8 Main Character Deaths That Killed Great TV Shows

In a series about an emotionless serial killer, Dexter needed someone to anchor him to his humanity. Luckily for him, he had his future wife, Rita.

Whilst Dexter was off killing other serial killers and concealing his identity from his colleagues and loved ones, Rita was at home opening him up to the possibility of a real life. He was, by his own admission, incapable of real love, but with Rita their relationship showed he wasn't entirely dead inside.

It was a mighty shame, then, when Rita was brutally killed by the Trinity Killer in the show's fourth season, because whilst it was one of Dexter's finest moments, it also meant that future seasons would be lacking her hopeful presence.

And sure enough, both Dexter the show and Dexter the character were never the same without her; there was a human element and a challenge missing from Dexter's life. More free to delve into his bloody pasttime, the show became quite tired with her gone, and never recovered.