blake. Those reactions in that scene are genuine shock to his end.
Edith Bunker's death on All In the Family could have easily been on this list. There are also a number of incidents from the Golden Girls that could have made the list: Rose's PTSD after the house was robbed, Rose being assaulted by her dentist, Blanche being abused, Blanche finding out her brother was gay and going to marry a man, Rose's AIDS scare, Sophia's friend wanting assisted suicide, Mario being deported.
The assault of Dr. Greene on ER was incredibly shocking. Although since this is sitcom moments, I guess that doesn't really count. But the death of Alex Keaton's friend episodes stayed with me for a long time.
Dr Greene's death was one of the most memorable for me. How the staff took the news of his passing, pausing in their duties to reflect on it, and then carrying on as if nothing happened show's how well written and acted the shows were
His assault, his death, Gaunt’s suicide, Carter and Lucy being stabbed, so many!
Allegedly, Jessie Spanno was supposed to be using cocaine but the Saturday-morning censors said no.
i remember an article mentioning this. i think it was one of the showrunners who said that too.
I’d read it too, and I remember that making sense. Cuz even as a kid I felt that getting that worked up and that reaction, over caffeine, seemed a little melodramatic and blown way outta proportion.
"How come he don't want me?" was an adlib, too, and I cry every time I see it.
That Growing Pains episode with Sandy's death still hurts.
Carol's breakdown gets me in the feels, every time.
That was one my mom and I would sob every single time we saw it! It took a couple seasons of FRIENDS before I quit seeing Perry as Sandy. He had been in several things, I knew the actor, but episode made him Sandy.
I always get teary of Radar's telling of Blakes death, not long after that scene McLean Stevenson who played Lt Colonel Henry Blake died.
First off, thanks for having more clips and less talking - that's a huge improvement to your great channel! Secondly, thank you for including us older folks in your lists!
I’ve yet to watch yet all I can think about is when Cherry hides in a abandoned refrigerator on Punky Brewster and almost dies. Craziness.
I’ve watched a bunch of junk tv over the years but two lines that always hit me hard and have stuck with me have always been Will Smiths “How come he don’t want me man?” And Jason Segals “I’m not ready for this.” So raw and full of emotion that I never really expected outta a sitcom.
I always remember the episode of Full House where DJ starts developing an eating disorder, she doesn't eat and exercises until she passes out.
Golden Girls had quite a few episodes that dealt with serious irl issues too: Rose possibly getting AIDS from a blood transfusion, Rose being sexually harassed by her doctor, Blanche getting involved with an abusive man...
That episode of Fresh Prince always made me cry "why doesn't he want me, man?" bc I had an absent father too.
Brendan Fraser is finally getting some of the recognition he deserves but he's always been an amazing actor including in Scrubs!
"News Radio", the episode after the actor who played the anchor got killed. I thought, that one was done with so much class.
The death of Paul in 8 Simple Rules absolutely broke me 😢
From Sitcom to Sadcom.
There's another espiode in Fresh Prince, in which Will and Carlton got arrested for "stealing a car", when they were driving the car of a friend and colleague of Phil.
They called Vivian from a cell, and she and Phil rushed over to the station. The sheriff/deputy/whatever treated Phil also with rasicm, not believing him being a renowned lawyer.
The situation is only resolved by his friend entering the station, clarifying that Phil is indeed a lawyer, and that he gave Will and Carlton the keys to his car.
Carlton almost lost trust in the legal system that night, as he truely believed the police would never treat them like criminals since they didn't do anything wrong, and only judging them by their skin.
John Ritter and Carol Ann Susi hit the hardest. That is raw real emotions from the actors from the loss.
John Ritter, Carol Susiand Cory monteth were hard for me, because watching the cast grieve was so hard. There was no need for acting That was all raw true emotions!
right in the feels... It's been decades for some of these, and they still hurt like crazy...
*RIGHT?!*
Henry's death still brings tears. Radars acting was unforgettable. War sucks. So poetic still.
The episode of “M*A*S*H” where Col. Blake gets shot down is very emotional. It brings me to tears.
The Fresh Prince episode really hits hard, makes me cry every single time I see it.
This was such a great compilation that spanned the history of sitcoms!!
The saddest thing about the death of Marshalls father was the countdown following through the whole episode that most of us didn't realise when it counted down...
And did I miss it or did you really forgot the death of Laverne in Scrubs? I cried really hard when Karla let her go.
"You can go home now, Laverne." "He did NOT just say that!"
A little 'peak' on the emotional rollercoaster at first watch - until you realize Carla wasn't there for that convo in Season 1, so JD must be imagining her as well. :(
"Bit most of all, you were my friend". Til that line I was holding it together and then the floodgates opened.
I remember when John Ritter died in 8 Simper Rules. That was really upsetting to watch. Also Ben in Scrubs was a really sad episode. Brendan Fraser was amazing.
I guess Riverdale isn't a sitcom but the episode addressing the loss of Luke Perry absolutely broke me.
Sitcom is short for "situation comedy," which Riverdale is not.
I never watched Riverdale. How did they handle it?
@@UnknownAz They devoted an episode to his character's death and Shannon Doherty was a guest star. I'm not a mushy person but I found it incredibly touching.
How they handled Leslie Jordan's passing on Call Me Cat was so moving.
It's shocking when an actor or actress dies in real life, and the characters on the TV Show acknowledges their real life death. Enough said.
I was such a huge Ritter fan. Grew up watching Three's Company, Real Men and as an adult loved seeing him in Scrubs and then 8 rules. Gut punch when he died.
Another moment I would've included was Dr. Sturgess's breakdown on Young Sheldon. The rooftop scene always breaks my heart.
Mash, the chicken episode when Hawkeye reveals it wasn't a chicken.
All in the Family, Edith Bunker getting assaulted and her death. Both very very ahead of their time in how they talked about it.
Family Guy, Brian's death (before we knew)
And many many others.
Thank you for mentioning Brian’s death on Family Guy. 🙏
Mom: Violet telling Kristie that she needed to let go so she could get on with her life.
Reba: Kyra leaving so she could be a kid again.
Kyra got the shit stick in that family. She always suffered.
Family matters did a lot of really good episodes on racism I remember Eddie driving while Black in the wrong neighborhood
That was the first one to come to my mind.
I literally wrote about that episode right after watching the video. Then headed to the comments hoping to see if anyone else agreed 👍
Like many folks from Gen X and earlier, I was and still a big fan of John Ritter. From Three's Company to the Problem Child films to 8 Simple Rules and even when Ritter played a sadistic, vengful mean police cheif uncle to his teen neice in BRIDE OF CHUCKY (1998), Ritter always did great work and he is still greatly missed. The day Ritter passed was the evening of his daughter Stella's 5th birthday. Then about 8 hours later during the morning hours of September 12, of 2003, country music legend Johnny Cash passed on. That was a hard time for America indeed.
Roseanne was a show that made me feel okay about growing up in lower middle class. Made me feel at home. Still a great show even after the original series ended 25 years ago.
I don't understand because pretty much every sitcom save for Fresh Prince or The Jefferson's, almost all of the families are middle class.
@@Rockhound6165 there is lower, middle and upper middle class. She said she was lower middle class.
She and Dan are one of my favorite sitcom couples, because instead of trying to romanticize them or anything like that, the writers made them very relatable to anyone trying to raise a family, where they may not always be perfect parents and everything will always work out fine, but they're just two people trying to get by who will do anything for their children and anyone else they love
I was waiting for The Golden Girls episode 72 hours where Rose has to take an HIV test after receiving a transfusion.
Or roses pill addiction, or roses extreme anxiety after their home break in, or blanche not able to accept her daughters pregnancy via a doner, blanches gay brother, blanches plus size daughter being verbally abused by her fiance,or when rose nearly gets seriously duped by a stranger pretending to be her late husbands army buddy, or when Sophia makes a friend at the boardwalk that has alzheimers. Golden Girls tackled so many things!! I have seen it in its entirety many times ahaha
@@Celestialdaydreamer Or Sophia dealing with her friend wanting to end her life
As soon as I heard what this was about, I said to myself, "Scrubs is going to be on this list, when BF dies." That episode wrecked me.
Am I the only one who thinks the honorable mention of MASH where Hawkeye's orders led to a woman smothering her own baby is more shocking than #1 where their senior officer dies in a plane crash? Honestly...
Based on what I've read, and my own personal feelings, you are the fourth person.
Although Henry's death was a surprise, I am positive that Hawkeye's breakdown in admitting what really happened on that bus was the biggest shock.
I agree, Hawkeyes breakdown was extremely shocking. However, the thing that got me about Henry's death was that after the team heard the news, they only had a moment or so to take it in before they had to continue working on the wounded.
One moment that wasn't on there was when James Evans died in "Good Times"...still gets me 😢😢
John Amos was wonderful in that role.
“Wonder Years”, the original. When Winnie’s brother died in Vietnam and the series finale when it says the the brother took over the company after they lost their father. Period shows like that have a tendency to be easily depressing. I was young when I watched that show. So when their father died, I cried forever it seemed. I don’t do well with sad stuff.
I knew this would make me cry. I clicked on it anyway. Rookie mistake. 😭😭😭
I know am here watching in the morning before going to work crying - Lol
Same - watched it at 430 in the morning and crying in bed. 😑😭
I grew up watching Saved by the Bell and 8 Simple Rules. Those episodes got me. I remember sitting on the sofa with my mom crying as we watched the 8SR episode. Well done. I'm sad it's not higher up on the list. Also, the Fresh Prince episode about his dad gets me every time. I remember Carlton's turmoil over Will getting shot as well.
Also, I know it's not a comedy show, but I feel like Buffy's "The Body" episode had the same level of impact. That one rocked me too.
The Jefferson’s Sorry, Wrong Meeting is a great episode about racism. George mistakenly goes to a KKK meeting. When the meeting leader suddenly has a heart attack George saves his life. When the man son tells him George saved his life. He replies to his son “you should have let me died”
And then the son tears up a KKK sign. I remember watching it as a kid.