Kill-off: the extreme trend of spring 2014

The following post has various spoilers of

Grey’s Anatomy, The OC, Supernatural, Game of Thrones,

Teen Wolf, Scandal and The Good Wife. 

The sun is shining, birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, people are wearing light jackets and sunglasses: all clear signs of the fact that spring is finally here. And whilst I could be enjoying all of that outside, I’m at home being frustrated at the TV because it keeps making me emotional! So instead of getting the pleasure of welcoming spring into my life, I get to be emotionally unstable instead.

Killing off major characters isn’t something shows do lightly. I myself believe it to be a dangerous path similar to the one of making two main characters into a couple, and yet, this year it seems that shows are making it into a TREND. Because while one’s inevitable and two’s a coincidence, then three is most definitely a sign of a trend! Especially considering two out of three shows I’m going to mention here killed off main characters, not important supporting roles that will be missed while being replaceable but actual vital characters to the show’s organ system. Those who watch television as much as I do, already know what I’m talking about: I’m going to rant about The Good Wife, Scandal and Teen Wolf because these shows hurt me and while I’m feeling hurt I need to write down all my unstable thoughts.

Before I get to the present day, I want to go back to the good old days when I watched Grey’s Anatomy and George O’Malley’s character was written off in the most horrific way possible, it was so awful and sad, and I hated Shonda Rhimes for doing such a horrible thing. Then the show went on by not killing off another major character and I got frustrated at Rhimes for keeping Izzie Stevens (Heigl was disrespectful and deserved the kill-off!) alive for no good reason. Shonda’s response? – taking her sweet time and suddenly killing off Teddy’s man and two major characters, my favorite characters, Lexie Grey and Mark Sloan, back to back. It still hurts which is why I ended my relationship with Grey’s Anatomy. Another major character death from the past is the kill-off of Marissa Cooper in The OC but in the long run, it wasn’t as crippling emotionally.

Whilst Grey’s Anatomy and The OC took away major characters, Supernatural destroyed me by taking away a supporting role portrayed by Jefferey Dean Morgan (he also appeared on Grey’s Anatomy and his death there also hurts, stupid Shonda!). Then for a while I can’t recall any emotional train wreck kill-off moments for myself until Game of Thrones came into my life and ruined me. Now, granted, whilst Game of Thrones hasn’t stayed away from writing off some of our favorite characters, this has merely been about  staying true to the source material which is highly honorable. Yet, it still pains me to remember my own emotional wreckage seeing all these deaths unfold on screen: Eddard Stark, Khal Drogo, Robb Stark and Catelyn Stark. We knew these were coming (I accidentally spoiled few for myself) but it still took me by surprise which is to prove how well the show is really made.

Now, it is known that when an actor or an actress decides to leave the show, or their contract simply ends, their characters go with them (except Mandy Milkovich who got recast in the most unnoticeable way possible and it was awesome!) and it’s understandable. Teen Wolf’s Colton Haynes got a better offer and his character Jackson went off to live somewhere else, sort of rewarding for the fans because at least he’s still alive. Same won’t be said about Allison after this season because when Crystal Reed made the decision to leave the show, the only possible way to do so was to kill-off her main character. Sad thing is, I understand this choice all too well to argue with this decision and it’s one of those inevitable things I have to get used to. In a way, I’m already okay with it. What I’m not as excited about is Teen Wolf killing off one of the twins, Aiden, for no apparent reason – why not just let them leave like they are letting Isaac leave? Come to think of it, why are all these people leaving Teen Wolf in the first place?

Then there’s Scandal, which took away a supporting character James Novak (Dan Bucatinsky) in a very surprising turn of events. This is something that rattled me a bit because I wasn’t really expecting this to happen, whilst I sensed something was going on in Teen Wolf due to the new love interest for Scott, Scandal never hinted at James being killed off like that. My frustration though, isn’t about the kill-off itself, as much as it is towards the writer who decided to make Jake into the one who killed him. Bad move, Scandal, bad move! Whilst Novak wasn’t the key player in the show, his presence was still noticeable and he was such a caring character who balanced Cyrus Beene in a way that I’m not quite sure how they will go on with his plot. I’m intrigued and yet, I’m disappointed at the same time.

Finally, the show that pushed me over the edge and urged me to write this post, The Good Wife – oh no you didn’t! I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one being utterly surprised and frustrated and angry at the same time, Will Gardner was my favorite character of the series, yes, Cary Agos is a close second, but Will was the heart! In such a female dominated cast, Josh Charles carried off his masculinity to represent 3 men at once. He portrayed a character who was hard working, passionate and most importantly, he was the better half of Alicia and everything’s ruined now. Part of me is saddened to the core, part of me wants to stop watching the show because of it, and most of my disbelief is towards Charles’ decision to leave the show in the first place. On that note, if Charles wanted to leave, why not give him a possibility to come back, for an episode or two, why not send Will off somewhere nice and sunny because I can see that happening. Then again, all of this won’t change the fact that The Good Wife delivered the most shocking death of spring 2014 and part of me is almost proud they had the balls for it.

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Let me know in the comments what are your thoughts on these TV character deaths this spring and what kill-off has made you emotionally unstable.