When Things Get Real: Top 7 Darkest Sitcom Moments

Despite constant jokes and ridiculous situations, many sitcoms deal with serious issues and sometimes feature the characters' deep and disturbing emotions. As a result, some scenes may come across as not so amusing and lighthearted, creating a sharp contrast to the rest of the show.

Here are seven sitcom moments that feel rather dark despite the series' excellent comedy.

7. Will's emotional breakdown (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)

Will Smith's character in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air grew up without his father, but the man reappears in his life in Season 4, only to leave his son again. When that happens, Will can't contain his emotions, making the scene incredibly tragic.

6. Abuse issues (Roseanne)

In Season 5, Roseanne's sister Jackie admits that her boyfriend Fisher has been physically abusing her. The sisters have dealt with domestic abuse since childhood, as their own father used to beat them.

5. Child abuse (Full House)

As Stephanie and her friend have a casual conversation in the sixth episode of Season 6, the latter reveals that his father beats him on a regular basis. The episode deals with this problem and manifests that it's important not to hush family abuse.

4. Car accident tragedy (Second Chance)

In Season 4, Carol's boyfriend Sandy, played by Matthew Perry, is hospitalized after a drunk driving accident. While the whole thing was played as a joke and Sandy looked like he was going to be just fine, the episode ends with the tragic news that he has died, and Carol is utterly devastated.

3. Seduction of Minors (Family Ties)

In Season 1 Episode 6, Uncle Arthur terrorizes underage Mallory, whom he first fondled and then tried to kiss. Although her parents make it clear that Arthur's behavior is intolerable, the whole episode feels incredibly cringeworthy and disturbing by today's standards.

2. Horrors of War (M*A*S*H)

In a mental hospital during the last days of the Korean War, Hawkeye Pierce shared a terrible memory. While hiding on a bus with refugees from an enemy patrol, he yelled at a woman to calm an infant, and the woman ended up strangling the baby to keep it from giving away the others.

1. Child Molestation (Diff'rent Strokes)

Episodes 16 and 17 of Diff'rent Strokes Season 5 will forever be remembered for the horrific incident in which the family's neighbor, a bicycle shop owner, invited Arnold and Dudley over to his house and turned out to be a pedophile who tried to molest them.