From Game of Thrones to The Last of Us, these unforgettable TV character deaths delivered heartbreaking moments that changed their shows forever.
TV deaths hit different. While we know the characters are fictional, losing them after investing seasons — sometimes years — of emotional energy can be downright devastating. From shocking twists to slow-burn tragedies, these small-screen deaths linger in our memory and reshape entire series. Here are the saddest TV character deaths that continue to haunt us.
12. Teri Bauer – 24
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After a day of relentless threats, Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer couldn’t save his wife. Teri’s death in the Season 1 finale stunned audiences and set the precedent for 24’s no-holds-barred storytelling. It was a tragic moment that scarred both Jack and viewers alike.
11. Zoe Barnes – House of Cards
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One of the most jarring deaths in modern TV, Kate Mara’s Zoe was thrown in front of a moving train by Kevin Spacey’s Frank Underwood. The murder was swift and shocking, turning the tone of House of Cards darker than ever and sealing Frank’s villain status in terrifying fashion.
10. Jimmy Darmody – Boardwalk Empire
Michael Pitt’s Jimmy was a central figure in Boardwalk Empire before his fall. After betraying and failing Nucky (Steve Buscemi), his death — two bullets to the head — shocked fans. A once-loyal son figure taken down in Season 2 set a dark tone that lasted for the remainder of the show.
9. Chuck McGill – Better Call Saul
The slow unraveling of Chuck (Michael McKean), a brilliant but deeply troubled man, reached its tragic end in a fire he started himself. It was a stunning, symbolic exit that added emotional weight to Better Call Saul’s moral decay and left Bob Odenkirk‘s Jimmy irreparably changed.
8. Derek Shepherd – Grey’s Anatomy
Patrick Dempsey’s exit was the end of an era. Derek’s car crash and hospital mishandling, leading to his death, ended MerDer forever. Fans were livid and heartbroken, with many calling it the most unnecessary and traumatic death in the show’s long, emotional run.
7. Brody – Homeland
Damian Lewis’ Brody had a tragic arc that ended with a prolonged, public hanging. The CIA traitor’s final moments were devastating — made worse by the reveal that Carrie (Claire Danes) was pregnant with his child. For a character we never expected to love this much, his death was gut-wrenching and unforgettable.
6. Janice – Barry
In the Season 1 finale, Janice (Paula Newsome) puts the pieces together about Barry’s (Bill Hader) dark secret. Her murder is swift, tragic, and changes everything. Her death shatters Gene (Henry Winkler), derails Barry’s fragile attempt at redemption, and proves no one is safe — not even the most competent and beloved characters.
5. Matthew Crawley – Downton Abbey
Just when Dan Stevens’ Matthew finally found happiness with Lady Mary and their newborn son, Downton Abbey ripped it away. His sudden death in a car crash was a blow fans never recovered from. It marked a sharp decline in the show’s emotional momentum, and many never saw it the same again.
4. Sarah Lynn – BoJack Horseman
Voiced by Kristen Schaal, Sarah Lynn’s descent from child star to addict wasn’t played for shock — it was a critique of Hollywood’s negligence. Her overdose at the end of Season 3, alone with BoJack, wasn’t just sad — it was infuriating. The show’s darkest moment exposed the tragic end waiting for those the industry discards.
3. Ned Stark – Game of Thrones
Before dragons and Red Weddings, Sean Bean’s Ned Stark was the noble heartbeat of Game of Thrones. His beheading in Season 1 shocked viewers and set the tone: no one was safe. Ned’s execution in front of his daughters remains one of television’s most emotionally scarring scenes, leaving fans reeling and redefining what they could expect from the series.
2. Alexandra – 1923
After surviving lions, sharks, and a sexual assault, Julia Schlaepfer’s Alexandra met a cruel end in the 1923 finale. She and Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar) had finally reunited after an impossible journey — only for frostbite, suffered during a blizzard, to claim her life. The horrifying reveal of her blackened limbs was among Taylor Sheridan’s grimmest images, a painful cap to a love story that fought against all odds.
1. Joel – The Last of Us
Pedro Pascal’s Joel was always on borrowed time. Faithful to the video game’s story, the Season 2 premiere sees Joel brutally tortured and killed with a broken golf club by Abby (played by Kaitlyn Dever), seeking vengeance for the Fireflies. What made the moment unbearable wasn’t just Joel’s fate — it was Bella Ramsey’s gut-wrenching performance as Ellie, begging for his life. Even if fans saw it coming, it didn’t dull the emotional blow.
