TV character deaths that were best for plot

I rarely invest time into a TV show anymore. At this point, I feel character death as a plot twist is very overused. It has gotten to the point that many shows are almost like fictional reality shows. Sopranos had "who will get whacked" predictions on radio shows. When that becomes the crux of a show (even a mafia or zombie show), it tends to become monotonous and boring.

I'm curious to know the deaths you felt were best for a show's plot. Here are mine.

1) Col. Henry Blake- M*A*S*H*. I know this is a trip into the wayback machine, but this was brilliant for its day. Before Blake crashed into the Sea of Japan, M*A*S*H* had become a "madcap war comedy." His death on the show dramatically changed the tone of the series and automatically switched gears towards a dramedy.

2) Leo McGarry-West Wing. The writers of the show turn John Spencer's death into a fascinating plot twist: what happens to an election when a Vice-Presidental candidate dies on election night? Do you delay the news? I loved John Spencer, but if he had to go....damn.
honorable mention: President Bartlett's longtime secretary dies when she gets struck by a drunk driver, pissing Bartlett off enough to doubt God and put out a cigarette in a church. Interesting stuff.

3) Tasha Yar-Star Trek the Next Generation. She was the "Super Yeoman Johnson" of Star Trek, the only recurring Star Trek character (other than the resurrected Spock) to get killed. Left room for Wharf (a much better character) and left room for Data to talk sex talk about her. There were just enough episodes with her in it after she died for the bitching fans to get over it IMHO.

4)Doakes/Lila West-Dexter. Dexter is one of those shows that I followed in the first season and quickly tired of in later seasons. A) How stupid ARE these cops? b) The pattern of Dexter following a killer through a season got boring. In the FIRST season, Doakes was the smart cop that figured Dexter out, only to be surprised (and blown up) by Dexter's NA sponsor and seductress. The great dialogue was short lived (pun intended) but the dialogue between Dexter and Doakes after the "reveal" and Lila and Dexter right before her death were priceless enough to mention these two in my eyes.

5)Spartacus: Kill Them ALL! DAMN I miss Andy Whitfield. This is THE best bloodbath series finale I can think of. (Because the series continued with another actor, albeit unintended and forced by Whitfield's untimely death, I consider the later episodes spin-offs).
Honorable mention: Phil Leotardo's death in The Sopranos. Another final parting "fuck you" vengeance shot for the fans. Plus the head made a nice crunch under the tires.

Any memorable TV deaths that were good for its plot you think I missed?

Valerie Hogan dying in the off season resulting in the series being renamed?

Nah, but Lem getting killed off in The Shield was pretty cool and made for all kinds of plot turns down the road. Kind of a crap show overall though.

And going back to The Sopranos, Adrianna getting got was pretty wild as well. Set the stage for all kinds of shit. Leotardo's death was just tying up loose ends to end the series.

Not sure how you'd rate this, but Lost killed off a lot of people, and many of them were done very well. I thought Charlie, Ana Lucia, Locke, and Jack all had good final moments that felt really appropriate and moving. Of course, Eko and Faraday kind of had derpy deaths.

Also, I was always amazed at the death of Admiral Cain in BSG. It genuinely surprised me, and was probably one of the last truly great moments that show attained. They came close, but they never really topped the Pegasus arc. It always felt like the perfect solution to that impasse to me.

San Il Defanso wrote: Not sure how you'd rate this, but Lost killed off a lot of people, and many of them were done very well. I thought Charlie, Ana Lucia, Locke, and Jack all had good final moments that felt really appropriate and moving. Of course, Eko and Faraday kind of had derpy deaths.

I never really followed Lost. The weird thing was, wasn't all the cast technically killed in the plane crash in the first place? When I did watch the show, it had this weird surreal Prisoner vibe to it.

daveroswell wrote:

San Il Defanso wrote: Not sure how you'd rate this, but Lost killed off a lot of people, and many of them were done very well. I thought Charlie, Ana Lucia, Locke, and Jack all had good final moments that felt really appropriate and moving. Of course, Eko and Faraday kind of had derpy deaths.

I never really followed Lost. The weird thing was, wasn't all the cast technically killed in the plane crash in the first place? When I did watch the show, it had this weird surreal Prisoner vibe to it.

No, the bulk of the show was spent figuring out why they survived in the first place, in a very roundabout kind of way.

Roy Fokker in the original Robotech.

As a kid you kept expecting him to come back...but he never does.


When Edith Bunker died in All in the Family. That was pretty memorable as well.

Best ever?

Bugs Bunny's deaths in What's Opera Doc

<derisive tone> Spear and magic helmet..</derisive tone>

great thread, Dave! I was honestly going to say President Bartlett's secretary (devastating) in WEST WING and Tasha Yar in Next Generation.

How about Mr. Hooper in Sesame Street? Holy crap, that was sad. Even the cast is crying in this one bit where Big Bird is trying to figure out death. Super heavy stuff.

Who was Phil Leotardo in Sopranos? I thought Pussy's death was good but the most affecting was Adriana's. Holy cow.


..and as a hardcore trekker, I gotta correct you. WORF. Not wharf like in San Francisco. JEEZ WHIZ

I barely remember Leo's death in West Wing but I sort of remember it being epic at the same time.

Not really a tv death, but (Firefly spoiler ahead)

Josh Look wrote: Not really a tv death, but (Firefly spoiler ahead)

Warning: Spoiler!

Wash from Firefly/Serenity is a very well placed death. In any other show/movie, one of the more central characters like Zoe, Jayne, or maybe even Mal would have died. They're warriors, it's what they do. But Joss kills off the comic relief, truly the least likely, and given how the last fight scene played it, it looks like he's not the only one. You believe the rest of the crew is in true danger because the character you'd never expect to have died already has. It's brilliant.

Nah. At that point the whole film was such a mess that I wasn't really buying any of it. Truly an arbitrary film. It felt like one of those choose-your-own-adventure books.

Henry Blake's death on M*A*S*H was pretty groundbreaking in its execution as well. The scene wasn't scripted. Gary Burgoff was handed a piece of paper at the last second and told to enter the room, read it, and they filmed as the actors reacted as they chose. This wasn't the kind of thing that was done at the time, and the cast was caught so off guard that none of them said anything. This wasn't merely a transition for the audience, it was a transition for the cast as well.

S.

repoman wrote: <derisive tone> Spear and magic helmet..</derisive tone>

Are you mocking my choice or do you think I'm mocking the thread? I have no clue. In any case Bugs death in that short is a legit entry and for me one of the greatest death scenes ever on TV. Beautifully executed.

Ren and Stimpy at the end of Space Madness is another one I like. Perfect ending to one of the best cartoon episodes ever. There's one in Farscape and another in Buffy I like too but they don't reasonate as well as the previous two.

Not mocking anything really. I love that cartoon. Bug's mocks Fudd in his "spear and magic helmet" which is what I was referring to.



This was the short that won an Oscar as well I think.

That was the third choice.

Spear and Magic Helmet!!

Spear and Magic Helmet??

But I realize now that the first season of Angel has a surprising (to me) death that has re-percussion's throughout every following season of the show. I was pissed at first but as the show went on I realized what a great choice it was and how much it helped the show out. I just didn't want the character to die.

I would have to agree wtih you guys about Henry Blake's death. I still get sad just thinking about it.