10 Most Shockingly Sudden Exits From TV Shows
5. Chandra West (Holly Gribbs) - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
The pilot episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation of course introduced audiences to the principal cast members, including bright-eyed young CSI Holly Gribbs (Chandra West).
Viewers naturally assumed she'd be part of the week-to-week lineup, only for the pilot to end with Gribbs being shot by a suspect and dying from her injuries in the very next episode.
Gribbs was apparently originally intended to be a main cast member, but due to test audiences expressing a strong dislike for her in the pilot, the decision was quickly made to kill her off.
It remains one of the few truly shocking moments in a series generally reliant on predictable formula, establishing a "nobody is safe" vibe from the outset - albeit one the show quickly abandoned.