8 TV Shows That Killed The Main Character Early
2. Strike Back - John Porter (Lifespan: Seven Episodes)
Hunky Richard Armitage played John Porter in the first season of action show Strike Back, an SAS soldier haunted by the death of his squad years before. He gets back into action when tasked with hunting down terrorists and the series ended on a cliffhanger, with Porter going on the run having made powerful political enemies.
However Armitage's commitment to The Hobbit Trilogy meant he wasn't going to be available for season two. The decision was quickly made to bring him back for a cameo in season two where he's executed by terrorists with a shot to the head, and then introduce two new heroes to track down his killers.
While it was sad to lose Armitage the show really came into it's own in the second year. It significantly increased the action, scope and gratuitous nudity (male and female), and the interplay between the new leads became the heart of the show.