What is the saddest episode on a TV show that you've seen?

[koopa]

Well, Futurama was mentioned and I agree. Even the music at the closing credits was sad.

The Surreal Life season 1 with Vince Neil and MC Hammer in the bus talking about Vince losing his daughter when she was 4. Hammer and Vince talk about faith. The next day, the cast goes to church and Hammer delivers an uplifting message hoping Vince finds peace. I remember Gabrielle (90210) and Jeri (Survivor) crying during that exchange. Man, I miss the early years of that show.

 

[wardfamily1]

I have two -
The last episode of Roseanne when you realize that Dan has died from the heart attack. It also reveals that Becky is really married to David, and Darlene is really married to Mark. The last episode changed the whole show around to the family REALLY being a real family that Roseanne had started to write about when (I think) Dan passed away. I know most people - at least everyone I know - thinks that Roseanne was a white trash show, but that last episode was just so sureal and so heart breakingly sad.

ITA

I liked Roseanne because it was about 'real' people (and very funny too). This was a very sad ending to the series. I cried too when I found out Dan died. It was very emotional.

I also think 2 that were burned in my mind as a child were when James died on Good Times, I always liked John Amos and even as a small child I remember crying when he died on the show. The other one was when Edith died on All in the Family. To see crotchety old Archie break down like that was too much even for a kid.

 

[wardfamily1]

I have two -
The last episode of Roseanne when you realize that Dan has died from the heart attack. It also reveals that Becky is really married to David, and Darlene is really married to Mark. The last episode changed the whole show around to the family REALLY being a real family that Roseanne had started to write about when (I think) Dan passed away. I know most people - at least everyone I know - thinks that Roseanne was a white trash show, but that last episode was just so sureal and so heart breakingly sad.

ITA

I liked Roseanne because it was about 'real' people (and very funny too). This was a very sad ending to the series. I cried too when I found out Dan died. It was every emotional.

I also think 2 that were burned in my mind as a child were when James died on Good Times, I always liked John Amos and even as a small child I remember crying when he died on the show. The other one was when Edith died on All in the Family. To see crotchety old Archie break down like that was too much even for a kid.

 

[epfootballcutie04]

ok I have to agree with the posters that have mentioned Grey's Anatomy.. when Denny died I cried like a baby.

I've also cried in episodes of One tree hill ... specifically the school shooting episode mainly because when that aired, it was right around the time that my high school had just gone into lockdown because a kid had a weapon.

Also, i think i cried the hardest during The OC 3rd season when Marissa died. I still cry when i see that episode even though i know it's coming... so sad.

 

[figment52]

It was a very early Designing Women episode when a young gay man came to the firm and asked them to plan his funeral (New Orleans style). It led into a debate on condoms in the schools where Mary Jo gave a brilliant speech and in the end they are at his funeral. I cried through the entire episode.

BJ dying on General Hospital with Tony at her bedside was another powerful episode.

 

[figment52]

ER when Dr. Greene died. I still can't hear that version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" without thinking of that episode.

When Denny died on Grey's Anatomy.

The Real World 3rd season (San Francisco) when the let us know that Pedro had died.

THAT"S here I first heard that version. I love that version of the song and you reminded me of why I always get a tear when I hear it. Thank you.

Yes, it was a very sad episode, one of the last ones I watched too.

 

[minniecarousel]

The final episode of M*A*S*H*. They had been hiding out on a bus with several civilians and one woman had a chicken with her. It kept squawking and Hawkeye kept telling her to keep it quiet so they wouldn’t be detected. Finally she just killed it.

Through flashbacks in Hawkeye's therapy sessions, we finally learned that it hadn't been a chicken at all. It was her own baby that the woman killed. I've never even seen that episode in reruns, but it remains my vote for the saddest ever.

When I saw the title of this thread, this is the first episode that I thought of. So sad!

Dr. Greene on ER and Denny's death on Grey's Anatomy are the more recent ones that I think of.

'course, I cry at Hallmark commercials!!

 

[happygirl]

Alot of them have already been named but here are some that havn't

Days of our lives when John died
also days when they do the Christmas tree decorating

 

[GirTheGecko]

Futurama. The episode where Frye remembers his dog and how close they were and at the end Frye gets frozen but the dog doesn't know it and sits outside the pizza parlor waiting for him to return. He sits and waits through seasons and seasons until he dies. We absolutely can't watch that one here or we all start bawling.

As soon as I saw this thread I thought about that episode. My boyfriend is a huge Futurama fan and had it on one night, and I was just about in tears and made him change it. It just tears my heart out. So, whenever I see "Jurassic Bark" on, I leave the room.

Also the Doctor Who episode where Rose gets stuck in the other universe.

 

[Magic Mom]

Lujack's death waaaaay back was one of the absolute worst things ever!

I loved Lujack

 

[JVL1018]

Oh I just remembered one, that still makes me well up, even thinking about it. Maybe not what you were looking for, since it was on a talk show but..

It was an Oprah show, a woman was dying of cancer and they showed the video she made for her daughter Peyton, because she knew she wouldn;t be there to see her baby girl grow up, and at one point on the video she said "Mommy loves Peyton" and I just lost it, she was so brave to be so positive for her little girl, knowing that she wouldn't be there as she got older.
I am literally crying now as I type this, told you I was a crier. LOL

http://www.oprah.com/presents/2005/20anniv/celebrate/celebrate_350_307.jhtml

http://www.oprah.com/presents/2005/20anniv/celebrate/celebrate_350_308.jhtml

Another Oprah show, I can't find the clip-I remember the woman was wearing a black dress, was beautiful and amazingly together-her sons were at their Dad's and he(her ex) called her and told her he was going to kill them, he put down the phone and then she heard the gun go off as he was shooting her children. They were all killed.
I think about that woman a lot.

 

[matthew&haleysmom]

On "Judging Amy" when Jared Duff dies right before his wedding to Maxine. What made it sadder was knowing that Richard Crenna (who played Jared) had really died.

I loved that show, but had forgotten about this. I cried that night.


Also, when Georgie died on General Hospital.

 

[Suzie Zoo]

I loved Lujack

Me too!!!! The actor who played him has been let go from Y&R... I'm crossing my fingers for the soaps gods to intervene and send him back to GL!

 

[Wonderlandmom]

I have to agree with ER/Mark dying, Grey's Anatomy/Denny dying, several soap shows/episodes too (especially Cassie on Y&R), House/Amber dying, lots of Little House on the Prairies, and I will add Army Wives/Amanda dying. I sobbed!

 

[newcomer52]

I will show my age. My choice is the final episode of MASH. I was pregnant an the time and it tore me up. That was 20 some years ago and I still remember the sadness.

js

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Animal stories always get to me.

There was an episode of Highway to Heaven that I only saw once but I think it would qualify for the saddest for me. I'm not sure I remember all the details, but maybe someone else will.

There was a car accident in a ditch and the Old English Sheepdog leaves the car and goes to get help for his injured family. The whole episode is about the dog's journey to get help. At the very end, you see that the dog had died in the accident and it was his spirit who'd gone to get help. What a tearjerker. I would love to see it again sometime.

Highway to Heaven, or anything Michael Landon did, always had me bawling.

 

[sha_lyn]

Henry's death on MASH
When Archie Bunker talks to Edith and hugs her slipper after she's died
Dr Greens Death on ER

Both of those get to me everytime I see them.

When Gary died on thirtysomething.

That didn't come to mind until reading the posts, but yes, I bawled like crazy. I jsut could not believe they killed off Gary

Another one is an episode of Fresh Prince, believe it or not. The episode where Will's father returns and just as Will's starting to connect with his father he's backing out of taking him along in his truck and may or may not be back. That last scene with Will letting out all his rage and hurt and Philip there to comfort him, and Will starts to realize that his uncle is more of a father than his father is ... definitely shows Will Smith's acting potential back then.

I saw that again not too long ago. It realy is a powerful episode and shows that Will Smith just wasn't some rapper with hopes of being an actor

The final episode of M*A*S*H*. They had been hiding out on a bus with several civilians and one woman had a chicken with her. It kept squawking and Hawkeye kept telling her to keep it quiet so they wouldn’t be detected. Finally she just killed it.

Through flashbacks in Hawkeye's therapy sessions, we finally learned that it hadn't been a chicken at all. It was her own baby that the woman killed. I've never even seen that episode in reruns, but it remains my vote for the saddest ever.

I saw it not too long ago and it is still very powerful 25 yrs later. The first time I watch it I actually fell off the couch I was crying so hard.

From what I've read, it seems to be coming from her, though. It was already in production, and obviously they had filmed many scenes with her dad for it, when he died. She seems to be a very advanced, outspoken, little kid, and I think she has quite a bit of say in whether to do the show and what to do in it, so I personally don't think she's being exploited, I just don't think that would have worked for my healing process, to be surrounded with (in my case) mom's images and talking like she was still alive. Though I was 30 when she died, not 8 or however old Bindi was. A bit different.

That is my understanding as well.
I do see what you are saying about the images, but I'm certain she has that so much anyway at the zoo. I do believe that the episodes where she tlaks like he is still alive, he was actually still alive then.


ETA: 2 more episodes of all in the Famly just came to mind. The one where Beverly was beaten to death and the one where Archie found out that Stephanie was Jewish.
Both of those really get to me. I guess the one with Stephainie isn't really sad, but it is a tearjerker for certain.
Carol O'Connor was an amazing actor and while he didn't often get the chance to show his range on AITF, when he did, it was TV moments that leave a lifelong impression.

 

[HonnyDipp]

Do soap opera's count? How about the Young & The Restless episode where a young Cassie Newman died from a car accident? Seeing her two parents at her bedside then we see Cassie drift away, I cried like a baby! That was nearly 5 years ago, they showed a clip of it a few months ago, and it struck me just as hard!

 

[goofinoff]

Oh I just remembered one, that still makes me well up, even thinking about it. Maybe not what you were looking for, since it was on a talk show but..

It was an Oprah show, a woman was dying of cancer and they showed the video she made for her daughter Peyton, because she knew she wouldn;t be there to see her baby girl grow up, and at one point on the video she said "Mommy loves Peyton" and I just lost it, she was so brave to be so positive for her little girl, knowing that she wouldn't be there as she got older.
I am literally crying now as I type this, told you I was a crier. LOL
.

OMG!! I remember that show with the woman and the video to her daughter.
That was so beautiful and sad at the same time. Oprah has a lot of shows like that...complete tear jerkers! But I do remember Oprah being very emotional during that show as well.

 

[TheZue]

Oh I just remembered one, that still makes me well up, even thinking about it. Maybe not what you were looking for, since it was on a talk show but..

It was an Oprah show, a woman was dying of cancer and they showed the video she made for her daughter Peyton, because she knew she wouldn;t be there to see her baby girl grow up, and at one point on the video she said "Mommy loves Peyton" and I just lost it, she was so brave to be so positive for her little girl, knowing that she wouldn't be there as she got older.
I am literally crying now as I type this, told you I was a crier. LOL

http://www.oprah.com/presents/2005/20anniv/celebrate/celebrate_350_307.jhtml

http://www.oprah.com/presents/2005/20anniv/celebrate/celebrate_350_308.jhtml

Another Oprah show, I can't find the clip-I remember the woman was wearing a black dress, was beautiful and amazingly together-her sons were at their Dad's and he(her ex) called her and told her he was going to kill them, he put down the phone and then she heard the gun go off as he was shooting her children. They were all killed.
I think about that woman a lot.

The saddest Oprah I've seen was the family that was coming back from a wedding in a limo and a drunk driver hit them head on. Their daughter was killed and her mother was holding on to her head on the side of the road. It was just awful.