Sometimes, a funny show will surprise you by getting serious and really delivering some dramatic chops. Indeed, it seems they can do it more effectively than dramatic shows, because you don’t see it coming. IT’s often the comedies that can make us cry.
Probably the most famous, and perhaps best executed, example was the episode of Sesame Street, “Goodbye Mr. Hooper,” that dealt with the death of the actor who played Mr. Hooper and by extension the character himself. Big Bird, who in his innocence doesn’t understand what death means, has to have it explained to him. The message is delivered straight and honestly, and we see Big Bird suffer from the various stages of grief. Frankly, it was awe-inspiring TV.
Just today I watched the episode of Scrubs, “My Screw Up,” in which Dr. Cox’s brother-in-law and best friend, Ben, dies. Throughout the episode he cannot accept what has happened and so pretends Ben is alive and that the event he must attend - Ben’s funeral - is really his son’s birthday party; only at the very end, when he is delivered to the funeral by J.D., does his fantasy vanish and his grief commence.
Of course, all fans of animated series remember “Jurassic Bark,” the episode of Futurama in which Fry tries to have his dead dog reanimated, only at the end to turn away from this decision, upon which the audience learns that Fry’s dog had waited in vain for him to come back for many years. Few can watch the episode without shedding a few tears.
Any other good examples?
