Bye Felicia: TV Characters Who've Been Killed Off

[Sweet Tee]

In Ianto's case, I think it was a combination of things.  The fact that he was killed off a mere four episodes after Owen and Tosh were (reducing the cast to Jack, Gwen, and Rhys if you want to count him).  The fact that he was part of a canon slash ship on a sci-fi show.  And the fact that he was killed off in the most insultingly ridiculous way I've ever seen a main character go.  I mean, really?  Let's just go in and threaten this powerful force with absolutely nothing to back it up and no way to defend ourselves.  How shocking.  That backfired.  

 

For me, by the time Miracle Day rolled around, I was over it.  Plus, Miracle Day sucked and that was the final nail in the Torchwood coffin anyway.  

[Luckylyn]

Part of my interest in Ianto was the poorly written but well acted romance with Jack.  I also really liked Ianto as an individual separate from Jack to the point where I would have liked him even if he and Jack broken up.   I found him intelligent, humorous, sneaky, charming and had the ability to be ruthless.  He could seem so mild mannered, but there was fire in him.  The actor wasn't given a lot by the writers, but he did a ton with what he was given.  The character made a strong impact on me that made me really upset when he died.  I agree with @Sweet Tee that the stupidity of the writing leading up to his death and the timing of the show just killing off two other popular characters is why Ianto's death hit the audience so hard.  They took a cast of five down to a cast of two within 5 episodes.  Audiences were still upset over Tosh and Owen's deaths and then got hit with Ianto's.  It was just too soon to lose anyone else.

 

Edited to add:  Other Torchwood deaths that bugged me were Vera and Esther in Miracle Day especially when obnoxious Rex got to live. 

Edited March 13, 2016 by Luckylyn

[Ceindreadh]

In Ianto's case, I think it was a combination of things.  The fact that he was killed off a mere four episodes after Owen and Tosh were (reducing the cast to Jack, Gwen, and Rhys if you want to count him).  The fact that he was part of a canon slash ship on a sci-fi show.  And the fact that he was killed off in the most insultingly ridiculous way I've ever seen a main character go.  I mean, really?  Let's just go in and threaten this powerful force with absolutely nothing to back it up and no way to defend ourselves.  How shocking.  That backfired.  

 

For me, by the time Miracle Day rolled around, I was over it.  Plus, Miracle Day sucked and that was the final nail in the Torchwood coffin anyway.  

 

I think that even with all of those reasons, Ianto fans would have been a lot less pissed off if TPTB had actually acknowledged that yes, they had a right to be upset that their favourite character had been killed off.  But instead we were dismissed as being a (small) number of 'hysterical women' who only watched the show for the hot guys and basically we should be watching Supernatural instead.  It was the dismissiveness that really angered many fans.  It was like we weren't supposed to grieve for a character.  (and here was me thinking that showrunners/creators would have actually liked the fact that their creations had been so memorable that people were upset when they were written off)

[festivus]

Word. Ianto was my favorite character from the first episode. I was like, hey, I see you back there. Ianto was the reason I hung in there with that show because it sure wasn't the writing. 

[Sweet Tee]

 

But instead we were dismissed as being a (small) number of 'hysterical women' who only watched the show for the hot guys and basically we should be watching Supernatural instead.  It was the dismissiveness that really angered many fans.

 

Oh, I agree.  I was there.  I remember RTD's rude and dismissive comments.  It's that exact reason that I don't like RTD.  Whenever someone bemoans how much better Doctor Who was when he was in charge, it's all I can think about.  That may be true.  I lost interest in DW a couple of years ago.  But, after what he did to Torchwood and how immaturely he reacted when fans didn't like what he did with the show, I'd rather not have him near anything I watch.

Edited March 14, 2016 by Sweet Tee

[TaraS1]

Heartbreaking: Jimmy Smits on NYPD Blue, Dr. Green on ER , Grandpa Walton on The Waltons (even if it was necessary), Hoss on Bonanza (again, necessary)

 

Jimmy Smits on NYPD Blue will always and forever be my answer to any question about most devastating TV death.  The rerun of his final episode popped up on TV the other day and I practically pulled a muscle grabbing for the remote to switch channels.  It's just too crushing to watch.  But man, what a brilliantly written and acted episode of television - from the glimmer of hope at the beginning that Bobby's transplant was successful, to him finally giving the signal that he wanted to stop fighting.  I know other shows have done death episodes that were probably as good as that one, but I doubt any other show has ever done one better. 

[Actionmage]

Last night's episode of Arrow should have been titled "The Final Insult", as the character of Dinah Laurel Lance/ Black Canary, was finally killed off. Why the use of "finally"? Well, Katie Cassidy was barely given a thought for the better part of four seasons. There was her "addiction" storyline that was bungled.  There was the always lingering "Is Laurel somehow still in love with the man who serially cheated on her- once with her sister?" The downright bizarre writing of how Laurel handled seeing her sister murdered and to getting her raised/"saved" after a year unembalmed and in the ground. (Trust me, Season 3 was rough on all the characters.)

 

This season was marginally better. Since Laurel was an ADA, we actually got to see her in court. The writing was still...weird for Laurel, but the slightly off scenes were of Laurel trying to help her teammates going through rough times. Laurel was trying to be helpful and it was hopeful that the writing would get better for her.

 

TBH, I wasn't a fan of Ms. Cassidy, but I wanted to like her, expecting her to be the Black Canary at some point. I ended up eventually neutral- not a fan of the character, but not blaming Ms. Cassidy for the bulk of Laurel's shortcomings, imo.  Still, the woman was in the first ever episode and has stayed through very hard times. She deserved respect for hanging in on what turned out to be a controversial role/casting.

 

Ms. Cassidy always shone in scenes with her TV dad, Paul Blackthorne as (now)Capt. Lance.

 

Then last night's episode happened.

 

Laurel was having a relatively nice episode. Choosing between an appointment as DA or continuing her vigilante activities was a potentially good story for Laurel and Katie. Having a good fight scene or two was also nice. Yet, Laurel was not only killed by her ex's arrow- albeit in the hands of an enemy- but was part of the group that was initially immobilized by said enemy with magic.  She made it through surgery enough to whisper-talk to her teammates, who all said they loved her. Except her ex. Her beloved father was handcuffed to a desk back at PD HQ due to a distraction he provided. Father and daughter were separated, but Laurel had made it through and the staff said she was going to be fine.  She tells her ex that she hoped he and his ex-fiancé could reunite, but that he would always be the love of her life. There was something the audience was privy to, but then claxxons rang out and Laurel was seizing. Something something embolism something time of death. That's of course when her hopeful father comes around the corner to see the devastated face of the ex. I truly thought the Show was going to kill him too.

 

Supposedly, the episode was written by someone who reportedly was a fan of Laurel. I think that the writer has no idea about the definition of "fan" if that is true. I was tired of Laurel and wanted her to go, but this was not in any way how I would have done it. The non-Laurel folks  even were 'that was harsh, guys; sorry for that', that's how awful the episode was.  The episode made hash of most of the characters just to move the plot along, but Laurel's death was just the poo cherry on the sundae that was the episode.

[Chaos Theory]

Deaths that broke my heart: Rita on Dexter, Joyce Summers on Buffy, Laura Roslin's & Dualla on BSG, Hank Schraeder Breaking Bad

Deaths that pissed me off: Elizabeth Keen The Blacklist, Tara McClay Buffy, Laura Lance Arrow, ianto Jones Torchwood, Tara Knowles Sons of Anarchy

Shows that have so much death that it has become meaningless. Oh my God we haven't killed a character in three episodes who can we decapitate? Game of Thrones and Walking Dead

Don't get me wrong I don't mind shows that kill a lot of people. See Spartacus, for the most part SOA and up until this season which sucks Vikings but there needs to be a limit and a reason.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Chaos Theory

[Miss Dee]

I'm shocked Abbie Mills isn't mentioned here yet. Or is she technically not considered dead?

[DearEvette]

I'm shocked Abbie Mills isn't mentioned here yet. Or is she technically not considered dead?

 

Her fans haven't gotten to the "Acceptance" stage yet.  I think we are still hovering somewhere between the Anger and Depression stages...

[NumberCruncher]

Last night's episode of Arrow should have been titled "The Final Insult", as the character of Dinah Laurel Lance/ Black Canary, was finally killed off. Why the use of "finally"? Well, Katie Cassidy was barely given a thought for the better part of four seasons. There was her "addiction" storyline that was bungled.  There was the always lingering "Is Laurel somehow still in love with the man who serially cheated on her- once with her sister?" The downright bizarre writing of how Laurel handled seeing her sister murdered and to getting her raised/"saved" after a year unembalmed and in the ground. (Trust me, Season 3 was rough on all the characters.)

I, like you, was rather indifferent to Laurel and never really hated her the way a lot of people did and I 100% agree with your post. If they wanted to kill Laurel, they should have been done 2 seasons ago because it was starkly clear that TPTB had absolutely no idea what to do with the character after KC's chemistry fail with SA rendered the Green Arrow/Black Canary relationship D.O.A. from the pilot episode. Laurel floundered around for nearly 4 seasons and then they killed her off in the absolute worst way possible (unable to fight back, cheerleading for her ex to reunite with another woman). It was bad. As I said, I was never a fan of the character but she deserved much better than she got.

[Chaos Theory]

This is probably an extremely unpopular opinion but in the end Laurel Lance for me was the only likeable character. I absolutely loved her alchyLaurel storyline and consider it one of my favorites of the series. As much as I love the pairing of Oliver and Felicity I have gotten bored of it as well. Laurel is at least entertaining. Or was.

With the death of Laurel I think I am done with the show.

Edited April 18, 2016 by Chaos Theory

[Swansong]

 

Laurel floundered around for nearly 4 seasons and then they killed her off in the absolute worst way possible (unable to fight back, cheerleading for her ex to reunite with another woman). It was bad. As I said, I was never a fan of the character but she deserved much better than she got.

I liked her as a lawyer back in s1. I thought they overplayed her being the awesomest most feared lawyer in Star City and it wasn't the least bit convincing. I mean she was barely out of law school, but when they played her as the young, idealistic lawyer fighting for justice even if meant teaming up with Arrow, like in the episode about the firefighter deaths back in s1 I thought the character and even her relationship with Arrow (the fighting crime, not the romantic one) worked pretty well and I thought KC was decent in that role. 

[DollEyes]

Bumping it up to say that the recent deaths of Osha, Hodor & Summer the direwolf on the past two episodes of Game Of Thrones were heartbreaking to watch.

[anna0852]

NCIS has killed plenty of characters over the years but losing Ziva (and offscreen to boot!) was heartbreaking. 

[FormerMod-a1]

 Person of Interest 
Goodbye Root, goodbye Elias (snif).  
I'm dreading what the final three episodes have in store.

[Luckylyn]

The deaths of Tessa and Richie on Highlander were really heartbreaking.  Richie's was especially tragic given the circumstances.  Duncan was basically tricked into murdering him. 

[Spartan Girl]

Norma's death on Bates Motel wasn't completely unexpected -- we ALL knew it was going to happen.  But I'm still in shock over how quickly it escalated to that point.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Spartan Girl

[Luckylyn]

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Norma's death on Bates Motel wasn't completely unexpected -- we ALL knew it was going to happen.  But I'm still in shock over how quickly it escalated to that point.

I always assumed she'd die right before the final episode.  So it was a shock the writers killed her at this point.

[Neurochick]

On 6/7/2016 at 11:53 PM, Luckylyn said:

The deaths of Tessa and Richie on Highlander were really heartbreaking.  Richie's was especially tragic given the circumstances.  Duncan was basically tricked into murdering him. 

I agree.  I think the actress who played Tessa was pregnant or something and wanted to leave, maybe?  But Richie was strange because I remember it being this rumor that he was going to be killed off and no one believed it and when it happened, I felt it was done in a strange way.  I think she show died after that happened. 

[kassygreene]

As I remember it, the actress who played Tessa was French and really hated spending half the shooting schedule in Vancouver.  So they killed her off (and made Ritchie immortal) at the end of the Canadian part of season 2.  (To a Dust in the Wind soundtrack - I'd soo watch that again.)

[LeeLeePanda]

I just finished season 4 of Orange is the New Black, and Pousseys death gutted me. I literally almost vomited at the end of the episode, that's how hard it was to watch. 

[Luckylyn]

On 6/10/2016 at 1:09 PM, Neurochick said:

I agree.  I think the actress who played Tessa was pregnant or something and wanted to leave, maybe?  But Richie was strange because I remember it being this rumor that he was going to be killed off and no one believed it and when it happened, I felt it was done in a strange way.  I think she show died after that happened. 

Richie's death was a real turning point for the show.  It wasn't the same after that.  I barely remember episodes from the season after that one.

[Raja]

Most shocking, Kyle Reese on Terminator The Sarah Conner Chronicles.  I think the show was still on the cancellation bubble and we were expecteing a season finale in a couple of weeks.

[roamyn]

On Thursday, June 23, 2016 at 7:59 PM, LeeLeePanda said:

I just finished season 4 of Orange is the New Black, and Pousseys death gutted me. I literally almost vomited at the end of the episode, that's how hard it was to watch. 

I'd have to disagree.  Henry Blake's was more shocking - possibly because of the reactions of the actors, who weren't told.  Esp Radar's.

[GreekGeek]

Refresh my memory: Was the death of Henry Blake the first time a regular character in a comedy series was killed off? 

[MaryMitch]

3 hours ago, GreekGeek said:

Refresh my memory: Was the death of Henry Blake the first time a regular character in a comedy series was killed off? 

The first wife in "Make Room For Daddy" died when the actress wanted to leave the show. But they did it between seasons.  Apparently having her die was considered more acceptable than having the couple divorce.

[Chaos Theory]

I am not usually the kind of person who gets overly upset when a character gets killed off as long as it makes sense for the story at large but there are three deaths in particular that effected me.

Tara on Buffy.  Still to this day.

Tara on SOA:.  I did not like this death at all and thought the final season would have been better if the fight scene had gone in the other direction.

Rita on Dexter:  Her death marked the beginning of the end of the show for me.

Edited September 6, 2016 by Chaos Theory

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, MaryMitch said:

The first wife in "Make Room For Daddy" died when the actress wanted to leave the show. But they did it between seasons.  Apparently having her die was considered more acceptable than having the couple divorce.

  True and the later attempts of having mother characters in Good Times and What's Happenin' just leave their offspring on their own to take care of sick relatives were rather unbelievable and unsatisfying. Not to say I wanted them dead but it trashed their characters.

[Chaos Theory]

"Family Shows" are in a weird position when one of the parents wants off the show.   On one hand you can pull the kids see them 'all the time' they just do it off screen("Where you been Scooter?"  "I was at dads new place it has a pool.").   or it looks like the otherwise awesome parent has to be rewritten as the worlds biggest asshole.  Death is simple.  Mommy died sad for a season then daddy gets new wife and everything a ok! 

Edited September 6, 2016 by Chaos Theory

[atomationage]

1 hour ago, Chaos Theory said:

Rita on Dexter:  Her death marked the beginning of the end of the show for me.

I agree with this.  It was so unnecessary.  Was it something that was in the Dexter books?  I only read parts of one book, and the HBO series didn't follow it closely. 

[Chaos Theory]

21 minutes ago, atomationage said:

I agree with this.  It was so unnecessary.  Was it something that was in the Dexter books?  I only read parts of one book, and the HBO series didn't follow it closely. 

The show never really followed the books.   Rita's death was a "shocking" ending to a season long storyline where Dexter was asking himself if someone like him could really have it all.  The death itself kinda worked for me buuuut there was zero follow through.  One bad decision after another after that.

[SmithW6079]

3 hours ago, MaryMitch said:

The first wife in "Make Room For Daddy" died when the actress wanted to leave the show. But they did it between seasons.  Apparently having her die was considered more acceptable than having the couple divorce.

 

1 hour ago, Chaos Theory said:

"Family Shows" are in a weird position when one of the parents wants off the show.   On one hand you can pull the kids see them 'all the time' they just do it off screen("Where you been Scooter?"  "I was at dads new place it has a pool.").   or it looks like the otherwise awesome parent has to be rewritten as the worlds biggest asshole.  Death is simple.  Mommy died sad for a season then daddy gets new wife and everything a ok! 

When Valerie Harper wanted off her show, that's what they did, although Dad never remarried.  While it would have been difficult to get a new "Valerie" (since it was her show), I don't understand why in most cases they don't just recast the role, just like soap operas do. "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" did it most famously with Aunt Viv. The original actress had played the role since the series began, but that didn't stop them from replacing her when salary and personality disputes reared their ugly heads.

[Raja]

On 9/6/2016 at 10:38 AM, SmithW6079 said:

 

When Valerie Harper wanted off her show, that's what they did, although Dad never remarried.  While it would have been difficult to get a new "Valerie" (since it was her show), I don't understand why in most cases they don't just recast the role, just like soap operas do. "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" did it most famously with Aunt Viv. The original actress had played the role since the series began, but that didn't stop them from replacing her when salary and personality disputes reared their ugly heads.

In the case of Valerie Harper the show was named for her. With whatever was going on in court her role being replaced probably would have made things worse than renaming the show The Hogan family and bringing in a relative

[Haleth]

3 hours ago, nosleepforme said:

As for TV deaths, I feel like, especially in recent years, they have lost their impact. A lot of writers just seem to be throwing them in to shock the audience, but that's usually when they don't work all that well. I think shows have to earn a character's death, build up to it and then deal with the aftermath. Not many shows do that anymore.

Speaking of this, my son has been watching The West Wing for the first time and I was eagerly waiting for him to get to the end of season 2 unspoiled about the death of Mrs Landringham.  He finally saw the last two episodes and was as shocked and horrified as I was when they first aired.  Then we had a long text conversation about Two Cathedrals and I still cried 15 years later.

[JustaPerson]

After marathoning The Good Wife, Will Gardner. I didn't realize how much I loved him until he was gone! Much like Alicia lol

[Archery]

Ryan Chappelle's death on 24 messed me up.  I really thought there would be some deus ex machina at the last minute. Nope. Those two actors played the heck out of that scene. 

[evenstevensranked]

Glenn Rhee on The Walking Dead. The wounds are still fresh. From time to time I'll think about that character and the way he went out and get extremely emotional. I was inconsolable when that episode aired! Just awfully devastating. Great character, a beacon of hope and kindness in a bleak world... gone. 

A death that was big for my generation growing up in middle school circa 2004-2007 was JT Yorke on Degrassi: The Next Generation. The acting was actually pretty bad on that show, and kind of feels like a soap opera whenever I go back and watch old episodes. But, yeah. His death was massive and we all bawled our eyes out, lol. Another innocent, positive character who didn't deserve it. It's still talked about today!

Edited February 16, 2017 by evenstevensranked

[DollEyes]

 Re This Is Us, I knew that William's death was coming, but it was still devastating, to say the least.

[NutMeg]

Nothing so far has devastated me more than James Darmody on Broadwalk Empire. It's even more tragic when you later (I think) learn more about his background. So much potential, so much wasted.

[wallflower75]

Most satisfying deaths: Joffrey on Game of Thrones.  Ditto for Ramsay Bolton--which was even more satisfying because it was such a fitting end for his character to be eaten to death by the dogs he'd trained for that purpose.  (And Sansa was there, to boot!!)

Heartbreaking: Hodor on Game of Thrones, especially once it's revealed that he knew (as best as he could) how he would die, could only speak a garbled version of the last words he would hear...and didn't hesitate to do it.  *wibbles*  And Hank on Breaking Bad, because he knew he was a goner and had pride enough not to try to beg for his life.

Shocking: Aside from the already-mentioned Rosalind Shays dropping to her death in the elevator shaft on L.A. Law, there was George's death on Grey's Anatomy.  With everything else going on during that episode, it never occurred to me to wonder why we weren't seeing anything of George after he made the decision to join the Army, since we were seeing everyone else's storyline play out.  Then when he spelled out "0-0-7" in Meredith's hand with his finger to tell her who he was...it took her a second to figure it out, then another second for me to figure it out, and we were both screaming, "It's George!!"

I've got two more shockers that most people probably won't remember.  In season 3 of ER, Omar Epps played an intern who kept getting picked on by Benton.  One shift, the ER docs are working on a guy who threw himself in front of a train and they try to page Epps' character...and suddenly the patient on the table's beeper is going off and they realize that Epps is the patient.  And then there was Luther Mahoney's death in season 5 of Homicide, when Kellerman shot him in definitely questionable circumstances.  Mahoney had lowered his weapon, Kellerman started reading his rights...and then shot him dead.  I remember sitting there after it happened going, "Oh, my God.  He really killed him."  Part of my disbelief came from the fact that Kellerman had been put through the ringer for being accused of taking bribes while working in arson--he was innocent--and then he turned around and did that.

[Neurochick]

19 hours ago, wallflower75 said:

I've got two more shockers that most people probably won't remember.  In season 3 of ER, Omar Epps played an intern who kept getting picked on by Benton.  One shift, the ER docs are working on a guy who threw himself in front of a train and they try to page Epps' character...and suddenly the patient on the table's beeper is going off and they realize that Epps is the patient.  And then there was Luther Mahoney's death in season 5 of Homicide, when Kellerman shot him in definitely questionable circumstances.  Mahoney had lowered his weapon, Kellerman started reading his rights...and then shot him dead.  I remember sitting there after it happened going, "Oh, my God.  He really killed him."  Part of my disbelief came from the fact that Kellerman had been put through the ringer for being accused of taking bribes while working in arson--he was innocent--and then he turned around and did that.

Yes, I remember both of those deaths.  The actor who played Luther Mahoney was the son of Ron Dellums, who was a congressman from California.

Shocking death?  Richard Harrow's death on Boardwalk Empire.  At first I refused to watch the final season because of it, but I wound up watching anyway.

Of course Abbie Mills on Sleepy Hollow, I stopped watching the show after that.

Omar Little's death on The Wire, not that he was shot, but because of who shot him.

[roamyn]

I remember Omar Epps's character's death.  

The saddest death on ER (to me) was either Dr. Greene's, or the pregnant lady from 'Love's Labor Lost'.

And Dr. Wilson's pending death on House was horribly sad.  I'm glad they ended on a positive note with the character, and never actually killed him off during the shows run.

[QTBlueMoon]

On 3/13/2017 at 9:12 PM, roamyn said:

I remember Omar Epps's character's death.  

The saddest death on ER (to me) was either Dr. Greene's, or the pregnant lady from 'Love's Labor Lost'.

And Dr. Wilson's pending death on House was horribly sad.  I'm glad they ended on a positive note with the character, and never actually killed him off during the shows run.

Speaking of House, my son and I were shocked when 'Kumar' (I know it's not his real name, but it's escaping me right now) committed suicide. Couldn't believe it.

[MargeGunderson]

On 3/13/2017 at 3:55 PM, Neurochick said:

Omar Little's death on The Wire, not that he was shot, but because of who shot him.

Yeah, he's known in my house as f*cking Kenard. We use his name as a curse word. D'Angelo's death was hard. 

@wallflower75, you reminded me of how much I hated Kellerman on Homicide. Not for any love of Luther Mahoney but just because Kellerman was such a jerk. 

Edited March 17, 2017 by MargeGunderson

[BooksRule]

Quote

Gary's death on thirtysomething was water cooler conversation for days.  Ken Olin was amazing in the scene where Michael listens to the message.

That death has been one of the few that has really stuck with me over the years.  I think that all of them were pre-internet, so I was totally unspoiled for all of them.  Other than the one mentioned above, Henry's death on 'M*A*S*H' was probably the first one that I remember.  I couldn't believe they had killed off a major character on a TV show.  

Another one that a lot of people might not remember is when Carol's boyfriend  Sandy (played by Matthew Perry) on 'Growing Pains' died (he died of injuries he suffered after driving drunk and crashing his car).  He was only on three episodes (I thought it was more, but I just checked), but the audience got to know and like him.  It was even more tragic because he was thought to be okay after the accident and when Carol (all happy and excited that he was okay) was getting ready to go back to the hospital to see him she was told that he had died.  Total shocker, since everyone (including the audience) was led to believe that the major theme was going to be that they had learned their lesson about drinking and driving.  (A bit of trivia:  I read that the character of Sandy was specifically written with the plotline already planned out.  His character was written to be killed off and not to be a lasting love interest for Carol.)

[vibeology]

14 hours ago, nosleepforme said:

I think Angel did death scenes really well.

 

• Doyle  sacrificing himself to save Angel, Cordelia and a group of half-breed demons from being killed. He kisses Cordelia, turns into a demon, telling her that it's a pity that they will never find out if this is a face she would have learned to love and then jumping to his death as he tries to turn off the machine that was supposed to kill them all. And then Cordy and Angel watching a video of Doyle that they filmed at the beginning of the episode with his voice over "if you need help, look no further".

"Is that it? Am I done?"

And then I ball like a baby. There were other Angel characters I loved more but somehow that's the death that just breaks me. The writing was so perfect for his death scene and his TV commercial scene and Glenn Quinn just nailed it. Add to it, his death only a couple of years later and I just can't watch it without crying now.

But yes, life and death mattered on Angel so they really got a great deal out of their death scenes. Buffy was good at it too, (Joyce and Jenny being the ones I think they did the very best) but Angel was the more operatic show so they really hit the sweet spot for drama without being too over the top.

[proserpina65]

Quote

Doyle  sacrificing himself to save Angel, Cordelia and a group of half-breed demons from being killed

I stopped watching Angel after this episode.

[proserpina65]

6 hours ago, nosleepforme said:

22 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I stopped watching Angel after this episode.

Because you loved Doyle so much or because you thought all the Nazi metaphors were a little bit too much in that episode?

Because Doyle was the only character on the show whom I actually liked.

[punkypower]

Saddest: Bill McNeill Newsradio. Fuck you, Brynn Hartman. Fuck you, Andy Dick. I can't find it online, but the scene where they're reading their letters from him is PERFECT. I can always hear Phil's voice reading those exact words. You can tell how real the cast's grief is (it's widely known how many times they had to stop filming bc of cast and crew breaking down).

Most Shocking: During GoT's run, I was working 80-100 hrs a week and was always behind. You really get to know how much people suck by 1. The fact that they purposely spoil you 2. The glee they take in doing so.

That being said, the third season of ER. I was 19 at the time and felt so badly for Gant. most shocking (fictional) TV moment I remember is the scene where they get an unrecognizable patient that got hit by the El. They grumble about Gant not being there and page him...only for the patient's beeper to go off. Everything stopped for a moment while everyone peered in to get s good look at the patient, Carter's "sweet Jesus!" And Benton starts to work frantically. It was such a powerful moment to me.

How I learned about death: especially poignant today, a couple of days after Carroll Spinney's death. I hope "Mr. Looper" welcomed him with open arms..**sniff**