Sometimes life just makes you feel like youâre constantly being dragged through the mud. Blame it on a mid-semester slump, financial trouble, love drama or a perennial job hunt, but every now and then we just need a good cry about our lives. I rarely have random meltdowns when Iâm having a rough time, but if I switch on certain TV shows, itâs not long before the waterworks start.
Thereâs nothing better than curling up in bed and picking out a new show to watch, so hereâs your solution to combining your TV time with your emotional needs. I apologize for any unusual amounts of money spent on tissues.
1. Call the Midwife
Available on: Netflix
It may take you a while to get into this BBC drama, but I promise that youâll soon find childbirth and English nuns the most beautiful combination ever. Call the Midwife is a heartfelt, empowering show set in the 1950s and â60s that emphasizes the importance of female friendships and the natural strength that women have. You may cry happy tears at the birthing scenes, but the way the show covers difficult subjects such as Down syndrome, domestic abuse and alcoholism is absolutely heartbreaking.
2. The West Wing
Available on: Netflix
You could certainly cry over this show if you desperately miss the days of a normal presidency, but what always gets me on The West Wing is the genuine love and care the White House senior staff have for each other and President Bartlett. This political drama usually ends with very stirring monologues that, depending on the circumstances, can make you sob but will still leave you feeling hopeful. Watch out for Season 1âs Christmas episode about a homeless Korean War vetâs death if youâre feeling particularly vulnerable.
3. This Is Us
Available on: Hulu
If youâve heard anything about this show, itâs its ability to make anybody weep like a baby. Exploring a familyâs past and present and how the two timelines relate, This Is Us has the power to make you cry about your widowed grandpa one week and your struggles with anxiety the next week. I made the cathartic decision (mistake?) to binge the first seasonâs last few episodes in a row, and it wasâŠa wet experience, to say the least.
4. Doctor Who
Available on: Amazon Prime
At first glance, a show about a time-traveling alien and his human companions likely wouldnât be your cure for a teary mood. But the message behind these episodes is often about the importance of humanity, and the Doctor and his teamâs valiant attempts to save galaxies on a regular basis will definitely get you misty-eyed. While some episodes are just fun romps through the universe, look to any of the season finales for intense storylines and a definite cry. This upcoming year, the show is introducing its first female Doctor, which is all the more reason to start watching now!
5. black-ish
Available on: Hulu
The ABC comedy has always bravely tackled issues of racism, but has recently covered fiercely relatable topics such as Donald Trumpâs election, African-American representation in the media and the controversy of Columbus Day. Seeing as the actors are likely thinking of their own personal experiences in some of the showâs situations, black-ish definitely hits home when you need to cry over harsh reality.
6. Parenthood
Available on: Netflix
Before there was This Is Us, the standard, weepy family drama on TV was Parenthood. With a cast that includes Lauren Graham, Dax Shepard and Mae Whitman, Parenthood explores the relationships among a multigenerational family that faces Asperger syndrome, breast cancer and more. It may not have Milo Ventimiglia or flashbacks to the 1990s, but it definitely has what it takes to stir up a therapeutic cry.
7. Scrubs
Available on: Hulu
Okay, I get that Greyâs Anatomy is everyoneâs go-to medical show and that it still has the power to make everyone cry. But can I just point out that doctors once counted Scrubs as the most realistic medical TV show? They recognized narrator J.D.âs self-doubt and reflective manner of dealing with patients and appreciated the way hospital life was portrayed. On top of its more grounded storylines, Scrubs combines ridiculous humor with tear-jerking reality. Forget dramatic deaths Ă Â la McDreamy if you watch Scrubsâyouâre more likely to cry over J.D. losing his favorite patient to cancer, even though the death was totally expected. Episodes like âMy Screw Up,â âMy Old Ladyâ and âMy Catalystâ make me particularly weepy.
8. The Fosters
Available on: Netflix
Like with black-ish, the Freeform drama covers true-to-life situations that members of its multi-ethnic, blended family encounter. The Fosters most recently addressed DACA, so although it may feel too close to reality sometimes, seeing an active response on TV to today’s greatest issues is enough to stir up all the feels. Â
9. How I Met Your Mother
Available on: Netflix and Hulu
What started out as a fun, retrospective story about Ted Mosbyâs long path toward meeting his wife turned into one of the most emotional sitcoms ever by its last few years. Episodes such as âBad News,â âHow Your Mother Met Meâ and âTime Travelersâ include real, heartbreaking issues that everyone faces in some way throughout life. Given that HIMYM expertly combines heartache and joy, itâs the perfect cure for when youâre feeling blue. Although itâs leaving Netflix on Nov. 13, the show will still be available to stream on Hulu.
10. Law & Order: SVU
Available on: Netflix (Seasons 14-17) and Hulu (full series)
I personally canât handle SVU, but thereâs no doubt that its portrayal of New York City sex crimes and their victims is so brutally realistic that any episode would likely bring out tears youâre suppressing. Not only is Olivia Benson almost guaranteed to save the day, Law & Order often creates storylines from actual news, so watching the show can be a cathartic way of dealing with your stress over the worldâs state.
11. Lost
Available on: Netflix
Lost definitely isnât for everyone, but I recommend sticking through the first few episodes to see these characters fight for survival after their plane crashes on a mysterious island. Lost was one of the first major dramas to regularly use flashbacks as a storytelling device, and like This Is Us, it largely consists of charactersâ relationships with their families and past selves. Itâs not hard to grow attached to Flight 815âs survivors, which makes each season an emotional rollercoaster as their numbers diminish and theyâre forced to see ugly truths about themselves and each other.
12. Friday Night Lights
This drama isnât available on any major streaming outlets anymore, but it seems to appear on Netflix pretty frequently. If youâve spent any time on the internet, you probably know that the saying âclear eyes, full hearts, canât loseâ traces back to this beloved series. Depicting the residents of a small southern town who live for their high school football team, Friday Night Lights has the perfect mix of relatable teen angst and heart-wrenching trauma.
13. Glee
Available on: Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime
I sometimes forget Glee was a thing because it just feels like it came from a much simpler time. Whether itâs the castâs baby faces in the first season or the tribute episode following Cory Monteithâs death that gets you teary, Glee is equally heartbreaking and happy. Plus, what makes you feel better more than a singalong to the castâs glee club performances?
14. Nashville
Available on: Hulu
Basically, any show starring Connie Britton has the potential to be a tearjerker. The showâs most recent traumatic twist aside, Nashville portrays women finding their own inner strength while chasing their dreams. Like with Glee, it also has musical moments that add extra emotional punch.
15. Downton Abbey
Available on:Â Amazon Prime
Aka the show that made period dramas cool again. If you somehow missed the original run of Downton Abbey or even if the show’s last years just blended together for you, it’s a perfect concoction of scandal, elegance and heartbreak. I was a sobbing mess for most of Season 3, but all of the six seasons have plenty of tragedy to help you express your emotions.Â