Warning: This article discusses topics of racism, homophobia, suicide, and sexual assault.
Over the years, several TV show actors left their respective roles, but their characters’ deaths ended up occurring offscreen. The demise of a beloved figure wasn’t always met with a good reception from audiences, butthe most heroic TV character deathsinstead made up for their departure. When a character died but wasn’t shown on-screen, it was often jarring. However, it was even weirder when it was already known that an actor was leaving, but they didn’t get the opportunity to film their character’s exit.
Eventhe best TV shows of all timesometimes had to say goodbye to a character without a proper send-off. Some of these instances were out of production’s control and were the result of external reasons, such as legal snafus or budget cuts, whereas others were because an actor actively chose to step away to work on other projects. Whether it was their choice or not, these TV characters only met a bitter end because their actors were already out of the door.
8Bronwyn
Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power
Bronwyn was notably missing fromThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 2, which was initially confusing. The character was a crucial part of the show in general, and inThe Rings of Powerseason 1’s ending, she was set up with the implication that she was a core character. After she shockingly survived the events of Mount Doom’s eruption, Bronwyn was lucky enough to reunite with her love, Arondir, and son, Theo. However,The Rings of Powerseason 2’s opener established that a poisonous orc arrow killed Bronwyn.
Bronwyn wasn’t inThe Rings of Powerseason 2because actress Nazanin Boniadi chose not to return. While this was disappointing, Boniadi’s reasoning was more than justified. The actress’ prominent activism, especially regarding women’s rights in Iran, led to her departure from the show. Boniadi was very open about her decision, too, and even shared on social media that she and Bronwyn shared similar values “in striving for a fairer world.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Cast
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
7Murray Goldberg
The Goldbergs
Murray Goldberg was the patriarch ofThe Goldbergs. The character was a typical sitcom father who constantly sought some peace from his children and wife. While Murray was a very important part ofThe Goldbergs, it was later proved that the character wasn’t as integral to the show as once thought. ActorJeff Garlin was removed fromThe Goldbergsafter articles were published about him, which stated that he had a reputation for repeated inappropriate behavior on the set (viaVanity Fair).
Filming for season 9 was in full swing at the time, so The Goldbergs simply inserted clips from outtakes and used special effects to keep Murray in the show. Murray was killed off between seasons 9 and 10, with the sitcom acknowledging the character’s absence when it returned.The Goldbergs’ showrunner Alex Barnowexplained Murray’s death was a good way to refocus on the remaining members of the family in the midst of their grief.The Goldbergsnever went into detail about what was the cause of Murray’s death,but considering the character’s lifestyle, it was easy to guess.
The Goldbergs is a sitcom created by Adam F. Goldberg based on his childhood experiences in the 1980s. With characters based on Goldberg’s own relatives, the show follows the dynamic of the titular family including grouchy father Murray (Jeff Garlin), doting and overbearing mother Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey), overconfident brother Barry (Troy Gentile), and edgy sister Erica (Hayley Orrantia). The show focuses on comedically capturing the spirit of life in the ’80s through nostalgia.
6Roseanne Conner
Roseanne/The Conners
Roseanne Conner was the driving force of one ofthe best sitcoms of all time,Roseanne. The character was portrayed by the show’s writer, Roseanne Barr, who starred inRoseannefrom the pilot until season 10. After the success of its revival, there was a lot of hope for theRoseannefollow-up, with season 11 already commissioned. But this suddenly changed whenBarr was fired in 2018 following a string of racist messages posted on social media.
Barr’s posts attacked several public figures about their appearances and cultural backgrounds, which led to her being booted out.Roseanneseason 11 was then rebranded asThe Conners, with the rest of the original cast returning despite Barr’s exit.The Connersrevealed that Roseanne Conner diedfrom an opioid overdose, which was a result of the chronic pain she experienced after surgery on her knee. This was an odd choice from the writers, especially as they had the opportunity to include something that made sense for the character, but Roseanne’s absence needed to be explained.
Roseanne
Roseanne was a late 80s Sitcom created by Matt Williams and starring Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert. The show followed a character created by Roseanne Barr herself as she attempted to navigate her family life in a fictional town in Illinois.
The Conners
The Conners is a continuation of the Roseanne series, focusing on the iconic family members Dan, Jackie, Darlene, Becky, and D.J. Released in 2018, the series explores the family’s challenges with parenthood, dating, unexpected pregnancy, financial pressures, aging, and in-laws within working-class America.
I’m So Glad The Conners Moved On From Roseanne To Save The Reboot
Roseanne’s 2017 revival betrayed the original show’s message, but killing off Roseanne herself allowed The Conners to bring back its secret weapon.
5Pierce Hawthorne
Community
Pierce Hawthorne’s death inCommunitywas one of the most notable examples of aTV show character killed off because of behind-the-scenes drama. Pierce was the most irritating member of the study group and was known for his non-stop vulgarity. The heir to the Hawthorne Wipes empire often made remarks that were racist, misogynistic, homophobic, and generally out of touch. While Pierce wasn’t the greatest character, it was still unexpected when it was announced that the actor was departing the show.
Chevy Chase leftCommunitybefore season 5after reports of a racial outburst on set.TheAirplane!star claimedthat his choice of words was in relation to the direction that his character was being taken,but he faced a lot of backlash from other members of the cast and crew. Chase momentarily appeared as a hologram of Pierce in the season 5 episode “Repilot,” who explained that he wasn’t allowed on campus anymore. However, this moment also foreshadowed Pierce’s offscreen death from overexertion just two episodes later, in “Basic Intergluteal Numismatics.”
Community is a comedic television series that chronicles the lives of diverse students at Greendale Community College, a fictional and notoriously underperforming educational institution in Colorado. Released in 2009, the show explores the quirky interactions and relationships among the eclectic group navigating their academic and personal challenges.
4Lawrence Kutner
House
Lawrence Kutner’s shocking death inHousecreated a conversation both in the show and with audiences about mental health. Kutner was a member of Gregory House’s team in seasons 4 and 5, but in the season 5 episode “Simple Explanation,” he unexpectedly took his own life. House struggled with coming to terms with Kutner’s suicide, who never presented any signs of depression before this. However, this was brilliantly reflective of real-life examples of those with mental health conditions, which made theHousestoryline even more realistic and impactful.
The leg of Kutner’s corpse was briefly seen after he was discovered, but his actual death occurred offscreen. The character also returned in the form of a vision twice, once in the season 5 episode “Both Sides Now” and again in theHousefinale. Thankfully, the reason that actor Kal Penn wanted to leave was for a positive reason.Penn departedHousebecause he was offered a role in Barack Obama’s administration,and he was “aching… to do something completely different” (viaEW).
House is a medical mystery drama in which the villain is typically a difficult-to-diagnose medical malady. It follows Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie), a world-renowned disabled diagnostician with a notorious substance abuse issue. With his team of world-class doctors, House has built a reputation as one of the most brilliant doctors in the world - an especially impressive feat when taking into account that he rarely actually sees his patients.
3Dr. Pete Wilder
Private Practice
Dr. Pete Wilder was a character in theGrey’s Anatomyspin-offPrivate Practice. Wilder was an integral character inPrivate Practicefrom season 1, and he was the subject of several dramas in the show, like being one of the possible fathers of Violet’s baby. He was a specialist in alternative medicine with a difficult past, but despite this, Wilder was a dedicated physician. The character suffered a heart attack inPrivate Practice’s season 4 cliffhanger, but he amazingly survived. However, he was then cruelly killed off in season 6 from yet another heart attack while he was out jogging.
Unfortunately, it was out of Pete Wilder actor Tim Daly’s control that he left theShondaland TV show. Daly didn’t choose to step away fromPrivate Practice, and the actor famously ranted on social mediaabout the unfairness of the situation. However,Shonda Rhimes later admitted in an interview that Daly’s character was killed off because of budget cuts(viaTV Guide). While Pete’s abrupt death was astounding for viewers, the fact he was cut offscreen made it even worse. Pete already had one heart attack, so it was odd that his demise from a second wasn’t shown.
A spin-off Grey’s Anatomy, the medical drama Private Practice stars Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery, as she leaves her former job at Seattle Grace Hospital in order to join a private practice in Los Angeles. The series aired on ABC for six seasons from 2007-2013.
Grey’s Anatomy: Why Private Practice Was Canceled
Private Practice ended after Kate Walsh’s exit, and the declining ratings in season six prove that the series was cancelled at the right time.
2Carl Longbottom
Mythic Quest
Carl “C.W.” Longbottom, portrayed by F. Murray Abraham, was the head writer of the titular video game inMythic Quest. The Nebula-award-winning author struggled to keep up with the modern world and wasn’t as popular as he once was, so he was relatively clueless when it came to his work on such a technologically advanced form of storytelling. InMythic Questseason 2’s finale, Jo put together a party for C.W. to welcome him back from his book tour, but she and the other studio employees were stunned when a letter from the man himself confirmed he was dead.
C.W. failed to tell his colleagues that he had been diagnosed with a terminal illnessand so he passed away without anyone knowing. Even though some were disappointed and considered C.W. to be one ofthe best characters inMythic Quest, Abraham’s exit was understandable. Behind the scenes, the actor was fired fromMythic Questafter he was accused of sexual misconduct on the set of the show, and it was announced that C.W. wouldn’t return for season 3. While Abraham did apologize for his actions, the damage was already done.
Mythic Quest is a comedy series centered on the team behind a leading multiplayer video game. The show explores the humorous and dynamic workplace conflicts and interactions among developers, as they navigate the challenges of creativity and personal ambition within a competitive industry setting.
1Jameson “Rooster” Ford Bennett
The Ranch
Jameson “Rooster” Ford Bennett’s death inThe Ranchwas never truly confirmed, but considering how the rest of the show progressed, there was no doubt that he was gone. Rooster, played by Danny Masterson, lived in the shadow of his brother, Colt, played by fellowThat ‘70s Showalum, Ashton Kutcher. He was bitter over Colt’s successful football career, but he was clearly more useful when it came to the gritty farm work. Rooster’s death wasn’t a surprise to anyone, however, and he was acharacter inThe Ranchwho wasn’t missed.
In the first episode ofThe Ranch,part 6, Rooster was missing, and in episode 2, his motorbike was discovered at the bottom of a cliff. The police never found a body, butaudiences knew that Rooster was never really going to return.Of course, this was because of the multiple accusations against Danny Masterson of committing sexual assault, which he was jailed for in 2024. Masterson was also not asked to reprise the role ofHyde inThat ‘90s Show, and he was the only member of the originalThat ‘70s Showcast who didn’t star in the sequel.
the ranch
The Ranch is a sitcom that ran for four seasons between 2016 and 2020. The Comedy and Drama series was created by Don Reo and Jim Patterson for Netflix and starred Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Sam Elliot, and Debra Winger. The premise revolved around a Rancher and his two sons who owned a Ranch in Colorado and all of the drama that unfolded within their family.
