18 TV Characters Who Were Killed Off For The Most Heartbreaking Reasons

Let's face it: pretty much every popular TV show feels the need to kill off a character at some point. Some do so ruthlessly, constantly culling popular characters in order to shock and surprise their viewers (Game of Thrones, I'm looking at you!). Others use this tactic infrequently, and only when they need to pack a real emotional punch. However, some series have been forced to write deaths into their storylines due to tragic external circumstances. Whether it's due to the passing of an actor, inappropriate behavior from cast members, or illegal activity forcing the producers' hands, characters in a wide range of shows found themselves meeting an unexpected demise.

Who can forget the heart-wrenching episode of Glee that dealt with Finn Hudson's untimely passing? What Grey's Anatomy fan hasn't wondered why popular characters like Derek Shephard and George O'Malley had to meet their makers in horrifying ways? They're not the only ones, either. Shows like Scandal, Breaking Bad, The West Wing and Mad Men all had to deal with difficult and ultimately deadly circumstances involving cast members. Show-runners are often left wondering how to react when situations like this occur. Do they simply recast the part? Do they retire the role out of respect? Will the actor in question's character have to kick the bucket as a result? Often, the answer to this last question is a resounding yes. Here's a roundup of the most upsetting situations that lead to a popular character being killed off.

18 Finn Hudson's Passing Was Doubly Heartbreaking

Glee actor Cory Monteith's sudden death from an overdose back in 2013 deeply shocked his colleagues, friends, and fans. His girlfriend and co-star Lea Michele was devastated, as were the rest of the show's cast and crew. Since Glee's storyline had recently brought Monteith's character Finn Hudson back into the forefront of the plot, the writers felt it wouldn't have made sense to simply write him out with no explanation. The difficult decision was made to kill off Finn, and dedicate a tribute episode to the character and his actor.

Finn's poignant tribute episode 'The Quarterback' aired on October 10, 2013. It was a truly moving piece of television and celebrated the lives of both Monteith and his character. Finn's cause of death was never revealed; instead, the episode focused on the effect his passing had on his friends, family, and on-off girlfriend. It must have been so difficult for the cast to shoot those scenes, but they did a tremendous job regardless.

17 Edna Krabappel's Voice Actress Was Irreplaceable

Replacing an actress is a lot easier in an animated show than a live-action series. As long as you can find someone else with a similar voice to the original cast member, you're fine! However, the producers of The Simpsons didn't choose to take this route when legendary actress Marcia Wallace sadly passed away back in 2013.

Wallace had portrayed schoolteacher Edna Krabappel for over 20 years at the time of her death, even winning an Emmy award for the role back in 1992. Her distinctive laugh and expressive voice breathed life into the much-loved character that nobody else could possibly replicate. Out of respect for Marcia, the producers decided that Edna should initially be retired and then meet her own death off-screen. It brought a tragic end to the popular romantic pairing of Edna and Ned Flanders, but it was simply unavoidable given the circumstances.

16 The On-Screen Tribute to Howard's Mom Was Especially Poigniant

Right from the show's inception back in 2007, one of The Big Bang Theory's running gags was Howard Wolowitz's closeness to his mother. We never actually saw the infamous Mrs. Wolowitz on screen, and instead had to make do with hearing her gravelly tones constantly yelling at her long-suffering son. Mrs. W was voiced by the hilarious Carol Ann Susi who truly made the role her own.

Tragically, in November 2014 Susi passed away after suffering from cancer. The showrunners were devastated and didn't even think about what this would mean for their show until they were well into the grieving process. While Susi's co-star Melissa Rauch could actually do a spot-on impression of the late star, the producers decided that the best course of action would be to kill off poor Mrs. Wolowitz. The repercussions of this loss were explored on the show as part of a tribute to the late Susi.

15 Paul Hennessey's Death Permanently Affected 8 Simple Rules

The first two seasons of 8 Simple Rules were pretty much entirely focused on family patriarch Paul Hennessey taking charge of the care of his three kids. He spent a lot of time worrying about his daughters' dating lives, hence the original title 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter. However, the events of one fateful afternoon in September 2003 changed the course of the show for good. Paul actor John Ritter began to feel unwell during an afternoon rehearsal of the show and was rushed to a nearby hospital. Sadly, he passed away later that day due to an aortic dissection.

In the aftermath of Ritter's death, 8 Simple Rules took a hiatus while producers tried to work out what to do. Eventually, they announced that they had decided to kill off Ritter's character, with Paul passing away from a heart attack while buying milk. The show was never quite the same and ended up being canceled just one season later due to poor ratings.

14 Michelle Rodriguez's Arrest Was The Cause Of This Character's Death

The writers of Lost claimed that they always intended to kill off ex-police officer Ana Lucia Cortez, but the circumstances of the character's death were slightly suspicious. Real-life controversies involving Ana's actress Michelle Rodriguez plagued the production of the hit show. Rodriguez stirred up quite a bit of trouble while filming Lost in Honolulu, Hawaii. She was pulled up for numerous speeding offenses during her time on the island, and issues with alcohol and prescription steroids led to her being charged with a DUI in December 2005. She was arrested within minutes of her co-star Cynthia Watros, who was also pulled up for driving under the influence. Mysteriously, both Rodriguez and Watros' characters ended up dying in the same episode in the aftermath of their legal issues. It seems a bit too convenient to be a coincidence.

13 Homophobia Played a Part In George O'Malley's Demise

Dr. George O'Malley was a pretty popular character in long-running medical drama Grey's Anatomy. The talented trauma surgeon was an integral part of the show for five seasons, and fans were shocked when he was killed off in a traumatic bus accident. At first, this might just seem like another plot twist intended to surprise viewers. However, there was actually a deeper reason for O'Malley's departure. His actor, T. R. Knight, had been undergoing issues on the Grey's set for a while prior to his exit from the series. His co-star Isaiah Washington had been dismissed for using a gay slur in reference to Knight, and tensions had begun to bubble between the actor and showrunner Shonda Rhimes. Rhimes was apparently unhappy about Knight's decision to come out as gay, leading to a 'breakdown of communication' between the two. Knight was eventually relieved to leave the show, while Rhimes wished him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

12 Charlie Harper Definitely Didn't Have Tiger Blood

Two and a Half Men actor Charlie Sheen's very public breakdown in late 2010 and early 2011 was a major cause of concern for pretty much the entire world. Sheen famously claimed that he had “tiger blood” and was generally “winning” at life. However, he also managed to seriously damage his acting career through his off-the-wall statements and erratic behavior. Production of Two and a Half Men had halted in January 2011 while Sheen attempted rehabilitation for his prolific drug issues. However, this didn't exactly go to plan, and Sheen ended up publicly cursing out showrunner Chuck Lorre and other members of the Two and a Half Men team. Warner Bros. consequently terminated Sheen's contract, replacing him with Ashton Kutcher. But what would they do about his character, Charlie Harper? It was eventually decided that the neatest option was killing him off. Harper allegedly met an untimely end in the show's ninth season, although it was later revealed he was still alive and had in reality just been kidnapped. However, mere moments after this revelation, Harper was crushed by a freak falling piano. This time, he was gone for good.

11 Todd Stities' Death Was A Brave Move By Producers

Popular 90s sitcom Suddenly Susan faced a challenging situation after the tragic death of one of its main actors. David Strickland, who portrayed rock music reporter Todd Stities, committed suicide in a Las Vegas hotel room in March 1999, midway through filming the show's third season. After serious deliberation in the wake of this heartbreaking event, the showrunners decided on the brave move of incorporating Strickland's death into Suddenly Susan's plot by killing off Todd.

Todd's demise came in the third season finale of the show and was a moving tribute to both the character and his actor. Todd suddenly goes missing one day, and in the course of searching for him Susan finds out about various acts of kindness Todd performed that she failed to notice. At the end of the episode, Todd's fate was left ambiguous; however, he was presumed to have died in unknown circumstances. This final tribute to Strickland was broadcast alongside interviews in which his castmates discussed their fond memories of their friend.

10 Shonda and Patrick Couldn't See Eye To Eye So McDreamy Had To Die

While Grey's Anatomy leading man Derek Shephard - otherwise known as 'McDreamy' - was a much-loved character by fans of the show, his actor caused a fair bit of on-set friction. Patrick Dempsey and Grey's showrunner Shonda Rhimes really did not get on, with their animosity increasing to the extent that Rhimes allegedly killed McDreamy off out of spite. Dempsey also engaged in a lot of problematic behavior on set, which didn't help matters. He apparently had a barely-concealed affair with a member of the production team, placing his co-workers in a very awkward position. Dempsey had denied these allegations, but he kind of would, wouldn't he? Meanwhile, Rhimes admitted in an interview that she legitimately had killed off a character due to her dislike of their actor. She didn't name names, but it was pretty clear she was talking about poor McDreamy. His eventually fatal car crash was a pretty brutal way to go!

9 Dr. Kroger's Fate Reflected That Of His Actor

Dr. Charles Kroger was TV detective Monk's trusted psychiatrist and friend. He helped Monk to keep his OCD under control, kept him stable and grounded, and even assisted him in solving some crimes along the way. Kroger even stopped his patient from being brainwashed by a villainous cult leader in one particularly memorable episode! All in all, he was a pretty solid shrink.

However, when Monk returned for its seventh season, it was revealed that Dr. Kroger had passed away from a heart attack a few weeks before the events of the first episode. This on-screen tragedy was actually a reflection of real-life events. Kroger's actor, Stanley Kamel, had unexpectedly died of a heart attack prior to the filming of Season 7. The episode 'Mr. Monk Buys a House' was subsequently dedicated to Kamel's memory.

8 Joan Wells Bradford Only Featured In One Season of This Show

The late-1970s sitcom Eight is Enough was initially supposed to center on parents Tom and Joan Bradford and their huge brood of eight children. However, Joan's actress - Diana Hyland - became seriously ill due to breast cancer after shooting just four episodes of the show's first season. Hyland passed away from the disease in boyfriend John Travolta's arms in March 1977, aged just 41. The decision was made to kill off her character and reframe Eight is Enough as a show about a widower trying to rebuild his life after his wife's death. The writers somehow got through the rest of the first season without addressing matriarch Joan's untimely death, and instead cemented Tom's single status at the start of Season Two. Tom later remarried, although Joan and Hyland were never forgotten.

7 Villainous Livia Soprano Unexpectedly Met Her End

Miserable matriarch Livia was one of The Sopranos' most devious characters. She seemed to exist only to make those around her suffer and constantly tried to thwart her family members' happiness. She even tried to have her own son killed twice for putting her in a nursing home. That's a bit extreme, Livia! She was a scheming, malicious, and calculating woman, but also an integral part of this iconic show.

Prior to filming The Sopranos' third season, the show's writers had formulated a major plot point in which Livia would be summoned to testify against her own son in court. However, before this undeniably emotional storyline could be filmed, Livia's actress - Nancy Marchand - sadly passed away due to lung cancer. Clever CGI effects and stock footage were used to create a farewell scene between Tony Soprano and his mother before Livia herself succumbed to a stroke.

6 Leo McGarry's Death Broke Hearts On And Off Screen

Leo McGarry was one of The West Wing's best-loved characters, with his sharp wit and unshakeable loyalty to President Bartlett making him a quick fan favorite. Leo served as a father figure to many of the White House staff, especially Josh Lyman, and was pretty much universally beloved.

In Season 7 of this Emmy-winning show, Leo ran as the vice-presidential candidate alongside President Bartlett's eventual replacement, Matt Santos. The original plan was for Leo to become VP alongside Santos' President; however, during the series' filming a tragedy struck that changed everything. Leo actor John Spencer passed away from a heart attack on December 16, 2005, at the relatively young age of 59. The West Wing's showrunners were adamant that Spencer's role couldn't possibly be recast, and made the heartbreaking choice to kill off Leo too. Leo is found dead shortly before the end of the presidential election and never finds out that he's the vice president-elect. His emotional funeral scene won critical acclaim and was a fitting tribute to a popular character and actor.

5 Personal Problems Led to Harrison Wright's Shocking Death

Harrison Wright was a pretty popular character in political drama series Scandal. While he didn't come from the best background, he'd made an effort to better himself and was insanely loyal to his boss Olivia Pope. Their close relationship was demonstrated when Pope personally organized Wright's funeral. However, Wright's actor, Columbus Short, became less well regarded than his character after some shocking revelations about his personal life made the news. Short was fired by Scandal showrunner Shonda Rhimes after he was faced with accusations of domestic violence, drug abuse, and alcoholism. Rhimes felt that the best way to conclusively exclude Short from the show was to kill off his character. Poor Harrison met a grisly end in the Season Three finale, being murdered by his political enemy Rowan. Isn't it a shame when bad things have to happen to good characters?

4 Both Andrew Campbell and His Actor Died In Tragic Accidents

Andrew Campbell, the father of serial philanderer and major Mad Men character Pete Campbell, met a pretty shocking and unexpected end in Season Two of this hit drama series. He was a fictional victim of a real-life devastating plane crash, the 1962 American Airlines Flight 1 disaster. Many viewers assumed that Andrew had been included in this tragedy for dramatic effect. However, the truth was far more upsetting. Andrew's actor, Christopher Allport, was killed in an avalanche at a California ski resort in January 2008. It was a truly freak accident; the San Gabriel Mountains, the location of the resort, was usually totally free of avalanche incidents. Allport's sudden death led to writers including his character among the victims of the 1962 plane crash. The episode that details the incident, 'Flight One', was dedicated to Allport's memory.

3 Barold Frost's On-Screen Death Was Rooted In Real-Life Tragedy

Boston Police Department homicide detective Barold 'Barry' Frost was a popular character on police procedural drama Rizzoli and Isles. His boyish charm and adorable crush on Detective Jane Rizzoli warmed viewers' hearts, as did his hilarious inability to deal with blood or gore of any kind. Not ideal for someone who deals with dead bodies all day! We were all looking forward to seeing Barry's antics on our screens for years to come. However, his role in the series was cut short after tragedy struck in August 2013. When Barry's actor Lee Thompson Young failed to show up for filming one day, police officers made the upsetting discovery that he'd committed suicide. His family, friends, and colleagues were heartbroken, and the decision was made to kill Barry off rather than recast him. He died off-screen in a car crash in the Season Four premiere, with the episode being dedicated to Young.

2 Lennie Briscoe's Long Law and Order Run Had To End

Lennie Briscoe was one of the longest-serving characters ever in procedural drama Law and Order's twenty-year history. He appeared in a whopping 282 episodes between 1992 and 2004 in both the original series and three Law and Order spin-offs. Lennie was such a popular member of the show that he was actually named a New York City living landmark along with fellow character Jack McCoy. What an achievement! However, his long run in the Law and Order universe had to come to an end at some point, and it did so in devastating circumstances. Lennie's actor, Jerry Orbach, sadly died in 2004 after a decade-long battle with prostate cancer. While his character's fate was initially left open, it was confirmed in later series of the show that he too had died in unknown circumstances.

1 Tuco Salamanca's Actor Just Couldn't Take It Any More

Breaking Bad antagonist Tuco Salamanca was a pretty wild character. He snorted meth in huge quantities, was prone to unpredictable moments of violence, and was basically a massive psychopath. He met his end in the second season of this acclaimed drama, with lead character Hank shooting him in the head in an act of self-defense. While such a violent end seems to suit a character like Tuco, it only came about because his actor, Raymond Cruz, found the role so emotionally and physically draining. Cruz realized that he needed to leave Breaking Bad for his own health and sanity, so the show's writers obligingly killed his character off. Cruz later returned to the role in Better Call Saul, the Netflix-based prequel to the original show. A pre-meth addiction version of Tuco featured as a minor antagonist in the spin-off's first two seasons.