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The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief 

Molly Gander
Updated March 24, 2020 329 votes 83 voters 2.6k views 38 items

List Rules Vote up the shows that best center their storyline around grief and loss.

Grief can often be an all-consuming feeling that makes you feel all alone in the world. But the fact is, nearly everyone has gone through the stages of grief at one time or another in their lives, and sometimes the best way to understand grief is to watch how others deal with it. In our current age of television, there's no shortage of shows that deal with grief in utterly compelling, human ways that can go from heartbreaking to empathetic to hilariously satisfying all in one episode. 

Shows about grief and loss can be therapeutic for those suffering from grief, but they can also be cathartic and just plain entertaining for everyone else. Sometimes there's nothing better than a good cry, and the best shows about grief understand that. From dramas to comedies to big-budget epics, the shows on this list all manage to say something unique about loss and show the variety of ways that grief can affect us. Whether these shows are full on cry-fests or manage to wrap up their grief in a happy ending, these shows understand the complexity of grief in all its forms and are able to turn it into endlessly riveting television.

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list ordered by
1
House is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Hugh Laurie, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard

Premiered: 2004

Number of Seasons: 8

Number of Episodes: 177

Network: Fox Broadcasting Company

House (Fox, 2004) is an American television medical drama created by David Shore. The show's main character is Dr. Gregory House, a pain medication-dependent, unconventional, misanthropic ...more
2
Sorry for Your Loss is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Elizabeth Olsen, Kelly Marie Tran, Jovan Adepo
Sorry for Your Loss (Facebook Watch, 2018) is an American dark comedy web television series created by Kit Steinkellner. The sudden death of her husband upends and transforms the life of Leigh ...more
3
The Leftovers is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston
The Leftovers is an American television drama series created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta airing on HBO. It is based on Perrotta's novel of the same name. The pilot was written by Lindelof ...more
4
Dead to Me is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Christina Applegate, Linda Cardellini, Edward Asner

Premiered: 2019

Network: Netflix

Dead to Me (Netflix, 2019) is an American dark comedy web television series created by Liz Feldman. After the murder of her husband, tightly wound widow, Jen (Christina Applegate) meets Judy ...more
5
After Life is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Ricky Gervais, Penelope Wilton, David Bradley

Premiered: 2019

Number of Seasons: 1

Network: Netflix

After Life (Netflix, 2019) is a British dark comedy television series, created by Ricky Gervais. When Tony's (Ricky Gervais) wife suddenly dies he decides to get revenge on the world by doing ...more
6
BoJack Horseman is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie

Premiered: 2014

Network: Netflix

BoJack Horseman (Netflix, 2014) is an American animated sitcom created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. BoJack Horseman (Will Arnett) was the star of the hit television show "Horsin' Around" ...more
7
This Is Us is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown

Premiered: 2016

Network: NBC

This Is Us (NBC, 2016) is an American television series created by Dan Fogelman. Follows a unique ensemble, as their paths cross and their life stories interwine, from sharing the same birthday, ...more
8
13 Reasons Why is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Dylan Minnette, Katherine Langford, Kate Walsh

Premiered: 2017

Network: Netflix

13 Reasons Why (Netflix, 2017) is an American television series based on the 2007 novel Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and adapted by Brian Yorkey. Told through a series of flashbacks, the ...more
9
A Million Little Things ... is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
David Giuntoli, Ron Livingston, Romany Malco

Premiered: 2018

Network: ABC

A Million Little Things (ABC, 2018) is an American family drama television series created by D. J. Nash. A group of friends intertwined in each other's lives all realize they need to start ...more
10
Grey's Anatomy is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers, Chandra Wilson

Premiered: 2005

Number of Seasons: 16

Number of Episodes: 356

Network: ABC

Grey's Anatomy (ABC, 2005) is an American medical soap opera television series. The series focuses on the fictional lives of surgical interns and residents as they gradually evolve into seasoned ...more
11
Parenthood is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Peter Krause, Lauren Graham, Dax Shepard

Premiered: 2010

Number of Seasons: 3

Number of Episodes: 35

Network: NBC

Parenthood is an American television drama series developed by Jason Katims and produced by Imagine Television and Universal Television for NBC. The show tells of the Braverman clan which ...more
12
The Killing is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Mireille Enos, Joel Kinnaman, Billy Campbell

Premiered: 2011

Number of Seasons: 3

Number of Episodes: 28

Network: AMC

The Killing (AMC, 2011) is an American drama television series created by Veena Sud. A police investigation, the saga of a grieving family, and a Seattle mayoral campaign all interlock after the ...more
13
Broadchurch is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker

Premiered: 2013

Number of Seasons: 1

Number of Episodes: 8

Network: ITV, UTV, STV

Broadchurch is a British television drama broadcast on ITV. It was created and written by Chris Chibnall and produced by Kudos Film and Television, Shine America, and Imaginary Friends. The ...more
14
Rectify is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Aden Young, Abigail Spencer, J. Smith-Cameron

Premiered: 2013

Number of Seasons: 1

Number of Episodes: 6

Network: Sundance Channel

Rectify is an American television drama series created by Ray McKinnon, and is the first original series from SundanceTV. It stars Aden Young, Abigail Spencer, J. Smith-Cameron, Adelaide ...more
15
Kidding is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Jim Carrey, Catherine Keener, Frank Langella
Kidding (Showtime, 2018) is an American comedy-drama television series created by Dave Holstein. A children's television icon (Jim Carrey), who also anchors a multimillion-dollar branding ...more
16
How I Met Your Mother is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders

Premiered: 2005

Number of Seasons: 8

Number of Episodes: 184

Network: CBS

How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 19, 2005, to March 31, 2014. The series follows the main character, Ted Mosby, and his group of friends in ...more
17
M*A*S*H is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, Loretta Swi

Premiered: 1972

Number of Seasons: 11

Number of Episodes: 251

Network: CBS

M*A*S*H is an American television series developed by Larry Gelbart, adapted from the 1970 feature film MASH. The series, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for ...more
18
The Handmaid's Tale is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski

Premiered: 2017

Network: Hulu

The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu, 2017) is an American web television series created by Bruce Miller, based on the 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood. In a dystopian future where women are brutally ...more
19
Looking For Alaska is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Charlie Plummer, Kristine Froseth, Denny Love

Premiered: 2019

Network: Hulu

Looking For Alaska (Hulu, 2019) is an American teen drama television series created by Josh Schwartz, based on the 2005 novel by John Green. A new student (Charlie Plummer) at a boarding school ...more
20
Shameless is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Emmy Rossum, William H. Macy, Ethan Cutkosky

Premiered: 2011

Number of Seasons: 3

Number of Episodes: 36

Network: Showtime

Shameless is an American television comedy-drama which airs on Showtime. This remake of the award-winning British series is set in Chicago's Canaryville neighborhood on the South Side, although ...more
21
You're the Worst is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Chris Geere, Aya Cash, Desmin Borges

Premiered: 2014

Number of Seasons: 1

Number of Episodes: 10

Network: FX

You're the Worst (FXX, 2014) is an American comedy-drama television series created by Stephen Falk. Jimmy (Chris Geere), a self-involved writer, and Gretchen (Aya Cash), a self-destructive Los ...more
22
Servant is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Lauren Ambrose, Nell Tiger Free, Rupert Grint

Premiered: 2019

Network: Apple TV+

Servant (Apple TV+, 2019) is an American psychological thriller television series created and written by Tony Basgallop. The show follows parents Dorothy (Lauren Ambrose) and Sean Turner (Toby ...more
23
Council of Dads is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Sarah Wayne Callies, Clive Standen, Michael O'Neill

Network: NBC

Council of Dads (NBC, 2020) is an American drama television series based upon the 2010 book The Council of Dads by Bruce Feiler. When Scott Perry (Clive Standen) discovers he has cancer he is ...more
24
Six Feet Under is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy

Premiered: 2001

Number of Seasons: 5

Number of Episodes: 63

Network: HBO

Six Feet Under is an American drama television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It premiered on the premium cable network HBO in the United States on June 3, 2001, and ended on August ...more
25
Friday Night Lights is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best TV Shows That Deal with Grief
Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Gaius Charles

Premiered: 2006

Number of Seasons: 5

Number of Episodes: 76

Network: NBC

Friday Night Lights (NBC, 2006) is an American sports drama television series developed by Peter Berg, inspired by the 1990 nonfiction book by H. G. Bissinger. A drama that follows the lives of ...more