20 Controversial Character Exits on Television That We're Still Upset About

Over so many years of television, it's inevitable that we also see many great characters come and go, whether from an iconic, long-running show or a newer series we just recently got into. But no matter the particular reason behind the departure, it's never easy to say goodbye to a beloved character — in fact, sometimes it's downright shocking and heartbreaking! From tragic deaths in emotional TV shows to abrupt actor exits that we never saw coming, we've rounded up 20 of the most shocking character exits that television has witnessed — and have also taken a closer look at the real story behind the unexpected departures.

While some of these character exits are simply due to the actor wanting to pursue other opportunities (including one actor that even left to work at the White House!), others are of course more controversial, ranging from the stars getting fired to others who left after experiencing differences of opinion with the show's network and creators. From Michael Scott in The Office to McDreamy (and so many others) in Grey's Anatomy, here's a closer look at the most shocking and controversial character exits in TV history.

Perhaps one of the most devastating character exits to date, the death of Dr. Derek Shepherd — a.k.a. "McDreamy" — sent shock waves out among Grey's Anatomy fans when he was abruptly killed off in 2015. The fan-favorite character was announced as brain-dead after a tragic car accident in season 11, widowing his wife Meredith Grey in a tear-inducing episode that left viewers mourning for many seasons afterward.

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Unlike several other character departures on the show, Derek's came without warning — which left fans wondering why actor Patrick Dempsey left the show so suddenly. Reportedly, Patrick simply wanted to move on to other projects. He told People in 2016: "It had been long enough. It was time for me to move on with other things and other interests. I probably should have moved on a couple of years earlier."

After a total of 12 seasons as one of the show's lead characters, SVU fans were left devastated when beloved detective Elliot Stabler was suddenly written off the NBC crime drama — especially with no proper on-screen send-off! The detective was revealed to have retired from the police force during its season 13 premiere, leaving viewers to mourn the unexpected loss of one of their favorite characters.

As for why actor Christopher Meloni suddenly departed the show in 2011, the actor has since explained that his contract negotiations with the network broke down after season 12. But fortunately for Stabler fans, it was recently announced that Chris would be reprising his old role in a new 'SVU' spinoff series — which will see Elliot Stabler returning to our screens for the first time after nine years!

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In another devastating character exit from a cop drama, Chicago P.D. bid farewell to Detective Erin Lindsay in 2017 when it was announced that the lead character would be leaving the force after four seasons. At the beginning of season 5, Erin was revealed to have taken a job with FBI's counter-terrorism unit in New York, leaving her ex-boyfriend and surrogate father (as well as plenty of P.D. fans) to cope with her sudden departure.

After remaining tight-lipped for some time about the mysterious reasons behind her departure from P.D., actress Sophia Bush finally spoke out about her exit in Dax Shepard's "Armchair Expert" Podcast in 2018, revealing that she had experienced “a consistent onslaught barrage of abusive behavior" on set. She also cited harsh working conditions, including having to film in the cold Chicago weather. "My body was, like, falling apart, because I was really, really unhappy," she said.

Yet another heartbreaking character death we're still not over! In a particularly devastating twist for the British historical drama, beloved character Matthew Crawley died in a tragic car accident literally hours after after his wife Lady Mary gave birth to their first child together. Needless to say, Downtown Abbey fans were left reeling — and mourning — for months following this jaw-dropping twist in the season 3 finale in 2012.

According to The Telegraph, actor Dan Stevens decided to leave the cast of Downtown Abbey ahead of season 3, opting not to renew his contract after his initial three years — mainly so he could pursue other acting opportunities. "We were always optioned for three years,” Dan said. “And when that came up it was a very difficult decision. But it felt like a good time to take stock, to take a moment. From a personal point of view, I wanted a chance to do other things."

Ask any fan of The Office , and they'll all agree that fun-loving boss Michael Scott was the true heart of the show — which was why it was so shocking when it was announced that the iconic character would be leaving Dunder Mifflin. At the end of season 7, the comedy sitcom sees Michael deciding to move away in a heartfelt goodbye episode, leaving his job as Regional Manager in Scranton after proposing to romantic interest Holly Flax.

Though it was long assumed that Steve Carell had decided to ways with the show due to other comedy and acting gigs, it was recently revealed that the actor actually hadn't intended to leave at all! Apparently, the network didn't make an effort to get Steve to stay after he made comments in an interview about the possibility of leaving due to his contract reaching his final year. When the network didn't contact him with an offer, Steve was ultimately pushed to exit.

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As one of Dr. House's new fellows in season 4, Dr. Lawrence Kutner was one of the more popular characters on the show — but was unexpectedly found to have committed suicide after only about a season and a half. Despite House's initial lack of acceptance that he had killed himself, Kutner's death was indeed ruled as a suicide, leaving viewers to wonder about the sudden nature of his exit.

Interestingly, actor Kal Penn had a very unique reason to leave the medical drama so abruptly: he had accepted a job at the White House! Kal joined the Obama administration as an Associate Director in the Office of Public Engagement, leading the writers at House to scramble to write out his character quickly. Ultimately, they decided to deliberately leave Kutner's suicide unexplained as a key part of the story.

After a total of seven seasons as one of Hawaii Five-0's lead characters, the news of Chin Ho Kelly's departure from the cop drama devastated viewers as the fan-favorite character was announced to be leaving the task force. Ultimately, Chin is revealed to have accepted an offer to run the Five-0 Task Force in San Francisco in the season 8 premiere.

After seven years of portraying Chin, actor Daniel Dae Kim shocked fans when he announced he was walking off the show. Reportedly, he was unable to reach satisfactory deals with CBS after seeking pay equality with white co-stars Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan. “As an Asian American actor, I know first-hand how difficult it is to find opportunities at all, let alone play a well developed, three-dimensional character like Chin Ho," Daniel wrote in a Facebook post announcing his departure. "I will miss him sincerely.”

As if the departure of one original character wasn't crushing enough, Hawaii Five-0 fans suffered a double blow when another lead character, Kono Kalakau, was revealed to be leaving the task force along with Chin Ho Kelly. Viewers last see her character boarding a plane in the season 7 finale, as she leaves for Carson City, NV to stop a sex trafficking ring around the country.

Despite remaining silent about her sudden exit at the time, actress Grace Park chose to leave the show for the same reason as her co-star Daniel Dae Kim, having sought equal salary as her white co-stars but being unable to reach a deal with the network. In 2018, she opened up about her departure to Entertainment Weekly. “There were a number of factors spanning the show that affected the non-renewal of my contract,” she said. “I’m grateful for the lessons learned, but I chose what was best for my integrity."

In perhaps the biggest telenova twist yet, The CW's Jane the Virgin shocked viewers when it seemingly killed off Michael Cordero, Jane's love interest and current husband, in the middle of season 3. The detective abruptly dropped dead in the middle of taking the LSATs, suffering from complications from an earlier gunshot wound — though he'd later actually be revealed to be alive (and suffering from amnesia) a full season later!

Due to the unexpectedness of Michael's death, it was first suspected that the character might have been killed off because actor Brett Dier had decided to leave the show — but as fans later realized, it was merely due to the show's planned script! The writers had reportedly decided on Michael's death very early on (there's even a line in season 1 that foreshadows it), though they later decided to bring his character back in an even bigger twist.

Grey's fans may have thought they had it hard with McDreamy's exit, but the most recent character departure from the medical drama was arguably the hardest, with Alex Karev bidding farewell to Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital after a record-breaking 16 seasons. In a shocking twist, the fan-favorite character was revealed to have reunited with his first wife Izzie Stevens, deciding to move to Kansas after discovering he had secret kids with his former love interest.

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Needless to say, actor Justin Chambers made headlines when he announced he was exiting his role on Grey's after 15 years, citing wishes for diversified career roles as his reason for departure. “There’s no good time to say goodbye to a show and character that’s defined so much of my life for the past 15 years,” he said in a statement to Deadline. “For some time now, however, I have hoped to diversify my acting roles and career choices. And, as I turn 50 and am blessed with my remarkable, supportive wife and five wonderful children, now is that time.”

It's an understatement to say that Troy Barnes' exit from Community was a crushing blow to viewers of the cult sitcom. Much to the dismay of dedicated fans, the beloved character bid farewell to Greendale in the beginning of season 5 as he left the community college to sail around the world, embarking on a quest to win the fortune of the recently passed-away study group member Pierce Hawthorne.

When Donald Glover announced his departure from Community back in 2013, the show was apparently already crumbling behind-the-scenes, with show creator Dan Harmon and actor Chevy Chase being fired from the series. Reportedly, Donald was ready to try something new as he went on to produce his new FX comedy Atlanta while also continuing to working on his music. "I asked to leave [Community] because my heart really wasn't in it," he later told VIBE Magazine. "I feel like if I stayed there, I'd be doing my life a disservice."

CBS legal drama The Good Wife promised a "shocking moment" when it returned in the middle of season 5 — and well, the show delivered. In an unexpected new twist in its 15th episode, male lead William Gardner was abruptly killed off when his own client shot him in the courtroom. The beloved character was later confirmed to be dead in the hospital.

Though Will’s death came as a shock to viewers, the character’s exit had actually long been in the works since actor Josh Charles approached the show's creators about leaving when his contract was up. Reportedly, Josh had actually wanted to leave at the end of season 4, but was convinced to stay for one more season. "It's been one of the greatest gigs for me in my entire career, but at the end of last year, my contract was up and I was just ready to kind of move on," he later said.

Much of the hit teen drama series The Vampire Diaries centered around its leading protagonist Elena Gilbert, so viewers were left stunned when the character was written out at the end of the sixth season. Thankfully, Elena wasn't killed off, but was revealed to have gone into a magically-induced coma in the shocking finale.

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Actress Nina Dobrev announced her departure from the series on Instagram in 2015, leaving fans heartbroken over her decision not to renew her contract for season 7. “I always knew I wanted Elena’s story to be a six season adventure, and within those six years I got the journey of a lifetime,” she wrote. Fortunately, the writers figured out a way to continue the show without its leading lady, and Nina later returned as a guest star in the series finale to wrap up a happy ending for the character.

After four seasons of the hit Netflix series Orange Is The New Black , fans of the show were shocked when a tragic and unexpected death hit Litchfield Prison. In a shocking and controversial scene, fan-favorite Poussey Washington was killed by a C.O. while being restrained during a peaceful demonstration at the prison — leading to a riot at the prison which largely set the stage for season 5 of the show.

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Poussey's death was reportedly not the decision of actress Samira Wiley, but due to the writers' choice to end the character's story for the TV show. "When I first found out, I was devastated. I was shocked, I was confused. I knew about it for over a year. It was really, really, really difficult to not be able to talk to the rest of my cast about what was going on," Samira later told New York Post.

After spending three years as one of Scandal's main characters, fans of ABC's hit legal drama were left stunned when litigator Harrison Wright was murdered in season 3, with the cliffhanger finale episode last seeing the character with a gun to his head. Much to the dismay of Scandal viewers, the character was then revealed to be dead in the season 4 premiere.

Columbus Short's exit from Scandal came after the actor's major brushes with the law, including an arrest and multiple charges, which ultimately led to him being fired from the show. Months after his exit from the series, he opened up about his departure in 2014. "I'll be candid. I was struggling with drugs," he shared. "I had a lot on my plate, and you know, I was using unhealthy ways to kind of self-medicate and deal with a lot of heavy duty stuff in my life."

Could anyone have predicted Zoe Barnes' untimely death in House of Cards? Back in season 2 of the political thriller, viewers were completely caught off guard when the ambitious young journalist was killed by Frank Underwood in a terrifying scene no one saw coming. The character confronts Frank in a subway station, only to be pushed in front of an incoming train by the ruthless politician.

Like several other shocking character deaths on TV, Zoe Barnes' was actually the result of the writers' decision to kill off the character — in fact, actress Kate Mara knew about Zoe's death before even before she had read for the role! "I knew from the moment I accepted the role that I was only contracted for 14 episodes and would have a grisly death at the start of the second season," she revealed to Daily Mail's You magazine." I probably wouldn't have signed on otherwise."

Of course, the more well-known (and most controversial) departure in House of Cards was main protagonist Frank Underwood's, who met his end in season 8 when it was revealed that he had died off-screen of a heart attack, though it's suspected by his wife Claire that he was murdered. Ultimately, it's revealed in the season finale that his right-hand man Doug Stamper had killed Frank, poisoning him to stop him from murdering Claire.

In a highly publicized scandal that rocked Hollywood in late 2017, multiple sexual assault allegations surfaced against actor Kevin Spacey, which ultimately led the actor to be fired from House of Cards. The show then chose to rework the final season without the star, and amid questions of how the show would address the actor's exit, decided to kill off his character to leave Robin Wright as the sole lead.

Ah, the first of the many Grey's deaths that rocked us to our core! It was quite a devastating blow, to say the least, when George O'Malley was abruptly killed off at the beginning of season 6 of the medical show. To add to the gut-wrenching pain, the beloved character died in the most heroic way possible: Jumping in front of a bus to save the life of a complete stranger.

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Actor T.R. Knight devastated fans when he announced he was leaving Grey's in 2009, citing a gradual "breakdown of communication" between himself and executive producer Shonda Rhimes. More specifically, T.R. revealed that when he noticed he was getting significantly less screen time on the show, he simply decided to leave rather than ask what was going on with his character. "My five-year experience proved to me that I could not trust any answer that was given [about George]," he explained. "And with respect, I'm going to leave it at that."

Since Shameless' premiere in 2011, eldest sibling Fiona Gallagher had remained a central part of the long-running Showtime series — which was why fans were especially devastated when the character was revealed to be exiting the show after nine seasons. Ultimately, the season 9 finale saw Fiona leave the South Side for the first time, deciding to start fresh somewhere else with some newfound wealth.

Actress Emmy Rossum bid farewell to Shameless in 2018, announcing that she would be leaving the show in a heartfelt Facebook post to fans. “I was 23 when the show started and it’s been pretty remarkable the confidence that it’s given me,” Emmy later said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “It’s been a long, wonderful journey and I’m so close to my Gallagher family that to walk away is quite bittersweet, but it did feel like it was time for the character to spread her wings and that there was less need for her. I never want something to just feel like a job and so I’m leaving while I still love it.”

You might not exactly expect a sudden, brutal death to occur in a comedy sitcom show, but that's exactly what happened when series regular Charlie Harper was killed off from Two And A Half Men — twice! The character was first killed by being struck by a train off-screen while on vacation in Paris, but later, when revealed to actually be alive in the series' finale, died again by being crushed by a falling piano.

In case you missed it back in 2011, the circumstances surrounding the show's decision to brutally kill off Charlie Harper were highly publicized amidst actor Charlie Sheen's infamous public meltdown and problems with addiction. After the actor made verbal denunciations against show creator Chuck Lorre in two interviews, the actor was fired from the series — leading the creator to later mercilessly kill off his character (twice!).

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