In an effort to appeal to as wide a range of viewers as possible, sitcoms rarely evangelize. But even the separation between church and screen is easily breached if it results in a particularly memorable episode.

Fonzie Prays to God ("Happy Days," Episode 106: "Richie Almost Dies")

The Fonz (Henry Winkler) wasn't too cool for religion in general -- he even spent an episode speaking to a priest before getting baptized and leading the cast in a hymn -- but this episode took the rebel's spirituality to a new plane as he tearfully prayed to God to help Richie (Ron Howard) come out of a postcrash coma. If that didn't make you cry, you're as heartless as Potsie.

Archie Tries the Lord ("All in the Family," Episode 96: "Archie and the Miracle")

He might have been a closed-minded, bigoted loudmouth, but even Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) understood the frailty of his own mortality. After nearly meeting his maker during a loading-dock accident, he rededicates himself to doing the Lord's work. His newfound religious passion only lasts an episode -- Sunday is his treasured game day, after all -- but it struck a chord with viewers by so closely mirroring their own contradictions. .

There's nothing funny about death, but savvy sitcom writers didn't let that stop them from incorporating it into their work. At times lighthearted, at times deeply moving, these episodes did more than make us stop and think -- they helped us heal.

A Future Without Phil ("NewsRadio," Episode 76: "Bill Moves On")

The death of the multitalented Phil Hartman rocked the entertainment world to its core, and few felt it as profoundly as the cast of "NewsRadio." They bravely met this challenge head-on in the first episode of their fifth season, in which it is explained that Phil's character, Bill McNeal, died of a heart attack. Through wry posthumous letters and heartfelt performances by the rest of the cast, we watched them cope with their loss. Moving, tearful, funny and classy, it endures as a wonderful send-off to a clearly loved actor.

John Ritter's Curtain Call ("8 Simple Rules," Episode 32: "Goodbye")

Fate has a cruel way of giving only to take; such was the case with John Ritter's comeback role as patriarch Paul Hennessey on "8 Simple Rules." His untimely death stunned cast members and audiences alike, but rather than avoid it with a shoddily scribbled excuse, the writers faced the music in a touching two-part tearjerker in which the family coped with their loss by openly grieving their dearly departed dad.

Laverne Loses a Boyfriend ("Laverne & Shirley," Episode 104: "Why Did the Fireman ...")

It doesn't have to be real to be potent. Guest-star Ted Danson played Laverne's firefighting boyfriend in an episode that touched upon several layers of the mourning process, taking viewers through Laverne's shock, denial and subsequent acceptance of her lover's passing.

Blurring the line between fantasy and reality isn't just for Ricardo Montalban. What do you do when you've rewritten every stale joke and tackled every hot-button issue? How about read the newspaper? Indeed, some sitcoms did the unthinkable by breaking the fourth wall and responding to the very shows with which they routinely competed -- the nightly news.

WKRP Deals With the Who Concert Catastrophe ("WKRP in Cincinnati," Episode 41: "In Concert")

This two-parter was exceedingly poignant in reproducing the tragic events of Cincinnati's 1979 Who concert. The first part was a mostly pleasant affair in which station manager Arthur Carlson took his son to see the Who, followed by the sad, brutal reveal that 11 kids had been trampled to death that very night. Dedicated to the families of the kids, it remains one of the show's crowning achievements. Along with the Turkey Drop, of course.

Punky Faces a Challenge ("Punky Brewster," Episode 44: "Accidents Happen")

OK, so "Punky Brewster" wasn't an enduring show. But it had its moments, particularly in this somewhat forced episode featuring none other than legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who helps Punky come to grips with the recent Challenger space shuttle explosion. Rumor has it this episode was based on 10-year-old Soleil Moon Frye's actual reaction to the event. .