History Tearjerker / AllInTheFamily

* During the show's run, Edith ends up befriending Beverly LaSalle, a cross-dresser who performs as a female impersonator (he's implied to be gay, but not transgender). In "Edith's Crisis of Faith," Beverly and Mike are mugged (off-screen); while Mike survives (he was trying to defend him), Beverly dies from his injuries. The look on Edith's face when the doctor at the hospital tells her is utterly heartbreaking; even the studio audience reacts. It escalates from there as Edith even starts questioning her religious faith, much to Archie's dismay.

** A moment earlier in the episode becomes all the more depressing by what follows (and especially on repeat viewings, when you know what's going to happen). Beverly has just been told that he's going to get to do his drag show at Carnegie Hall, and to celebrate, Edith gives him an early Christmas present: a scrapbook full of every newspaper item that mentions him and his act (Edith explains that she's put it together all year). But what clinches the moment as heartbreaking is when Edith invites Beverly to spend Christmas dinner with the Bunkers. Beverly is normally a jovial man who doesn't take much seriously, but when Edith makes her offer, a look of pure joy comes over his face, and he's almost in tears as he accepts. [[FridgeHorror]] kicks in when you realize that Beverly either doesn't have a family, or, even worse, was disowned when he came out as gay and started cross-dressing. He likely considered the Bunkers a surrogate family...and an hour later, he's gone.
* "The Bunkers and the Swingers" is largely a comic episode--Edith inadvertently answers an ad in an erotic magazine (as TheDitz, she doesn't notice the content) for wife-swapping. When the swinger couple comes to the Bunkers' home, a lot of [[PoorCommunicatonKills errors in communication]], plus Louise Jefferson having to tell Edith the truth of the situation, leads to laughter. But at the end of the episode, the wife of the couple delivers a short monologue about how swinging has saved her marriage; her voice trembles as she does so, hinting that she and her husband have likely been constantly judged or ostracized for their choices, and that it's hurt her deeply.

* During the show's run, Edith ends up befriending a cross-dressing man who goes by the name Beverly. One Christmas, Beverly ends up getting shot and killed (off-screen), the victim of a hate crime. The look on Edith's face when the doctor at the hospital tells her is utterly heartbreaking; even the studio audience reacts. It escalates from there as Edith even starts questioning her religious faith, much to Archie's dismay.

* The Season 8 finale "The Stivics Go West" was both a VerySpecialEpisode and a tearjerker, in that it was the final time all four of the show's main stars – Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers – appeared together as regulars.[[note]]Reiner and Struthers both would appear in two later episodes, reuniting the foursome.[[/note]] Archie and Mike's final conversation, where Mike thanks Archie for all his support over the years, tells him he loves him, and awkwardly embraces him, is very touching. Shortly thereafter comes an emotional farewell. The final scene has a deeply saddened Archie watch the taxi – with his daughter, son-in-law and grandson, Joey, inside – drive away, choke back a sob, and sit down next to an equally sad Edith in the now-silent house.

* Any episode involving Stephenie worried about having to leave was this. Especially when she tried to come up with excuses as to why she can't go back home to her terrible father yet.

** This all overlaps with a moment of heartwarming as Archie and Gloria talk about Beverly, and Archie himself remarks that he/she was a decent person who was a good friend to Edith

--->'''Archie''': It wasn't supposed to be like this. I was supposed to be the first one to go. I always used to kid you about you going first. You know I never meant none of that and that morning when yous was laying there. I was shaking you and yelling at you to go down and fix my breakfast. I didn't know. You had no right to leave me that way, Edith... (Holding the slipper to his face, Archie starts to cry) without giving me just one more chance to say I love you.

* The Season 2 opener "Archie Alone" saw Archie in deep denial over Edith's death (after series star Jean Stapleton decided to leave the show). Eventually frustrated that everyone is talking about it, Archie shouts at the world to go away. He then goes upstairs and sees one of Edith's slippers, before he has his emotional breakdown.

-->'''Archie:''' Don't tell me my father was wrong! Let me tell you somethin'. Your father who made you, wrong? Your father, the breadwinner of the house there, the man who goes out and busts his butt to keep a roof over your head and clothes on your back? You call your father wrong? Hey, hey, your father... Your father, that's the man that comes home bringin' you candy. Your father's the first guy to throw a baseball to you. And take you for walks in the park. Hold you by the hand. My father held me by the hand, oh, he had a hand on him, I tell you. He busted that hand once, and he busted it on me. To teach me to do good. And my father, he'd shove me in the closet for seven hours to teach me to do good, 'cause he loved me. He loved me. Don't be lookin' at me!... Let me tell you somethin'. You're supposed to love your father. Because [[PunctuatedForEmphasis your father. Loves. You]]. And how can any man that loves you tell you anything that's wrong?

** The second part of the episode is similarly depressing, but in a different way. Edith goes through a period of post-traumatic stress that paralyzes her to the point of being afraid to leave the house. Seeing the normally cheerful, oblivious Edith so broken by her experience that she can't do anything but obsessively iron pillowcases is horrible. Similarly, watching Gloria desperately try to get through to her--and eventually reach a point where she's so frustrated and overwhelmed by Edith's refusal to cope that she screams "''You're not my mother anymore!''"--is extremely painful to watch.

-->'''Archie:''' Don't tell me my father was wrong! Let me tell you somethin'. Your father who made you, wrong? Your father, the breadwinner of the house there, the man who goes out and busts his butt to keep a roof over your head and clothes on your back? You call your father wrong? Hey, hey, your father... Your father, that's the man that comes home bringin' you candy. Your father's the first guy to throw a baseball to you. And take you for walks in the park. Hold you by the hand. My father held me by the hand, oh, he had a hand on him, I tell you. He busted that hand once, and he busted it on me. To teach me to do good. And my father, he'd shove me in the closet for seven hours to teach me to do good, 'cause he loved me. He loved me. Don't be lookin' at me!... Let me tell you somethin'. You're supposed to love your father. Because your father. Loves. You. And how can any man that loves you tell you anything that's wrong?

** Any episode involving Stephenie worried about having to leave was this. Especially when she tried to come up with excuses as to why she can't go back home to her terrible father yet.
** Edith alone in the house with a rapist in "Edith's 50th Birthday". Archie ends up interupting them, so the rapist hides in the closet with a gun, telling her that if Edith says anything, he'll shoot the both of them. Watching Edith looking so desperate while Archie prattles on about needing a punchbowl, then when he leaves, she cries for him not to go. Doubles as Nightmare Fuel.
** As the family stays up all night waiting to hear if Archie will be laid off, he remembers how his father was devastated by the Great Depression. "He just kept asking why, and no one could tell him."

* The Season 8 finale "The Stivics Move West" was both a VerySpecialEpisode and a tearjerker, in that it was the final time all four of the show's main stars – Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers – appeared together as regulars.[[note]]Reiner and Struthers both would appear in two later episodes, reuniting the foursome.[[/note]] Archie and Mike's final conversation, where Mike thanks Archie for all his support over the years, tells him he loves him, and awkwardly embraces him, is very touching. Shortly thereafter comes an emotional farewell. The final scene has a deeply saddened Archie watch the taxi – with his daughter, son-in-law and grandson, Joey, inside – drive away, choke back a sob, and sit down next to an equally sad Edith in the now-silent house.

* The Season 8 finale "The Stivics Move West" was both a VerySpecialEpisode and a tearjerker, in that it was the final time all four of the original regulars – Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers – appeared together as regulars.[[note]]Reiner and Struthers both would appear in two later episodes, reuniting the foursome.[[/note]] Archie and Mike's final conversation, where Mike thanks Archie for all his support over the years, tells him he loves him, and awkwardly embraces him, is very touching. Shortly thereafter comes an emotional farewell. The final scene has a deeply saddened Archie watch the taxi – with his daughter, son-in-law and grandson, Joey, inside – drive away, choke back a sob, and sit down next to an equally sad Edith in the now-silent house.

* The Season 8 finale "The Stivics Move West" was both a VerySpecialEpisode and a tearjerker, in that it was the final time all four of the original regulars – Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers – appeared together as regulars.[[note]]Reiner and Struthers both would appear in two later episodes, reuniting the foursome.[[/note]] Archie and Mike's final conversation, where Mike thanks Archie for all his support over the years and Archie admits he had grown to love the Meathead and consider him family, is very touching. Shortly thereafter comes an emotional farewell. The final scene has a deeply saddened Archie watch the taxi – with his daughter, son-in-law and grandson, Joey, inside – drive away, choke back a sob, and sit down next to an equally sad Edith in the now-silent house.

* The Season 8 finale "The Stivics Move West" was both a VerySpecialEpisode and a tearjerker, in that it was the final time all four of the original regulars – Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers – appeared together as regulars.[[note]]Reiner and Struthers both would appear in two later episodes, reuniting the foursome.[[/note]] Archie and Mike's final conversation, where Mike thanks Archie for all his support over the years and Archie admits he had grown to love the Meathead and consider him family, is very touching. Shortly thereafter comes an emotional farewell. The final scene has a deeply saddened Archie watch the taxi – with his daughter, son-in-law and grandson, Joey, inside – drive away, before Archie walks to his chair and sit next to an equally sad Edith.

-->'''Archie:''' Don't tell me my father was wrong! Let me tell you somethin'. Your father who made you wrong? Your father, the breadwinner of the house there, the man who goes out and busts his butt to keep a roof over your head and clothes on your back? You call your father wrong? Hey, hey, your father... Your father, that's the man that comes home bringin' you candy. Your father's the first guy to throw a baseball to you. And take you for walks in the park. Hold you by the hand. My father held me by the hand, oh, he had a hand on him, I tell you. He busted that hand once, and he busted it on me. To teach me to do good. And my father, he'd shove me in the closet for seven hours to teach me to do good, 'cause he loved me. He loved me. Don't be lookin' at me!... Let me tell you somethin'. You're supposed to love your father. Because your father. Loves. You. And how can any man that loves you tell you anything that's wrong?

* The Season 8 finale "The Stivics Move West" was both a VerySpecialEpisode and a tearjerker, in that it was the final time all four of the original regulars – Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers – appeared together as regulars. [[hottip:*: Reiner and Struthers both would appear in two later episodes, reuniting the foursome.]] Archie and Mike's final conversation, where Mike thanks Archie for all his support over the years and Archie admits he had grown to love the Meathead and consider him family, is very touching. Shortly thereafter comes an emotional farewell. The final scene has a deeply saddened Archie watch the taxi – with his daughter, son-in-law and grandson, Joey, inside – drive away, before Archie walks to his chair and sit next to an equally sad Edith.

* The Season 8 finale "The Stivics Move West" was both a VerySpecialEpisode and a tearjerker, in that it was the final time all four of the original regulars – Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers – appeared together as regulars. [[hottip:*: Reiner and Struthers both would appear in two later episodes, reuniting the foursome.]] Archie and Mike's final conversation, where Mike thanks Archie for all his support over the years and Archie admits he had grown to love the Meathead and consider him family, is very touching, which comes just before the emotional farewell. The final scene has a deeply saddened Archie watch the taxi – with his daughter, son-in-law and grandson, Joey, inside – drive away, before Archie walks to his chair and sit next to an equally sad Edith.

* The Season 8 finale "The Stivics Move West" was both a VerySpecialEpisode and a tearjerker, in that it was the final time all four of the original regulars – Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers – appeared together. [[hottip:*: Reiner and Struthers both would appear in two later episodes, reuniting the foursome]] Archie and Mike's final conversation, where Mike thanks Archie for all his support over the years and Archie admits he had grown to love the Meathead and consider him family, is very touching, which comes just before the emotional farewell. The final scene has a deeply saddened Archie watch the taxi – with his daughter, son-in-law and grandson, Joey, inside – drive away, before Archie walks to his chair and sit next to an equally sad Edith.

!!All in the Family:

!!Archie Bunker's Place:

* The Season 8 finale "The Stivics Move West" was both a VerySpecialEpisode and a tearjerker, in that it was the final time all four of the original regulars – Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers – appeared together. [[hottip:*: Reiner and Struthers both would appear in two later episodes, reuniting the foursome]] Archie and Mike's final conversation, where Mike thanks Archie for all his support over the years and Archie admits he had grown to love the Meathead and consider him family, is very touching, which comes just before the emotional farewell. The final scene has a deeply saddened Archie watch the taxi – with his daughter, son-in-law and grandson, Joey, inside – drive away, before Archie walks to his chair and sit next to an equally sad Edith.