25 TV Shows That Are So Heartbreaking, Depressing, And Just Plain Sad, It's Hard To Watch Them Again

    I really don't think I could rewatch The Handmaid's Tale more than once.

    Nora Dominick
    by Nora Dominick

    BuzzFeed Staff

    A little while ago, we asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which TV shows are brilliant but so emotionally draining, it makes them hard to rewatch. Here are some of the best responses:

    Note: There are some MASSIVE spoilers ahead. Also, #14 mentions sexual assault and #19 mentions suicide.

    1. First, Parenthood

    Kristina on a video saying, "I'll always be with you. And I'm so lucky I got to be your mom"
    NBC

    "It was such a heartwarming show, full of strong and meaningful family connections, but there were so many heartbreaking moments that I don’t think I’ll revisit it."

    —maritereg

    2. Maid

    Alex crying while holding Maddy
    Netflix

    "I loved Maid so much, I literally couldn't stop watching and binged the episodes in a couple of days. But once I finished, I realized I couldn't put myself through all that pain and heartache again."

    —Lauren Garafano

    3. When They See Us

    Corey repeating, "I'll be in here forever, sir. I don't know what you mean"
    Netflix

    "An exceptional TV show and beautifully made, but it emotionally drained me."

    —bailey_burg

    4. BoJack Horseman

    BoJack talking to Sarah Lynn and saying, "The only thing that matters is right now. This one spectacular moment we are sharing together"
    Netflix

    "Some episodes, like 'Free Churro,' are rewatchable, sure, but there are so many points in the show where it feels like you're being punched in the stomach that I don't think I could ever watch it again."

    —blacklegkat

    5. This Is Us

    Rebecca crying and seeing Jack's body in a hospital
    NBC

    "This show is emotionally draining; I don't think I'd be able to rewatch it all."

    —yvonneo44fe06b26

    6. Six Feet Under

    Claire driving away in her car
    HBO

    "Six Feet Under, hands down. It had the best ending of any show I've ever seen, and I've never cried so much. The entire series was a journey you can only take once."

    —sarahm440b79d54

    7. Grey's Anatomy

    George signing 007 on Meredith's hand
    ABC

    "I used to rewatch Grey's about once a year. I tried not too long ago, made it to about Season 7, and just couldn’t go on knowing there is nothing except pain with little payoff coming."

    —betht403b09245

    8. The Handmaid's Tale

    June telling Emily "Call her Nichole. Tell her I love her"
    Hulu

    "Every season after Season 1 has been so bleak and draining that I can only watch one episode at a time with at least a week in between. I can't imagine binge-watching it."

    —NoTeaNoShade

    9. Breaking Bad

    Hank telling Walter "You're too stupid to see he made up his mind 10 minutes ago"
    AMC

    "This show was incredibly well done, and I was totally hooked from the moment I watched the first episode. However, every single thing that happened was utterly depressing, and I just don't want to put myself through that again."

    —samantham46531ff01

    10. Money Heist/La Casa de Papel

    Gandia telling Nairobi "I told you I was gonna kill you"
    Netflix

    "I can’t watch La Casa de Papel (Money Heist) knowing Nairobi died in Part 4. She made the show as good as it was, and killing her broke me too much."

    —abcdef

    11. Merlin

    Arthur thanking Merlin for all his help
    BBC

    "I feel like a lot of people, including me, thought that Merlin was going to change the prophecy about Arthur dying as they did with other prophecies in the past seasons. But it came true, and I guess that’s why it’s so sad, because nobody expected the good guys to lose. It's hard to rewatch because of the sad ending."

    —saltycomments

    12. Squid Game

    Ji-yeong saying "Thank you for playing with me"
    Netflix

    "I know this is a show where you'll catch more details/Easter eggs if you rewatch, but I don't think I can put myself through this show again. I'm still emotionally exhausted after watching the outcome of the marble game."

    —Jen Abidor

    13. Chernobyl

    Radiation warning going off on people's suits
    HBO

    "The show was amazing, but it's too depressing to rewatch."

    —laragarciac

    14. Outlander

    Claire telling Jamie "Randall had your body, but I'll be damned if he has your soul as well. You're mine"
    Starz

    "Outlander, simply because I had a hard time making it past the end of Season 1. It's so good, but it's so hard to watch more than once."

    —sabrinat1

    15. The Wire

    Wallace crying
    HBO

    "The Wire is still considered a phenomenal TV series, but man, it's so heartbreaking and sad. I think it's the perfect example of a show everyone should watch at least once, but a rewatch is hard to do."

    —Spencer Althouse

    16. The Walking Dead

    Rick, Maggie, and Michonne crying and Glenn saying "Maggie, I'll find you"
    AMC

    "Never has a show been more bleak, depressing, and torturous to their characters. There are literally NO HAPPY endings in sight for anyone. It's torture porn. It feels as though the reality is that everyone is actually dead already and we're watching them exist in hell/purgatory."

    —jasonq1985

    17. Pose

    Candy thanking her father for seeing her for who she truly is
    FX

    "Every single episode is pure perfection, but every single episode also makes me sob. I don’t know when I’ll be emotionally stable enough to watch it again."

    —Megan

    18. Dopesick

    Betsy's mom saying "The real you is still in there, I know it" and Betsy saying she can't find her
    Hulu

    "This series just came out, but oh my god, I can't stop thinking about it. Kaitlyn Dever gives such a heart-wrenching performance, and I don't think I'll be able to rewatch the series because it's so sad. Period."

    —Nora Dominick

    19. 13 Reasons Why

    Clay saying Hannah died alone and everyone could've stopped it
    Netflix

    "I only watched the first season, and it was so well done but incredibly depressing. So although it was an important story, I won’t watch it again and won’t watch the other seasons, either."

    —haleyw4ae66dcb9

    20. Sons of Anarchy

    Opie dying in prison
    FX

    "Even just thinking about rewatching it gives me anxiety and makes me want to cry over certain characters' deaths. I loved this show, but I'm still not mentally or emotionally ready to go through it again."

    —s4eb42b230

    21. Broadchurch

    Miller crying on the floor and saying "You're wrong"
    BBC

    "The show had superb acting, but the story was so intense, I sometimes had to go a few weeks between episodes, and I could never rewatch it. Olivia Colman and David Tennant are fantastic together, and it was one of the most beautifully devastating television shows I’ve ever seen."

    —brynw451616e9b

    22. Orange Is the New Black

    Taystee holding Poussey and crying on the floor
    Netflix

    "This series was phenomenal, but every season was so heartbreaking, sad, and just wild. I don't know if I could do a full series rewatch because of it."

    —leilanispence

    23. Sharp Objects

    Camille lying on the bathroom floor looking up
    HBO

    "An amazing series that should have won more awards. I don't love watching children in peril, though, and the season was so depressing. I don't think I can revisit it."

    —GreenZoe

    24. Lost

    Charlie showing Desmond his hand that reads "Not Penny's boat"
    ABC

    "It was so different from everything else on TV, but it was also way too emotionally draining. I can't rewatch this show again. 'Not Penny's boat' will haunt me forever."

    —jmcclelland

    25. And Finally, Ozark

    Marty and Wendy covered in blood
    Netflix

    "For reasons similar to Breaking Bad, Ozark just keeps getting more and more stressful and emotionally exhausting. It's an amazing show, but I don't think I could go back to the beginning and watch it again, especially knowing how certain storylines turn out."

    —spaghettijones

    We can't fit every show in one post, so what other great shows are heartbreaking, but you just can't bring yourself to rewatch them? Tell us in the comments below!

    Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.