20 Most Shocking TV Character Deaths EVER

Unlike most shows on this list, death was never a major part The Good Wife, a fact that made Will Gardner's sudden death at the end of its fifth season such an unexpected gut-punch. 

Loyal but stubborn, Will was the definition of a scene-stealer, and his complex motivations and driven work ethic were easy to admire, even when they put him at odds with his friends and foes. Watching him work a courtroom or tiptoe around potential love interest Alicia was often one of the show's greatest joys. 

In the season five episode "Dramatics, Your Honour," Will was seen in court defending his client, Jeffrey Grant, an accused murderer who, in a sudden and inexplicable moment of desperation, stole a gun from an officer and shot Will dead. 

It's hard to watch, even if you don't have to see any of the bloodshed unfolding - it happens off-screen, told through other characters' reactions and the lone, haunting image of Will's discarded shoe - and is a moment that forever changed The Good Wife and its spinoffs.