History TearJerker / RedDwarf

* The scene in "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonIIBetterThanLife Better Than Life]]", where all that post comes through from the past. Rimmer gets one about his dad being dead, Lister failing to figure out the scrawling writing for ages, then finally Rimmer realizes. He's been dead for millions of years but it sort of just hits him here. The next scene shows Rimmer on the observatory tower, just musing to himself. Lister comes up and actually asks if he's okay, and Rimmer goes on about how while he hated his parents, he just wished he had been able to impress them just once. The end is ruined by the Cat making a joke, but still, very well written stuff.

* While Psi-moon featured in [[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonVTerrorform "Terrorform"]] is nothing but a good old nightmare fuel, there's something just sad about it. That is perfectly summed in this piece of dialogue:

* Rimmer's choice of last words, which thanks to the damage to his light bee meaning he has no physical form left is blinked out via morse code: "S.M.A.K.I.B.B.F.B."

* ''Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers'' has an extended version of Lister's reaction to learning he's the last human alive anywhere, stuck on a giant red trashcan three million years from space, all as an end result of his attempt to just try and get home. Namely, a complete mental breakdown.

--> '''Rimmer''': ...My swimming certificates, my telescope, my shoe trees...I'd trade everything in to be in love, and to have been loved

-->'''Lister''': Yeah, Rimmer. Right. Absolutely. Now all the corpses that litter that battlefield can just lie there safe under the knowledge that they snuffed it under a flag of peace and can now happily decompose in a land of freedom. Ya smeg head.
** Lister then swallows Rimmer's light bee like last time, but it was messing with Rimmer's light bee that caused him to go nuts (well, more than usual) in the first place...[[NiceJobBreakingItHero nice job breaking it Lister]].
** The off screen execution of Franchise/WinnieThePooh, even if it was played for laughs. The look of shock on Lister's face shows how much it has traumatised him.
--->'''Lister:''' That's something no one should ever have to see.

** The shocked look on Rimmer's face when he learned Nirvanah was his opponent, and had sacrificed her place (and her existence).

** Rimmer's rejection [[spoiler: of the love Lise showed him, purely because it wasn't his memory to begin with.]] Especially as Lister [[spoiler: claims Rimmer ultimately felt more for Lise than he ever did]] - whether or not Lister was telling the truth is never spoken of again, but it sure looked that way.

* Lister playing his guitar one last time before he burns it in order to stay warm in "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonIIIMarooned Marooned]]". Sure he still can't play, but that tone was just heartbreaking, [[spoiler: despite the fact he decided not to go through with it a second later]].
** [[spoiler: Finding out the trunk Lister destroyed was the only thing Rimmer's father ever gave him, the only hint of any sort of affection.]]

* Near the end of "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonVBackToReality Back to Reality]]", [[spoiler: before it's discovered they're only hallucinating]] Lister learns that in real life he's a mass murdering fascist. Kryten then shoots and kills a man, which obviously traumatizes him.

* Near the end of "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonVIOutOfTime Out of Time]]", after the crew refuses to help their future selves upon seeing what they have become. The future crew out right viciously attack their past-selves, actually willing to ''kill'' their younger selves. When Rimmer shows uncharacteristic bravery, "Better dead than smeg!" we're led to believe we'll see a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome. Instead were treated to watching [[spoiler: Lister, Cat, and Kryten all dying horribly]].
** Watching Starbug [[spoiler: get blown up]].

* The HeroicSacrifice of [[spoiler:Able]] near the end of "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonVIIBeyondAJoke Beyond a Joke]]".
* "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonVIIEpideme Epideme]]", at the part where [[spoiler:Lister decides to kill himself and the virus with him rather than allow the rest of the crew to become infected]].

* The loss of [[spoiler:Starbug]] in the opening of "Back in the Red", even if it was a rundown rust bucket held together with nothing but mold. It was home for the crew for years, and unlike "Out of Time", [[spoiler: it's gone for good]].

* The ending of Series VIII ("[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonVIIIOnlyTheGood Only the Good...]]") might also fit the bill. Rimmer returns from the mirror universe (he actually [[DirtyCoward comes ''back'']]) to find that the ship is burning, the others have escaped and he's stuck. Then he discovers that the antidote formula he brought back is actually [[spoiler:the formula for the virus]]. And the paper burns up. With [[PlayingTheHeartStrings violin music]]. It's the quiet little "smeg" as he collapses.
** Watching the ship itself falling apart.

** Lister meeting Kochanski [[spoiler: in the hallucination]]. You can see how heartbroken he is knowing that [[spoiler: she isn't real]].

* Lister reading to a picture of Kochanski can bring tears, doubly so if you realize the picture next to her is Mel Bibby, who gave series III onwards its iconic "look" on pretty much the same money Creator/TheBBC gave series II. He even built the set so it could be filmed perfectly in 4:3 aspect ratio, not to mention how lovely he was to people at fan conventions. He apparently loved his job, and loved anyone who loved his work, and was a HUGE part of ''Dwarf'' history.

--> *''Fade to the present, where a forlorn-looking Lister, the last human being alive, is sitting by himself in the empty bar''*

* The end of the episode "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonIWaitingForGod Waiting for God]]" shows an old cat priest who's believed in Cloister (Actually Lister) his entire life. He then rants about how it was all a lie, lamenting all the time he wasted worshiping his god. It's made worse by Cat's complete disregard for the old man's speech. Crosses into Heartwarming when Lister does show up, though.

* The flashback in "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonIBalanceOfPower Balance of Power]]" of Lister having fun with his friends, annoying Rimmer and being teased about Kochanski.

* While it's mostly played for laughs, Lister learning everyone is dead after he first comes out of stasis in "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonITheEnd The End]]" was pretty sad to watch. Especially when he realizes Kochanski is gone.

* Lister reading to a picture of Kochanski can bring tears, doubly so if you realize the picture next to her is Mel Bibby, who gave series 3 onwards its iconic "look" on pretty much the same money the BBC gave series 2. he even built the set so it could be filmed perfectly in 4:3 aspect ratio, not to mention how lovely he was to people at fan conventions, he apparently loved his job, and loved anyone who loved his work, and was a HUGE part of Dwarf history, whether you knew his ace or not.

* In "M-Corp" Lister is implanted with a perception filter that makes him unable to see anything that isn't an M-Corp product. This includes Rimmer, Kryten and Cat. There's a scene where he goes through his morning routine fumbling around for objects he can't see (his toothbrush, the toaster, a breakfast plate, etc.). Could easily be played for laughs, but it's accompanied by rather somber music that accentuates just how LONELY Lister's existence is now, as if it wasn't already.

** The off screen execution of Franchise/WinnieThePooh, even if it was played for laughs.

--> '''Rimmer''': ...My swimming certificates, my telescope, my shoe trees...I'd trade everything in to be loved, and to have been love
** Rimmer's rejection [[spoiler: of the love Lister showed him, purely because it wasn't his memory to begin with.]] Especially as Lister [[spoiler: claims Rimmer ultimately felt more for Lise than he ever did]] - whether or not Lister was telling the truth is never spoken of again, but it sure looked that way.

* Watching the alt!Rimmer and alt!Cat being vaporized by [[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonVQuarantine Quarantine]] near the end of his title episode.

** Even though it's restored at the end of the episode, the site of ''Red Dwarf'' itself exploding. Made worse by the fact that they blew up the original model for that shot.

* The HeroicSacrifice of [[spoiler: Able]] near the end of "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonVIIBeyondAJoke Beyond a Joke]]".

* The loss of [[spoiler: Starbug]] in the opening of "Back in the Red", even if it was a rundown rust buck held together with nothing but mold. It was home for the crew for years, and unlike "Out of Time", [[spoiler: it's gone for good]].

* Near the end of "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonVIOutOfTime Out of Time]]", after the crew refuses to help their future selves upon seeing what they have become. The future crew out right viciously attack their past-selves, actually willing to ''kill'' their younger selves. When Rimmer shows uncharacteristic bravery, "Better dead than smeg!" we're led to believe we'll see a CrowningMomentOfAwesome. Instead were treated to watching [[spoiler: Lister, Cat, and Kryten all dying horribly]].

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* The flashback in "Balance of Power" of Lister having fun with his friends, annoying Rimmer and being teased about Kochanski.

* The end of the episode "Waiting For God" shows an old cat priest who's believed in Cloister (Actually Lister) his entire life. He then rants about how it was all a lie, lamenting all the time he wasted worshiping his god. It's made worse by Cat's complete disregard for the old man's speech. Crosses into Heartwarming when Lister does show up, though.

** Also from that episode Rimmer's rejection [[spoiler: of the love Lister showed him, purely because it wasn't his memory to begin with.]] Especially as Lister [[spoiler: claims Rimmer ultimately felt more for Lise than he ever did]] - whether or not Lister was telling the truth is never spoken of again, but it sure looked that way.

* The ending of "Camille", sure it was lifted straight from ''{{Film/Casablanca}}'', but still.

* In "Holoship" when Rimmer confesses to Nirvanah he cheated on his test and explains why.

* Watching the alt!Rimmer and alt!Cat being vaporized by the Inquisitor near the end of his title episode.

* Near the end of "[[RedDwarfSeasonVBackToReality Back to Reality]]", [[spoiler: before it's discovered they're only hallucinating]] Lister learns that in real life he's a mass murdering fascist. Kryten then shoots and kills a man, which obviously traumatizes him.

* Kennedy's assassination in "[[RedDwarfSeasonVIITikkaToRide Tikka to Ride]]".

* The seventh-series departure of Rimmer in "[[Recap/RedDwarfSeasonVIIStokeMeAClipper Stoke Me a Clipper]]" when he takes up Ace's mantle.

* Lister leaving his son (himself) under the pool table in "Ouroboros" and stating that he's ''never'' going to be alone.
* The HeroicSacrifice of [[spoiler: Able]] near the end of "Beyond a Joke".
* "Epideme", at the part where [[spoiler:Lister decides to kill himself and the virus with him rather than allow the rest of the crew to become infected]].

* The ending of Series VIII ("Only the Good") might also fit the bill. Rimmer returns from the mirror universe (he actually [[DirtyCoward comes ''back'']]) to find that the ship is burning, the others have escaped and he's stuck. Then he discovers that the antidote formula he brought back is actually [[spoiler:the formula for the virus]]. And the paper burns up. With [[PlayingTheHeartStrings violin music]]. It's the quiet little "smeg" as he collapses.

--> '''Holly:''' And Arnold -- Well, I hope you meet those aliens your looking for, who can give you a body, and you become an officer and you get a sex life, and all the other millions of things you feel you need to make you happy.