8. Tara - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
You have to admire Whedon's skill at lulling us into a false sense of security. Willow and Tara had finally worked through their issues and were looking like they were going to get back together. Everything was sunshine and puppy dogs. In hindsight, we really should have known what was coming. Tara and Willow are standing in their bedroom, basking in their newly reignited relationship, when out of nowhere Tara is hit by a stray bullet meant for Buffy. The utter pointlessness of her death gives it added poignancy, as does her final words, "Your shirt." She sees her blood all over Willow's shirt, and without having time to comprehend what's happened, her last thoughts are concern for Willow. And to add insult to injury, this episode was the first in which Amber Benson (Tara) got her own title card in the opening credits. Joss, you magnificent bastard.
7. Dale - The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a show about a ragtag group of people trying to survive the zombie apocalypse. So it goes without saying that anyone can go at any time. But the one death that shook me to the core more than anyone else was Dale. The moral compass of the group. The one who was always trying to make sure that, in fighting the undead, they didn't lose their humanity. Earlier in the episode, Carl Jr had been wandering through the woods when he came upon a zombie that was submerged in the mud and unable to escape. Intrigued by the fact that this zombie couldn't hurt him, he started to have a little fun with it. Should we have known that this zombie, being spared by Carl Jr, would struggle to get itself out of the mud, only to literally come back and bite them all in the ass? Yes, we should have. But at the time, we could only stare at the screen in horror as Dale died out in the fields. Tears forever, guys.