The Sopranos
This is a mob show so the casualty list is long and gruesome, but we'll keep it short and sweet. (Watch video here.) Ralphie was beaten and choked to death, and then dismembered by Christopher and Tony. Janice shot Richie twice for smacking her in the face. And anyone who’s a "Sopranos" devotee knew Adriana's days were numbered when she became an informant for the FBI (just ask Big Pussy). Look, you don't mess with the Sopranos. more
24
If there's one show that offers ZERO job security, it's '24.' Fans were clued in to the darkness that is Jack Bauer's world when at the end of Season 1 Jack's pregnant wife Teri was gunned down by Nina. Then fast forward to President Palmer being killed by a sniper in Season 4 (and don't forget Tony and Michelle). Nobody is safe. more
The O.C.
The biggest dilemma for "The OC" kids seemed to be who Ryan would take to the Winter Wonderland dance, so it came as quite a shock when gorgeous Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) perished in a fiery car crash at the end of Season 3. Mischa's swan song may have forecasted the death of the whole shebang as FOX pulled the plug on the show halfway through Season 4. more
Desperate Housewives
This sudsy ABC hit began with a bang when Mary Alice Young committed suicide in the opening episode, setting the stage for the mystery that would envelop its freshman season. Season 2 saw the untimely demise of Rex Van De Kamp at the hands of a psycho pharmacist, who later killed himself while Bree watched. And this season, single mom Nora was an unfortunate casualty of a supermarket hostage standoff. It’s not all soufflés and hunky gardeners on this block, people. more
The Simpsons
If a prize were awarded for the oddest TV death, we proudly nominate the passing of Maude Flanders, mother to Rod and Todd and wife to the pious Ned. While attending a race at the Springfield Speedway, Maude was struck by t-shirts shot from an air bazooka. She was knocked over the stadium railing and plummeted to her death. more
Prison Break
We knew not everyone would make it out of Fox River at the end of Season 1, but at the rate the cons are getting killed off now, it's questionable whether there'll be anyone left. Tweener was shot in cold blood by the rogue agent Mahone. Veronica took a bullet to the temple when she found out the VP's brother was actually alive. And mob boss Abruzzi also bit the dust. Obviously, prison is much safer than the outside world.! more
Lost
The death toll is pretty impressive on "Lost" – and we're not even counting the plane crash victims. Mr. Eko? Done in by the smoke monster. Shannon? Shot by Ana-Lucia. Boone? Crushed when a plane fell from a tree. Ana-Lucia and Libby? Gunned down by Michael for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. And don't forget all the "Others." Will one of your favorites be next? more
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer
Kicking undead butt was mostly fun and games for Buffy until tragedy struck and the Slayer found her mother dead on the living room couch. The irony is that her mom wasn’t done in by a demon or a vampire but by an aneurysm, something that Buffy couldn’t fight with all her training and skills. The Scoobies experienced another loss when Willow’s girlfriend Tara was hit by a stray bullet. more
Six Feet Under
"Narm" was the infamous word sputtered by Nate Fisher after he suffered an AVM that eventually killed him. For a show that began every episode with a death (and even began the series with the demise of Nathaniel Fisher Sr.), it still came as a shock when they killed off Nate. Yes, we saw his gravestone at the start of Season 3, but we disregarded that as a mean and nasty trick. Fool me once … more
Dallas
When Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) was run down by his sister-in-law at the end of Season 7, the show suffered without him. Larry Hagman persuaded Duffy to return and Season 8 ended with Pam finding Bobby alive in the shower. How did they explain that? The entire previous season had been a dream, silly. Moving right along. more
ER
You can expect plenty of eventful deaths in a hospital drama, but the untimely departure of two of their own were the most memorable; one for being so heartbreaking and the other for being so infuriating. Mark Greene, one of the show's original ER doctors, succumbed to an inoperable brain tumor in the 2002 season. His final thoughts were of an empty ER before slowly fading away. Heartbreaking. Dr. Romano first lost an arm when he backed into a helicopter’s blade, and a season later a helicopter fell off the roof of the hospital and landed on him. Infuriating. more
Charmed
The coven of Halliwell witches (Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Paige) had many deaths (and lives) in their eight-year run. Piper and Phoebe died nine times, Paige seven times, and Prue three times. They always found a way back to the land of the living with one notable exception -- Prue died at the end of Season 3 when she was killed by Shax, a hitman sent by the Source. more
NYPD Blue
Get the tissue. Here's the whole story. Bobby Simone became Andy's partner when John Kelly was forced to leave the job. Simone forged a bond with fellow cop Diane, and the two eventually married after he convinced her she had a drinking problem and needed to get help. The pair suffered through a miscarriage and shortly after they were married Simone got a heart infection that hospitalized him. A new heart was needed, but Simone’s body rejected it and he died. more
M*A*S*H
At the end of the third season of MASH Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake was discharged. Everyone waved goodbye, sad to see him chopper off but happy that he was headed home. In the final scene it was revealed that his plane had been shot down over the Sea of Japan and he had been killed. This moment still ranks as one of the biggest tear-jerkers in TV history. more
All in the Family
The yin to Archie Bunker’s yang, Edith was a bit loopy but always loveable. Archie had to face his worst nightmare when Edith died of a stroke. It was like losing your own family member, and witnessing Archie's reaction and grief made it even more unbearable. more