19 TV Episodes That Actually Handled Heavy Topics Really (And I Mean Really) Well
Since post-World War II, TV shows have been a signature in family homes and an ideal form of escapism. But even the funniest shows have tackled serious topics; some do it so well that it leaves viewers cheering on how well their favorite show handled a heavy subject.
Originals / Via giphy.com
Here are 19 TV shows that handled heavy topics really, really well:
Obviously, major spoilers ahead, friends! Also, this post includes topics of gun violence, addiction, domestic abuse, force used by police, and racism.
1.Scrubs introduces a patient who refuses treatment, and the doctor must accept his patient's decision and wishes.
In the episode "My Old Lady," J.D. spends the runtime trying to convince an older patient named Ms. Tanner to get treatment for kidney disease. She doesn't want to, claims she has lived a full life, and proceeds to tell J.D. to enjoy his to the fullest (even simply just laying the grass, doing nothing). J.D. admits he is more scared than the dying woman, and this episode that deals with death hits in all directions, both the emotions of those dying and those losing someone they care about while thinking about their own mortality.
The episode ends with J.D. lying in the grass, greeted by his work friends who also lost patients that day.
2.Black-ish doesn't flinch at the topic of police brutality and spotlights how Black parents have to raise their children in a rigged society.
In a special episode of Black-ish, the heart of it actually focuses on the reaction to police brutality within Black homes. Bow doesn't want her husband, Dre, to raise their kids to think our flawed world has no hope after watching the news about violent protests in reaction to the death of another Black person killed by police.
Dre gives a speech talking about how they need to acknowledge the unfairness and bias they face on a daily basis in a way that showcases the hurdles Black families face when raising their children.
3.Sesame Street acknowledges the death of Mr. Hooper.
After the death of cast member Mister Hooper, Sesame Street doesn't shy away from talking about it and goes a step forward to tell the kids through Big Bird's reaction. Much like children, Big Bird doesn't fully grasp that death means he will never see Mr. Hooper again. The emotional cast then explains what death means to Big Bird. It's a tear-jerker, and it still holds up today.
4.Growing Pains deals with both the suddenness of death and the dangers of drunk driving.
In an episode titled "Second Chances," Carol's boyfriend, Sandy, gets into a car accident after driving drunk and ends up hospitalized. The episode seems like any other, where a lesson is learned by a close call, but things go south when she arrives home from the hospital to learn that Sandy died from internal bleeding. It's a stunning moment, and the fallout feels all too real.
It hammers home the episode trying to highlight the consequences of drunk driving.
5.The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air spotlights the denial of racism through Carlton's eyes.
Obviously, like other shows, it highlights police abusing their power at the expense of Black people, but the real uniqueness of this episode is Carlton's attitude toward the situation. Throughout the episode, he tries to excuse the racial bias toward him and Will being arrested in the episode "Mistaken Identity."
In the end, Carlton questions everything he's known in what has been a sheltered life after Uncle Phil eludes to his own experience of being stopped by police when he was younger. It's a very masterful ending.
6.Full House shows Stephanie learning that her friend is abused by his father.
In the episode "Silence Is Not Golden," Stephanie learns that her classmate Charles is being abused by his father. Despite her reluctance to say anything after Charles asks her to promise not to, she does the right thing and tells an adult. She feels bad afterward, and the episode does a tremendous job highlighting the terrible feelings that come with a terrible situation but the importance of reaching out and doing the right thing.
7.In Glee, Kurt's father reacts to him coming out in a flawed but realistic way.
At the end of the episode "Preggers," Kurt comes out to his mechanic father, clearly stressed about how he'd react. His father knew for a long time and let his son know that he still loves him just the same, and despite it not being the textbook reaction to your kid coming out, it felt very raw and real.
8.Punky, in Punky Brewster, witnesses the Challenger disaster, and the fallout is heartbreaking.
In the episode "Accidents Happen," Punky, who dreams of one day being an astronaut, witnesses the Challenger disaster. This episode seems like it's going to be a typical episode about a child coping with death, but the real crusher is that the accident starts to dissuade Punky from following her dream to be an astronaut. Luckily, in the end, she doesn't let her fear stop her from dreaming because she understands that accidents happen.
9.A Degrassi: The Next Generation episode tackles a woman's right to choose an abortion.
In the episode "Accidents Will Happen," Manny, who is pregnant at 14, decides to get an abortion after talking to other parents and thinking about her future. Despite disapproval from others like her boyfriend Craig, she comes to terms with the fact that it is ultimately her choice to follow through with the abortion.
10.Mary Tyler Moore Show deals with anti-semitism.
Mary befriends a woman named Joanne, who suspiciously does not want to be around Mary's closest and best friend, Rhoda, who is Jewish. Mary tricks Joanne by claiming she is Jewish, exposing Joanne, who becomes tongue-tied before realizing she has been duped. But the damage was done, and Mary understood she had looked at her differently when she believed she was Jewish.
In the end, Mary cuts Joanne out of her life, having zero tolerance for an antisemite. It's a good ending, and despite Rhoda not being in the scene, Mary sticks up for her friend rather than being dismissive of the antisemitism.
11.The Jeffersons teaches about racism the only way the show knows how...through laughs.
During the episode "Sorry, Wrong Meeting," George accidentally attends a meeting that turns out to be a Ku Klux Klan meeting. After the leader of the group spews his racist rhetoric, all while his own son says the n-word, he proceeds to have a heart attack. George proceeds to save the dying man's life with CPR. The son struggles to thank George for saving his father's life, and it really highlights racism being passed down and learned.
A very brief moment after the racist father goes down, his son asks if anyone knows what to do, and George just looks around, minding his business (and the audience knows he is capable of giving the man CPR).
"The garbage still stinks no matter how fresh it is."
12.8 Simple Rules handles the sudden death of leading star, John Ritter, by showing the cast grieve in different ways.
Actor and star of 8 Simple Rules John Ritter died after a heart attack during the show's run. The writers wrote Ritter's death into the story, and it is a tough watch, but the episode shows how different people grieve. One daughter can't stop crying, the son gets angry over the littlest things, and the other daughter won't leave her room.
The whole episode is a gut punch, and all the emotions are all too real while comforting in the end.
13.The Facts of Life introduces Cousin Geri, a character with a visible disability, and although she tells jokes, she isn't one.
Geri Tyler (played by Geri Jewell), who has cerebral palsy, appeared on The Facts of Life, and it was the first time a character with a visible disability appeared on a primetime sitcom. Her presence not only puts a focus on someone with a disability but it also shows how other characters treated and interacted with her. The awkwardness people have when talking to disabled people is portrayed realistically, and Geri brought so much charisma to her role that viewers fell in love with her.
It's also cool to see that she portrays a comedian on the show, which I imagine helped ease viewers back in the day who had never seen someone like her on TV before.
14.The Golden Girls tackles anti-gayness in a shocking way.
In The Golden Girls episode "Scared Straight," we meet Clayton, Blanche's brother, who is gay. Blanche is outraged and outs her own anti-gay mindset throughout the episode.
This was so unique because the character with prejudice was a main character everyone loved, rather than a side character they could write off. She ultimately accepts him for who he is, and we see her first baby steps toward rejecting her own prejudices.
15.Maude talks about abortion in a pre-Roe v. Wade world.
In the episode titled "Maude's Dilemma," Maude becomes pregnant at the age of 47. She contemplates having an abortion while her husband Walter considers having a vasectomy. She decides it's irresponsible to go through with the pregnancy, and the support she gets from Walter is beautiful. Other shows have dealt with abortion, but this one did a good job showing how a partner should not just respect the right to choose but offer their full support.
This all happened just two months before the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision.
16.Diff'rent Strokes airs an uncomfortable episode with the show's young boys interacting with a local pedophile.
Maybe the most infamous entry on this list, the popular series Diff'rent Strokes, used the two-part episode called "The Bicycle Man" to spotlight the signs of pedophiles when Dudley and Arnold befriend a local man. The man, a bike shop owner, goes on to do disturbing things like show the boys adult magazines and even has them take shirtless photos. It's an incredibly uncomfortable episode, but it gets the point across and, more importantly, gets viewers at home talking.
17.That's So Raven deals with body image issues.
In the episode "That's So Not Raven," Raven has her dress and image featured in a magazine but is appalled to see that they photoshopped her head onto a skinnier body. Raven then takes matters into her own hands and models her dress on her own body. She says that even if she doesn't have "the look" she's still beautiful.
Other Disney shows have dealt with body image, but this one keeps it positive enough for kids. Although I'm sure the episode isn't flawless, it succeeds in making Raven comfortable and confident in her own skin.
18.Boy Meets World highlights Shawn's family, who has a history of alcoholism.
In the episode "If You Can't Be With The One You Love," Shawn is confronted by his friends about his drinking. His brother warns him about following the same path as his father, who had an alcohol addiction.
Shawn eventually tries to leave the room and drunkenly shoves his girlfriend aside. The scene is a tough watch and spotlights a history of alcoholism in one's family, the dangers of going down the same road, and how it can ruin relationships with loved ones.
19.And finally, One Tree Hill deals with a school shooting, and it's a devastating watch.
In the episode "With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept," One Tree Hill follows troubled teen Jimmy, who brings a gun to Tree Hill High that forces a lockdown.
The episode is tough to watch and ends with the sympathetic shooter, Jimmy, taking his own life. It puts the audience inside the walls of the school in a scenario all too familiar, and it's as emotional as it is horrifying.
Did I miss any? Do you believe any of the moments that I covered didn't handle it well? How about a different moment from one of these shows? Please comment below and let me know.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline is 1-888-950-6264 (NAMI) and provides information and referral services; GoodTherapy.org is an association of mental health professionals from more than 25 countries who support efforts to reduce harm in therapy.
If you are concerned that a child is experiencing or may be in danger of abuse, you can call or text the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-2253 (4.A.CHILD); service can be provided in over 140 languages.
If you or someone you know has experienced anti-LGBTQ violence or harassment, you can contact the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs hotline at 1-212-714-1141.
