http://whatculture.com/tv/8-unexpectedly-disturbing-tv-episodes-time.php

“Television! Teacher, mother, secret lover…”

So says Homer Simpson — and his declaration rings true, to varying degrees, for each of us. TV is that friend you can turn to when life just gets to be too much; it’s a welcome respite from reality, a haven from heartbreak, and…essentially something to stare at while your mind melts into the abyss.

But sometimes the writers of even the most mindless and innocent television programs go temporarily ballistic — perhaps just to check if we’re still alive and kickin’ on our couches. And on those occasions, viewer: beware. Because while you may be plopping down in front of the television in hopes of “letting go”—well, your day’s emotional roller coaster ride is just beginning. The Fresh Prince getting shot? Urkel being choked to death? Plucky Duck careening off a cliff in a fiery car wreck? GOOD GOD. Before you know it, you’ve called out sick from work, withdrawn to the fetal position, and entered full-blown existential crisis mode.

Not all of these episodes made it past their first airing, but tragically for all of us, they’ve seeped firmly into our collective consciousness. Episodes such as…