So I was bored yesterday and was wondering what to watch on Netflix. I hadn't seen any episodes of the X-Files in a while so I decided to watch that. I wasn't that aware of the series mythology so I just picked a random Monster-of-the-week episode, the one that seemed the most interesting. It was "Musings of a Cigarette-Smoking Man" and it was pretty saddening. After watching that, I felt inspired to make this thread, especially considering how many TV threads have reached the front page recently.

Tell me what you think is the most depressing TV episode of all time is. For me, it has to be the one I just mentioned. If you haven't already seen it, I recommend it.

The Heart String pulling on TV Shows and TV Movies are quite obvious, and hence not that effective to me.

What does make me sad, and this show does not seem to be on anymore, are the Animal Cops shows. Seeing how some of those animals were after months or years of neglect and mistreatment really saddened me. I would always shed a tear, especially when they would show how happy and good the animal is with new owners and a new chance. Yes, ironically, all these are presented in a way that tugs at anyone's heart string who cares about animals, so these shows are just as manipulative as any TV Show/Movie. The difference is, the animal is not acting, just trying to survive.

I have to agree, those kinds of shows change my mood sometimes for a whole week. I don't think I've ever watched a complete episode of any of them because of this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5peiLlHdvo

Reaching the last episode of Firefly is pretty depressing.

Episodes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXFwb3HArXU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veD5MkqblXg of Wolf's Rain.

the last few seasons of "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_(TV_series)", starting around the point Kutner killed himself and Amber died in the bus accident...

I mean, you have House who starts losing those he cares about, he decides to admit himself to a Psychiatric Hospital, he gets out and runs a car through his bosses front door, goes to prison and has his medical licence revoked...
then, at the very end Wilson (his only remaining friend) is dying of Cancer..


if you go watch the entire series, you notice how his life hit a downward Spiral around the time Cameron, Chase, and Foreman all quit on him.. with every event just making him fall apart quicker...



there is not a single series where we can see just how much a person can fall apart then House (he starts falling apart around season 4 or 5)

Anyone whose answer isn't "the last episode of Six Feet Under" is wrong.

I'm really glad people remember to use those helpful spoiler tags. I mean, who would want to spoil pivotal plot points for others who haven't seen the shows we're all talking about?

the last episode of roseanne!

Ugh. I always get something in both eyes when that episode wraps up.

Little House on the Prairie. Someone always died, got sick, they always were poor, got abused by the local rich family. Ugh, that show put me in a sad mood.

That futurama episode with the dog that waited for fry and he could have brought it back but didn't. So irritating, I actually hated the show after that it was so powerfully, and needlessly, depressing.

Watch the movie then, it adds more to that story wile being one of the very few time travel plots that aren't full of holes. Beware of front-butts though.

I refuse to watch it, just tell me what happens. Did he go back and reunite with the dog? Good. Still, I will always hate futurama for that episode.

End of the BSG remake. Not all of it, since the series went off the deep end of insanity in those last seasons, but two major characters' ending was unexpectedly moving, after all they went through.

The end of Code Quantum. There was me, happy kid bouncing wih pink and bunnies and stuff. And then there was the last episode of Code Quantum, principal manufacturer of jaded sods in the 90's.

Before Ghost Whisperer dove off into the deep end, there was this one episode where this Marine was suffering from PTSD. at the end of the episode we find out it was more guilt because he was underfire and his squad mates where trying to rescue him but got killed off and his pistol was jammed so he couldn't return fire or anything. But his squad mates (in ghost form) told him not to stress over it and that they where cool with him. It was really a touching scene .

Musings of CSM is a radically controversial episode. The writers almost immediately regretted writing it, and it, contrary to your assertion, is not a MOTW episode. It is an episode that curiously, and depressingly develops the character of CSM, albeit through the second hand, and only somewhat reliable Lone Gunmen. The episode is indeed a sad-one, and I often think about CMS's speech about chocholates (its a fun one to recite in front of your nihilistic friends ). The episode, whatever its shortcomings, is an interesting example of an examination of the personal life of the powerful.

Serious X-Files spoilers for the OP, if interested:

It is one of the most well known episodes, yet one of the most contested. I like it, because it shows a human side to CSM, and makes his story a bit more sympathetic, while being pathetic at the same time.

I'm only a season and a half in, but Lost has had quite a few feelsy, depressing moments so far. Like the episode I watched just an hour ago.

And that episode in Season One, when it flashed back to Locke and his father. Easily the most depressing episode I've seen so far (and I'm certain this will be topped soon).

There are also some episodes of Smallville that make me feel a little sad for Lex, though specifically what episodes I'm not sure. One definite one would be the memory clinic Lex had visited often to regain some of his memories (?), and it flashed back to his brutal childhood. :/

Other than that, the episode in M*A*S*H when is basically my most feelsy moments in television.

Xena, The Bitter Suite