24 Heartbreaking TV Moments from 2018

24 Heartbreaking TV Moments from 2018 (continued):

9. Leaving the Kids Behind (The Americans)

Full disclosure: given the basis of lies in this show and within the family we followed, there was probably never any chance of them riding off into the sunset together as The Americans drew to a close. That each member remains alive is probably about as much as we could have hoped for.

Still, after everything, for Philip and Elizabeth to first have to leave without their son and then watch their daughter choose to stay behind leaves us feeling every bit of the helplessness they must feel. There’s a finality to it that lasts. They’ll all (hopefully) continue to live from here on out, but those lives will never be the same.

10. Nate Sr.’s Murder (How to Get Away with Murder)

In itself, the ultimate fate of Nate’s father might not qualify for this list, if only because so many on the show have died and we only connected with him as a recurring character. What makes this so cruel, though, is everything that comes before it: After a long, hard-fought battle that at times seemed hopeless, Annalise pulled off yet another miracle and gave freedom to the man who had suffered so much in prison.

He and his son were meant to live together and find some semblance of peace. Then, just before that can happen, Nate Sr. is killed in an act of violence by the guards. Having everything ripped away after so much struggle made us wonder if we can ever trust the few moments of true happiness How To Get Away with Murder gives us.

11. Cole at Alison’s Grave (The Affair)

“I was coming back for her,” Cole admits to his mother the night of Alison’s funeral, when he’s sitting at her headstone holding her ashes in The Affair Season 4 Episode 10, “410.”

Cole: I drove across the entire country to come and get her, but I was too late. I am always too late.

This admission is equally as heartbreaking as her death, however it happened. Alison’s affair with Noah may have been the catalyst of the entire series, but from very early on, it’s clear that she and Cole are meant to be together. Ruth Wilson and Joshua Jackson certainly had the natural chemistry to support that.

When that chemistry exists, the acting often backs it up when one character is just talking about the other. The Affair is past the Emmy buzz stages. But Jackson certainly gives a performance worthy of consideration as he’s sitting there, confessing to his mother that he’s not sure he’s strong enough to go on without her.

The scene ends with Cole curled up in his mother’s lap like a child. He’s searching for the strength to go on raising his own child, though her mother and brother have passed on.

12. The Boston Globe Revelation (The Handmaid’s Tale)

There can be a difference between knowing what has happened to the world and actually having to see it unfold in front of you. We know that Gilead, the world of The Handmaid’s Tale, used to be part of the United States and how much was lost in the transition to a dystopian landscape. Truth has been thrown to the wayside, and so have those who report it.

Because of all these things, what happened to the Globe shouldn’t really be a shock. But discovering each detail slowly and learning the fates of all who worked at the newspaper is haunting. And can we also talk about Elizabeth Moss’ entirely silent performance? We need to talk about that, too.

Honorable Mention: Emily and Her Wife and Child are Separated

We knew of “Ofglen’s” past prior to her becoming a handmaid — that, as a lesbian, she was labeled a “gender traitor” and only saved because of her ability to bear children to other men. Seeing the moment her wife and son escape to Canada, leaving her behind, and knowing what that will mean highlights the horror that Gilead represents.

13. ”I Don’t Know How to Love Him/Judas’s Death” (Jesus Christ Superstar)

Some of the musicals brought to live television have been hit or miss. But John Legend leading the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar is hit after hit all the way through. Legend is incredible, of course, but some of the most powerful performances are delivered by Sara Bareilles as Mary and Brandon Victor Dixon as Judas.

“I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” speaking of unrequited love, is understated and quiet. The lead up to Judas’s death is anything but understated and quiet, and yet it, too, haunts us. Seeing the agony Judas is left with from his actions and the position he was placed in makes it nearly impossible to simply dismiss the man as a traitor — and his absence is nearly as jarring as his presence, with a final scene of a ladder falling as the music fades to a chorus.

14. Taystee’s Trial (Orange is the New Black)

Taystee came into season six of Orange is the New Black having already been through so much while still being willing to fight for all that she could. Yet the news delivered in the season finale — being sentenced to life in prison for a murder she did not commit — seems like one thing that may almost be insurmountable.

Her reaction to the verdict is devastating, but the grueling nature of the case starts long before the painful end. She has the support of the ACLU and Black Lives Matter. Above all, she’s innocent. And yet none of it matters. It’s a blow to every bit of hope we may have held.

Honorable Mention: Being released into the hands of ICE

The one thing that might salvage that hope is other inmates being granted the freedom now stolen from Taystee. Yet even this is not necessarily as it appears. Some inmates, like Piper, do indeed walk outside. However, others, including Blanca, are greeted by ICE agents. That they truly glimpsed freedom only to be sent immediately to a detention center rips something from us too.

15. Rufus’s Death (Timeless)

Timeless gives us another moment where a period of hope gives even more impact to the tragedy that follows. It’s an entirely too brief period of hope in this case. Jiya spends much of the episode fearing her that her own impact will fulfill her visions of her boyfriend’s demise. Instead, she’s able to safe his life.

Yet as soon as we feel that relief and joy, it’s snatched away when Rufus is killed by a party she didn’t predict. True, a cliffhanger twist means this is another death that doesn’t necessarily have to stick, but it doesn’t hurt any less as it happens. (Thankfully, the Timeless TV movie did undo Rufus’ demise.)

16. Ruby is Shot (On My Block)

On My Block is definitely funny. But one of the biggest plot lines in the show involves Caesar trying to avoid the gang life that his brother fell into. So there’s no avoiding the drama either.

Unfortunately, Caesar gets into some trouble, and it may cost his friends their lives.

In the last scene of Season 1 Episode 10, “Chapter 10,” rival gang members crash Olivia’s quinceañera and shoot her and Ruby. Though ambulances appear to be on their way, their fate is unclear.

Any shooting is tragic, of course. But what makes this particular scene extra heartbreaking is that Caesar is tasked with killing the shooter, Latrelle, in a previous episode, but lets him go with an understanding that they are both in similar situations.

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