Top 10 TV Moments That Surprised EVERYONE

Top 10 TV Moments That Surprised EVERYONE

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most iconic scenes from television that shook audiences to their core. We’ll be getting into major spoilers for various TV shows so consider this your warning!

#10: Nell Is the Bent-Neck Lady

“The Haunting of Hill House” (2018)

There’s a ton of scary sights to behold in Netflix’s acclaimed horror novel adaptation, and the Bent-Neck Lady might be the most unnerving character to unpack. The dark apparition terrorized young Nell Vance and eventually followed her into her adult life too. Nell thought that the Bent-Neck Lady was a ghost but later it would be revealed that it was actually her all along. Unfortunately for Nell she learned this when she tragically died. As you would expect, this moment was haunting. The reveal showed that the Bent-Neck Lady wasn’t just a scary ghost but instead a destructive self-fulfilling prophecy. It showed how Nell’s constant fears and anxieties which started as a young girl consumed her until the bitter end.

#9: The Ghorman Massacre

“Andor” (2022-25)

As the Ghorman people find their way of life disturbed by the Empire, their last stand against tyranny is swiftly stomped out. In several horrifying sequences the Ghormans are gunned down and killed by stormtroopers and battle droids. How often do we see something as brutal of this scale in “Star Wars”? In fact, how often do we see something so utterly destructive on a family-friendly streaming platform like “Disney+”? The Ghorman Massacre from “Andor” was a completely sobering look at violence that other “Star Wars” properties shied away from. It stunned audiences everywhere and reminded us just how evil the Empire is. What happened here utterly broke Cassian Andor, and it pretty much broke viewers everywhere too.

#8: Walter’s Death

“Breaking Bad” (2008-13)

There’s a good reason why Walter White is considered to be one of television’s greatest characters. His transformation from a mild-mannered dad to a mass-manipulating drug dealer is simply unrivaled. So considering how iconic he is, his death should be important too. After saving Jesse from some unsavory crooks, Walt is injured during the action. In his last moments alive he recollects on everything he built and bleeds out on the floor as authorities swoop in. When everything was all said and done, cancer wouldn’t be what finally killed him, it would be his own hubris. Well, technically a gunshot wound, but you get what we mean. His ambitions were ultimately his own undoing, and his death sent shockwaves across the TV landscape.

#7: They Have to Go Back

“Lost” (2004-10)

By the time the third season of this acclaimed series aired viewers thought they understood this show. Sure, “Lost” had numerous mysteries and plot points dangling around but fans figured they knew what they were getting into, and well, they were wrong. In the season three finale we get a scene with Jack and since he’s not on the island fans assumed this was a routine flashback. However, Kate’s appearance and Jack’s delivery of a now iconic phrase changed everything. The reveal that Jack and Kate actually left the island was mind boggling. What we saw was a flashforward, not a flashback, and that revelation blew the fans’ minds. Suddenly all the rules we thought we knew about “Lost” were effectively thrown out the window.

#6: Glenn’s Death

“The Walking Dead” (2010-22)

This is a franchise where fans know that no one is ever guaranteed to be safe, it’s filled with zombies after all! But just because “The Walking Dead” plays fast and loose with the lives of its characters doesn’t mean it isn’t shocking when fan-favorites are picked off. Look at Glenn Rhee for example. He was there from the start but that didn’t stop Negan from beating him to death with his barb-wired baseball bat. The carnage that unfolded in the season seven premiere was the talk of the town. It utterly changed the show forever and the characters were never the same either. Not only did Glenn’s death completely devastate fans, it also cemented Negan as one of television’s cruelest bad guys.

#5: Ned Stark Is Decapitated

“Game of Thrones” (2011-19)

If you want to talk about “OMG” moments then you have to talk about Ned Stark’s decapitation. This death happened several episodes into the start of “Game of Thrones” and it was monumental. That’s because up until then fans believed that Ned was the show’s main character. But that annoying brat King Joffrey ordered him to be executed and well, that’s what happened. If the guy everyone thought was the protagonist got his head chopped off just nine episodes in, it meant that all bets were off. Plus, Ned’s death incited the War of the Five Kings, a major plotpoint of the show. Ned Stark was a good man, but sadly good men don’t live very long in this show.

#4: Gemma Is Actually Ms. Casey

“Severance” (2022-25)

For a show that's all about splitting your work life and your home life in half, it doesn't take any half measures when it comes to its plot twists. From the start we knew that Mark Scout was dealing with pain. While his innie minded his business on the severed floor, his outtie grieved over his late wife Gemma. And eventually we discovered who she was. As Mark fixes a photo of her that he tore apart while drunk, it reveals that Gemma is Ms. Casey, another Lumon employee. This cliffhanger had “Severance” fans reeling, and soon theories flooded the internet. Did Gemma fake her death? Was she cloned by Lumon? Suffice to say, this was one heck of a conversation-starter.

#3: None of Them Are Actually in the Good Place

“The Good Place” (2016-20)

When it’s all said and done, imagine that you finally ended up in Heaven. That’d seem like a huge accomplishment, but what if Heaven was actually crappy? It wouldn’t seem like Heaven then right? Well sure enough, Eleanor realized that in the season one finale to "The Good Place”. In a shocking revelation she and her friends discovered that they were actually in the Bad Place all along! Despite being a comedy, this was a pretty dramatic reveal. It flipped everything on its head and suddenly added much more stakes to the story. Now fans wanted desperately to know if Eleanor and the crew would ever get to the real Good Place. This was already an entertaining show but now it was must-watch.

#2: Stringer Bell Dies

“The Wire” (2002-08)

Not to sound like we’re chasing our own tail or anything but we have to reiterate that fan-favorites are never guaranteed to be safe. Stringer Bell was one of the best parts of “The Wire” but that didn’t stop him from getting gunned down. He seemed like a rising star on the show and he came pretty close to taking over Avon Barksdale’s entire criminal enterprise. But unfortunately Brother Mouzone and Omar made sure to take him down for good. This decision wasn’t just a complete shock for fans, it was also a total surprise for Stringer’s actor Idris Elba! The bell tolls for everyone, and in the end it tolls for Stringer Bell too.

#1: The Cut to Black

“The Sopranos” (1999-2007)

Did Tony live or die? That’s the million dollar question for every “Sopranos” fan. In the finale Tony and his family enjoy a nice dinner with some iconic tunes playing. However, there’s unease sprinkled throughout as the camera focuses on several suspicious characters weaving in and out. And as Tony’s daughter Meadow finally arrives at the restaurant to join the family, the last frame rests on Tony’s face before cutting to black. If you thought your TV cut out at the worst possible time, you’re not alone. Everyone was thrown off by this abrupt end, but there’s a beauty to it. By keeping Tony’s fate a mystery, the show essentially remains a talking-point forever. Afterall, it’s been years and we’re still unpacking the ending!

Are there any huge reveals or major plot twists we left out? Drop the bombshells down in the comments!