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The Champ May Have the Saddest Scene in Film History, But It Pales Next to the Saddest Scene on TV

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (98)

Alan_Tudyk_Wash_Wide-560x283.jpg

You may have caught it elsewhere, but over the last two days, the Internet has been running this story about the saddest movie scene of all time, as determined by science. (For effect, 90 percent of all websites All-Capped SCIENCE). The scene is from the 1979 movie The Champ, and depicted Ricky Schroeder’s young character crying after the death of his father, played by Jon Voight.

I admit, I cried, too. But mostly over the bad hair and Schroeder’s bad acting.

No, but really: How could you not cry at that scene? Are you some kind of animal? That scene would make fucking Voldemort cry.

Anyway, apparently a couple of scientist tested over 250 scenes on their subjects and came to the conclusion that that scene from The Champ was the weepiest, beating out the likes of that scene from Bambi, the final thumbs up scene in Terminator 2 and presumably the obvious choice: The Alan Tudyk scene from Serenity. You know what I’m talking about.

Still, clearly the only reason that the scene from The Champ topped the list was because the scientist didn’t use scenes from television. Otherwise, this scene — obviously the saddest scene in any medium of all time ever in the history of mankind past, present or future — would’ve claimed the top spot, and it would’ve done so without the hammy performances of Schroeder and Voight.

The scene never fails, folks. Never fucking fails. Just hit the play button and accept your fate.









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Comments

I have cried at a TV once, ever. And this is that scene. Brutal.

Posted by: DamnYankees at July 28, 2011 10:16 AM

WASH!! NOOOOOOOO!!

(And the preacher too...I guess)

Posted by: Socrates_Johnson at July 28, 2011 10:18 AM

*weeps*

You shouldn't post that without warning! As I'm also completely unable to NOT watch it whenever I see it posted.

*sighs*

Posted by: midwestspitfire at July 28, 2011 10:20 AM

You think that's sad? Get ready to have sadness crawl up in your sadness and make sadness babies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uU7-X0iHes

Posted by: Dan at July 28, 2011 10:24 AM

Wash, oh no. Last time I shed so many smallscreen tears was during the final montage scene of Six Feet Under. (I know, I know. I'm a sap.)

Posted by: cinekat at July 28, 2011 10:26 AM

Why in the sam hell did I click on that link. sniff.

Posted by: logar at July 28, 2011 10:28 AM

WARNING - that link from Dan is the Futurama scene about Fry's dog - definitely in the running for saddest scene ever - you are warned!

Posted by: fenchurch at July 28, 2011 10:30 AM

Dammit.

Also, yesterday I reached the determination that I'm not sure I can ever watch Serenity again, because of Wash. And he wasn't even my favorite character. But just ... WTF, Whedon?

*sniffle*

Posted by: Samantha at July 28, 2011 10:31 AM

I can't watch youtube videos from current location, but even the mention of that Futurama scene has me tearing up.

Posted by: Socrates_Johnson at July 28, 2011 10:32 AM

I'm at work so I can't view the video, what is it? The things I've cried the most at though are probably The Doctor saying goodbye to Rose, David Tennant regenerating and pretty much every episode of Friday Night Lights. I also cried quite a bit at the last episode of Gossip Girl when Chuck and Blair broke up again because I am mentally ill.

Posted by: Katie at July 28, 2011 10:33 AM

I didn't think Serenity was sad at all, because they made no attempt to portray sadness in the characters. You know, with crying. Then again, we are talking about TV-level actors.

No sacred cows, people.

Posted by: Todd at July 28, 2011 10:33 AM

My go to for crying is The Body from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I cannot get more than 30 seconds into that episode without being hysterical. Then I continue to cry through the entire thing. I actually went through half a roll of paper towels the first time I watched it.

I am actually tearing up thinking about it. DAMN YOU WHEDON!

Posted by: KatSings at July 28, 2011 10:37 AM

Wasn't Serenity a movie?

Posted by: Uncle Mikey at July 28, 2011 10:38 AM

Ugh, I don't have to watch that Scrubs scene to tear up. That was gut wrenching.
But, I agree with the Futurama scene. I love re-watching that show, but I actively avoid that episode because I cannot take it!
The hardest I ever cried was when watching Day of the Dolphin when I was 9, it destroyed me. I was inconsolable for like an hour. Eventually my mom just put me in my bed and let me cry myself to sleep.

Posted by: Nimue at July 28, 2011 10:38 AM

Six Feet Under's final scene of the series is the most crying I've done because of a TV show. But for saddest TV scene ever, I think Jurrasic Bark wins because it reduces me to tears though I've never even seen the rest of that episode and generally don't like Futurama. It stands alone in soul-crushingness, with no context required.

Posted by: Leslie K at July 28, 2011 10:39 AM

"Superman."

Posted by: twig at July 28, 2011 10:40 AM

I'm old school, so I am required to bring up possibly the saddest thing I've seen on a TV show. It was an ep of "All in the Family" (or mebbe "Archie Bunker's Place") that starts with hard-hearted Archie waking up on the living room couch, because he's so sad Edith is dead that he can't even sleep in their bed.

Posted by: , at July 28, 2011 10:48 AM

Jurassic Bark tops all sadness, bar none. It's more heart-breaking than when my first dog died.

Posted by: baboocole at July 28, 2011 10:53 AM

Jurassic Bark, The Luck Of The Fryrish, and Lethal Inspection from Futurama are all tear-jerkers. But the last episode of Quantum Leap always get the waterworks flowing. Between the scene with Al's first wife, Beth, and the graphic saying Sam never made it home, I'm blubbering like a newborn.

Posted by: Gumbercules at July 28, 2011 10:57 AM

EDITH DIED??!!

Posted by: Rykker at July 28, 2011 10:57 AM

RYKKER IS HERE TODAY??!!

I feel 37% better.

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at July 28, 2011 11:04 AM

Clearly they only tested people who don't care about animals as Where the Red Fern Grows, The Fox & the Hound, and Watership Down make that scene look like an episode of Seinfeld.

Posted by: Robert at July 28, 2011 11:05 AM

Fuck you for reminding me of this on an allready bad day..

"I'm a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar.."

Posted by: Magiel at July 28, 2011 11:06 AM

Grave of the Fireflies, people! The whole damn movie about two children trying to make it in war-torn Japan (WWII). Find it, watch it and watch yourself turn into a blubbering mess at the end of it. I have yet to find a movie, live-action or not, that is as devastating as GoF or as much of a tearjerker.

Well, not film but I do agree about The Body but that's just I love my mommy so damn much.

Posted by: smijca at July 28, 2011 11:08 AM

Wait. What? I stopped watching Scrubs...Why was Brendan Fraiser on that show? Who died? Why am I supposed to be sad there? *Consults Wikipedia* Ohhhhh, well OK. I'm gonna go back to being sad about Wash AGAIN.

Posted by: JenVegas at July 28, 2011 11:11 AM

The one that most got to me was the last Cassie episode of Skins. That last scene was brutal.

Posted by: Socraz6 at July 28, 2011 11:12 AM

Pencil in my vote for David Tennant's saying goodbye scene in Doctor Who.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at July 28, 2011 11:12 AM

A new contender should be a scene from the end of season 1 of The Big C, where Laura Linney goes for an operation on her cancer. Her son discovers a note and storage locker key. Upon investigating, he finds a locker full of wrapped presents, complete with cards addressed to him for birthdays, Christmases and graduations yet to come. He pieces it together, and in that moment knows his mother will die before getting a chance to see him become a man, and he breaks down for the first time on the show. Throw in some Aimee Mann and it's fuckin' soul destroying.

Fans of Lost also have many moments they can go to. For me, it's Hurley's acceptance of his fate in the finale, the Ben and Locke scene in the finale, and Charlie diving into the water to face certain death in his last character-centric episode in season 3 (not the finale, where he actually dies, the scene in the boat with Desmond, where Charlie actually accepts his fate, and that there's no getting out of it).

To me, TV is much more powerful, as you have weeks, months and even years to invest in a character. So when those characters have pivotal moments, or death scenes, the impact is much greater than any film could aspire to. The Wire, of course, was also a gold mine for it. Greggs, Stringer, Omar and Bubbles all had big moments, though likely more "holy shit" than tear jerkers.

Posted by: Steve at July 28, 2011 11:24 AM

Major tears during the final episode of MASH when Hawkeye realizes what the chicken really was. I'd never seen anything like that on TV before.

The older I get, the sappier I get, though, so now a well-timed Hallmark commercial can make me cry. Fuckers.

Posted by: Reba at July 28, 2011 11:31 AM

One of the biggest gut punches in TV wasn't a scene at all but a title card that could have said anything, but the producers opted for the worst option possible as backhanded thanks to the people who stuck with show its entire run.

"Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home."

Posted by: bleujayone at July 28, 2011 11:31 AM

The end of "Becoming" from Buffy's second season. It depressed me for an entire summer after its original broadcast. Oh, and the end of Friday Night Lights. Actually, the finale of season 3 of FNL as well. And season 4... oh hell, just about any episode of FNL had a scene guaranteed to turn me into Farina.

Posted by: apocalipstick at July 28, 2011 11:32 AM

Any scene where Willow has a breakdown. Guaranteed to get the tears flowing. Alyson Hannigan really shines when Willow is feeling her worst.

Posted by: TylerDFC at July 28, 2011 11:36 AM

I had to hit stop. I'm already on the edge today, no sense in jumping off intentionally.

The part of The Body that gets me is when Anya is having her reaction to Joyce's death.

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.

Posted by: Captain Tuttle at July 28, 2011 11:36 AM

THe most gut wrenching scene for me is from the Fresh Prince of Bel Aire. Yes that Fresh Prince. The scene where his dad ditches him again as an adult. I totally cried. It still gets me to this day. If you don't tear up when Will Smith says "How come he don't want me, man?" then you are the devil himself.

And the last time I teared up during a movie was when I saw AI for the first time. That scene where the mom ditches David in the woods was pretty brutal.

Posted by: junierizzle at July 28, 2011 11:36 AM

The Christmas episode of My So-Called Life, the one with Juliana Hatfield as an angel. When Bess Armstrong blurts out, "How did you die?" and she whispers, "I drowned", well, let's just say my screen's a little fuzzy right now, OK?

Posted by: alone in the dark at July 28, 2011 11:37 AM

I agree whole-heartily that the Futurama episode about Fry's dog is one of the saddest things I have ever seen. People's relationships with their pets, along with pet's relationships with their people are real. I know an elderly person who just laid down and died after her pet passed away. I know if my mom left, her dog would probably be so depressed it would stop eating. God, I want to cry just thinking about that last scene.

Posted by: yourbrothersboyfriend at July 28, 2011 11:41 AM

Uh no, sorry Fry's dog lying down and dying in Futurama tops the list of TV's saddest moments. I didn't realize I river of tears in the room until a full 20 seconds in. I lose my shit every time.

Posted by: Mr. Stitch at July 28, 2011 11:43 AM

Captain Tuttle: That scene and the first when Buffy fantasizes that the paramedics save Joyce. Absolutely brutal.

Posted by: TylerDFC at July 28, 2011 11:44 AM

I cried the most I've ever cried at the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan. I think Platoon was the second most weepy.

Never seen The Champ and (*prepares to be lynched*) I've only watched one episode of "Firefly," which bored me to tears.

Posted by: Cindy at July 28, 2011 11:44 AM

Oh man, so many tv moments that have been mentioned definitely made me cry - Jurassic Bark, Luck of the Fryrish, a ton of scenes from Buffy - but the most recent example I can give would be the Friday Night Lights finale. I was sad to begin with, but then that last montage set to Delta Spirit's "Devil Knows Your Dead" was so beautifully done, it just pushed me over the edge into flat out sobbing.

Posted by: MelBivDevoe at July 28, 2011 11:45 AM

Oh and as for TV, nothing can beat the closer of "Six Feet Under."

Posted by: Cindy at July 28, 2011 11:45 AM

My grandfather, who made it through a Nazi death camp during WWII, cried like a baby at the end of the Champ.
I don't get the Scrubs scene because I was never that into the show and watching a random sad scene out of context means I can't get emotionally involved.

Posted by: Stella at July 28, 2011 11:49 AM

Oh Wash, man you did not deserve what happened. It's okay...this will ALWAYS be "Our Land".

True story: Billy West was at my first Dragon*Con, as well as last year's. I REALLY wanted a "Billy West head-in-a-jar" for my autograph picture, but he ran out of those. I chose instead Fry and Seymore, and he talked about how everyone comments about "Jurrasic Bark" seems to hit most people *just so*.

I'm going to echo Twig's comment on "Iron Giant". "Suuu-Perrr-Maaaan" indeed.

So R.I.P. Wash, Seymore, and Iron Giant. You can turn my waterworks anyday.

Posted by: Green Lantern at July 28, 2011 12:01 PM

I was bummed when Poot and Bodie killed Wallace

Posted by: Helder at July 28, 2011 12:07 PM

Call me crazy, but two things come to mind: the opening montage of Up, and the piano sequence in Truly, Madly, Deeply.

Posted by: mograph at July 28, 2011 12:08 PM

junierizzle, I cannot believe that I forgot all about Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse. I think what gets me is how that scene builds to a crescendo, from Will trying to act all detached to utter rage to the final moment of his breakdown where he sounds like the child he tells Uncle Phil he's not. Hearing the sounds of sobbing in the audience at the end of that ep doesn't help either.

Posted by: smijca at July 28, 2011 12:24 PM

"Hey Dad? You wanna have a catch?"

*drops mic*

*walks out*

Posted by: Kballs at July 28, 2011 12:25 PM

For my money, and I'm old I know, it's still "Old Yeller". That still chokes me up. When Bill Murray talked about it in "Stripes" I laughed then choked up.

Hey! He had to kill his OWN DOG! The one that had saved his life like 42 times in an hour!

Posted by: logan at July 28, 2011 12:27 PM

"My Funeral" and that Skins episode mentioned above are the only two tv episodes to make me cry, ever.

I can't even click that damn link, because I know I will break down.

Posted by: DominaNefret at July 28, 2011 12:43 PM

"I have been...and always shall be...your friend."

As for TV, I wept tears of joy when they finally axed Scrubs.

Posted by: Pete at July 28, 2011 12:51 PM

The only time I ever cried for TV was the episode of House where Amber died (two seasons ago?), and my secret husband Robert Sean Leonard was just laying next to her and holding her. That just killed me.

mograph - I've seen Up several times, and that opening montage makes me cry every time.

Not a great movie, but the end of Marley and Me almost really did kill me, I was crying so hard I couldn't breathe.

Posted by: Laura at July 28, 2011 1:06 PM

Agreed: the opening montage of UP and the end of the Iron Giant ("Suuuuu- perrrrrr - man") are powerful indeed. Sniff.

In TV-land, the powerful emotional reactions are rarer for me. Doctor #10 dying morose and alone, saying, "I don't want to go" is certainly up there. Henry Blake's helicopter crash completely floored me, back when.

Posted by: foolsage at July 28, 2011 1:11 PM

Jurassic Bark definitely takes the cake. That scene makes me blubber like a little kid. I can't even think about it. Rainbows! Kittens! Unicorns! Yes, there that's better.

Posted by: Even Stevens at July 28, 2011 1:14 PM

Jurassic Bark. Nuff' said.

Posted by: =DocDoom1= at July 28, 2011 1:36 PM

"The Christmas episode of My So-Called Life, the one with Juliana Hatfield as an angel."

To me, the saddest MSCL moment was when Rayanne was in Our Town and Angela gets called up to read with her - the teacher having no idea they're not speaking. Angela's voice cracks when she asks Rae Ann "Were you happy?"

Aaaaaarrrrgh! Kills me. And I don't even like CD as an actress, much of the time.

Posted by: Samantha T at July 28, 2011 1:38 PM

EDITH DIED??!!

Posted by: Rykker at July 28, 2011 10:57 AM
---
Sorry to break it to you.

Should have used ****SPOILER ALERT!!!!****

Posted by: , at July 28, 2011 1:51 PM

Jurassic Bark. The Body.

That's all.

Posted by: Parker at July 28, 2011 1:55 PM

I have heard so much about the Jursassic Bark thing but never seen it.
And today I feel brave and kind of detached, so I'm all "Yeah, I'll click this link. Whatever!!"

Niagara Falls, Frankie.

Posted by: MyySharona at July 28, 2011 2:00 PM

'Snoopy Come Home' absolutely gutted me as a child.

Posted by: Jez at July 28, 2011 2:03 PM

"Wasn't Serenity a movie?"

Yes, and that's why Dustin said that the clip from The Champ must have beat it for the top spot. The TV clip he posted is from Scrubs, which is definitely in my top 5.

That last episode of M*A*S*H just killed me. I was 12. M*A*S*H was on for almost my entire life until then, and I watched it for at least half of that time - I can remember seeing Frank Burns episodes live, and that was when I was six or seven. I can't believe the things I watched when I was young. Do kids watch anything like that now (and get off my lawn)?

Posted by: Three-nineteen at July 28, 2011 2:09 PM

"Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" episode of Community, although it's not the end of the episode that gets me. It's the chord progression/key change in the goofy "That's What Christmas is For" song, right after Jeff and Annie warble "Sayin' I love youuuuuuuu" and just before the whole group comes in en masse. My eyes, they asplode.

Posted by: alone in the dark at July 28, 2011 2:47 PM

I agree about "Snoopy Come Home" - that still makes me cry. Another one that got me was when Dr. Mark Greene died on ER, even though I had generally stopped watching by that point. So sad.

Posted by: llp at July 28, 2011 3:19 PM

I haven't seen anything about the Season 4 episode of Friday Night Lights, "The Son"

As for Doctor Who...

Am I the only one that wasn't crushed by Ten's departure in Doctor Who? I was over it by then and ready to move on.

Eleven, however...

***SPOILER***

"A Good Man Goes to War" was a continuous cryfest for me. When Eleven shows up and tells Amy to pack her stuff, cry. When Madame Kovarian tells Eleven that "to fool him twice, that was a pleasure" and then baby Melody bursts into goo - I was DEAD. Absolutely DEAD. Like, ugly crying.

Posted by: michaelceratops at July 28, 2011 3:40 PM

How interesting. I cry at everything - ev.er.y.thing - including several of the things mentioned, but today I'm sitting here scrolling down dry as a boss. And I'm hormonal!

Is it the end times?!?

Posted by: Patty O'Green at July 28, 2011 3:44 PM

The end scenes from the DS9 episode "The Visitor" - You can't be human if you aren't wet on the face from that.

Posted by: Brian at July 28, 2011 3:54 PM

The original "Brian's Song." Why yes, I am old.

Posted by: rlr260 at July 28, 2011 4:03 PM

The movie Babe (yeah, the one about the pig) made me cry buckets.

That scene from The Champ is a lesson in how NOT to do a death scene, but, yeah, I cried even as I snarked. I'm pathetic that way.

Posted by: Stinky at July 28, 2011 4:56 PM

Speaking of Alan Tudyk, in Death at a Funeral he made me laugh until I cried. Does that count?

Posted by: Stinky at July 28, 2011 5:02 PM

As much as the posted Scrubs clip does me in (damn you John C. McGinley), it's nothing compared to Jurassic Bark. Even thinking about that breaks my heart.

Posted by: Harborwolf at July 28, 2011 5:25 PM

Old Yeller. All time biggest weep for me. I cry at all of the sad dog movies, and you know the dog is gonna get it in the end. Lassie Come Home almost killed me when I was a kid.

Col. Henry Blake's death in MASH.

For those of you who want to know about that scene from Scrubs. Brendan Frasier played Cox's brother-in-law and probably the only person Cox ever liked. He was in a couple of eps and in the first, they diagnosed him with Leukemia. In that scene and throughout the whole episode, Cox thinks he's going to his son's birthday party. He
really knows he's going to Ben's funeral but his subconcious won't accept it. That's the thing I loved about Scrubs, it could be ridiculously funny and then it could make you cry.

Posted by: kirbyjay at July 28, 2011 5:26 PM

The hardest I've ever cried at a TV show was the ending for Six Feet Under, but not because it was the saddest. It was because I was emotionally connected to the characters, and seeing their fate (especially Claire's, who had struggled so much throughout the series) makes me weep every time.

For straight up sadness, I echo lots of other comments here: the last scene of Jurassic Bark destroys me. It was the first episode of Futurama my husband ever showed me, and now he can't figure out why I'm traumatized. Apparently he's made of stone.

Posted by: PerpetualIntern at July 28, 2011 6:31 PM

I'll pitch in my 2 cents for the last MASH. That hit.

Haven't seen Iron Giant, so can't relate, but my mother and I totally lost our shit over 'Harp of Burma'. PBS was running a series on Japanese films. Even when it was in reruns and we saw it again , lost our shit.

Posted by: seemless at July 28, 2011 9:32 PM

Serendipity, thy name is Comedy Central's schedule tonight.

http://www.comedycentral.com/tv_schedule/index.jhtml

Posted by: Socrates_Johnson at July 28, 2011 9:34 PM

There's a whole lot of heavy hitters up above, but one that just came to me was from Star Trek:TNG with Tasha Yar's death. It's Data's reaction at the end that really drives the sadness home:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPE2yaNP9hY

Posted by: DeaconG at July 28, 2011 9:36 PM

Scrubs - My Screwup is a good one indeed. Just a crippling gut punch out of nowhere.

A few other notables are the season 5 finale of Cheers ("Have a nice life"...even as a kid that affected me), the series finale of Quantum Leap, Charlie's death on Lost and some moments in the series finale, the execution of a certain character in GoT, and the season 3 finale of Breaking Bad was pretty rough as well..."You don't have to do this".

Stangely an episode of CSI, Gum Drops, takes the cake for me. Had to leave the room to weep like a child. Yeah. Gfys.

Posted by: Mentalcase at July 28, 2011 9:47 PM

Here here to everything mentioned before. I'd also like to go old school and submit an episode of MASH for consideration. I was maybe ten when I watched Radar tell the O.R. that Lt. Colonel Blake died on his way home. As every TV nerd knows, the cast didn't even know that was going to happen, so the reactions of shock and mourning were completely genuine. Oh god, I'm tearing up as I think about it...

Posted by: Ruthie at July 28, 2011 9:59 PM

When Buffy finds her mom dead.

When Ned Stark bites it.

When Lelsie Wyndham Price dies in Illrya/Fred's arms.

When Jack Bauer's wife dies.

Posted by: John W at July 28, 2011 10:31 PM

Saddest scene on t.v. is when Buffy's mom dies.

Posted by: Andewot at July 29, 2011 1:01 AM


" the champ " was great but the all time bawling out loud
moment comes in the greatest of all chick flicks, " an affair
to remember " when cary grant sees his painting in deborah
kerr's bedroom and realizes she is crippled " .... if it had to
happen to one of us why did it have to be you ..."

Posted by: snake at July 29, 2011 2:15 AM

No sadness for "My Girl"? How sad.

Posted by: elleinad at July 29, 2011 3:24 AM

Just watched the Futurama dog up there. How can a freakin cartoon make you cry? Damn you colored pencils!

My $.02 on the Champ.....Gimme a break! Not sad, just incredibly annoying. "No Ricky, CRY HARDER, really make the audience tear up" Blechhhhh! No real emotion, just tear duct olympics.

Posted by: kirbyjay at July 29, 2011 6:19 AM

"season 3 finale of Breaking Bad was pretty rough as well..."You don't have to do this".

Jesse breaks my heart on that show. Marie is a close second, but Jesse just kills me. The look on his face at the end of that finale - gah!

Posted by: samantha t at July 29, 2011 10:13 AM

elleinad: Exactly! This just proves that SCIENCE is wrong. My Girl is 100% the saddest.

Posted by: sarah at July 29, 2011 11:01 AM

One of the things that PISSED ME OFF about the latest Transformers Smash-A-thon was the outright theft of the classic Star Trek line about the "needs of the many, etc." I agree with Pete, Spock dying gets me every time, and I call SHAME on Nimoy for agreeing to utter even a small part of that scene for Misogynist Bay.

Plus absolutely YES to crying at Babe. "that'll do pig, that'll do.." I sweep tears of joy every damn time.

For TV - Mrs.Landingham's car crash on the West Wing was a gut-punch, and the whole episode with her funeral was one of the finest hours of TV for all time.

Posted by: bokchoi at July 29, 2011 1:04 PM

"Scrubs" and "Six Feet Under" is nothing, NOTHING I tells ya!
A little under-appreciated (BRILLIANT) aussie drama called "Love My Way" and a certain character's demise fucking destroyed me. I had to bite into a pillow to stop me from howling with tears and waking the whole building up.

Posted by: piedlourde at July 29, 2011 5:04 PM

Optimus Prime...(single tear)

Posted by: Socrates_Johnson at July 29, 2011 5:28 PM

Trouble with Angels. I don't cry when Sister Ligouri dies, don't get bummed when Mother Superior cracks just a little at the graduation, but when Mary gives out that terrified "Rach, please" on the train platform, I'm sobbing in my chair.

I don't cry when Spock dies anymore, but that's because I don't watch STII unless I can immediately watch STIII.

And if you don't cry during Brian's Song you need to have your house checked for pods.

Posted by: funtime42 at July 29, 2011 9:23 PM

True story.

Friend of mine moved to Nashville, got a job as a valet at a very upscale hotel. One night, who should give him the keys but James Cromwell. Knowing that I'll watch Babe just to get choked up, he whipped out his phone, called me, and persuaded Mr. Cromwell to utter the phrase "That'll do, pig. That'll do." Gah.

Posted by: apocalipticks at July 30, 2011 12:53 AM

As soon as I clicked on this link I KNEW that it would be this scene from Scrubs! I have cried only a few times during a tv show and most of those times it was because of Scrubs. This show was just the perfect mix of humor and sadness. This scene just friggin guts me every single time.

Posted by: appey25 at July 30, 2011 1:45 AM

Reba, you just made me start crying... I was maybe 8 or 9 when I saw that M*A*S*H episode and it blew me the fuck away -- e'en still.

Posted by: China Cat at July 30, 2011 4:37 PM

"Wash? Baby?! C'mon, we gotta go."

Seriously? The 'Thumbs up" scene from T2?!

Posted by: Protoguy at July 31, 2011 4:58 AM

I absolutely lost it watching "Philadelphia". The music in the final scene haunted me for weeks afterwards. So good.

Posted by: Michelle at July 31, 2011 6:05 PM

Just to add a few traumatizing childhood memories:
The scene between Little Foot and his mom in the beginning of The Land Before Time is BRUTAL. It makes me cry just to think about it. Also, Dumbo.

Plus, basically any scene where Will Smith cries. The man has some powerful tears.

I don't know if these count, but those damn ASPCA and Humane Society commercials. I always change the channel. Even the new, cartoon ones get me, particularly the one between the two cats.

Posted by: Domi at August 1, 2011 2:14 AM

Ha ha! Got me!

Posted by: Philo at August 7, 2011 11:19 PM

Also, name something that isn't made at least 800% better by the inclusion of the old NFL Primetime music...

Posted by: Ralph Orduna at August 8, 2011 12:48 AM

my 2 cents (and a few tears) goes to the newest Star Trek where Kirk's papa saves Kirk and his mama as he's being born on the shuttle. Touched a nerve as a daddy meself.

Posted by: MacFie at August 16, 2011 2:23 PM

Just how American footbal Commissioner Roger Goodell chatted concerning golf club owners' mind-boggling acceptance of an sensitive decade-long deal to absolve the particular lockout, he may at the same time have been screaming, Are you ready for many soccer? Not so quickly, followers. Your deal's not done nevertheless.

Posted by: Les Helvik at August 18, 2011 5:25 PM

I just REFUSE to watch Jurassic Bark ever again. It's just cruel.

I do recall crying many times during Dead Like Me. They were great about being snarky and then turning around and punching you in the gut with something poignant.

Posted by: rhombus at September 1, 2011 2:38 PM