Game of Thrones is known for killing off characters, so we’re not going to list everyone who’s died in the show. We are, however, going to bring up the death of Eddard "Ned" Stark.
See, at the time, anyone who hadn’t read the books thought he was going to be our hero – our savior. Then, he lost his head.
John Ritter was one of the best comedic actors on TV in 8 Simple Rules, but he died unexpectedly during the show's filming. The only thing the show could do was also have him die in the show.
The series had two episodes titled “Goodbye” that handled the family’s reaction to patriarch Paul's deal. It was heartbreaking, and we cried with them.
Grey’s Anatomy is another series that loves killing its characters, and fan-favorite anxious lad George O'Malley hit us like a bus— oh, too soon? George was hit by a bus while trying to save a woman. George, unrecognizable due to his injuries, had been fighting for his life. The doctors, including his friends, didn't realize it was him until he managed to weakly trace "007" on Meredith's hand.
Despite surgery, complications arose, and George's brain swelling became fatal. Actor T.R. Knight's departure from the show coincided with George's death due to alleged behind-the-scenes tension. From a character development perspective, some fans felt George was finally finding his footing as a surgeon, making his death feel premature.
It seems like The Walking Dead can’t keep their actors and actresses alive! We know it’s a zombie apocalypse but wow. Lori was one of the first, but a lot of people were happy to see her go.
People weren’t happy after what happened to Abraham and Glenn. In fact, the show lost a lot of viewers after this choice.
Grey's Anatomy dealt another heavy blow to fans with Derek Shepherd's death in Season 11. In a shocking turn, Derek gets into a car accident on the way to work. While the initial impact seems survivable, a series of unfortunate mistakes at an under-equipped hospital lead to fatal complications. Faced with a brain-dead Derek, Meredith is forced to make the heartbreaking decision to take him off life support.
Actor Patrick Dempsey's exit from Grey's Anatomy necessitated Derek's death, leaving fans divided. Some felt his death, while impactful, cut short the central love story of the show with Meredith Grey. Others questioned the contrived circumstances of the car accident and medical errors. Regardless, Derek's demise changed the entire tone of the show, much like George's in Season 6.
You wouldn’t think that a courtroom drama would have character deaths, but here we are — especially a show called The Good Wife.
In the show, Alicia Florrick’s once-lover and old friend, Will Gardener, is killed off suddenly in season five when an angry client shoots him in court. It was tough and had a huge impact on the show.
Anyone who watched Charmed can tell you that Prue’s death was a blessing and a curse. Prue had conflict with her castmates, and fans could see it in the show.
Once she passed, the show replaced her with Paige, their half-sister. It was clearly a good decision, considering it lasted five seasons after the swap.
Scandal was by the same person did Grey’s Anatomy, so deaths were going to happen. Harrison Wright’s death wasn’t just because it was time for his character to go.
It wasn’t a secret that he had been having drug problems, and that wasn’t sitting right with the creator. The character was killed and removed from the show.
Long before the crushing blow in Season 5, Downton Abbey fans were left devastated by the sudden death of Lady Sybil. In a tragic turn during childbirth, complications arose from undiagnosed pre-eclampsia. Despite medical intervention, Sybil's condition worsened rapidly, leading to seizures and her heartbreaking passing surrounded by loved ones.
The actress, Jessica Brown Findlay, reportedly decided to pursue other roles, which is why she was written out. While some felt robbed of seeing Sybil blossom as a mother and navigate the changing social order, her death wasn't completely in vain. It served as a stark reminder of the show's high stakes, proving no character was safe. The loss also deeply affected Tom Branson and the entire Crawley family, shaping their dynamics for seasons to come.
Lost saw a lot of character deaths during its run, but few were as hard as Charlie and Juliet Burke. People came to love Charlie, even if he was a little crazy at times.
Then there was Juliet who everyone was sure was one of the “bad guys,” so to speak. Then there was the finale… We’re not gonna talk about that. Just focus on Charlie. At least losing him was semi-bearable!
One of the most shocking things to happen to any series was that the This Is Us writers killed Jack. The tricky part was that the audience expected him to die, but we just didn't know how.
Then, we suspected it was in a house fire, but he escaped! Sadly, he died of cardiac arrest hours later due to smoke inhalation. Jack’s death was shocking and devastating.
NCIS has a habit of killing off several characters that emotionally break fans. It’s hard to pin down the one that lands it on this list. Was it Mike Franks?
Or how about Jenny Shepard? Could it be Paula Cassidy? We’re going with Jenny Shepard since she was a main character. As hard as it was to see Mike Franks and Paula Cassidy go, they were more side characters.
If 24 is known for anything, it was the death of Teri Bauer. She was Jack Bauer’s wife, and audiences watched her die at the very end of the first season.
Then there was George Mason, President Palmer, and Edgar Stiles. We’re just scratching the surface. How could you do this to your characters, 24?!
The actor who portrayed Matthew Crawley asked to be written off Downton Abbey, but they could have executed it in a better way... Pun intended.
We were left in shambles when his character died in a car accident on the way back from meeting his newborn son—his new son! Our hearts!
Out of all the character deaths out there, none hit as hard as Mrs. Landingham’s in The West Wing. She’d gone through so much, but she was still killed by a drunk driver in the second season of the series.
This episode will always break our hearts. What is it like to be a writer in these rooms, just picking our favorites and torturing them? Is it fun?! Are you happy!?!
