10 TV Character Deaths Fans Still Aren't Over
Though time may pass, the pain from losing these TV characters lives on...
Death is never easy - both in real life and on our favourite shows. On TV, killing off characters is one of the most radical and game-changing things a show can do, shocking the audience and moving the narrative along in surprising and innovative ways.
Not all of them get it right - and some shows have been known to overdo the kill count to such an extent that death has lost its original kick - but many hit the nail on the head and kill off major characters in clever and even necessary ways.
For this list, we're looking at the whole spectrum, from the losses that royally pissed off the fandom, to those that worked wonders for the show but still make fans tear up to this day.
No genre is safe. Medical dramas, sitcoms, animated tragicomedies and iconic horrors all appear on this list, offering up some of TV's most devastating and - yes - even infuriating demises.
With that in mind, from the ones that still grate on viewers, to the iconic heartbreakers, here are 10 TV character deaths fans still aren't over.
10. Derek Shepherd - Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy can be a seriously cruel show, and though fans have had to say goodbye to a long line of brilliant characters, none hurt quite as much as losing Derek Shepherd, AKA McDreamy.
For ten seasons, we all watched as Derek and Meredith Grey fell in love, progressed with their careers, fought numerous obstacles in their path, got married and started a family. It was a fantastic story, bursting with emotional twists and charm, and things seemed poised to end with a happily ever after for the iconic couple.
Unfortunately, though, it wasn't meant to be. In season eleven, Derek was involved in a fatal traffic accident. He suffered severe brain damage, and before the maddeningly incompetent doctors in his care realised the extent of his injuries it was too late. Derek was brain dead, and Meredith took him off life support.
It was a cruel end for McDreamy, shaking the fandom to the core, and though it's been six seasons since Derek's death, the series really hasn't recovered from his loss.