10 Most Shocking Deaths In TV History
9. Wild Bill Hickok – Deadwood
Bit of a cheat entry this, in that if you know about Wild West history, you’ll know exactly how the legendary gunfighter met his end. But if you went into the hugely underrated HBO Western Deadwood blind, seeing Wild Bill shot in the back during a game of poker must have been a huge surprise.
Since the first episode, Wild Bill was established as a big deal. Played by Keith Carradine, one of the biggest names in a cast of big names, he was even given the “and starring” credit in the opening titles.
However, none of this could save Wild Bill from history, and when he sat with his back to the door of Nuttall’s No. 10 Saloon, his murder by drunken gambler Jack McCall had to happen. That it came out of nowhere in the closing moments of only the fourth episode of the series only made the bitter pill all the more difficult to swallow.