History Tearjerker / KingoftheHill

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** "Wings of a Dope" aired several weeks after the 1999 Columbine High School Massacre. Mike Judge received a fan letter from one of the survivors of the tragedy who secretly had a crush on a fellow student at her school and said if she made it out alive, she would ask the person out. That person ended up actually being one of the shooters and it broke the survivors heart that she didn't get the chance to confess her love and she couldn't outwardly grieve for him due to his actions. The survivor credited Peggy's speech at the end of the episode in helping her release her grief and apparently quoted Luanne's "guardianin' some other girl" line in her letter.

* In "Full Metal Dust Jacket", Peggy goes to great lengths, including buying a bookstore and letting Dale sell unregulated guns, just to be allowed to join a ladies' book club. When she finally joins, [[AllForNothing all her efforts are for nothing]]: none of the women actually care about the book, treat Peggy like a nuance, and lie to her about the book club being canceled while [[KickTheDog calling Peggy a windbag]] when ([[ExactEavesdropping they think]]) she's out of earshot. Peggy does give the woman a dignified but stern goodbye, but once she gets to the parking lot, she breaks down crying. While Peggy can be annoying, anyone who has felt loneliness and rejection can feel for her. Peggy's sad line to Hank seals it.

* Pretty much the entire "Wings of a Dope" episode, in which Buckley's angel comes back, particularly the scene in which he and Luanne bounce on the trampoline after first meeting. Fireflies appear around them and fittingly enough, Dream Academy's "Life in a Northern Town" plays in the background. The last scene is even more powerful - Buckley bounces on Luanne's trampoline high enough to disappear from her sight, after which she believes he is gone for good and goes back into the house. He returns to Earth, exclaims, "Cool, a new record!" and then, as the song begins to play again, is shown walking off toward the horizon, pulling a halo from his pocket and donning it as the credits begin to roll. The scene where Luanne is by the trampoline crying listening to "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" as she waits for Buckley and hopes he isn't "gurardianin' some other girl," followed by Peggy's motivational speech, is a close second.

* Peggy crying when she finds out that her big feet were being used to satisfy internet perverts in "Transnational Amusements Presents: Peggy's Magic Sex Feet."

* Hank was once tricked by his cousin Dusty (of Music/ZZTop) that Landry had died. He believed he was being pranked a second time when Dusty tried to tell him how Tom Landry died for real. Hank is legitimately mortified he went to work on that day.

* A more {{Meta}} example. The death of the real Tom Landry in February 2000 makes his speech to Hank in his [[MushroomSamba varnish-induced dream]] in "Hillennium" that much more poignant and tragic. He assures Hank that no matter what the future holds not to live in fear. As the episode was about the MillenniumBug paranoia it's sad to know Tom didn't get to experience the 21st century himself.
** In-Universe Hank was once tricked by his cousin Dusty (of Music/ZZTop) that Landry had died. He believed he was being pranked a second time when Dusty tried to tell him how Tom Landry died for real. Hank is legitimately mortified he went to work on that day.
* In "Full Metal Dust Jacket", Peggy goes through hell just to be allowed to join a ladies' book club, and when she finally gets in, the women lie about the book club being canceled while [[KickTheDog calling Peggy a windbag]] when ([[ExactEavesdropping they think]]) she's out of earshot. Peggy tries to give a dignified goodbye, but once she gets to the parking lot she breaks down crying. Even if Peggy can be full of hot air, this is one of the moments you can feel bad for her.

* A more {{Meta}} example. The death of the real Tom Landry in February 2000 makes his speech to Hank in his [[MushroomSamba varnish-induced dream]] "in Hillennium" that much more poignant and tragic. He assures Hank that no matter what the future holds not to live in fear. As the episode was about the MillenniumBug paranoia it's sad to know Tom didn't get to experience the 21st century himself.

** In-Universe Hank was once tricked by his cousin Dusty (of Music/ZZTop) that Landry had died. He believed he was being pranked a second time when Dusty tried to tell him how Tom Landry died for real. Hank is legitimately mortified he went to work on that day.

* "Blood And Sauce" revealed much to Bill's sorrow that the majority of his family has died off. His Aunt Esme and cousin Violeta died of fever and PassedInTheirSleep respectively. Gilbert goes on to explain the majority of the Dauterive line died barren, were impostors or committed to mental institutions. Leaving only he and Bill as the last of their family.

* Peggy crying when she finds out that her big feet were being used to satisfy Internet perverts on "Transnational Amusements Presents: Peggy's Magic Sex Feet."

* Peggy lamenting about how each of her birthdays always ends in disaster in "Strangeness on a Train".

* "Chasing Bobby" can be pretty depressing if you're a truck or any general car owner. Hank's truck ends up going on its last few miles and Hank is utterly devastated because of how much the truck means to him, in one of the few episodes where we see him break down in tears. Hank's refusal to get a new Truck and attempts to save it lead to him taking his frustration out on his family, when it's clear he doesn't mean to.

** In-Universe Hank was once tricked by his cousin Dusty (of MusicZZTop) that Landry had died. He believed he was being pranked a second time when Dusty tried to tell him how Tom Landry died for real. Hank is legitimately mortified he went to work on that day.

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* A more {{Meta}} example. The death of the real Tom Landry in February 2000 makes his speech to Hank in his [[MushroomSamba varnish-induced dream]] "in Hillennium" that much more poignant and tragic. He assures Hank that no matter what the future holds not to live in fear. As the episode was about the MillenniumBug paranoia it's sad to know Tom barely got to experience the 21st century himself.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[AdultFear "There was]] [[PlayedForLaughs water in the exhaust!]]"]]

* "As Old as the Hills": Peggy's reaction to what's supposed to be a light-hearted anniversary slide show. At first Hank thinks she's crying about a slide that shows Hank and Peggy as old people, but she clarifies that the photos of her and Hank as a young, newly-married couple were what upset her, because she didn't recognize them. This is one of those bits of dialogue that [[AdultFear only gets more relevant as you age]].

* "Propane Boom", the finale of the second season. When the Mega-Lo-Mart explodes as a result of a negligent propane leak, Peggy screams in terror for Hank and Luanne, who are both inside. The scene is not PlayedForLaughs, with the season ending upon Boomhauer calling 911 and a horrified Peggy watching him do so, unaware if her husband or niece are alive. The following episode, "Death Of A Propane Salesman", has Luanne dealing with the loss of her hair and bottling her emotions by pulling a Sinead O'Connor act, but she soon breaks down alone in her room after reading the last birthday card Buckley gave to her.

* A more {{Meta}} example. The death of the real Tom Landry in February 2000 makes his speech to Hank in his [[MushroomSamba varnish-induced dream]] "in Hillennium" that much more poignant and tragic. He assures Hank that no matter what the future holds not to live in fear. As the episode was about the MillenniumBug paranoia it's sad to know Tom barely got to experience the 21st century himself.

* "Blood And Sauce" revealed much to Bill's sorrow that the majority of his family has died off. His Aunt Esme and cousin Violeta died of fever and in their sleep respectively. Gilbert goes on to explain the majority of the Dauterive line died barren, were impostors or committed to mental institutions. Leaving only he and Bill as the last of their family.

* A more {{Meta}} example. The death of the real Tom Landry in February 2000 makes his speech to Hank in his [[MushroomSamba varnish-induced dream]] "in Hillenium" that much more poignant and tragic. He assures Hank that no matter what the future holds not to live in fear. As the episode was about the MillenniumBug paranoia it's sad to know Tom barely got to experience the 21st century himself.

* A more {{Meta}} example but still. The death of the real Tom Landry in February 2000 makes his speech to Hank in his [[MushroomSamba varnish-induced dream "in Hillenium" that much more poignant and tragic. He assures Hank that no matter what the future holds not to live in fear. As the episode was about the MilleniumBug paranoia it’s sad to know Tom barely got to experience the 21st century himself.

* The series finale where Hank and Bobby finally find something they love to do together (grill beef) and have a small barbecue for the neighbors is both this and [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments heartwarming]]. After 13 years, Bobby has [[EarnYourHappyEnding finally found a hobby he can bond with his father over]].

** The ColdOpening gives you a pretty good idea of what you're in for. Watching Bill break down crying seemingly out of nowhere juxtaposed to the jolly "Sleigh Ride" instrumental can either be surpassingly funny or outright unnerving to watch.

* "Chasing Bobby" can be pretty depressing if you're a truck or any general car owner. Hank's truck ends up going on its last few miles and Hank is utterly devastated because of how much the truck means to him, in one of the few episodes where we see him break down in tears. Hank's refusal to get a new Truck and attempts to save it lead to him taking his frustration out on his family, when it's clear he doesn't to.