Arthur (animation)/Tear Jerker

• In the episode "Lost!", Arthur goes on a bus for a swimming lesson, but sleeps through it and misses his stop. Depressed how he is broke and doesn't know the way back home, he lets out a tear.
• Pal eats too much sweets and junk food in "Sick as a Dog". The end result? He gets sick and is almost on the verge of death.
• D.W.'s mumbly, scratchy voice in "For Whom the Bell Tolls" sounds depressing.
• On one of Muffy's birthdays, she wants a huge bouncy house. But in order to get it, her favorite childhood tree has to be chopped down. Her despair at this and regret at ever wishing for the bouncy house is quite moving.
• D.W.'s attempt at the balance beam is quite unnerving.
  • So is her bad idea of climbing up a REALLY tall tree.
• THE GREAT MCGRADY. All of it. With Mrs. McGrady getting cancer, it's already sad enough, but the reactions from the kids are worse because of how realistic they were; Arthur and D.W. try their best to help Mrs. McGrady out, to the point that they become a bit of a burden, Francine is unable to face Mrs. McGrady feeling afraid for her, Muffy acts like nothing has changed, etc., etc.
• Arthur punching D.W. is a bit depressing, as it features a brother hitting his sister.
• Two Words: April 9th.
  • Buster can't feel bad for the school burning down in flames because he wasn't there.
  • Sue Ellen's favorite diary is left in the Elwood City School building.
    • Muffy, for once, isn't a Jerkass and tries numerous times to cheer her up by buying her various new diaries. Until the end, it doesn't really work.
  • Binky, who has an irrational fear of fire, pulls the school fire alarm in fear.
• George was teased because he can't read books.
• In "D.W.'s Time Trouble" D.W. is so angry Arthur took her to a movie she didn't want to see that she and her imaginary friend Nadine go back in time to when Arthur was born and change things around so that she's the older sibling. However, D.W. and Nadine start seeing their teenaged selves. Turns out the whole thing was a bad dream D.W. had. So she sleeps in Arthur's bed for the night.
  • The ending scene is both a Tear Jerker and a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming.
• In "Revenge of the Chip" D.W. is mad at her mom because she told her friends about D.W.'s chip incident from the previous episode. Mom made a promise with her, but she broke it and told an adult about it. Even more sad, D.W. runs away.

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