# Character deaths on sitcoms (open spoilers inside) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 4, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226 "2004-08-04T00:46:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/41 "2004-08-04T18:22:35Z")
> [@Fiver](#): > > What?! You’re kidding! What shit! It was also revealed that… Darlene had really married Mark and Becky had really married David and that Becky was the one with the new baby, not Darlene. Jackie was really a lesbian (hence all of her man problems), but their mother wasn’t. The entire series was a book Roseanne Conner wrote about her life, but she changed a few things here and there. But the entire last season was completely made up as she wanted to write things going her way because of the death of Dan . In the last shot of the last episode, Roseanne walks through the house and it’s back to normal. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/42 "2004-08-04T18:41:55Z")
You can’t be serious. I knew about the last season being a book but the entire series? Holy hell, I’d’ve been so pissed if I were a fan of that show. What bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/43 "2004-08-04T19:20:03Z")
There was another “Very Special Episode” of _Growing Pains_ about the Kirk Cameron character’s favorite uncle dying and his having problems dealing with it. There is some kind of dream/fantasy sequence in which the dead uncle comes jogging into the kitchen (I think he died while jogging) and tells him that it’s “okay” to let him go. I agree about the stupidity of that episode of _Family Ties_. They were bucking for an Emmy and as I recall, they got it. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/44 "2004-08-04T19:31:58Z")
There was the “controversial” right-to-die death on _All in the Family_ in which Edith is doing some kind of candy-striper type volunteer work at a hospital, and is sitting with a patient who has had one or more heart attacks or strokes (I can’t quite recall the details). She tells Edith that if she has another attack, she doesn’t want the hospital to try to resuscitate her. Of course, it happens, and Edith just sits there with her typical Edith look of bewilderment and pain on her face and lets the woman go without summoning the nurses as she has been trained to do. Afterwards, she either quits or is let go. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/45 "2004-08-04T19:39:43Z")
Omar Epps was a med student on _E.R_ who was friends with Carter. The stresses of the E.R drove him to a gruesome suicide. I was so shocked by that episode I think I cried when I first saw it. But everyone has died on that show. Mark Greene. Rocket Romano. Ansbaugh’s son. Peter Benton’s ex-girlfriend and nephew. Jing Mae’s mother. Carrie’s mother. Carter’s grandmother and cousin. And Kelly Martin. Oh. You said _sitcoms_. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/46 "2004-08-04T19:41:46Z")
There was Jamie’s Uncle Van on _Mad About You_. “Tell me it’s true, baby! Tell me it’s true!” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/47 "2004-08-04T19:58:30Z")
On Just Shoot Me, Maya’s neighbor died onscreen in the episode where she hosted a murder re-enactment. That was one of my favorite episodes of that series. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/48 "2004-08-04T20:00:47Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Oh. You said _sitcoms_. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/49 "2004-08-04T21:42:39Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Elaine’s death on Soap had a tremendous impact on me. I even got a little teary when I saw the OP. I still think of her whenever I see [Dinah Manoff.](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001503/) Same here. What makes it especially hard to watch is that, once you realize why Elaine was such a mean spirited bitch, you felt sorry for her. When she finally realizes she has the family she’s always wanted, she dies. Another near tear-jerking moment is when Danny takes Mary’s advice and starts being nice to Elaine. When he pulls out the chair at the dinner table, that look on her face is great. You can see her life change. ---
**Author:** ![Greywolf73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@Greywolf73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greywolf73)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/50 "2004-08-04T21:47:03Z")
> [@Rabid Child](#): > > It was also revealed that… > > Darlene had really married Mark and Becky had really married David and that Becky was the one with the new baby, not Darlene. Jackie was really a lesbian (hence all of her man problems), but their mother wasn’t. The entire series was a book Roseanne Conner wrote about her life, but she changed a few things here and there. But the entire last season was completely made up as she wanted to write things going her way because of the death of Dan . In the last shot of the last episode, Roseanne walks through the house and it’s back to normal. I was under the impression that Roseanne had made up the series from the moment that Dan fixed up the basement for her to have a place to write, in the second season, I think.. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/51 "2004-08-04T21:54:27Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > There was the Asian cop on _Barney Miller_. I forget how the character died, but he had to be written out after the actor playing him suffered a fatal heart attack. that would be [Jack Soo](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0814530/). Actually, it was The _character_, Det. Yemana, who suffered a heart attack. I remember him being wheeled out on a gurney, weakly waving to the gang as they assured him they would keep up with the files. Jack died from cancer. DD ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/52 "2004-08-04T22:14:40Z")
> [@drm](#): > > It may have been mentioned, but during **Scrubs** this season, Dr Cox’s brother in law Ben played by Brendan Fraser died. It is by far my favorite sitcom death (in terms of episode quality of course). I happened to tape the episode because i worked that night and I watched it twice in a row when I got home. Yeah, but to be fair somebody dies in most episodes of _Scrubs_. That’s part of what makes it such a good show. It gives the characters and the setting a reality they need to reach out and grab the viewer. Nobody would or could believe doctors who never lost a patient, or a hospital where nobody ever dies, and consequently nobody would ever care about the characters. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/53 "2004-08-04T22:46:23Z")
Three out of four generations of the Blackadder dynasty died horribly at the end of their series. ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2004, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/54 "2004-08-04T23:18:53Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > that would be [Jack Soo](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0814530/). Actually, it was The _character_, Det. Yemana, who suffered a heart attack. I remember him being wheeled out on a gurney, weakly waving to the gang as they assured him they would keep up with the files. Jack died from cancer. > > DD That was Inspector Lugar (James Gregory) who had the heart attack and was wheeled out. He got better. I don’t believe they ever gave a cause of death to Yemana. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2004, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226/55 "2004-08-05T01:34:52Z")
> [@Earl Snake-Hips Tucker](#): > > Freddie Prinze (Sr., obviously) blew his brains out during the run of “Chico and the Man.” > > One episode that dealt with Chico’s dad (played by Cesar “The Joker” Romero), with whom he had not had any contact since he was four, reappearing in Chico’s life. Chico’s dad had done really well for himself, and had spent many years trying to track Chico down, since every letter he had ever written back to his family had been returned unopened. > > Chico’s dad wanted him to come back to Mexico with him, and work in the shrimping business with him. Chico, obviously, had to tell him, “No,” that this (Los Angeles) was his home and Ed and Louie and all the rest were his family now. > > But, the others weren’t so sure about it, and Louie (Scatman Crothers) makes a comment to Ed (Jack Albertson), concerning the fact that Chico might leave with his dad to Mexico says, “We could lose him forever!” > > That was the very next ep that aired after his suicide. > > During the rolling credits at the end, they had dubbed a very voiceover by a cracking-voiced Jack Albertson, appreciating all the letters and condolences that the cast had received on the behalf of Prinze. > > There were several eps left with Prinze still in them, and they just finished the last several without Prinze. Don’t remember if they explained it. > > However, the next season, they introduced a new “Chico.” Not the same character, but as Ed says, “You’re all ‘Chico’ to me.” Later in the season, new Chico asks Ed about the “other” Chico that he keeps hearing about. Ed just tells him, “He went away.” (Although it seemed as though in an earlier ep either from the end of the previous season or the beginning of this one that Ed said that Chico had gone back to Mexico.) I vaguely remember a CatM ep where Jack Albertson tells the “new” Chico…a little boy IIRC…that Chico died. Why? Drugs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-deaths-on-sitcoms-open-spoilers-inside/258226.md?page=2)