23 ‘Very Special Episodes’ That Were Legitimately Touching

Along with democracy and that scribbly pattern now exclusive to medical waiting room water cups, the “very special episode” was a real relic of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Imagine if all the usual shenanigans had to take a time out because one of the Succession kids needed a lecture on drunk driving or their friend came out as gay. Hell, that was just a standard episode.

But not every “very special episode” was hokey and ineffective. From broader cultural issues to specific dangers of the time to heartfelt tributes to the real people who suffered behind the scenes, some properties handled it without drowning in cheese. That’s why user JeffreyJackoff asked r/AskReddit, “Which sitcom, from any era, had a ‘serious’ episode that particularly stood out to you?”