As nice as it is to feel happy and merry all day every day, sometimes a big cathartic cry is just what the doctor ordered, and there are plenty of shows out there that will guarantee that you will do just that. So grab that box of tissues because here are the shows guaranteed to have you sobbing your heart out…
One Day - Netflix
Saddest episode: season 1, episode 14
Check out this new rom-com, they said! Brilliant performances from the two leads, they said! Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod, who play will-they-won’t-they couple Dexter and Emma, are indeed very good… at ripping our hearts and stamping on them. With bite-sized episodes of 20 minutes apiece, we’d recommend not having a lot of plans in the calendar when you decide to start binge-watching; you won’t be able to stop, and then will be a total wreck when you eventually do. You’ve been warned!
Big Boys - Channel 4
Saddest episode: season 2, episode 6
For such a sweet comedy, it seems infeasible that it would pack such a hearty punch, but there we are. The story follows Jack, a university student struggling to deal with the grief of losing his dad as he starts his Freshers year, while his housemate, Danny, is going through struggles of his own. How you will love Jack and Danny and hate every person in their lives who hurt them. The finale is particularly sob-worthy. Enjoy!
It’s a Sin, one season - Channel 4
Saddest episode: season 1, episode 3
“I was happier before I started watching this” - my verbatim response to this gut-punch of a series. Set during the 1980s, the story follows a group of gay friends who escape the confines of their lives for freedom and joy in London, only to find themselves in the middle of the terrifying AIDs epidemic. Never has a show given you such loveable, joyful characters only to rip them from you. It’s been a couple of years since this was released and we’re still not okay.
This is Going to Hurt, one season - BBC
Saddest episode: season 1, episode 6
An unflinching look at the realities of working at the underfunded NHS, the story follows the true story of a young Doctor named Adam - based on the bestselling memoir. However, while the memoir mostly thrives on comical anecdotes, the show dramatises the material, introducing the world’s most heartbreaking character Shruti (once again Ambika Mod is breaking hearts), and destroying us viewers in the process.
Heartstopper - Netflix
Saddest episode: season 2, episode 8
While a very sweet and generally uplifting LGBTQ+ show following a group of teenage friends working out their sexuality, Heartstopper also has its moments that make you want to curl up and cry.
Charlie’s difficulties after being bullied and forced to come out earlier than he is ready - and the aftermath of the trauma - is a particularly heart-wrenching plot point - and very well acted by Joe Locke as Charlie and Kit Connor, who plays his boyfriend, Nick.
The Bear, two seasons - Disney+
Saddest episode: season 2, episode 7
While there is plenty to unpack here - with Carmy grieving his brother, Sidney so stressed about a restaurant opening that she throws up, and a good helping of heartbreak for season two newcomer Claire, nothing had us in floods of tears quite so much as Rich’s story arc in season two - particularly the episode Forks. Let’s just say that we love Olivia Colman, and will never listen to Taylor Swift’s Love Story the same way again.
The Handmaid’s Tale, five seasons - Amazon Prime Video
Saddest episode: season 1, episode 3
A classic, but it’s on the list for a reason! With five seasons under its belt and a sixth on the way, this dystopian tale of how women are forced to become sex slaves under a totalitarian government is totally unmissable - and we defy you to go through the whole thing without a tear in your eye.