When an actor leaves a TV show, the character is often simply written out or simply “moves away.” But sometimes the producers decide to build a story or at least an explanation around the departure.
Maclean Stevenson (Henry Blake) got the full treatment in MAS*H in an alternately funny/sentimental last episode ending in a dramatic denouement.
Michael Conrad (Phil Esterhaus) in Hill Street Blues died (offscreen) in the throes of passion with Grace Gardner, leading to Furillo’s epitaph “And a legend is born.”
Jack Soo died during the production of Barney Miller. His character, Nick Yemana, was supposedly killed by his own coffee (a joke in the show). There was an excellent tribute episode where the other cast members talked about Soo and showed clips of some of Yemana’s best scenes.
Tara’s death was completely unexpected. She was the perfect character to have a long, sappy, and drawn-out death sequence, and I thought that the abruptness of it combined with a quick shot of Willow’s reaction and the blood spatter worked really well.
Diane’s departure from CHEERS was well done (largely because it got rid of the most annoying character on the show).
MAMA’S FAMILY wasn’t exactly art, but I loved how they wrote out Rue McLanahan’s character (she choked to death on a catfish tail— off camera-- when the actress went to work for The Golden Girls).
The worst departures would include Bill McNeill (Phil Hartman) on NEWS RADIO (though admittedly there was no delicate way to work it in since his death was so high profile), the fustercluck that was VALERIE/VALERIE’S FAMILY/THE HOGANS, DESIGNING WOMEN (especially when they brought Suzanne back for the really ill conceived spin-off), and Esther Rolle/Florida from GOOD TIMES (about the time James stretched out good in his grave she met and married an atheist and abandoned her children, then came back a season later without ever mentioning the second husband).
Lady Margery Bellamy in Upstairs, Downstairs. All during her final episode, you can see what’s coming in little hints in the dialog: there’s a quarrel in the household that’s upset her because she’s going away on a long trip and wants things settled before she leaves. She’s going to see her daughter in New York. It’s April 1912. She has to catch the boat train to Southhampton.
The punchline comes after she’s gone, at the very end of the episode when her husband sends “a marconi-gram” to her aboard the ship…