Thirteen TV episodes that made me cry
I love TV. It makes me laugh. It makes me cry. It makes me laugh until I cry.
Here are my top 13 TV episodes/ scenes
1) Frasier
It was billed as the funniest 7 minutes on television. Niles getting ready for a date. For once the NBC people didn't lie...I laughed so hard.
2) Happy Days
The one with Mork (Robin Williams).
3) I Love Lucy
Vitametavegimen. There's a reason it is a classic.
4) Moonlighting
The Taming of the Shrew Episode. To date one of the best things done on TV.
5) Picket Fences
On this episode, the mayor, who is suffering from Alzheimers induced dementia, is shot as an act of love by his son. I cry when I see this, not only because of the emotional impact of the episode, but because I watched it with my father who looked at me and said "If I ever get Alzheimers, do it. Do exactly that."
6) Grey's Anatomy
Just last week too. Christina staring down at Meredith's lifeless body screaming "Try Again."
7) ER
When Carter was knifed, there is this scene where Benton is barrelling down the hall screaming "Is he concious? Is he concious?" He then gets to Carter and meets his eyes, he says "You WILL make it through this man"
8) The West Wing
The episode's name was Noel, the line was
"This guy's walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out.
"A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, 'Hey you. Can you help me out?' The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on.
"Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, 'Father, I'm down in this hole can you help me out?' The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on
"Then a friend walks by, 'Hey, Joe, it's me can you help me out?' And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, 'Are you stupid? Now we're both down here.' The friend says, 'Yeah, but I've been down here before and I know the way out.'"
9) The West Wing
The episode was Two Cathedrals. Martin Sheen is having a VERY bad day, and he screams for his secretary/guide/mentor/friend, who has just died. And in she walks. Every single time.
10) Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The Body: The episode where Buffy's mom dies. All through it...but especially the line "But I don't understand! I don't understand how this all happens. How we go through this. I mean, I knew her, and then she's, there's just a body, and I don't understand why she just can't get back in it and not be dead anymore! It's stupid! It's mortal and stupid! And, and Xander's crying and not talking, and, and I was having fruit punch, and I thought, well Joyce will never have any more fruit punch, ever, and she'll never have eggs, or yawn or brush her hair, not ever, and no one will explain to me why. "
11) Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Chosen--the series finale. There's a scene where Xander, Willow, Giles and Buffy are talking about what they will do the next day. It is poignant and I cry every time I watch it.
12) Quantum Leap
The Leap Home--When Sam goes back and spends Thanksgiving dinner, as a child, with his family.
13) M*A*S*H
"Lt Col. Henry Blake's plane...was shot down...over the Sea of Japan. It spun in...there were no survivors."
What epsidoeds made you cry...either from laughter or emotion? What do you agree with and what have I missed?
PS--No Fair saying you're crying because it is crap!

I cried during that Grey's episode too! Thanks for sharing! Happy TT!!
Posted by: Kim | March 07, 2007 at 07:35 PM
Ya know which scene in Buffy makes me cry EVERY!SINGLE!TIME!? The scene in The Prom where they give her the Class Protector Award. Something about the speech Jonathan makes and the fact that they recognized and appreciated what she did for them...it gets me where it counts.
Posted by: TS | March 07, 2007 at 07:38 PM
From number 8 to number 13 are all great examples. I love the West Wing episode about the man falling in the hole, it is great.
My 13 are up.
Posted by: John | March 07, 2007 at 08:02 PM
I just read an article about shows that made people cry and it was an entertainment website. As I read through what people wrote, I was crying....Grey's anatomy has me crying every other week.
As far as laughing, remember the Frasier show at the ski lodge with people sneaking out of their bedrooms? That one still makes us laugh! good subject for TT!
Posted by: jJen | March 07, 2007 at 08:08 PM
I share #'s 1, 4, 6 & 7
You hit the exact moment on Grey's when my eyes welled. No one else but Christina had that effect on me.
And that Frasier 7 minutes was CLASSIC.
Posted by: Wylie Kinson | March 07, 2007 at 08:16 PM
aw hell, i cried just reading your summaries on WW and BTVS. the body ep was the first time i really understood anya and strangely, that is the thing that runs through my mind when anyone i know dies, that soldier will never drink fruit punch again or yawn again. sometimes fictional characters help us process the things we have inside but don't know how to express.
great list! happy TT
Posted by: armywife | March 07, 2007 at 08:54 PM
Wow. That is a great list. #8 gets me every time, and I choke up with #7, 9, 10, 11, and 13. Also like #3 and 4.
The other two that always make me cry are:
Buffy - The Gift - when she speaks to Dawn and then jumps. Watching her friends, and Spike, break down just makes me cry.
Also - The episode of NYPD Blue where Bobby dies. I rarely even watched that show. But that was the most poignant death ever.
Posted by: Stone Girl | March 07, 2007 at 11:01 PM
Sorry, but I can't either cry or laugh with you, because I don't know any of your listed episodes. So I am afraid you have to cry and laugh alone. Lol ! But I could send you some tissus.
Posted by: Gattina | March 07, 2007 at 11:06 PM
For me, it's always the unrequited love eps that make me cry -- Niles watching Donnie propose to Daphne and knowing he can't do a thing about it, Richard pouring out his heart to Caroline (on Caroline in the City) in a note that she never receives...
And a bit of serendipity -- several of your choices are also on my Thursday 13, 13 shows I miss!
Posted by: Kate Davies | March 08, 2007 at 12:06 AM
I don't watch television. I used to a long time ago. I remember some of the shows you mentioned but not by episode or scene.
I enjoyed reading your list though!
Terrific Thursday Thirteen!
My TT is posted.
Have a wonderful day!
Happy TT'ing!
*^_^
(=':'=)
(")_ (")Š
Raggedy
Posted by: Raggedy | March 08, 2007 at 01:36 AM
#13 was a tear-jerker for sure. I cried. That episode was so well done. I also cried during the final episode of M*A*S*H, because I knew that my favourite show was ending. M*A*S*H remains my all-time favourite TV show, and I have all the episodes on DVD. It was just such a well-done show.
I know I'm going to cry next week when the last episode of Stargate SG-1 airs. It's another one of my favourite shows, and I'm sad that it's ending.
Posted by: Caylynn | March 08, 2007 at 03:42 AM
Buffy used to do it for me too. Strangely enough, despite my obsession most of the way through, I missed the last half of the final season. Maybe I should go back and rent it...
Posted by: Mrs. Vandertramp | March 08, 2007 at 04:28 AM
I'm right there with you on the Buffy episodes.
Almost every episode of Joan of Arcida season 1 made me cry. Lois and Clark, the last episode made me cry.
Posted by: jadesymb | March 08, 2007 at 08:21 AM
There's probably tons, but a random and odd one was a couple episodes of "Scrubs". Carla and Turk were having difficulty getting pregnant, and they were airing right after we met with my doctor about our fertility issues. Tough ones to watch at the time.
Posted by: Aimee | March 08, 2007 at 09:41 AM
Ohh, good ones! Here are some additional ones for me: the Friends episode when Monica proposes to Chander, Ally McBeal when Billy dies, Stargate when Daniel Jackson died (before he came back to life).
Posted by: Jennifer | March 08, 2007 at 11:54 AM
The Grey's Anatomy scene you mentioned. I was fine up until that point. I guess I got choked up because I can't imagine a friend loving me enough to do that.
Posted by: joybucket | March 08, 2007 at 02:31 PM
Oh, The Body! Dude, I'm glad I watched it alone, because I was an absolute mess. How JW didn't get an emmy for that, I don't know.
Posted by: Orodemniades | March 08, 2007 at 06:47 PM
ALL of Mash was funny to me, and so was I Love Lucy! Happy Days was way up there.
Posted by: Barb | March 08, 2007 at 06:53 PM
I am delurking to add some of my "TV made me cry" moments.
In sadness
1) The West Wing - In Excelsis Deo. When Mrs. Landingham and Toby go to the military funeral and Mrs. Landingham gets to say goodbye to the sons she lost in Vietnam (I am getting misty just thinking about it).
2) Episodes of Intervention when the grandparents of the addicts and/or their children try to talk sense into them. It is so heartbreaking to see them pleading.
Because I was touched:
1) The West Wing - Shibboleth: Both when Jed gives Charlie the carving knife and when Bartlet says his last lines of the episode.
Posted by: Sarah | March 08, 2007 at 07:12 PM
The one that makes me cry is the episode of Buffy where she has to kill Angel to close hell's gate!! And she says something "No mater what I do, I love you!!"
And I tend to cry to like half of ghost whisperer!!
Posted by: Jill | March 08, 2007 at 07:16 PM
This is a great list. The show that makes me cry most often these days is "Friday Night Lights." It's a really wonderful show, with the bonus of Kyle Chandler (swoon).
Posted by: terrilynn | March 09, 2007 at 05:04 AM
I thought of another memorable Buffy scene...in S7 when Dawn thinks she is a potential slayer, at the end there is a scene where Xander talks to her about not being special and living so close to the spotlight and never being in it. Makes me cry every time!
Posted by: TS | March 09, 2007 at 06:02 PM
Delurking, too:
I've always loved the episode of Northern exposure (anyone?...) Where Ed bought a plot of land for Ruth-Anne to burried on when she died and he took her up there. Ruth-Anne asks Ed to dance with her, because she's always wanted to dance on her own grave. They start dancing, Camera Pulls back to reveal the vast and beautiful Alaskan wilderness (eastern Oregon?). End episode. LOVED it...and cried.
Posted by: Laura | March 12, 2007 at 06:20 PM
There are dozens of West Wing episodes that are up there. Ugh! Still upset it's over. And we miss John Spencer!
Posted by: Naomi | March 19, 2007 at 10:25 AM
Grey's Anatomy makes me cry almost every week!
Found your post through a TT 100th Edition post.
Happy TT!
Posted by: Nichole | July 04, 2007 at 10:33 PM