Line #32 TearJerker/BigCityGreens


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/4c722f79_5140_41f3_afe0_135b9ea858ed.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Poor family...]]
3	Who would have thought that a family of country folk living in the big city could somehow bring out the waterworks?
4
5	!! Season 1
6	* In "Steak Night", Cricket feels he really let his family down and ruined their steak dinner night. Seeing him lying under the bench with a shameful expression makes you just want to give him a hug.
7	** He feels so bad for it that he's willing to risk his life just so his family can have their steak dinner. Good thing Bill was able to talk him out of it and assure him it's okay, before things got really messy.
8	* Most of "Cricket Versus" can be considered this seeing that Gramma was actually literal when she stated Cricket could not keep his last name if unable to fight a wild animal. Feeling practically like a black sheep to the family because of a tradition could strike anyone who might have similar family issues. Good thing Gramma was willing to reconsider by the end of the episode, before Cricket managed to finally earn his title.
9	* There's something sad about Bill's childhood dream in "Backflip Bill". All he wanted was to just have fun while becoming a gymnast, but his mother put so much pressure into the activity that it caused him to quit straight before the competition. It must have been painful to relive those emotions again when Cricket pressures him for the same thing. What makes it even more sad is that this is TruthInTelevision, and most kids pressured to perfect what is supposed to be their dream don't turn out as emotionally stable afterward like Bill.
10	* "Gramma's License" is just as well TruthInTelevision, especially for families who have older relatives struggling to come to terms with aging and its issues. The episode reveals Gramma is aware that she's getting older and fearing uselessness, due to the inferiority she shows when practicing driving to gain a new license.
11	* "Remy Rescue" reveals that Remy is indeed a LonelyRichKid, and that Cricket and Tilly are the very first friends he's ever made. At the start of the episode, it shows that he has a hard time speaking his mind to his parents and that he is forced to comply with their insistence of him going to boarding school. Poor Cricket struggles to fix this, only to makes things worse that nearly results in losing Remy forever. Thankfully, by the end of the episode, Remy has found his voice and manages to convince his parents what a great influence Cricket is on him and forgo boarding school.
12	* "Welcome Home" reveals the first time Bill and the kids came to Big City. And from the moment they arrive, they hardly catch a break. The episode is one big punch in the gut to watch, not only with the reveal that Bill lost their farm which resulted in the move, but how the city life treats them in just one day. And when their car gets towed due to a misunderstanding, and ending up lost in the city trying to find it, seeing Bill miserable over the stresses and how much they've lost, you just want to give the man a hug.
13	* Working on a holiday can be tough for some people. "Parade Day" exemplifies that stress as Cricket realizes that with it being one of the busiest days of the year, Gloria has never even seen the parade due to work. And, boy, does work have no mercy on her. The struggles of handling so many demanding people is very relatable to anyone who works in customer service.
14	* In "Cyberbullies", Cricket provokes a group of cyberbullies dubbed the Cyber Knights and they vow to make his life miserable by hacking into his electronics. But when it's revealed he has no electronics, they decide to hack his friends' electronics instead. Cricket asks them to stand up to the Cyber Knights, but they're too afraid. Luckily, they do help him out in the end.
15	* "Gargoyle Gals" reveals that Tilly is indeed lonely with lack of friends, before she meets Andromeda. However, because of the girl's conspiracy theory interests, Tilly is forced to lie in order to impress her and keep her as a friend. When she reveals what she's done, and Andromeda heads home, Tilly is pained by the fact she might have just lost her first friend. However, by the end of the episode, Andromeda still wants to hang out with her.
16	* Anyone with a Liberal Arts degree or a passion for painting can relate so well to Gloria in "Paint Misbehavin'". The episode does not paint a pretty picture how a struggling artist like her has a hard time selling her artwork before Cricket "improves" them.
17	** Hell, in the Valentine's Day episode, she remarks how she's had panic attacks since she was younger than Cricket. Damn.
18	* Much of Gramma Alice's bitterness towards Big City folk is justified in "Tilly Tour", when it's revealed that her home was once originally a peaceful valley, until the city gradually got built around it, wrecking her idyllic existence.
19	* Cricket and eventually the whole family break down crying in "Phoenix Rises". At the start of the episode, Cricket unintentionally neglects Phoenix in favour of seeing Remy's slingshot. Then Phoenix smells something and wanders off. After a ''long'' day of searching and being told by the bikers, who they claim that they ''have'' seen Phoenix, only to be picked up by some stranger and carried off (later revealed to be Nancy), Cricket eventually loses hope and breaks down sobbing over the fact that Phoenix might be long gone (or worse) and that he thinks that it's his fault why Phoenix ran off in the first place. For those of you who had a missing pet or lost one, this scene is heartbreakingly relatable. For an added bonus, [[EnforcedMethodActing Chris Houghton was actually in tears when recording that scene.]]
20	--> '''Cricket''': ''(crying)'' She's gone and [[ItsAllMyFault it's--it's my fault!]] [[CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot And I should've...I should’ve]] [[JerkassRealization brushed her like you said...]]
21	** The moment is also sad due to DramaticIrony. While the moral of the episode is to treat your pets with respect, the only reason why Phoenix ran off is that she picked up the scent of Nancy and followed her to parts unknown while Cricket thinks his neglection of Phoenix is why she went missing.
22	* At first you just want to hate Louis for his antagonistic ways in "Big Deal". Using his early Black Friday scheme in order to watch customers fight Hunger Game style on each other, he finds enjoyment in ruining other people's Thanksgiving. However, you have to feel bad for him near the end of the episode. Being the owner of his store means he's got to always work on Thanksgiving, while everyone else like the Greens get to. It's possible he must not have family of his own, seeing how lonely and dejected he is with his store empty and the Greens making their own little Thanksgiving feast (on account of the food was already spoiled in the duration they were in the riot). Fortunately, the Greens are quick to forgive him for his actions, and even have him join their dinner.
23	* Cricket getting rejected by Gabriella in "Valentine's Dance". Up until this moment, he thought love was a bad thing and it could take things away, and once he finally sees the light, he is turned down by his crush. Not only does she state that she didn't love him in the first place, but because he constantly avoided her she went on to ask Remy instead. Cricket then feigns disgust and leaves them be, while eventually adapting a face of resignation before he goes offscreen, knowing his chance to dance was all for nothing.
24	* In "Cricket's Place", Cricket looks out his apartment window and sees his family enjoying ice cream sundaes without him, except Bill, who's so torn up that Cricket's gone that he can't bring himself to eat any ice cream.
25
26	!! Season 2
27	* "Elevator Action"
28	** [[TheWoobie Gloria]] [[HeroicBSOD finally breaking down]] [[NiceJobBreakingItHero after Cricket's family made more things worse for her]], as well as her reveal of why she is in the building in the first place: [[WithAFootOnTheBus she is leaving Big City back to her parents after proving she cannot take care of herself.]] Unlike Cricket, she doesn't have a family or anyone to look out for her through her tough times.
29	--> '''Gloria:''' Oh, give it a rest, Cricket! You don't even know how lucky you are! If I had someone in this stupid city looking out for me, I '''[[PunctuatedPounding wouldn't. be. leaving!]]'''
30	--> [''later'']
31	--> '''Gloria:''' Today is my three-year anniversary of moving to Big City. ''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis Three. Years.]]'' And yet, I'm still in the same, crummy job in the same crummy apartment. [[TragicDream Moving here was supposed to be a stepping stone to Paris. What a joke.]] [[DespairEventHorizon It's time to throw in the towel.]]
32	** Just after TheReveal, Cricket is understandably sad. Cricket has been working with Gloria since "Critterball Crisis", and he was close to tears as he found out his co-worker is leaving him forever. In other words, he would've been left to work at Big Coffee alone had Gloria moved away.
33	--->'''Cricket:''' You... You're actually leavin'?!! But Gloria, I thought you love Big City! How could you leave all of this?!!
34	** If that wasn't worse, her car, along with ''all'' of her belongings was about to be towed away after her parking meter expired. [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments Luckily, the Greens stopped it before it was too late]].
35	* "Green Christmas"
36	** Cricket's MelancholyMusicalNumber as he realizes all those disasters were indeed his fault, especially making Tilly upset when she is caught ruining Christmas after the fallen tree.
37	--->''I drove her away, I was self-centered and mean. Another dark tally for your list, Cricket Green.''
38	*** The second to last verse of the song is a DarkReprise of "The Best Part of Christmas", appropriately called "The ''Worst'' Part of Christmas". The song itself is also a somber version of his "Good Deeds" number, which contrasts with the villainous "If I Can't Have Christmas".
39	*** Even before that, Cricket even says a Christmas without presents is no Christmas at all. SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome indeed.
40	** Tilly ending up on the naughty list as well. She completely breaks down in tears and cannot bring herself to say a word.
41	*** Her MelancholyMusicalNumber, "Christmas is Busted", shows how upset she is and how she sees being on the naughty list unlike her brother.
42	*** She even delivers her message to Cricket, showing he completely failed to understand the TrueMeaningOfChristmas and only cared about himself the whole time.
43	--->''[[EvilCannotComprehendGood It's not about presents, it's about being kind! Something you wouldn't get, in your evil mind!!'']] I guess this is [[ItsAllMyFault my fault]]. [[BeyondRedemption Thinking there was hope for you. But now I see clearly that was never true.]]
44	** Bill being abandoned on Christmas Eve. Even the sight of a Christmas special makes him feel lonely.
45	** When everyone is going home, Bill is the only one excited about Christmas, while everyone else is sad and quiet -- Cricket for almost ruining Christmas, Tilly for what her brother did, and Nancy and Gramma for not being able to find a gift for Bill. He assumes they're saving their enthusiasm for Christmas Day, but there's much more than that.
46	* "Green Acres":
47	** The reason Alice ends up losing the vast majority of her farm is because she has too much property and not enough employees to run it (it's just her and Bill). After Bill and Nancy get arrested for selling illegal arcade tokens, Alice realizes she's pushing herself and Bill to the point of running themselves ragged and decides to sell the farm land to a fellow farmer. Unfortunately for her, the farmer ended up selling the land to a city developer, resulting in Big City being built.
48	* "Quiet Please":
49	** By episode's end, when Bill pulls a HeroicSacrifice to save the oblivious Cricket from losing his newfound gift of reading forever, he ends up banned from not just this library, but from ''every library in the world.'' Now he can no longer check out any books, not even the Lil' Abe collection, so he basically cost ''his'' gift of reading in Cricket's place.
50	** Before the sacrifice, Bill's shocked reaction when he sees his son forgetting the restriction against noise, and is completely unaware of the danger that lurks behind him. He also says in sign language, "I love you," before screaming, [[Film/AQuietPlace exactly like how Lee sacrificed himself.]]
51	** Cricket confessing to Bill he rejected his family's choice of books because of his overly stimulated brain. He was almost close to tears in the bathroom.
52	** The fact that Tilly and Gramma did nothing to save Cricket from the librarian when Bill couldn't.
53	* "Chipwrecked":
54	** The whole last minute of the episode takes this up to eleven.
55	*** Chip's expansion plan is going to be right where the Green house is. That one special farmhouse that had been in the family was threatened to be sold every generation if the kids don't act up, and this time if they don't fight back, it is finally going to be destroyed.
56	*** Gloria panicking in a TroubledFetalPosition.
57	*** Cricket's HeroicBSOD upon realizing Chip has won. Earlier, he treated Chip as a joke and did not care about it, and now he sees him as a true enemy to the family.
58	*** Even the mood is continued into the end credits, No happy upbeat song "Do It All Again" this time, instead we get a spooky ominous theme against the outside of Big Coffee at night, shut down and boarded up. It gets progressively darker as the credits start to end.
59	** Seeing Chip wallowing on the floor believing he really is a joke is this mixed with comedy.
60	** The fact that to this day, Nancy is the only one who has not encountered Chip, and it's possible she's unaware of the fact the Greens' legacy is threatened to be ruined right now.
61	* "Chipocalypse Now":
62	** Cricket and the Greens seeing Chip detonate Big Coffee and the apartment complex before their very eyes. Their expressions following such even tells all.
63	** Prior to this, the kids catching their neighbors having been evicted from their apartments and lost hope, prior to leaving Big City after Chip buys the complex.
64	** Right when Chip presses the detonator, Cricket and Tilly exchange a heart-wrenching "[[BigNo NO!!!]]".
65	** Not only is Big Coffee demolished, but ''their rooftop garden as well.'' The garden that Cricket suggested to help Bill level up is gone now, and Bill is back to square one.
66	** Gloria betraying Cricket and working at Wholesome Foods.
67	** Gloria blames Cricket and Chip's feud for Chip shutting down Big Coffee. Why? Back in "Reckoning Ball", Cricket was the first to sign the forgiveness contract following Chip's supposed apology after taking advice from Bill! Once you see that episode again, you'll feel just as sorry for Cricket [[ItsAllMyFault just as how he feels right now.]]
68	** Bill was this close to losing all hope and moving the family out of the house. If it weren't for Tilly's RousingSpeech, Chip would've won without question.
69	** It was revealed the dairy farm Nancy liberated cows from which got her thrown in jail was a rival company which stole business from the Greens' country farm, putting the family in debt. Nancy tried to free the cows as revenge, but got caught, and the farm had to be sold anyway.
70	** Bill was genuinely horrified when he sees his son ''nearly get killed on a rooftop, '''by a helicopter.''''' It's a good thing he managed to catch him as he jumped to safety just in time, and adding that somebody had better catch him in return.
71	*** Cricket was even ''crying'' as he was jumping off the roof and swinging from the grand opening banner as he was yelling for help, as if he doesn't want to face a fate either by blades or falling.
72	* "Rent Control" :
73	** The ending to this episode gets really [[https://mobile.twitter.com/beadydesert3/status/1353091040761278471 sad]] . Gloria has the Green family, as well as Remy, pretend that she's richer and more successful than she really is. When it seems like her parents will only love her if she's successful, she then breaks down hysterically in how much she's lost, and isn't successful. She then ends her rant on a more soft spoken note, feeling defeated that she disappointed her parents. Granted, they do comfort her, but still.
74	* "Fast Foodie": Cricket immediately drops his obsession for Burger Clown once he's stuck in the slide following his TemporaryBulkChange, once Bill [[ArmorPiercingQuestion asks him if he wants to spend the rest of his life there]]. We are treated to a FlashForward of his life in a slide before he finally breaks down.
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Context TearJerker / BigCityGreens