10 Main Character Deaths That Also Killed the Show
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VOICE OVER: Patrick Mealey
WRITTEN BY: Jonathan Alexander
These deaths marked the end in more ways than one. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most jaw-dropping character exits that spelled doom for their TV series. Animated shows deserve their own list, so we'll just be focusing on live-action death for this one. Our countdown includes Bellamy Blake from "The 100", Glenn Rhee from "The Walking Dead", Logan Echolls from "Veronica Mars", Matthew Crawley from "Downton Abbey", Daenerys Targaryen from "Game of Thrones", and more!
Top 10 Main Character Deaths That Also Killed The Show
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the most jaw-dropping character exits that spelled doom for their TV series. Animated shows deserve their own list, so well just be focusing on live-action death for this one. Oh, and if it wasn't obvious before, expect some major spoilers.
From a show literally airing on the History network, its no surprise that Vikings mostly stuck to the facts - even though it meant killing off its leading man at the end of season four. So, since Ragnar was the star of the show, Vikings ended too, right? Sadly, the answer is no. Dazzled by high ratings and strong fan support, the History network dragged Vikings along for another two seasons. The decline in quality was quick and steep. It didnt even finish airing on History at all. In the face of fan backlash, the final half of its last season was unceremoniously shoved to Amazon Prime, ensuring these vikings never made it to Valhalla.
Theres only one case that needs solving in Neptune, and thats how this acclaimed teen mystery got canceled in the first place. Thankfully, ardent fan demand paved the way to a sequel film, and eventually, a full-on fourth season. It was every fans dream; Veronica and Logan were finally going to get their happily-ever-after! Or, thats what everyone thought. In the final episode, Logan ends up dying in a car explosion. Oh, and did we mention it was he and Veronicas wedding day? Since viewers waited over a decade for this ending, the heartbreaking farewell left a bad taste in everyones mouth. It wasnt the ending fans wanted, needed, or deserved.
Eight seasons is nothing to scoff at. But, for Mark Greene, it still didnt feel like enough. When actor Anthony Edwards requested to spend more time with family, ER had no choice but to fire the attending physician of Cook County General Hospital. However, instead of respectfully sending the fan-favorite off into the sunset, the show diagnosed him with terminal brain cancer. It was a drawn-out, overly-sentimental way to write off a character, and unfortunately, ER never quite found its footing again. While the medical drama had dealt with cast departures before, Mark Greene was the series' ostensible lead. No amount of fresh blood ever filled the hole he left behind.
Theres not a spell in the world that can save the Halliwells from the dreaded threat of actor drama. Even though the series was entirely built around the story of three, magical sisters, rumored feuds between the leads led to Shannen Dohertys abrupt exit at the end of season three. And, just like that, Prue was gone, too. Charmed tried its darndest to recreate the magic with a conveniently never-mentioned-before half-sister. But, despite everyones best efforts, Paige Matthews was simply no Prue. As sad as it is to admit, most fans agree that once Prue went six feet deep, Charmeds best days were officially behind it.
Ironically, theres a hundred reasons why this death feels like a slap in the face. Clarke and Bellamy were the heart and head of the show since day one. But, bound by his out-of-character allegiance to the cult-like Disciples, Bellamy turns against Clarke. Then, instead of negotiating, incapacitating him, or doing literally anything else, Clarke raises her gun and shoots one of her closest friends. No goodbye. No fanfare. This one moment effectively flushed seven seasons of character growth, fan shipping, and audience trust right down the drain. The 100s ending remains extremely divisive, and looking back, Bellamys frustrating death is definitely the point of no return.
Romance was always in the air at Yorkshire country estate. Matthew and Marys love story was simply addictive, and they even had a healthy newborn to sweeten the deal. It all seemed too good to be true and thats because it was. Mere minutes after Matthew greeted his first child, he drives off and dies in a crash. Even though actor Dan Stevens wanted to pursue other opportunities, killing off Matthew in the same episode his wife gives birth is just needlessly cruel. Heart-wrenching exit aside, Matthews death left Downton Abbey without its key, romantic spark. The ho-hum plotlines to follow made one thing very clear: the show needed weddings, not funerals.
Even in a show with plenty of demons, the most unbelievable part is that anyone thought Sleepy Hollow could work without Abbie Mills. Outside of her connection to the series lore, her calm and committed presence helped balance out the shows zanier elements. So, when Abbie bit the bullet in an eye-rolling self-sacrifice in season three, many were quick to call foul. Later, actress Nicole Beharie admitted to feeling a double-standard behind the scenes with her white, male co-stars. As if losing Abbie wasnt a big enough blow, knowing what Beharie went through makes it an even tougher pill to swallow. Its really no surprise Sleepy Hollow only lasted one season without her.
It may be a sitcom, but this is no laughing matter. Following a very long, very public fallout with the shows creator, Charlie Sheen officially left Two and a Half Men before season nine, leaving his character to die offscreen. Instead of rebranding as One and a Half Men, the series brought in Ashton Kutchers Walden Schmidt. For all of his comedic timing, theres just no replicating Sheens legendary dry sense of humor. While all the cast shakeups did give Two and a Half Men a healthy ratings boost, the tiresome scandals sucked all the fun out of the actual episodes. Evidently, Two and a Half Mens glory days died with Charlie.
The mother of dragons always had to die. In fact, several fans had theorized for years that shed follow the same path as the Mad King, forcing Jon to put her down. And yet, when this heavily-hyped scene finally came to fruition, the whole thing felt incredibly hollow. Symptomatic of the whole last season, Daenerys fall from grace felt rushed, unearned, and distinctly unsatisfying. Her death shouldve been a tragic exclamation point capping off a fantastic series. But, by skipping the build-up, Game of Thrones killed off Daenerys and any remaining goodwill in one fell swoop. After all that, the rest of the finale was nye unsalvageable.
Look, no one expected Ricks crew to escape Negans clutches unscathed. Still, you cant help but wonder how much better The Walking Dead would have been if they hadnt killed Glenn. The former pizza driver brought some desperately-needed optimism to the hardened ensemble, making him a standout with fans as early as the first season. Seeing him end up on the wrong side of Negan's bat wasnt just gratuitous. It marked the first real moment The Walking Dead prioritized shock value over character growth. Without Glenn to buoy things with his trademark wit, the show became as lifeless as the actual Walkers. Case-in-point, look at what happened to poor Carl.
What character death made you abandon a show for good? Let us know in the comments below!
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the most jaw-dropping character exits that spelled doom for their TV series. Animated shows deserve their own list, so well just be focusing on live-action death for this one. Oh, and if it wasn't obvious before, expect some major spoilers.
#10: Ragnar Lothbrok
Vikings (2013-20)From a show literally airing on the History network, its no surprise that Vikings mostly stuck to the facts - even though it meant killing off its leading man at the end of season four. So, since Ragnar was the star of the show, Vikings ended too, right? Sadly, the answer is no. Dazzled by high ratings and strong fan support, the History network dragged Vikings along for another two seasons. The decline in quality was quick and steep. It didnt even finish airing on History at all. In the face of fan backlash, the final half of its last season was unceremoniously shoved to Amazon Prime, ensuring these vikings never made it to Valhalla.
#9: Logan Echolls
Veronica Mars (2004-07; 2019)Theres only one case that needs solving in Neptune, and thats how this acclaimed teen mystery got canceled in the first place. Thankfully, ardent fan demand paved the way to a sequel film, and eventually, a full-on fourth season. It was every fans dream; Veronica and Logan were finally going to get their happily-ever-after! Or, thats what everyone thought. In the final episode, Logan ends up dying in a car explosion. Oh, and did we mention it was he and Veronicas wedding day? Since viewers waited over a decade for this ending, the heartbreaking farewell left a bad taste in everyones mouth. It wasnt the ending fans wanted, needed, or deserved.
#8: Mark Greene
ER (1994-2009)Eight seasons is nothing to scoff at. But, for Mark Greene, it still didnt feel like enough. When actor Anthony Edwards requested to spend more time with family, ER had no choice but to fire the attending physician of Cook County General Hospital. However, instead of respectfully sending the fan-favorite off into the sunset, the show diagnosed him with terminal brain cancer. It was a drawn-out, overly-sentimental way to write off a character, and unfortunately, ER never quite found its footing again. While the medical drama had dealt with cast departures before, Mark Greene was the series' ostensible lead. No amount of fresh blood ever filled the hole he left behind.
#7: Prue Halliwell
Charmed (1998-2006)Theres not a spell in the world that can save the Halliwells from the dreaded threat of actor drama. Even though the series was entirely built around the story of three, magical sisters, rumored feuds between the leads led to Shannen Dohertys abrupt exit at the end of season three. And, just like that, Prue was gone, too. Charmed tried its darndest to recreate the magic with a conveniently never-mentioned-before half-sister. But, despite everyones best efforts, Paige Matthews was simply no Prue. As sad as it is to admit, most fans agree that once Prue went six feet deep, Charmeds best days were officially behind it.
#6: Bellamy Blake
The 100 (2014-20)Ironically, theres a hundred reasons why this death feels like a slap in the face. Clarke and Bellamy were the heart and head of the show since day one. But, bound by his out-of-character allegiance to the cult-like Disciples, Bellamy turns against Clarke. Then, instead of negotiating, incapacitating him, or doing literally anything else, Clarke raises her gun and shoots one of her closest friends. No goodbye. No fanfare. This one moment effectively flushed seven seasons of character growth, fan shipping, and audience trust right down the drain. The 100s ending remains extremely divisive, and looking back, Bellamys frustrating death is definitely the point of no return.
#5: Matthew Crawley
Downton Abbey (2010-15)Romance was always in the air at Yorkshire country estate. Matthew and Marys love story was simply addictive, and they even had a healthy newborn to sweeten the deal. It all seemed too good to be true and thats because it was. Mere minutes after Matthew greeted his first child, he drives off and dies in a crash. Even though actor Dan Stevens wanted to pursue other opportunities, killing off Matthew in the same episode his wife gives birth is just needlessly cruel. Heart-wrenching exit aside, Matthews death left Downton Abbey without its key, romantic spark. The ho-hum plotlines to follow made one thing very clear: the show needed weddings, not funerals.
#4: Abbie Mills
Sleepy Hollow (2013-17)Even in a show with plenty of demons, the most unbelievable part is that anyone thought Sleepy Hollow could work without Abbie Mills. Outside of her connection to the series lore, her calm and committed presence helped balance out the shows zanier elements. So, when Abbie bit the bullet in an eye-rolling self-sacrifice in season three, many were quick to call foul. Later, actress Nicole Beharie admitted to feeling a double-standard behind the scenes with her white, male co-stars. As if losing Abbie wasnt a big enough blow, knowing what Beharie went through makes it an even tougher pill to swallow. Its really no surprise Sleepy Hollow only lasted one season without her.
#3: Charlie Harper
Two and a Half Men (2003-15)It may be a sitcom, but this is no laughing matter. Following a very long, very public fallout with the shows creator, Charlie Sheen officially left Two and a Half Men before season nine, leaving his character to die offscreen. Instead of rebranding as One and a Half Men, the series brought in Ashton Kutchers Walden Schmidt. For all of his comedic timing, theres just no replicating Sheens legendary dry sense of humor. While all the cast shakeups did give Two and a Half Men a healthy ratings boost, the tiresome scandals sucked all the fun out of the actual episodes. Evidently, Two and a Half Mens glory days died with Charlie.
#2: Daenerys Targaryen
Game of Thrones (2011-19)The mother of dragons always had to die. In fact, several fans had theorized for years that shed follow the same path as the Mad King, forcing Jon to put her down. And yet, when this heavily-hyped scene finally came to fruition, the whole thing felt incredibly hollow. Symptomatic of the whole last season, Daenerys fall from grace felt rushed, unearned, and distinctly unsatisfying. Her death shouldve been a tragic exclamation point capping off a fantastic series. But, by skipping the build-up, Game of Thrones killed off Daenerys and any remaining goodwill in one fell swoop. After all that, the rest of the finale was nye unsalvageable.
#1: Glenn Rhee
The Walking Dead (2010-22)Look, no one expected Ricks crew to escape Negans clutches unscathed. Still, you cant help but wonder how much better The Walking Dead would have been if they hadnt killed Glenn. The former pizza driver brought some desperately-needed optimism to the hardened ensemble, making him a standout with fans as early as the first season. Seeing him end up on the wrong side of Negan's bat wasnt just gratuitous. It marked the first real moment The Walking Dead prioritized shock value over character growth. Without Glenn to buoy things with his trademark wit, the show became as lifeless as the actual Walkers. Case-in-point, look at what happened to poor Carl.
What character death made you abandon a show for good? Let us know in the comments below!
