20 Heart-Wrenching TV Deaths to Make You Burst into Tears
13. Mark Greene (ER)
Mark Greene’s final episode took him out of Chicago as he succumbed to a brain tumor. Mark was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor in ER Season 7. A year later, the tumor returned, and it was truly inoperable.
Although they attempted to treat the tumor with chemotherapy and radiation, he eventually resigned himself to his fate and decided to stop the debilitating treatment. He left the ER and took his daughter Rachel on a last minute trip to Hawaii to rebuild their relationship.
ER Season 8 Episode 21, “On the Beach,” depicted Dr. Greene’s final days with his daughter Rachel, who he taught to drive and surf.
When Mark had a seizure, his wife, Elizabeth Corday was called. Refusing to go home, he spent his final days with Elizabeth and his two daughters before he died.
In his final scene with Rachel, Rachel mentioned a lullaby he used to sing to her, and she played Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s rendition of “Over the Rainbow” as he smiled and fell asleep. When Elizabeth went to check on him the next morning, she discovered that he died.
14. Will Gardner (The Good Wife)
Sometimes the most shocking deaths are the ones that don’t play out on camera. That is the case with Will Gardner in The Good Wife.
Throughout the first five seasons, Will Gardner and Alicia Florick had a tumultuous “on again, off again” relationship that reached critical mass when Alicia and Cary decided to leave Lockhart & Gardner and start their own firm.
Their tumultuous personal relationship came to an end on The Good Wife Season 5 Episode 15, “Dramatics, Your Honor,” when Will was shot and killed in the courtroom by his own client.
Although Will made appearances in Alicia’s dream sequences and was mentioned every so often, the abruptness of his exit was one that fans won’t soon forget.
15. Ianto Jones (Torchwood: Children of Earth)
If a member of Torchwood is going to be killed off, it may as well be while standing up to an alien with his boyfriend.
The mini-series Torchwood: Children of Earth detailed aliens known as the 456 showing up in Thames house and demanding ten percent of the earth’s pre-pubescent children. The secret government organization, Torchwood, had been blacklisted, leaving Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones, and Jack Harkness looking for a way into Thames house.
When they finally found one, Ianto and Jack gave an impassioned speech, standing up to the aliens about how Earth wouldn’t yield this time, and if the alien didn’t back off, they would tell the world, prompting all of humanity to fight against it.
In return, the 456 ambassador released a virus into the air that killed everyone in the building within minutes. Ianto died in Jack’s arms, and Jack also succumbed to the virus, but since Jack can’t die, he woke up the next day by Ianto’s body with Gwen.
16. Leslie Shay (Chicago Fire)
The firefighter series doesn’t shy away from the danger of the job, but Leslie Shay’s death came as a shock. Leslie Shay and Gabriela Dawson were two fierce women assigned to Ambulance 61 at Firehouse 51, and they shared a lot together.
Leslie Shay’s death came tragically at the end of Chicago Fire’s Season 2 when the firefighters were called to a building fire. Dawson, who was studying to be a firefighter, suggested that Shay should take the lead since she’ll be in charge when Dawson leaves.
They switched places to work on an injured male and had a conversation about Casey proposing to Dawson. During this conversation, Shay admitted to knowing about the proposal when an explosion occurred and a pipe collapsed. The pipe stroke Shay the head.
When Severide arrived at the scene, he saw Dawson doing chest compressions and attempted to help. The other firefighters transported Shay to the hospital, but she ultimately died.
17. George O’Malley (Grey’s Anatomy)
Grey’s Anatomy is not a stranger when it comes to writing characters off, but George O’Malley’s death in the opening moments of Grey’s Anatomy Season 6 Episode 1, “Good Mourning,” was particularly hard.
After joining the army as a trauma surgeon, Richard Webber gave George the day off to spend time with his family before deployment. On his way home, he jumped in front of a bus to save a woman.
In the final moments of Grey’s Anatomy Season 5 Episode 24, “Now or Never,” he was able to write his nickname, “007,” in Meredith’s hand, and she promptly alerted the other doctors that their John Doe was their friend.
George was rushed to surgery, but his brain swelled, and he was declared brain dead. Several of his organs were ultimately donated.
18. Amanda Clarke (Revenge)
The premise of Revenge probably should have prepared us for some bodies along the way. Yet, Emily Thorne wasn’t assassinating people, just delivering a healthy dose of “just desserts.”
So when Emily’s accomplice, the fake Amanda Clarke, was killed shortly after marrying Jack Porter from something unrelated to Emily’s quest for revenge, it was a jaw-dropping moment.
Jack Porter’s boat, The Amanda exploded, after a skirmish on Revenge Season 2 Episode 14, “Sacrifice.” Emily escaped unscathed, but Amanda wasn’t so lucky. Emily held Amanda on a deflating life raft. Emily says said sorry, but Amanda said:
“Don’t be, you’ve given me the one thing I thought I’d never have. A real family.”
Lauren Busser
Lauren Busser is an Associate Editor at Tell-Tale TV. She is a writer of fiction and nonfiction whose work has appeared in Bitch Media, Popshot Quarterly, Brain Mill Press Voices, and The Hartford Courant.
