Raven Brunner’s Top 10 Pop Culture Cries of 2023

I cry a lot. So what, who cares? The pop culture sphere delivered many emotional moments in 2023 through movies, television, and just general “celebrities being celebrities” behavior.

From Showtime‘s heartbreaking drama Fellow Travelers to Michelle Yeoh accepting her award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role at the 2023 Screen Actors Guild awards for her work in the 2022 blockbuster Everything Everywhere All at Once, this year had me stocking up on boxes of tissues.

Then, there are new movies like All of Us Strangers and The Color Purple, which are undeniably tear-worthy dramas, along with my dumb decision to rewatch every sad episode of the 2009 Fox comedy-musical Glee…

Yeah, I’m going through it.

Ready to look back at the moments of 2023 that broke our hearts? Here’s my Top 10 Pop Culture Cries of 2023.

1. Forbidden Love in Fellow Travelers

   Fellow Travelers follows two men — played by Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey — as they navigate their taboo relationship through obstacles, like the height of McCarthyism in the 1950s, the Vietnam War, and the AIDS crisis. As a whole, the show is an emotional event and the love story being portrayed is as devastating as it is sexy and intoxicating. But, there is an unforgettable moment in Episode 7, called “White Nights,” that’ll shatter your heart, and hopefully nab Bomer an Emmy.

2. When Harry Styles Shaved His Head

   His hair?! His beautiful hair?! Harry Styles debuted his new look in November, which entailed shaving off his stunning, signature curls. The “Sign of the Times” singer has had quite the hair evolution since his rise to fame with One Direction in the 2010s, but nothing like this.

3. Andrew Scott Being UNWELL in All of Us Strangers

   Simply put, Andrew Scott‘s Adam is not doing well in All of Us Strangers. The movie, which premieres December 22, 2023 in the United States, follows Adam as he works through his childhood trauma and the tragic loss of his parents. Along the way, he meets his mysterious neighbor, who he falls in love with. Advertised as a ghost story, Adam works through his childhood memories in the present time, which leads to a deeply affecting scene where, as an adult, he crawls into his parents’ bed to seek comfort. Tears? Buckets and buckets of them!

4. *That* Confession in The Bear Season 2 Finale

   I don’t care what the award bodies have to say, The Bear is not a comedy. The Hulu series premiered its second season on June 22, 2023, and each episode seemed dedicated to being more depressing than the last. In the season finale, called “The Bear,” Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) gets stuck in the walk-in freezer during the opening night of his restaurant. He confesses that he isn’t deserving of love, which his new girlfriend overhears. “I’m a fucking psycho, that’s why I’m good at what I do… I am the best because I didn’t have any of this fucking bullshit,” he says. “I don’t need to provide any amusement or enjoyment. I don’t need to receive any amusement or enjoyment. I’m completely fine with that because no amount of good is worth how terrible this feels.” Well, that’s a shitty way to navigate life.

5. Burt Hummel in Glee’s “Laryngitis” Episode

   OK, just let me have this one. Halfway through the year, I decided to revisit Glee and all of — what I remember to be — my favorite episodes. As someone who has always identified as a Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) fan, I knew I had to watch the Season 1 episode “Laryngitis” for the angst and the great tunes. In the episode, Kurt pretends to be straight to forge a better relationship with his father, after having already come out as gay to him. The resolution of the episode saw Kurt’s dad, Burt Hummel (Mike O’Malley), apologizing to his son for hurting his feelings and delivering a speech about how he accepts him, no matter what. When Kurt tells him, “I’m going to work as hard as you to make this okay,” Burt shuts him down, saying, “You don’t have to work at anything, Kurt. Your job is to be yourself, and my job is to love you.” Um, OK. Did you hear that?! It’s the sound of my heart breaking. I don’t care if it’s 2023, Burt Hummel is still Father of the Year.

6. Familial Heartbreak in Fairyland

   Ready to hear about the best movie you’ve never seen? Fairyland is still waiting for distribution, but began making its rounds at the film festival circuit this year. The movie takes place in San Francisco in the 1970s and follows Alysia Abbott (Emilia Jones) from childhood to young adulthood. Alysia has trouble adjusting to being raised by her father Steve Abbott (Scoot McNairy), who comes out as gay after the death of her mother. Free from being married to a woman and invigorated by his newfound queer community, Steve neglects his fatherly duties and embarks on a bohemian lifestyle. As the AIDs crisis begins, the Abbotts and their loved ones find themselves with new heartbreaks. The story is complicated and beautiful, and will truly make you believe in unconditional love. It hurts in all the best ways.

7. Fantasia Performing “I’m Here” in The Color Purple

   Premiering on Christmas Day, The Color Purple is one of the most anticipated movies of 2023. While full reviews have yet to be published, early reactions to the movie musical have praised the performances and cinematography. Trust me, yes…. it is that good. Teased in the first movie trailer, Fantasia Barrino‘s rendition of “I’m Here” will leave you in shambles, both in the genuineness of the lyrics and Barrino’s brilliant portrayal. I have to keep my mouth shut on this movie for now, but it was a must on this list. There won’t be a dry eye in the theater, especially not during this memorable musical number.

8. Taylor Kitsch’s Tragic Demise in Painkiller

   The Netflix series Painkiller follows a variety of perspectives during the opioid crisis, one of which was Taylor Kitsch‘s Glen Kryger, a family man who developed an addiction after being injured at work. While Glen’s downfall is a familiar tale, Kitsch’s performance brings it to the next level. Glen bounces between sobriety and his unhinged addiction. After making amends with his family, he finds himself unable to escape the danger of opioid abuse. Despite the entire series feeling dark and twisted, Kitsch’s final scene is a gut punch.

9. Brotherly Love in The Last of Us

   We don’t see enough brotherly love on television! Episode 5 of The Last of Us, which aired on February 10, 2023, introduced Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to two new characters while on their journey through the zombie-infested land. They meet brothers Henry (Lamar Johnson) and Sam (Keivonn Montreal Woodard), and decide to escape the city together. Sam is deaf and relies on his older brother for protection. Everything is going as fine as it can go, given the circumstances, until one of the newbies gets bitted by a zombie. The next day, Henry and Sam have to make an impossible decision. It’s The Mist, but worse.

10. Michelle Yeoh’s Teary-Eyed SAG Acceptance Speech

    It’s a given: If you start crying, then I’m going to start crying. Michelle Yeoh has gotten plenty of deserved attention for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once throughout the year, but her speech at the Screen Actors Guild Award ceremony was unforgettable. Yeoh was on the verge of tears while she delivering a heartfelt message to her fans: “This is not just for me; this is for every little girl that looks like me.” My heart? It hurts?