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We're counting down our picks for the most jaw‑dropping moments in live‑action sitcom history — scenes that stopped us cold and rewrote a show's tone. Expect shocking deaths, surprise confessions, traumatic twists, outré stunts and “it was all a dream” finales. We revisit unforgettable beats like Monica & Chandler’s reveal, Ellen’s coming‑out, the M*A*S*H plane crash and a notorious “jump the shark” stunt. Spoilers ahead. From multi‑camera classics to modern dramedies, these moments even surprised the cast and creators.
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00:01I get it. I get it.
00:08Welcome to Miss Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most jaw-dropping moments on sitcoms that we didn't see coming.
00:15We will only be considering live-action sitcoms for this list, so we won't be reliving Fry's dog story.
00:20And a spoiler alert is definitely in order.
00:3050. Monica and Chandler in London
00:35Friends
00:36While most of the moments on this list are shocking in tragic or unbelievably sad ways, this one is the opposite.
00:41We were equal parts surprised and delighted when Monica appeared from underneath Chandler's covers, and it sounds like we weren't the only ones feeling this way.
00:48You think you knew I was here?
00:52The people working behind the scenes on the show were shocked at the audience's reaction to Chandler and Monica getting together,
00:58and ended up putting them together as a real couple rather than just a one-night stand.
01:02Monica and Chandler surprised us, the audience, the producers, the writers, and even themselves,
01:07so it's clear that this moment deserves a spot on our list.
01:10Could you not look?
01:12I don't want to look.
01:1449. Jumping the Shark
01:16Happy Days
01:17Arthur Fonzarelli is synonymous with 50s-style sitcom, and it's still well-known as a character to this day.
01:23However, one of his most infamous moments was not his best.
01:26But you get your legs bit off by that shark.
01:28Don't you come running to me.
01:31Ah, ah, ah.
01:32Even though it spawned a popular phrase in the world of television and film,
01:35we have to say it's unbelievable that Happy Days tried to pull this off.
01:39The Fonz water skis and jumps over a caged shark, wearing a leather jacket, we might add.
01:43And it's truly iconic in the worst, most bizarre way.
01:47Jumping the Shark
01:59Jumping the Shark now refers to moments where shows go too far to try and stay interesting and relevant,
02:04usually to their detriment.
02:06And we think it's a perfect analogy for this kind of stunt.
02:09And I've skipped breakfast, so I'm off to Burger King.
02:11Number 48, Barbara and Mark Can't Adopt Jesse, One Day at a Time
02:19For anyone that has ever had to deal with struggles surrounding having children of their own,
02:23this episode is surely a relatable gut punch.
02:25Some couples choose the path of adoption, which is what happened with Barbara and Mark in One Day at a Time.
02:30They foster a boy named Jesse, but are devastated when they can't adopt him.
02:42It's truly an unexpected and heartbreaking turn of events for all characters involved,
02:46as audiences felt they were going to see these three become a happy family.
02:49But instead, everyone ended up back where they started by the end of this storyline.
02:53Do you realize in just three short months we're going to be able to petition for adoption?
02:57If Jesse will have us.
02:59Of course he'll have you.
03:00Number 47, The Gun Threat, Family Matters
03:03Although Family Matters doesn't shy away from harrowing subjects,
03:06this one hits hard as it's become more and more relevant through a modern lens.
03:10Ah, I'm going to run!
03:11Help!
03:12Get it to the beach!
03:13Get it to the beach!
03:14Get it to the beach!
03:14Get it to the beach!
03:14Get it to the beach!
03:16When Laura's jacket is stolen, the perpetrator, Tony, is soon arrested by Laura's dad.
03:21However, she later threatens Laura with a gun if she dares testify against her,
03:25and it's revealed that she also goes on to shoot another student, who she tried to rob.
03:29She's the judge!
03:31Oh my god!
03:33They wanted her shoes!
03:35God, Josie, you should have given them the stupid shoes!
03:39It sparks many important discussions amongst Laura's family and friends
03:42about whether firearms do more harm than good,
03:44and we think this episode is definitely worth a rewatch.
03:48Number 46, The Concerts
03:49WKRP in Cincinnati
03:51WKRP in Cincinnati is perhaps best known for its infamous Thanksgiving Day episode
03:57that feature turkeys falling from the sky.
03:59However, another of its most memorable episodes has a much more serious tone.
04:03I was there when it happened,
04:06enjoying myself.
04:09We all were.
04:10After WKRP promotes a concert by The Who, viewers and characters alike are shocked and saddened
04:16when they learn that some concertgoers died at the show because of a rush to get seats.
04:20There was some reserved seating.
04:22Mostly general admission.
04:24That's what they call festival seating.
04:25That's what they call a stampede.
04:27And that's what happened.
04:28This sparks an important and heavy conversation among the characters about promoting first-come,
04:32first-served seating.
04:33All of this is made even more devastating by the fact that this was a real-life event
04:38and tragedy that actually occurred in Cincinnati.
04:41Number 45, Jamie's Kiss
04:43Mad About You
04:44Throughout most of the show's run, Jamie and Paul have a truly enviable relationship.
04:48They're fun-loving and relatable,
04:50and although they encounter ups and downs in their marriage,
04:52for the most part, they're solid in loyalty to each other.
04:54So when Jamie kisses her co-worker in Season 4,
04:57she surprises herself, her husband, and us.
05:05This isn't the storyline that is quickly resolved, either.
05:08The fallout from her actions last several episodes as they both dissect and discuss their relationship,
05:13and it's clear that Paul is understandably devastated.
05:15It's a realistic look into a marriage on the rocks,
05:18and as shocked as everyone was by it, it ultimately made them stronger in the end.
05:22What?
05:24We're having trouble.
05:28You and I were having trouble.
05:34I know.
05:36Number 44, Robert stops a robbery.
05:38Everybody loves Raymond.
05:40We know that everybody loves Raymond,
05:42but we really do have a soft spot for his big brother, Robert.
05:45He works as a police officer,
05:46and he gets understandably frustrated when Ray doesn't take his job seriously.
05:50Got an emergency call.
05:51Patching it through.
05:52All right, emergency.
05:55You wanted action?
05:56Here we go.
05:57His younger brother joins him on a ride-along,
05:59and what he sees stops him in his tracks.
06:01Robert has to stop a robbery and handle a gunman,
06:03while Ray watches on and hopes he doesn't have to witness anything tragic happen to his brother.
06:08Everything turns out fine in the end,
06:09but it's fair to say that Ray would hold his tongue when it comes to making fun of Robert's job in future seasons.
06:14Got no friends?
06:16It's all right.
06:18We'll give him a ride.
06:19Get him out of here.
06:20I'll radio it in.
06:22Come on, Ray.
06:23You can ride up front.
06:24Number 43, Niles' Surgery.
06:27Frasier.
06:27We've all been there.
06:28We feel a random pain that we panic about,
06:30but eventually we brush it off and assume it's nothing.
06:32When Niles Crane experiences a tooth pain,
06:34he considers it might be a sign of something bigger,
06:36and this is confirmed when his doctor gives him bad news.
06:39He's as surprised as anyone to learn that he's going to need open-heart surgery.
06:43Hospital is an interesting place, isn't it?
06:45Oh, so Niles.
06:47Oh, all roads lead to the hospital.
06:50It's a whirlwind for him and his loved ones,
06:52and it's painful to watch Frasier, Daphne, and Martin waiting for his surgery to be finished.
06:57This show doesn't normally tackle such intense stories,
06:59but when they do, it really packs a punch.
07:02He'll be out all night.
07:04Why don't you get something to eat?
07:07I'll be here when you wake up.
07:09Number 42, Beau and Dre separate.
07:12Blackish.
07:13This is one of the crossroads moments in marriage
07:15that is seldom talked about in real life or in fiction.
07:18It's not always one big moment that causes a separation.
07:21Sometimes it's lots of little things that add up over time,
07:24and the only thing that you can do is take some space.
07:26You can never admit to not knowing anything
07:29because you have to know everything.
07:31Just like a few years ago.
07:33Oh, you're bringing up old arguments.
07:34Yes, I am.
07:35Okay.
07:35Is that a problem?
07:36Yes, it's a problem, Dre,
07:37because I have no idea what we're fighting about.
07:39And that's what we see with the Johnsons in Blackish.
07:41And when Beau moves out to try and give them a chance apart,
07:45it's a gut-wrenching and surprising turn in the series.
07:48They end up doing the work and coming back together for each other
07:50and for their family,
07:51but it's definitely a tough story arc to stomach.
07:53How the hell did we get here?
08:01I don't know.
08:02Number 41.
08:03Jill's Hysterectomy.
08:05Home Improvement.
08:06Women's health issues are still a taboo topic at times,
08:09and that was even more the case when this show aired in 1990s.
08:12When the tailor's matriarch starts experiencing health concerns
08:15that lead to her visiting her gynecologist,
08:17she learns that she needs to have a hysterectomy.
08:19It comes out of nowhere for her and her family,
08:21and it's difficult to watch her grapple with this news.
08:25How do you think I feel?
08:27I've got this hideous thing growing inside me.
08:28I didn't even know it was there.
08:29It not only means that she needs to undergo surgery,
08:31but it means she won't be able to have any more kids,
08:34and that is an incredibly difficult thing for her to accept.
08:36In the end, we see her kids and Tim shift into caregiver mode,
08:40and it's both endearing and distressing.
08:42You told him?
08:44I can't believe it.
08:45I'm so...
08:46Tim, if I'd wanted my advisor to know about the hysterectomy,
08:49I would have told him,
08:50how could you do this to me?
08:51Well, honey, don't bite me.
08:52Mother, please!
08:53Number 40, James' death.
08:55Good times.
08:56When someone suddenly passes away, it's always a shock,
08:58but when it happens to someone before their time,
09:00it's painful in a way that's hard to describe.
09:02In this sitcom, when James dies in a car wreck
09:05right before the family is supposed to move to Mississippi,
09:07we see waves of shock and sadness overcome his wife and kids
09:10that last for many episodes.
09:12We regret to inform you that your husband, James Evans,
09:16was killed in an autumn...
09:22Oh, my God!
09:23Some characters try to stay strong,
09:25others break down,
09:26but eventually everyone comes to terms with their grief.
09:29Who could forget Florida finally letting her emotions out in her kitchen
09:32after keeping it together for as long as she could?
09:35Damn, damn, damn!
09:46Devastating, real, and extremely shocking, to say the least.
09:49Number 39, Father-Daughter Dance,
09:51Zoe's Extraordinary Playlist.
09:53Throughout Season 1 of this show,
09:55we see Zoe try to come to terms with her father's illness
09:57as he progressively gets more unwell.
10:00But we get a pleasant surprise near the end of the season
10:02in the form of a father-daughter dance between Mitch and Zoe
10:05in which they dance to I Lived.
10:07Only way you can know
10:09You gave it all you had
10:11The surprise in all of this is the fact that Mitch appears to be healthy,
10:16and even though it's a fantasy of Zoe's,
10:18it's amazing to see.
10:19The emotion shared between them is palpable,
10:21and it leaves us longing for a time
10:23when they could both be happy and healthy together.
10:25Yeah, with every broken bone
10:28I swear I lived
10:31It's not long after that that her dad passes,
10:37making this moment even more special.
10:39Number 38, The Slip, The Mindy Project.
10:42You just go for it, and yeah, sometimes you pay the price,
10:44but other times...
10:45other times, jackpot.
10:47This is one show that rarely deals with troublesome or problematic topics,
10:50but this situation between Mindy and Danny is an exception.
10:54It's the third season of the show,
10:55and their romantic relationship is going strong.
10:57However, an awkward and uncomfortable moment happens
11:00while they're intimate that rattles Mindy.
11:02Sometimes a guy just has to try something.
11:04Danny claims to have slipped,
11:06but eventually he admits that wasn't the case,
11:08and it sparks an important conversation between them
11:11about consent and communication.
11:13It may be a situation that rings true to some viewers,
11:15so we're glad we got to see it play out
11:17in a respectful and understanding way
11:19between the two of them in the end.
11:20We are.
11:21Just, if you want to try something freaky,
11:22just run it by me first.
11:24Yes, I promise.
11:26Did you ever have sex in a hospital bed?
11:27Number 37, Carrie's Loss, King of Queens.
11:30Usually, some of the happiest storylines on shows
11:32involve babies and pregnancies,
11:34but this one was a shock for so many sad reasons.
11:37First, Carrie and Doug find out they're expecting,
11:39and excited, but ultimately unsure
11:41of how to feel about the situation.
11:43I'm pregnant, and I'm terrified we're going to be broke,
11:45and I love you, and we'll talk at home.
11:46So, in the mood for a knish?
11:53They process the news,
11:55Doug gets a second job to help lift the financial burden,
11:57and just as the couple accepts and anticipates
11:59this new chapter, Carrie experiences a loss.
12:06Sora, are you okay?
12:10It's a devastating turn,
12:11but it's also something that all too many couples
12:13can relate to,
12:14and Kevin James and Leah Remini play it perfectly.
12:17Number 36, Mac Comes Out.
12:19It's always sunny in Philadelphia.
12:21Throughout this long-running sitcom,
12:23we see the gang in countless funny,
12:24awkward, and cringeworthy situations.
12:26Rarely do we see them deep dive into their own struggles
12:29and face them head-on,
12:30which is why we were pleasantly surprised
12:31when Mac comes out to his father.
12:33I'm going to be a grandfather.
12:35We will!
12:35Dad, you are going to be a grandfather!
12:37Daddy!
12:38Dad!
12:39Dad!
12:40Hey, Dad!
12:41Yeah, Dad!
12:41Oh, no, he had to go.
12:42The guards called him back.
12:44The guards called him back.
12:45Although he came out to his friends
12:46in a much more demure way,
12:48he decides to do an interpretive dance
12:49to show his father the battle
12:51and eventual acceptance
12:52he's had with his sexuality.
12:54It's a beautiful scene,
12:55and the fact that Mac's surrogate father,
12:57Frank, understands it
12:58makes it all the more powerful and meaningful.
13:00Oh, my God.
13:06I get it.
13:07Number 35, Dr. Cox's Mistake
13:13Scrubs
13:14Scrubs is undoubtedly hilarious,
13:17but when it takes a turn for the serious,
13:19it punches us in the gut hard.
13:21This is the case when Dr. Cox's patient dies
13:24after he dismisses her,
13:25and he thinks she's taken her own life.
13:27He attempts to remedy this
13:28and in turn make himself feel better
13:29about the situation
13:30by having her organs donated
13:32to various patients that need them.
13:34I was obsessed with getting those organs.
13:41You had to be.
13:42The fact is that those people
13:43were going to die in a number of hours,
13:45and you had to make a call.
13:47I would have made the same call.
13:49Tragically, it turns out
13:50she actually died from rabies,
13:52which would eventually claim the lives
13:53of the transplant recipients as well.
13:56It's a tough reminder for Dr. Cox
13:57about the reality of his job,
13:59and watching him navigate through this
14:01while having to carry on in his career
14:02is something to behold.
14:04The second you start blaming yourself
14:06for people's deaths,
14:07there's no coming back.
14:13Yeah.
14:15You're right.
14:17Number 34.
14:18Finale, Cheers.
14:20Cheers has to be one of the most impressive runs
14:22in television history,
14:23with 11 seasons under its belt.
14:25So the finale really had to deliver,
14:27and it did,
14:28but with some curveballs.
14:30The first big surprise
14:30is the return of Diane,
14:32and we know we'll finally get a conclusion
14:34to her and Sam's
14:35will-they-won't-they storyline.
14:36The next surprise
14:37is them running away together,
14:38followed swiftly by the final surprise.
14:40They decide that ultimately,
14:42they're not meant to be,
14:43and they finally part ways for good.
14:45You know.
14:47Yes.
14:52I think we both know.
14:54Sam embraces the fact
14:55that his true love is Cheers,
14:56and his chosen family
14:58that are regulars there.
14:59And in a not-so-surprising final act,
15:01life goes on
15:02at the beloved bar in Boston.
15:04I'm the luckiest son of a bitch on earth.
15:07Number 33.
15:08Cynthia's Death,
15:09The Facts of Life.
15:10Although The Facts of Life
15:11is often remembered
15:12as a fairly innocuous teen sitcom,
15:14it did occasionally tackle some heavy topics.
15:17This episode starts off
15:18as a typical entry with Blair,
15:19assuming she will naturally win
15:21the student council presidency.
15:22She is dismayed
15:23when she loses to a new girl,
15:24Cynthia,
15:25who develops a friendship with Tootie.
15:27Cynthia's dead.
15:30Don't say that.
15:31It's not true.
15:32Things take a dark turn
15:33when Tootie soon discovers
15:35Cynthia unconscious in her room,
15:36and an even darker one
15:38when Cynthia dies.
15:39The girls have to face up
15:40to the tragedy of a teenager
15:41taking her own life,
15:43and how that affects each of them.
15:44Many viewers were shaken as well.
15:46It's okay to feel confused
15:49and frightened and insecure.
15:52We all do.
15:55And when you feel that way,
15:56oh God,
15:58please,
15:59talk about it.
16:00Number 32.
16:01Carlton and Will are robbed,
16:02The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
16:04There have been a few moments
16:05on the show
16:06that have caught us off guard,
16:07and lots of these moments
16:08involve Will and Carlton.
16:10One that springs to mind
16:11is when Carlton took drugs
16:12from Will's locker.
16:13But for our money,
16:14the most shocking
16:14is when Will and Carlton
16:16are robbed at an ATM,
16:17and Will ends up in the hospital
16:18after getting shot.
16:20I got some more in my life.
16:21Take your hands out of your pockets.
16:22Take your hands out of your pockets.
16:23Get out of your pockets.
16:25As sad and dramatic as that was,
16:27we were even more surprised
16:28at Carlton's reaction,
16:29as he is visibly distraught
16:30and even gets a gun
16:31to try and defend himself
16:33in case anything happens again.
16:34It's a memorable moment
16:35shared between the two cousins,
16:37and seeing their stark reactions
16:38to the incident is powerful.
16:46Number 31.
16:48Lucy Gives Birth
16:49I Love Lucy
16:50Because of its place
16:51in sitcom history,
16:53many of the things
16:53I Love Lucy did
16:54were shocking,
16:55or at least surprising,
16:56because they were often
16:57the first to do it.
16:58When Lucille Ball got pregnant
17:00in real life,
17:00it was written into the show,
17:02and at the time,
17:02they weren't even allowed
17:03to say the word
17:04pregnant on television.
17:06The episode in which
17:06Lucy has baby Ricky
17:07is a fun, heartfelt,
17:09and unforgettable one,
17:10but the real-life parallels
17:11are the most unbelievable
17:12part of all of this.
17:13I need everything,
17:14everything.
17:15Don't put the coal!
17:18Don't put the coal!
17:20Don't put the coal!
17:21Don't put the coal!
17:21Don't put the coal!
17:22The Steel Ball actually
17:23ended up giving birth
17:24the same day
17:25the episode aired,
17:26as she had a boy
17:27that she named
17:27after his father,
17:28just as her character
17:29did in the show.
17:36Number 30.
17:37Topanga's Professor
17:39Boy Meets World
17:40Corey Matthews
17:41didn't get into
17:41his first fight
17:42until college.
17:43Unfortunately for him,
17:44it turned out to be
17:45with his professor.
17:46A popular young professor
17:47is beloved
17:48because he doesn't
17:49uphold the professional
17:50boundary between himself
17:51and his students,
17:52but the need for that
17:53professional boundary
17:54becomes clear
17:54when he hits on
17:56Corey's fiancée,
17:57Topanga,
17:58in her dorm room.
17:59We're adults,
18:00and, uh,
18:03I'm telling you
18:04that I'd like to get
18:04to know you better.
18:09And that's what
18:09I'm going to do.
18:10The moment is
18:10profoundly uncomfortable.
18:11The scene
18:12and Corey's response
18:13is Boy Meets World
18:15at its most
18:16socially conscious
18:17and impactful.
18:18He uses power
18:19and authority
18:19to take advantage
18:20of her,
18:21and he told me
18:22that there was
18:23nothing I could do
18:24and that he was
18:25never going to stop.
18:26Eventually,
18:26we get the pleasure
18:27of watching the professor
18:28get dressed down
18:29by Mr. Feeney himself.
18:31Number 29.
18:32Phil Hartman's death,
18:33News Radio.
18:34Thank you for
18:39everything, Bill.
18:41The tragic and
18:41horrifying murder
18:42of actor Phil Hartman
18:43was a blow to
18:44all of his colleagues,
18:46but when News Radio
18:46returned with its
18:47first episode afterward,
18:49it was a deeply
18:50unsettling tribute.
18:51His character,
18:52Bill McNeil,
18:53was written off the show,
18:54having died of a
18:55heart attack off screen.
18:57The cast,
18:57though in character,
18:58seems to be processing
18:59their colleague's death
19:00in real time.
19:01Farewell,
19:03take care of each other,
19:04and I'll
19:04see you all
19:09when you get
19:09to wherever it is
19:10that I am now.
19:11Needless to say,
19:12the jokes aren't
19:13as fast and furious
19:14as usual.
19:15Star Dave Foley
19:15and the rest of the cast
19:17are legitimately
19:17breaking down on camera
19:19in what feels like
19:20something like
19:20a televised funeral.
19:22Number 28.
19:23Susan's death,
19:24Seinfeld.
19:25The fact that
19:26George Costanza
19:26was getting married at all
19:28is probably shocking enough
19:29to make this list,
19:30but the way his fiancée
19:31Susan died
19:32is one of the show's
19:33most brilliant strokes
19:34of genius.
19:40Famously cheap,
19:41George opts for a cheap glue
19:43to seal their wedding invitations.
19:45This choice ends up
19:46having tragic consequences
19:47for Susan,
19:48who George leaves
19:49to stuff and seal
19:50over almost 200 invitations.
19:53George was having
19:54second thoughts anyway,
19:55so in a twisted fashion,
19:56his cheapness
19:57saved him from nuptials.
19:59His friend's reactions
20:00really drive home
20:01the point that
20:01these people
20:02have always been
20:03and will continue
20:04to be the worst.
20:06I'm so sorry, George.
20:11Yeah, me too.
20:16Poor Lily.
20:18Number 27.
20:19Chandler and Monica's
20:20Infertility.
20:21Friends,
20:22it's a testament
20:22to just how good
20:23this show is,
20:24that a topic as fraught
20:25and devastating
20:26as Infertility,
20:27can actually deliver
20:28some chuckles.
20:29What is the big deal?
20:31It's weird.
20:32You're in a doctor's office?
20:33It's not okay
20:34to do it in a doctor's office,
20:36but it is okay
20:37to do it in a parked car
20:38behind a Taco Bell.
20:39Friends usually kept
20:41things light,
20:41so when things get serious,
20:43it was always
20:44a noticeable change of pace.
20:45Chandler and Monica's
20:46struggle to have children
20:47got a funny but impactful
20:49and depressing punctuation mark
20:51in this season 9 episode.
20:52Struggling to conceive,
20:54the two see
20:55a fertility specialist.
20:56When they find out
20:57that they're unable
20:58to have biological children,
20:59it's a gut punch
21:00to both of them
21:01and to all of us
21:02who watched them
21:03fall in love.
21:04Well,
21:06we're gonna figure this out.
21:11I know.
21:13Number 26.
21:14Raven confronts racism.
21:16That's So Raven.
21:17The Disney Channel
21:18was not exactly known
21:19for hard-hitting television
21:20about social issues,
21:21but that's so Raven took on racism
21:23and hiring discrimination
21:24in this season 3 episode.
21:26The psychic high schooler
21:27learns she doesn't get a job
21:29that she was perfect for
21:30and her vision reveals
21:31that it's because the manager
21:32doesn't hire
21:33African-American applicants.
21:35There's gotta be some reason
21:36why you didn't get that job.
21:40The truth is,
21:42I don't hire black people.
21:44As far as Raven's visions go,
21:46it was definitely
21:47one of the most shocking.
21:48While the episode manages
21:49to wrap things up
21:50in a nice little bow,
21:51it's blunt but believable
21:53in a way that's true to life,
21:55yet still palatable
21:56for its young audience.
21:58And there you have it.
21:59Shocking evidence
22:00of job discrimination
22:01right here in San Francisco.
22:04Number 25.
22:05George attends a Klan meeting.
22:07The Jeffersons.
22:08Creator Norman Lear
22:09conceived George Jefferson
22:11as an African-American counterpart
22:13to Archie Bunker.
22:14So most of the Jeffersons
22:15had him being obtuse
22:16to the world around him.
22:17That might not have been clearer
22:19than when he was invited
22:20to attend a neighborhood watch meeting
22:22that soon turns out
22:23to be a front for the Ku Klux Klan.
22:25George is as taken aback
22:26as we are.
22:27You're not joining anything.
22:28This happens to be
22:29a KKK meeting.
22:30You bet it is.
22:31And everybody in here
22:32is proud to be part of the K-what?
22:34The meeting devolves
22:34into a near-public brawl
22:36before the leader
22:36has a heart attack.
22:38The leader's unrepentant racism,
22:39even after George saves his life,
22:41is just as shocking.
22:43He saved my life?
22:45Yeah.
22:47You should have let me die.
22:55Norman Lear shows
22:57never hesitated to go dark
22:58and real places,
23:00but this one was wild
23:01even for him.
23:02Number 24.
23:03Ellen Comes Out
23:04Ellen.
23:05This coming out scene
23:06was a long time coming.
23:07Star Ellen DeGeneres
23:09had already come out of the closet
23:10in the major news publications,
23:12and her character's sexuality
23:13had become a running joke.
23:15But in this very special two-parter,
23:17which guest stars
23:17Oprah Winfrey and Laura Dern,
23:19Ellen Morgan's coming out
23:21is done in spectacular
23:22and bumbling fashion.
23:23I'm 35 years old.
23:25I'm so afraid to tell people.
23:27I mean, I just...
23:29Susan...
23:31I'm gay.
23:32She doesn't just announce it
23:33to Dern's character,
23:34but to the entire airport
23:35when it's picked up
23:36by the PA system.
23:38It's a celebratory scene
23:39and episode
23:40about self-actualization
23:42and courage,
23:43but the firestorm it caused
23:44was just as shocking
23:45as anything that happened
23:47on screen.
23:48Nobody's ever ready.
23:49You can't just wait
23:49for America to be ready
23:52for things,
23:52and that's how
23:53we affect change.
23:55Number 23.
23:56The Last New Heart.
23:57New Heart.
23:58You're all crazy!
24:00You're all crazy!
24:00You're all crazy!
24:01You're all crazy!
24:02You're all crazy!
24:03You're all crazy!
24:04You're all crazy!
24:06After eight seasons,
24:08the show about
24:09a Vermont innkeeper
24:10came to a close
24:11with what might be
24:12the most surprising
24:13and hilarious
24:14it-was-all-a-dream endings
24:15in history.
24:17After being hit in the head
24:18by a golf ball,
24:19actor Bob Newhart
24:20wakes from a dream
24:21in the bedroom set
24:22of his previous sitcom,
24:23The Bob Newhart Show.
24:25And next to Newhart
24:26is his wife from that show,
24:27Emily,
24:28played by actress
24:29Suzanne Plachette.
24:31All right, Bob?
24:33What is it?
24:35I was an innkeeper
24:37in this crazy little town
24:40in Vermont.
24:41Kept under wraps
24:42until the last minute,
24:43the revelation
24:43that all of Newhart
24:44was just a dream
24:45of his previous character
24:46was a huge hit
24:48with the viewers.
24:49Number 22.
24:50Selena frames Gary.
24:52Veep.
24:52By the end of this
24:53darkly funny political satire,
24:55Vice President Selena Meyer
24:56sells out virtually
24:58every virtue
24:59or value
25:00she ever had
25:01in order to claim
25:02the Oval Office
25:03for herself.
25:04But she was never
25:05more evil
25:06than when giving up
25:06the only person
25:07who truly had her back.
25:09Anyway, listen,
25:09it's kind of important,
25:11actually.
25:11And I would also say
25:13that it's not easy.
25:15Okay.
25:17It's kind of also not fair.
25:19Gary,
25:19her faithful bag man,
25:21bore the brunt
25:21of her cruelty
25:22through all seven seasons
25:23and would have continued
25:24to happily take her abuse.
25:26But when embezzlement
25:27and corruption charges
25:28knocked at Selena's door,
25:30she framed Gary
25:31and gave him up
25:32to the FBI.
25:34The confused Gary
25:34is arrested
25:35during her victory speech
25:36and it drives home
25:37just how morally bankrupt
25:39she is.
25:40There is no one
25:41who has sacrificed
25:43more than me.
25:46Number 21.
25:48Sophia's friend in need.
25:49The Golden Girls.
25:50Dorothy,
25:51Rose,
25:52Blanche
25:52and Sophia
25:53were never afraid
25:54to have difficult conversations.
25:55One of the show's
25:56most powerful episodes,
25:58which sees Rose Nyland
25:59having a HIV scare,
26:01was aired when the topic
26:03was still incredibly taboo.
26:04AIDS is not a bad person's
26:06disease, Rose.
26:07It is not God
26:08punishing people
26:09for their sins.
26:11You're right, Blanche.
26:12This episode
26:13from the same season
26:14is even more shocking.
26:16Sophia's ailing
26:16and elderly friend,
26:17Martha,
26:18asks her to be alongside her
26:20when Martha
26:20ends her own life.
26:22A conflicted Sophia
26:23ultimately decides
26:24to be there
26:24for her friend.
26:25You will hold my hand.
26:27Sure I will.
26:28I'm so glad
26:29I don't have to go alone.
26:32It was rare to see
26:32Sophia Petrillo
26:33shed a tear,
26:34but this episode
26:35has what is easily
26:36one of the show's
26:37most heart-tugging endings.
26:39Number 20.
26:40Jodie's overdose.
26:42Mum.
26:43This sitcom uses humour
26:44to discuss the tough subject
26:45of substance use disorder.
26:47In season three,
26:48Christy and her friends
26:49from Alcoholics Anonymous
26:50meet teenager Jodie.
26:52It's easier for older people.
26:54Your party days
26:54are kind of over.
26:56Ouch.
26:59We still have fun.
27:02Ow.
27:03Um.
27:05This.
27:07Way to sell it.
27:10Over the season,
27:11Christy becomes her sponsor
27:12and helps get her
27:13back on her feet.
27:15However,
27:15Jodie begins dating someone
27:17who's only just gone clean.
27:18In the episode
27:19Diabetic Lesbians
27:21and a Blushing Bride,
27:22Christy receives
27:23a devastating phone call
27:25that Jodie overdosed
27:26and did not survive.
27:27She was fine at the party.
27:30How did this happen?
27:33All I know is
27:34they
27:35found her
27:36in the bathroom
27:39at her apartment.
27:40After the final scene,
27:43Anna Faris,
27:44Allison Janney
27:45and a real-life doctor
27:46appeared in a public
27:47service announcement
27:48to discuss the severity
27:50of substance use disorder.
27:51Today,
27:52120 people
27:54will die
27:54from a drug overdose.
27:56Behind these numbers
27:57are families
27:58who need our compassion
27:59and help.
28:00Because addiction
28:01is not a moral failing.
28:03It's a chronic illness.
28:04Number 19,
28:05Jessie takes caffeine pills.
28:07Saved by the bell.
28:08I'm so excited!
28:10I'm so excited!
28:13I'm so...
28:15I'm so scared!
28:17It found a new life
28:18as a meme on the internet.
28:19But Jessie's breakdown
28:20on Saved by the bell
28:21is no laughing matter.
28:23Played by Elizabeth Berkley,
28:25Jessie Spano
28:26feels the mounting pressure
28:27of being
28:28Bayside High School's
28:29most studious go-getter.
28:30To help cope with stress,
28:32she takes caffeine pills.
28:34And soon,
28:34the quick fix
28:35turns into
28:36a substance use disorder.
28:37Jessie,
28:38those pills are dangerous.
28:39Yeah,
28:39well,
28:39so is geometry.
28:40You told me
28:41you were going to
28:41stop taking them.
28:42I need them
28:43to stay awake
28:44and study,
28:44okay?
28:45No,
28:45it's not okay.
28:47Jessie,
28:47I'm worried about you.
28:48Give me the pills.
28:49Mind your business.
28:51Between the pressure
28:51of her academics
28:52and the added demands
28:53of the upcoming talent show,
28:55she soon unravels
28:56in the arms
28:57of her friend,
28:57Zach Morris,
28:59singing and pleading
29:00for help.
29:01A departure
29:01from the bell's
29:02light affair,
29:03the episode stands out
29:04as a frank portrayal
29:05of adolescent stress.
29:06I've got to learn
29:07that it's okay
29:09if I'm not the best
29:10at everything.
29:11Hey,
29:12I already learned that.
29:13Number 18,
29:14Greg's car accident,
29:16Family Ties.
29:17Throughout the 1980s,
29:19very special episodes
29:20became a popular way
29:21for sitcoms
29:22to discuss
29:22serious subject matters.
29:24In the fifth season
29:25of Family Ties,
29:26the show dedicated
29:27a two-part arc
29:28to explore
29:29the topic of grief.
29:30This,
29:31that's meaningless.
29:33That's meaningless.
29:34Look,
29:34I mean,
29:35I mean,
29:36what's the use
29:36of busting my tail
29:37to try and build
29:38a future for myself?
29:40I mean,
29:41maybe I don't have
29:41a future.
29:43I mean,
29:43look what happened
29:44to you.
29:44After learning
29:45that a long-time
29:46friend of Alex's,
29:47Greg,
29:47has died in a car accident,
29:49the Keaton family
29:50comes together to mourn.
29:52However,
29:52Alex understandably
29:53has a difficult time
29:54dealing with it.
29:56He feels a mixture
29:56of anger and guilt,
29:58as he was actually
29:59supposed to be
30:00in the car with Greg.
30:01I don't want answers,
30:02okay,
30:03because I can't go on
30:03like this.
30:04Why am I alive?
30:06Why am I alive?
30:07Why am I alive?
30:09The second half
30:10takes place
30:10in an empty space
30:11while Alex talks
30:12to an unseen therapist.
30:14It's a theatrical approach
30:16that effectively allows
30:17the story's emotions
30:18to take center stage.
30:20I can take
30:20a sense of humor
30:23and his energy
30:27and his warmth
30:29and I can make it
30:32my own.
30:33Number 17,
30:35Rosario's Death,
30:36Will and Grace.
30:37Okay, Rosie,
30:38you got some nerve
30:40not showing up for work.
30:41You better be
30:42in the hospital.
30:43During the original run
30:44of Will and Grace,
30:45Rosario,
30:46played by Shelley Morrison,
30:48became a fan favorite.
30:49However,
30:50Morrison declined
30:51to reprise her role
30:52for the revival
30:53as she had retired
30:54from acting.
30:55Six episodes
30:56into the revival,
30:56the character
30:57was killed off,
30:59dying from a heart attack
31:00off screen.
31:01Gone?
31:03Where'd she go this time?
31:06Underground maids
31:07fight club
31:07that I don't know about?
31:12Karen,
31:13I don't think
31:13you understand what...
31:14I understand, Grace.
31:17Rosario's former employer
31:18and friend,
31:19Karen,
31:20honors her
31:20by fulfilling a promise
31:22to throw her
31:23a belated quinceanera.
31:25As Karen,
31:26actress Megan Mullally
31:27delivers a truly moving
31:29and poignant speech
31:30that pays tribute
31:31to a beloved figure.
31:33She was my best friend.
31:38You were my everything.
31:40Rosario Yolanda Salazar.
31:42Number 16,
31:44Laura Faces Racism.
31:46Family Matters.
31:47In the second season
31:48of Family Matters,
31:49the comedy depicts
31:50a disturbing episode
31:51about racism.
31:53Oh my God.
31:54Laura,
31:55what's wrong?
31:57If you want black history,
31:59go back to Africa.
32:00Inspired by Black History Month,
32:02Laura organizes an initiative
32:03to create a black history class
32:05at her high school.
32:07Later,
32:07she and Steve
32:08find an unsettling note
32:09and racial slur
32:11on her locker.
32:12Tensions mount
32:12among the student body
32:14and her hurt
32:14and exhausted Laura
32:15is ready to give up.
32:17I realize you're having
32:18a hard time.
32:20But you've got to stand up
32:22for whatever you believe in
32:25or things will never change.
32:28After a conversation
32:29with Mother Winslow,
32:31she continues her crusade
32:32and the school
32:33backs her idea
32:34for a class.
32:35While the episode
32:36has a positive ending,
32:37the story is rooted
32:38in a reality
32:39that the black community
32:41continues to face,
32:42making it equally
32:43as relevant
32:44as when it first aired.
32:46Grandma.
32:47Yes, honey?
32:48You were right.
32:49One person can't
32:50make a difference.
32:51Oh, sweet dog.
32:53Number 15,
32:55Sandy's drunk driving,
32:57Growing Pains.
32:58Carol?
32:59Hi.
33:00Hi.
33:01You'll forgive me
33:02if I don't get up.
33:05Matthew Perry joined
33:06the Growing Pains cast
33:07in 1989
33:08as the recurring character
33:10Sandy,
33:11Carol's college boyfriend.
33:12In the episode
33:13Second Chance,
33:14he invites her
33:15to attend a luncheon,
33:16but their plans go awry
33:17when he gets into
33:18a car accident
33:19after a night of drinking.
33:21While visiting him
33:22in the hospital,
33:23Carol learns
33:23that he has pending charges
33:25for driving under the influence,
33:27but other than that,
33:28seems relatively unscathed.
33:30Have you ever
33:31kissed a guy
33:32with tubes
33:33up his nose before?
33:36Up his nose?
33:37No.
33:44Careful there.
33:45Monitoring my heart rate.
33:48By the time
33:49she gets home,
33:49though,
33:50things turn tragic
33:51as she learns
33:52that Sandy has died
33:53from internal bleeding.
33:55It's a shocking twist
33:56that cuts deep,
33:57reminding viewers
33:58to drive responsibly.
34:00This isn't fair!
34:03What happened
34:04to his second chance?
34:06Number 14.
34:08Penny's abuse.
34:09Good times.
34:10In the 1970s,
34:11audiences could always
34:12rely on good times
34:13for non-stop laughs.
34:15But even the most
34:16comedy-driven shows
34:18can feature moments
34:19of deep seriousness.
34:20Penny?
34:21Huh?
34:21Why did you tell us
34:23you didn't have a mommy?
34:24Oh, I was just pretending.
34:26In season 5 through 6,
34:28viewers welcomed
34:28the character
34:29of Penny Gordon Woods,
34:30a sweet, smiley
34:32and kind pre-teen.
34:33She came from
34:34a difficult home situation,
34:36including a physically
34:37abusive mother
34:38who forced her
34:39to run away from home.
34:40Why don't we have
34:41a little dinner?
34:43Then you can tell us
34:43where you belong
34:44and then I can take you home.
34:46Would you like that?
34:47Dinner?
34:48Uh-huh.
34:49Going home?
34:50Uh-uh.
34:50The storyline
34:51was an eye-opening look
34:52into the realities
34:53of abuse.
34:55In the end,
34:55Wilona adopts Penny
34:57and they create
34:58the loving, supportive
34:59and safe household
35:00that every child deserves.
35:02I know we have
35:03so much to learn
35:04about each other
35:05but I promise you
35:06I love you more
35:08than any mother's
35:09ever loved a little girl.
35:11Oh, mama.
35:13Oh, God.
35:16Number 13,
35:17Jackie's domestic violence.
35:19Roseanne.
35:20One of the things
35:21about Roseanne
35:22that made it stand out
35:23as a sitcom
35:23was that it never
35:24shied away
35:25from portraying reality.
35:26Look, I'm alright
35:27so don't go blowing this up
35:28into something it's not.
35:29Okay?
35:30What happened?
35:30Nothing.
35:31Let's go eat.
35:32No.
35:32We're not going to go anywhere
35:33till you tell me how you bet
35:34that'll be okay.
35:34I told you I'm okay.
35:36In the episode
35:37Crime and Punishment,
35:38the title character
35:39notices a behaviour change
35:41in her sister Jackie,
35:42who suddenly appears
35:43skittish and irritated.
35:45Upon finding bruises,
35:46Roseanne learns
35:47that she is being abused
35:48by her boyfriend, Fisher.
35:50He told me a million times
35:51when he gets in a mood
35:52like that
35:52that I should just walk away
35:53and I didn't.
35:54I just kept pushing him
35:55and pushing him.
35:56Don't say anymore.
35:58Outraged,
35:59Jackie's brother-in-law,
36:00Dan,
36:00assaults Fisher
36:01and ends up arrested.
36:03While that doesn't resolve matters,
36:05eventually,
36:06with Roseanne's support,
36:07Jackie is able to move on
36:09from the relationship.
36:10Let's go.
36:13You ever come near her again,
36:15you're going to have
36:16to deal with me.
36:17And I am way more dangerous
36:19than Dad.
36:21I got a loose meat restaurant.
36:23I know what to do
36:24with the body.
36:29Number 12,
36:30John Ritter's passing.
36:31Eight simple rules.
36:33Mum?
36:35My keys.
36:37Where are my keys?
36:38Mum?
36:38Oh my God.
36:39Mum?
36:40In 2003,
36:41the world was shocked
36:42by the news
36:43that television icon
36:44John Ritter
36:44had suddenly passed away.
36:46As his fans and peers
36:48mourned his untimely loss,
36:49producers of his sitcom
36:51Eight Simple Rules
36:52were faced with a difficult task
36:53of addressing his death.
36:55After a hiatus,
36:56the show returned
36:57with an episode titled
36:58Goodbye.
36:59It was revealed
37:00that Ritter's character,
37:01Paul Hennessy,
37:02had also died suddenly.
37:04It's just so unfair.
37:05Honey,
37:07nobody said life was fair.
37:08God,
37:08I know that.
37:09I know that life isn't fair,
37:11but nobody told me
37:12it was going to be this cruel.
37:14Viewers were glued
37:14to their screens
37:15as they watched
37:16as both the characters
37:17and actors navigated the loss.
37:19As the series continued,
37:21new faces like James Garner
37:23and David Spade
37:24joined the production,
37:25helping bring comfort,
37:27warmth,
37:27and laughs
37:28to both the cast
37:29and the audience.
37:30Everybody looks great.
37:33Just gonna push the button.
37:34Here we go.
37:35Come on, come on, come on.
37:36Everybody smile.
37:38Number 11,
37:39Howard's Mum's Death,
37:41The Big Bang Theory.
37:42Although her face
37:43never actually appeared
37:44on screen,
37:45Debbie Wolowitz
37:45left a big impression
37:47on The Big Bang Theory.
37:48Where are you?
37:49I'm in the toilet.
37:53So, how'd it go?
37:54Too soon to say,
37:56I'm not done yet.
37:59Featured only through
38:00her distinct voice,
38:01Howard's mum
38:02could be overprotective,
38:03overbearing,
38:04and just plain over the top.
38:06Always well intended,
38:07her mothering ways
38:08were missed
38:09when she passed away
38:10in season 8.
38:11Ma took a nap.
38:14She never woke up.
38:17Oh my God, Howie.
38:19After receiving a phone call
38:20from his aunt,
38:21Howard grieves her passing
38:23with the support
38:24and love of his friends.
38:25The character's departure
38:26occurred a few months
38:27after the actress
38:28who portrayed her,
38:29Carol Ann Soucy,
38:31died in 2014.
38:33In honour of their legacies,
38:34a photograph of Soucy
38:35was hung on Sheldon
38:37and Leonard Sfridge.
38:38To Mrs. Wolowitz,
38:40loving mother
38:42to all of us.
38:48We'll miss you.
38:50Number 10,
38:51Rebecca's Rock Bottom,
38:53Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
38:54Despite its cheery exterior,
38:56Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
38:57goes to some dark places.
38:59It was often praised
39:00for depicting protagonist
39:01Rebecca Bunch's struggles
39:02in an honest way.
39:03But you can get off
39:04the plane in LA
39:05and buy a new ticket.
39:07True, true.
39:09Yeah.
39:10The thing is,
39:11I'm just too tired
39:11to buy things
39:13or do things
39:14or get things
39:15or say things
39:15or face things.
39:16In season three,
39:17she finds herself
39:18at an all-time low.
39:20After escaping her life
39:21in West Covina,
39:22she seeks comfort
39:23from her mother,
39:23Naomi, in New York.
39:25Their relationship
39:26gets extremely strained
39:27when it's revealed
39:28that the mother's been
39:29sneaking medication
39:30into her daughter's system.
39:31Of course you didn't change.
39:33The only reason
39:35I was feeling better
39:36is because you gave me
39:36these drugs
39:37that blitzed me out
39:39and made my ears buzz.
39:41In the wake of this betrayal,
39:42Rebecca attempts
39:43to overdose
39:44by swallowing a handful
39:45of the leftover meds.
39:47She quickly realises
39:48the severity of her situation
39:49and gets a flight attendant's
39:51attention before it's too late.
39:53The episode marked
39:54a major turning point
39:55in the series
39:56and promoted the importance
39:57of asking for help.
39:59I'm aware
39:59mental illness
40:00is stigmatised
40:02But the stigma
40:03is worth it
40:04if I realise
40:05Who I'm meant to be
40:07Armed with my diagnosis
40:10Ben, you have leukemia.
40:23That sucks.
40:24Cox's brother-in-law Ben
40:26was treated for leukemia
40:27in the first season.
40:28When he returns
40:29in season three,
40:30he defends JD
40:31when a patient
40:32passes away
40:32on his watch.
40:3320 minutes after you left
40:35he went into cardiac arrest.
40:38We tried to resuscitate him
40:39but there was
40:40all that we could do.
40:43I'm sorry.
40:45This stance
40:45angers Cox
40:46throughout the episode
40:47but Ben is able
40:48to push the cranky doctor
40:49towards a place
40:50of forgiveness.
40:51But by the time
40:52he's ready to move on,
40:53Cox realises
40:54that the patient
40:55that passed away
40:56was Ben.
40:57You have to forgive yourself
40:58for everything
40:58that went down the other day.
41:02You're so annoying.
41:04It turns out
41:05that the doctor
41:05had been hallucinating
41:06that his brother-in-law
41:07was around
41:08after his death.
41:09The episode
41:10ends at the funeral.
41:11The emotional
41:12and jarring
41:12plot twist
41:13still hurts
41:14the hearts of fans
41:15decades later.
41:17Number 8.
41:18Terry's Racial Profiling
41:19Brooklyn Nine-Nine
41:20As the Black Lives Matter
41:22movement became the subject
41:23of more and more headlines,
41:24Brooklyn Nine-Nine
41:25had some tough
41:26conversations to confront.
41:27Look,
41:289 out of 10 times
41:29they get called
41:29to that neighbourhood
41:30it's about a guy
41:30that looks like you.
41:31Were you responding
41:32to a call?
41:33No, you're missing the point.
41:34No, you're missing the point.
41:35I just want you to admit
41:36you only stopped me
41:38because I'm black.
41:39The comedy,
41:39which follows
41:40the misadventures
41:40of a New York City precinct,
41:42could not ignore
41:43the topic of policing
41:44and racism.
41:45They tackled the issue
41:46head on
41:46by including a plot point
41:48where the black officer
41:49Terry is racially profiled
41:51by a fellow cop.
41:52Listen.
41:53Well,
41:53you need to lower your voice.
41:55Lower my voice?
41:56You know what,
41:56put your hands on your head,
41:57turn around,
41:58don't make any sudden movements.
41:59I didn't do anything.
42:01Also,
42:01I'm-
42:01Keep talking.
42:02See what happens next.
42:03Huh?
42:04He spends the episode
42:05trying to decide
42:06whether or not
42:06to file a complaint
42:07while also trying
42:08to manage the emotional
42:09toll of the incident.
42:11It's a heavy
42:11but vital storyline.
42:13I wasn't a guy
42:14who lived in a neighbourhood
42:15looking for his daughter's toy.
42:17I was a black man.
42:19A dangerous black man.
42:22That's all he could see.
42:24A threat.
42:25In a time where awareness
42:26is spreading about policing,
42:28storylines like this
42:29are needed
42:30to cast light
42:31on the topic.
42:32Number seven,
42:33Mateo's deportation.
42:35Superstore.
42:35Superstore always places
42:37emphasis on the importance
42:38of fundamental issues.
42:39In one of these shows'
42:40most paramount episodes,
42:42the big box retail store
42:43witnesses one of their own
42:45facing deportation.
42:46I'm going to miss
42:47working with you.
42:48Sorry, relax.
42:50I'm going to get out.
42:50Yeah, but even if you
42:51do make it out,
42:52you can't come back
42:53now that they know.
42:55No.
42:56Knowing that he does not
42:57have citizenship,
42:58sales associate Mateo
43:00lives in constant fear.
43:02His worst nightmare
43:02comes true
43:03when Cloud 9
43:04is raided by ICE.
43:05I think we're doing it right.
43:07You're doing it.
43:08There you are.
43:09They know about you.
43:10What?
43:10They saw your picture.
43:11They know what you look like.
43:12We have to go now.
43:12Okay, well, where do we go?
43:13I don't know.
43:14Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.
43:15His colleagues do everything
43:16in their power to hide
43:17and protect him.
43:18But in the end,
43:19he's found and taken away.
43:21The whole episode is
43:22heartbreaking because of
43:23how authentic it appears
43:25as this is the reality
43:26for countless people
43:27across America.
43:29The guards think all
43:29undocumented people
43:30are Latinos
43:31so they just keep
43:32yelling at me in Spanish
43:33and I don't understand
43:34what you're saying.
43:34I just want to go home.
43:38Number 6.
43:39Arnold and Mr. Horton
43:40Different Strokes
43:42In a chilling two-part episode,
43:44Different Strokes
43:45featured one of the most
43:46disturbing storylines
43:47in sitcom history.
43:48The content was so heavy
43:49that it even included
43:50a content advisory read
43:52by show lead
43:53Conrad Bain.
43:54Titled
43:55The Bicycle Man,
43:56the arc followed
43:57the budding friendship
43:58between Arnold and Dudley
44:00and Bicycle Shop owner
44:01Mr. Horton.
44:02Maybe it would be best
44:03if you didn't even mention
44:05that you came back here
44:06and I gave you
44:07all this ice cream
44:08before dinner.
44:10Why don't we just make it
44:11our little secret?
44:13But it's soon too clear
44:14that the latter
44:15has sinister intentions
44:16for the young people
44:17he befriends.
44:18Fortunately,
44:19adults step in
44:20to aid their children
44:21through this difficult scenario.
44:23Look, I'm sorry Mr. Drummond,
44:24I'm just about to close up here.
44:25I've had a little problem.
44:27Is this Horton?
44:28Yes it is.
44:28I think you've got
44:29a big problem Mr. Horton.
44:31Now where's Dudley?
44:32Arnold told us
44:33that he was here.
44:34Strokes received a claim
44:35for handling
44:35the sensitive subject matter well
44:37and was even credited
44:38with helping children
44:39identify inappropriate
44:41adult behaviour.
44:42But you do have to be careful.
44:44If somebody wants you
44:45to do something that's wrong
44:46or if they want you
44:47to lie to your parents
44:48that is a person
44:49should not be trusted
44:50no matter how good
44:51the reason that gave you
44:52seems to be.
44:52Number 5.
44:53Marshall's Dad's Death
44:55How I Met Your Mother
44:56Season 6 of
44:57How I Met Your Mother
44:58included the death
44:59of Marshall's father.
45:00After he and Lily
45:01spend the day
45:02at the fertility specialists
45:03they both anticipate
45:04the worst.
45:05And so Marshall
45:06told his parents everything.
45:09And so now
45:09I'm just scared
45:10that we won't be able
45:11to give you a grandchild.
45:13Oh Marshall
45:14we don't care about
45:16that one bit.
45:17But they could never
45:18have guessed
45:19that their bad news
45:20would come
45:20from another source.
45:21The moment Marshall
45:22receives some positive
45:23information about fertility
45:24Lily arrives to tell him
45:26that his dad
45:27has suffered
45:27a fatal heart attack.
45:29Something's happened
45:30um
45:30your father
45:32he had a heart attack
45:34he didn't make it.
45:39Jason Segel
45:39and Alison Hannigan
45:40improvised the moment
45:42and shocked
45:42the heartbreaking scene
45:44in just one take.
45:45Not only did this
45:46shock fans
45:47but also Segel
45:48as well.
45:49In the end
45:49this approach
45:50led to one of the
45:51saddest moments
45:52in the entire show.
45:59I'm not ready for this.
46:02Number 4
46:03Will's dad leaves
46:04Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
46:06Despite spending
46:07over a decade apart
46:08Will's father Lou
46:09unexpectedly returned
46:10in a season 4 episode
46:12of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
46:14Uncle Phil
46:14immediately
46:15has his reservations
46:16about whether or not
46:17Lou will stick around.
46:18Will is not a coat
46:20that you hang in the closet
46:21than pick it up
46:21when you're ready
46:22to wear it.
46:23His life goes on.
46:25He's not supposed
46:25to be here for you.
46:26You're supposed
46:27to be here for him.
46:28You get off my back.
46:29However
46:29Will and Lou
46:30make plans
46:30to venture out
46:31on a road trip
46:32and mend
46:32their relationship
46:33but the disappearing
46:34dad decides
46:35to abandon the plan
46:36and his son
46:37at the last moment.
46:38Yeah man
46:39I'm glad you're here.
46:41Um
46:41some business
46:43came up
46:43I gotta handle
46:43so we're gonna
46:45have to put
46:45our trip
46:47on hold.
46:49You understand?
46:49A distraught
46:50and rightfully
46:51hurt Will
46:52launches into
46:53an incredibly
46:53emotional monologue
46:54before breaking
46:55down in front
46:56of his uncle.
46:57It's a powerful
46:57moment made
46:58even stronger
46:59by both Will Smith's
47:00and the late
47:01James Avery's
47:02incredible acting.
47:04How come
47:04he don't want
47:05me man?
47:05Number 3
47:16Maud's
47:16Pregnancy
47:17Maud
47:18Split into a
47:18two-parter
47:19the Norman Lear
47:20comedy Maud
47:21addressed a critical
47:22topic in its
47:23very first season.
47:24When the title
47:25character discovers
47:26she is pregnant
47:27at 47 years old
47:28she has to decide
47:29what to do.
47:30She ultimately
47:43decides that
47:43getting an abortion
47:44is the right
47:45thing to do.
47:46Since such a
47:46topic was rarely
47:47discussed in
47:48mainstream media
47:48at the time
47:49the subject matter
47:50received backlash.
47:51Some stations
48:00even decided
48:01to forego
48:02airing the
48:02episode altogether.
48:04Lear stood
48:04by the storyline
48:05and offered
48:06an honest
48:06depiction of
48:07a topic that
48:07is far too
48:08often kept
48:09in the dark.
48:10For you Maud
48:11for me
48:12in the privacy
48:14of our own
48:15lives
48:15you're doing
48:17the right thing.
48:18Number 2
48:18Plane Crash
48:19M.A.S.H.
48:20For over a decade
48:21M.A.S.H.
48:22perfectly
48:22towed the line
48:23between comedy
48:24and drama.
48:25Situated during
48:25the Korean War
48:26at a military
48:27hospital
48:28the show
48:28did not shy
48:29away from
48:30levity.
48:30So long
48:31Hawk.
48:33I'm afraid
48:34just a handshake
48:35won't do it
48:35Henry.
48:39One of the
48:39legendary series
48:40most challenging
48:41moments
48:41hit audiences
48:42with an
48:42unforgettable
48:43gut punch.
48:44After Colonel
48:45Blake receives
48:46his discharge
48:47we watch a
48:48bittersweet
48:48send off.
48:49Believe yourself
48:50or I'm going to
48:51come back
48:51and kick
48:51your butt.
48:58Things take
48:58a heart-aching
48:59turn when
49:00radar delivers
49:01horrifying news.
49:02Apparently
49:03Blake's plane
49:03crashed
49:04and he did
49:05not survive.
49:07Lieutenant
49:07Colonel
49:08Henry Blake's
49:10plane
49:10was shot
49:14down
49:14over the
49:16sea of Japan.
49:17The moment
49:17stands the
49:18test of time
49:19as one of
49:19the most
49:19brutal
49:20revelations
49:21in the
49:21history
49:21of
49:21American
49:22television
49:22along with
49:23Hawkeyes
49:24in the
49:24last episode.
49:25Before we
49:26continue
49:26be sure to
49:27subscribe to
49:28our channel
49:28and ring the
49:29bell to get
49:29notified about
49:30our latest
49:30videos.
49:31You have the
49:32option to be
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49:33occasional videos
49:34or all of
49:35them.
49:35If you're on
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49:38switch on
49:38notifications.
49:39number one
49:42Edith's
49:4250th birthday
49:44all in the
49:45family.
49:45Hiya my name
49:46is Detective
49:48Lambert I'm
49:48with the
49:49police department
49:50I'd like to
49:51ask you a
49:51couple questions
49:52if I could.
49:52Oh sure
49:54come on in.
49:56Norman Lear's
49:57most famous
49:57sitcom tackled
49:58difficult subject
49:59matter from the
50:00start including
50:01devastating season
50:02one episode where
50:03Gloria Bunker
50:04suffers a
50:05miscarriage but
50:06this two-part
50:06episode from the
50:07show's eighth
50:08season took
50:09it to the
50:09next level as
50:10a man posing
50:11as a police
50:12officer tricks
50:13his way into
50:14the home and
50:15holds Edith
50:15hostage.
50:16Though she is
50:17able to get
50:17away before
50:18things go too
50:19far it's a
50:20disturbing and
50:21heartbreaking hour
50:22of television.
50:23Edith Bunker
50:23felt like
50:24everyone's mum so
50:25to watch her
50:26fall victim to
50:26a home invasion
50:27on her birthday
50:28was a harrowing
50:29exercise in
50:30suspense we
50:31rarely see on
50:32a sitcom.
50:33Just get rid
50:33of her you
50:34hear get rid
50:34of her.
50:35Sybil I gotta
50:36go.
50:36No no I'm
50:38all right I'm
50:39just rushing
50:40around I got
50:41a lot to do
50:41before the
50:42party.
50:43Which unexpected
50:43sitcom moment
50:44stuck with you
50:45after the credits
50:46rolled?
50:46Let us know in
50:47the comments.
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41:44
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