Saddest sitcom moments

[KJIM]

Not sure I'd call MASH a sitcom. It really was more of a dramedy, but I'm parsing words there.

I think the MASH people hated being regulated to sitcom status, but that stupid laugh track was on there for at least 10 out of the 11 seasons. (Unsure about 11 - that's the only one I don't have on DVD yet). I hated the laugh track.

On some special I saw about Henry's death (might be the DVD), I learned that the cast members didn't know he was going to die. They thought it ended when he left on the helicopter.

Everyone thought filming was done, but they were called back for one more scene in OR. Until Radar came in with the announcement, the cast members didn't know, so their reaction was real. There's dead silence until an actor drops something accidentally, then life goes on.

Clearly, I'm a MASH fan so my vote goes there. I don't even remember most of the other events, even though I did watch some of the shows.

 

[ThomsonONE]

There was an episode of Taxi in which Alex gets back his dog, but the dog gets sick and dies at the end. The last shot of the show is Alex alone in the garage sitting on the bench crying with the leash in his hand. Still chokes me up.

 

[Football_Bat]

I'm pretty sure MASH had a laugh track all 11 seasons. Only the "serious" episodes didn't have them. Especially later on.

 

[Huggy]

Not sure I'd call MASH a sitcom. It really was more of a dramedy, but I'm parsing words there.

I think the MASH people hated being regulated to sitcom status, but that stupid laugh track was on there for at least 10 out of the 11 seasons. (Unsure about 11 - that's the only one I don't have on DVD yet). I hated the laugh track.

On some special I saw about Henry's death (might be the DVD), I learned that the cast members didn't know he was going to die. They thought it ended when he left on the helicopter.

Everyone thought filming was done, but they were called back for one more scene in OR. Until Radar came in with the announcement, the cast members didn't know, so their reaction was real. There's dead silence until an actor drops something accidentally, then life goes on.

Clearly, I'm a MASH fan so my vote goes there. I don't even remember most of the other events, even though I did watch some of the shows.

I saw one where Larry Gelbart said after they'd done the scene that Larry Linville looked at him and said, "You *******, you just won an Emmy."

 

[Chuck~Taylor]

I'm disgusted by all of you. Not one of you choose when Will got shot.

 

[Gutter]

I'm disgusted by all of you. Not one of you choose when Will got shot.

 

[poindexter]

Opie killed a mother robin with his sling shot one time. To see the baby robins without their mother was almost too much.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Henry Blake dying was one of the saddest.
So was the 8 Simple Rules where John Ritter died.

The episode of 8 Simple Rules after John Ritter died killed me... I grew up watching him and enjoyed everything he did...

 

[Mizzougrad96]

What about the Cosby Show episode where Rudy tries crack?

 

[WildBillyCrazyCat]

Before even clicking on the thread, the first one that jumped into my mind was the Alex P. Keaton's friend Greg dying in a car accident, when APK should have been in the car with him.

I'm also going to throw out the WKRP episode where they gave away tickets to The Who concert where everyone got stampeded.

 

[Precious Roy]

What about the Saved by the Bell where Jessie is on speed

I'm so excited!
I'm so excited!
I'm so.... scared!


Damn, that was more funny than sad for me, but oh well

 

[poindexter]

What about the Cosby Show episode where Rudy tries crack?

Rudy was a lesbian?

 

[Freelance Hack]

What about the Saved by the Bell where Jessie is on speed

I'm so excited!
I'm so excited!
I'm so.... scared!


Damn, that was more funny than sad for me, but oh well

Saddest Saved By The Bell moment was when Kelly's dad got laid off and she couldn't go to the prom with Zach. :'(

 

[Mizzougrad96]

What about the episode of Growing Pains when Carol became anorexic and then started going on drinking binges and almost killed her family in a DUI accident...

Oh wait, that was real life...

 

[Freelance Hack]

What about the episode of Growing Pains when Carol became anorexic and then started going on drinking binges and almost killed her family in a DUI accident...

Which then led to the greatest thread in the history of SportsJournalists.com!

Ah, the good ol' days.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

There was the episode of The Brady Bunch where Mr. Brady contracted the HIV...

Oh wait, that was real life...

 

[Freelance Hack]

The episode of Joanie Loves Chachi where Joanie goes on a three-day coke bender

 

[Trey Beamon]

What about the Full House episode where Michele's goldfish croaked?

I always felt the Wonder Years finale was quite sad, though you never find out how Kevin's father died.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

There was the episode of Different Strokes where Kimberly Drummond kills herself by overdosing on sleeping pills...

Oh wait, that was real life...

 

[Freelance Hack]

What about the episode of Chico and the Man when Chico accidentally shoots himself in the head?

Oh wait...