5. How I Met Your Mother – “Symphony of Illumination”
This episode steers clear of the usual setup, and has Robin telling her future kids how she met their father, Barney. In the end, however, we find out that she's only talking to imaginary children because she is, in fact, infertile and will never have them. Raising our spirits up on a cute story with Robin and Barney's future kids only to take it away and drop us to the floor leaves us legen - wait for it - CRYING.
4. Scrubs – “My Screw Up”
This episode goes from zero to Grey's Anatomy when we're struck with a twist only M. Night Shymalan could deliver. Dr. Cox's best friend and brother-in-law Ben Sullivan (played by Brendan Frasier) pays him a visit for the day, returning from traveling around the world and dodging treatment for his leukemia. After helping Dr. Cox forgive J.D. for having a patient die at his table, and subsequently blaming his lack of skills for the mistake, we find out that the patient was Ben Sullivan all along, and was dead the whole time he was cheering up Dr. Cox and convincing him to forgive J.D.
3. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – “Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse”
In one of the most powerful monologues in a sitcom, Will Smith - in the wake of his character's deadbeat father leaving once again - delivers an intense "I'm-fine-and-will-do-just-fine-without-him" speech. Rich with anger and pain that resonates with the viewer, it comes to a boiling point before Will, deflating down to that little abandoned boy, softly utters the question, "How come he don't want me, man?" to his Uncle Phil, before they embrace. All aboard the feels train!
2. Futurama – “Jurrasic Bark”
Off all the unexpected places, you'd never think an animated comedy like Futurama would deliver one of the most heart-wrenching scenes ever in television history. The episode builds it up with Fry recognizing his old dog Seymour from the past, now fossilized in a museum. After getting him back and the Professor about to extract DNA to clone his dog at Fry's request, it's revealed that Seymour lived up until fifteen - prompting Fry to stop the cloning process, as he believes his dog moved on and forgot about him after he disappeared, and found happiness in another human/family. The episode ends with a montage-fueled flashback, revealing that Seymour searched and waited for Fry every day in the same exact spot he was left, until the day he somberly passes away.
1. Diff’rent Strokes – “The Bicycle Man”
Disturbing and dark, no sitcom to date has matched this episode that would put To Catch A Predator to shame. Most comedies will deliver their message in one powerful moment or scene, as shown with #5-and #2 on our list, but this Diff'rent Strokes explored a story about a pedophile luring two young boys and almost molesting them in not one, but TWO episodes. The scenes of Mr. Horton feeding Arnold and Dudley cake and wine, taking pictures of them shirtless, and showing them pornography in many forms is GENEROUS, and it doesn't take long for the viewer to feel immensely uncomfortable. MESSAGE RECEIVED, GUYS, CAN CHRIS HANSEN COME OUT ALREADY?!
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