11 Grim TV Moments You Won't Watch Again

We've tried to avoid the obvious ones from shows that seem to have come to exist to shock audiences by killing off main characters abruptly. The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones are the guiltiest of parties, often just randomly offing leads to change up the game. Glenn's brutal beating in the former was even kept a secret for a season-break just to drum up ratings. It usually winds up cheapening the whole affair.r

Dale Horvath (Jeffrey DeMunn) was the earliest meaningful death on the show. The RV-owning collective conscience of the survivors' signified just how unsafe everyone was, but it also represented something behind-the-scenes that was equally brand-altering. AMC was unhappy with the direction show-runner Frank Darabont was taking the show and he was replaced, leading to a lawsuit over breach of contract that is still in some stage of litigation. DeMunn, a regular player of Darabont's troupe, followed him out the door.

So Dale's death is two-fold, fighting to spare an outsider and appeal to the goodwill of the group, he is eviscerated and mercy-killed before turning himself. It also represents a drastic change from which the show never turned back.