20 of the most heartbreaking TV episodes

Any fan of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills knows the Season 1 finale was heartbreaking TV. It showcased Kyle Richards feuding with her sister Kim over past family drama and her worsening alcohol addiction.

Kim stayed on the series for another four seasons before departing at the end of Season 5. During her run on the show, she spoke openly about her erratic behavior, alcohol consumption, and road to recovery. Since Kim's exit in 2015, she's reconnected with her sisters Kyle and Kathy Hilton on recent seasons of RHOBH and Paris In Love. 

Watching Will's strained relationship with his father play out on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was tough, especially seeing him break his heart during the final minutes. But Will Smith's performance made this moment feel so real, making it one of the show's best episodes ever.

Vicki Gunvalson shared her life with the Bravo viewers on The Real Housewives of Orange County for nearly 14 years. So, of course, she's had her fair share of ups and downs. One of the most challenging moments for the reality star must've been receiving the phone call her mother passed away while filming a group scene with her costars during Season 10. 

Cory Monteith's death hit the cast and fans of Fox's hit series Glee incredibly hard. However, Ryan Murphy and the show's writers honored his legacy in such a thoughtful and moving way during the episode titled "The Quarterback." 

Although watching Teresa Giudice and her ex-husband Joe Giudice report to prison was captivating television on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, seeing their kids' reaction was devastating. 

Seeing Haley and Nathan in One Tree Hill cope with the death of their close friend Quentin is an episode of this beloved series the fans could never forget. And we wholeheartedly agree.

Taylor Armstrong (pictured on the right) was a full-time cast member on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for the first three seasons, and they were filled with crushing scenes showcasing her abusive marriage with her ex-husband Russell Armstrong. He later took his own life in August 2011, and the aftermath was captured on camera. 

The "Super Bowl Sunday" episode of This Is Us always stirs up strong feelings whenever we watch. The house fire, heart attack, and Rebecca's grief pulled us in and made us never want to let them go. 

Many Real Housewives cast members have spent time in prison for federal crimes, and we must admit, the storylines are fascinating. But when Phaedra Parks had to take her small children to visit their father behind bars during a Season 8 episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, it brought tears to our eyes.

POSE was an FX drama series about the ballroom and LGBTQ+ scene in New York City. It starred actors like Evan Peters, Billy Porter, and Angelica Ross and touched on very real topics, including the hate many in the community face daily. During a Season 2 episode, it showed them wrestling with the news that one of their loved ones died during a vicious attack. 

9/11 was a terrible day for many people around the world, and when Julie Chen had to break the news of the attack to a Big Brother player whose loved one worked inside the World Trade Center, it sent chills through our bodies. It was such a raw and emotional moment. Nothing could prepare someone for such a tragedy, and our hearts are still with those impacted.

Even if Logan Roy wasn't a nice man, his death was still one that rocked us during our Succession binge. 

The Season 13 premiere of The Real Housewives of Atlanta showed cast member Porsha Williams' arrest during a protest in Kentucky during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. Although the arrest was disappointing, seeing her fight for what matters most was moving. After all, she is the granddaughter of American civil rights leader and activist Hosea Williams — it's in her blood. 

Leaving home, branching out, and adulting is a scary thought. So, we can all relate to the cast of Boy Meets World saying goodbye for the last time during their finale episode. But it was Mr. Feeney's line that crushed us. "I love you all. Class dismissed," he said.

It's weird to see Abby Lee Miller in any vulnerable situation. However, when she lost her dog, Broadway Baby, on Lifetime's hit series Dance Moms, it showed viewers a different side to her — one we'd only see again when she reported to prison for concealing assets during her bankruptcy case.

Joey's struggle with addiction during The Real World: Hollywood was painful to watch. But seeing his cast members rally around him by staging an intervention left us with a bit of hope for the season. Joey later appeared on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew in 2010 and died in August 2012.

You couldn't have prepared us for Mike's death in Desperate Housewives. The flashbacks had us fooled initially, but once they snapped back into reality, the weight of it all finally sunk in. 

All of Amber Portwood's scenes in Teen Mom are heartbreaking — mainly since they centered around her domestic battery charges against her ex, Gary. Even then, watching her navigate life behind bars following her slew of crimes took it to another level.

We knew Diana's death in The Crown Season 6 was coming, but man, it hit us hard. Although it wasn't graphic, fans got the picture when the limo zipped off in the tunnel only to hear it crashing moments later. Episode 4 shows the family carrying on after receiving the news and retrieving the body.

Quad Webb's breakdown during a Season 6 episode of Married To Medicine was challenging for viewers because you could see the hurt in her eyes and feel the pain in her voice. Although there wasn't much revealed at the moment, over time, and eventually following her divorce, Quad spoke about the truth regarding her former marriage, including devastating stories of abuse and hardship.