The most memorable deaths in television
CBC Radio | Posted: October 29, 2018 1:45 PM | Last Updated: October 30, 2018
Writing a fictional character off a show can result in one of the most satisfying, or disappointing, experiences for fans. Some of the most iconic television moments revolve around the deaths of our favourite (or not so favourite) characters, and it's proven time and time again to be a way to increase audiences' engagement in the show.
There are shows like Game of Thrones that make character deaths a sport, and then there are shows where deaths are rare and meant to really stand out. Shows often tease the death of a significant character, leading to speculation and anticipation. Modern Family had been teasing a death on the show for months, and during a recent Halloween episode, audiences found out that Mitchell and Claire's mother, DeDe, had died in her sleep. Fans were disappointed in the decision, as DeDe, played by Shelley Long, is a minor character, only appearing in a tiny fraction of episodes (7 of 214) to date.
The q staff wanted to present some of what we think are the most memorable deaths on TV. Be warned, the list ahead is made up entirely of SPOILERS. Scroll through and let us know what you're favourite one is on Twitter: @cbcradioq
D'Angelo, The Wire
It's almost impossible to choose a "favourite" death from The Wire, since David Simon made a habit of killing off the show's most compelling characters time and time again, but I do remember this one hurting especially badly. D'Angelo deserved better than what he got – a prison murder staged to look like suicide – and I was so upset I almost stopped watching the show. Almost. — Frank Palmer
Joyce Summers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
In "The Body", the now famous 2001 episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Buffy comes home to find her mother dead on the couch. I didn't really react emotionally to Joyce Summers no longer being on the show. She basically just served as a foil to show the awesomeness of the Scooby Gang. But the way Joss Whedon crafted the episode to show the minutia of death and the hours following was so devastating and memorable. I don't really think it has been topped. Oh, and it was pretty powerful when Buffy sacrificed her life for her sister a few episodes later but she came back to life so it doesn't really count. — Catherine Stockhausen
Matthew Crawley, Downton Abbey
You know a TV death is an especially brutal one when fans were furious enough to say it "ruined Christmas." Matthew Crawley, played by Dan Stevens, was celebrating the birth of his first child at the end of Downton Abbey's third series, when he suddenly gets into a fatal car accident. Nobody saw it coming. And to make matters worse — yes, it happened in the very last moment of the big Christmas special. Imagine: devoted fans, all across the U.K., settling in for a pleasant holiday special only to discover one of their favourite characters will never, ever return. Dan Stevens is reportedly still apologizing to fans, in person, whenever anyone mentions it — six years later. — Emma Godmere
Barbara "Barb" Holland, Stranger Things
Poor Barb. This quiet, but noble character was a true-blue friend with a strong moral compass. You'd think there would be outrage after Barb is dragged into an alternate dimension by a creature that resembles a slimy, murderous tulip — but no. Her death barely seems to register in her hometown of Hawkins, Indiana. Luckily, this cult hero lives on in our hearts. — Vanessa Greco
Ned Stark, Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones took all of season one to make you love Eddard "Ned" Stark, the patriarch of House Stark, good father to his "bastard" son Jon Snow and all around honest and fair guy. And then just when you settle in, fully committed to a world in which so much is messed up, but as long as there are people like Ned Stark in it everything will be ok, they — spoiler alert — chopped his head off. Ned's death itself wasn't as showy or gruesome as others on the show, but it set the tone early on that no one is safe. If they can kill someone who was, perceivably, the main character, then they can kill anyone, and that's what keeps viewers on their toes. — Jesse Kinos-Goodin