15 impactful TV deaths in the last 15 years
TV deaths really can hit you right in the feels. They can also be very satisfying when it comes to the villains of the stories. No matter which one it is, there’s bound to be an impact. Because once a fangirl, always a fangirl.
I don’t know how many times I’ve shed tears, sat in shock, or yelled in joy in reaction to some of the twists and turns our favorite television shows throw at us. This week Hidden Remote is looking back at the past 15 years to celebrate FanSided’s 15-year anniversary! Here we take a look at some of the most impactful TV deaths since 2007.
It was very difficult to narrow it down to just 15! There’s too many to choose from. We’ve listed the shows in chronological order, what episode the death occurred, and where you can stream the series. Are you ready? Prepare yourself. Let’s jump in!
15 impactful TV deaths in the last 15 years
Charlie Pace – Lost
“Through the Looking Glass” – season 3, episode 23 (2007)
Lost was known for its ups, downs, and everything else in between. So much happened during the series and sometimes it was hard to keep up. Unfortunately the drama had multiple deaths as well. One of them was Charlie Pace. In the season 3 finale, Charlie drowns at the hands of Mikhail Bakunin in sacrifice to save the other survivors. Thanks to the show’s use of flashbacks and supernatural elements, we didn’t say goodbye to him completely. He still appeared in later seasons. It was a shame to lose such a great character. He achieved sobriety, started a relationship with Claire, and acted as a father figure to her son.
* Watch on Amazon Prime Video
Dean Winchester – Supernatural
“No Rest for the Wicked” – season 3, episode 16 (2008)
Supernatural is infamously known for killing, then resurrecting its characters multiple times. But one of the most impactful deaths was in the season 3 finale. Dean’s fate was foreshadowed since the end of the second season after a deal he made to save Sam. Lilith gave Dean a year to live and throughout season 3, the brothers try to find a way out of the deal. When they think they had something, it turns out Lilith was one step ahead. Dean is torn apart by hellhounds and dragged to Hell. Fans were left shocked and didn’t know how he could possibly come back. Thankfully, that wasn’t the end. But it was no less impactful since that was the character’s first “permanent” death.
* Watch on Netflix
Gale – Breaking Bad
“Full Measure” – season 3, episode 13
It’s a bit of a love-hate relationship when it comes to Breaking Bad’s, Gale. He’s a gifted chemist and uses those skills to cook meth. But he has a sweet side to him too. A libertarian, philosophical, and lover of music. The way he was written was difficult not to like him despite what he does. That’s why it was a major moment when his death came knocking. Literally. A manipulated Jesse shows up and pulls the trigger, taking away the chemist. He was brought on as Walt’s assistant and have a great partnership at first. It was also a turning point for Jesse, who really gets put through the wringer. But up until that point, he’d never killed anyone before. He goes into a self-destructive cycle in the next season.
* Watch on Netflix
Eddard Stark – Game of Thrones
“Baelor” – season 1, episode 11 (2011)
When I started watching Game of Thrones, I came in as a first-show viewer. I’d never read the books, so I really didn’t know what was coming. Accepting Cersei’s deal, the honorable lord gives the false confession that he was plotting to murder Joffrey and seize the throne himself. In a surprising move that even his mother wasn’t anticipating, Joffrey demands the elder Stark’s head. Ned’s death wasn’t just impactful in terms of the shock of it. It’s unusual for a main character to be killed off so soon. His death is what sparked the War of the Five Kings, beginning a war for the Iron Throne that spanned eight seasons.
* Watch on HBO Max
Lexie Grey – Grey’s Anatomy
“Flight” – season 8, episode 24 (2012)
Grey’s Anatomy is currently on its eighteenth season, and it still knows how to pull at our heartstrings. But nothing gets me like the plane crash episode that aired almost 10 years ago. There’s been a lot of deaths – from George, to Izzy, and even McDreamy himself. Lexie’s death though was one of the most heartbreaking and least anticipated by fans. It was so ironic that she was surrounded by a number of doctors, but nothing could be done to help her. She and Meredith’s sister bond really grew since their initial meeting and it was a shame to lose that. And after Lexie and Mark’s deaths, the hospital was officially renamed Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in their honor.
* Watch on ABC or Hulu