The clever use of “I’m sorry”

It’s some sort of a western tradition to express sympathy and compassion for people you care that one often use the phrase “I’m sorry” when something untowarding or pitiful was said by the other party. E.g., “I’m pregnant by accident” “oh I’m so sorry!” or, “my dog just died” “oh I’m terribly sorry” in a highly sympathetic tone as if the whole incident was their fault. The fact that it’s not their fault brings huge irony to such use of the phrase “I’m sorry”. To a beginner of the English language one cannot help but wonder why would anyone be apologetic for something entirely unrelated to them. I’ve now heard an overdose of I’m sorry in desperate housewife to a point that I’m literally sick of it.

oh while we are on the subject of desperate housewife, how many times do they have to start a conversation with "we need to talk"? can we please avoid the cliche of stating the fact that talking will be involved in the next 5 minutes? especially a salient trait for the stupid single mom susan who is seemingly being raised by her 14 years old daughter. she might as well be a children's book author because her mental state was 5 years old also.