The Most Shocking TV Deaths
#10: Charlie Pace
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“Lost” (2004-10) Anyone else still get chills when thinking about Charlie holding up his hand with the message “Not Penny’s Boat” on it? We do. Charlie Pace was a selfless team player to a fault when it came to caring about his fellow survivors, and that led to his tragic demise and one of the most memorable moments of the entire series. When Charlie willingly swam to turn on a device to facilitate communication from the island to the rest of the world, he sacrificed himself when a detonated grenade flooded the communication room. Luckily, this didn’t happen before he was able to warn Desmond of the dangers of the boat, making for a sequence that was both mind-blowing and gut-wrenching to watch.
#9: Glenn Rhee
“The Walking Dead” (2010-22) Negan was an all-time villain on this show, and one of his most horrific moments happened in the episode in which Glenn met his demise. When the Saviors captured members of Rick’s group, we had no idea how doomed everyone really was. Negan picked group members one by one to torture, starting with Abraham, almost going to Rosita, and ultimately settling on Glenn as his victim. Using “Lucille,” aptly named after his late wife, he killed Glenn, who shouted out for Maggie one last time before meeting his end. Glenn’s was not the only death in this episode, but his was the most horrific, and was also the one that left us breathless.
#8: Adriana La Cerva
“The Sopranos” (1999-2007) Any show about organized crime is bound to have more than a few grizzly deaths, and even though this one happened off-screen, it was still brutal. When Adriana told Chris about working as an FBI informant, she was almost killed by him. Instead, they decided to leave this life behind, until Chris realized that’s not going to work for him and he instead saved himself. Not only was she killed by Silvio, but also all of the betrayals that culminated in her death were unreal to watch. She was one of the few main characters on the show that was around since day one, so when she died, we definitely had no words.
#7: Zoe Barnes
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“House of Cards” (2013-18) Francis Underwood was a calmly scary person throughout his run time on the show, and although he never made a scene, that doesn’t mean he never made a stir. Zoe Barnes was a staple character in the first season of the show, as a motivated journalist collaborating with a power hungry politician, they seemed to be good for each other. They used one another to advance their careers, and for some extracurricular activities too. However, at the beginning of season two, it seemed Zoe was getting too close to the truth. Getting closer and closer to suspecting that Frank might have killed Peter Russo, Zoe’s fate was taken into his hands, and our jaws hit the floor when she was pushed in front of the train,
#6: Rita Morgan
“Dexter” (2006-13) Although there were many frightening killers on this show, there were none that gave us chills quite like the Trinity Killer. The game of cat and mouse between Dexter and Arthur Mitchell was spine-tingling and kept us on the edge of our seats. Watching their obsession for one another grow left us with a knowing feeling that their dynamic would eventually come to a boiling point. All seemed to be resolved when he was captured by Dexter, but it was not even close to the satisfying ending he was hoping for. He found his son on the bathroom floor next to his wife, Rita, who was dead in the tub. The words shocking and traumatic don’t do this moment justice, and we still haven’t recovered.
#5: Shireen Baratheon
“Game of Thrones” (2011-19) Familial issues were nothing new on this show by the time the fifth season rolled around, but this situation took that to new heights. Shireen’s father, Stannis, would do anything to gain power, including sacrificing his daughter, and his decision was unbelievable to say the least. Even more unbelievable is the scene in which he goes through with it, and we see Shireen burned at the stake. We were shown how truly cruel people can be in the name of strengthening their hold, even if the price is their own family. “Game of Thrones” certainly had its fair share of death and disturbing moments - like Hodor’s - but this one left a lasting impact that surpassed all others.
#4: Will Gardner
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“The Good Wife” (2009-16) While a lot of shows on this list had their viewers feeling familiar with death, this show was not one of them, which made this demise that much more shocking. Will Gardner was defending an accused murderer named Jeffrey, and believed in his innocence - while his co-workers were doubtful. The stress of the trial took its toll on both Will and Jeffrey, and it was unimaginable that one of them would snap in such a way. Jeffrey went on a shooting spree in the courtroom, ultimately killing his own lawyer. Will was a beloved character, portraying a successful lawyer, and a charismatic friend, and his loss was truly felt by the characters on the show and viewers alike.
#3: Joyce Summers
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1997-2003) Joyce Summers was the loving mother of Buffy, and had a nurturing role as a constant source of support to both Buffy and her sister, Dawn. Her death was truly a horribly memorable one, as she unexpectedly had a brain aneurysm, and was tragically found by her daughter. Following the cliffhanger ending of “I Was Made to Love You”, “The Body” opened us finding out what happened to Joyce, leaving us wordless for the entirety of the episode. This moment hits particularly hard for anyone who has lost a parent, and goes to show all viewers that life is precious, and those closest to us can be taken from us in an instant.
#2: Gustavo Fring
“Breaking Bad” (2008-13) Gus initially appeared as a seemingly harmless restaurant manager, and he seemed somewhat harmless even as we learned more about his underground antics. But, after he killed Victor with a box cutter after neatly putting away his dress clothes, we knew we were dealing with a true psychopath. He would keep up his terrifyingly calm demeanor while keeping everyone wondering if they would be his next victim, until Walt and Jesse were finally able to get a jump on him. They planted an explosive on Hector, and watching Gus straighten his tie as his life-ending injury is revealed in the episode that is aptly titled “Face Off” undoubtedly left us speechless. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Eddie Munson, “Stranger Things” (2016-)
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George O’Malley, “Grey’s Anatomy” (2005-)
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Lawrence Kutner, “House” (2004-12)
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Rayna Jaymes, “Nashville” (2012-18)
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Marissa Cooper, “The O.C.” (2003-07)
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#1: Logan Roy
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“Succession” (2018-23) Considering the premise of this show, Logan Roy’s death was inevitable, which made the fact that it was still an unexpected passing that much more impressive. In the beginning of the fourth and final season, Logan was in a bad place with his children, who demanded an apology that he refused to give for his parenting style. On a business trip to Sweden, Logan passed on the plane, but not before Tom phoned the siblings, who made amends and said goodbye to their father. The sudden death left the viewers and characters reeling. With the finale still many episodes away, the execution was as shocking as watching the children pick up the pieces following their father’s death.
