My favourite thing about TV shows is the fact that they allow us to get to know characters and give us time to care about them over the course of how ever many months and years they play for. When bad stuff happens to them it affects us and conversely we get to enjoy the good stuff alongside them too.
Here's 10 moments that will, as the kids say, get you right in the feels.
Rome
Titus Pullo is (rightfully) found guilty of murder and sentenced to death in the gladiatorial arena. Pullo is still a proud member of the 13th legion though and doesn't take kindly to insults. Even though Pullo was a murderer we still feel sympathetic towards him because of how well Ray Stevenson played him. He's had a shite time of it and no one wants to see his story end this way. Especially not his buddy and fellow legionnaire Lucius Vorenus who is watching from the stands.
The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air
This show was a sensation in the 90's. Think back on it and all we remember is Jazzy Jeff being repeatedly thrown out the front door but it could be a lot deeper than that. This scene was a heartbreaker and spoke to the lived experience of a lot of young men.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Buffy is recognised for her work during the prom. A brilliant scene that both addresses some of the more absurd sides of the show and gives us a genuine moment of emotional catharsis after the events of season 3. It's just lovely. Until the mayor turns into a giant snake demon in the next episode that is.
Coronation Street
I know people laugh at Corrie but it's like comfort food to me. Jack and Vera had been around forever. I grew up watching them. Corrie tends to go for sensationalism of late but this small and intimate moment of passing is beautifully done. And then Tyrone's exclamation/realisation at the end is a real gutpunch.
ER
The episode where old ER ended. Mark Greene had passed away in the previous episode but this was when everyone else found out. Even watching it now knowing what's coming gives me a feeling of dread and sickness.
The Office
The scene we'd all been waiting for. 3 seasons of brilliant comedy led to this unexpected interruption. The show was never better than it was right here. Just look at that beautiful smile.
Deadwood
Jewel the prostitute with cerebral palsy and Doc Cochrane, the town physician haunted by the civil war share a quiet little dance while Al Swearengen looks on after just committing an act of mercy. A rare and beautiful moment in the harsh frontier world of Deadwood. Just two troubled people finding a spot of solace in each others company.
Love/Hate
Darren is a murderer but like Pullo above, we still sympathise with him and his circumstances and want to see him free himself from the quagmire he's in. But his past actions come back to haunt him in the form of Lizzie, the sister of a man he shot earlier. Then that old time tune kicks in and reminds of that this is a tragedy occuring far too often on the streets of our capital.
Freaks And Geeks
The very end of the show. The scene where Lindsay Weir goes from Freak to Geek all set to the sounds of the Grateful Dead. Over the course of one glorious season of TV we've watched her grow and realise there's more to life than being the best and it's here when she decides to do her own thing. In the immortal words of Renton from Trainspotting, she chooses life.
The Wire
Bubbles was a heroin addict and a hustler through 4 seasons of The Wire. We all loved him though. Sadly it took a tragedy for him to get clean and that tragedy haunted him. Until the minute he decided to let go of his guilt. It was all uphill for Reginald after this. A truly earned moment of emotion.
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