The Saddest TV Shows In 2020

Updated March 24, 2020 887 votes 74 voters 1.2k views37 items

List RulesVote up the television series airing new episodes during the 2020 calendar year kept the tears coming.

Dim the lights, grab the tissues, and get ready to bawl your eyes out. These sad shows are sure to bring out all the feelings. Who doesn’t love a good cry? It’s healing to just let the tears flow free. The saddest TV shows of 2020 feature all the dramatic staples from medical dramas to police cases to fires.

There’s a reason why This Is Us tops the television ratings every week. And no, it’s not because of Milo Ventimiglia’s mustache (although that thing is pretty sweet). Dramas like This Is Us combine that perfect blend of tragedy and hope. In fact, the happy sweet scenes are just as likely to make viewers crawl up into a big weeping ball than the sad scenes.

Which are the saddest TV shows airing new episodes in 2020? Vote up the shows that make you do the ugly cry.

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This Is Us
Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore
Genres (Tv): Comedy, Family drama
This Is Us (NBC, 2016) is an American television series created by Dan Fogelman. Follows a... more
2
44
11
The Handmaid's Tale
Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes
Genres (Tv): Drama, Dystopian fiction
The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu, 2017) is an American web television series created by Bruce Miller,... more
3
45
21
13 Reasons Why
Dylan Minnette, Katherine Langford
Genres (Tv): Teen drama, Mystery
13 Reasons Why (Netflix, 2017) is an American television series based on the 2007 novel... more
4
27
8
BoJack Horseman
Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris
Genres (Tv): Comedy, Animation
BoJack Horseman (Netflix, 2014) is an American animated sitcom created by Raphael... more
5
37
20
The Walking Dead
Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal
Genres (Tv): Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, Suspense, Drama
The Walking Dead (AMC, 2010) is an American post-apocalyptic horror television series... more
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28
11
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Drama, Live action, Legal drama
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC, 1999) is an American police procedural, legal, crime... more
7
32
18
A Million Little Things
David Giuntoli, Ron Livingston
Genres (Tv): Drama
A Million Little Things (ABC, 2018) is an American family drama television series created by... more
8
28
14
Grey's Anatomy
Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers
Genres (Tv): Soap opera, Comedy, Medical drama
Grey's Anatomy (ABC, 2005) is an American medical soap opera television series created by... more
9
24
15
Black Mirror
Daniel Kaluuya, Toby Kebbell
Genres (Tv): Drama, Thriller, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Black Mirror (Netflix, 2011) is a British television anthology series created by Charlie... more
10
22
14
The Outsider
Ben Mendelsohn, Cynthia Erivo
Genres (Tv): Drama, Crime, Horror
The Outsider (HBO, 2020) is an American miniseries based on the novel of the same name by... more
11
18
10
Criminal Minds
Shemar Moore, Matthew Gray Gubler
Genres (Tv): Crime Fiction, Police procedural, Crime, Suspense, Drama
Criminal Minds (CBS, 2005) is an American police-procedural television program. The series... more
12
15
7
Servant
Toby Kebbell, Lauren Ambrose
Genres (Tv): Psychological thriller, Horror drama
Servant (Apple TV+, 2019) is an American psychological thriller television series created by... more
13
20
15
New Amsterdam
Ryan Eggold, Freema Agyeman
Genres (Tv): Medical drama
New Amsterdam (NBC, 2018) is an American medical drama television series developed by David... more

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22
20
Westworld
Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton
Genres (Tv): Sci-fi, Drama, Western
Westworld (HBO, 2016) is an American science fiction western thriller television series... more
15
10
7
Evil
Katja Herbers, Mike Colter
Genres (Tv): Supernatural, Thriller, Drama
Evil (CBS, 2019) is an American supernatural drama television series created by Robert King... more
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15
15
Stranger Things
Winona Ryder, David Harbour
Genres (Tv): Sci-fi, Horror, Supernatural, Period drama
Stranger Things (Netflix, 2016) is an American science fiction-horror web television series... more
17
14
14
How to Get Away with Murder
Viola Davis, Billy Brown
Genres (Tv): Drama, Crime, Legal drama
How to Get Away with Murder (ABC, 2014) is an American legal thriller television series... more
18
1
4
Call The Midwife
Jessica Raine, Miranda Hart
Genres (Tv): Drama
Call the Midwife (BBC, 2012) is a British period drama series created by Heidi Thomas. The... more
19
11
11
The Chi
Jason Mitchell, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine
Genres (Tv): Drama
The Chi (Showtime, 2018) is an American television drama series created by Lena Waithe. A... more
20
1
4
Truth Be Told
Octavia Spencer, Lizzy Caplan
Genres (Tv): Thriller, Drama
Truth Be Told (Apple TV+, 2019) is an American drama television series based on Are You... more
21
14
15
Doctor Who
Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant
Genres (Tv): Sci-fi, Adventure, Drama
Doctor Who (BBC, 2005) is a British science-fiction television show created by Sydney Newman,... more
22
7
5
Transparent
Jeffrey Tambor, Gaby Hoffmann
Genres (Tv): Drama, Comedy
Transparent (Amazon Video, 2014) is an American comedy-drama television series created by Jill... more
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7
5
Chicago Med
Nick Gehlfuss, Yaya DaCosta
Genres (Tv): Medical drama
Chicago Med (NBC, 2015) is an American medical drama television series created by Dick Wolf... more

24
7
5
The Sinner
Jessica Biel, Bill Pullman
Genres (Tv): Drama, Anthology
The Sinner (USA, 2017) is an American anthology drama TV series developed by Derek Simonds,... more
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1
4
Council of Dads
Sarah Wayne Callies, Clive Standen
Genres (Tv): Drama, Family drama
Council of Dads (NBC, 2020) is an American drama television series based upon the 2010 book... more