Top 10 Most Shocking Sitcom Moments 

Which sitcom moment shocked YOU the most? Let us know below, and be sure to also check out our video of the Top 10 Will They/Won't They TV Couples: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fm9ZSCh3nDM.html

The moment when Will has to face his father and has to accept that he will leave him again on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has to be one of the most realistic, well written and well acted moments in sitcoms' history.

Marshall's father's death in How I Met Your Mother shook me so bad when I was watching the show. I was building myself up all episode to hear that they weren't going to be able to have kids. Absolutely shocking. The death of Mrs Wolowitz in Big Bang theory deserved more than an honorable mention

In HIMYM when Lily admitted to Ted she she loves Marvin but sometimes wishes she wasn't a mum because she was finding it so hard, was a shocking but great moment. I'm sure so many parents out there secretly thought that and were ashamed, but seeing this would have eased that a little. Worth an Honourable Mention, I thought

I would argue that "It wasn’t a chicken, it was a baby." was M*A*S*H's most shocking moment.

"How come he don't want me, man?" If anyone claims that Will Smith can't act, or only knows him through Slapsgate, then I'll show them this scene as proof of his talent.

I’ve never seen How I Met Your Mother, but that “Im not ready for this” line hit me TOO hard.

While Ben's death did hurt alot in scrubs, the episode that made me burst heavy into tears was when Dr. Cox lost all the patients due to infected organs that were donated to them, after hoping he will continue the long streak of saving lives, which ultimately failed after that day and how it sent him into a deep depression

Will's dad leaving again always gets me, especially Will's line on asking why he doesn't want him

I know Will gets all the credit for this scene and rightfully so, but James Avery was fantastic throughout the entire series! Was so sad when he passed away.

The thing that made that last episode of MASH so powerful wasn't just the death of a beloved character on a hit show. It was that nobody in the cast knew it was coming. Gary Burghoff was handed the paper and told to go in and announce it to the cast cold. The looks of shock in that scene were genuine.

"How come he don't want me man?" That DESTROYED me the first time I saw it. Still teared up just now and I've seen it dozens of times.

20 seconds of the HIMWM clip and I was in tears. All these years later and it still hits hard. The fact it was improvised and done in 1 take is a testament to the actors abilities.

In Big Bang Theory the scene where Leonard finally confronts his mother about her abusive emotional upbringing of him and she still doesn't really get it. Very well acted emotionally by Johnny Galecki and Christine Baranski staying true to her characters icy personality was hard to watch.

"Look around you Ted, you're all alone." Those words still haunts me to this day. Probably the darkest, most unexpected moment in TV sitcom history.

The hug between Will and Uncle Phil is one of the greatest moments in TV history

The moment between Will and Uncle Phil will always make me tear up no matter how many times I watch it. The pain in Wills voice along with the feeling of being unwanted breaks my heart.

I think Buffy losing her mom was a great episode to be apart of this category. Shocked me and left me in my emotions till the very end of the episode. Everyone’s sorrow was felt.

What makes "The Bicycle Man" episode even more disturbing is the fact that Todd Bridges mentioned going through something similar in real life

The Big Bang Theory probably hits the hardest, because it is real emotions by the actors. With the loss of Carol Ann Susi, the voice of Howards mom, it hit the cast and crew hard. Those where real tears.

in the television series Roseanne when Jackie was abused by her boyfriend, a serious moment and was super emotional and a strong message against being in an abusive relationship.

I’m glad Golden Girls got at least an honorable mention. It broke my heart seeing that and seeing a usually very sasmouthed Sophia break down and cry like that.

Honorable mention: when Monica and Chandler found out they couldn’t have kids 💔

Jodie’s overdose death on Mom. Christie and Bonnie help young addict Jodie. They sponsor her, help her get away from her abusive boyfriend and help her get a job. She breaks the 13th step and starts dating a fellow addict with less than a year in recovery. The friend group’s matriarch, Marjorie, gets married and Jodie never shows up. After the ceremony, Christie gets a call from Jodie’s phone. It’s the paramedics who had tried to save her, but couldn’t.

“How come he don’t want me man?” That’s something no one should ever have to ask about their father (or mother) 😥

Laurie Metcalf’s acting, when it’s uncovered that Jackie’s being abused by her boyfriend, is heartbreaking.

I have seen every episode of the Fresh Prince maybe a thousand times including the episode with that scene, and it still brings tears to my eyes every time. Definitely the most powerful moment of the show.

The episode of Scrubs where Dr. Cox had 3 organ recipients die in one day because he didn't know the donor had rabies, and he has a breakdown in front of Carla trying to save the last one, that part always got me. As big as a douche Dr. Cox was, you knew he cared, he was a great doctor.

I can't believe nobody's given the praise to Maude that it deserves. It took incredible guts to run that episode, and most of all, it was HONEST.

I thought All in the Family would be when Edith was assaulted.

The episode of Fresh Prince where Will's dad leaves him again is always hard to watch, especially when it comes to him breaking down afterward. Thankfully, he had Uncle Phil in his corner.

Just seeing that Scrub's "Ben's Death" clip of Dr. Cox breaking down at the funeral... it still brings tears to my eyes. Maybe the single best episodes of any show ever. Absolutely brilliantly done, written, acted, directed, everthing.

General Hospital deserves at least an honorable mention for having one of their most popular characters at the time, Robin Scorpio, diagnosed HIV positive in the early 90s. It was a very tasteful and educational storyline, and they didn't kill the character off. She is living with the diagnosis to this day.

I will never forget the Different Strokes episode as a kid. It broke my childhood and made me aware of so many important things. It was perfectly done.

I love the hug between Uncle Phil and Will! Uncle Phil pulling Will in with force then knocking the hat off his head so he could console Will. That moment feels so real.

Fresh Prince had a quite a few good scenes that shocked me. Aside from the episode about Will’s dad, the one about Carlton taking drugs in Will’s locker and almost dying, the episode about the shooter holding Will n Carlton up at the ATM, the one about the inter-racial wedding, the racial profiling one where Will n Carlton get arrested, and the one about the hatred Carlton getting when he and will pledge at a fraternity. Those all got me feeling when I saw em.

I would have said the episode "bullets over Bel-air" was more "shocking" than Will's father leaving. While it is an emotionally powerful scene, its not shocking. Carlton revealing he bought a gun and Will's reaction however... that's shocking. I this were a top 10 most emotional... then i would agree with you.its a spectacularly acted scene and makes me cry every time...

The Fresh Prince episode should be shown in every acting class when they talk about improv and realism in acting. James Avery (RIP) stayed silent during that monologue and let Will cook and it was one of the most BEAUTIFUL moments I’ve ever seen on television. As a now 43 year old man who’s father left me and my mom when I was about 4 and popped up here and there throughout my childhood till I was in high school, I would see him a few days through aunts and uncles on his side of the family then he’s gone again, I balled my eyes out the first time I saw that scene!!!!! It was literally EVERYTHING I felt growing up… especially the very last sentence. I saw him at my graduation and that was the last time I physically interacted with him. 25 years and counting since we’ve been in each other’s presence. Apparently he has a whole new family. I have 3 sisters and a bunch of nieces and nephews I found out about through social media. I grew up an only child and I have no kids so it hurts. I’m crying now as I write this and every time I see that monologue I just break, reminding me of my own life. The scene in HIMYM gets me EVERY TIME!!!! And finding out later that the show was giving numerical clues the entire episode (including the cab at the end with the number 0001, signifying 1 minute left) then rewatching it knowing what will happen made it even worse hearing Marshall say “I’m not ready for this”.

They're not shocking, they are just proof that a good sitcom with hilarious plotlines can go deep, too!

Toughest MASH one for me was the breakdown on Hawkeye in Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen.

the only one I think that was left off unfairly was Edith's Rape episode of ALL IN THE FAMILY....incredibly acted and heartbreaking

I think The Golden Girls episode that deserved at least a honorable mention was Ebbtide's Revenge. The final scene when Sophia says, "My baby's gone" is so heartbreaking.

All in the Family has so many shocking moments, it needs a list all it's own.

Golden Girls should have been more than an honorable mention. They tackled all kinds of topics that were shocking for the time. Anti-S*mitism, homelessness, drug addiction, HIV/AIDS, among others.

Scrubs was one of the most underrated shows from the 90's. So well put together combining, humility, comedy, and so many touching moments.

There is a M.A.S.H. Episode that is far more shocking, there is one where a character describes why he has PSTD; it has scene where he and some people are hiding from some enemy soldiers. He asks a woman to silence her baby, or they find them. The woman smothers it to death and the flashback ends with him standing their crying as he said "I I I I didn't want her to kill it...I k know why s s sh sh she had to b but still."

The Death of Henry Blake on MASH was hard for me. It was running reruns when I was a kid and found it when I got a tv for my 8th birthday. I watched it on my own.

Will's father leaving him was seriously messed up.

I remember there was an episode on “Facts of Life” when this girl actually committed suicide. That episode is banned, it’s never in syndication.

The Henry Blake death was a last-minute addition. So all those reactions from the cast are natural reactions.

Jessie’s Song (Saved by the Bell 1989-1993) the darkest moment was when Jessie suffers an addiction to caffeine pills.

That Will Smith scene in Fresh Prince gets me every time.

Came here for the How I Met Your Mother moment, was happily surprised to see Superstore. The tornado in Superstore was a pretty significant shift in tone too.

When Lilly told Marshall his dad passed away I completely lost it. THAT was how it happens in real life, you get the call out of nowhere. Marshall and Lilly were my favorite tv couple of all time. Marshall was the epitome of every man, tries to be a good husband, employee and friend.

Archie bunker holding Edith’s slipper saying it should’ve been him that died first hit me hard now that I’m older. Carol O Connor won an Emmy for this particular episode

I'm surprised you didn't include Jaime (Helen Hunt) cheating on Paul (Paul Riser) in Mad About You. The writers having a couple whose whole show is about their love have a big breakup when Jaine kisses a co-worker was shocking. The anger, Paul's confrontation of the man she kissed, the blowup in the park, and then marriage counseling, it was very real and true to life. They stayed together but the show took on a whole different dynamic.

Maybe not shocking, but the saddest moment in sitcom history for me is Seymour's fate in Futurama.

Man Ben’s death absolutely broke me to pieces. Watching someone as strong as Cox cry showed me at a young age that even the strongest man has a breaking point

Ben's death in scrubs really broke my heart. I had to get up and take a walk after that episode. Dr.Cox crying just shows that even the toughest person can break and that the good ones always get taken away too soon 😭

One of the most shocking sitcom moments that should have a least had an honorable mention was on 8 Simple Rules when Paul Hennessy passed away because of the actor who played him John Ritter passed away on set.

it always throws me off when sitcoms have a really serious moment. it's all fun and sunshine and then BAM A PSA episode. but it's also nice to get important messages out

"where do you think we are?" that moment from Scrubs hit me like a ton of bricks the first time. Best moment from Scrubs by far, and one of the best moments from a comedy show period. The episode where Laverne dies is also so good, Carlas goodbye gets me everytime

I found the M*A*S*H episode where they are hiding on the bus FAR more shocking and heart breaking.

Another shocking episode for me was in the last season of Moesha, Dorian finds out that Frank (Moesha’s dad) is not his uncle but he is his biological father.

Alyson Hannigan going through two devastating deaths, first in BTVS, then in HIMYM. ❤️

Carlton tryring to get a gun after will took a bullet was pretty gut wrenching too. Also saved by the bell and jessies pill addiction.

I think that an episode from Full house should get at least an honorable mention. The one where Stephanie has to face the loss of a class friend due to child abuse. It's heart wrenching.

Marshall’s losing his dad was shocking. I lost my dad 7 months ago and you really are not ever ready for it. It was pointed out that there are numbers in every scene that count down to that moment.

I used the different strokes episode to teach my son about the type of behavior not to accept from adults

The one that really stuck with me was the Family Ties episode where Alex's close friend dies in a car accident and he completely breaks down. That was a powerful episode.

How I met your mother had a lot of heartbreaking moments, including Robin finding out she could not have children after doing a flashback with her children, not to mention the whole show is about a mother that in the last season you found out had passed away.

Sandy’s death on Growing Pains Alex taking speed on Family Ties

It also was hard to watch Chandler breaking the news to Monica that she couldn't get pregnant.Her dream always has been to be a mum and it seemed to be impossible at this moment (though they adopted later)

The other scrubs episode where Dr Cox was trying to save many patients but because of a spread of rabies it killed many of them especially one who was waiting for a transplant. The look on Carla's face when Dr. Cox breaks down still grips me till this day.

I don't know. That MASH episode where Hawkeye is held in a hospital for psychiatric issues still gets me. The revelation as to what he actually witnessed sticks with me.

I loved Ben so very much in Scrubs! Wish we'd got to see more of him.

Wills dad leaving him only reminded me of how my father was there for a short period of my life and then just left. Watching Will try to stay strong in front of his father and then breaking down after he left was too real for me. And for sure one of the most memorable moments of the show

“Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse” is the saddest episode of Fresh Prince Bel Air. Enough said.

#3 resonates with me as someone whose father was rarely around but did have a grandfather and an uncle who stepped up and acted as that paternal figure in my life.

#1... YES!!! I was hoping that this would be included. Gary Burghoff's expression before delivering those lines was genuine as he had been told about them just before filming that scene.

The episode of Will losing the opportunity to bond with his father made me cry. I felt the lump in my throat watching that powerful scene.

M.A.S.H. had a much better shocking moment than the one listed. In the final episode you have Hawkeye in a mental institution and you find out it's because he witnessed a woman smother her own baby to avoid detection by VCA soldiers because the baby was crying. That moment when Hawkeye remembers what caused him to have a psychotic break is the most shocking in the series I think.

*diff’rent strokes imo always tackled real issues which no one talks about. But it’s such a good show like fresh prince of belair.*

I thought the chicken scene in MASH was way more heartbreaking then the plane crash

M.A.S.H's episode where the lady smothered her baby had to be one of the most nerve wrecking for me and deserves a spot on the list

The deaths of Marshall's dad and Howard's mom respectively shook me deep when I watched them. To this day they make me tear up. It was nice too easy Boy meets World as an honorable mention, that scene with the teacher was really unexpected for me, but it made Cory hitting him feel so much better

That’s So Raven deserved more than an honorable mention for the racism episode.

The scene about Howard’s mom’s death hit me particularly hard because it aired shortly after my own mother’s death.

There are many scenes from Boy Meets World that could stand out to be the most shocking. The show consists of several very special episodes that aren't even under the name of "very special episode."

Lt. Col. Henry Blake's death still brings tears to my eyes. I've seen a lot of movies and TV shows with characters I've loved that end up dying, and they're all heartbreaking in their own right. But Henry Blake was different. I felt like I'd lost a family member. So did everyone at the 4077th, especially Radar. Absolutely devastating.

Henry's death in a plane crash still hits so hard. It still causes tears to fall.

Mash, baby on the bus and the breakdown of Hawkeye, probably the most shocking sitcom moment ever.

"I'm not ready for this" Marshal's dad dying makes me cry every time, such a good episode.

I agree with MASH at # 1. Only Hawkeye knew what the writers were up to and was mad. Henry didn't get along with some of them and at the last minute, they changed it by handing Radar a note. To see Frank cry really showed his human side. Still heartbreaking.

The golden girls episode with martha holds up....each of these moments where important when they aired. Interesting forgotten fact, All My Childrens Erica Kane was the first tv character to have an abortion before Maude!!

Interesting fact about Marshall finding out his dad died on HIMYM, there’s a countdown going on throughout the episode. I rewatched it paying close attention to the numbers casually put in and even though I knew the bad news was coming, it still somehow made it even more shocking.

Will letting out his frustration and uncle Phil listening and letting him vent... that will always be the most powerful scene in sitcom to me.

I remember most of those episodes, especially mash. I remember being so shocked and then hearing later that the producers received death threats. But it was such a truthful moment. My dad, who would in Vietnam and loved mash, explained to me that that sometimes happened. He helped me understand what the episode was all about

First things first, rip uncle Phil 🙏

This is one of the best top 10 of TV's saddest moments! Mojo you hit out of the park 😅