13 Most Heart-Breaking Sitcom Moments Of All Time

12. The Lift - Only Fools And Horses

Only Fools And Horses
BBC

With the perennially down-on-their-luck Trotter family at its centre, classic British sitcom Only Fools and Horses often found a way to laugh at misfortune, but knew when to mine it for something deeper too.

No storyline represents that better than Cassandra's miscarriage, and the tearful scene she and Rodney share is right up there. Just beating it out, however, is the moment between Del Boy and Rodders when the lift in Nelson Mandela House breaks down, trapping them inside.

The situation forces a closed-off Rodney to really open up about his grief, with an outpouring of emotion and anguish that surpassed anything else he did on the series. That alone is great, but then the twist - that Del stopped the lift to force him to talk - really cements it, showing just how strong their brotherly bond really is, and that's the heart of the show right there.

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Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.