Sorry to Do This, But Here Are 40 TV Moments That Absolutely Gutted You
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It's cozy season, you're under a weighted blanket, moving from your couch isn't currently an option, and honestly the time has come for a cathartic cry. And truly nothing hits like watching a gut-wrenching moment from one of your favorite television shows—preferably paired with some extremely sad music (gonna cause chaos and suggest Snow Patrol), a box of tissues, and...IDK...maybe some stale Krispy Kreme donuts from when you were trying to channel your inner Hailey Bieber.
To save you some time and effort, we went ahead and rewatched 40 of the saddest and most brutal moments from recent TV memory—from Denny's tragic passing on Grey's Anatomy and Hot Priest breaking our collective hearts on Fleabag to Big Bird learning about death on Sesame Street (YOU ARE. NOT. PREPARED) and Conrad and Belly's whole dramatic thing on The Summer I Turned Pretty. Which, yeah, are all extremely different from each other, but TV-induced tears come in many forms, mmmkay?
Also it goes without saying that writing this article has turned me into a shadow of my former self (picture Alice drowning in a puddle of her own tears on her way to Wonderland), so BRB as I recover.*
*And force an unsuspecting friend to watch Jack's fiery demise on This Is Us *and* Episode 3 of The Last of Us. See ya!
Before we begin, we have two very important things to say:
1) Many of these topics are very heavy, so pretty please proceed with caution.
2) There are SEVERAL spoilers in here—don't say I didn't warn you!
Sarah Lynn's Death in 'Bojack Horseman'
Honestly spend most episodes of Bojack crying, but the pathos and emotion present during Sarah Lynn's death by drug overdose was on another level.
Robert MccAllister Dying on 'Brothers and Sisters'
The only thing crueler than killing Robert in a car crash (I warned you about spoilers) is doing so after having him survive this heart attack while his son is being born!
Mr. Feeny Saying Goodby on 'Boy Meets World'
I personally challenge you to get through Mr. Feeny saying goodbye to his empty classroom without crying.
Jen's Video to Her Daughter on 'Dawson's Creek'
Personally still not okay with Dawson's Creek killing off Jen, but can't lie: This video to her daughter was beyond. Like, playing THAT Sarah McLachlan song? THE WB, WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?
The 'Derry Girls' Season 1 Finale
Something about watching the girls dance joyfully at their talent show to The Cranberries while their parents learned about a fatal bombing was simply too much for me.
Buffy's Mom Dying on 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'
Buffy's face = me during this entire article.
When Rue Hit Rock Bottom on 'Euphoria'
AKA when Zendaya proved that she's THE actor of our generation—and won two Emmys and a Golden Globe while she was at it.
When Randall Says Goodbye to William on 'This Is Us'
Randall holding William's face and saying "just breathe with me" is so devastating, I barely got through rewatching it for the purposes of this article.
Seymore Waiting for Fry on 'Futurama'
I don't care if this is a cartoon, forcing us to watch a confused dog wait for his human who's not coming back is an attack. I'd rather suffer through Homeward Bound, I fear!
When Hot Priest and Fleabag Broke Up on 'Fleabag'
About to admit something very dark: This breakup had me in such a state of denial that I turned to fan-fiction. I'M NOT PROUD.
Matt Buries His Dad on 'Friday Night Lights'
Matt picking up a shovel to help bury his father on Friday Night Lights would have been heart-wrenching no matter what, but the song choice of "Driveway" by Great Northern took it from soft tears to ugly crying.
When Will's Dad Left on 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'
In a rare heartbreaking moment from the show, Will asks Uncle Phil "How come he don't want me?" after his dad once again leaves him.
Rue's Eulogy to Her Dad on 'Euphoria'
Just another instance of Zendaya being such a good actor that we were moved to literal tears.
Denny's Death on 'Grey's Anatomy'
Side effects of watching this scene: weeping/screaming whenever someone's cruel enough to play "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol around you.
When Luke Broke Up With Lorelai on 'Gilmore Girls'
The fact that we had to wait multiple weeks for Luke to get his shit together and knock on Lorelai's door was an act of cruelty on the part of Amy Sherman-Palladino.
The Red Wedding on 'Game of Thrones'
I'm still coming down from this episode and it's been 10 years.
When June and Luke Finally Reunite on 'The Handmaid's Tale'
Everything was leading up to this moment, and when it finally happened? Some of us (me) unfortunately became so hysterical, they had to to rewatch the entire scene as a result.
When Charlie Drowned on 'Lost'
Look, I hate talking about Lost as much as the next person, but we can all agree that Charlie sacrificing himself for Desmond was highly emotional.
Claire's Dad's Death on 'Derry Girls'
The brilliance of Derry Girls lies in its ability to deliver extremely moving scenes without over-playing them—and the death of Claire's father was made all the more powerful by how delicately it was handled. Which is a fancy way of saying we cried a ton.
Quentin's Funeral on 'The Magicians'
Just want to make sure the feelings of my fellow SyFy nerds are represented on this list!
Kristina's Goodbye Video on 'Parenthood'
As we learned from Dawson and his creek, sad TV shows love NOTHING more than a pre-recorded goodbye video when someone's dying. (But spoiler alert: Kristina doesn't have to say goodbye after all!)
When 'Hurt' Played During 'Rick and Morty'
Didn't think I'd be weeping to Rick going to prison while Nine Inch Nails played in the background, but life's all about new (devastating) experiences, I guess.
'How to Save a Life' Playing on 'Scrubs'
You know when The Fray starts playing, things are about to get real—and listening to "How to Save a Life" while Dr. Cox lost multiple patients was...a lot.
When Emily Told Richard He Couldn't Die First on 'Gilmore Girls'
This moment! This hand-hold! I'm 😭 fr.
When Conrad Broke Up with Belly on 'The Summer I Turned Pretty'
Like, I'm sorry, but you can't just BREAK UP with someone in the middle of PROM and then wander out into a rainstorm looking like THAT and expect me not to cry.
Opie's Death on 'Sons of Anarchy'
Opie sacrificing himself for Jax and being beaten to death was equal parts shocking and brutal—and one of the most devastating moments on the show.
When Big Bird Learned About Death on 'Sesame Street'
Didn't expect to be sobbing at the emotional experience of a giant bird puppet learning about his best friend's death, but here we are.
Candy's Funeral on 'Pose'
Candy's send-off would have been heartbreaking no matter what, but knowing that the tears from the cast were real made it all the more impactful.
The Final Montage on 'Six Feet Under'
This one is truly bittersweet—as Claire drives away towards her new life, we see every single one of the character's futures and eventual deaths. Basically, it's just tragedy after tragedy. So if you're into that vibe, give it a watch!:)
Jack's Death on 'This Is Us'
Again, the only thing crueler than having Jack ultimately die in the hospital at the end of this episode is having him emerge from the burning house alive (after saving the family dog!)/allowing us all to believe he'd survive.
When Will Cries Out the Car Window on 'Stranger Things'
Pictured here: Will being in his feelings about Mike on Stranger Things / Me when I have to do literally any task.
Sydney Sweeney's Mirror Moment on 'Euphoria'
Yes, this has become a meme and therefore made a rare transition from sad to lol, but watching Sydney Sweeney try to smile through tears was incredible.
Hodor's Death on 'Game of Thrones'
Nothing more painful than realizing "Hodor" meant "Hold Door" and he was prepared to sacrifice himself for freakin' BRAN. Ugh.
When We Thought Glenn Had Died on 'The Walking Dead'
We saw him get mobbed by a swarm of Zombies and the show let us think he was dead for multiple episodes before putting us out of our misery.
Chidi Leaving for The Door on 'The Good Place'
Chidi's decision to go through The Door and leave Eleanor behind was 100 percent right for his character and 100 percent wrong for my heart.
When Marissa Died on 'The O.C.'
No further comment.
The Hanging Scene on 'The Handmaid's Tale'
This moment involved June and her fellow handmaids thinking they were about to be hanged—but what made it so intense wasn't just their near-execution. It was Kate Bush's "This Woman's Work" playing throughout, proving just how much the right song can bring to the table.
When Jack's Mom Dies on 'This Is Us'
Pretty sure This Is Us was some sort of psychological experiment in emotional torture.
The Entire Third Episode of 'The Last of Us'
The story of Bill and Frank making a life together amid an apocalypse is one of the most beautiful things you'll ever see. Like, just looking at these strawberries has me on the verge of tears.
Merle's Death on 'The Walking Dead'
The face you make when your buddy becomes a Zombie and you have to kill him.
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