Spoiler alert: It’s been a bloody year on TV.
Viewers tune into shows such as “Game of Thrones” and “The Walking Dead” expecting carnage, but 2014 flipped the script by killing off major characters on more peaceful dramas like “The Good Wife” and “The Newsroom.” Now no series feels safe.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on the fictional men and women that we lost onscreen this year with one final curtain call.
WALKING DEAD
Beth Greene (Emily Kinney) was fatally shot in the head by Dawn Lerner during a prisoner swap. The hopeful teen’s golden hair and voice will be missed by sister Maggie Greene, who seemed to forget she had an MIA younger sibling this season.
Lizzie Samuels (Brighton Sharbino) was capped by surrogate mother Carol Peletier after the disturbed child murdered her own sister. Lizzie loved killing bunnies and feeding rats to zombies. The last thing she heard before pushing up daisies was Carol saying “look at the flowers.”
Bob Stookey (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) was already one foot in the grave (or on the grill, courtesy of cannibals) when he succumbed to a zombie bite on his shoulder. The former Army medic and recovering alcoholic with a knack for looking on the bright side will be mourned by his girlfriend Sasha.
Hershel Greene’s head (Scott Wilson) reanimated after the Governor decapitated it, but Michonne mercifully delivered the coup de grace with her katana.
HOMELAND
Fara Sherazi (Nazanin Boniadi), a CIA financial analyst being groomed for fieldwork by Carrie Mathison, died when terrorist Haissam Haqqani slit her throat during an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan.
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK
Yvonne “Vee” Parker (Lorraine Toussaint), a drug queenpin who galvanized the gangs at Litchfield Prison, was killed while breaking out of jail in a hit-and-run by fellow escaped inmate Rosa Cisneros, whom she was “rude” to.
DOCTOR WHO
Rupert “Danny” Pink , a math teacher and British soldier, was hit by a car as girlfriend Clara Oswald professed her love over the phone. After his consciousness (preserved in a Cyberman) saved the world, he sacrificed his shot at a second life to send a boy he accidentally killed back to Earth, instead.
24: LIVE ANOTHER DAY
Audrey Raines (Kim Raver) was assassinated by order of Chinese terrorist Cheng Zhi, who previously tortured her into catatonia for being special agent Jack Bauer’s love interest. She was honored with the series’ 12th silent clock.
GAME OF THRONES
King Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) died horribly, in excruciating pain in front of hundreds of guests gathered at his wedding, the victim of a dose of deadly poison slipped into his wine. The cruel young ruler, known for brutal and senseless executions and torture, was mourned only by his mother.
Sandor “The Hound” Clegane (Rory McCann) is believed to have died from injuries following a brutal battle with a female knight, Brienne of Tarth. Clegane, a tacturn, brutal warrior was, as it turned out, not entirely a bad guy and had a soft spot for Arya Stark, whom he protected until his death.
Prince Oberon Martell aka “The Red Viper of Dorne” (Pedro Pascal) was killed in a most shocking grusome manner, having his skull crushed by Ser Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane as hundreds looked on in horror during a public trial by combat.
Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) died on a throne — impaled by a crossbow bolt fired by his own son, Tyrion, while sitting helpless on the toilet. A skilled politician and ruthless aristrocrat, Lannister, 67, had been among the most powerful rulers in Westros, but operated largely behind the scenes.
THE SIMPSONS
Rabbi Hyman Krustofki (Jackie Mason) died of a heart attack and deep disappointment with choice of his son, entertainer, Krusty the Clown. Rabbi Krustofski leaves two children, Herschel Schmoikel Pinchas Yerucham “Krusty” Krustofki, the celebrated clown and TV host, and Barbara Van Horne, wife to “Sideshow Mel” Van Horne. His last words to his son, Krusty were: “I think you’re… Eh.”
HOUSE OF CARDS
Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) was tragically killed after being pushed in front of a train in Cathedral Heights, Washington, D.C., by Francis Joseph “Frank” Underwood, who has gone on to become the 46th and current President of the United States. The sleuthing young journalist was just 27 years old and was known to have carried on an affair with Underwood.
Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly) is believed to be dead after being beaten on the head with a brick. The cold and calculating political advisor achieved the rank of Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the United States and was an unwavering ally of the powerful Beltway operator, Francis “Joseph” Underwood.
THE GOOD WIFE
Will Gardner (Josh Charles) was the seemingly incidental victim of a courtroom massacre perpetrated by a disturbed young man Will was defending on – Irony alert! Irony alert! – murder charges. His death left Diane Lockhart without a partner and Alicia Florick without a boyfriend unless you count her husband.
REVENGE
Daniel Grayson (Josh Bowman) ate the hot lead aimed at Emily Thorne/Amanda Clarke by the murderous Agent Taylor. He held on long enough for Emily to admit maybe she actually liked him a little. He said he knew. Just when you least expect it, a Hallmark moment.
FARGO
Lorne Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton) died with an incredulous look on his face, as if he couldn’t believe an insipid peon like Gus would really pull the trigger, or that bullets would actually come out of his gun.
Lester Nygaard (Martin Freeman) died when he accidentally took a swim in a Minnesota lake in the middle of the winter. Earlier he had accidentally beaten his shrewish wife to death, so perhaps the two accidents canceled each other out, eh?
THE NEWSROOM
Charlie Skinner (Sam Waterston), defender of traditional principles of information-driven news presentation against the onslaught of what he saw as the hollow “new journalism,” collapsed on the office floor. His death was another unsubtle metaphor for what’s happened to those principles.
SCANDAL
James Novak (Dan Bucatinsky) was gunned down by the evil Jake because he knew too much. At least there was a reason. Moments earlier Jake had killed two innocent women because they were in his way. James’ death did mean his husband Cyrus never knew James was planning to expose him.
THE VIKINGS
King Horik (Donal Logue) was killed with a smorgasbord of weaponry – sword, ax, knife and a headbutt. That’s never a good sign. Happily, he was reincarnated several centuries later as Harvey Bullock in “Gotham.”
SLEEPY HOLLOW
Frank Irving (Orlando Jones) died in an epic duel with the Horseman of War. The Horseman of War also died, which may be some consolation to Frank if he is reincarnated, which has been known to happen on “Sleepy Hollow.”
TRUE BLOOD
Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), a vampire with a conscience, died of Hepatitus V – who knew? – after reconciling with Sookie Stackhouse in a final grand tribute to nontraditional romance. On the other hand, you might think the one thing about loving a vampire is that it would last forever.
MAD MEN
Bert Cooper (Robert Morse), the original Mad Man, died from just being an old guy and got the best sendoff of the year when he returned long enough to lead a chorus of hot young tootsies singing “The Best Things In Life Are Free.”
COMMUNITY
Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase) died of apparent dehydration after attempting to produce enough sperm so he could leave a cylinder-full for each of his study group friends. It’s the kind of death characters die when their actors publicly annoy their writers (See “Sheen, Charlie”).
ARROW
Sara Lance (Caity Lotz) plunged to her death from a rooftop after being struck by three arrows. Whether the arrows were thrown or fired, and who did either, became an immediate mystery. She leaves behind the complicated life of a comic-book vigilante.
BOARDWALK EMPIRE
Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) was plugged on the Boardwalk by the grandson of a woman he had betrayed 43 years earlier in order to grease his path to power. Apparently roulette wheels aren’t the only things that come around in AC.
Nelson Van Alden (Michael Shannon) was shot in the back by an FBI agent as Van Alden leapt forward to strangle Al Capone. Since the FBI more or less wanted to do the same thing, it was a strange ending to a very strange life that saw Van Alden evolve from government agent to mob bagman.
Chalky White (Michael Kenneth Williams) was executed in an alley on orders from his rival Valentin Narcisse. Since Chalky was wanted for killing a prison guard, he was on very limited borrowed time anyhow.
SONS OF ANARCHY
Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) died by smashing himself into the grill of a semi, bug-style. The casual viewer who didn’t know what Jax left behind might think the primary lesson from his death was to always wear a helmet when you ride a motorcycle.
Gemma Morrow Teller (Katey Sagal) was shot by her son Jax, who was so conflicted about pulling the trigger you almost expected Gemma to grab the gun and snap, “Jesus, I’ll just do it myself.” Shows what a little thing like killing your son’s wife can do to a relationship.
Juice Ortiz (Theo Rossi) was knifed in the neck in prison by a white supremacist who had been raping him. As this suggests, Juice’s original dream of being a simple loyal Sons of Anarchy soldier forever had kind of gone off the rails.
