Saddest TV Deaths

TV has the tendency to inflict far more emotional trauma than film. This is due to the fact that characters can be in our lives for years instead of a couple of hours. We may have gone through 6 or 7 seasons of having a character frequent our screens only for them to suddenly pop their clogs. The following list are my personal picks for the saddest deaths on television. (As if I need to say but; SPOILERS.) 

Bobby Singer (Supernatural)

The epitome of killing off the regular. Bobby was with us for seven series before the writers finally decided to kill him off. The slight irony being that one of the men who were responsible, Robert Singer, shared their name with the character. Of course Sam and Dean were at his bed side as Bobby fought a reaper inside his mind. Having already witnessed Sam and Dean lose their real father at the end of season 2 it was like De Ja Vu for regular viewers. They finally hit home as Bobby managed one last "idjits" before dying.

Tenth Doctor (Doctor Who)

Even though viewers always know when each Doctor is going to finally "die", due to the well published hunt for a successor happens weeks before the episode, it still hurts all the same. None more so then the final moments of David Tennant's iconic doctor. There were prophecies about the doctors death all the way through his final series leading to one inevitable conclusion. Even so just as you thought he'd battered his way through the last of his episodes and managed to come out on the other side, he had to perform one more selfless act. Even if you managed to make it through his sacrifice with dry eyes, the proceeding visits to his previous numerous companions certainly would leave any die hard fan sobbing.

Rob Stark & Catelyn Stark (Game of Thrones)

So this scene may in fact cause anger more than sadness but deserves its place regardless. Just when you thought George R. R. Martin couldn't catch you off guard after the ending of season one, (You know, when Eddard Stark had his head chopped off) he goes and kills off the next best Starks. It was the pure shock that seemed to anger the audience, Robb seemed to be doing rather well in the war, he'd beaten the Lanisters a few times and now was safely at a wedding trying to gain reinforcements. However as you think everything is going to plan, they get ambushed by the Freys and Boltons and in one swift 5 minute scene several of your favorite characters are gone forever. Horrific.

Ben Sullivan (Scrubs)

This is purely down to say dynamite acting from John C. McGinley and as per usual some very clever writing from the team at Scrubs. This is one of those episodes that sticks in the memories for Scrubs fans. This was one of the many that in the midst of J.D's silly daydreaming, and the ridiculous humor, lay a deep and incredibly sad story. Throughout the episode we are led to believe that Ben is still alive with Doctor Cox talking a joking with him. It is only at the end when they attend what he thinks is his son'd birthday party. It is only when J.D asks Doctor Cox where they think they are we realise not all is as it seems. The episode ends with a crying Doctor Cox at the funeral of one of his closest friends.

Jimmy Darmody (Boardwalk Empire)

While this death was almost completely expected by the end of season 2 it didn't make it any easier to accept. We had almost grown up with Jimmy as an audience. While he learnt about the ins and outs of the Boardwalk so did we. He was the character that allowed us into the world, and even when he turned against Nucky Thompson somehow we still were willing him to succeed. The worst part about his death was that we were conflicted, while we didn't want him to be killed we almost agreed with it! It was made all the more painful by the fact the man pulling the trigger was Nucky himself, someone who had been like his adopted father. It was Nucky's disappointment that made it sad, his disbelief that his one-time prodigy had betrayed him.