These TV characters deserved to die. Spoilers follow, of course.
Frank Underwood on House of Cards (Played by Kevin Spacey)
House of Cards killed off Frank Underwood because of the off-screen accusations against Kevin Spacey, which the actor denies. But you know who’s definitely guilty? That would be President Underwood, who killed the two most likable people on the show — Zoe and Peter (Kate Mara and Corey Stoll) in the very first season of House of Cards and never looked back.
The show’s final season even revealed that Frank plotted to kill his partner-in-crime, Claire (Robin Wright). Irredeemable.
The Trinity Killer on Dexter (Played by John Lithgow)
The Trinity Killer, aka Arthur Mitchell, poses as a family man to hide a despicable, murderous cruel streak that ends only when Dexter (Michael C. Hall) finally puts him down.
But Dexter is too late: He arrives home to find that Trinity’s final murder was of Rita (Julie Benz), who — besides being completely innocent and good — was Dexter’s last shot at happiness and a normal life.
The Trinity Killer certainly deserved to die, but also went out as one of the best TV villains ever, played to perfection by Lithgow.
Ramsay Bolton on Game of Thrones (Played by Iwan Rheon)
A psychopathic sadist who loves torturing adversaries, often in repugnant sexual ways. He isn’t even loyal to his own father.
He finally gets his due when Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) turns his own hunting dogs on him — and they turn out to be about as loyal as he is. Good riddance.
The Governor on The Walking Dead (Played by David Morrissey)
Besides beheading Hershel Greene, who never wanted to hurt anyone, the Governor (David Morrissey) dispensed brutal discipline on the people of his town, Woodbury, and bedeviled Rick Grimes and his crew.
Worst of all, he called himself The Governor when he should have only been the mayor.
We weren’t sad to see him go, by Michonne’s blade and Lilly’s gun.
Walter White on Breaking Bad (Played by Bryan Cranston)
Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan always said the show would turn Walter White from Mr. Chips to Scarface, and boy did he deliver.
We were rooting hard for Walt at the beginning, when he was a struggling dad with a cancer diagnosis who turned to drug manufacturing to provide for his family. But then he turned into the power-mad Heisenberg, killing countless people in addition to those who became hooked on his meth.
Walt deserved to die, and knew it, but still went out on top: He killed his enemies, freed Jesse, left his family set for life, and got fun revenge on his friends-turned-betrayers Elliott and Gretchen. He died peacefully bleeding from a gunshot wound suffered in an attack he himself orchestrated.
Todd Alquist on Breaking Bad (Played by Jesse Plemons)
Todd seemed so affable at the beginning, but then he went and shot the boy witness with a tarantula. There was no coming back from that, so Todd just kept getting worse, even keeping Jesse in a cage like the boy did his arachnid pet.
We don’t fault Jesse (Aaron Paul) for strangling him.
But wow: What acting by Jesse Plemons. This, along with Friday Night Lights, made us realize he’s one of Hollywood’s best actors, especially when playing seemingly harmless guys with secrets.
Ralph Cifaretto on The Sopranos (Played by Joe Pantaliano)
The Sopranos was packed with TV characters who deserved to die, but let’s start with Ralph Cifaretto. He was a good earner and a terrible guy.
Look, we’re not saying Ralph didn’t have his charms, but he lost us completely with the utterly pointless murder of his dancer girlfriend, Tracee (Ariel Kiley, with Ralph, above), who was pregnant, to boot.
We’ve never been so happy to see Tony Soprano take someone out. And there was some poetic justice in Tony killing Ralph with his bare hands, just as Ralph killed Tracee. We still despise this guy.
Christopher Moltisanti on The Sopranos (Played by Michael Imperioli)
Besides being petty, murderous, and once killing a dog by sitting on it, Christophuh crossed the point of no return when he had his chance to run off with Adriana (Drea de Matteo) and instead went along with the decision to have her murdered for talking to the feds.
We tried to like him, and he was funny, for sure. But Chrissy’s unreliability made it impossible for Tony not to whack him, and after what he allowed with Adriana, we were fine with that.
Tony Soprano on The Sopranos (Played by James Gandolfini)
You knew this was coming. Tony Soprano killed or orchestrated the killings of more people than we can count, sometimes for good reasons, and often for bad. He knew what he was getting into: Live by the sword and gun, die by the sword and the gun.
If you’re reading this and saying, “Wait! Tony didn’t die at Holsten’s!,” well, grow up. Of course he did.
Sopranos creator David Chase basically confirmed Tony Soprano died in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, 15 years after the Sopranos finale. Read it here if you like.
Barry Berkman on Barry (Played by Bill Hader)
We certainly sympathized with Barry at many times throughout the four seasons of Barry — he was a veteran dealing with PTSD, led astray by his role models, who really wanted to go straight.
But ultimately killed so many people — many of whom didn’t deserve it — that there was almost no way the show could have ended except with his death. Barry is a comedy, sure, but also tragic in every sense.
Joffrey Baratheon on Game of Thrones (Played by Jack Gleeson)
We know, we know: Joffrey is a child. But he was a king, more powerful than any adult, and we didn’t see any chance of him reforming. Hence our inclusion of him on this list of TV characters who deserved to die.
In his brief reign he ordered the execution of the benevolent Ned Stark, abused his wife, Sansa, humiliated members of his own family, and killed countless people, often for the sake of his own amusement.
We were happy to see him die and happy that Margaery (Natalie Dormer) didn’t have to go through with marrying him. Kudos to her aunt Lady Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg) for orchestrating his well-deserved assassination.
Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones (Played by Emilia Clarke)
We know, you may disagree. But the whole point of Game of Thrones is that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and that even well-meaning people can do evil with the intent of doing good.
No character exemplified this more than the Mother of Dragons, who went from breaking chains to going waaaaaaay overboard in her dragon-riding, flame-breathing quest for conquest.
We were sorry to see her die because of the person she used to be, but relieved to see the end of the person she became. She’s the person we’re saddest about including on this list of TV characters who deserved to die.
Liked Our List of TV Characters Who Deserved to Die?
You may also like this list of the Strangest Movies We’ve Ever Seen — or perhaps our list of Movie Con Artists We Fall for Every Time.
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