History TearJerker / MisterRogersNeighborhood

** In the second-to-last episode (#1764) before the series finale, Lady Elaine angers King Friday, causing him to shout, "Why must you stick your big nose into everyone's business?" Lady Aberlin later finds Elaine hiding under a quilt and feeling bad about herself until the former reassures her she's perfect the way she is. This causes a tearful Elaine to cry and realize that people don't have nice things to say about her because of vice-versa.

** Similarly, Henrietta cries when she worries that Big Bird (visiting from ''Sesame Street'') will be taking her place as X the Owl's best friend and neighbor. Thankfully, Big Bird cheerfully reassures her he's just visiting and could never take her place.

* The story of ''Josephine the Short-Neck Giraffe'' shows how insecure Josephine is about her neck, especially when she eventually decides to leave the school she's been attending with her friend, Hazel the elephant. J.R. the shy giraffe finds her crying and attempts to cheer her up, which makes Josephine to think he's supposed to talk to her as part of his assignment, which only upsets her more. It's not until J.R. slowly musters up the courage to assure her (through song) that he likes her for who she is, which not only makes Josephine feel better, but also causes J.R. to talk more.

* The story of "Josephine the Short-Neck Giraffe" shows how insecure Josephine is about her neck, especially when she eventually decides to leave the school she's been attending with her friend, Hazel the elephant. J.R. the shy giraffe finds her crying and attempts to cheer her up, which makes Josephine to think he's supposed to talk to her as part of his assignment, which only upsets her more. It's not until J.R. slowly musters up the courage to assure her (through song) that he likes her for who she is, which not only makes Josephine feel better, but also causes J.R. to talk more.

* The original 1968 LP version of "Josephine the Short-Neck Giraffe" has J.R. the shy giraffe finding Josephine in tears. Even though it's apparent she does this a lot, this is the first time in the record we actually hear her crying, which shows how insecure she is about her neck. Maxine Miller's (Nurse Miller in the series) performance as Josephine [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhCpnuweTwc especially sells it]].
-->'''Josephine''': ''(voice breaking)'' How could you understand? Your neck is nice and long and handsome and-- oh, what's the use? I'm leaving this awful place!
-->'''J.R.''': ''(stammering)'' But... but Westwood School for Growing is a... wonderful place--
-->'''Josephine''': It's a wonderful place for everyone but me! Sure you can all think it's wonderful here. You're a little shy, so you get talking lessons. Miss Honey Bear can change her name and Mr. Snake can learn to hiss, but what can they do for me here? I'm still as ugly as I was when I came here! I knew it would be like this! ''(breaks down sobbing)''
-->'''J.R.''': Oh... oh, please don't cry...
-->'''Josephine''': Oh... go away! Go away please!
** Thankfully, it turns into a really sweet and heartwarming moment when J.R. Giraffe musters up the courage to tell her (through song) that he really likes her and thinks she's nice.

--> '''Lady Aberlin''': ''(obviously concerned)'' Does it make you feel like we aren't really friends?
--> '''Daniel Tiger''': Kind of, but... I don't know why... but not really.
--> '''Lady Aberlin''': You know we're friends, Daniel.
--> '''Daniel Tiger''': Yes, it seems like we just are.
--> '''Lady Aberlin''': I'm still so sorry.
--> '''Daniel Tiger''': I'm not as sad as I was before. Before you came and talked to me.

--> '''Mister Rogers''': "[[SarcasmMode Speedy delivery, speedy delivery"! Rush, rush, rush]]... I just couldn't do it right when he was rushing me like that. I just couldn't get it right at all...

--> '''Mister Rogers''': You've certainly made a lot of deliveries for me.
--> '''Mr. [=McFeely=]''': They haven't been so bad, have they?
--> '''Mister Rogers''': Bad? Why, you're so special to me, I don't know what I'd do without you and your Delivery Service.
--> '''Mr. [=McFeely=]''': But I've made some mistakes for you too.
--> '''Mister Rogers''': Well, who hasn't made mistakes in his work?
--> '''Mr. [=McFeely=]''': Well, I guess we all make mistakes sometimes. But, those people made me feel so bad. I mean, they made me feel so small... not worth anything.
--> '''Mister Rogers''': Maybe they were having a hard day too, Mr. [=McFeely=].

** In episode #1292, after a few episodes of Daniel being excited about his upcoming birthday, Daniel learns that Purple Panda doesn't have a birthday (as he was made and not born.) Since Purple Panda is so sad about it, Daniel gives him his own birthday... but by the next episode, he is sick and [[TearsOfRemorse crying with remorse]] because he thinks he can't ever have anymore birthdays. Fortunately Yoshi Ito explains to him that two people can have the same birthday and he starts to feel better, but it's still quite poignant that he was willing to give up something happy for himself rather than let another person be upset.

** In episode #1035, Henrietta gets upset when she accidentally lets go of her balloons during a carnival. She is immediately comforted by Lady Aberlin and Officer Clemmons who both escort her home. The way this scene plays out actually feels very much like parents trying to console a child, and it's very easy to relate when something little can go wrong on an otherwise really good day.

** In episode #1035, Henrietta gets upset when she accidentally lets go of her balloons during a carnival. She is immediately comforted by Lady Aberlin and Officer Clemmons who both escort her home. The way this scene plays out actually feels very much like parents trying to console a child, and anyone who's ever been in this type of situation can definitely relate.

* In episode #1182, X the Owl's wing gets hit by a ball and cries in pain. It's hard to see a character usually so cheery and easygoing, break down in tears.
** In the following episode (#1183), Corney gets his finger pinched in a machine and (having previously questioned X's crying in the earlier episode) learns it's OK to cry.

* In episode #1483 (Big Bird's visit), a downhearted Chef Brockett visits Mister Rogers' and recalls his disappointment over a cake decorating contest he didn't win.

** Episode #1578 has Daniel wondering if he is a mistake, just because he's not like other tigers. If you really think about it, Daniel is questioning his ''own existence''. [[http://www.neighborhoodarchive.com/music/songs/sometimes_wonder_mistake.html Part of the lyrics in the song that follows]] are especially tearjerking. Thing is, however, this episode actually hits home with many children who had verbally abusive parents, and those kids found peace in the episode. The documentary ''Won't You Be My Neighbour?'' twists the knife in the wound, pointing out (as mentioned below) that Rogers struggled with depression his entire life. It likely wasn't just Daniel questioning his existence in that scene.

* A scene in episode #1591 has a moment that counts as both this and extremely heartwarming. Mr. [=McFeely=] delivers Mister Rogers a videotape, which was supposed to show how harmonicas were made. After he leaves, Mister Rogers finds out he received the wrong tape, but being ever so flexible, watches it anyway, which shows how gardening hoses are made. However, a worried Mr. [=McFeely=] returns and reveals that a customer who was supposed to receive the gardening hose tape, had reprimanded him for receiving the wrong copy. Anyone who's made a mistake at work and put down by a customer can definitely relate and Mr. [=McFeely=] almost looks very torn up, especially when he asks Mister Rogers if he has made any bad deliveries. The rest of the scene with Fred being so understanding is just too precious for words, as he even sings him "You Are Special".

* The final episode premiered less than two weeks before America and the world entered [[TheWarOnTerror a period]] where they could have used Mr. Rogers's help more than ever... [[http://www.fredrogers.org/frc/news/mister-rogers-message-one-year-anniversary-9-11 and he gave it]]. Doubles as a SugarWiki/{{Heartwarming Moment|s}}.

* Mister Rogers has a minor one himself in episode #1056. At the beginning of the episode, he starts working on a puzzle, but just as he's almost finished, [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness Mr. [=McFeely=]]] rushes in and immediately has to take it back for another delivery. After he leaves, Mister Rogers is clearly annoyed by this, and handles the situation by pounding some clay, which leads into him singing "What Do You Do With the Mad That You Feel." Though not entirely upsetting (and [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments somewhat amusing]] to see [[OutOfCharacterMoment Mister Rogers be passive-aggressively annoyed]] when Mr. McFeely leaves), it's easy to relate.

* Mister Rogers has a minor one himself in episode #1056. At the beginning of the episode, he starts working on a puzzle, but just as he's almost finished, [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness Mr. [=McFeely=]]] rushes in and immediately has to take it back for another delivery. After he leaves, Mister Rogers is clearly annoyed by this, and handles the situation by pounding some clay (leading into "What Do You Do With the Mad That You Feel"). Though not entirely upsetting, it's easy to relate.
--> '''Mister Rogers''': "Speedy delivery, speedy delivery"! Rush, rush, rush... I just couldn't do it right when he was rushing me like that. I just couldn't get it right at all...

* The special he made to help children understand and deal with the death of Robert Kennedy. It starts with Daniel Tiger and Lady Aberlin playing with balloons, with Daniel asking if people are like balloons that deflate once their air is all gone. After she answers he asks a new question "What does 'assasination' mean?" Oh, ''Daniel...''

** Plus, for pre-1979 fans, episode #1459 not only features the very last performance of "Tomorrow", but the only time this and "It's Such a Good Feeling" are sung in the same episode together.
*** Fred probably thought at the time that it would indeed be the last episode of the show tho, given that after this, the show went into a three-year production hiatus. He probably didn’t foresee that production would resume three years later.

** The talk for his memorial is this as well, when the crew discuss having to witness the infamous Westboro Baptist Church doing their typical picketing of his memorial ''simply because of his tolerance of homosexuality''. One of the chew mentioned seeing the children who were looked incredibly miserable and said that if Fred had been alive to see those poor children forced to do those type of unjust things, [[BreakTheCutie he would have been devastated]].

** An early episode (#109) from 1968 has Daniel making a gift for Mr. [=McFeely=]'s birthday: a glass with his name on it. He shows it to Lady Aberlin, but accidentally breaks it. His reaction is just heartbreaking; even more so that his crying is played out very realistically. There's a full minute (minus five seconds) with no dialogue, save for the sounds of Daniel's sobs and the soft piano music in the background. Fortunately, Lady Aberlin offers to help him make a new one, and even cheers him up by saying that since he practiced with that first glass, the next one he'll make will be even better.

** Poor Daniel is reduced to tears in episode #1512 after a game of tag with Lady Elaine and her imaginary friends goes wrong. He is upset that everyone runs away from him, even though that's the point of the game. It's one of those moments in which Lady Elaine went a bit too far and it's ESPECIALLY not helped when she seemingly shows NoSympathy, snarking that Daniel can't take a joke. Lady Aberlin convinces the little tiger that he doesn't have to play games that he doesn't want to play.

** In the following episode (#1183), Corney gets his finger pinched in a machine and (having previously questioned X's crying in the earlier episode) learns it's OK to cry.

** Poor Daniel is reduced to tears in episode #1512 after a game of tag with Lady Elaine and her imaginary friends goes wrong. He is upset that everyone runs away from him, even though that's the point of the game. It's one of those moments in which Lady Elaine went a bit too far and it's ESPECIALLY not helped when she seemingly shows no remorse, snarking that Daniel can't take a joke. Lady Aberlin convinces the little tiger that he doesn't have to play games that he doesn't want to play.

* In terms of the series itself, there are two: The "Death of a Goldfish" episode from 1970 (#1101), and the week-long "Conflict" series intended to help children cope with the Cold War in 1983.

* [[http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/tributes/fred_rogers.shtml Mr. Rogers' sad death due to stomach cancer]]. The whole world may as well have been crying. Note that the link is to a tribute from a fansite of Franchise/TheMuppets - he shared a network with ''Series/SesameStreet'', and they started airing around the same time, both complimenting each other, as this quote proves:
-->While Sesame Street taught children the educational, Mister Rogers focused on the psychological and developmental virtues of childhood. For so many of us who grew up in the late 60’s and 70’s, the success and teachings of both Sesame Street and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood went hand-in-hand and cannot be separated from one another.
** And then there's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAttFerhtnw his goodbye speech]].
** And also, there's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgDOfurneQM UNC-TV remembers Fred Rogers clip with Mr. McFeely and Read-a-roo]].
--> '''Mr. [=McFeely=]''': (As he comforts the tearful Read-A-Roo) Yeah, I miss him too.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29lmR_357rA Seriously]]. People would think this kind hearted man ''hurt'' children unintentionally in the long run. Some of the comments that come up from viewers later in the program point out exactly how ridiculous this is.

* It's hard ''not'' to tear up at the dedications given to John Reardon, Bob Trow, and Don Brockett after each of them passed on.
-->''"There are all kinds of ways of remembering people. By their sounds. By their looks. And by the way you feel about them."''
** Betty Aberlin even mentions that her joy for the show completely diminished after Johnny Costa died.

* The passing of Jeff Erlanger, one of the show's most popular guest stars, after a choking incident at age 36. Quite a few fans said it was a relief that Mr. Rogers himself didn't live to see it happen, and they like to imagine the two reuniting in Heaven.

* In episode #1502, Queen Sarah has a similar accident, falling from the Eifel Tower, while trying planting a tree there. While the others are concerned with getting her to the hospital, she's feeling guilty about not being able to help, and you feel really bad for her.

* In episode #1486, Bob Dog, while retrieving a ball for X the Owl, falls and hurts his leg. Although he later recovers, it's hard to see him in the pain he's in.
* In episode #1502, Queen Sarah has a similar accident, falling from the Eifel Tower, while planting a tree there, and it's hard to see her in similar distress.

* The final episode premiered less than two weeks before America and the world entered [[TheWarOnTerror a period]] where they could have used Mr. Rogers's help more than ever... [[http://www.fredrogers.org/frc/news/mister-rogers-message-one-year-anniversary-9-11 and he gave it]]. Doubles as a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming.