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* When Anne and her husband first arrive in Sheffield and are trying to find out what happened to Kevin, they witness a distraught middle-aged man (presumably Christopher's father) loudly and desperately demanding to know what happened to a Christopher Barry Devonside. [[DramaticIrony Nineteen-year-old Devonside was one of the victims]].
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[[folder:Anne]]
* Considering its [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsborough_disaster subject]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Williams_(activist) matter]], the miniseries could be considered one big tear-jerker. Special mention, however, goes to Anne's conversation with the officer who tried to help her son Kevin before he died, especially when she learns that his last word was 'mum'.
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Cut and pasted the examples for The Closer and merged them with existing examples in that show's tear-jerker page


-->'''Alan''': My, uh, best friend has Alzheimer's, in the, uh, very early stages, it hasn't... He is a grand lover of life and will be for some time. I believe even when his mind starts to really go, he'll still fish, he'll laugh and love, and as it progresses he'll still want to live because there will be value for him, in a friendship, in a cigar. The truth is I don't think he will ever come to me and say, this is the day I want to die, but the day is coming and he won't know it. This is perhaps the, the most insidious thing about Alzheimer's. But, you see, he trusts me to know when that day has arrive, he trusts me to safe guard his dignity, his legacy and self respect. He trusts me to prevent his end from becoming a mindless piece of mush and I will. It will be an unbearably... * chokes up* painful thing for me, but I will do it, because I love him. I will end his suffering, because it is the only decent humane and loving thing a person can do.

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-->'''Alan''': My, uh, best friend has Alzheimer's, in the, uh, very early stages, it hasn't... He is a grand lover of life and will be for some time. I believe even when his mind starts to really go, he'll still fish, he'll laugh and love, and as it progresses he'll still want to live because there will be value for him, in a friendship, in a cigar. The truth is I don't think he will ever come to me and say, this is the day I want to die, but the day is coming and he won't know it. This is perhaps the, the most insidious thing about Alzheimer's. But, you see, he trusts me to know when that day has arrive, he trusts me to safe guard safeguard his dignity, his legacy and self respect. He trusts me to prevent his end from becoming a mindless piece of mush and I will. It will be an unbearably... * chokes up* painful thing for me, but I will do it, because I love him. I will end his suffering, because it is the only decent humane and loving thing a person can do.



[[folder: The Closer]]
* An episode of ''Series/TheCloser'' has [[TheBigGuy Detective Sanchez's]] little brother being shot and killed. As events turn out, the Sanchez's brother was killed because he was mistaken for being a gang member due to the hat he was wearing. At the end of the episode, Sanchez breaks down over his deceased brother's blood-stained hat saying that he had given his brother the hat a month earlier for his birthday. Sanchez then goes on to sob his heart out while shouting, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" and proclaiming that his baby brother's death was all his fault.
-->* Made all the worse by the fact that his full-on sobbing breakdown happens in front of Lt. Provenza, the squad's crotchety old bastard, and when Sanchez starts choking out, "I'm sorry, sir," the look on Provenza's face is enough to break your heart. He awkwardly put his arms around Sanchez, and holds him, and I'm getting overwhelmed just writing this out.
* Provenza's got a lot of these. He's such a mean old hardass, and then he kills you. Another recent ep, he had to tell a little kid his whole family was dead, and he comes out of the interview room and tells Brenda the kid's been crying all night "and I'm not doing so well either."
* Any interaction between Brenda and Gabriel in ''Ruby,'' after Gabriel beats the living tar out of a child murderer. Brenda's so angry at him and sympathetic at the same time, and Gabriel, her favorite, is so broken and desperate for her to tell him it's all gonna be okay.
* The last scene in "Red Tape" in Season 5, when Brenda makes a decision about Kitty.
* The very shocking and heartbreaking last scene in "Last Rites" in Season 7. Poor, poor Brenda!
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** ''Wildlife SOS'', when CT the Badger was put down. GracieLizzie cried, not so much for CT herself but from watching her being cradled in her last moments by a heartbroken Simon Cowell (no not, ''[[TheMeanBrit that]]'', Simon Cowell - '''[[http://www.wildlifeaid.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=174=71 this]]''' Simon Cowell).

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** ''Wildlife SOS'', when CT the Badger was put down. GracieLizzie cried, not so much for CT herself but from watching her being cradled in her last moments by a heartbroken Simon Cowell (no not, ''[[TheMeanBrit that]]'', ''that'', Simon Cowell - '''[[http://www.wildlifeaid.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=174=71 this]]''' Simon Cowell).
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* In the last episode, Carl Sagan does his desperate plea to cherish life and to stop nuclear proliferation, which threatens everyone on the planet. This, for those of you keeping score, was filmed in 1980. Sagan was ardently against nuclear weapons, and was even arrested for once breaking through a fence with protesters trying to stop a weapons test. Fast forward ten years later--1990, right after TheGreatPoliticsMessUp--when Sagan was filming updates for the series. He talks about how "the impossible has happened" and how old enemies (namely the US and Russia), are now working together. The statement, after decades of fighting against the Cold War and nuclear proliferation, against the constant threat of death and of mutually assured destruction, he simply says "perhaps we have, after all, chosen life".

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* In the last episode, Carl Sagan does his desperate plea to cherish life and to stop nuclear proliferation, which threatens everyone on the planet. This, for those of you keeping score, was filmed in 1980. Sagan was ardently against nuclear weapons, and was even arrested for once breaking through a fence with protesters trying to stop a weapons test. Fast forward ten years later--1990, right after TheGreatPoliticsMessUp--when Soviet Union collapsed--when Sagan was filming updates for the series. He talks about how "the impossible has happened" and how old enemies (namely the US and Russia), are now working together. The statement, after decades of fighting against the Cold War and nuclear proliferation, against the constant threat of death and of mutually assured destruction, he simply says "perhaps we have, after all, chosen life".
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%% Before adding examples here, check if the show is indexed at TearJerker/LiveActionTV and has its own TearJerker sub-page. Consider moving examples from here whenever possible.



%% Before adding examples here, check if the show is indexed at TearJerker/LiveActionTV and has its own TearJerker sub-page. Consider moving examples from here whenever possible.



%%



* The Music/MilliVanilli episode originally ended on a bittersweet note, with Fab Morvan trying to re-establish his credibility as a musician, and Rob Pilatu struggling with drug abuse, suicide, and jail time. The post-1998 re-edited version ends with Rob's death from a drug overdose on the eve of a new tour with Fab.

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* The Music/MilliVanilli episode originally ended on a bittersweet note, with Fab Morvan trying to re-establish his credibility as a musician, and Rob Pilatu Pilatus struggling with drug abuse, suicide, and jail time. The post-1998 re-edited version ends with Rob's death from a drug overdose on the eve of a new tour with Fab.

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[[folder:The Adventures of Pete and Pete]]
* Artie, the strongest man in the world's, ButNowIMustGo moment to the younger Pete in the "Farewell, My Little Viking" episode of ''Series/TheAdventuresOfPeteAndPete''.
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[[folder:Burn Notice]]
* For such an awesome and well-written show, Burn Notice is surprisingly Tearjerker-free. One exception, however, is the final scene of season 3's "Fearless Leader". Michael and Fiona have been trying to have a romantic dinner by themselves to try and salvage what's left of their relationship. They finally get around to it, and Fiona's all excited about some jobs she's lined up for them, but Michael reminds her that they've got no idea who's coming after him now that [[spoiler: "Management" has lifted his protection]]. He needs to get back into the spy game, no matter what, and he knows the cost is going to be their chance at a normal life. He's clear of the cops, he's relatively free of the people who burned him - this is the moment he's been waiting for. Except it's also the moment Fiona's been waiting for, and now she knows they don't want the same things for the future. And then ''Fiona'', [[AxCrazy hardcore]], badass, gun-toting, explosives-loving ex-IRA terrorist Fiona, chokes up and begins to cry.
* In "A Dark Road", Michael is faced with the choice of [[spoiler: forcing his mother to ruin the life of the records clerk she's befriended, or put his client and countless other innocent people at risk. He bulldozes Madeline into {{Blackmail}}ing Tina, the clerk, by bringing up the fact that she's good at playing the bad guy and letting other people [[AbusiveParents get hurt]] (since she let Michael's father get away with the abuse for so long). Madeline is devastated, and while she [[IDidWhatIHadToDo plays the role she needs to]] and gets the evidence Michael needs, she almost doesn't forgive Michael for making her do it]].
* Michael, after facing Simon, asks his mother whether he could become a complete monster. She comforts him and says her boy could never go that far. That he was crying at the time...
* In the GrandFinale, Michael, Fiona, and Sam are pinned down by [[ArcVillain James Kendrick]] and his men, and Kendrick reveals that he's also sent a team out to the safe house where Michael has hidden Jesse, Madeline, and Charlie. Michael's given a choice: either surrender and face death at James' hands, or else his mom and nephew die. He doesn't even have to decide what he's going to do, and willingly surrenders, asking only for a chance to call his mom and say goodbye. Thing is, [[spoiler:Madeline already knows what's coming. As soon as she saw the Humvee coming towards the safe house, she knew James would use her as a bargaining chip, so by the time that Michael calls her, she's managed to rig up a small explosive. She tells Michael that she's going to blow herself up to buy time for Jesse and Charlie to escape. She then says that she loves Michael and hangs up, then says good-bye to her grandson and Jesse and sends them into the bathroom for cover. When the bad guys come, [[DyingMomentOfAwesome she calmly sets off the bomb]], killing herself, but giving Jesse the cover that he needs to get Charlie to safety.]] Poor Michael is ''devastated''.
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[[folder:Castle]]
* Given that it deals with murder, for Series/{{Castle}} to deal with Tear Jerkers frequently would cause it to descend quickly into {{Narm}}, but it can be effective. Season 2, episode 5 [[spoiler: involves a baby swap. At the end of the episode, the ex-husband of the deceased meets with the (ex?)wife of the killer. They bond over the living child (his, raised by her) and the dead child (hers, raised by him).]]
* After [[TheGhost Chet]] proposes to Martha, she mulls it over for a day, then goes back to say no...only to find that he'd died overnight. Susan Sullivan does a great job bringing out all the emotion, and lets us feel real emotion for a character that was never on screen.
* Near the end of the episode "Sucker Punch", when Beckett realises that that man who may have killed her mother (or at least knows why she was murdered) has been right under their noses the whole time. Then, she's forced to shoot him dead, knowing that now, she may never know why her mother died.
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[[folder:Castle]]
* Given that it deals with murder, for Series/{{Castle}} to deal with Tear Jerkers frequently would cause it to descend quickly into {{Narm}}, but it can be effective. Season 2, episode 5 [[spoiler: involves a baby swap. At the end of the episode, the ex-husband of the deceased meets with the (ex?)wife of the killer. They bond over the living child (his, raised by her) and the dead child (hers, raised by him).]]
* After [[TheGhost Chet]] proposes to Martha, she mulls it over for a day, then goes back to say no...only to find that he'd died overnight. Susan Sullivan does a great job bringing out all the emotion, and lets us feel real emotion for a character that was never on screen.
* Near the end of the episode "Sucker Punch", when Beckett realises that that man who may have killed her mother (or at least knows why she was murdered) has been right under their noses the whole time. Then, she's forced to shoot him dead, knowing that now, she may never know why her mother died.
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* Whuile ''Cheaters'' is trash TV and 90% of the times it's utterly... unremarkable, one episode was a total tearjerker. so there was this divorced mother with a kid who had hooked up with a generical guy, and he was cheating on her? It turns out that the jackass not only was cheating, but ''he was about to get married to another girl''. A [[TheIngenue rather normal Spaniard girl]] who [[LockedOutOfTheLoop truly had no idea of what she was getting into.]] And in one of the saddest examples of SpeaknowOrForeverHoldyourPeace... [[spoiler: the Cheaters team and the original girlfriend catch the cheating boyfriend/fiancè ''in the middle of his "wedding" to the other girl''.]] It's really freaking depressing to see [[spoiler: [[BreakTheCutie the bride's dreams crashing all of a sudden]] as she's told that the man she was about to marry was... well, a two-timing asshole - so much, that the cheated-on woman went to her and ended up expressing her own share of sympathy for [[TheWoobie the totally crushed fiancèe]].]]

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* Whuile While ''Cheaters'' is trash TV and 90% of the times it's utterly... unremarkable, one episode was a total tearjerker. so there was this divorced mother with a kid who had hooked up with a generical guy, and he was cheating on her? It turns out that the jackass not only was cheating, but ''he was about to get married to another girl''. A [[TheIngenue rather normal Spaniard girl]] who [[LockedOutOfTheLoop truly had no idea of what she was getting into.]] And in one of the saddest examples of SpeaknowOrForeverHoldyourPeace... [[spoiler: the Cheaters team and the original girlfriend catch the cheating boyfriend/fiancè ''in the middle of his "wedding" to the other girl''.]] It's really freaking depressing to see [[spoiler: [[BreakTheCutie the bride's dreams crashing all of a sudden]] as she's told that the man she was about to marry was... well, a two-timing asshole - so much, that the cheated-on woman went to her and ended up expressing her own share of sympathy for [[TheWoobie the totally crushed fiancèe]].]]



[[/folder]]
[[folder:TheColbertReport]]
* In [[http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/171137/june-10-2008/alan-rabinowitz one episode]], Stephen interviewed zoologist and animal advocate [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Rabinowitz Alan Rabinowitz]], and asked him why he chose his career path. Rabinowitz then explained that, when he was younger, he had a severe stutter that prevented him from speaking. He was only able to speak clearly to his pet turtle and chameleon, and said that since he realized that animals couldn't speak for themselves either, he became determined to speak out for them.
-->'''Colbert:''' ...Are you ''trying'' to make me cry?
* Colbert's [[http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/366149/november-18-2010/salvatore-giunta recent treatment]] of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvatore_Giunta Salvatore Giunta]]; instead of making jokes or interrupting, Colbert sat down with this man and drew out the events that led to Guinta earning the Congressional Medal of Honor. Guinta wished to make the point that the armed forces are full of equally brave people who are not so honored, and Colbert obviously respected him and helped him to articulate this on air. When he stood up to personally applaud Guinta.
-->'''Colbert:''' How can we honor the other men and women at home who don't have (the Medal of Honor)?
-->'''Guinta:''' There are so many unsung heroes in this war, and there are so many people who have given every single one of their tomorrows so we can have our today. And they'll never come back to a handshake. They'll never come back and hug their family. And it's for those that I wear this.
* When he set out to save marriage from the gays. He was describing this elaborate scenario with that sneaky smile he gets, then all of a sudden when he gets to the actual saving marriage bit, he spends the next few minutes '''not''' crying about how he's just broken Jonathon's heart and how he's the only one who can comfort him and...
* No specific dialogue, but the episode where he mentions his father, and interviews someone who knew him, had me almost in tears just from the genuine emotion and how Colbert was unable to stay in character throughout.
* Stephen's tribute to Steve Jobs. After a segment about the show's free plugging of Apple products over the years, and how he often had them sent to him for free as a result (including his appearance at the 2010 Grammys, reading the nominees off the first [=iPad=] owned by someone outside the company), he shared an email he received the next day from Jobs himself that said "Sweet! Thanks! Steve". Stephen sent a reply, saying "Right back at ya. Thanks for everything."
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[[folder:24]]
* The season 1 finale, when Jack Bauer [[spoiler: finds his dead wife Teri tied to a chair]].
* The mid-to-late season 2 episode when Jack is going to fly the nuke into the desert to save L.A., only to find [[spoiler: an already-dying Mason hiding in the back]]. Buckets of tears.
** Or when [[spoiler:Mason brings his son to a blown away CTU so he can have one last moment of reconciliation before his death sets in. The son was in the middle of a heated rant when Mason just grabs him and hugs him. Wow]]
** Speaking of said episode with Jack flying the nuke away, shortly before [[spoiler: Mason shows up]] he's able to get in contact with Kim and tells her what he's doing, leading her to beg him to come back. If you don't even tear up a little there has to be something wrong with you.
* However bad season 6 was, the last few minutes where [[spoiler: Jack realizes the only way he can keep Audrey safe is by leaving her]] were really painful.
* One of the most heart-breaking moments in ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]'' was the death of [[spoiler: David Palmer]]. For many fans, he was as much the star of the show as Jack Bauer. Many people haven't felt the same about the show after his death.
* [[spoiler:Larry Moss's death]]
* [[spoiler:Edgar, who died when CTU got nerve gassed. He walked over to the protective barrier, looked in at everybody else, and mouthed something before collapsing.]]
* [[spoiler:Jack breaking down in the Season 1 finale (after being told about Kim's 'death') and at the end of Season 3.]]
* [[spoiler:The deaths of Ryan Chappelle (AlasPoorScrappy), Michelle Dessler and Curtis Manning.]]
* [[spoiler:Renee Walker]]'s death. Full stop.
* Jack and the squad realizing that they were too late to save [[spoiler: President Omar Hassan]] who went out like a hero.
* Might be a case of DracoInLeatherPants, but Marcos the suicide bomber's death was so sad. He [[HeelFaceTurn managed to surrender]] (and probably wanted to hug his mommy as well), but he blew up anyway because Samir told his men to turn on the suicide vest's failsafe. He finally told Jack to tell his mother that he is sorry.
* [[spoiler:Bill Buchanan's HeroicSacrifice]] and a distraught Jack sitting right next to his dead body. It almost made up for all of season 7's problems.
* The point near the end of season 4 where Jack has to sacrifice [[spoiler: Paul Raines, Audrey's ex-husband]] and a man he ''owed his life to'' in order to save the life of a man that had information on Marwan. Audrey breaks down and starts screaming at him "You son of a bitch! You murdered him! I hate you!" The look of despair on Jack's face as he realizes just how much he's sacrificed in the last few minutes is just one big emotional punch to the gut. Kiefer Sutherland and Kim Raver completely sell this whole scene.
* Season 7: [[spoiler: Tony Almeida nearly breaking into tears as he screams "YOU KILLED MY SON!" at Alan Wilson.]] Yes, a lot of people had problems with [[spoiler: Tony's]] characterization during Season 7 and he did a lot of bad things to get to Wilson, but dear god it is impossible not to feel awful for him and start crying. [[spoiler: Carlos Bernard]] really knows how to sell the character and play up the AntiVillain / WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds card.
* Just the final scene of the series where Chloe says goodbye to Jack one last time, at least presumably until ''Live Another Day'' begins in 2014. Chloe in particular can't stop crying. What really gets to you is the obvious fact that those tears are real and her actress ''isn't'' acting.
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[[folder:Community]]
* All of ''Series/{{Community}}'' episode [[Recap/CommunityS1E21ContemporaryAmericanPoultry Contemporary American Poultry]] once you realize that everything Abed has done in the episode is because he's desperate to try and connect with people for once.
[[/folder]]



[[/folder]]

[[folder:CSI]]
* Series/{{CSI}}. "Goodbye and Good Luck". 'Nuff said.
** Also, [[spoiler:Warrick's apparent death]] in "For Gedda".
*** [[spoiler: The horrible confirmation of all the rumors in "For Warrick". When he died in Grissom's arms.]]
*** [[spoiler: It wasn't even so much the confirmation that Warrick was dead. It was Grissom completely losing it while holding Warrick in his arms. Grissom spent the entire series beforehand showing two emotions: indifference, and occasional happiness. Watching him fall apart as his friend and colleague dies in his arms as well]]
*** [[spoiler: And when Grissom breaks down reading the eulogy at his funeral.]]
*** [[spoiler: Warrick was a father who was looking to gain custody of his son when he died. There is a video of how he considers Grissom to be a father figure when he didn't have one himself.]]
*** This troper held it together until Warrick's funeral, when Grissom, {{Adorkable}}, reserved, scientific Grissom, lost it and [[ManlyTears broke down]] while giving the eulogy, it was game over. Not to mention ''all' CSI members in attendance and crying.
** Just mentioning the episodes "Dead Doll" and "Living Doll".
** "Grave Danger" when they found Nick. Warrick pleading with him to drop the gun and Grissom using his father's nickname for him to keep him from going hysterical again.
** "Feeling the Heat". Namely the ending, where [[spoiler:Catherine tells the Winstons, who killed their baby because they thought he was going to die of Tay-Sachs anyway, that the tests for the kid came back negative.]]
** ''Miami'' had "Wannabe", an episode where a CSI wannabe fanboy witnesses a crime. After retrieving evidence the fanboy "borrowed" from his apartment, Speed starts making friends with him. Then he dies horribly. Evidence can't link the suspect to the fanboy's murder, but he does go down for the original. Then Speed finds out the kid was mentally disturbed, and actually killed ''himself''.
-->'''Speed''': What do I do?
-->'''Caine''': You go home, get some rest, and you come back tomorrow.
** The last 5 minutes of "One to Go" reduced her to a blubbering pile of mush.
* The ''Series/{{CSI NY}}'' season 5 finale "Pay Up" when [[spoiler: Detective Jessica Angell was shot and killed. First of all, she's on the phone with her boyfriend, Detective Don Flack, when the bad guys drive a truck into the diner she's in. His panic makes you tear up. Then, later on in the episode, we find out that she died through Flack's quiet, stressed, "She's gone..." before he breaks down. The fact that Flack was the last person many fans expected to see cry on the show makes it worse. Flack's expression through the rest of the episode, especially when he gives her police badge to her former-cop father, is heartbreaking.]]
** The show hasn't been the same since, and more's the pity for that.
* The fate of Cassie and Ashley James. Two sisters, both of them beautiful and outgoing, drawn into the modelling world. One of them ends up dead of eating disorders and self-neglect, the other crazy and homeless, wandering the streets of Vegas with her shopping cart...
* "A Thousand Days on Earth" - a little girl is found in a box, abandoned, only to be recognized by her father, who is in prison. The whole episode is sad, but seeing her father (played by the same actor who plays Det. Sanchez on The Closer), a hardened criminal, break down in tears of anguish and impotent rage when he sees her picture on the news is ... wow.
* ''Any'' time the VictimOfTheWeek is a child, you know you're in for a heartbreaking ride!
* The end ''A bullet runs through it part 2''. Brass, who just found out he shot a fellow police officer by accident, is at the funeral, and the other cops avoid him, then he is approached by the officer's widow, who is pregnant, and what doe she do? Gives him a hug and comforts him! Brass needed so much and it's heartbreaking
--> '''Brass:''': Mrs Bell? I'm Captain Brass
--> '''Tracy Bell:''' I know who you are.
--> '''Brass:''' I want you to know if there's. . .*starts to lose his composure*. . .if there's anything I can. . .
--> '''Tracy Bell:''' *Crying, she holds up hand to stop him and shakes her head, then hugs him'' *whispers* I know it wasn't your fault
--> '''Jim Brass:''' *sobbing* I'm so sorry.
** Like with Flack, Brass isn't a character you expect to ever cry on screen, and he is such a good, man (really shown in this episode as he tries to comfort Sofia), that the fact that he has to live with it is so ''unfair''.
* Brass' ''hugely'' dysfunctional relationship with his daughter is another. The episode where he might die of gunshot wounds is painful to watch, and then Ellie shows up and you think there might be some kind of hospital reunion/resolution... but all she wants is to know whether she's getting anything out of this, and when it turns out ''Grissom'' has power of attorney, not her, she just leaves.
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He then silently agrees with something said on the other end, and hangs up.

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** He then silently agrees with something said on the other end, and hangs up.
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[[folder: All My Children]]
* When Robin Scorpio reunited with her mother Anna Devane (both from sister soap Series/GeneralHospital), after thinking Anna had been killed when Robin was a child, only to have to seperate again because of the people trying to kill Anna.
* The tributes to the late Eileen Herlie and James Mitchell were certainly heartbreakers, particularly Eileen's knowing that Thorston Kaye (Zach Slater) wrote a poem in her honor.
-->Zach: Now who will lead our Carnival
-->And who will make us stronger
-->Who will mend our broken sleep
-->When she is here no longer

-->For whose part do we stand and bow
-->What stories do we tell
-->And will we memorize the day
-->When great and greatness fell

-->Say will this valley overcome
-->And will these shadows fade
-->And will we lift our eyes to see
-->The beauty that she made

-->The disappearing last of her
-->That leads to worlds unknown
-->Has left a path to softly tread
-->When sadness wanders home

-->I’ll meet thee where the highland winds
-->Divide wild mountain thyme
-->Where I will be forever yours... and you forever mine.
* The [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4kO252-V5g Hubbard family montage]], which aired during the show's final week.
* Edmund screaming in agony when told that his wife Maria was dead. At the time, their actors were HappilyMarried in RealLife and one really got the feeling that [[EnforcedMethodActing he was imagining how he would feel if this really happened]].
** The fact that this nearly DID happen in RealLife --Eva [=LaRue=], Maria's actress, was scheduled to be on one of the planes that hit the World Trade Center but postponed so that she could sleep late-- makes that scene even harder to watch.
* When Gloria was told that there was no hope for her premature baby to survive. Resigned to this, she asked for all the machines to be disconnected, cradled her daughter in her palm, and tearfully sung, "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands".
[[/folder]]
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Badass is no longer a trope.


* For such an awesome and well-written show, Burn Notice is surprisingly Tearjerker-free. One exception, however, is the final scene of season 3's "Fearless Leader". Michael and Fiona have been trying to have a romantic dinner by themselves to try and salvage what's left of their relationship. They finally get around to it, and Fiona's all excited about some jobs she's lined up for them, but Michael reminds her that they've got no idea who's coming after him now that [[spoiler: "Management" has lifted his protection]]. He needs to get back into the spy game, no matter what, and he knows the cost is going to be their chance at a normal life. He's clear of the cops, he's relatively free of the people who burned him - this is the moment he's been waiting for. Except it's also the moment Fiona's been waiting for, and now she knows they don't want the same things for the future. And then ''Fiona'', [[AxCrazy hardcore]], BadAss, gun-toting, explosives-loving ex-IRA terrorist Fiona, chokes up and begins to cry.

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* For such an awesome and well-written show, Burn Notice is surprisingly Tearjerker-free. One exception, however, is the final scene of season 3's "Fearless Leader". Michael and Fiona have been trying to have a romantic dinner by themselves to try and salvage what's left of their relationship. They finally get around to it, and Fiona's all excited about some jobs she's lined up for them, but Michael reminds her that they've got no idea who's coming after him now that [[spoiler: "Management" has lifted his protection]]. He needs to get back into the spy game, no matter what, and he knows the cost is going to be their chance at a normal life. He's clear of the cops, he's relatively free of the people who burned him - this is the moment he's been waiting for. Except it's also the moment Fiona's been waiting for, and now she knows they don't want the same things for the future. And then ''Fiona'', [[AxCrazy hardcore]], BadAss, badass, gun-toting, explosives-loving ex-IRA terrorist Fiona, chokes up and begins to cry.
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[[folder:AshesToAshes]]
* It helps to be a shipper, but [[spoiler: the newspaper clippings of Sam's death on Gene's office wall in the Pilot. Heartwrenching enough to begin with, but then when you realize that that was a year ago, there's no ''way'' that one made the ''London'' papers in such detail, and Gene must have carried them with him when he transferred...]]
* In 1x05, Alex has gotten to a {{Gayngster}} by going through his naive young boyfriend. Along the way, she's befriended the scared, screwed-up young man with the bad luck to be gay and coming of age in 1981. By the end of the episode, she's reunited him with his parents, and apparently seen him well on his way to a happier life. Then she hugs him, and sees a dark lesion on his neck, which he dismisses as "just a rash". What we know, and Alex knows, is that it's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaposi%27s_sarcoma Kaposi's sarcoma]], and that he will be dead within months: one of the first victims of AIDS. And somehow she manages to keep smiling until he can't see her face...
* In 1x08, Alex struggles to tell her mother about her own daughter, Molly -- the granddaughter Caroline will never meet. Alex knows that Caroline thinks Alex is crazy, knows that she can't say anything that will make Caroline believe her, knows that she's babbling, but she just can't stop herself from trying.
** Alex realizing how much her mother ''did'' love her.
* The scene in 2x07 where Chris comes walking into CID after Gene has [[spoiler: set up the meeting as a trap for whoever TheMole is. Chris doesn't get that he's been caught, and Gene and Alex just break it to him gently, knowing he only did it to earn money for Shaz's engagement ring, and got in too deep. Ray's reaction to the betrayal and Gene telling Chris he won't accept his resignation just hit you like a shot.]]
* Gene ripping Sam's obituary off his bulletin board in 3.02.
* Ray's monologue about his father in 3.03. Which gets ''exponentially worse'' after the finale.
* Ray and Shaz singing "Danny Boy."
* 3x06 has the scene where Chris and Ray, undercover in Fenchurch Prison, discover that [[spoiler: Viv is responsible for bringing a gun into the riot.]]
-->[[spoiler: '''Chris''': Not you, Skip. Not you.]]
* In the final episode, [[spoiler:most of it qualifies, really.]]
** Special mention should go to [[spoiler:Gene remembering how he was killed; Ray, Chris and Shaz watching the videos of their deaths; and Alex realising she can't see Molly again.]]
--->'''Gene''': He didn't deserve a shallow grave, did he? '''''Did he,''''' Alex?
--->'''Alex''': No. [[spoiler: No, you didn't.]]
** Shaz's childlike crying as the reality of her situation sinks in is especially heartwrenching. [[spoiler: "I'm only twenty-six years old. I want my mum, Chris! ''[[IWantMyMommy I need to see my mum]]!''"]]
** Alex realizing that [[spoiler: if she "moves on", Molly will grow up without her.]]
** [[spoiler:"No. No, you didn't." "Sorry, Dad." Chris trying to keep Shaz from watching her tape. The Quattro getting shot up.]] "You are, and always will be, the Guv." "We weren't bad, though, were we?" Oh god....
** Alex tearfully begging Gene to [[spoiler: let her stay. "Y-you can't do this! You can't ''do this on your own!'' You need me, Gene! I can't-I can't go in there!"]]
*** [[spoiler:"I'll see you around, Bolly-kecks."]]
[[/folder]]



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linkfix


* The "Milli Vanilli" episode originally ended on a bittersweet note, with Fab Morvan trying to re-establish his credibility as a musician, and Rob Pilatu struggling with drug abuse, suicide, and jail time. The post-1998 re-edited version ends with Rob's death from a drug overdose on the eve of a new tour with Fab.

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* The "Milli Vanilli" Music/MilliVanilli episode originally ended on a bittersweet note, with Fab Morvan trying to re-establish his credibility as a musician, and Rob Pilatu struggling with drug abuse, suicide, and jail time. The post-1998 re-edited version ends with Rob's death from a drug overdose on the eve of a new tour with Fab.

Added: 864

Changed: 10

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*** [[spoiler: "I'll see you around, Bolly-kecks."]]

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*** [[spoiler: "I'll [[spoiler:"I'll see you around, Bolly-kecks."]]



[[folder:Series/BattlestarGalacticaClassic]]

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[[folder:Series/BattlestarGalacticaClassic]][[folder:BattlestarGalacticaClassic]]



[[folder:Behind The Music]]
* The ending of the Music/AndyGibb episode, as the show plays his very last recorded song, "Arrow Through the Heart", while his friends and family talk about how they miss him.
* In the Music/VanillaIce episode, Vanilla opens up about his 1994 suicide attempt, talking about how he'd had a party that day, and had been enjoying himself with his friends, but then got depressed at the thought that his friends would leave him, and he'd be alone again, and thus tried to overdose. Happily, his friends intervened.
* The "Milli Vanilli" episode originally ended on a bittersweet note, with Fab Morvan trying to re-establish his credibility as a musician, and Rob Pilatu struggling with drug abuse, suicide, and jail time. The post-1998 re-edited version ends with Rob's death from a drug overdose on the eve of a new tour with Fab.
[[/folder]]



---> Master Bruce, I thought you might want to know, your daughter's doing very well. You would be most proud...most proud indeed.

to:

---> Master Bruce, I thought you might want to know, your daughter's doing very well. You would be most proud... most proud indeed.



* ''Series/BostonLegal'', when Denny's old acquaintance lost his argument to be frozen cryogenically, and is going to Arizona to die of ALS, Denny goes to say goodbye to him, and Winston says that they never were close friends, and Denny suddenly grasps his hand and hugs him . . . When a show that usualy makes you laugh goes for the tears, get out the hankies.

to:

* ''Series/BostonLegal'', when Denny's old acquaintance lost his argument to be frozen cryogenically, and is going to Arizona to die of ALS, Denny goes to say goodbye to him, and Winston says that they never were close friends, and Denny suddenly grasps his hand and hugs him . . . When a show that usualy usually makes you laugh goes for the tears, get out the hankies.
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Hey Its That Guy cut by TRS decision. Ditto for Hey Its That Voice.


* "A Thousand Days on Earth" - a little girl is found in a box, abandoned, only to be recognized by her father, who is in prison. The whole episode is sad, but seeing her father ([[HeyItsThatGuy played by the same actor who plays Det. Sanchez on The Closer]]), a hardened criminal, break down in tears of anguish and impotent rage when he sees her picture on the news is ... wow.

to:

* "A Thousand Days on Earth" - a little girl is found in a box, abandoned, only to be recognized by her father, who is in prison. The whole episode is sad, but seeing her father ([[HeyItsThatGuy played (played by the same actor who plays Det. Sanchez on The Closer]]), Closer), a hardened criminal, break down in tears of anguish and impotent rage when he sees her picture on the news is ... wow.
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---?'''Alex''': No. [[spoiler: No, you didn't.]]

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---?'''Alex''': --->'''Alex''': No. [[spoiler: No, you didn't.]]
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---?'''Alex''': No. [[spoiler: No, you didn't.]]
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[[folder:Series/TheCloser]]

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[[folder:Series/TheCloser]][[folder: The Closer]]
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* {{CSI}}. "Goodbye and Good Luck". 'Nuff said.

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* {{CSI}}.Series/{{CSI}}. "Goodbye and Good Luck". 'Nuff said.



* The ''CSI:NY'' season 5 finale "Pay Up" when [[spoiler: Detective Jessica Angell was shot and killed. First of all, she's on the phone with her boyfriend, Detective Don Flack, when the bad guys drive a truck into the diner she's in. His panic makes you tear up. Then, later on in the episode, we find out that she died through Flack's quiet, stressed, "She's gone..." before he breaks down. The fact that Flack was the last person many fans expected to see cry on the show makes it worse. Flack's expression through the rest of the episode, especially when he gives her police badge to her former-cop father, is heartbreaking.]]

to:

* The ''CSI:NY'' ''Series/{{CSI NY}}'' season 5 finale "Pay Up" when [[spoiler: Detective Jessica Angell was shot and killed. First of all, she's on the phone with her boyfriend, Detective Don Flack, when the bad guys drive a truck into the diner she's in. His panic makes you tear up. Then, later on in the episode, we find out that she died through Flack's quiet, stressed, "She's gone..." before he breaks down. The fact that Flack was the last person many fans expected to see cry on the show makes it worse. Flack's expression through the rest of the episode, especially when he gives her police badge to her former-cop father, is heartbreaking.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Moved to Blakes Seven


[[folder:Blake's Seven]]
* In one of the very shocking moments within ''Series/BlakesSeven'' is the loss of [[spoiler: Gan when he's crushed to death by falling debris from an explosion. It's a truly chilling moment as he dies yelling at Blake "Go! I'm not worth dying for!" before being killed.]] Up till this point the protagonists had spent a series almost emerging unscathed from such situations, often laughing off the after effects.
** "Blake", one of the most tragic series finales ever seen on TV.
* The death of [[spoiler: a COMPUTER]]. Poor [[spoiler: Zen]]...
-->"I am sorry. I... have... Failed you."
* The Avon/Anna backstory. Avon's failed bank fraud resulted in the capture of his lover, who was subsequently tortured to death. Later he learns that the Federation only came after them because they thought he was political, and while trying to get revenge on her killers he runs into [[spoiler:Anna herself, who's still alive because she was a Federation agent assigned to watch him. She tries to kill him and he shoots her dead.]] Happy endings, eh?
* The massacre of the resistance group and later the murder of [[spoiler:Tel Varon]] and his girlfriend in the very first episode. It's not that their deaths are particularly sad: it's that they don't matter. No one will notice, no-one will be outraged and, after a little Orwellian editing, no-one will remember they ever existed at all.
[[/folder]]

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None


[[folder:BostonLegal]]
* ''BostonLegal'', when Denny's old acquaintance lost his argument to be frozen cryogenically, and is going to Arizona to die of ALS, Denny goes to say goodbye to him, and Winston says that they never were close friends, and Denny suddenly grasps his hand and hugs him . . . When a show that usualy makes you laugh goes for the tears, get out the hankies.

to:

[[folder:BostonLegal]]
[[folder:Boston Legal]]
* ''BostonLegal'', ''Series/BostonLegal'', when Denny's old acquaintance lost his argument to be frozen cryogenically, and is going to Arizona to die of ALS, Denny goes to say goodbye to him, and Winston says that they never were close friends, and Denny suddenly grasps his hand and hugs him . . . When a show that usualy makes you laugh goes for the tears, get out the hankies.
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None

Added DiffLines:

%%
%% Before adding examples here, check if the show is indexed at TearJerker/LiveActionTV and has its own TearJerker sub-page. Consider moving examples from here whenever possible.
%%
%%
[[foldercontrol]]


[[folder:12 Dias que estremecieron a Chile]]
* 90% of times, the Chilean TV series "12 días que estremecieron a Chile" ("12 days that shocked Chile to the core") was a huge, giant tear: not only the terrible things that are told ''happened in real life'', but the mixture of fiction and real life montages was ''incredibly'' effective. The crowner was the episode touching the horrifying incident known as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caso_Degollados "caso degollados"]] aka [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin "case of the slit throats"]], ''specially'' two scenes: the one [[spoiler: one of the victims's day, a famous stage actor, is told that the corpses have been found in the middle of one of his and his troupe's theater sessions; he and his fellow artists (including the original troupe members playing as themselves) decide to ''not'' stop the show, specially to say "fuck you" to the dictatorship that robbed them of their friends/relatives]] and the one where [[spoiler: the same dead man's wife suffers an HeroicBSOD and starts claiming for justice and the fall of the dictatorship.]] The latter is made worse/better due to [[spoiler: the mix of the fictional scene ''with real footage'' of the moment when it happened.]]
[[/folder]]


[[folder:24]]
* The season 1 finale, when Jack Bauer [[spoiler: finds his dead wife Teri tied to a chair]].
* The mid-to-late season 2 episode when Jack is going to fly the nuke into the desert to save L.A., only to find [[spoiler: an already-dying Mason hiding in the back]]. Buckets of tears.
** Or when [[spoiler:Mason brings his son to a blown away CTU so he can have one last moment of reconciliation before his death sets in. The son was in the middle of a heated rant when Mason just grabs him and hugs him. Wow]]
** Speaking of said episode with Jack flying the nuke away, shortly before [[spoiler: Mason shows up]] he's able to get in contact with Kim and tells her what he's doing, leading her to beg him to come back. If you don't even tear up a little there has to be something wrong with you.
* However bad season 6 was, the last few minutes where [[spoiler: Jack realizes the only way he can keep Audrey safe is by leaving her]] were really painful.
* One of the most heart-breaking moments in ''[[Series/TwentyFour 24]]'' was the death of [[spoiler: David Palmer]]. For many fans, he was as much the star of the show as Jack Bauer. Many people haven't felt the same about the show after his death.
* [[spoiler:Larry Moss's death]]
* [[spoiler:Edgar, who died when CTU got nerve gassed. He walked over to the protective barrier, looked in at everybody else, and mouthed something before collapsing.]]
* [[spoiler:Jack breaking down in the Season 1 finale (after being told about Kim's 'death') and at the end of Season 3.]]
* [[spoiler:The deaths of Ryan Chappelle (AlasPoorScrappy), Michelle Dessler and Curtis Manning.]]
* [[spoiler:Renee Walker]]'s death. Full stop.
* Jack and the squad realizing that they were too late to save [[spoiler: President Omar Hassan]] who went out like a hero.
* Might be a case of DracoInLeatherPants, but Marcos the suicide bomber's death was so sad. He [[HeelFaceTurn managed to surrender]] (and probably wanted to hug his mommy as well), but he blew up anyway because Samir told his men to turn on the suicide vest's failsafe. He finally told Jack to tell his mother that he is sorry.
* [[spoiler:Bill Buchanan's HeroicSacrifice]] and a distraught Jack sitting right next to his dead body. It almost made up for all of season 7's problems.
* The point near the end of season 4 where Jack has to sacrifice [[spoiler: Paul Raines, Audrey's ex-husband]] and a man he ''owed his life to'' in order to save the life of a man that had information on Marwan. Audrey breaks down and starts screaming at him "You son of a bitch! You murdered him! I hate you!" The look of despair on Jack's face as he realizes just how much he's sacrificed in the last few minutes is just one big emotional punch to the gut. Kiefer Sutherland and Kim Raver completely sell this whole scene.
* Season 7: [[spoiler: Tony Almeida nearly breaking into tears as he screams "YOU KILLED MY SON!" at Alan Wilson.]] Yes, a lot of people had problems with [[spoiler: Tony's]] characterization during Season 7 and he did a lot of bad things to get to Wilson, but dear god it is impossible not to feel awful for him and start crying. [[spoiler: Carlos Bernard]] really knows how to sell the character and play up the AntiVillain / WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds card.
* Just the final scene of the series where Chloe says goodbye to Jack one last time, at least presumably until ''Live Another Day'' begins in 2014. Chloe in particular can't stop crying. What really gets to you is the obvious fact that those tears are real and her actress ''isn't'' acting.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:4400]]
* There are a lot of scenes, especially in the pilot, since most of the Returnees have gone for extended periods of time, when they try to find their families, and everything inevitably changed: as an example when Lily goes to see her husband and daughter, and finds out [[spoiler: he has remarried]].
** [[spoiler: Lily]] dying in the season 3 premiere. Especially because Isabelle, understanding that [[spoiler: her ''ultra''rapid aging is the cause]] tries to kill herself to save [[spoiler: her mother]]. It doesn't work.
*** Shawn having to kill [[spoiler: his brother Danny]] at ''his own request''.
*** The funeral scene in what turned out to be the final episode was overall very effective tearjerker-wise, in spite of the fact that the characters who died, [[spoiler: Shawn's brother Danny and his mom Susan]], were never important.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Adam]]
* ''Adam'', the 1983 made for TV movie about the kidnapping and death of Adam Walsh. The scene where Jon Walsh learns of his son's death and starts tearing up a room while cursing the world is arguably the most gutwrenching scene in television history.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Adventures of Pete and Pete]]
* Artie, the strongest man in the world's, ButNowIMustGo moment to the younger Pete in the "Farewell, My Little Viking" episode of ''Series/TheAdventuresOfPeteAndPete''.
[[/folder]]


[[folder: All My Children]]
* When Robin Scorpio reunited with her mother Anna Devane (both from sister soap Series/GeneralHospital), after thinking Anna had been killed when Robin was a child, only to have to seperate again because of the people trying to kill Anna.
* The tributes to the late Eileen Herlie and James Mitchell were certainly heartbreakers, particularly Eileen's knowing that Thorston Kaye (Zach Slater) wrote a poem in her honor.
-->Zach: Now who will lead our Carnival
-->And who will make us stronger
-->Who will mend our broken sleep
-->When she is here no longer

-->For whose part do we stand and bow
-->What stories do we tell
-->And will we memorize the day
-->When great and greatness fell

-->Say will this valley overcome
-->And will these shadows fade
-->And will we lift our eyes to see
-->The beauty that she made

-->The disappearing last of her
-->That leads to worlds unknown
-->Has left a path to softly tread
-->When sadness wanders home

-->I’ll meet thee where the highland winds
-->Divide wild mountain thyme
-->Where I will be forever yours... and you forever mine.
* The [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4kO252-V5g Hubbard family montage]], which aired during the show's final week.
* Edmund screaming in agony when told that his wife Maria was dead. At the time, their actors were HappilyMarried in RealLife and one really got the feeling that [[EnforcedMethodActing he was imagining how he would feel if this really happened]].
** The fact that this nearly DID happen in RealLife --Eva [=LaRue=], Maria's actress, was scheduled to be on one of the planes that hit the World Trade Center but postponed so that she could sleep late-- makes that scene even harder to watch.
* When Gloria was told that there was no hope for her premature baby to survive. Resigned to this, she asked for all the machines to be disconnected, cradled her daughter in her palm, and tearfully sung, "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands".
[[/folder]]

[[folder: The American Music Awards]]
* As if "Isn't She Lovely"--a song where a blind man rhapsodizes about his newborn daughter's beauty--weren't enough of a tearjerker, it went to a whole new level at these awards when they did a tribute to Stevie Wonder. The segment ended with an ensemble singing "Isn't ''He'' Lovely" and the camera turned to Stevie in the audience. If you didn't know already, blind people can cry.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Animal Cops]]
* Animal rescue shows can be heartbreaking when it comes to animals having to be put to sleep or seeing really bad neglect or cruelty.
** ''Wildlife SOS'', when CT the Badger was put down. GracieLizzie cried, not so much for CT herself but from watching her being cradled in her last moments by a heartbroken Simon Cowell (no not, ''[[TheMeanBrit that]]'', Simon Cowell - '''[[http://www.wildlifeaid.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=174=71 this]]''' Simon Cowell).
** Oh, God. One particular episode of ''Animal Cops''. A breeder of shi tzus had been injured and more or less confined to her bed, and enlisted the help of her daughter and grandsons to care for several of the dogs, who lived outside where she couldn't get to them. They didn't, but told her they did. Watching that poor little old lady cradle the miserably neglected creatures and ''sob'' when the SPCA officers brought the dogs inside and she saw their real condition for the first time and realized her family had been lying to her for months... Almost as bad as the old lady's grief was the pitiful little noise of agony the oldest dog (who'd never recovered from a broken back and had gone blind in the kennel) kept making during the examination, and the revelation that she'd have to be put down, because there was nothing else the vets could do to spare her more pain.
*** On the opposite end of the tear spectrum, another episode featured a dog who officers found almost frozen to death in his owner's back yard. They had to pick him up, as he couldn't even move, and take him to an ASPCA vet. Cut to the next day... where he's begun to recover. Cut three ''months'' later, where he's running around in his new owner's yard and playing with her and her other dog. * Sniff*
[[/folder]]

[[folder:AshesToAshes]]
* It helps to be a shipper, but [[spoiler: the newspaper clippings of Sam's death on Gene's office wall in the Pilot. Heartwrenching enough to begin with, but then when you realize that that was a year ago, there's no ''way'' that one made the ''London'' papers in such detail, and Gene must have carried them with him when he transferred...]]
* In 1x05, Alex has gotten to a {{Gayngster}} by going through his naive young boyfriend. Along the way, she's befriended the scared, screwed-up young man with the bad luck to be gay and coming of age in 1981. By the end of the episode, she's reunited him with his parents, and apparently seen him well on his way to a happier life. Then she hugs him, and sees a dark lesion on his neck, which he dismisses as "just a rash". What we know, and Alex knows, is that it's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaposi%27s_sarcoma Kaposi's sarcoma]], and that he will be dead within months: one of the first victims of AIDS. And somehow she manages to keep smiling until he can't see her face...
* In 1x08, Alex struggles to tell her mother about her own daughter, Molly -- the granddaughter Caroline will never meet. Alex knows that Caroline thinks Alex is crazy, knows that she can't say anything that will make Caroline believe her, knows that she's babbling, but she just can't stop herself from trying.
** Alex realizing how much her mother ''did'' love her.
* The scene in 2x07 where Chris comes walking into CID after Gene has [[spoiler: set up the meeting as a trap for whoever TheMole is. Chris doesn't get that he's been caught, and Gene and Alex just break it to him gently, knowing he only did it to earn money for Shaz's engagement ring, and got in too deep. Ray's reaction to the betrayal and Gene telling Chris he won't accept his resignation just hit you like a shot.]]
* Gene ripping Sam's obituary off his bulletin board in 3.02.
* Ray's monologue about his father in 3.03. Which gets ''exponentially worse'' after the finale.
* Ray and Shaz singing "Danny Boy."
* 3x06 has the scene where Chris and Ray, undercover in Fenchurch Prison, discover that [[spoiler: Viv is responsible for bringing a gun into the riot.]]
-->[[spoiler: '''Chris''': Not you, Skip. Not you.]]
* In the final episode, [[spoiler:most of it qualifies, really.]]
** Special mention should go to [[spoiler:Gene remembering how he was killed; Ray, Chris and Shaz watching the videos of their deaths; and Alex realising she can't see Molly again.]]
--->'''Gene''': He didn't deserve a shallow grave, did he? '''''Did he,''''' Alex?
** Shaz's childlike crying as the reality of her situation sinks in is especially heartwrenching. [[spoiler: "I'm only twenty-six years old. I want my mum, Chris! ''[[IWantMyMommy I need to see my mum]]!''"]]
** Alex realizing that [[spoiler: if she "moves on", Molly will grow up without her.]]
** [[spoiler:"No. No, you didn't." "Sorry, Dad." Chris trying to keep Shaz from watching her tape. The Quattro getting shot up.]] "You are, and always will be, the Guv." "We weren't bad, though, were we?" Oh god....
** Alex tearfully begging Gene to [[spoiler: let her stay. "Y-you can't do this! You can't ''do this on your own!'' You need me, Gene! I can't-I can't go in there!"]]
*** [[spoiler: "I'll see you around, Bolly-kecks."]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Series/BattlestarGalacticaClassic]]
[[AC: Original]]
* Adama's finding the picture of his wife, Ila, amongst the ruins of his home on Caprica, in the pilot episode:
-->Adama: I'm sorry Ila... I was never there when it mattered. Never...
** And a little later when Apollo comes in:
--> Apollo: Maybe mother wasn't here.
--> Adama: No, she was here. She was here.
* "That, Mr. President... was my son."
* "You can fly with me anytime, little brother."


[[AC: Galactica 1980]]
* The fate of Cy, Starbuck's RobotBuddy in "The Return of Starbuck".
* Boomer and Starbuck saying goodbye in "The Return of Starbuck."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Birds of Prey]]
* Most episodes ended on a sad, or at least melancholy note, but the end of the finale, when Alfred rings up Batman, who never otherwise takes any part in the show and says:
---> Master Bruce, I thought you might want to know, your daughter's doing very well. You would be most proud...most proud indeed.
He then silently agrees with something said on the other end, and hangs up.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Blake's Seven]]
* In one of the very shocking moments within ''Series/BlakesSeven'' is the loss of [[spoiler: Gan when he's crushed to death by falling debris from an explosion. It's a truly chilling moment as he dies yelling at Blake "Go! I'm not worth dying for!" before being killed.]] Up till this point the protagonists had spent a series almost emerging unscathed from such situations, often laughing off the after effects.
** "Blake", one of the most tragic series finales ever seen on TV.
* The death of [[spoiler: a COMPUTER]]. Poor [[spoiler: Zen]]...
-->"I am sorry. I... have... Failed you."
* The Avon/Anna backstory. Avon's failed bank fraud resulted in the capture of his lover, who was subsequently tortured to death. Later he learns that the Federation only came after them because they thought he was political, and while trying to get revenge on her killers he runs into [[spoiler:Anna herself, who's still alive because she was a Federation agent assigned to watch him. She tries to kill him and he shoots her dead.]] Happy endings, eh?
* The massacre of the resistance group and later the murder of [[spoiler:Tel Varon]] and his girlfriend in the very first episode. It's not that their deaths are particularly sad: it's that they don't matter. No one will notice, no-one will be outraged and, after a little Orwellian editing, no-one will remember they ever existed at all.
[[/folder]]


[[folder:BostonLegal]]
* ''BostonLegal'', when Denny's old acquaintance lost his argument to be frozen cryogenically, and is going to Arizona to die of ALS, Denny goes to say goodbye to him, and Winston says that they never were close friends, and Denny suddenly grasps his hand and hugs him . . . When a show that usualy makes you laugh goes for the tears, get out the hankies.
* "Last Call." That is all.
* Shirley's father is dying of Alzheimer's, and she goes to court - with Alan as her lawyer - for the right to end his suffering. This speech ensues, after which the camera pans to Denny and the entire audience starts sobbing like children.
-->'''Alan''': My, uh, best friend has Alzheimer's, in the, uh, very early stages, it hasn't... He is a grand lover of life and will be for some time. I believe even when his mind starts to really go, he'll still fish, he'll laugh and love, and as it progresses he'll still want to live because there will be value for him, in a friendship, in a cigar. The truth is I don't think he will ever come to me and say, this is the day I want to die, but the day is coming and he won't know it. This is perhaps the, the most insidious thing about Alzheimer's. But, you see, he trusts me to know when that day has arrive, he trusts me to safe guard his dignity, his legacy and self respect. He trusts me to prevent his end from becoming a mindless piece of mush and I will. It will be an unbearably... * chokes up* painful thing for me, but I will do it, because I love him. I will end his suffering, because it is the only decent humane and loving thing a person can do.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Bulgaria's Abandoned Children (Documentary)]]
* ''[[http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/bulgarias-children.shtml Bulgaria's Abandoned Children]]'' which is not only heart breaking, but is a heartbreaking ''documentary''. A young girl named [=DiDi=], who can only cling to the belief that her mother is coming to pick her up from the Mogilno children's home (even though [=DiDi's=] mother abandoned her, and never wants to talk to her again). She makes the following speech to her friend, Todor:
--->'''[=DiDi=]:''' Todor, you are my friend, because you're very nice and you love me. If I had stayed in Pazardjik and not come here, I would have got married. I would be a good mother. I would look after my children very well. If I had children, even if they weren't my own, I would never send them to such a place. What have I done so wrong...that made Mummy send me to an institute. I didn't want to be sent here. I wanted to live in Pazardjik forever. (pause) I don't think I will become crazy like the others. I don't want to stay here any longer. I am missing my Mummy. I love you very much, Todor. You kiss me and hold my hand...
** One of the final scenes, where a young boy, almost too crippled to walk, gives the journalist covering the story a hug, ''and he has to be held up as he slowly walks over to her''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Burn Notice]]
* For such an awesome and well-written show, Burn Notice is surprisingly Tearjerker-free. One exception, however, is the final scene of season 3's "Fearless Leader". Michael and Fiona have been trying to have a romantic dinner by themselves to try and salvage what's left of their relationship. They finally get around to it, and Fiona's all excited about some jobs she's lined up for them, but Michael reminds her that they've got no idea who's coming after him now that [[spoiler: "Management" has lifted his protection]]. He needs to get back into the spy game, no matter what, and he knows the cost is going to be their chance at a normal life. He's clear of the cops, he's relatively free of the people who burned him - this is the moment he's been waiting for. Except it's also the moment Fiona's been waiting for, and now she knows they don't want the same things for the future. And then ''Fiona'', [[AxCrazy hardcore]], BadAss, gun-toting, explosives-loving ex-IRA terrorist Fiona, chokes up and begins to cry.
* In "A Dark Road", Michael is faced with the choice of [[spoiler: forcing his mother to ruin the life of the records clerk she's befriended, or put his client and countless other innocent people at risk. He bulldozes Madeline into {{Blackmail}}ing Tina, the clerk, by bringing up the fact that she's good at playing the bad guy and letting other people [[AbusiveParents get hurt]] (since she let Michael's father get away with the abuse for so long). Madeline is devastated, and while she [[IDidWhatIHadToDo plays the role she needs to]] and gets the evidence Michael needs, she almost doesn't forgive Michael for making her do it]].
* Michael, after facing Simon, asks his mother whether he could become a complete monster. She comforts him and says her boy could never go that far. That he was crying at the time...
* In the GrandFinale, Michael, Fiona, and Sam are pinned down by [[ArcVillain James Kendrick]] and his men, and Kendrick reveals that he's also sent a team out to the safe house where Michael has hidden Jesse, Madeline, and Charlie. Michael's given a choice: either surrender and face death at James' hands, or else his mom and nephew die. He doesn't even have to decide what he's going to do, and willingly surrenders, asking only for a chance to call his mom and say goodbye. Thing is, [[spoiler:Madeline already knows what's coming. As soon as she saw the Humvee coming towards the safe house, she knew James would use her as a bargaining chip, so by the time that Michael calls her, she's managed to rig up a small explosive. She tells Michael that she's going to blow herself up to buy time for Jesse and Charlie to escape. She then says that she loves Michael and hangs up, then says good-bye to her grandson and Jesse and sends them into the bathroom for cover. When the bad guys come, [[DyingMomentOfAwesome she calmly sets off the bomb]], killing herself, but giving Jesse the cover that he needs to get Charlie to safety.]] Poor Michael is ''devastated''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Carnivale]]
* The ending of Season 1's "Babylon" and the next episode, "Pick a Number", where [[spoiler:Dora Mae is murdered by the Babylon miners. From drunken, heartbroken Jonesy finding her body and carrying it back to the Carnivale, to Ruthie and Lila cleaning and wrapping the body in silk and telling stories about where the silk came from, to Rita Sue keeping all her pain locked up until she goes to throw out the bloody water from cleaning her daughter's body and can't get her hands clean, and bursting into tears.]]
** Even sadder was the look on Samson's face when, not quite believing his own eyes, he [[spoiler:saw Dora Mae as the literal whore of Babylon]].
* The part where Jonesy [[spoiler:runs to hug his wife after she was convinced he was about to die a horribly unpleasant death]]
** Unexpectedly dashed later on. [[spoiler:"Sophie... don't..."]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Casanova]]
* The ending of the Creator/DavidTennant serial of ''Series/{{Casanova}}''. Despite, well, you know, [[TheCasanova being busy naming his trope]], Casanova spends much of the serial trying to win Henriette, the one woman he truly loves, as told by his elderly self. The tears come in three stages:
** Edith, the maid to whom older-Casanova has been telling his story, reading the letter sent by Henriette's daughter that says that [[spoiler: Henriette had died 6 months ago]].
** Instead of giving him the letter, Edith sits with Casanova at his bedside while he lays dying and still believing that Henriette is [[spoiler: alive and]] coming to see him. As he fades, Edith whispers to him "She never stopped looking...and she never stopped loving you...she's coming...she's coming to be with you..." and when he finally dies, "......she's here."
** The final shot of a young Casanova and Henriette dancing through the streets of Venice, [[spoiler: united forever in death]], while [[BittersweetEnding a cheerful music-box tune chimes away]] into the closing credits.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Castle]]
* Given that it deals with murder, for Series/{{Castle}} to deal with Tear Jerkers frequently would cause it to descend quickly into {{Narm}}, but it can be effective. Season 2, episode 5 [[spoiler: involves a baby swap. At the end of the episode, the ex-husband of the deceased meets with the (ex?)wife of the killer. They bond over the living child (his, raised by her) and the dead child (hers, raised by him).]]
* After [[TheGhost Chet]] proposes to Martha, she mulls it over for a day, then goes back to say no...only to find that he'd died overnight. Susan Sullivan does a great job bringing out all the emotion, and lets us feel real emotion for a character that was never on screen.
* Near the end of the episode "Sucker Punch", when Beckett realises that that man who may have killed her mother (or at least knows why she was murdered) has been right under their noses the whole time. Then, she's forced to shoot him dead, knowing that now, she may never know why her mother died.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Charlie Daniels' Volunteer Jam]]
* January 1979: The surviving members of Lynyrd Skynyrd performs for the first time since the plane crash that killed Ronnie Van Zant and Greg and Cassie Gaines (with the exception of bassist Leon Wilkeson, who was still too injured to play, but was backstage). With Daniels and his band sitting in, they played an instrumental version of their signature song, "Free Bird". The kicker: a lone spotlight, shining on an empty mic stand, where Van Zant would've been. Daniels himself later said there wasn't a dry eye in the house.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Cheaters]]
* Whuile ''Cheaters'' is trash TV and 90% of the times it's utterly... unremarkable, one episode was a total tearjerker. so there was this divorced mother with a kid who had hooked up with a generical guy, and he was cheating on her? It turns out that the jackass not only was cheating, but ''he was about to get married to another girl''. A [[TheIngenue rather normal Spaniard girl]] who [[LockedOutOfTheLoop truly had no idea of what she was getting into.]] And in one of the saddest examples of SpeaknowOrForeverHoldyourPeace... [[spoiler: the Cheaters team and the original girlfriend catch the cheating boyfriend/fiancè ''in the middle of his "wedding" to the other girl''.]] It's really freaking depressing to see [[spoiler: [[BreakTheCutie the bride's dreams crashing all of a sudden]] as she's told that the man she was about to marry was... well, a two-timing asshole - so much, that the cheated-on woman went to her and ended up expressing her own share of sympathy for [[TheWoobie the totally crushed fiancèe]].]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Series/TheCloser]]
* An episode of ''Series/TheCloser'' has [[TheBigGuy Detective Sanchez's]] little brother being shot and killed. As events turn out, the Sanchez's brother was killed because he was mistaken for being a gang member due to the hat he was wearing. At the end of the episode, Sanchez breaks down over his deceased brother's blood-stained hat saying that he had given his brother the hat a month earlier for his birthday. Sanchez then goes on to sob his heart out while shouting, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" and proclaiming that his baby brother's death was all his fault.
-->* Made all the worse by the fact that his full-on sobbing breakdown happens in front of Lt. Provenza, the squad's crotchety old bastard, and when Sanchez starts choking out, "I'm sorry, sir," the look on Provenza's face is enough to break your heart. He awkwardly put his arms around Sanchez, and holds him, and I'm getting overwhelmed just writing this out.
* Provenza's got a lot of these. He's such a mean old hardass, and then he kills you. Another recent ep, he had to tell a little kid his whole family was dead, and he comes out of the interview room and tells Brenda the kid's been crying all night "and I'm not doing so well either."
* Any interaction between Brenda and Gabriel in ''Ruby,'' after Gabriel beats the living tar out of a child murderer. Brenda's so angry at him and sympathetic at the same time, and Gabriel, her favorite, is so broken and desperate for her to tell him it's all gonna be okay.
* The last scene in "Red Tape" in Season 5, when Brenda makes a decision about Kitty.
* The very shocking and heartbreaking last scene in "Last Rites" in Season 7. Poor, poor Brenda!
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Count Dracula (BBC)]]
* This BBC 1977 mini-series is noteworthy for being the most faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker's original Dracula novel yet made, save for a few minor changes, one of them being that Mina is now Lucy's sister. Coupled with a WhamShot: Both Lucy and their mother die at Dracula's hands while Mina is away to nurse and marry Jonathan Harker. She returns happily awaiting to tell Lucy of their marriage, But then she opens the front door to a sobbing maid...

[[/folder]]
[[folder:TheColbertReport]]
* In [[http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/171137/june-10-2008/alan-rabinowitz one episode]], Stephen interviewed zoologist and animal advocate [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Rabinowitz Alan Rabinowitz]], and asked him why he chose his career path. Rabinowitz then explained that, when he was younger, he had a severe stutter that prevented him from speaking. He was only able to speak clearly to his pet turtle and chameleon, and said that since he realized that animals couldn't speak for themselves either, he became determined to speak out for them.
-->'''Colbert:''' ...Are you ''trying'' to make me cry?
* Colbert's [[http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/366149/november-18-2010/salvatore-giunta recent treatment]] of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvatore_Giunta Salvatore Giunta]]; instead of making jokes or interrupting, Colbert sat down with this man and drew out the events that led to Guinta earning the Congressional Medal of Honor. Guinta wished to make the point that the armed forces are full of equally brave people who are not so honored, and Colbert obviously respected him and helped him to articulate this on air. When he stood up to personally applaud Guinta.
-->'''Colbert:''' How can we honor the other men and women at home who don't have (the Medal of Honor)?
-->'''Guinta:''' There are so many unsung heroes in this war, and there are so many people who have given every single one of their tomorrows so we can have our today. And they'll never come back to a handshake. They'll never come back and hug their family. And it's for those that I wear this.
* When he set out to save marriage from the gays. He was describing this elaborate scenario with that sneaky smile he gets, then all of a sudden when he gets to the actual saving marriage bit, he spends the next few minutes '''not''' crying about how he's just broken Jonathon's heart and how he's the only one who can comfort him and...
* No specific dialogue, but the episode where he mentions his father, and interviews someone who knew him, had me almost in tears just from the genuine emotion and how Colbert was unable to stay in character throughout.
* Stephen's tribute to Steve Jobs. After a segment about the show's free plugging of Apple products over the years, and how he often had them sent to him for free as a result (including his appearance at the 2010 Grammys, reading the nominees off the first [=iPad=] owned by someone outside the company), he shared an email he received the next day from Jobs himself that said "Sweet! Thanks! Steve". Stephen sent a reply, saying "Right back at ya. Thanks for everything."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Community]]
* All of ''Series/{{Community}}'' episode [[Recap/CommunityS1E21ContemporaryAmericanPoultry Contemporary American Poultry]] once you realize that everything Abed has done in the episode is because he's desperate to try and connect with people for once.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Cosmos]]
* In the last episode, Carl Sagan does his desperate plea to cherish life and to stop nuclear proliferation, which threatens everyone on the planet. This, for those of you keeping score, was filmed in 1980. Sagan was ardently against nuclear weapons, and was even arrested for once breaking through a fence with protesters trying to stop a weapons test. Fast forward ten years later--1990, right after TheGreatPoliticsMessUp--when Sagan was filming updates for the series. He talks about how "the impossible has happened" and how old enemies (namely the US and Russia), are now working together. The statement, after decades of fighting against the Cold War and nuclear proliferation, against the constant threat of death and of mutually assured destruction, he simply says "perhaps we have, after all, chosen life".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:CSI]]
* {{CSI}}. "Goodbye and Good Luck". 'Nuff said.
** Also, [[spoiler:Warrick's apparent death]] in "For Gedda".
*** [[spoiler: The horrible confirmation of all the rumors in "For Warrick". When he died in Grissom's arms.]]
*** [[spoiler: It wasn't even so much the confirmation that Warrick was dead. It was Grissom completely losing it while holding Warrick in his arms. Grissom spent the entire series beforehand showing two emotions: indifference, and occasional happiness. Watching him fall apart as his friend and colleague dies in his arms as well]]
**** [[spoiler: And when Grissom breaks down reading the eulogy at his funeral.]]
*** [[spoiler: Warrick was a father who was looking to gain custody of his son when he died. There is a video of how he considers Grissom to be a father figure when he didn't have one himself.]]
*** This troper held it together until Warrick's funeral, when Grissom, {{Adorkable}}, reserved, scientific Grissom, lost it and [[ManlyTears broke down]] while giving the eulogy, it was game over. Not to mention ''all' CSI members in attendance and crying.
** Just mentioning the episodes "Dead Doll" and "Living Doll".
** "Grave Danger" when they found Nick. Warrick pleading with him to drop the gun and Grissom using his father's nickname for him to keep him from going hysterical again.
** "Feeling the Heat". Namely the ending, where [[spoiler:Catherine tells the Winstons, who killed their baby because they thought he was going to die of Tay-Sachs anyway, that the tests for the kid came back negative.]]
** ''Miami'' had "Wannabe", an episode where a CSI wannabe fanboy witnesses a crime. After retrieving evidence the fanboy "borrowed" from his apartment, Speed starts making friends with him. Then he dies horribly. Evidence can't link the suspect to the fanboy's murder, but he does go down for the original. Then Speed finds out the kid was mentally disturbed, and actually killed ''himself''.
-->'''Speed''': What do I do?
-->'''Caine''': You go home, get some rest, and you come back tomorrow.
** The last 5 minutes of "One to Go" reduced her to a blubbering pile of mush.
* The ''CSI:NY'' season 5 finale "Pay Up" when [[spoiler: Detective Jessica Angell was shot and killed. First of all, she's on the phone with her boyfriend, Detective Don Flack, when the bad guys drive a truck into the diner she's in. His panic makes you tear up. Then, later on in the episode, we find out that she died through Flack's quiet, stressed, "She's gone..." before he breaks down. The fact that Flack was the last person many fans expected to see cry on the show makes it worse. Flack's expression through the rest of the episode, especially when he gives her police badge to her former-cop father, is heartbreaking.]]
** The show hasn't been the same since, and more's the pity for that.
* The fate of Cassie and Ashley James. Two sisters, both of them beautiful and outgoing, drawn into the modelling world. One of them ends up dead of eating disorders and self-neglect, the other crazy and homeless, wandering the streets of Vegas with her shopping cart...
* "A Thousand Days on Earth" - a little girl is found in a box, abandoned, only to be recognized by her father, who is in prison. The whole episode is sad, but seeing her father ([[HeyItsThatGuy played by the same actor who plays Det. Sanchez on The Closer]]), a hardened criminal, break down in tears of anguish and impotent rage when he sees her picture on the news is ... wow.
* ''Any'' time the VictimOfTheWeek is a child, you know you're in for a heartbreaking ride!
* The end ''A bullet runs through it part 2''. Brass, who just found out he shot a fellow police officer by accident, is at the funeral, and the other cops avoid him, then he is approached by the officer's widow, who is pregnant, and what doe she do? Gives him a hug and comforts him! Brass needed so much and it's heartbreaking
--> '''Brass:''': Mrs Bell? I'm Captain Brass
--> '''Tracy Bell:''' I know who you are.
--> '''Brass:''' I want you to know if there's. . .*starts to lose his composure*. . .if there's anything I can. . .
--> '''Tracy Bell:''' *Crying, she holds up hand to stop him and shakes her head, then hugs him'' *whispers* I know it wasn't your fault
--> '''Jim Brass:''' *sobbing* I'm so sorry.
** Like with Flack, Brass isn't a character you expect to ever cry on screen, and he is such a good, man (really shown in this episode as he tries to comfort Sofia), that the fact that he has to live with it is so ''unfair''.
* Brass' ''hugely'' dysfunctional relationship with his daughter is another. The episode where he might die of gunshot wounds is painful to watch, and then Ellie shows up and you think there might be some kind of hospital reunion/resolution... but all she wants is to know whether she's getting anything out of this, and when it turns out ''Grissom'' has power of attorney, not her, she just leaves.
[[/folder]]

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