History Main / DeathIsASadThing

* An episode of ''Series/Zoey101'' has Zoey invite Chase's grandmother to his birthday party as a surprise after he talks about how close they are and how much he misses her. The grandmother agrees, but has to cancel at the last minute because of the flu. On the day of the party, Chase is a no-show and Michael reveals that it's because his grandmother's illness was more than just the flu and she's passed away. Zoe goes to find Chase, who's just sitting out in the rain. The episode ends with Zoey comforting him while he cries. While they're both teenagers and thus do comprehend death, it's still a kick in the teeth[[note]]more than it usually is[[/note]] for a loved one to die ''on your birthday''.

* ''WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunks'' has an episode in which the Sevilles adopt a cat, Cookie Chomper III, which is subsequently run over on the road and killed. The episode shows how Alvin, Simon and Theodore cope with their loss and how Dave eventually encourages them to remember the happy times they had with Cookie. In the end, Dave persuades the Chipmunks that they can learn to love another pet just as much as they did Cookie, leading to them adopting a dog, Lily, from the animal shelter.

* In ''Manga/SweetnessAndLightning'', five-year-old Tsumugi doesn't seem to understand that her mother is dead at first, most notably when she asks her father Kouhei to write her mother a letter so she can make them a meal. Eventually, [[RealityEnsues she realizes that her mother is never coming back]], and it's not only heartbreaking for her, but it weighs on her mind for a while afterwards. In chapter 33 of the manga, she even wonders about heaven and hell.

* In ''Manga/SweetnessAndLightning'', five-year-old Tsumugi doesn't seem to understand that her mother is dead at first, most notably when she asks her father Kouhei to write her mother a letter so she can make them a meal. Eventually, [[RealityEnsues she realizes that her mother is never coming back]], and it's not only heartbreaking for her, but she becomes emotional about it later. In chapter 33 of the manga, she even wonders about heaven and hell.

** When the Elric brothers visit their mentor Izumi, it's shown that she sometimes fixes broken toys for the neighborhood kids. Later, a little girl asks Izumi to "fix" her dead kitten, but Izumi explains as gently as she can that she can't because death is irreversible. This is especially poignant since Izumi actually ''has'' tried to bring the dead back to life through alchemy (since her baby had died), and she knows full well that there are major consequences for doing so.

* In an episode of ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'' a little girl's cat dies. She tries to get Izumi to fix her but Izumi explains that death is irreversible. The cat left behind kittens though.
** In the episode with Maes' funeral, his three-year-old daughter Elicia is confused as to why her father is in a box in the ground. When the pallbearers start to bury him, she freaks out and screams at them to "stop putting dirt on Daddy" because he has to go back to work, not understanding that he's not getting back up. Her screaming causes the hardened military men who were managing a brave face up until this point to start to break down.

[[folder:Film]]

* Pufftail and his brother in ''Literature/{{Stray}}'' learn about death as adults when their elderly owner suddenly passes. They're experienced hunters but don't truly understand death until that moment. Pufftail calls it the "Great Stillness".

** The 2010 primetime special "When Families Grieve" has Elmo's father explaining that his brother, Elmo's Uncle Jack, is dead and thus he can't play with Elmo anymore. Just like Big Bird with Mr. Hooper's death, Elmo [[AngstWhatAngst brushes it off at first]] because, at age three, he is incapable of understanding death completely. But eventually full understanding dawns on him, and he feels sad, then learns how to cope. The episode also deals with Jack's daughter, Elmo's cousin Jesse, coming to terms with the loss of her father.

* The manga ''Manga/BunnyDrop'' opens with the death of six-year-old Rin's elderly father. By the chapter's end, Rin is able to acknowledge that the man won't wake up ever again. Though a later chapter touches on Rin becoming [[PrimalFear afraid of dying]] herself, and of her new guardian dying. Daikichi comforts her by saying it's unlikely that either will them will die until she's a grown woman.

* In the second chapter of ''Fanfic/{{Paradise}}'', Celestia and Luna learn about death and grief the hard way when a friend of theirs is killed by wolves. To make it worse, they came across him after the wolves already killed him, his eyes [[DiesWideOpen still wide open in fear]]. All their mother can say to the sisters is that, as Earth ponies (AKA, prey animals), they have to [[ConditionedToAcceptHorror learn to accept with death]] as a constant part of life. Their mother Lightning Strike saw her own best friend get killed by a mountain lion when she was around Celestia's age.

* The manga ''Manga/BunnyDrop'' opens with the death of six-year-old Rin's elderly father. By the chapter's end, Rin is able to acknowledge that the man won't wake up ever again. Though a later chapter touches on Rin becoming [[PrimalFear afraid of dying]] herself, and of her new guardian dying.

** The 2010 primetime special "When Families Grieve" has Elmo's father explaining that his brother, Elmo's Uncle Jack, is dead and thus he can't play with Elmo anymore. Just like Big Bird with Mr. Hooper's death, Elmo [[AngstWhatAngst brushes it off at first]] because, at age three, he is incapable of understanding death completely. But eventually full understanding dawns on him, and he feels sad, then learns how to cope. The episode also deals with Jack's daughter, Elmo's cousin Jesse, doming to terms with the loss of her father.

* A ''Series/KenanAndKel'' episode centered around Kenan's dad leaving him and Kel in charge of looking after his prized pet cockatoo and the bird dying in their care, although this was mostly {{Played For Laughs}}.

** A later segment has Elmo's father explaining that his brother, Elmo's uncle, is dead and thus he can't play with Elmo anymore. In this case, Elmo [[AngstWhatAngst brushes it off]] because, at age three, he is incapable of understanding death completely.

** In 2010, ''Sesame Street'' did it again with the primetime special "When Families Grieve," showing Elmo and his family dealing with the death of his [[RememberTheNewGuy Uncle Jack.]]

* In the third ''Literature/SurvivorDogs'' book, ''Darkness Falls'', Lucky and Mickey come across three Fierce Dog pups. Their mother was murdered but they're too young to understand what death means. Lucky explains it to them, buries their mother [[spoiler:and a dead pup they find that's heavily implied to be [[OffingTheOffspring Blade's]], and then takes them to the Wild Pack.

* Mr. Hooper's death in ''Series/SesameStreet''. It's not quite the same, as Mr. Hooper ''was'' a major character and Will Lee's death (from prostate cancer) was a case of RealLifeWritesThePlot for the episode in which [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim his death]] was addressed. It was also a case of EnforcedMethodActing as the tears you see on camera are ''real'' -- something the single take bears out very clearly. That being said, it did teach little kids that it was okay to miss the deceased, and that adults also feel sad, cry and miss loved ones when they die.

** The episode "I Remember Melville", not only does Chuckie's pet pillbug die but the babies have a funeral for it. This may not entirely count as a DeathIsASadThing because Chuckie's mother has already died. Then again, this was never actually shown in the series, and Chuckie honestly had no idea who his mother was, just remembering her in dreams.
** The episode about Chuckie's mother has shades of this, but it's an odd example. Chuckie starts out upset that he apparently has no mother, and ultimately is comforted to find out about her, skipping the usual grieving. However, it includes his father Chaz having to deal with his own sadness in order to comfort Chuckie and tell him that his mother is still with them in spirit.

* In an episode of ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'' a little girl's cat dies. She tries to get Izumi to fix her but she explains death is irreversible. The cat left behind kittens though.

* Ever since the famous ''SesameStreet'' episode, various preschool shows have had an episode to introduce its young viewers to the concept of death.

** In 2010, ''SesameStreet'' did it again with the primetime special "When Families Grieve," showing Elmo and his family dealing with the death of his [[RememberTheNewGuy Uncle Jack.]]

* Ever since the famous ''Sesame Street'' episode, various preschool shows have had an episode to introduce its young viewers to the concept of death.

** In 2010, ''Series/Sesame Street'' did it again with the primetime special "When Families Grieve," showing Elmo and his family dealing with the death of his [[RememberTheNewGuy Uncle Jack.]]

** ''Series/TheBigComfyCouch'' had the episode ''Full of Life'' in which Loonette faced the death of a caterpillar. ** In 2010, ''Sesame Street'' did it again with the primetime special "When Families Grieve," showing Elmo and his family dealing with the death of his [[RememberTheNewGuy Uncle Jack.]]

* Ever since the famous ''Sesame Street'' episode, various preschool shows have had an episode to introduce its young viewers to the concept of death. To name three Canadian examples, ''Series/TodaysSpecial'' had the episode "Butterflies" in which Muffy Mouse faced the old age death of her new butterfly friend Hazel, ''Series/UnderTheUmbrellaTree'' had the episode "Farewell Findlay'' in which Gloria, Iggy and Jacob faced the death of their goldfish Findlay, and ''Series/TheBigComfyCouch'' had the episode "Full of Life'' in which Loonette faced the death of a caterpillar. And in 2010, ''Sesame Street'' did it again with the primetime special "When Families Grieve," showing Elmo and his family dealing with the death of his [[RememberTheNewGuy Uncle Jack.]]

* Ever since the famous ''Sesame Street'' episode, various preschool shows have had an episode to introduce its young viewers to the concept of death. To name two Canadian examples, the '80s series ''Series/TodaysSpecial'' had the episode "Butterflies," in which Muffy Mouse faced the old age death of her new butterfly friend Hazel, and ''Series/TheBigComfyCouch'' had the episode "Full of Live,'' in which Loonette faced the death of a caterpillar. And in 2010, ''Sesame Street'' did it again with the primetime special "When Families Grieve," showing Elmo and his family dealing with the death of his [[RememberTheNewGuy Uncle Jack.]]

* An early episode of ''Series/TheCosbyShow'' featured Rudy dealing with the death of her goldfish, although this is clearly more comedy -- particularly in Cliff's attempts to think he's soothing Rudy's "grief" (when she was simply shurgging her shoulders).

* A ''Series/KenanAndKel'' episode centered around Kenan's dad leaving him and Kel in charge of looking after his prized pet cockatoo and the bird dying in their care.

* There's an upcoming episode of ''WesternAnimation/DanielTigersNeighborhood'', based on the ''Series/MisterRogersNeighbrhood'' example above, where Daniel's goldfish dies.

* An episode of ''Series/FullHouse'' dealt with the grandfather's death.