History Tearjerker / HappyDays

** "Christmas Time" from Season 6 deals with Fonzie struggling with a wide range of emotions, after he receives a package from his estranged father, who left him when he was 3. His emotions intensify after he learns that the delivery man, had in fact anonymously been his father. He snaps out of it when Howard claims that Fonzie's father, regardless of his ordeals [[DisappearedDad should've stuck around for his family, like most mature fathers do.]]
** "Arthur, Arthur" from Season 11 takes things further. Fonzie receives a visit from his previously unknown half-brother "Artie" Fonzarelli, who informs him that their father has died. Fonzie is again overcome with a range of emotions, as he claims he just wanted to get to know his father, although he was unsure if would end with them fighting or bonding. Fonzie is able to form a bond with his dissimilar brother over discussions of their father.

* "Christmas Time" from Season 6 deals with Fonzie struggling with a wide range of emotions, after he receives a package from his estranged father, who left him when he was 3. His emotions intensify after he learns that the delivery man, had in fact anonymously been his father. He snaps out of it when Howard claims that Fonzie's father, regardless of his ordeals should've stuck around for his family, like most mature fathers do.
** "Arthur, Arthur" from Season 11 takes the matter of Fonzie's father further. Fonzie receives a visit from his previously unknown half-brother "Artie" Fonzarelli, who informs him that their father has died. Fonzie is again overcome with a range of emotions, as he claims he just wanted to get to know his father, although he was unsure if would end with them fighting or bonding. Fonzie is able to form a bond with his dissimilar brother over discussions of their father.

* "Christmas Time" from Season 6 deals with Fonzie struggling with a wide range of emotions, after he receives a package from his estranged father, who left him when he was 3. His emotions intensify after he learns that the delivery man, had in fact anonymously been his father.
** "Arthur, Arthur" from Season 11 takes it further. Fonzie receives a visit from his previously unknown half-brother "Artie" Fonzarelli, who informs him that their father has died. Fonzie is again overcome with a range of emotions, but manages to bond with his dissimilar brother over them.

* "Richie Almost Dies," from midway through the fifth season, was intended as a tearjerker. Richie is involved in an accident while test-driving a motorcycle, and suffers a severe concussion, one that puts him in a coma. Howard and Marion are told that their son might not live, which leads into the two tearjerking scenes:

** ... except for Fonzie, who has gone to the hospital to visit Richie. Fonzie is horrified at the sight of his best friend lying unconscious, and scared at the thought that he might not make it. Fonzie goes to a corner of the room and tearfully pleads with God to let Richie live ... before having a complete emotional breakdown.[[note]]While this was '''''supposed''''' to be a [[VerySpecialEpisode tearjerker episode]], latter-day critics frequently lampooned the episode as an example of 1970s {{Narm}}, dismissing the "it's OK to cry" message by citing (primarily) the over-the-top script and acting, and inclusion of a very late-70s-sounding pop tune (in an episode set in 1959).[[/note]]
* Richie after his return from service in the Korean War. Gone is the carefree AudienceSurrogate of the early days of the show, he's now emotionally unbalanced and its implied he has PTSD from his experience. Sure, he hides it well, but its clear he's not the boy he was.

** WordOfGod is that one of the writers intended this scene as a reference to UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar.

!!Meta
* The death of legendary showrunner Creator/GarryMarshall. He died of pneumonia brought upon by multiple health issues he suffered following a stroke several years previously.
* The sudden death of Erin Moran, the actress who played Joanie. Her unexpected passing from stage four cancer at the not-exactly-old age of 56 was an especially devastating blow to her co-stars, friends, and fans of the series.