Some TV deaths are more impactful than others. While they may surprise us, they linger with us. Long after the credits roll, we continue to ponder those moments, still with that shock of death. It is almost like it is so personal, like saying goodbye to someone we knew. Was it because they gave their life for others, or because it was so surprising, or because it made us think about how life is so short? Whatever it is, these are 15 TV character deaths that viewers still can’t get over.
15. Joel Miller — The Last of Us
Joel Miller was more than just a man who had managed to survive in a world that had been destroyed. He had become the heart of The Last of Us. As his relationship with Ellie developed, we saw a man who had been closed off and hardened finally open up again. This made him a believable character and a man that the audience had come to care about.
The death of Joel was a shock in its cruelty. There was no heroic goodbye for him. There was no sense of resolution. It was just cruel finality. It left viewers stunned and in a state of anger as they had to come to terms with his death in the same way that Ellie had. The absence of Joel was not just a new direction for the plot. It was a new emotional direction for the entire series and how we could connect with it.
14. Glenn Rhee — The Walking Dead
Glenn Rhee was a beacon of hope from the get-go in The Walking Dead. He was a character who, despite the chaos that was surrounding him, managed to remain kind, clever, and loyal. He was a character that was impossible not to support, and even more impossible not to fall in love with.
It was not the fact that Glenn’s death occurred that made his death so hard to take, but the brutal nature of that death. It was brutal, unapologetic, and completely shocking. It was not just that Glenn died, but that death was something that seemed to take away the moral compass of the show, something that changed the nature of The Walking Dead in a way that was impossible to ignore.
13. Ashtray — Euphoria
Ashtray stood out as a tragic contradiction: a child forced into adulthood far too soon. Quiet, deadly, and fiercely loyal to Fezco, he became one of Euphoria’s most compelling characters despite his limited screen time.
His final moments were chaotic and devastating, ending in a way that felt both sudden and tragically inevitable. Ashtray’s death underscored the show’s harsh message, that innocence doesn’t survive long in a world built on violence, and fans were left heartbroken by how little chance he ever had.
12. Sean Devlin — Derry Girls
Derry Girls is known for its humor, which made Sean Devlin’s death hit even harder. The show rarely leaned into tragedy, so when it did, it felt startlingly real.
Handled with restraint and respect, Sean’s passing served as a sobering reminder of the political tensions surrounding the characters’ lives. It grounded the comedy in reality and left a quiet emotional scar that lingered through the rest of the series.
11. Lady — Game of Thrones
Lady’s death was one of the earliest warnings that Game of Thrones would not play fair. As Sansa Stark’s gentle direwolf, Lady, symbolized innocence and safety, the show was quick to strip away.
Her execution felt cruel and undeserved, making it all the more painful to watch. For many fans, it was the moment they realized no character, human or otherwise, was safe in this world.
10. Sarah Lynn — BoJack Horseman
Sarah Lynn’s life was a tragedy long before it ended. Once a child star, she spiraled under fame, addiction, and neglect, with BoJack Horseman chronicling her pain in devastating detail.
Her death wasn’t played for shock; it was slow, uncomfortable, and haunting. The aftermath forced viewers to confront the consequences of selfishness and systemic failure, making her loss one of the most emotionally exhausting moments in animated television.
9. Boo — Fleabag
Boo’s presence looms over Fleabag even though she’s already gone when the show begins. Through flashbacks, viewers slowly piece together who she was and why her absence hurts so deeply.
The truth behind Boo’s death is quietly devastating, rooted in guilt and misunderstanding. Her loss shapes Fleabag’s grief, humor, and self-destruction, making Boo one of the most emotionally significant off-screen deaths in TV history.
8. Wallace — The Wire
Wallace represented vulnerability in a world that punished it. Young, kind-hearted, and overwhelmed by guilt, he struggled to survive in Baltimore’s unforgiving streets.
His death was chilling because of its inevitability. Killed by people he trusted, Wallace’s loss became a defining moment for The Wire, perfectly capturing the show’s brutal honesty about systemic violence and lost innocence.
7. Mona Simpson — The Simpsons
Mona Simpson brought unexpected emotional depth to The Simpsons. Her strained relationship with Homer revealed a side of him rarely seen: vulnerable, abandoned, and desperate for connection.
Her death episode balanced humor with genuine sorrow, culminating in one of the show’s most touching endings. Mona’s passing reminded audiences that even long-running comedies can deliver moments of real emotional weight.
6. Hodor — Game of Thrones
Hodor’s death was one of Game of Thrones’ most powerful twists. A character known almost entirely for kindness and loyalty was revealed to have lived a life shaped by tragedy from the very start.
His final act, holding the door, was both heroic and horrifying, revealing that his entire existence had been leading to this moment. Fans mourned Hodor not just for his death, but for the life he never truly got to live.
5. Bobby Singer — Supernatural
Bobby Singer was more than a hunter; he was family. Acting as a surrogate father to Sam and Dean, Bobby provided stability, tough love, and moral grounding throughout Supernatural.
His death felt deeply unfair, stripping the brothers of their emotional anchor. Even after he was gone, Bobby’s influence lingered, and fans continued to feel his absence for the rest of the series.
4. Marvin Eriksen Sr. — How I Met Your Mother
Marvin Eriksen Sr.’s death blindsided viewers just as it blindsided Marshall. What began as a lighthearted episode suddenly turned into one of the most raw portrayals of grief in sitcom history.
The show handled the moment with honesty and restraint, allowing silence and emotion to do the heavy lifting. For many fans, it was painfully relatable and impossible to forget.
3. Seymour — Futurama
Few TV moments have traumatized audiences like Seymour’s story in Futurama. Fry’s dog, waiting endlessly for his owner’s return, became a universal symbol of loyalty and loss.
The episode’s final montage shattered viewers, proving that animation could be just as emotionally devastating as live-action drama. Seymour’s story remains one of the saddest narratives ever told on television.
2. Ben Sullivan — Scrubs
Ben Sullivan’s death stands as one of Scrubs’ most masterfully executed emotional twists. Brendan Fraser’s warmth made Ben instantly lovable, especially through his bond with Dr. Cox.
The reveal of his death recontextualized the entire episode, delivering an emotional gut punch that fans still talk about years later. It perfectly showcased Scrubs’ ability to balance humor with profound sadness.
1. Tara Maclay — Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Tara Maclay’s death was sudden, shocking, and deeply upsetting. As a source of gentleness and stability, she represented safety in a show built on chaos.
Her loss shattered both the characters and the audience, triggering one of the darkest arcs in Buffy’s history. Tara’s death remains one of television’s most controversial and emotionally impactful moments, symbolizing how deeply fans connect to characters who feel real.
Great TV deaths hurt because they mean something. They aren’t just plot devices, they’re emotional landmarks that define characters, reshape stories, and stay with viewers long after the screen fades to black. These losses remind us why television can be so powerful: when it’s done right, fictional grief feels real, and sometimes, heartbreak is exactly what makes a story unforgettable.