Pomp & Circumstance: Graduation Episodes That Give Me The Feels

Ah, spring, when a young woman’s fancy turns to…finals and graduation and what comes next. It’s been a while since I graduated from anything, and my three graduation ceremonies (high school, undergrad, grad school) were actually pretty dull, but I still get a little misty-eyed whenever I hear the opening strains of “Pomp and Circumstance“. All that potential, those bright faces looking to the future while saying goodbye to the past. It’s an emotional time, guys.

Although my graduation ceremonies were devoid of drama or emotional speeches or anything but the most forced humor, television has given us some truly memorable graduation episodes. Herewith, the moments when fictional characters graduated from fictional schools and I got the feels.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – “The Prom”/”Graduation Day Part 1 & Part 2”

I know, technically this is three episodes, but in my mind, they’re basically one extended episode. At the end of season 3, Buffy and the Scooby Gang are poised to graduate. They’ve survived three years living on an active Hellmouth, battling all manner of vampires and other evil beings while keeping up with homework and extracurriculars.

“Graduation Day” itself is certainly memorable, what with the mayor turning into a giant demon snake; I don’t think I’ll ever forget Armin Shimerman’s Principal Snyder being devoured mid-rant. But what I really, really love about this episode is that moment, as all the parents, friends and extended family run screaming from the demon snake, when Buffy yells “NOW!”, and the entire student body removes their robes to reveal weapons and crosses, ready to fight.

This leads into why “The Prom” is on my list. In this episode, the Scoobies prepare to battle the Mayor, deal with their emotions about finishing high school, see relationships and friendships change, all set against the backdrop of going to prom, a remarkably normal thing for these definitely not normal teenagers to experience. And then, as the class awards are being given out during the dance, MC Jonathan announces a new category and calls for Buffy. When the spotlight finds our surprised slayer, Jonathan gives a speech saying that while they may not all be friends, the students noticed that whenever something weird or unusual happened, Buffy was always there to stop it and that most of them have been saved by her at least once. As a result, the Graduating Class of 1999 has the lowest mortality rate in Sunnydale High history. She is presented with an ornately decorated parasol bearing a small plaque saying ‘Buffy Summers – Class Protector’. It’s a perfect high school moment for Buffy, a gift before what’s coming in “Graduation Day”. I weep, friends. I weep.

Gilmore Girls – “Those Are Strings Pinocchio”

By the time Rory’s graduation from Chilton rolled around at the end of season 3, we knew to expect some serious heartwarming, tearjerking moments from this episode. And yes, I wept along with everyone else when Rory thanked Lorelai in her speech. But for me the most memorable moment from Rory’s graduation is the silly faces mother and daughter share as Rory accepts her diploma. That, in a nutshell, is the epitome of the loving, unique, crazy relationship those two have.

Father Knows Best – “Betty’s Graduation”

I grew up watching shows from the 1950s thanks to my Baby Boomer parents. Father Knows Best was one of my favorites, and this episode sticks out in my mind, although it wasn’t one of the show’s best. I always admired poised, beautiful Betty, so to see her afraid to graduate high school, to leave behind the known and embark on the unknown, made quite an impact. I was in junior high at the time, but when it was my turn to graduate from high school, I remembered Betty’s struggle and it helped me a bit to know that teenagers have been feeling the same fears that I was since (at least) 1956.  Click here to watch the episode on Hulu.

Veronica Mars – “Not Pictured”

(I can’t embed any scenes from this episode without spoiling an amazing, season-long story.)

This episode wrapped up one of the best seasons of a television show ever, and finally released Veronica Mars from her daily trial of attending high school. Veronica couldn’t get away from Neptune High fast enough, but before she could graduate at the top of her class, Veronica had to finally deduce who blew up the school bus that killed so many of her classmates at the beginning of the school year; endure a night thinking her father had been on a plane that blew up while she watched (I was in shock the first time I watched this happen); witness a suicide; get back together with her ex; and witness the arrest of a friend during the ceremony. She doesn’t do anything halfsies, does she?

What are your favorite graduation episodes? Did anything memorable – say, a demon snake attacking – happen at your graduation?