Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

The Most Unexpected TV Character Deaths Of All-Time

Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo ‘Gus’ Fring in "Breaking Bad"
AMC/Sony Pictures Television

The death of certain TV characters in dramatic television can be jarring.

But extinguishing the life of some of your favorite protagonists–or even villains–is a necessity in order to advance the over-arching plot.

Other times, a character's sudden exit may have more to do with issues behind the scenes–like problematic actors being written off the show or a star of a show dying in real life.

Those deaths are sometimes handled poorly as writers suddenly attempt to scramble together a cohesive narrative that winds up failing and drawing criticism from loyal fans of the show.


Curious to hear about the surprising departures of characters on TV, Redditor BuckNa3ty asked:

"What was the most unexpected death in the show you watched?"

Dramas wouldn't be popular without controversial deaths.

Death On Wisteria Lane

"Mike from Desperate Housewives."

– Miss__Snrub

Literally Mind-Blowing

"Gus Fring Breaking Bad"

"That image of him walking out of the room is seared into my mind."

– send_tits_n_tats

Vigilante Serial Killer's Damaged Girlfriend

"Rita in Dexter."

– quivx

"I actually screamed what the f'k at the TV."

"Coincidentally that's when the show really stopped being good. Season 5 was garbage."

– BanIslandWasFull

How Dan Stevens Pursued A Movie Career

"Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey."

– Long-Tall-Sally61

Even medical procedurals had unexpected character exits.

Sacred Heart's Gossipy Nurse

"Laverne in Scrubs :("

"Edit: how did I forget Ben???"

– Whenyouattewhen

"Even the 'regular;' patient deaths in scrubs - like the nice old lady that died from a hospital acquired infection because she and Cabbage had a farewell moment when Cabbage had dirty hands."

– ReferenceTight1851

Duty Called

"Kutner, portrayed by Kal Penn in House M.D. The guy went to work with Obama so he needed to leave the show asap."

– Expensive-Tax5328

Killed By A Schizophrenic Patient

"Lucy on 'ER.'”

– LowerSeaworthiness

People still talk about the demise of these characters.

Illogical Death

"Death from Supernatural."

"Best character in the show... Killed by one of the DUMBEST written scenes ever to grace cinema."

"Dude is on the same power level as God himself, in fact he himself stated that in the end he'll take God too... But he was killed by a human. Show is so stupid sometimes."

– IBreedBagels

Season-Ender With A Bang

"The Byrdes' lawyer, Helen Pierce, in Ozark."

– melanchollist

Better Call An Ambulance

"howard hamlin."

– HungrymanH

"The whole season I knew something bad would happen to Howard, but I was honestly so thrown off when it happened. It was so sudden and it was sad that a character so pivotal to the show was just thrown out like that and disposed of with no hesitation. Probably one of the hardest deaths in BCS, alongside Werner Ziegler."

– SlavetoBeefShawarma

Most Graphic Exit

"Glenn from walking dead."

– Jeffthechef03

HBO's Six Feet Under was brilliant for challenging expectations.

Every episode started with the death of an ancillary character who winds up being a cadaver on the coroner's table at the Fisher & Sons Funeral Home.

Viewers knew these unfortunate characters would eventually perish at some point during the three-minute-long intro, but they never knew how because of the way each scene was directed to throw off audiences.

To me, these expected unexpected deaths were always something to look forward to in succeeding episodes.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshots from @realprogressive11's TikTok video
@realprogressive11/TikTok

Rural Michigan Woman Speaks Out About 'Dystopian' Grocery Costs In Eye-Opening Video

TikToker @realprogressive11, a rural Michigan resident, is tired of dancing around the subject and is ready to call it like it is: according to her, grocery shopping has become a "dystopian" experience.

And based on other TikTokers' experiences, this isn't specific to Michigan.

Keep ReadingShow less
Andrew Rannells Just Dished On How Dating Anderson Cooper At 25 Directly Inspired 'Girls' Storyline—And Our Jaws Are On The Floor
Daily Beast/Obsessed; Gary Gershoff/Getty Images

Andrew Rannells Just Dished On How Dating Anderson Cooper At 25 Directly Inspired 'Girls' Storyline—And Our Jaws Are On The Floor

After years of speculation, the tea has finally been spilled about who inspired Elijah Krantz and Dill Harcourt's relationship.

In case you missed it, the hit TV show Girls aired for six seasons from 2012 to 2017, and followed the lives of four young women making their way through early romance and career moves in New York City.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tom Holland and Zendaya
Pablo Cuadra/WireImage/Getty Images

Tom Holland Just Confirmed The Months-Long Rumors That He And Zendaya Got Married—And His Comments Have Fans Swooning

American actor and singer Zendaya and British actor and dancer Tom Holland first met in 2016 during the screen test and casting process for their roles in the 2017 Marvel made/Sony approved movie Spider-Man: Homecoming. The pair, both born in 1996, were successful child actors transitioning into adults, but still playing teens on camera.

They became fast friends, but didn't begin dating until sometime later, even if fans thought the attraction happened much sooner. They finally confirmed their relationship in 2021.

Keep ReadingShow less
Billy Porter; Elisabeth Hasselbeck
CBS Mornings

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Is Getting Some Major Side-Eye After Making Bizarre Dig At Billy Porter During Interview

Conservative TV host Elisabeth Hasselbeck first gained public notice in 2001 as a contestant on the second season of the CBS reality show Survivor, then she furthered her fame by marrying NFL player Tim Hasselbeck the following year.

After that, she became the conservative voice on The View for a decade (2003-2013), frequently clashing with her co-hosts and garnering animosity from viewers. Portraying herself as a trad-wife while in reality being a working mother, her next stint was on Fox News' Fox & Friends from 2013 to 2015 before being replaced by Sean Hannity paramour Ainsley Earhardt.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of JD Vance and Whoopi Goldberg
Fox News; The View

JD Vance Ripped After Running To Fox News To Whine About Whoopi Goldberg Supposedly Calling Him 'Racist' On 'The View'

Vice President JD Vance was criticized after he complained on Fox News that The View moderator Whoopi Goldberg had called him a "racist" during his appearance on the program.

While on The View, Vance sidestepped a question from Goldberg about concerns that the Trump administration was marginalizing Black history and communities.

Keep ReadingShow less