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The 30 Saddest Television Deaths

13 Jun 2012

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Warning: Major spoilers and pictures of dying TV characters ahead :)

What do you think of this list? Any of your favourites missing?

What's your No.1? Sound off in the comments!

See Full List here.

106 comments:

  1. I definitely agree with this list - Marvin dying on HIMYM was depressing. "My Screw Up" is my favorite Scrubs episode. I just love it so much! And add Lexie Grey's name to the list.

    I'd also like to add Chris Halliwell to the list - I cried when he died! And as much as I love how much they explored Leo's grief, I wish they had done so more because I'm pretty sure Chris' death fucked him up for good in the final two seasons.

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  2. here is mine.


    I still cry now :(


    http://images.wikia.com/lostpedia/images/9/9c/VINCENT.jpg

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  3. Oh my God, Fry's Dog.


    That is the saddest thing I've ever seen on tv. They got that one right. Ughhhh
    I also agree with the whole list pretty much.


    I was glad Prue's death was in there because it was a twisty terrible thing after another from Piper getting shotgunned in the gut to Shax blowing through massacring everyone in the house. And I've never seen grief better portrayed than by Piper...

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  4. For me it's Mark's death in ER, Angel and buffy too as the end of season 5 and prentiss in criminal minds.

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  5. I was very pleased to see "Honorable Mention: The Tenth Doctor". It did felt that way.
    I would have added Amber from "House MD", Jack from LOST, John Ritter's character in "8 simple rules"

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  6. The one death that really threw me for a loop was Henry,in Mash.After watching him leave and then getting the announcement that he died,and the way the announcement was made shocked us all,it was so unexpected. I can still remember Radar's face..

    Charlies death was shocking to me,even though i knew he chose to do it when he actually locked himself in it shocked me.

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  7. Charlie should have been in the first place!

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  8. I agree! Chris Halliwell should have been in there. He was my favorite character from Charmed.

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  9. So many of them, but for now, let's say:
    Charlie (LOST) - agree that it was probably the most I've ever cried at a TV show and Sam (Supernatural) in 2x22 - first one and Dean holding him, just...
    Also, just noticed Tenth Doctor! Yes, that makes me CRY every single time! Still not okay with that.

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  10. Not really a death but jack Bauer on 24 got me crying a fair bit none so bad as poor renees death. Nathan petrelli on heroes, Ty lockwood being possessed by klaus on TVD had me bawling and saying goodbye to the show for good. Still hurts to think about even now. I didn't cry for Ned stark but I was heartbroken on the inside anyway. Sean bean knows how to die that's for sure. And little maisie as arya made me want to hold her during that scene poor baby.

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  11. For me it has to be Mark Greene in ER i remember bawling that entire episode. I loved his character so much and his death just cut so deep.

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  12. charlie should of been #1

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  13. I cried because of these deaths, mostly not because of the death itself but due to the reactions/the music and the atmosphere:
    -Karen McCluskey in the last episode of Desperate Housewives
    -Nora in the Hostage-Episode on Desperate Housewives
    -Mike on Desperate Housewives
    -Hugh Dancy's character and Marlene on The Big C
    -Of course all the deaths in the last few minutes of Six Feet Under
    -Robert McCallister on Brothers & Sisters
    -So many deaths on Grey's Anatomy, Denny, Charlie in the shooter-episode
    -The most shocking death to me was Sophia on Walking Dead
    -The funeral of Sue Sylvester's sister on Glee

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  14. Laura Roslin at the end of Battlestar Galactica. She's flying in that ship with Adama and then... God, I think I actually cry with that one.

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  15. Siobhan Carroll13 June 2012 at 17:16

    The one that missing for me is alt Lincoln death in season 4 of fringe

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  16. Panos Nestoras13 June 2012 at 17:17

    Great list.. For me the saddest deaths i can remember right now are Omar in The Wire, Charlie in Lost, the Tenth Doctor, Fred from Angel as well as Cordelia and Wesley..

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  17. Many worthy deaths on that list, but the one that hit me the hardest was Lexie Grey. Fred and Wesley on Angel also deserves a mention

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  18. Karen McCluskey in the last episode of Desperate Housewives
    YES, how could I forgot that!

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  19. Ianto Jones from Torchwood!

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  20. keith scott (one tree hill) most definitely should have been on that last at least somewhere!

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  21. I agree with a lot of them...
    Another one that made me sad was Spike in Buffy. I know he went to Angel after Buffy ended, but the way he went with Buffy there until the final moments....no words.

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  22. I agree with the ones I've seen of these, also I would Steven Bartowski's death on Chuck.

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  23. Wow! This list brings back so many major TV moments for me. I remember watching 90210 the first edition and Scott's death shocked me. It was so sudden. Mrs. Landingham on West Wing was another shocker because it didn't make sense to have someone that integral to running things die and off-screen no less. A shock I could have done without. I didn't even watch ER and just seeing a clip of that scene touched my heart. It was like Goose was gone all over again. Same goes for Jen's death on Dawson's Creek. I had stopped watching that show years ago but came back for the finale. It was touching even though she was never my favorite character. However of the ones on this list for me, the biggest death was Joyce Summers from Buffy. That death changed so much and the shock of a natural death on a supernatural show so there was nothing you could kill to get revenge - very powerful stuff. While I was by far more shaken up when Angel died at the end of season 2, he came back. Joyce didn't so in the end that was the heart breaker.

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  24. Prue's death wasn't supposed to be a death. There was a plan to have Rose McGowan anyway, but being the pain that she is, she got killed.
    Piper's death in Season 3 was more tragic!
    DENNY! So upsetting.
    I agree with and earlier post, Laura Roslin should of been on there, she was an amazing character.
    VERY recent, but the most tear jerking death was that of dearly beloved Dr. Lexie Grey, I MISS HER SO MUCH!

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  25. Do Not Forget Juliet from LOST

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  26. Oh my God, I can't believe Mr Vincent Nigel-Murray from Bones!

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  27. Remember how they tortured us by showing her death scene over and over again?

    At least she and Sawyer ended up together in the end!

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  28. Supernatural- Dean eaten up by the hellhounds in season 3 finale.

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  29. I'm not gonna lie, I teared up AGAIN at a few on this list. I don't know that I would have placed Lane from Mad Men so high, though. I didn't tear up at all, though I was definitely shocked. I do think Charlie from LOST was Top 5 material, though. It gets me every time.

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  30. Kate from NCIS - I cried for a week straight!
    I don't care it was a movie but Wash's death counts!!





    And Eureka, Warehouse 13 and Haven could've been honourably mentioned too on my list...

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  31. Henry's death is one that still shocks me - it kind of punched you in the gut. I remember having mixed feelings at him leaving - I was excited that he was going home, but sad to see him leave the show... and then THAT happened. My jaw hit the floor. I didn't see it on TV (it was like 20-30 years before my time), but I used to watch the box set with my dad. Neither of us walked away from that episode with dry eyes.

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  32. Surely Karen McClusky should be on there. And Cyril O'Reily (Scott Winters) from OZ. His execution had me crying for hours.

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  33. I agree about Lexie. I pretty much couldn't breathe through her death scene because I was sobbing so hard. I think Fred and Wesley are honorable mentions, as is Spike on Buffy (even if they did kind of negate the whole thing by resurrecting him on Angel). I loved seeing him go out in a blaze of glory saving the world, even if it killed me inside.

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  34. You can't have a saddest death without Keith Scott from "One Tree Hill". Everything in his life was finally going right, and then his brother murders him.

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  35. How about Nathan Stark's death? Yes, he was saving the town of Eureka but come on, I was in tears! Warehouse 13 season three two part finale, I was literally crying when Jinks was found dead and how about HG's death by saving the Warehouse?

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  36. all of these are really great examples and are enthusiastically dittoed by me

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  37. Oh Wash's death... mm.. to have been able to pause and properly mourn in the moment ( the theater gasped and went dead silent..) that was gut wrenching..

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  38. My picks for the saddest death's that I nominate are both from Supernatural, of course. My picks are Ellen and Jo Harvelle in season 5's "Abandon All Hope" and Bobby Singer in season 7's "Death's Door". I've cried BUCKETS when I watched both those episodes, and I've seen them literally hundred times and I STILL cry like a frigging baby! That's how heartbreaking those incredible episodes are! *tears*

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  39. I agree with you. Stephen's death was not only very tragic and sad, but also shocking. A real sucker punch. They should have added it to the list.

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  40. I forgot one, how could I forget one? Captain Montgomery from Castle - that one was sad, I liked Montgomery. I prefer Montgomery over Gates.

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  41. Yes,i still remember that hole in the pit of my stomach,i remember what it felt like. Henry was the first beloved character that died,and even though this was about the Korean War my brother had been in the Viet Nam War so i guess it hit me a little harder..It was just so totally unexpected,wow your so right,what a punch that was.

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  42. Charlie hit me hard too. I didn't think he was going to do it even after he hit Desmond over the head,but once inside the room and the water started filling up,geez i started to panic thinking he still had time..that was hard to watch..Charlie turned out to be a hero in the end..

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  43. I agree, but what was sad was after Charlie died then scene switched to baby Aaron crying, like somehow he sensed that the only one who was like a father to him was now gone..

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  44. I think everyonew knew that Jack would end up dying the end, with the close up of his eyes closing. It was just a given fact, that he wouldn't make it at the end.

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  45. I still have a feeling that Juliet was pregnant when she died

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  46. It was sad but they should have not excuted Cryil O'Reily given his mental capacity. He should have been communted to life in prision. It was sad but what was sadder was right before they hit the switch he realized that he was going to die.

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  47. I forgot about that theory! Yes, I can definitely see it being true.

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  48. OMG i forgot about that,and Claire looking for Charlie,oh that was just heartbreaking....so sad. :(

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  49. Love how they were reunited at the end, and during the sideways thing. Showing Charie and claire together when Aaron was born.

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  50. At the end, Juliet had her hand resting on her stomach, while everyone was looking at baby Aaron

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  51. Dahne, have you ever seen the episode of Futurama with Fry's dog?
    You need to see it. I'm not even a big Futurama fan but that episode was...gahh...

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  52. I tend to shun animated as a whole. I haven't seen a single episode of Futurama. Would the episode make sense if you don't know what it's about except it's the future and there's a robot thing?

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  53. The only TV death that really got to me was Otis on The Walking Dead. I had been looking forward to seeing Pruitt Taylor Vance on there for a while (I'm a big fan of his), so the fact that he was killed off in only his second episode (and in one of the most horrible ways imaginable, to boot) really horrified me.

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  54. I count Piper's death as part of Prue's death since it sort've led to Prue's death in the same episode. But yeah, Piper's death was the first tv death that floored me...

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  55. Jen's death on Dawson's Creek was so sad and Joyce's death on Buffy was a punch in the gut - so unexpected and the whole scene with Buffy calling the paramedics etc seemed so unreal - a fantastic and heartbreaking scene.
    Mark's death on ER always makes me cry - I can barely watch his last few episode. For some reason it always gets to me - maybe because he was always a character that never quite got what he really wanted.
    Definitely agree with the 10th Doctor. His regeneration scene always chokes me up.
    I think I would have added Lucy's death on ER, Bobby's death on SPN (Death's Door), Lexie's death on GA and the three deaths from Torchwood - Owen, Toshiko and Ianto.

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  56. I agree with a lot of these but I'm kind of surprised no 24 deaths were listed in this. I think Teri Bauer should be in there. Even if people didn't like the character after all the horrifying and near-death experiences she and her daughter faced that day and how hard she fought just to stay alive only to be killed after all that when she and Jack finally thought she was safe. Not to mention what Jack went through those 24 hours just trying to keep his family alive. Then he comes back from all that hell expecting a happy reunion with his wife (who had just told him she was pregnant) and daughter only to find his wife tied to a chair and shot to death by the one person he trusted the most. Good grief that still makes me tear up when I watch it. And it nearly destroyed Jack. He had a death wish in Season 2 then Season 3 he was a heroine addict. That wasn't just sad but shocking and I also feel like it was the moment that really raised the stakes in 24 showing the viewers that no one is ever safe. Renee's death was horribly sad too but after what happened to Teri I unfortunately saw it coming. Other sad deaths in 24 were: David Palmer, Michelle Dessler, Ryan Chappelle, Edgar Stiles, George Mason and so many others.

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  57. Omarlittletheking14 June 2012 at 01:35

    I was sure that Jack was going to die. It wasn't unexpected but I cry everytime that I watch the scene.

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  58. Yes i have to agree,it was hopeful,thinking this might possibly happen to us.It was touching yet bittersweet seeing everyone reunited again..except Linus of course..

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  59. Good catch! Whenever I eventually get the DVDs (I need my Suliet moments, thank you very much), I'll have to try and see that!

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  60. He was happy sseing the plane flying over him, knowing that the rest of them got off the island..

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  61. Lexie Grey and Juliet Burke are definitely at the top of my list.

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  62. I cried so hard when Haley died on Criminal Minds in the episode '100'! The whole 'saying goodbye to Hotch was so sad!

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  63. The ones that really got to me from this list are Jack Bristow(Alias) and Mark Greene(ER).
    Denny's death was also sad,but I think that's mainly because of Izzy's reaction.Grey's Anatomy doesn't seem to realize that there are other ways to write a character off,besides a violent death.
    Ned Stark's death definitely has a place there,but personally I knew it was coming from the
    books and I wasn't so shocked.
    Other deaths:Boone from Lost.I'm pretty sure there were other,more heartbreaking ones later on,but in the two seasons I managed,this is the moment I cried.
    Of course,Supernatural has the most contenders.Sam in All Hell Breaks Loose Pt.1,Dean in No Rest for the Wicked,Ellen and Jo in Abandon All Hope,Bobby in Death's Door.
    From Charmed,Chris Halliwell's death was the saddest for me,to be honest.But that's probably because the first episodes I watched were with Paige and when I went back to see the first seasons,I knew that Prue would die.
    Kate from NCIS was sad,but most of all it takes the prize of most shocking death.
    Jonathan Kent from Smallville.And even though it's pointless to feel sad about character deaths in Spartacus,Varro's death made me tear up.The same goes for Oenomaus,but at least I knew it was coming.

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  64. i was thinking boone from lost

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  65. Bobby Singer on Supernatural is the saddest for me, and Alex Taylor on
    Third Watch was the most shocking and unexpected, it was so brutal and grewsome...

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  66. yeah, you don't have to watch the whole thing...


    Just this. Know that on New Year's Eve, Fry went and somehow found his way into cryogenic stasis. (for 200 years) But before he left he said he'd be back and told Seymour to wait. So Seymour waited for him. :(

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muyj_spgCls

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  67. Since I'm a fan of Prison break, Michael's death affected me very much. Sara and him had finally the chance to start a life together etcetc. Even more than that Sara's death, on season three saddened me at the utmost. She was a poem as a character and suddenly her head was in a box. I think that was a huge mistake from the writers and in a way that moment marked the slow decline of the show, which 'til the end of season two had been astounding.
    At least one of the reasons.
    She represented in some way the symbolic line of hope, redemption and innocence.
    Lucky us she came back in season 4, so happy about that, but the show was already gone.

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  68. Ben Sullivan, "Scrubs" followed by Rita, "Dexter" :(

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  69. It was heart breaking. I fought tears when watching it. It's not something one expects from a cartoon.
    The saddes part is that it was inspired by a real dog's story.

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  70. John Ritter's death was too real to make the list of TV deaths.

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  71. I can't believe they didn't include Lexie Grey.

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  72. I agree with you 100%. Teri Bauer's death was heartbreaking! After all this time, I don't think I can watch this scene without getting really upset.
    And I didn't even like Ryan Chappelle, but the fact that Jack was forced to execute him is really disturbing.

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  73. Oh God, I didn't know that part. :(

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  74. Cate from NCIS, George from Grey's Anatomy, Molly from Australia's A Country Practice. Dr Robert Romano killed by the helicopter in ER.

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  75. Excuse me???Where is Dean,Sam and John Winchester????Or the Harvelles???

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  76. And even more....BOBBY SINGEEEER???!!!

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  77. I cried too when Chris died. :( And Leo's reaction was heartbreaking.

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  78. So many. The most emotional ones I've seen are from...


    Supernatural- Ellen and Jo's and Bobby's deaths, Sam and Dean's first deaths (ha, that kind of show) were pretty sad too. And of course, John's death. :(


    Charmed- Prue's (as on the list) /Piper's, and Chris's deaths. Didn't help Chris was who got me so addicted to that show when I first started watching it regularly. I mourned with Leo. :(

    Ghost Whisperer- Jim's death was so sad. He found a new body, but it was gut wrenching when he first died.


    Warehouse 13 (Steve Jinks), Being Human (US), One Tree Hill (Keith), and Vampire Diaries also have had some pretty emotional deaths.

    Oh and 8 Simple Rules, I remember that one. It's so much worst when the actor has actually died. :(

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  79. I never could get into that show during the first season-too complicated for me, very confusing. But I watched the scene of Jack's death- a character I have no attachments to because I haven't seen any episodes since the first few- and I ended up crying so much! The dog walking up to him and lying beside him- I lost it then, and kept on crying through the afterlife scene.

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  80. Yep, a japanese dog waited for his owner (a university professor who died at work) to come back at the same train station every day at the same time for over 9 years. Really sad.

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  81. I can't believe that Mike Franks isn't on that list!!

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  82. My list, in alphabetical order:


    1. Paul Ballard (Dollhouse)2. Topher Brink (Dollhouse)3. Winifred Burkle (Angel)4. Cordelia Chase (Angel)5. Darla (Angel)6. Daniel (Once Upon A Time)7. Doyle (Angel)8. The Tenth Doctor (Doctor Who)9. Janet Fraiser (Stargate SG1)10. Charlie Francis (Fringe)11. Ianto Jones (Torchwood)12. Bennett Halverson (Dollhouse)13. Paul Hennessy (8 Simple Rules)14. Hayley Hotchner (Criminal Minds)15. Chet Hunter (Boy Meets World)16. Johnathon Kent (Smallville)17. Lex Luthor (Smallville)18. Lionel Luthor (Smallville)19. Tara McClay (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)20. Lindsey McDonald (Angel)21. Lilah Morgan (Angel)22. Percy (Nikita)23. Dan Scott (One Tree Hill)24. Keith Scott (One Tree Hill)25. Eddard Stark (Game of Thrones)26. Ben Sullivan (Scrubs)27. Joyce Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)28. Amber Volakis (House)29. John Winchester (Supernatural)30. Wesley Wyndam-Price (Angel)

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  83. So agree with Prue and Jen!!

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  84. Oh yeah you're damn right!!

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  85. Numbers 1 & 2 are ridiculous. Joyce should've been #1.

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  86. Can't believe Juliet from Lost isn't on the list. Saddest TV death ever for me.

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  87. One Tree Hill has a way of making me cry really hard. Keith's death was devastating. I think the whole ghost thing they had going on on that show made things even more sad.

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  88. I totally forgot about Scott! Ah, teenage days... But I'm also missing Lexie's death here on the list. Scratch all the recent discussion and Shonda-hate, it was a very emotional scene. *tears up again* And of course Juliet on Lost.
    And anyone remember Laverne on Scrubs? For a comedy show it had me often on tears, this was one moment, along with Ben's death of course and Mrs Wilkes.

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  89. Janet Frasier! OMG, how could I forget about her, this was heartbreaking!

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  90. As long as they included Joyce Summers, that list is fine.

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  91. Marsya Nadhhira20 June 2012 at 17:19

    ARE YOU KIDDING ME LEXIE GREY SHOULD'VE MADE IT TO THE LIST. Also Criminal Minds' Haley, NCIS' Kate, CSI:NY's Angell, and House's Kutner. And another deaths I've probably missed.

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  92. Well, as i remind me ER tv show, definitely Mark Greene death! and when Lucy (Kellie Martin) died. But they were also Benton' student Dennis Gant (Omar Epps), and more recently, George o'Malley and Lexie Grey' death, of course!

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  93. Oh my god, I watched Dawson's last year, but never finished it...Jen dies?! :'( And well, Isaac Mendez, And Simone from Heroes...both death's almost as tragic as the fate of the show itself...

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  94. Emily Prentiss's death was pretty devastating. Yes, technically, she didn't die but the team didn't know that and we weren't sure if she'd ever come back.

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  95. Toshiko, Owen, Ianto, Esther from Torchwood? Tony's 'death', Renee, Chappelle, Lynn, Edgar, Paul, Bill, Larry Moss from
    24? Where are these guys? Ridiculous that they aren't there!

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  96. Didn't think that Mike's death was overly sad, maybe very low down on the list.

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  97. Teri's was quite sad, wouldn't have had it on my list though. Renne's was horrible, the worst one for me was Tony's 'death' (if you can count that). The music in the background made it even sadder :(

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  98. Esther's death on Torchwood as well...

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  99. Marissa Cooper's death on the OC killed me. now it just pisses me off to kill her off with only 1 season left, oh well.
    Paul's death on 8 Simple Rules was beyond sad, b/c of the real life death of John Ritter
    another they left off not as upsetting as some of the others but still sad was the death of Stephen Bartowski (Chuck)

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  100. CHARLIE HARPER!!!

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