10 Tragic TV Episodes Because of What We Know Now

10 Tragic TV Episodes Because of What We Know Now

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were looking at TV show episodes that have come to evoke darker feelings due to real-world tragedies that occurred after the initial airing.

Yes/No

Glee (2009-15)

For three seasons of Glee, Finn Hudson believed his father was killed in military combat. Everything changes when the episode Yes/No reveals he actually died of an overdose while self-medicating PTSD. This twist came in the wake of revelations about actor Cory Monteiths struggles with substance use disorder. The hope was that Finn would show how to rise above such tragic cycles. But one year later, Monteith experienced a recurrence of symptoms and died of an overdose at age 31. The 2013 episode The Quarterback reflected on his and Finns deaths, with Naya Rivera covering The Band Perrys If I Die Young. She herself drowned in 2020, aged 33. So what should have been two particularly life-affirming Glee arcs have become the most heartbreaking.

Fred Has the Big One

Sanford (1980-81)

Edgy comedian Redd Foxx charmed audiences with the running gag of fake heart attacks on the hit sitcom Sanford & Son. As often as Fred Sanford got out of situations by feigning the big one, the episode by that name on the spin-off Sanford was about nobody believing when he suffers the real deal. As much as this affected an already dark joke, Foxx would die in 1991 of a heart attack on the set of The Royal Family. Some of his colleagues did indeed think that it was a put-on. This ironic end to an iconic career spoils one of its most popular bits, especially the time it wasnt a joke for Fred Sanford.

The Sopranos

The Sopranos (1999-2007)

The tone of the central character arc on The Sopranos is set when Tony Soprano suffers a panic attack thats initially believed to be cardiac distress. With the eerie similarities in symptoms, the similarities with actor James Gandolfinis death are hard to ignore. In 2013, he succumbed to a heart attack while on holiday in Italy. Since then, Tonys regular panic attacks and apparent respiratory strains have hit harder. So too have offhand lines like one in the episode Strong, Silent Type, in which Christopher Moltisanti remarks that his mentor will have a heart attack by age 50 (xref). Gandolfini was 51 when he died, leaving behind a legendary body of work and a solemn undertone to it.

A, My Name Is Alex

Family Ties (1982-89)

The wholesome humor and themes of Family Ties were cut in a special two-part episode in Season 5. A, My Name Is Alex follows intellectual teen Alex P. Keatons existential crisis following the death of a friend. The episode became one of the most acclaimed in the series, particularly for Michael J. Foxs dramatic performance. Four years later, his own existential crisis began with a diagnosis of Parkinsons disease. After he formally announced his condition in 1998, audiences watched Alexs contemplations on aging and mortality very differently. Fox has since led a long and incredible life, but has been very open about his struggles along the way. This demonstrates exactly what A, My Name Is Alex says about how quickly life can change.

Home Is Where the Heart Attack Is

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-96)

Generally speaking, recurring jokes about Philip Bankss weight on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air havent aged well. Never mind this Season 4 episode or the real tragedy years later. Home Is Where the Heart Attack Is finds Phil taking his health more seriously when he has a cardiac episode during a diet. Unfortunately, Will didnt take it seriously enough to ease up on the jokes afterward. Fans have felt differently since December 31st, 2013, when actor James Avery died from complications following open heart surgery. Fresh Prince may have occasionally respected his characters heart condition, but even the most reverent episode on the matter has lost much of its charm to tragedy.

She's Having My Baby

Married... with Children (1987-97)

Its common for sitcom storylines to accommodate actresses pregnancies. Katey Sagals going into the sixth season of Married with Children opened great opportunities for domestic satire with the Bundy family. The two-episode premiere Shes Having My Baby further raised comedic tensions by having neighbor Marcy DArcy get pregnant at the same time as Peg. But there would be no satire about dealing with a newborn. Halfway through the season, Sagals baby was stillborn prematurely. Thus, Peggy and Marcys pregnancies were written off as a dream by Al Bundy the whole time. Sagal went on to have three children, including actor Jackson White. Still, the unhappy end to that first pregnancy hangs over the humor in Peggys.

Pilot

The Lone Gunmen (2001)

This spin-off of The X-Files aimed to cover more grounded cases that still seemed far-fetched. Though The Lone Gunmen was canceled after one season, its notorious for a pilot episode that was terribly realistic after all. The Gunmen must unravel a conspiracy to spark the arms industry by flying a commercial airplane into the World Trade Center. Just six months after this episode aired, the unthinkable happened. The 9/11 terrorist attack left a lasting impact on American culture, to say nothing of the forgotten series that predicted it. Some have even subscribed to the disputed theory that it was a war-profiteering conspiracy. Certainly, The Lone Gunmen now resonates all too much from its first case.

The One Where Chandler Takes a Bath

Friends (1994-2004)

One of the most beloved Chandler Bing-focused episodes of Friends is about him destressing with luxurious baths. Before long, he becomes obsessed with them. This was a little awkward even in 2002, when Matthew Perrys substance use disorder was already infamous. Years later, the actor became hooked on the antidepressant ketamine after it was deliberately overprescribed by unscrupulous physicians. On October 23rd, 2023, Perry lost consciousness in a hot tub and drowned. Friends fans may especially point to The One with Rachels Other Sister for Chandlers throwaway line, [I guess Ill be the one who dies first.] (xref) But the whole of The One Where Chandler Takes a Bath has become a stressful watch.

It's Only a Test

Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990-2000)

With her familys history of cancer, Brenda Walsh readily consults a doctor about a lump in her breast in the first season of Beverly Hills, 90210. The episode Its Only a Test ends with the good news that the tumor is benign. Actress Shannon Doherty did not receive that news in 2015. After nine years of battling metastatic breast cancer, she passed away at age 53. Doherty was notably very public about the painful process throughout. This has made Brendas coming-of-age in the 90210 franchise difficult for fans to relive. Never mind medical scare very early on that wound up being prophetic.

Mork Meets Robin Williams

Mork & Mindy (1978-82)

All of Earth fell in love with Robin Williams on Mork & Mindy. His quirky extraterrestrial was himself eager to interview the comedian and actor to better understand celebrities. The meta episode solemnly ends on Williams discussing the pressures of stardom and suggesting that his art is a way to cope with his mental health. Mork later reports to his leader that this lifestyle may be too much for some to handle. Thirty-three years later, Williams took his own life. While this was attributed to a diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, the revered funnyman was open about his struggles throughout his career. This makes it even more important to appreciate an artists contributions in life. Still, its hard when the lightest fiction interacts with the darkest realities.

What are some other TV shows that have taken on a different tone under unfortunate circumstances in real-life? Open up in the comments.