Let’s start out with the obligatory spoiler warning, as there are going be a lot of plot reveals here for those who aren’t familiar with some of the various series mentioned. We get that the availability of DVD and Blu-ray series collections, and streaming, means that old shows get new zealots every day. (On the other hand, if you’re miffed that we ruined Henry Blake for you…)
The departure of Kevin Costner’s clan patriarch/central character John Dutton from Yellowstone after four and a half seasons ought to have qualified as a non-surprise surprise; the actor had made only a one-season commitment to start, and re-upped for another two once the show became an immediate hit. As the split fifth season commenced, it was understood that Costner would be moving on to other things by the time the second half of the season would go into production. Yet, the plot circumstances around Dutton’s (off-camera) demise still managed to stun many among the show’s loyal fan base.
So, as Yellowstone has concluded, we’ve scraped together a list of consensus picks for the most impactful character deaths in TV series history, and we’re asking you to vote for the one that floored you the most. As always, feel free to offer up your opinions on any we may have missed in the comments section. Face it, some of these represented shows—The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Lost—could support their own standalone poll on this topic.