What are your favorite "serious" moments on sitcoms? Here are two of mine:
*LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY Laverne sings at a special show at her dad's pizza place. Unfortunately, she's a terrible singer! Finally, Squiggy confronts her in the women's bathroom. Showing surprising intelligence, he convinces her that her voice isn't designed for a ballad, it's more suited for a "novelty" song. Later, she sings a duet with Lenny, which is better received.
*THE ODD COUPLE Felix gets Oscar a writing job at a men's magazine. But Felix isn't very happy there. Feeling bad about it, Felix goes to Oscar's boss and convinces him to give Felix his old job back.

Oh, I have plenty - that's if you're talking about sad scenes, scenes that kinda get you a little misty-eyed.....

Roseanne - the scene where Roseanne finds out that Fisher had been abusing Jackie and Jackie's crying because she's embarrassed that she's being abused and she tells Roseanne that she didn't want anybody to find out.

The episode where Roseanne spanks DJ, and she feels really bad about it and Roseanne is later talking to DJ at the table and she's telling him how she was hit as a kid and she says that she's sorry she hit him and he says "I'm sorry you got hit".

M*A*S*H - the episode where Hot Lips starts feeding a stray dog that she sees wandering around the camp, then she finds out later that it got hit by a jeep.

The episode where Hot Lips gets jealous because she hears the other nurses in their tent laughing and having a good time and how they never invite her. Then later while she's yelling at them, she starts talking about how they never invite her and one of them says "We didn't think you'd accept".

Golden Girls - the episode where Sophia befriends a man who she finds out later has Alzheimer's. This is such a sad ep and I think it's Estelle Getty at her best.

Wings - Joe's speech to Helen in the elevator about how they should be together and growing old together and how could she think of marrying Davis.

I have a bunch more but I would be typing forever!!!

Golden Girls - Sophia talks a friend out of committing suicide and then at the end of the episode, tells a baby the other girls are watching about how he's at the beginning of his life and there are rough patches ahead. He starts crying, she tells him to stop so Rose, Blanche and Dorothy won't come in and soothe him by singing, then she kisses him.

ALL IN THE FAMILY--Michael and Gloria have a violent argument. Edith intervines and calms the two of them down. Later, Archie tells her he's proud of her for doing that.
THE ODD COUPLE--Oscar falls in love with a princess--a genuine princess of a small European nation! He actually proposes to her, but sadly her royal duties prevent her from marrying him.
GILLIGAN'S ISLAND--Gilligan realizes that his own stupidity is keeping them on the island. He decides to do better, and as a result, they do escape. . . oh, that never happenned!:lol:

All In The Family--Edith gets attacked on her 50th Bday parts 1 & 2.
Happy Days--When Arnold's burns down because of Chachi and Fonzie rips into him.

Frasier - Niles heart scare, they handled it lightly, and not too seriously.

M*A*S*H - The final few seasons, it became very serious in tone, but it was still good, just really melancholy.

Seinfeld - Susan's death was handled in a way that only Seinfeld could handle it.

All In The Family--Edith gets attacked on her 50th Bday parts 1 & 2.

That episode still gets to me.

HAPPY DAYS--Ralph accidently runs over Fonzie's beloved motocycle. Knowing that Fonzie will beat Ralph up, Ritchie and his parents "kidnap" Fonzie and hold him untill his anger subsides.

Spin City - Michael J Fox's last episode

THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW--An army buddy invites Phil to spend the weekend at his house. When Phil gets there, he realizes that the guy is dirt-poor, and he's working at a dead end job for less money than he should be getting. So Phil uses his con man skills to get the guy more money.
THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW--Lou has Mary in her office to discaplin her for something she did wrong. Ted walks in and starts a typically stupid rant. So Murry walks in, says "Just passing by," and escorts Ted out! (A funny scene, but with a serious intent.)

[QUOTE=comedyfreak]All In The Family--Edith gets attacked on her 50th Bday parts 1 & 2.
That episode was done tastefully. Today Edith would be forced to be asked to remove her underwear. For the episode, viewers got the point. It was a frightening situation for Edith. Another episode from All In the Family I liked and had Archie moments was the Hector Gonzano?? in the elevator with his pregnant wife. Archie's face!!!

There was a Laverne and Shirley episode where Mrs Babbish's niece/daughter, who is a bit mentally challenged visits and Mrs B is afraid what Lenny and Squiggy's reaction will be. The Boys treated the girl with love and care. I haven't seen that episode in a while but I first saw 35 or so years ago, I felt, that's nice.

Home Improvement- "The Longest Day" episode in season 5 Tim & Jill are worried that Randy might have cancer.

I think both "Family Matters" and "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" had some well-done serious moments.

"Family Matters":
* Carl meets the widow of this man, whose life he hadn't been able to save.
* Harriet's and Rachel's supposedly dead father turns up.
* Some "very special episodes" about racism and violence.

"Fresh Prince of Bel Air":
* Will's dead-beat father turns up, only to show once again how selfish he is.
* Carlton accidentally takes some drugs, so he ends up in the hospital.
* Will gets shot by a robber.

BENSON--The ghost of Jessica visits him. At the end of the episode, she tells him she loves him. Very sad, but very sweet.

Friends ...TOW the Morning After... fun and games becomes serious when Rachel discovers Ross's infidelity.
Will and Grace ...When George Truman diies and Will blames himself for it.
How I Met Your Mother.. Marshall finds out that his father dies and he tries to find the last words he said to him for his funeral
Edith 's Crisis of Faith .. when Beverly LaSalle is murdered and Edith's faith in God is tested.
Designing Women ..."Killing All the Right People" and of course "They Shoot Fat People Don't They?"