There are certain things in life that will, without fail, make me want to put on a hoodie and weep. The “Jurassic Bark” episode of Futurama, for one, or (I’m not proud of this, but here we are) the end of Jack, when an elderly-looking Jack says, “I made it, Mom. I’m a grown up.” I’m a wreck just thinking about it.
The most recent addition to my sobbing list: Max Richter’s “The Quality of Mercy,” better known as that emotionally destructive song from HBO’s The Leftovers (R.I.P.). It’s hard enough hearing it while Kevin is crying, or Nora is crying, or literally everyone on that show is crying, but it’s especially difficult when it’s set to the saddest scene in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air history.
Or Mufasa dying in The Lion King.
Or Jesse calling out “the great Heisenberg” in Breaking Bad.
Or — oh God — the lunch scene from Manchester By the Sea.
“The Quality of Mercy” even turns comedies into tragedies.
The “Everything Is Sadder with The Leftovers Music” series was created by Freshly Popped Culture, who, I assume, feed off the tears of easily emotionally manipulated saps like myself. It’s like the anti-Curb Your Enthusiasm music. One brings joy; the other, pain. Thank God it’s Friday. I need a few days to recover from “how come he don’t want me, man?”
(H/T Eric Goldman)
