10 Devastating TV Show Moments That Came Out Of Nowhere

10. Big Bird Finds Out Mr Hooper Is Dead - Sesame Street

When considering devastating TV moments Sesame Street is unlikely to be the first show to come bounding into one’s mind. However, one episode in the shows hugely influential run stands out as significantly more serious and mature than any other. Will Lee (Mr Hooper) died on December 7th 1982, and rather than recast the role, or say that Mr. Hooper had retired or moved away, the producers decided to teach their young audience about the difficult topic of death.

In episode No. 1839, Big Bird (and the audience) learns that his friend Mr. Hooper has died. The episode goes to great lengths to show exactly what death means, and healthy ways of understanding and dealing with the loss. The showrunners make the incredibly ambitious decision of showing the characters grief and the reality of the sadness when a beloved friend passes on. It didn’t shield kids from the realities of the world, but taught them to remember the positive contributions a person made after they’re dead. The stark honesty and simplicity of the episode is surprisingly touching, particularly when Big Bird discusses how it feels to continue without Mr. Hooper:

‘We can remember him and remember him and remember him as much as we want too... But I don’t like it. It makes me sad’.

This is a show for preschoolers remember, and it’s doubly devastating when you consider that this is a real death that occured, not only character in the show.