Top 10 Heartbreaking TV Moments of the 2000s

“Gossip Girl” (2007-12)

While Chuck and Blair made a lovely couple by the end of the series, there were some moments shared between the two that were seriously difficult to watch. The scene that comes to mind for us is when Chuck drunkenly confronts Blair about her relationship with Louis. We see him break a glass wall that ends up cutting Blair, and it’s a scene that establishes not only how aggressive and volatile Chuck can be, but how tumultuous their relationship is. She eventually forgives him and they move on, but we can’t help but feel that that moment left her traumatized.

“Grey’s Anatomy” (2005-)

If there’s any TV show that’s gotten us in our feels time and time again, it’s this one. There have been countless heartbreaking moments involving medical mishaps or the deaths of beloved characters. Who wasn’t a total mess when they learned that the disfigured patient in the hospital bed is George, and he dies shortly after? But it’s Denny’s death that we’re not sure we can recover from. After finally receiving a heart transplant, it looks like he and Izzie can start their lives together. But he unexpectedly dies from a stroke in the hospital, and we still can’t get the image of Izzie holding him out of our heads. Shonda Rhimes, give our hearts a break.

“Dawson’s Creek” (1998-2003)

Many series finales tug at our heart strings, but this one has some especially painful moments. As if Jen hadn’t been through enough in the early days of the show, in the finale it’s revealed that she’s been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Before she goes she makes a video for her baby girl, Amy, that moves us all to tears. She expresses her love for Amy and encourages her daughter to appreciate her life and not take any moment for granted before tragically dying not long after. Seeing her pass away with her beloved Grams by her side is the cherry on top of this sad sundae, and everything about this storyline breaks our hearts.

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1997-2003)

This scene was not only gut wrenching, it was totally shocking and out of the blue. It’s a nightmare scenario for any child, as Buffy finds her mom on the couch after she passes away from a brain aneurysm. The scene is made even more chilling and realistic by the fact that it’s completely silent, with no background music and hardly any spoken words. The fallout is tremendously sad as well, as Buffy tells her sister the news and everyone around her tries to process it and eventually move on. But there’s no one we feel worse for than Buffy, and we still can’t watch this moment without getting teary-eyed.

“Desperate Housewives” (2004-12)

Any viewers who are parents will always have a tough time watching this scene, as the heartbreak within it is unimaginable. After fertility struggles and unsuccessful attempts at adoption, Gaby and Carlos finally get their chance at parenthood with Lily. While she’s not officially adopted by them, they take her in and see her as their daughter, and when Lily’s birth mother takes her back, it shatters their world. Seeing Gaby in her front yard watching her baby and her chance at being a mother getting taken away is soul crushing, and we can’t imagine a more hopeless feeling than the one Gaby experiences in this moment.

“House” (2004-12)

As far as unlikely and unexpected deaths go, this one might take the cake. After a car crash that temporarily claims House’s memory, he forgets that his best friend’s girlfriend, Amber, was also in the crash. Her kidneys were in turn damaged, and eventually House remembers that Amber was taking medication which her body can’t filter due to kidney damage, which is why her organs are failing. Her death is inevitable, and any chance at saving her is gone. The fallout of her death is as sad as her passing, as House is greatly responsible for this and Wilson struggles to forgive him. The whole thing is truly heartbreaking.

“8 Simple Rules” (2002-05)

Any major character death in a TV series is sad to watch, but when that character dies because the actor playing them has died, it’s unbearable. This was true in “The Big Bang Theory” when the gang had to deal with Howard’s mother’s passing, but John Ritter’s death was especially tough to stomach. He played Paul Hennessy, the patriarch of “8 Simple Rules,” and his death on the show sends his whole family spiraling in both realistic and devastating ways. Watching them try to carry on as a family without him is difficult, and both the show and the real world suffered from this real life loss.

“One Tree Hill” (2003-12)

This episode just gets harder and harder to rewatch. Rather than picking a moment from this episode, we opted to include the episode in its entirety, as the whole thing is littered with devastating moments. We see a mistreated student attempt revenge on his classmates by bringing a gun to school, and what transpires is definitely heartbreaking. From Peyton getting shot and then saved by Lucas, to Haley unknowingly locking herself in a room with the shooter, all the way to Dan shooting Keith in the last moments of the episode, our hearts can barely take any more by the time the credits roll.

“Scrubs” (2001-10)


Dr. Cox has had his fair share of tough moments, like when he made a mistake that led to the death of three of his organ transplant patients. But we’ll never forget Ben’s shocking fate and the toll it has on Dr. Cox. Ben was a beloved character during his time on “Scrubs,” and throughout the episode in which the gang is planning to celebrate Jack’s birthday, we see Ben alive and well. But it’s revealed that Ben has been dead all along, Dr. Cox was imagining him, and they’re all actually going to his funeral rather than a birthday party. The rug was pulled out from under us in this episode, and we’re still trying to recover.



Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Seeing Her in Ryan’s Arms Was Equal Parts Shocking & Saddening

Seeing The Deaths of the Main Characters Was a Perfect Ending for this Show

He Spends Time in Hawaii & Makes Amends Through His Final Days, & It’s Gut-Wrenching

Watching Them Find Out That They Can’t Have Kids Is Devastating

We Were Not Prepared For Charlie’s Sacrifice

“Futurama” (1999-2003; 2008-13; 2023-)

We can handle plenty of sad moments involving humans, but when dogs are involved, we’re powerless. When Fry learns that his beloved canine companion Seymour lived for over a decade after he disappeared, he assumes that Seymour lived a happy life. However, the saddest montage ever shows us that that was not the case. Set to some seriously heartbreaking music, we see Seymour spending the rest of his life waiting outside the pizza place for Fry. There’s never been a better, more loyal boy, and we’ve never cried so hard at a cartoon.


Which of these scenes left you in a pool of tears? Let us know in the comments.