History TearJerker / DowntonAbbey

* Where to start? This show has one tearjerker after another. This troper actually ''cried'' when Tom Branson got yelled at by Robert when he ran to the Crawleys for help; his description of the burning of a house, his reaction to the devastated families, and that utter, broken look of desparation on his face.
** YMMV on that. He arguably deserved being chewed out by Robert for such despicable behavior -- it's all very well being sad afterwards, but joining in with the burning of a family home is appalling, no matter how worthy he believes his political ideals to be. ''This'' troper viewed it as a CrowningMomentOfAwesome on Robert's behalf, having endured endless tetchy politicking from Branson for half of the third series up to that point....

* Branson bursting into tears at the memory of his dead wife in the second Christmas special.

** YMMV on that. He arguably deserved being chewed out by Robert for such despicable behavior -- it's all very well being sad afterwards, but joining in with the burning of a family home is appalling, no matter how worthy he believes his political ideals to be.

** YMMV on that. He arguably deserved being chewed out by Robert for such despicable behavior -- it's all very well being sad afterwards, but joining in with the burning of a family home is appalling, mighty principles be damned.

* Where to start? This show has one tearjerker after another. [[spoiler:This troper actually ''cried'' when Tom Branson got yelled at by Robert when he ran to the Crawleys for help; his description of the burning of a house, his reaction to the devastated families, and that utter, broken look of desparation on his face.]]

*** Hell, even ''Thomas'' breaks down into tears and confesses to Anna that [[spoiler: Sybil was one of the few people in the world who was ever completely kind to him.]]

*** Hell, even ''Thomas'' breaks down into tears and confesses to Anna that [[spoiler: Sybil was one of the few people in the world who was ever completely kind to him.]

*** Hell, even ''Thomas'' breaks down into tears and confesses to Anna that [[spoiler: Sybil was one of the few people in the world who was ever completely kind to him.]
* As of Season 3 Episode 5 (seriously don't read the spoiler if you want the huge arch of season 3 ruined) [[spoiler: Sybil dies giving birth to her baby with Branson]] That was the saddest thing that has happened yet

*** Hell, even ''Thomas'' breaks down into tears and confesses to Anna that [[spoiler: Sybil was one of the few people in the world who was ever completely kind to him.]]

** Mary and Edith's [[spoiler: tearful reconciliation in the aftermath of Sybil's death. They admit that it's too late for them to be as close as sisters should be...but they're still going to try]]
** [[spoiler: How about Robert himself? If he and Sir Philip had taken Dr. Clarkson's warnings seriously, there's a chance that Sybil might have lived. A fact that Cora harshly reminds him of the next day.]]

** Mary and Edith's [[spoiler: tearful reconciliation over Sybil's body.]]

* [[spoiler: Sybil's horrific death via eclampsia in 3x05, complete with seizures, Mary, Tom, and Cora begging her to stay with them, and a lingering shot of Tom looking out the window of Downton while holding their newborn daughter. If you weren't in tears by the end of the episode, you have no soul.]]

* [[spoiler: Just when it looks like things are going well for [[TheUnfavourite Edith]], Anthony leaves her at the altar. She's completely inconsolable and devastated, especially when Mary and Sybil - her two happily married sisters - try to comfort her.]]

* [[spoiler: Just when it looks like things are going well for [[TheUnfavourite Edith]], Anthony leaves her at the altar. She's completely inconsolable and devastated, especially when Mary and Sybil try to comfort her.]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Edith]]''': Both of them with husbands, Sybil pregnant, Mary probably pregnant...just GET OUT!

* Mrs Hughes' entire storyline in 3x02. When Phyllis Logan cries, so will you. Oh, ''Elsie!''

* Mr Mason and Daisy adopting each other as family. Many tears were shed.

* The look on Matthew's face when [[spoiler: Lavina dies.]]

** It gets worse during the Christmas special. [[spoiler: The first shot we see of Mr. Bates is him sitting on his prison cot, clutching a photograph of Anna and breaking down in tears. On Christmas Day.]] And just when you think it can't get any worse, [[spoiler: he's found guilty of Vera's 'murder' and is sentenced to die by hanging. Poor Anna freaks out in the middle of the court, and Bates - who's been quite steely-jawed during the proceedings - breaks down AGAIN, calling for Anna as he's been led away by the guards.]] JESUS CHRIST.

-->[they kiss passionately before they are pulled apart]

->'''Gwen''': Forgive me, m’lady, but you don’t get it. You’re brought up to think it’s all within your grasp, that if you want something enough it will come to you; but we’re not like that. We don’t think our dreams are bound to come true, because they almost never do.

* The whole of episode 205: [[spoiler:William dies and marries Daisy on his deathbed, Matthew's spine is damaged and he cannot walk or be "properly married" to any woman, we see Ethel struggling to cope with her illegitimate child, Mary becomes engaged to Richard Carlisle despite still loving Matthew and Bates and Anna still can't get rid of Vera.]]

* The whole of episode 205: [[spoiler:William dies and marries Daisy on his deathbed, Matthew's spine is damaged and he cannot walk or be [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean "properly married"]] to any woman, we see Ethel struggling to cope with her illegitimate child, Mary becomes engaged to Richard Carlisle despite still loving Matthew and Bates and Anna still can't get rid of Vera.]]

* The whole of episode 205: [[spoiler:William dies and marries Daisy on his deathbed, Matthew's spine is damaged and he cannot walk or be "properly married" to any woman, we see Ethel struggling to cope with her illegitimate child, Mary becomes engaged to Richard Carlisle despite still loving Matthew and Bates and Anna still can't get rid of Vera.]]

* In Series One, when Sybil insists on helping Gwen find a job as a secretary, Gwen gives a rather touching speech about how members of the working-class do not easily achieve their dreams as the Crawleys seem to.

* The whole of episode 305: [[spoiler:William dies and marries Daisy on his deathbed, Matthew's spine is damaged and he cannot walk or be "properly married" to any woman, we see Ethel struggling to cope with her illegitimate child, Mary becomes engaged to Richard Carlisle despite still loving Matthew and Bates and Anna still can't get rid of Vera.]]

* The whole of episode 305: [[spoiler:William dies and marries Daisy on his deathbed, Matthew's spine is damaged and he cannot walk or be "properly married" to any woman, we see Gwen struggling to cope with her illegitimate child, Mary becomes engaged to Richard Carlisle despite still loving Matthew and Bates and Anna still can't get rid of Vera.]]