# What was the most shocking turn on series TV? \[LOTS OF OPEN SPOILERS -- edited title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 7, 2014, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586 "2014-12-07T17:48:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586/141 "2023-12-07T19:20:54Z")
If we’re mining Babylon 5, I think the biggest shock was “I am called Valen and we have much work ahead of us.” ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586/142 "2023-12-07T20:04:24Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > In the TV series Alias, it is revealed after a season or two that the “good guys” have been working for the bad guys all along The audience always knew that, as well as the main characters. It was her coworkers that didn’t know. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586/143 "2023-12-07T20:39:20Z")
> [@sciurophobic](#): > > The audience always knew that, as well as the main characters. It was her coworkers that didn’t know. Wow, I hadn’t watched it since it aired the first time, I forgot that particular “twist” happened right away. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2023, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586/144 "2023-12-09T16:12:11Z")
ER had a few twists, my favourite was the recurring character played by Omar Epps, Gantt, they’re being bullied by Benton who is the head of surgery. He storms off. Later they take in a suicide from a train into ER. They’re saying “well, this is pointless, but got to try”, “let’s beep Gant”. Beeper goes off in the room. “Who’s is that?”, everyone is looking, and eventually find it’s the jumper’s beeper. Gant is on the table. Suddenly they’re REALLY trying. Fade to titles. On some scifi twists, On Stargate SG-1 AND Stargate Atlantis They kill the well liked doctor in both of these ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2023, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586/145 "2023-12-09T16:36:37Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > In the TV series Alias, it is revealed after a season or two that the “good guys” have been working for the bad guys all along With one of the greatest bad guys ever (Ron Rifkin as “Sloan”). That show started off as nothing but surprise twists. It was my (very small) kids’ favorite show. They got hooked by the first episode where the dad, who’s a boring business guy, squeals to a halt to save Sydney in a parking garage: “Sydney, get in the car!” “Daaaad??!?” My daughter said that line to me in that drawn out shocked tone, years later. \*Victor Garber, who’s set up as a hard-nosed, aloof father with one of my favorite scenes… The Phone Call. > **[Alias - Jack Bristow - Welcome to the Family](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR97qhZoLws%2F)** > > This scene is from the Pilot of the TV series Alias when Sidney's fiancée calls her father to get his blessing for the marriage. Victor Garber does the excel... ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2023, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586/146 "2023-12-09T16:58:07Z")
> [@digs](#): > > \*Victor Garber, who’s set up as a hard-nosed, aloof father with one of my favorite scenes… The Phone Call. This was the only thing I knew Victor Garber from at the time. He’s a great actor. He could not be more of a upbeat, song-and-dance man in real life. He is nothing like Jack Bristow. Nothing. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586/147 "2023-12-10T05:07:49Z")
It was doubly shocking for me because I only knew Victor Garber as Jesus in _Godspell…_ where, come to think of it, he was a song-and-dance man in an awesome duet: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/nWVpeXN5b5k/maxresdefault.jpg ""All For The Best" ~ Godspell (1973)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWVpeXN5b5k) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586/148 "2023-12-10T05:33:57Z")
I seem to remember another good twist on _L.A. Law_. Dann Florek played Dave Meyer, the king of direct-mail marketing; the most boring, milquetoast guy you can imagine. He dated Roxanne (Susan Ruttan) over the course of several episodes. Then he went on the lam and it was revealed that he had embezzeled a fortune. It’s been ages since I’ve seen it; if anyone remembers the details better than I, please share. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586/149 "2023-12-10T11:07:59Z")
Wait, what? That’s Garber? I had no idea. I know he can sing because I’ve seen his John Wilkes Booth in _Assassins_ but even watching that clip now I don’t recognize him. > [@Smid](#): > > ER had a few twists, my favourite was the recurring character played by Omar Epps, Gantt, they’re being bullied by Benton who is the head of surgery. He storms off. > > Later they take in a suicide from a train into ER. They’re saying “well, this is pointless, but got to try”, “let’s beep Gant”. Beeper goes off in the room. “Who’s is that?”, everyone is looking, and eventually find it’s the jumper’s beeper. Gant is on the table. Suddenly they’re REALLY trying. Fade to titles. That’s the one that always stuck with me. The helicopter hijinks just seemed silly, but Gant’s suicide was a big shock to me. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586/150 "2023-12-10T12:42:48Z")
All in the Family, Stretch Cunningham turning out to be Jewish. “Stretch, Jewish? With a name like ‘Cunningham?’” “Oh, well, Archie, what’s in a name?” “A Jewish name ain’t supposed to have no ‘ham’ in it, Edith.” ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586/151 "2023-12-10T13:59:36Z")
Agents of SHIELD - when Ward revealed himself as HYDRA agent. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2023, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586/152 "2023-12-10T14:46:49Z")
> [@digs](#): > > It was doubly shocking for me because I only knew Victor Garber as Jesus in _Godspell…_ where, come to think of it, he was a song-and-dance man in an awesome duet: He’s a great example of “where do you originally know him from”. Watching him sing, dance, and do pretty much anything only makes it more impressive how serious and dour he played Sidney’s dad. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-the-most-shocking-turn-on-series-tv-lots-of-open-spoilers-edited-title/706586.md?page=7)