TV deaths that shocked/surprised you? (television, Ohio, show, house)

[sayulita]

John Ritter's death. A real life death. So sad and shocking.

[trlhiker]

Originally Posted by sayulita

John Ritter's death. A real life death. So sad and shocking.

I remember watching the show he was on and how they handled his death. Very sad.


Henry Blakes death on MASH was a big shocker as mentioned before.

[Ohiogirl81]

Sybil Branson on Downton Abbey - I did not expect that.

Lane Pryce hanging himself on Mad Men was pretty shocking, too.

Soap opera deaths were easier to be shocked about before the days of internet spoilers and instant publicity of cast changes. Now I just think - Oh, here it comes. And why get all upset these days about a soap character dying anyway, since they're just as likely to come back to life, either as themselves or as their evil twin.

Some soap deaths I thought were particularly shocking were Mary Ryan on Ryan's Hope, killed by her sister's gangster in-laws, Edmund Coleridge on Ryan's Hope, a baby killed in a house explosion, and Diana Taylor on General Hospital, bludgeoned to death in her apartment's laundry room with her young son nearby.

Other surprising deaths on GH were Alan Quartermaine, BJ Jones - although some very good storylines came from her death - and Tony Jones.

Originally Posted by Grandstander

An unexpected and quite moving death was Secret Service Agent Simon Donovan (Mark Harmon) on The West Wing. He gets gunned down by an unseen second robber after he has gotten the drop on a would be convenience store robber. This while Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" is playing hauntingly in the background.

Equally unexpected was the senseless car accident death of Mrs Van Landingham. It set up what was perhaps the most powerful scene in the show's run...President Bartlett alone in the National Cathedral, ripping God a new one for its capricious ways.

Both of those deaths were wrenching, as was Leo's death, made necessary by the mid-season death of John Spencer.

[Grandstander]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

Both of those deaths were wrenching, as was Leo's death, made necessary by the mid-season death of John Spencer.

We cannot say that Leo's death was unexpected since Spencer's death was known to us all several episodes ahead of when the program killed Leo. At least they handled it in a straight forward manner, none of that preposterous teasing like they tried to do with Jock Ewing on Dallas after Jim Davis died between seasons.

Those situations are kinda creepy, knowing that a series actor has died, and knowing that the show is going to have to kill the character. There is an in between period where the actor is dead, but they are still showing the last episodes where the character is still alive. The viewer ceases to see the character at all and is just watching the vultures circling over head, waiting for the show to incorporate the death.

[applej3]

Will Gardner on The Good Wife

Derek Shepherd on Grey's Anatomy

Richard Bay on The Practice

Rosalind Shays on LA Law

[BobCaldwell]

I remember being shocked at the reversal of a major death--a death that itself had been 'undone'--when it was revealed that John Black was indeed a Roman Brady imposter, and the real Roman was being held captive by Stefano.

Mac's death was a shocker, too, at the time.

[chiluvr1228]

- Alex on Third Watch was shocking especially the way she died.
- Sybil and Matthew on Downton Abbey
- Joss Carter from Person of Interest played by Taraji Henson.
- Colonel Blake

[loves2read]

Originally Posted by jvmillion83

Frank Underwood pushing Zoe Barnes off the subway platform in House of Cards. The way they developed Zoe's character leading up to this, did not see this one coming.

That was sort of a surprise because Kate Mara seemed to be on an upward arc w/her career although I do think (w/o rewatching any episodes) that Frank has set that up w/discussion with Claire...

But what made it plausible was the opening scene in the first episode of “House of Cards” where Frank’s neighbors’ dog is hit by car and Frank suffocates the dog to put it out of its pain—as a good neighbor and the compassionate person he was...
That pragmatism (ruthlessness?) more than anything else should have prepared the viewer for Frank’s ability to do what he thinks needs to be done...

[loves2read]

“The West Wing” episode when CJ’s possible beau played by Marc Harmon is killed by convenience store robber—all to the memorable lyrics of “Hallelujah” if I remember correctly
CJ just couldn’t catch a break...

[H'ton]

Dexter returning home to grab a bag to head out for a romantic getaway with his wife to find out that the Trinity Killer got to her before he finished him. Still shocking.