Thursday night’s shocking death on “Scandal” left the show’s longtime fans in an overwrought state when James Novak (Dan Bucatinsky), the White House press secretary who’d seen too much, was gunned down by B-613 commander Jake (Scott Foley). Viewers were undone, to put it mildly.
Novak’s parting recalls other unexpected deaths of television characters over the years — and other very sad TV moments. So here is our list of TV’s 10 Saddest Moments.
“Family Guy” kills off Brian (2013)
Fans of the Fox ’toon were outraged when the beloved Griffin family pooch was hit by a car and killed. Turns out their sadness was short-lived, however, as the sarcastic dog was brought back to life just weeks later (via Stewie’s time machine).
Dr. Mark Greene’s death on “ER” (2002)
Sad-sack Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards), divorced and alienated from his daughter, was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. He eventually reconciled with daughter Rachel, who visited him in the hospital, slipping a pair of headphones on her dad as the song “Over the Rainbow” played him off into death.
The series finale of “Six Feet Under” (2005)
The HBO series, about a family of undertakers in LA, shocked viewers not once, but twice. First, beloved main character Nate Fisher (Peter Krause) died after suffering a second stroke. Then the series finale featured a “flash-forward” vignette, showing how all of the show’s other main characters would die. It was affecting and poignant and still resonates.
Charlie dies on “Lost” (2007)
Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan) was a rock star/heroin addict before crash-landing on the island, but became a doting boyfriend for Claire (Emilie de Ravin) and a father figure to her infant son. Tragedy struck him in the third-season finale when, after volunteering to swim to the Looking Glass station, the room flooded and Charlie drowned — but not before warning Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) by writing the message on his hand “Not Penny’s Boat.”
Adriana’s murder on “The Sopranos” (2007)
When tough-talking mob moll Adriana (Drea de Matteo) was coerced by a female FBI agent into becoming a mole, we knew her days were numbered. One day, Silvio (Steven Van Zandt) took Adriana for a ride in his big car. They drove into the woods. She knew he wasn’t a nature boy. He stopped the car and she got out, knowing he was going to shoot her.
He did.
Lady Sybil Crawley dies on “Downton Abbey” (2013)
Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay) was the most beautiful of the Crawley daughters and the first to marry. When Sybil became pregnant, she moved in with her family. On the night she went into labor, complications developed and Sybil died after giving birth.
Denny Duquette dies on “Grey’s Anatomy” (2009)
Denny (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) suffered from congestive heart failure and had a very hard time trying to get a heart transplant. And then Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) fell in love with him. He eventually proposed to her and eventually got his heart transplant — but later died. When his father came to meet Izzie after Denny’s death, he told Izzie that Denny was rich and had written her a check for $8.7 million — which Izzie used to establish the Denny Duquette Memorial Clinic.
The “Red Wedding” episode on “Game of Thrones” (2013)
The gruesome murders of King Robb Stark, his wife, Queen Talisa, his mother, Lady Catelyn, and a slew of Stark soldiers at the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey had fans of the HBO drama reeling for weeks.
Cory Monteith tribute episode on “Glee” (2013)
After the 31-year-old actor died of an accidental drug overdose, the Fox dramedy wrote his character, Finn Hudson, out of the show. In the episode “The Quarterback,” the New Directions learn of Finn’s death and pay tribute to his life, including a rendition of “Make You Feel My Love” sung by Rachel (Monteith’s real-life girlfriend, Lea Michele).