I need to be quick. Otherwise, I’m going to start welling up again. What defines great TV for me, is emotion. Those moments when a scene hits your so hard, that you can’t help but let the tears flow.
Below are examples of some of the most powerfully raw and emotional moments in the history of TV. Have a look and check out these 10+ of the saddest TV scenes of all time!
1. Michael’s goodbye in *The Office*.
The debate for the greatest episode of The Office is never-ending. But what is unquestionably the most touching and heartwarming moment, for me, comes when the employees of Dunder Mifflin say their musical goodbye to Michael Gary Scott.
“Nine million, nine hundred eighty-six thousand minutes…” I’m crying already!
2. Jane’s phone gets disconnected on *Breaking Bad*.
The only thing sadder than Jane’s death is the guilt that Jesse felt as a result. It sent him into a tailspin of remorse and regret.
He begins calling her cellphone just so that he can hear her voice on the machine one final time.
3. Marshall loses is father in *How I Met Your Mother*.
For the entire episode, Marvin Erikson kept trying to call his son. But there was always something that prevented Marshall from answering the phone.
The episode ends with a face-to-face with Lily, who informs him that his father passed away. I always have to call my parents after watching this one.
4. Put your keys on the counter in *Friends*.
Without a doubt, Friends was one of the most important and impactful series of the ’90s.
Watching as the Central Perk Six say goodbye to the apartment that started it all will leave you in a puddle.
5. Ben Sullivan passes away on *Scrubs*.
Ben was one of the few people who could see the human side to Dr. Cox.
His positivity and optimism were bright spots in Perry’s otherwise gloom-filled life. His sudden and surprising death hits hard.
6. Jack Pearson dies a hero in *This Is Us*.
Anyone who has ever experienced the pain of losing someone understands how fragile and finite life truly is.
We all knew that the big reveal of Jack’s death was coming, but when it hit I still wasn’t ready.
7. Mr. Feeny’s words of wisdom on *Boy Meets World*
For the conclusion of Boy Meets World , Mr. Feeny’s favorite students gather in his class for one final lesson. He tells them to “Believe in yourselves. Dream. Try. Do good.”
Then, to his empty classroom, Mr. Feeny softly says “I love you all. Class dismissed.”
8. Mike leaves City Hall in *Spin City*.
The show concocted a story wherein Mike Flaherty left for political reasons. In reality, Michael J. Fox was suffering from Parkinson’s disease .
He left in order to devote his time and energy to finding a cure.
9. When Will’s father abandoned him — again on *The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air*.
This is one of those moments that just breaks your heart to have to watch.
It is a rare moment of vulnerability for Will in the series and one of the earliest examples of his acting stature.
10. Daryl ends Merle on *The Walking Dead*.
One of the most rewarding character arcs in the entire Walking Dead series was Merle. We see him become the villain and finally the reluctant hero.
Seeing the heartbreak and pain in Daryl’s eyes as he puts his brother out of his misery is almost too much to bare.
11. Hawkeye’s painful recollection in *M.A.S.H.*.
Hawkeye tells a story of how he was on a bus transporting refugees. They wandered into enemy territory and had to keep silent for fear of being discovered.
On the bus, was a woman holding a chicken that wouldn’t stop clucking.
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At Hawkeye’s insistence, the woman quiets the chicken — killing it in the process.
As his repressed memories float to the surface we learn that the woman wasn’t holding a chicken — it was her baby.
She smothered the child under instruction from Hawkeye. This is without a doubt one of the most somber moments of the entire series.
12. The real reason why there aren’t any photos of Maggie in *The Simpsons*.
After quitting the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, Homer thinks he’s found his dream job.
Upon learning that Marge is pregnant, he has to walk hat in hand back to Mr. Burns and beg for his old job.
To make matters worse, Burns has fastened a de-motivational plaque to the wall which reads “Don’t forget, you’re here forever.”
Homer informs his family that the reason there are no pictures of Maggie in the house is that he keeps them where he needs the most cheering up.
The final shot of his office shows the wall plastered with pictures of Maggie, and the sign now reads “Do it for her.”
13. Opie meets Mr. Mayhem in *Sons Of Anarchy*.
Sons of Anarchy is a modern-day Shakespearean tragedy. The characters’ lives tend to be nasty, brutish, and short.
Opie’s death was as heartbreaking as it was heroic. What made it all the more unbearable was the fact that Jax had to watch it all happen.
