Several years ago, a now-deleted Reddit account made a discussion post on the r/television subreddit. The thread asked what the most shocking or sudden death on TV was.
The post gained quite a bit of traffic, receiving over 100 comments. Some of these answers ranged from the obvious, more well-known deaths, as well as some that have been forgotten about.
Lord Eddard Stark - 'Game of Thrones' (2011-2019)
Lord Eddard Stark is played by Sean Bean, who has become known as a bit of a "walking spoiler" due to how often his characters die. And Lord Stark was another prime example of it. Game of Thrones established Ned Stark as a main character, making it look like he will be the primary focus of the show. So, for fans who haven't read the books, his death only nine episodes in came as a huge shock.
u/Rush899 posted the comment, with an added "of course" since it was (and still is) such a popular moment in the series. It is one of the first moments that lets viewers know that the show is not going to be a happy, easy ride, and that fans should beware of who they pick as their favourite, because no one is immune to the icy grip of death.
Mr. Eko - 'Lost' (2004-2010)
Mr. Eko (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) of Lost received the most upvoted answer in the comment thread and was emphasized by a sad face emoticon. Eko first appeared in Season 1, and was on a fast track to redemption, as he was previously a warlord and arms trafficker.
After being involved in an accidental death of a priest and the subsequent guilt that follows, Eko devoted the rest of his life to protecting others. He was unfortunately killed by the show's notorious Smoke Monster. Despite his troubled past, he was beloved by many fans of the show, and the characters within the show as well, which is what makes his death such an unexpected tragedy.
Rita Morgan - 'Dexter' (2006-2013)
Rita (Julie Benz) is Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) girlfriend, and eventual wife throughout the first four seasons of Dexter. She is one of the few people that Dexter actually cares deeply about, even having a son with her.
In the Season 4 finale, Rita is murdered by another serial killer, nicknamed "The Trinity Killer." The show is no stranger to death, but seeing the death of Rita, along with Dexter's agonized reaction is heartbreaking.
Joyce Summers - 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' (1997-2003)
Joyce's (Kristine Sutherland) death came as a shock to audiences due to the mundane and unexpected nature of her death. She tragically died from a brain aneurysm after going on a successful date.
Joyce is the mother of the titular Buffy (Kristy Swanson), and for that reason, was beloved by fans of the series. Her death was perhaps more emotional because many adults have lost their parents in similar ways, and despite the fantastical nature of the show, her death was a brutal glimpse of real life.
Zoe Barnes - 'House of Cards' (2013-2018)
u/Ruukes shared this answer, stating, "Zoe Barnes in House of Cards was a great (albeit unexpected) way to kick off Season 2, you had maybe 2 seconds to see it coming before it happened." Zoe (Kate Mara) serves as Frank's (Kevin Spacey) PR rep of sorts, speaking for him when his schemes begins to garner media attention.
After agreeing with Frank to delete all information about their plot, and to begin anew, she accidentally reveals that she knows far more than she should. Frank then begins to perceive her as a threat, and pushes her in front of an oncoming train.
Birdperson - 'Rick and Morty' (2013-)
Birdperson (Dan Harmon) is a beloved character on Rick and Morty, which is why his death came as such a shock. Rick (previously played by Justin Roiland) witnessing his old friend being gunned down certainly makes for a macabre moment in an otherwise comedic show.
It's such a shame because BIrdperson is such a wise individual who actually seems to mean well. He's also a beacon of calm amidst the chaos of the show. He's also a very old friend of Rick's. Despite this, not even Birdperson is safe from death.
Poussey Washington - 'Orange is the New Black' (2013-2019)
Poussey (Samira Wiley) is a central character in Orange is the New Black, which is why it came as such a shock to see her suddenly pass away. During a demonstration against the prison administration due to its poor treatment of inmates, the peaceful protest began to escalate towards violence. Poussey tries to calm everyone down, but is improperly restrained face-down. This leaves her unable to breathe, and she subsequently suffocates.
Her death rattled the other characters within the show, and shook fans to their cores. A now-deleted Reddit account shared this answer, saying "I was super shocked to see Poussay die on OITNB, she was such a great character."
Will Gardner - 'The Good Wife' (2009-2016)
Will (Josh Charles) is such a major character in The Good Wife that he appears in nearly every episode. He lasted all the way until the fifth season before he kicked the bucket.
It was u/pkingsy who suggested this character, but u/Isentrope replied, stating "Binged that show recently and it was definitely out of the blue, although I suppose with the drama the cast was having it was pretty much inevitable."
Hank Schrader- 'Breaking Bad' (2008-2013)
u/cocoapuff1721 stated, "I thought the death of Hank Schraeder was very sudden and a huge blow emotionally." They further state that Hank (Dean Norris) went from being a goofy comic relief character to someone to be feared and respected. Though he is shot dead rather unceremoniously, he faces his death with dignity and courage.
It's true that death is not uncommon in Breaking Bad, but many found Hank's death to be shocking, and even a little heartbreaking. Since he was liked by fans, he was brought back for the prequel series Better Call Saul.
Colonel Henry Blake - 'M*A*S*H' (1972-1983)
M*A*S*H takes place during the Korean War, a time in which there was lots of death going around. Taking place in a military trauma unit, death wasn't something uncommon to the series. Ordinarily, the series is relatively comedic, which is what makes the death of Col. Blake (McLean Stevenson) in the Season 3 finale such a surprise.
u/InRem shared this answer, stating, "It was a complete sucker punch." It's so tragic because the Colonel is finally leaving the camp for the last time, and is homeward bound, when his plane is shot down over the Sea of Japan. The news devastates the other characters, and makes for a rather touching moment.