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It is a widely acknowledged fact that TV shows have the power to create very close emotional connections between viewers and the characters. Nonetheless, at times, the most unexpected twist occurs when the narrative eliminates its principal character way too soon.
Fans are left open-mouthed by these sudden demises and the whole character development is radically changed. The reasons behind such moves vary to give more tension, to surprise the audience, or simply to advance the plot. But still, such extreme decisions usually turn into excellent memories in the history of a TV show.
Among all the following seven are the TV shows that first killed the main character and then left the audience in silence.
Game of Thrones
When Game of Thrones first aired, Ned Stark looked like the story's moral center and the hero with unshakeable faith. However, his unexpected death in the first season was a turning point in the history of television. The audience couldn't believe a major character was killed off before the actual war started. This daring twist proclaimed that the game was ruled by power and not by the good guys.
Ned's influence, even after the TV show came to a close, was felt in the characters of Jon Snow and Arya. His assassination still holds the status of one of the most significant TV moments of all time, which, to the viewers’ astonishment, taught them that their favorite ones might not be around after all.
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead became famous for killing off key characters early. Major figures falling, like Shane and later Glenn, made the brutal world of survival quite clear in the first season. Such deaths served to remind audiences that no one was safe, no matter how key they appeared. The shocking death of Glenn in Season 7 rendered many fans speechless.
These losses allowed the TV show to delve into grief, survival, and human nature when there is no rule of law. Its later spin-offs will always have the memory of these early, powerful losses that shaped its emotional storytelling.
House of Cards
In House of Cards, for example, audiences were shocked to see Frank Underwood, the central character played by Kevin Spacey, written off before the final season. Controversies in real life forced the writers to make an about-face.
Rather than having the show end abruptly, the writers put the focus on Claire Underwood, his wife, and Frank was killed off early, taking the TV show in a completely new direction, one of power, revenge, and survival. It not only shocked viewers but also proved how creative writing can save a TV show mired by major real-world challenges and still deliver a bold ending.
Killing Eve
Killing Eve was initially a beautiful and fashionable thriller with a spy motif, which centered around the very intense and close relationship between the two characters, Eve Polastri and Villanelle. What was shocking about the finale was not only the sudden death of Villanelle but also the fact that it happened so quickly after her long-awaited redemption.
This move was controversial and it split the viewers while making television debates last for a great deal of time. The series is still a hot topic and is considered a pioneer in the new thriller arena, as it sparked discussions about risk-taking and emotional storytelling among people's favorites.
The Vampire Diaries
The Vampire Diaries was full of surprising killings, but some of the most shocking came early in the series when main characters like Vicki Donovan and Jenna were killed off quickly. Such instances made the audience realize that this fantasy romance wouldn't follow the usual rules. Every episode carried some tension, because nobody seemed truly safe, even beloved characters stood in real danger.
Fans loved this kind of storytelling, as it kept them attached for eight whole seasons. The early deaths really helped shape the dark and emotional tone of the TV show, proving how loss can be just as powerful as love in a supernatural drama.
The Originals
In The Originals, the writers didn't hold back on killing off key characters who were deeply connected to the Mikaelson family legacy. The death of characters like Cami and Jackson owing to the fact that viewers thought they would at least see them throughout the show, was beyond expectation.
Events like these built stronger emotional depth, especially regarding Klaus and Elijah, and truly kept the story moving. To this day, fans talk about how ballsy the TV show was to do such a thing with its early, painful deaths.
13 Reasons Why
13 Reasons Why launched on the mysterious death of Hannah Baker (played by Katherine Langford) in the very first episode. Her death was the core of the entire series, leading to emotional storytelling about guilt, friendship, and responsibility.
The willingness to kill the main character before the TV show even began was quite bold and immediately made it stand out. Hannah's story opened up vital conversations about mental health and saw the show become a huge part of youth culture upon its initial arrival.
Though killing a major character early is most of the time a very risky move, if done correctly, it might make the show unforgettable. The audience is shocked, but at the same time reminded that storytelling can be unpredictable and even powerful emotionally.
The transition from sadness to disbelief has been seen with these characters, which indicates how sometimes the death of a character at the very beginning of a story can leave the whole show with the power and the legacy that eventually make it different from others.
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