7. Maude Flanders (The Simpsons)
Now this may not be the most devastating loss of a character, after all, Maude was the fourth most entertaining member of a Flanders family of four. However, what shocked us was that she was removed from the show in such a darkly comedic fashion. We all recognised that she was a minor player in the vast cast that occupies The Simpsons, but we didn't expect the show to treat her with the little regard that that role warranted. She was blasted from a speedway stadium stand by t-shirts fired from bazookas intended for Homer Simpson. That's pretty brutal enough, but then we later learn that Homer's negligent parking prevented any form of rescue for Maude via ambulance. And it gets worse, as Ned reveals our portly hero also fell into the ex-Flanders grave. Harsh treatment to say the least. So I guess this one wasn't shocking in terms of who it was, or indeed why it happened - voice actress Maggie Roswell was locked in a dispute over pay regarding her role - but more due to the surprisingly sinister manner of her demise on an otherwise light-hearted family show.