# Best TV Character Departures **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 6, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030 "2009-01-06T03:13:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/21 "2009-01-06T13:18:37Z")
Beverly LaSalle on _All in the Family_. The female impersonator who was finally seen in his regular clothes, then went out and was killed in a hate crime. It lead Edith to a crisis of faith, and the agnostic Mike brought her back to herself. It happened during the holiday season. I can still see Archie looking into the turkey for the missing dressing. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/22 "2009-01-06T14:04:10Z")
Doctor Who is the champion in this category. There were great departures of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and ninth Doctors, and for the companions: Rose Donna Noble Sarah Jane Smith Ian and Barbara Romana Adric (his departure was probably better than his character) Perpigillian Brown (until the rectconned it). Astrid ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/23 "2009-01-06T14:33:29Z")
I just finished up watching The Wire so I’ll throw in [spoiler] **Omar Little**. His character is such a legend in the streets and amongst the police (and the viewers), so you’re expecting him to go out in a blaze of glory. Instead he’s popped out of nowhere by a little kid and never sees it coming. Even though he’s such a huge character in the show, the way the Baltimore Sun covers it w/ just a paragraph in a back page somewhere really brought some clarity to the theme of the final season - how the news is covered and who decides what is and isn’t newsworthy. Of course, Omar is such a mythical character on the streets that the story of how he was shot keep getting more and more exciting as you hear people tell it through the final few episodes[/spoiler] Edited to add: Ok… I see that my example doesn’t really fit w/ the OP since he wasn’t really being written out of the show. Also from The Wire then, there was a producer that died who also played a detective. They had a full-blown wake for him on the show where you could tell that everyone was really feeling the loss in real life and their words were authentic. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/24 "2009-01-06T14:40:24Z")
TV’s Frank, being taken up to Second Banana Heaven by Torgo The White. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/25 "2009-01-06T17:19:36Z")
In the category of “I didn’t see that coming”, you can’t beat **NCIS** ’ Agent Todd catching a bullet between the eyes from Ari the terrorist. George Mason flying the nuclear device to a safe distance on **24** also stands out in my memory. Also from **24** : Edgar dying from the poison gas while the rest of the TCU staff can only watch helplessly was particularly heartwrenching. I always felt that Simone’s death on **NYPD Blue** was dragged out waaaay too long. I preferred John Kelly’s departure–his words of encouragement to Det. Martinez and his final scene with Sipowicz were properly but not overly sentimental. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/26 "2009-01-06T17:39:05Z")
> [@Miss\_Mapp](#): > > 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… > > HMS Titanic Awww. I’d forgotten this. It was really well done and so sad. I’d love to see this again…wanders off to Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/27 "2009-01-06T17:57:05Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > Although I’ve never seen the episode, the departure of Diana Muldaur’s character from _LA Law_ was impressive. My favorite part of that was when Amanda Donohoe’s character was trying to explain what had happened to a group of German business (“und Roz… gefallen… splat!”) and kept cracking up. (For those not familiar, Muldaur’s character was hated by the law firm, except for the senior partner Leland with whom she was sleeping.) ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/28 "2009-01-06T18:34:36Z")
The exit of Brandon Fraser’s minor role character on Scrubs was my all time favorite sendoff. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/29 "2009-01-06T18:52:20Z")
The hot blonde Assistant ADA in Law and Order. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/30 "2009-01-06T18:58:13Z")
> [@Laudenum](#): > > The hot blonde Assistant ADA in Law and Order. Do you mean Stephanie March? ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/31 "2009-01-06T19:00:57Z")
Huh? All in the Family mentioned twice but not Edith. I remember watching the episode in which Archie is sitting on the edge of the bed holding one slipper that had been missed when her stuff was taken to the salvation army. He was talking to her and telling about the morning she had died. I cried like a baby. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/32 "2009-01-06T19:01:40Z")
Ryan Chapelle’s death in 24. [Spoilers taken from here.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Chappelle) Saunders discovered Chappelle’s investigation and ordered the President of the United States, David Palmer, to arrange for his execution.[1] Palmer assigned to Jack the task of executing Chappelle.[2] The two waited at the train yard Saunders had designated. Chase Edmunds led a raid to capture the terrorist, only to discover that the targeted safehouse was an empty decoy. At 06:59, Saunders’ cronies rolled up in a black van, leaving Bauer with no choice. Jack asked if there was anyone he wanted to call. Ryan replied by saying he had no friends except people he worked with, and he didn’t speak to his only brother that much at all. Chappelle asked to take his own life, but was unable to do so. Jack then said simply, “I’m sorry we let you down, Ryan. God forgive me.” Ryan Chappelle was killed by gunshot wound to the back of the head at 6:59:53. ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/33 "2009-01-06T19:07:04Z")
> [@want2know](#): > > In the category of “I didn’t see that coming”, you can’t beat **NCIS** ’ Agent Todd catching a bullet between the eyes from Ari the terrorist. Are you kidding? I thought all the ads for this (it was a season finale, was it not?) stated that SOMEONE WILL DIE! I had odds on her from the start. It would have been shocking had the promos not ruined it. The death of Mrs. Landingham on \*The West Wing \*shocked me the most, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/34 "2009-01-06T19:16:48Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Ryan Chapelle’s death in 24. It was impressive just because Chapelle was such a totally unlikeable tool that everyone on the show (and in the audience) hated him. But when he died it was sad. Just shows that even though 24 can be really silly a lot of the time, the acting and writing can be good when they need it to be. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/35 "2009-01-06T20:07:03Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > Tasha Yar in TNG had a pretty worthy send-off. Especially if you count _Yesterday’s Enterprise_, which adds even more depth and meaning. I’ll add to that Jadzia’s death in Deep Space Nine when she was killed by Gul Dukat, who was under the influence of a Pah-wraith. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/36 "2009-01-06T20:44:06Z")
Henry’s departure was not the only great one on MASH. Radar left in a two-parter. In fact, a local TV station had a “vote for your favorite episode” contest in 1990. Goodbye, Radar came in at #3. (Abyssinia Henry was #1.) Frank’s departure was not really celebrated, but was well done. His last episode is one of my favorites. “Now there’s your regulation hug.” _snerk_ ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/37 "2009-01-06T21:41:12Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > Edited to add: > > Ok… I see that my example doesn’t really fit w/ the OP since he wasn’t really being written out of the show. I agree with you, tho. It was a good one. I was watching it in bed and I stood up and said “NO WAY!!” I think that was one of the powerful aspects of the writing of the show. These characters mean so much to the viewer - thug or police - and they just die and it means almost nothing in the whole world of Baltimore. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/38 "2009-01-06T21:45:59Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > The exit of Brandon Fraser’s minor role character on Scrubs was my all time favorite sendoff. Oh, without a doubt! Just caught it again last night. It never fails to give me the chills, even though I know it’s coming. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/39 "2009-01-06T22:18:35Z")
Susan (George’s fiancee) on _Seinfeld_ dropping dead from toxins in the envelope glue of the cheap wedding invitations that George bought. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030/40 "2009-01-06T22:32:26Z")
Jonny from _Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps_ - Killed in Hawaii while attempting to jump over a shark. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-tv-character-departures/480030.md?page=3)