# Minor characters in shows ruthlessly killed off **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2017, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472 "2017-03-18T10:11:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/1 "2017-03-18T10:11:25Z")
Just watched the latest episode of Chicago Med. Right at the start we focus on one of the minor doctors, Wheeler played by Jurgen Hooper. He really is the low man on the totem pole of the show’s regulars. No major storylines centered on him he’s just there in essence to react to the other regulars. And, unlike most of the others, he is not - let’s put it this way - someone you would be delighted to see on a blind date. (Oliver Platt has the acting chops to make his looks irrelevant, which Hooper doesn’t.) In short the guy had a red shirt hidden beneath his regular one. OK, Wheeler enters the hospital politely saying good morning to the others. He has an odd smile on his face, a huge clue that he’s heading for the dumpster. Saying he’ll back in a couple of minutes he steps into the elevator. (Right, elevator accident or jump from the roof I’m thinking). He exits the elevator and steps on to the roof terrace (Ha! Nailed it!) In no time at all he’s a squishy mess on the sidewalk. Any other characters in shows who were so ruthlessly expunged and whose imminent deaths you saw coming? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/2 "2017-03-18T13:12:51Z")
Mikey Palmice in the Sopranos. He was whacked by Chris and Paulie Walnuts because he was involved in an attempted hit on Tony. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/3 "2017-03-18T16:30:55Z")
The guy Gus Fring razor knifed in front of Walt & Jesse. That was pretty ruthless. ---
**Author:** ![Hocus\_Pocus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/41988e/32.png) [@Hocus\_Pocus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hocus_Pocus)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/4 "2017-03-18T16:35:08Z")
OP; I would be really ticked if I was a current fan of Chicago Med who hadn’t been able to see the latest episode yet. You might want to consider putting a spoiler warning before disclosing the plot of a current show out of courtesy for other fans. ---
**Author:** ![kbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kbear)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/5 "2017-03-18T17:19:29Z")
Second episode of the first series of Spooks (MI5), a rookie agent met her demise in a deep fryer. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/6 "2017-03-18T18:00:25Z")
> [@kbear](#): > > Second episode of the first series of Spooks (MI5), a rookie agent met her demise in a deep fryer. Lots of shows have killed off a character in the first episode or two who seems to be a main character intended to be part of the regular cast. Spoilers ahead for the following shows: _CSI_, _Miami Vice_, _Oz_, _The Shield_ [spoiler]_CSI_: Chandra West played Holly Gribbs in the first episode, which centered around her and made her appear to be the star of the series. But then she was murdered and the show shifted to having the actual main characters investigating her murder. _Miami Vice_: Gregory Sierra played Lieutenant Rodriguez, who was the commander of the unit. Unlike the other examples here, he wasn’t killed in the first episode - his murder occurred in the fifth episode. _Oz_: Jon Seda played Dino Ortolani, who was a central character in the first episode but who was murdered. _The Shield_: Reed Diamond played Detective Terry Crowley who was working undercover to investigate Vic Mackey’s illegal activities. It appeared Crowley would be a main character but Mackey killed him in the first episode. [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/7 "2017-03-18T18:17:44Z")
I was interested in Lost enough to watch a few of the first episodes. About the only thing I remember is the dude who blew his own ass up with destabilized Dynamite completely out of the blue with no narrative purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/8 "2017-03-18T18:35:18Z")
Not a grisly death, but still pretty pitiless: Susan on _Seinfeld_. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/9 "2017-03-18T18:36:04Z")
In the first season of _ **ST: TNG** _, when they were playing musical Chief Engineers, they introduced Assistant Chief Engineer Singh, played by Kavi Raz, late of _ **St Elsewhere** _. I thought “Oh, wow, cool, a new CE who’s _interesting_!” Dude was killed off at the end of the first half hour, by an “intelligent energy cloud.” Yeah, right. (Of course, Wesley\* just missed\* getting killed, again. :mad: ) ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/10 "2017-03-18T18:58:01Z")
From Buffy/Angel, it would be shorter to list the characters that weren’t killed off. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/11 "2017-03-18T19:02:17Z")
Chuck Cunningham. He went up to his room…_and then they seal-up the wall !_ ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/12 "2017-03-18T19:28:00Z")
Maude Flanders in The Simpsons. She was a well-established side character representing the upright Christian with a stick up her ass, only to be killed by a freak accident when [she’s thrown off the top of the stand at a NASCAR race by a shot out of a t-shirt-canon which Homer dodges](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIuSt7SUlVA). Bam, dead. That was around season 12 or so. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/13 "2017-03-18T19:39:05Z")
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern were killed off in such an arbitrary manner, Tom Stoppard wrote a play about it. > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Maude Flanders in The Simpsons. She was a well-established side character representing the upright Christian with a stick up her ass, only to be killed by a freak accident when [she’s thrown off the top of the stand at a NASCAR race by a shot out of a t-shirt-canon which Homer dodges](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIuSt7SUlVA). Bam, dead. That was around season 12 or so. And the only reason for the character’s death was because her voice actor (Maggie Roswell) had just quit the show due to a contract dispute. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/14 "2017-03-18T20:18:47Z")
Ellen Tigh and Dee in Battlestar Galactica (the real one, not the disco cover). Their deaths were completely lacking ruth. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/15 "2017-03-18T20:32:42Z")
Not a TV show but the assistant in Jurassic World had done nothing to die in that manner. Sucks to be expendable in the corporate world. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/16 "2017-03-18T22:16:42Z")
There was [Rosalind Shays on LA Law](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov7aTXqMKfY). But I’d be lying if I said I saw it coming. A better example might be [Captain Freedom](http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0087320/bio) on Hill Street Blues. Even though he appeared to be just a bit of comic relief, there was just something that suggested something bad would happen to him. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2017, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/17 "2017-03-18T22:28:17Z")
That doctor on ER who got chopped in half by a helicopter, survived only to have another helicopter crush him. WTF, ER writers? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/18 "2017-03-19T00:47:07Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Lots of shows have killed off a character in the first episode or two who seems to be a main character intended to be part of the regular cast. > > Spoilers ahead for the following shows: _CSI_, _Miami Vice_, _Oz_, _The Shield_ > > [spoiler]_CSI_: Chandra West played Holly Gribbs in the first episode, which centered around her and made her appear to be the star of the series. But then she was murdered and the show shifted to having the actual main characters investigating her murder. > > _Miami Vice_: Gregory Sierra played Lieutenant Rodriguez, who was the commander of the unit. Unlike the other examples here, he wasn’t killed in the first episode - his murder occurred in the fifth episode. > > _Oz_: Jon Seda played Dino Ortolani, who was a central character in the first episode but who was murdered. > > _The Shield_: Reed Diamond played Detective Terry Crowley who was working undercover to investigate Vic Mackey’s illegal activities. It appeared Crowley would be a main character but Mackey killed him in the first episode. [/spoiler] Also the first episode of Buffy. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/19 "2017-03-19T13:05:41Z")
Not a death, but used and discarded. In the Amazon series **Goliath** with **Billy Bob Thornton**. It was written by David E. Kelley, who I thought of as pro-woman, Ally McBeal and all. But: The character **Brittany Gold** played by **Tania Raymonde** is a hooker with a heart of gold cliche. She has a history where BBT’s character did something for her. So she uses he pro “skills” to get some info - she degrades herself. And Billy Bob’s character treats her like shit, blaming her for hurting their case and cutting her off. Just a dick move with, near as I can tell, no real reason. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472/20 "2017-03-19T13:51:06Z")
When Kal Penn left “House” to work for Obama’s staff, his character was killed off–suicide. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minor-characters-in-shows-ruthlessly-killed-off/782472.md?page=2)