Sad Movies to Bum You OutLists of the best movies to watch when all you want to do is wrap yourself in a blanket burrito, flop over sideways, and feel terrible about the world and everything in it.
Updated December 9, 2020 1.8k votes 914 voters 50.7k views
Voting Rules
Vote up the TV shows that evoke the most tears.
While depressing TV shows are hard to watch, we often find ourselves so invested in the characters that we can't resist. We just keep watching to find out what happens next, even if we know it'll break our hearts. That's why some of the saddest TV shows are often the best, filled with characters so likable that we feel for them and want them to get through their horrible pain. Sometimes, the sadness is just so real that it's hard to stop crying no matter how hard you try. Whether it's a drama, comedy, or even a cartoon, there are sad elements in almost every show.
If one thing is for sure, though, no matter how sad these shows make us, we just can't stop watching. Often, the shows that make you cry are the best shows of all. Sure, being sad is no fun, but if a show can get that much emotion out of you, then they must be doing something right. So, here are some of the biggest tearjerker TV shows that likely exist just to make you cry.
Despite being a cartoon, BoJack Horseman is one of the most brutally honest shows that is guaranteed to make you feel down in the dumps. While the show is funny and uses animals for the characters, it touches on darker subjects including depression, abuse, and substance use.
Some of the saddest moments on the show include Sarah Lynn's passing and the moment BoJack's mom recognizes him. However, there are countless dark and upsetting moments throughout the entire show that will make you question your own life.
Actors: Will Arnett, Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Aaron Paul, Paul F. Tompkins
This Is Us goes from one sad episode to the next, but the most tragic moment for fans is the passing of Jack. Even though the fact that he perishes is revealed early on, it's still a shock when it's finally shown on screen. Not only does he perish in a fire, but he saves his family members and goes back into the fire for Kate's dog.
Watching how the family has to cope with this horrible loss is even worse. However, bad things continue to happen as the show goes on, only making viewers continously tear up more.
The Leftovers is a heart-wrenching story from the start. The fact that so many people have disappeared without a trace is already enough to make you bawl, especially when the baby vanishes in the beginning.
There's so much grief throughout the show, which means there's no shortage of heartbreaking moments. Some of the saddest episodes are the one where Nora hires escorts to fire at her with a bulletproof vest and when Susan drives straight into an oncoming truck, ending herself and her family.
Actors: Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Chris Zylka, Carrie Coon
Since this show is set in a hospital, it's expected that there will be some sad moments, but fans have endured more heartbreak than they could've imagined. Everything changes when Derek is hurt in a car accident, leaving him with a terrible brain injury.
After Derek's passing, fans were both outraged and in mourning. Sure, there are lots of goodbyes on the show, but watching one of your favorite characters perish that way is unforgivable.
Actors: Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Kevin McKidd, Caterina Scorsone
The cycle of life might not seem as devastating if you live in a funeral home, but that setting doesn't stop this show from making you bawl. This show uses dark humor and irony to discuss personal tragedy after Nate, the owner of a funeral home, perishes in a car accident.
The heartbreaking scenes begin right from episode 1 when Nate Sr.'s passing and the aftermath are first shown. As if that isn't hard enough, there are many traumatic events that follow, each one making the show even harder to watch. Of all the depressing moments though, it seems that the ending montage elicited the most tears from fans.
Actors: Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy, Lauren Ambrose, Rachel Griffiths
The premise of The Handmaid's Tale alone is heartbreaking enough, but every episode adds to that devastating theme. While the way the women are treated in this series is constantly horrifying, there are a few specific moments that leave viewers in tears, such as when June is so close to escaping, but instead she's separated from her husband and child.
Fans were also heartbroken when they had to watch Emily be mutilated because of her orientation. All of these scenes are incredibly difficult to watch, especially when it's clear that it will only get worse from there.
Actors: Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Samira Wiley, Alexis Bledel
