The Best Emotional Dramas on Television
Everyone has ‘their’ show, the show that every week that time spot is cleared; work is paused, phone calls go unanswered and emails left without responses. In that 45 minute episode of your show, the connection between the cast, characters and the viewers is a strange phenomenon. Tears are inevitable once you’ve become emotionally attached to your favourite show, and these moments are what bring us back, asking for more.
Dr. Gregory House is a sarcastic, rude, humanist, true medical genius in the show named after him. With every episode of this hospital drama, comes a mysteriously ill patient. The diagnosis seems apparent, until it is incorrect, often leading to a race to beat the clock before the bewildered patient expires. An exciting drama, full of unexpected twists, turns, and outcomes, House is an easy show to become slightly obsessed with. Dr. House’s erratic behaviour towards his colleagues, patients, and the few friends he has, can be nothing short of mystifying, but after a few episodes, is expected and make him the man we all love to hate. Every episode was a nail-biter that left the audience breathless, sometimes tearful and always smirking at Dr. House’s drug induced satire.
In honour of the ending of the last season of House, we have compared a few other television dramas that could reduce even the toughest fan to tears, and most-likely did on the final episode of their beloved series. Here are our most-beloved emotion-filled dramas:
Friday Night Lights
Following the critical success of Peter Berg’s film adaptation of H.G. Bissinger’s account of the 1988 Odessa Permian Panther’s run at the State Championships, the format was translated to the small screen for a five season run. On TV, the residents of fictional Dillon, Texas, cheer their high school football team through highs and lows on and off the field. The small town backdrop allows the show to portray very real contemporary issues such as racism, abortion, education funding, drugs, and perceptions of a dead-end future. Friday Night Lights will have you rooting for these kids and their families, whether they’re cradling a pigskin, a text book, or a new-born.
Birdsong
Told through flashbacks alternating between Stephen Wraysford’s (Eddie Redmayne) memories of his love affair with Isabelle Azaire( Poesy) and his brutal experiences in World War I in the series Birdsong. Isabelle, the young wife of a man who helped him in the business world, whom he met prior to the war, consumes his mind and his heart. The story of their love is portrayed after his brutal wounding in the war. His memories show the two running away together, but Isabelle leaving Stephen shortly after. After a few chance meetings with Isabelle, that only break Stephen’s heart even further, and more injuries, the war is finally coming to a close. After discovering that Isabelle has died, he finds he has a seven year old daughter, which hurts him to know Isabelle never shared this with him. Between the love story, the war scenes and the discovery, and eventual meeting, of his daughter, the emotional journey that Birdsong takes is a difficult one.
ER
Following the Emergency Room at County General Hospital in Chicago, ER ran for 15 seasons, clearly appealing to a strong fan base. The story takes place in and around the ER, including those working there, needing medical attention there, and the relationships that are formed through it all. Hospital shows can often take a heavy toll on audiences’ emotions for a number of reasons. As the seasons progress, opinions and relationships form in accordance to the main characters, creating the illusion that the viewer actually has a personal relationship with them. Empathy for the sick and injured coming into the ER is always a difficult aspect, especially if a doctor-patient relationship forms, allowing the viewer to see further into the disease’s personal life. The themes of life and death are essential in ER and, generally, impact emotions heavily.
Grey’s Anatomy
Another hospital show that gained dedicated popularity was Grey’s Anatomy. Narrated mostly by Dr. Meredith Grey, this medical drama heavily focused on the personal and professional lives of the surgical interns and residents, as they grow into seasonal doctors. Due to the relentless hours of a medical lifestyle, the show focused on the relationships taking place within the hospital. Constantly changing personal affairs interfering with their professional lives drew in a huge following for the attractive cast members. From adultery and sex to births and bombings, Greys Anatomy always kept its audience begging for more. The day Grey’s Anatomy ends will be a sad day for the dedicated cult-like following for this entertaining medical drama.
Dawson’s Creek
One of the first of its kind, Dawson’s Creek followed the lives of a close knit group of teens as they conquered high school in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts. This show was considered controversial by many adults because of the often sexual related content. Delving into these issues that, in the late 90’s, were seen as taboo by overprotective parents, only fuelled the explosive popularity the show saw with its teenage fan base. The easily relatable characters regularly dealt with the hard daily issues of teenage life. Along with conquering the trials of the path to adulthood, the relationships, fun parties and the relaxed atmosphere of show earned it the nickname the ‘teen’s dream’. When Dawson’s Creek announced the end of the show, the news was not taken lightly by dedicated fans. The connections felt between audience and characters could be interpreted as friendships. Many a tear were shed at the end of this dearly beloved series.
Proving all good things must come to an end, catch the eighth and final season of the medical drama masterpiece – House, on Blu-ray and DVD October 22 from Universal Pictures. Can you hold back your emotions?
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