Characters come and characters go, at least that’s the case for these beloved shows. Whether it’s on one of the best sitcoms of all time, an exhilarating epic fantasy series, or crime dramas holding down a spot on the primetime lineup for decades, these programs all have one thing in common: they lost a fan-favorite before the final episode (or even final season).

Here are 32 TV shows that lost their lead character during their run…

The Office (2005 - 2013)

After being the best character on The Office for the show’s first seven seasons, Steve Carell’s Michael Scott left Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton office back in 2011. Though he would return in a guest capacity in the final season, the absence of the awkward, excitable, yet hilarious regional manager could be felt in the series’ final days.

That ‘70s Show (1998 - 2006)

That ‘70s Show had one of the best runs of any sitcom introduced in the final years of the 20th century, one that would carry on until May 2006. However, the sitcom’s main character, Topher Grace’s Eric Forman, wouldn’t be there for all of it. The actor, whose popularity was rising at the time, left the show after its seventh season. He would return in the series finale one year later.

Two And A Half Men (2003 - 2015)

Amid contract negotiations and a string of controversial incidents, Charlie Sheen left Two and a Half Men and stopped playing fan-favorite Charlie Harper, following the hit sitcom’s eighth season in 2011. One of the most popular shows on TV at the time, the CBS comedy would continue for four more seasons, with Ashton Kutcher coming on to play Walden Schmidt

Cheers (1982 - 1993)

A mainstay of Cheers for the show’s first five seasons, Shelley Long’s Diane Chambers left the friendly Boston bar for good when she was given the opportunity to become a professional writer. However, Diane would later return near the end of the show’s final season in 1993.

ER (1994 - 2009)

Whether it was Anthony Edwards’ Mark Greene being killed off in a spectacular way or George Clooney’s Doug Ross departing following a major scandal, ER lost several of its main characters throughout its 15-season (and 331-episode) run on NBC. However, the show always seemed to rebound from even the biggest losses.

Law & Order (1990 - Present)

Countless beloved characters have come and gone from Law & Order over the years, including NYPD detective Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach), who was a mainstay of the legal drama for 12 years. The series is still on today (after being revived in 2022), but few of the detectives on the show have come close to touching the greatness of the wisecracking cop.

Three’s Company (1977 - 1984)

The late Suzanne Somers became a household name for her portrayal of Chrissy Snow on Three’s Company back in 1977. One of the three leads through much of the show’s run, Somers departed the series after its fifth season. The sitcom would run for three additional seasons after Somers left.

Scrubs (2001 - 2009)

Though Zach Braff’s Dr. John Michael “J.D.” Dorian was technically part of the Scrubs cast until the very last episode of Season 9 (he’s also returning for the upcoming reboot series), he only showed up in less than half of the final run. Maybe it was for the best, because those episodes were of a far lower quality than the previous eight seasons.

Bewitched (1964 - 1972)

This is an odd one simply because the Darrin Stephens character on Bewitched was written off, but instead recast near the end of the show’s run. Played by Dick York for the first few seasons, Elizabeth Montgomery’s on-screen husband was later played by Dick Sargent in the final years of the landmark sitcom about a witch trying to hide her true nature from the world around her.

Mom (2003 - 2021)

When the main star of a show leaves partway through the series run, it can be a nightmare for their co-stars and crew members, and that was the case when Anna Faris departed the hit CBS comedy Mom in 2020. Though the show continued for one more season after Christy Plunkett was written off, the absence of the former lead could be felt.

One Tree Hill (2003 - 2012)

One of the biggest shows of the 2000s, One Tree Hill was a perennial favorite of The WB (and later The CW) through much of its nine-season run. However, the good times didn’t last the whole time, as Chad Michael Murray, who played lead Lucas Scott, departed after season 6 alongside Hilarie Burton’s Peyton Sawyer.

Grey’s Anatomy (2005 - Present)

One of the longest-running shows in TV history, Grey’s Anatomy has always been known for its tremendous cast of characters. And while there are some, like Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey, who have been there all along, others have come and gone. One of the biggest is Patrick Dempsey’s Derek Shepherd, aka "Dr. McDreamy," who was killed off in the show’s 11th season.

Glee (2009 - 2015)

In the middle of Glee’s successful run on Fox, the popular musical series lost one of its main characters when the actor who played him tragically died. In July 2013, Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson, died at the age of 31.

The Walking Dead (2010 - 2022)

So many characters came and went on The Walking Dead, which is to be expected considering it was a show set in the zombie apocalypse. However, one of the biggest departures came in the show’s ninth season when Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes was written off the massively successful show.

House Of Cards (2013 - 2018)

House of Cards was a show with one shocking moment after another, including the time the Netflix series had to find a way to get rid of its main character before the sixth and final season. After Kevin Spacey found himself in legal trouble, the show’s producers decided to kill him off and carry on.

Blue’s Clues (1996 - 2006)

Steve Burns’ Steve was primarily the only human character on the hit Nick Jr. series, Blue’s Clues, for the show’s first four seasons. However, the actor left the animated show and was replaced by his character’s younger brother, Joe (Donovan Patton). Burns would later go on to appear in the Flaming Lips’ wild 2008 sci-fi film, Christmas on Mars.

The O.C. (2003 - 2007)

One of the main characters through the show’s first few seasons, Mischa Barton’s Marissa Cooper was killed off in heartbreaking fashion in The O.C.’s Season 3 finale. Following the departure of the tortured teenager, the show lasted one more season before coming to an end.

Charmed (1998 - 2006)

Prue Halliwell, played by the late Shannen Doherty, was one of the main characters in the first three seasons of Charmed. Though her fate was initially left up in the air following a Season 3 cliffhanger, it was later revealed that Prue died after her run-in with a powerful demonic assassin.

Laverne & Shirley (1976 - 1983)

One of the most popular spinoffs of all time (the characters originated on Happy Days), Laverne & Shirley ran for eight seasons on ABC between 1976 and 1983. However, while Penny Marshall’s Laverne DeFazio stayed around for the whole run, it was a different story for Cindy Williams’s Shirley Feeney. Williams, who was pregnant at the time, departed partway through what would ultimately be the final season.

Game Of Thrones (2011 - 2019)

Though Game of Thrones had numerous “main” characters over the course of its eight-year run, Sean Bean’s Ned Stark was one of the biggest in the first season. Creating one of the most shocking moments in TV history, Ned lost his head before the end of the first year, which set the tone for the unpredictable nature of the series moving forward.

The Vampire Diaries (2009 - 2017)

The Vampire Diaries was on the air for eight seasons between 2009 and 2017, but The CW’s popular book-to-screen adaptation lost its main character, Nina Dobrev’s Elena Gilbert, two-thirds of the way through. Though her character didn’t die, Debrov left for other opportunities.

Spin City (1996 - 2002)

The popular satirical comedy series, Spin City, ran on ABC for six seasons between 1996 and 2002, with most of those being led by Michael J. Fox as New York City deputy mayor Mike Flaherty. However, a couple of years after Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the actor left the series after its fourth season, with his character being written off by moving to Washington, D.C.

The Wire (2002 - 2008)

The Wire’s cast was full of incredible actors playing some of the best characters to ever grace the small screen. One of the major players in the landmark HBO series’ first three seasons was Idris Elba’s Stringer Bell, a ruthless and ambitious drug lord who aspired for more than running the corners in Baltimore. However, he made far too many enemies and he was brutally killed in the show’s Season 3 finale.

Oz (1997 - 2003)

Though Oz had a killer ensemble cast throughout the HBO series’ run between 1997 and 2003, it lost one of its lead players when Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s Simon Adebisi was killed off in the show’s fourth season. Imagine fans’ reactions the following year when he showed up in 2001’s The Mummy Returns.

Roseanne/The Conners (1988 - 2025)

Not long after Roseanne was brought back to TV in 2018, its star, Roseanne Barr, was fired in the fallout of a controversial tweet. The show was quickly cancelled and morphed into The Conners, which ran for seven seasons before coming to an end in 2025.

NCIS (2003 - Present)

A lot of people have left NCIS over the years, but the CBS crime drama continues to be one of the most popular shows on network TV. Perhaps the biggest character to come and go since the show’s 2003 debut is NCIS Supervisory Special Agent and Special Agent in Charge Leroy Gibbs, played by Mark Harmon, who stayed on through the 19th season. Talk about longevity.

8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter (2002 - 2005)

8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, later shortened to 8 Simple Rules, had a nice little run on ABC back in the early 2000s, and even helped launch the career of Kaley Cuoco. The series was originally led by John Ritter, but his character, Paul Hennessy, was written off after the Three’s Company and Problem Child star suddenly died at the age of 54 while shooting the second season.

Lost (2004 - 2010)

Much like the show’s story, talking about main characters dying on Lost is a bit confusing, considering the non-linear structure of the long-running ABC drama series. Numerous characters like Shannon Rutherford (Maggie Grace), Michael Dawson (Harold Perrineau), and Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan) were written off and brought back later on in the series.

Homeland (2011 - 2020)

A once-great show that went on way too long, Homeland had its fair share of shocking moments and final episodes for major characters. At the top of that list is Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), a former prisoner of war whose true alliances are ambiguous through much of the show’s first three seasons. However, his time would come to an end a few years into the run when Brody was hanged in a public execution in Iran.

Boardwalk Empire (2010 - 2014)

Michael Pitt’s Jimmy Darmody was pretty much the 1B lead to Steve Buscemi’s Nucky Thompson in the first two seasons of Boardwalk Empire, but the up-and-coming gangster wouldn’t survive the 2011 season finale. The series would run for another three seasons before coming to an end in 2014.

Downton Abbey (2010 - 2015)

Dan Stevens’ Matthew Crawley was just one of multiple fan-favorite characters to be killed off during Downton Abbey during the show’s original run. The third-cousin, once removed of the Earl of Grantham, the character didn’t make it all that long in the grand scheme of things before dying in a car accident during the show’s third season.

Sons Of Anarchy (2008 - 2014)

Sons of Anarchy had an epic run on FX in the latter part of the 2000s through the early 2010s, and in that time, so many fan-favorites got killed off. The most horrifying came in the show’s fifth season when the beloved Opie (Ryan Hurst) was brutally murdered in prison. Some never came back after that.

The so-called "Golden Age" or "Peak TV era" of television is broadly (and roughly) defined as the running from the debut of The Sopranos to the finale of Better Call Saul. This isn't a perfect description, as there are still some really amazing shows that continue part, like, say, Severance, just to name one. But, for this article, we're going to stick to those parameters. Without further ado, here is our list of some of the truly great shows from the Peak Era of television.

Game Of Thrones

We certainly couldn't make this list without the grand dragon on them all, HBO's Game of Thrones. Though the ending made a lot of people mad and you can argue that the show declined greatly in its last couple of seasons, it doesn't diminish the greatest of the show's early years. With some of the most shocking moments in TV history, the show was must-watch TV for all eight seasons.

Atlanta

Creator and star of Atlanta Donald Glover proved yet again that he is a once-in-a-lifetime talent. Over six years and four seasons the show and its star were showered with acclaim and industry awards, including multiple Golden Globes and Emmys. Not only did Glover win an Emmy for acting on the FX series, but he became the first African-American to win Best Director at the Emmys in the show's first season.

The West Wing

There aren't a lot of network TV shows on this list, but one that simply has to be is The West Wing. For seven seasons in the early 2000s, the NBC hit was one of the best shows in network history. Featuring a long list of stars that included Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, and many other cast members, The West Wing gave us all a look into all that government can be if we want it to be.

Lost

Pardon the pun, but it's fair to say that ABC's Lost lost its way towards the end. A confluence of events, including a writer's strike, left fans more than a little annoyed with the show's final couple of seasons, but those first few years were simply incredible. The show, which debuted in 2004, was one of the first shows that was ever described as "bingable" and with good reasons, the cliffhangers were amazing.

Mad Men

In a lot of ways, AMC's Mad Men kind of came out of nowhere. Set in the 1960s, it was unlike anything on TV at the time and the longer it went on, the better it got, which is rare for any show. It made a star out of Jon Hamm and fascinated viewers each week both with its wonderful storytelling and its look back at one of the most turbulent and interesting decades in American history.

The Office

In an era when sitcoms were evolving and struggling to keep up with their dramatic counterparts, The Office was one of the biggest shows of all time (that's what she said). Steve Carell's performance as the worst boss in the world became one of the most quotable and memed shows ever. It's true the NBC show did suffer some when Carell left after Season 7, the legacy of the show was well-established by then.

Downton Abbey

If you had bet on a period piece set on an opulent estate during Edwardian England would be a massive hit, most of the time, you'd lose. If you placed that bet on Downton Abbey, however, you'd have won big. There are no action sequences, stunts, or special effects. It's simply a wonderfully told story with fantastic characters played by excellent actors.

Better Call Saul

As a spinoff to another Peak TV era show, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul found its own place in television history. It's a very different show from the show that birthed it, as it's a little more surreal and, frankly, funny. In some people's eyes, the AMC's show's finale in 2022 marks the end of an era.

The Wire

Famously, The Wire was never a monster hit for HBO. Certainly not on the level of The Sopranos, which ran during roughly the same few years. Still, it has maintained a spot at the top or near the top of almost any list of "Best TV Shows in History." The Wire plays out like a 60-hour movie or a great book. The character development is unrivaled and the storytelling is heartbreaking, uplifting, and frustrating (in a good way). There is no doubt that the show will be remembered as one of the best for a long, long time.

Breaking Bad

What can we write about Breaking Bad that hasn't already been written. Widely considered the best (or close to the best) TV show of all time, the Bryan Cranston-led show was wildly popular with both fans and critics alike. It is one of the darkest shows in history, but that never diminished the love for it.

Narcos

Netflix landed itself a massive hit with Narcos in 2015. Wagner Moura, who played the kingpin Pablo Escobar stole the show with his uncanny and incredible performance as the notorious drug lord and Pedro Pascal found a new level of fame as one of the DEA agents trying to bring Escobar down. The show's third season, which shifted away from the Escobar story after the character's death wasn't quite on the level of the first two, but the show was popular enough to launch a spinoff, Narcos: Mexico, which ran for three seasons as well.

The Sopranos

The Sopranos' debut on HBO in January of 1999 marks the unofficial beginning of the Golden Age of Television - or at least the modern Golden Age. The production value, storytelling, and acting on the show were unlike anything anyone had ever seen. the characters were fully formed almost from the moment they first hit the screen and the story that unfolded, about a mafia boss played by the late, great James Gandolfini trying to keep both his crime family and his actual family together was simply unparalleled. Right down to the end and the show's much-talked-about finale.

Grey's Anatomy

As one of the longest-running prime-time shows in history, Grey's Anatomy has run for almost the entire era of "peak TV." Since its debut in 2005 and over more than 20 seasons and 400 episodes, the show has just kept chugging along with a devoted fanbase who stayed with it over the decades and though the endless cast changes can be frustrating, the show is remarkable.

24

One of the very first "bingable" shows would have to be 24. The Kiefer Sutherland-led action show from Fox kept viewers on the edge of their seats for nine seasons, one TV movie (24: Redemption), and a couple of spin-offs. It all made 24 one of the most bankable franchises of the era.

Six Feet Under

The early 2000s were an incredible era for HBO. Along with The Sopranos and The Wire, the network had another one of the best shows of the era with Six Feet Under. The show told the story of the Fisher family and their trials and turbulations running the family business, a funeral home. Mix in some supernatural elements and HBO had a unique hit on their hands.

Modern Family

Network sitcoms that enter the general cultural zeitgeist are few and far between these days. Certainly not like they were in their heyday of the 1970s and '80s. There are still a few that break through though, like Modern Family. For a time, it seemed as those everyone in the country was watching the ups and downs of the most dysfunctional and wonder families in TV history. For 11 seasons, the ABC hit dominated the ratings and is still a hit on streaming years after airing its finale in 2020.

Orange Is the New Black

Orange Is the New Black wasn't the first "prestige TV" show from Netflix, but it's safe to say it solidified Netflix's spot among the biggest players in the industry. For seven seasons over six years, the prison comedy-drama told the semi-autobiographical story of Piper Kerman, whose book of the same name was the basis for the show. Kerman spent a year in prison and many of the stories in the show reflected or told the experiences she had while in jail.

Deadwood

Many of the best Westerns on film came out many decades ago. On TV, there were big hits in the '50s and '60s like Gunsmoke and Bonanza, but the best Western television show of the 21st Century, Deadwood has almost nothing in common with any of those. The show was dark, crass, and unlike anything else on TV. The verbose language and insane moments made must-see TV at the time. Sadly it was never quite as popular as it should have been and that made for some herky-jerky starts-and-stops between seasons, but the show never dipped in quality.

Friday Night Lights

"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose," from a speech by Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) in Friday Night Lights has become part of the television canon, just as the show has. Based on the movie starring Billy Bob Thornton about the spectacle that is high school football in Texas, the show has outshined its source material in almost every way.

Veep

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is unique. She not only starred in the biggest sitcom of the 1990s, Seinfeld, but she's followed it up with two more hot shows. First in the '00s she won awards for The New Adventures of Old Christine and then in the 2010s had maybe her best performance as the hapless, power-hungry Vice President on HBO's Veep for which she won an incredible seven Emmys in a row.

House Of Cards

In 2013 Netflix loudly announced it was ready to be a player in the Peak Age of TV with House Of Cards, starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. Based on a British show of the same name, the show highlighted the darkest corners of politics and despite the show losing some steam when Kevin Spacey got caught in the middle of a serious legal battle forcing him off the show and effectively ending his career, it still deserves recognition for all six seasons it ran for.

The Walking Dead

Over 11 seasons and 177 episodes, it's fair to say that not every moment on The Walking Dead was peak TV. That doesn't tell the whole story though, because when The Walking Dead was great, it was really great. The AMC zombie show was a ratings monster and cultivated one of the most dedicated fanbases ever, which led to multiple spinoffs that will seemingly run forever.

Boardwalk Empire

When Boardwalk Empire premiered on HBO in 2009, it came with a lot of hype as the mind behind it, Terrence Winter, had been of the key creative minds behind The Sopranos. While Boardwalk Empire never quite reached the lofty heights of The Sopranos, it was still one of the best shows on TV in its time.

Sons Of Anarchy

Like a few other shows on this list, FX's Sons Of Anarchy isn't a perfect show. There were some ill-advised plot decisions, like moving the gang to Ireland for a while, but like those other shows, when SOA was good, it was really, really good. The characters became our own dysfunctional family who we laughed, cried, and died with over the show's seven seasons. A spinoff, Mayans M.C., wasn't as good, but it also found a fanbase and lasted for five seasons.

The Americans

Of all the shows on this list, the one that maybe flew under the radar more than most has to be The Americans. The FX show was just... cool. It was a spy thriller that brought the Cold War back to U.S. television. Set in the '80s and starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, the show ran for six great seasons and never really fell off as so many other shows do.

30 Rock

How do you follow up an incredible run as a star and head writer on SNL? Well, if you're as talented and funny as Tina Fey, you create one of the most beloved sitcoms of the 21st Century with 30 Rock. If nothing else, the show left us with the important bit of advice that you should never go with a hippie to a second location.

Justified

FX's Justified updated the Western for the 21st Century. Based on a book for Elmore Leonard and starring Timothy Olyphant as a 21st-century lawman with with his heart in the 19th Century, Justified was as noir as you'd expect from a story by Leonard and the acting is, across the board, fantastic.

True Detective

One of the darkest shows during the Peak Era of TV had to be True Detective, especially the first season. The unconventional storytelling was brought to life brilliantly by stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson and while the show was still great for a couple of more seasons, it really was that first season that stood out and above the others.

Succession

On HBO's Succession, the entire Roy family are all awful people. It's a show entirely made of characters we love to hate. We hated them so much, we couldn't wait to tune in each week to see what awful things they would do and it made the show unique and magical in that way.

Homeland

Showtime's Homeland started with a bang in its first season, or rather, almost ended its first season with a bang that never happened. The spy thriller starring Claire Danes and Damian Lewis was the ultimate nail-biter as no one really knew how the season would end. While the end of that first season was probably the pinnacle of the show, it ended up airing for seven more excellent seasons.

Battlestar Galactica

Interestingly, though there are some exceptions, Sci-Fi wasn't a huge part of the era. One of those exceptions was Battlestar Galactica, a reboot of the old series from the 1970s. The new version was a mystery wrapped in a space adventure and featured some of the craziest twists of any show from the time.

Barry

It's always cool to see an actor known primarily for their comedic talents take on a more serious role and Bill Hader in Barry is a perfect example. Sure, there is some dark comedy in the show of course, but, especially as the show went on, the character played by Hader was as complex as any character we've seen on TV and Hader is amazing.

Some of the best TV characters are the ones that drive us crazy. Whether it's because they are villains, or simply just because they are obnoxious, we can't wait to see what they do next. Here is our list of all the characters we just love to hate.

Brenda Walsh - Beverly Hills, 90210

Brandon and Brenda Walsh may have been twins on Beverly Hills, 90210, but really, they couldn't have been any more different. Brandon was seemingly loved by everyone, including the audience, while Brenda was the ultimate teenage villain. It probably didn't help that the late Shannen Doherty was also controversial behind the scenes of the show, eventually leaving after Season 4.

Sheldon Cooper - The Big Bang Theory

Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) on The Big Bang Theory was an incredibly funny character. He was also an incredibly annoying and obnoxious character that fans of the show just loved to hate. He was laughed at and with through the show and was so popular (and despised), that the character got his own spinoff, Young Sheldon.

Cersei Lannister - Game Of Thrones

Without a doubt, Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) in Game of Thrones is one of the greatest TV villains of all time. She was universally hated by fans, which is the biggest compliment you can give Headey as the one portraying her. She was so hated that even her death by getting crushed by thousands of pounds of rocks wasn't satisfying enough to fans of the show.

J.R. Ewing - Dallas

"Who shot J.R.?" is arguably the best TV cliffhanger of all time. It wasn't just that fans wanted to know who shot him, but if he survived the shooting. Plenty of people would have been satisfied had the villain on Dallas not made it. Of course, he did make it, and he was only more hated for it - in the best way.

Rebecca - Cheers

Kirstie Alley, who played Rebecca on Cheers walked into a pretty difficult assignment when she joined the show in Season 6. She was essentially replacing another character fans loved to hate, Diane, played by Shelly Long. Still, both the actress and the character slipped right into the sometimes villain, sometimes friend role and fans loved to hate her for it.

Dennis Reynolds - It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

The gang in It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia are all pretty terrible people. It's why we watch them, to see just how awful they can be. There is little redeeming about any of them, but the worst has to be Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton). There's no way anyone would ever be friends with a person like that, and that's why we love him... and hate him.

Dr. Robert Romano - ER

Dr. Robert "Rocket" Romano was one of the great TV villains of the 1990s in ER. He was brash, obnoxious, demanding, and mean. Audiences really hated him on a level that few TV villains are. It was a visceral hatred. That made his ridiculous death all the more satisfying, even though it was pretty over-the-top and somewhat silly.

Gemma Morrow - Sons Of Anarchy

Katey Sagal's portrayal of Gemma Morrow in Sons Of Anarchy was one of the highlights of the whole show. She was wonderful throughout the whole thing. And her character was simply a terrible, self-centered, shockingly sociopathic person. She was great.

Sue Sylvester - Glee

Even shows like Glee can have the most epic villains that audiences can't get enough of. Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) fits the bill better than most on this list, too. She's brilliantly funny and shockingly mean all at the same time.

Dwight Schrute - The Office

Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) is the kind of work frenemy we all are grateful we don't have to deal with. He is obnoxious and overbearing and just simply annoying. Worse, he can be destructive. Of course, that only makes us love him more as a character. We may root for Jim, but secretly, we want to see what Dwight says next.

The Governor - The Walking Dead

Over its 11 seasons, there were a lot of great villains on The Walking Dead and while Negan may be the most notorious, he was pretty much just hated in every way (at least until the end). The Governor (David Morrissey) in Seasons 3 and 4 was the first villain we all truly loved to hate.

Livia Soprano - The Sopranos

Livia Soprano, played by the late Nancy Marchand on The Sopranos, was the worst mother imaginable. The way she dealt with her kids, and the rest of the world, was simply despicable. Had it not been for Marchand's untimely death after Season 3, who knows just how much more she would have been hated by fans of the show. One thing is for sure though, we all loved the late Marchand for her work as Livia.

Gus Fring - Breaking Bad

There aren't a lot of heroes in Breaking Bad. At best Walter White is an anti-hero. Gus Fring, however, is a truly great villain. Giancarlo Esposito's portrayal of Walter's rival is unparalleled in TV history. Fans simply could not get enough of the villain and he'll long be remembered as one of the best parts of one of the most rewatchable shows of all time.

The Entire Roy Family - Succession

When it comes to the HBO hit Succession, it's impossible to pick the worst member of the Roy family. They are all so terrible, and seemingly in competition with each other as to who can worse, that we just have to nominate them all for this list. They are all just awful.

Homelander - The Boys

Of all the shows on streaming, there may not be a bigger concentration of terrible people than the characters on The Boys. There are only one or two redeemable characters on the whole show, and the worst are all completely awful. At the top of the list of characters we love to hate though, is Homelander. How could it not be?

Francis Underwood - House Of Cards

Even setting aside the camera controversies of Kevin Spacey, Frank Underwood on House Of Cards was a shockingly terrible person. His quest for power was unrivaled in television history and his willingness to do anything, including commit murders, made him so easy to hate. Yet we couldn't stop watching, could we?

Joffrey Baratheon - Game Of Thrones

Joffrey Baratheon on Game Of Thrones was such a hated character that a rumor once started that it actually affected actor Jack Gleeson's career negatively (it didn't). That not only says something about the character and how much we loved to hate him, but it also says something great about Gleeson who played the evil tyrant so well, that some people can't separate the actor from the character.

Louie De Palma - Taxi

Danny DeVito may be most famous today for playing another terrible person, Frank on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, but he got his big break in television playing the awful Louie De Palma on the classic '70s sitcom Taxi. Louie was the worst kind of tyrant boss.

Steve Urkel - Family Matters

Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White, is hated for a very different reason than many on this list. He's just the most annoying TV character ever created. Fans who loved Family Matters also loved how obnoxious he was. People who weren't fans of the show just found him unbearable. A tribute to White's portrayal of the annoying neighbor.

Mr. Burns - The Simpsons

If there is one character on The Simpsons who does his best to be purely evil, it's C. Montgomery Burns. This is a guy who even tried to block out the sun from shining on Springfield. Of course, on any list of the best Simpsons characters, he'd be near the top, too.

Sawyer - Lost

Make no mistake that by the end of Lost, Sawyer (Josh Holloway) would become a hero. It takes him a long time to get there and in the early seasons, he's a pretty terrible person. That doesn't stop us from laughing at the creative nicknames he comes with or some of the snarky lines he has.

Eric Cartman - South Park

Eric Cartman is the worst kid in South Park. He's also the funniest character on the show (except for maybe Randy). Just about everything Cartman does is awful. He's one of the most self-serving and selfish people on TV, ever, yet, we can't stop coming back for more. We can't wait to see what obnoxious thing he will do next.

Ross Geller - Friends

Even the most die-hard Friends fan will admit that Ross Geller is a pretty awful person. Actor David Schwimmer was so good as Ross that it's hard to separate him from the character and that's too bad because Schwimmer seems like a great guy, while Ross is usually very much the opposite. It makes the "great" love story between him and Rachael (Jennifer Aniston) all the more confusing for fans.

Screetch - Saved By The Bell

The late Dustin Diamond played one of the most annoying nerds ever on Saved By The Bell. Screetch did basically nothing right and why anyone ever stayed friends with him is a complete mystery. Still, he was one of the reasons - if not the main reason - we laughed so hard at the show.

Sylar - Heroes

NBC's Heroes started off so strong before it sadly faded almost as quickly as it came out of the gate. However, throughout the show's short run, the one consistently great character was the one we all hated the most, the villain Sylar (Zachary Quinto).

Frank Burns - MASH

Everyone loved Hawkeye, Trapper John, and BJ Honeycutt on MASH. Everyone equally hated Major Frank Burns (Larry Linville) who did everything he could to ruin everyone else's fun. It made it a critical character in the early seasons of the show, and his replacement after Linville left the show, Charles Winchester (David Ogden Stiers) was equally loved and hated.

Glenn Quagmire - The Family Guy

Quagmire on The Family Guy is just a horrible, horrible person. He's obnoxious and gross. Why the rest of the gang stays friends with just a terrible person is a mystery, though it might be because his awfulness makes him completely hilarious. That must be the reason, actually. It's a character we simply love for being so gross.

Gob Bluth - Arrested Development

Gob Bluth, played by Will Arnett, is the funniest character on Arrested Development. The screwup son and magician is also just awful in every way. He's selfish, rude, and honestly, not very smart. He's also occasionally racist. But again - he's the funniest character on the show and it's not because fans are laughing with him, they are laughing at him. Will Arnett deserves all the praise for that too, because it's not easy to be both.

Scrappy Doo - Scooby Doo, Where Are You?

Scrappy Doo is just the worst. We don't love to hate him because he's a great character, like so many others on this list. No, we love to hate because everything about the character, from his introduction to everything he does just sucks. We love to be angry at him, for real.

Janice Soprano - The Sopranos

There are a lot of characters with awful motivations in The Sopranos and among the worst of those is Tony's sister Janice Soprano. Aida Turturro plays the unlikable character so well that there is really very little redeeming about her. There are moments when we feel sorry for her, sure. She goes through some terrible stuff, but none of it makes her actually likable. In fact, anytime we start to like her, she does something to remind us how much we hate her.

Ben Linus - Lost

Ben Linus, played by the great Michael Emerson, on Lost, is a bit of an enigma. There are times when we almost start to like him, or at least feel empathy towards him, but inevitably he ruins that pretty quickly and fans are reminded that he's not a likable person, like, at all.

Georgina Sparks - Gossip Girl

Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg) is the classic high-society mean girl in Gossip Girl. She is so unlikable for her manipulative ways and awful attitude that fans can't wait for her to do something that they can be mad about. The perfect kind of villain.

This list is all about the most spectacular ways that some of favorite characters - the ones we love and the ones we love to hate - have been killed off on screen. Movies and TV have both produced some pretty incredible moments like this. So whether it's the hero or the villain, here are some of the most insane deaths ever seen in movies and on TV.

Marion Crane - Psycho

Almost more than any director in film history, Alfred Hitchcock wrote his own rules. One of the most interesting things he ever did was to kill off who was seemingly the main character in Psycho, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) in the first act of the movie. Of course, her murder in the shower has become one of the most iconic scenes in film history.

Radio Raheem - Do The Right Thing

The tension in Do The Right Thing slowly simmers just under the surface until it boils over when Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito) and Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn) burst into Sal's Pizzeria and demand changes. After Sal smashes Raheem's boombox, the cops arrive and in the struggle, Raheem is choked out by the police, leading to the destruction of Sal's. It's amazing that the movie is more than 35 years old and we're still talking about the same issues.

Robb Stark - Game Of Thrones

Is there any death on this list more dramatic and shocking than Robb Stark's on Game of Thrones? The Red Wedding is a legendary TV moment, among the best ever broadcasted. It shocked anyone who had not read the books and remains one of the most spectacular deaths, along with his wife, his unborn baby, and his mother, ever filmed.

John Coffey - The Green Mile

It's one of the most heartbreaking moments in film history when John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) meets his inevitable end in The Green Mile. Still, he goes out spectacularly with sparks flying and tears flowing.

Charlie Pace - Lost

ABC's Lost had some pretty memorable deaths, but none more so than Charlie Pace's last moments as he warned about the incoming boat and sacrificed himself in one of the most heartbreaking moments in TV history.

Hans Gruber - Die Hard

It's hard to believe that Hans Gruber in Die Hard was Alan Rickman's first movie role. His death, as he falls from Nakatomi Tower, looking up at the camera as he goes, is iconic. It's become one of the most meme'd scenes in movie history and is easily one of the most spectacular deaths in film history.

Gus Fring - Breaking Bad

For years, Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) was one of the most despised characters on TV. His death was worthy of such an amazing villain as he is not only blown up but survives long enough to walk out of the room where it happened and button his jacket before collapsing to the floor.

Thelma And Louise - Thelma And Louise

When Thelma And Louise was first released, the ending completely shocked people. No one expected the movie's heroes to go out like they did, by driving their car off the cliff. Still, it was on their own terms and they did it together, making it all that much more spectacular.

Adriana La Cerva - The Sopranos

There were quite a few deaths over the seasons in The Sopranos, but the episode when Adriana La Cerva (Drea de Matteo) is rubbed out is maybe the most incredible. The tension in the episode is impressive even by The Sopranos standards as no one wanted to see Adriana go, even though everyone knew why it was happening.

The Wicked Witch of the West - The Wizard Of Oz

"I'm melting" is one of the most iconic lines in Hollywood history as the Wicked Witch of the West is dying in The Wizard of Oz. There really isn't much more that needs to be said about this spectacular death.

Maximus Decimus Meridius - Gladiator

For years, Maximus (Russell Crowe) in Gladiator obsessed over avenging his family's death and taking down Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Despite Commodus playing dirty in their final showdown, Maximus finally prevails, killing Commodus before he collapses and dies.

Tony Stark - Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame is the 22nd movie in MCU history and so it was only appropriate that Tony Stark - the character that started it all - would be the one to finally take Thanos out by snapping his fingers with the Infinity Gauntlet on. It led to his spectacular death, of course, but it was worth it.

Col. Kurtz - Apocalypse Now

After building for two hours, the climactic death of Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando) at the end of Apocalypse Now is one of the most dramatic and violent moments in film history. The scene, juxtaposed with the sacrifice of a cow, is terrifying and amazing.

Glenn - The Walking Dead

The death of Glenn (and Abraham) was one of the most controversial moments of The Walking Dead. That was partly due to the extreme violence that turned a lot of people off, but it was mostly because Glenn was such a beloved character. Still, it was a death that was totally unforgettable.

Kong - Dr. Strangelove

Peter Sellers may be the most celebrated member of the Dr. Strangelove cast (and for good reason), but Kong, played by Slim Pickens steals the show at the end with his death by riding a nuke down as it drops towards it's target.

Kenny McCormick - South Park

We couldn't make this list without including poor Kenny McCormick, the hapless member of the South Park crew. Kenny has been killed over 100 times over the show's incredible run and in some of the most ridiculous and fantastic ways, like getting crushed by a tree, getting hit by a volcanic boulder, and dozens of other ways.

Rosalind Shays - LA Law

Rosiland Shays' death by falling down an elevator on LA Law was one of the most shocking moments in television history. It came completely out of nowhere in a time in television when a death like that wasn't common at all. It actually changed TV storytelling.

Mark Greene - ER

Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) was one of the most beloved characters on ER and his death, while a different kind of spectacular than most of the others on this list. It wasn't a shocking moment, as it was a tragic slow death by cancer. It was still among the most heartbreaking moments ever.

Zoe Barnes - House Of Cards

For the first season of House Of Cards, Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) was one of the most important characters. The journalist was both investigating and getting a little too involved with Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey). Her surprising death shocked audiences as Frank threw her in front of a subway train. It came completely out of nowhere, and yet made total sense in the context of the show.

Roy Batty - Blade Runner

The death of Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) at the end of Blade Runner has become one of the most legendary deaths of all time. It is not at all what anyone in the audience expected when the main villain of the movie turns into a hero at the very end, saving Deckard (Harrison Ford) before smiling as he dies. Time to die.

Alec Trevelyan - GoldenEye

You knew there was no way this list was going to be complete without including at least one death by a Sean Bean character, right? There have been so many spectacular deaths over the actor's incredible career, but for our money, you can't beat the death of his character Alec Trevelyan in the James Bond movie GoldenEye when Bond drops him to his death and he is crushed to make sure it's final.

Lane Pryce - Mad Men

Mad Men was unlike any other show on TV at the time and Lane Pryce's death by suicide is the perfect example of why. The character, played by Jared Harris was a fan favorite and while story-wise his death made perfect sense, it was still shocking.

William Wallace - Braveheart

Braveheart might be one of the most historically inaccurate films ever made, but William Wallace's death at the end is still pretty spectacular ( and not all that different from what really happened to the Scottish hero). We can't go into all the violent details here, but if you know, you know.

Nick Chevotarevich - The Deer Hunter

One of the most tragic characters in '70s cinema has to be Nick Chevotarevich, played by Christopher Walken. Even after the Vietnam War draws to a close and his best friend makes it back home after escaping a POW camp, Nick gets stuck in Saigon, playing dangerous games of Russian Roulette for months. When Mike (Robert De Niro) finds him, Nick is completely checked out, and that makes his horrible death all the more sad.

Quint - Jaws

Quint (Robert Shaw) is the grizzled fisherman who promises to catch "the fish" in Jaws, but in the end, it's the fish that catches him. As has often been pointed out, one of the most effective things about the classic movie is that the shark is rarely seen, so when Quint is eaten it's one of the scariest and most exciting moments of the movie.

Cyrus 'The Virus' Grissom - Con Air

Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom (John Malkovich) in Con Air is one of the most over-the-top movie villains of the '90s, so of course he had to get killed in an over-the-top spectacular way. First, he is knocked out and handcuffed to a firetruck that crashes into a bridge, tossing Cyrus into some powerlines, and electrocuting him, but that's not all. He then falls into the path of a pile driver doing road work, which comes down on his head.

Private Pyle - Full Metal Jacket

Private Pyle (Vincent D'Onofrio) is, at the beginning of Full Metal Jacket a hopeless Marine recruit who can't do anything right. As the first act of the movie plays out, he gets more competent but also starts to lose his marbles. It all culminates in an incredibly tense scene when he shoots and kills his drill sergeant before turning the gun on himself.

Marissa Cooper - The O.C.

Say what you want about about The O.C., but the creative decision to kill off one of the main characters and star of the show, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) in Season 3 was a bold one. The way she died, in the arms of Ryan (Ben McKenzie) after a car wreck is just as dramatic as the decision to have the character die.

Jack Torrance - The Shining

That final image of a frozen Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) in The Shining is one of the most enduring snapshots of a movie filled with incredible visual moments. A spectacular villain like Jack deserves a death as memorable as it is.

Sgt. Elias - Platoon

Platoon, as is said in the movie, is a battle for the soul of Chris (Charlie Sheen) between Elias (Willem Dafoe) and Barnes (Tom Berenger). Barnes wins the battle between himself and Elias when he shoots Elias towards the end, but Elias wins Chris' soul with his spectacular death as the helicopters lift away and Elias is left with arms outstretched as the Vietnamese soldiers gun him down for good.

Gennaro - Jurassic Park

We just had to include this one. Donald Gennaro isn't the main character of Jurassic Park, in fact, he's not even one of the main supporting characters. But him getting eaten by the T-Rex while hiding on the toilet is one of the silliest, and most insane deaths, of any movie, ever.

John Doe - Se7en

The ending of Se7en is one of the most talked about and debated, moments in film history. John Doe (Kevin Spacey) completely manipulates David Mills (Brad Pitt) into doing exactly what wants, completely the complete over-the-top murder spree ever seen on the big screen.

Almost every show that goes for multiple seasons eventually does the thing fans dread the most: the jump the shark. Not every show jumps the shark, but it's usually inevitable for long-running shows.

Jumping the shark can mean a few different things. Sometimes, it's the creative pinnacle of the show and everything that comes after feels like coasting. Sometimes it's a moment so absurd, that there is simply no way for the show to ever recover from it. Here is our list of some of the best shows and the moment they jumped the shark.

The Principal And The Pauper - The Simpsons

When a show has been on the air as long as The Simpsons, it wouldn't be surprising to see fans arguing over when it actually jumped the shark. However, for The Simpsons, it's usually agreed upon that "The Principal And The Pauper" is the moment all was lost. Fans hate it, cast members hate it... it's just... hated. It's hated for ruining the canon of the show and creating a fake Skinner.

Cousin Oliver Joins The Bradys - The Brady Bunch

Another way people sometimes refer to the jump-the-shark moment is by calling it the "Cousin Oliver" moment. That's when a new, younger, and cuter cast member is added to a family sitcom when the original kids get too old. It's easy to point to the Cousin Oliver moment on The Brady Bunch since it's the genesis of the term.

The Connors Win The Lottery - Roseanne

The charm of the Connors on Roseanne is their working-class family dynamics. It was something that was rarely seen on TV in those days and it made the "real" to fans of the show. Then they won the lottery and all of a sudden everything that made them real was gone. Womp womp.

Joey And Rachel - Friends

Friends really started getting ridiculous when Rachel and Joy started hooking up behind Ross' back. Two couples within the group of six was enough, no one needed a third. Luckily it didn't last long and the show recovered a little from it, but it was definitely the beginning of the end.

Matthew Crawley's Death - Downton Abbey

One of the things that made Downton Abbey so interesting in the beginning was the dynamic between the established family at Downton with the heir they never knew in Matthew Crawley. When things were finally getting resolved, Matthew was suddenly killed off in a car crash and we had to start all over again. The show never recovered to its early heights.

Jim And Pam Get Married - The Office

It was the moment everyone was waiting for. Jim and Pam finally got married! We all laughed and cried tears of joy. The problem? Where does The Office from there? Yeah, it seems no one really knew and even though the show soldiered on, it never quite regained the magic it had before that wonderful moment.

Season Nine Was A Dream - Dallas

Not only was the big reveal at the end of Season 9 that Bobby Ewing was alive and the whole season had been a dream the moment that Dallas jumped the shark, it made fans furious. Everyone felt cheated and in a way, they were. It's always a mistake to pretend to kill off a character.

Jefferson D'Arcy Moves In - Married... With Children

Ted McGinley is a great actor with an unfortunate reputation of being one reason shows jump the shark. TV fans point to shows like Magnum PI and The Love Boat as examples, but the most famous example is when he joined the cast as D'Arcy's new husband on Married... With Children. For lack of any better moment, we'll go with this one.

Sam Sells The Bar - Cheers

A show jumping the shark in the first episode of a season is very rare, but that's what Cheers did. Season 5 of Cheers ends with Diane (Shelley Long) leaving Boston, never to return. Season 6 opens with Sam having sold the bar to sail around the world. The show might not have gone off the rails with Diane leaving, but Sam selling the bar ended the golden age of the show.

Zoey Barlett Getting Kidnapped - The West Wing

One of the best cliffhangers in TV history comes at the end of Season 4 of The West Wing when Zoey Bartlett (Elisabeth Moss) is kidnapped. It's a moment that writer Aaron Sorkin set up way back in Season 1. It was the pinnacle of the show and after Sorkin left at the end of the season, the show really struggled to reach its early heights. IT never really did.

Negan Kills Glenn And Abraham - The Walking Dead

Negan is the ultimate baddie in The Walking Dead and once he was introduced and he murdered Glenn and Abraham, there was simply nowhere for the show to go to reach a more emotional peak. That was it. The show continued on, but it never came close to that moment ever again.

McNulty's Serial Killer - The Wire

The Wire didn't jump the shark until its final system, but when McNulty invents the serial killer, suddenly a show famous for being grounded in reality went way off the rails. It's still a point of contention with fans of the show and it always will be. It's not one of McNulty's best moments, that's for sure.

West Beverly Grads Go to College - Beverly Hills, 90210

A show about high school, even a classic like Beverly Hills, 90210 is always going to struggle when the main cast graduate. 90210 did an okay job making the transition and it had more seasons after high school than before, but it was never as good as it was in the first three seasons. Donna Martin Graduates!

Fonzi Jumping The Shark - Happy Days

You knew this one had to be on the list, right? The Fonz jumping the shark while wearing his leather jacket in Happy Days is the origin of the term and one of the most infamous moments in all of TV history.

Not Penny's Boat - Lost

Lost is one of the most controversial shows in history. Fans love it, and those same fans also hate it. Almost no one thinks the show ended well, but everyone agrees that the moment we learn that the boat supposedly coming to save the castaways isn't what they think it is is the creative peak of the show.

Sam Joins The Drummonds - Diff'rent Strokes

In one of the most famous examples of the "Cousin Oliver Effect," Diff'rent Strokes introduced Sam, a new kid living with the Drummonds. The show was simply never the same again.

John Dutton Becomes Governor - Yellowstone

Yellowstone was never a show that was grounded in much reality, but when a sociopath and criminal like John Dutton (Kevin Costner) gets elected governor, it's a bridge too far. Everyone's favorite TV anti-hero was halfway believable as a rich guy fighting off everyone from his land, but the governor? Come on. Making his first speech with a black hat on is a little on the nose, too.

The Cylon Reveal - Battlestar Galactica

Make no mistake, the moment of the Cylon reveal on Battlestar Galactica is an all-time great TV moment. The problem is, the show lost its way a little as so much had been building for that moment.

Spock's Brain - Star Trek (TOS)

There honestly might not be a moment when the original series of Star Trek jumped the shark, but if you have to pick one, it's probably the "Spock's Brain" episode. It's a favorite for some, but it's not without its detractors, who call it the cheesiest episode of the show.

Leaving Westworld - Westworld

This may be the most devastating jump-the-shark moment on this list. Westworld's first season is universally praised. In the end, when the show "leaves" Westworld it goes off the rails and the next two seasons are a disaster. It truly never recovered.

House Destroys Cuddy's House - House

The balance between genius and chaos is what made House a great show. Dr. House (Hugh Laurie) was on the edge. It's when he went over the edge by crashing a car into Dr. Cuddy's house, the show never got back to where it was before, when it was truly great.

The Gang Goes To Ireland - Sons Of Anarchy

Sons Of Anarchy was always a show that was over-the-top and ridiculous. It was part of the Charm of the motorcycle gang from Charming. About halfway through Season 3, a bunch of the gang takes off for Northern Ireland for... some reason. It feels like such a desperate attempt to breathe life into the show when it didn't really need it yet.

Frank Underwood Becomes President - House Of Cards

The best thing about House Of Cards is watching Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his desperate craving for power. When he finally reaches the pinnacle, the motivation is lost and that is reflected. Spacey's legal problems ultimately spelled the end of the show, for all intents and purposes, but it jumped the shark long before that.

A Different Darren - Bewitched

Replacing a popular actor is difficult, especially if it's in an existing role. Dick York, the original Darren on Bewitched was forced to leave the show because of medical issues, and a new actor, Dick Sergeant stepped in. Sergeant was great in the role, and it's not his fault the show faltered, but it just never regained the steam it had before York got sick.

Laverne and Shirley Move To LA - Laverne & Shirley

There are a ton of TV sitcoms set in Los Angeles, but very few are set in Milwaukee. What made Laverne & Shirley so charming was that midwest vibe it had when the two titular characters worked in a brewery. In Season 6, everyone ups and moves to LA and the show's charm was sucked out of it almost immediately. It stumbled along for another few seasons, but it was never the same.

Topher Grace Leaving - That '70s Show

Some shows can survive the main character leaving, but some just can't. That '70s Show is an example of the latter when Topher Grace, who played Eric Foreman, left the show. Though it was an ensemble cast, Eric was really the core of the whole friend group and they just never found the chemistry the earlier seasons had.

Victorian Sherlock - Sherlock

It was a bold decision by the creators of Sherlock to set an episode in Victorian London, the true time period for Sherlock Holmes. It's a decent episode, but the problem was that what made the show great was that it was a very modern and very contemporary take on the Sherlock Holmes stories. By setting it in the late 19th Century it was more like every other adaption of the Holmes stories, and the show lost some of its charm.

The Elevator Drop - LA Law

Rosalind Shays (Diana Muldaur) on L.A. Law was one of the great TV villains of the 1980s. Still, her ridiculous death by falling down an empty elevator shaft was so silly that it spelled the end of the show. The show wouldn't end for another few seasons, it felt like such a cheap end after she had started a relationship with another character, softening her character.

Leo Joins The Cast - Growing Pains

Usually, the actor in a "Cousin Oliver" moment ends up living in obscurity. That is not what happened with the Growing Pains Cousin Oliver moment when the family invited a homeless kid named Luke Brower to live with them. Bower was played by none other than Leonardo DiCaprio. Wow. Still, it didn't save the show from getting canceled soon after.

Song Beneath the Song - Grey's Anatomy

The 18th episode of Season 7 of Grey's Anatomy was... a musical. There are a lot of ways of looking at the episode, called "Song Beneath the Song." Some love and some loathe it. Either way, it's a classic jump-the-shark moment, even for a show that used music brilliantly.

Is there anything more frightening than a really smart villain in a movie or a TV show who always seems to be one step ahead of the hero? Whether it's TV shows like Breaking Bad and Dexter, or movies like Mission: Impossible 3, and Silence of the Lambs, a smart villain is always the most dangerous kind. This list is made up of villains just like that, the smartest ones in Hollywood. 

Hannibal Lecter (Silence Of The Lambs)

you certainly can't have a list like this without Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). When we first met him (really), in Silence of the Lambs, we knew just how smart he was before Clarice (Jodie Foster) even encountered him. It only gets more pronounced as the movie goes on. He's also one of the scariest ever in just how evil he is. 

Moriarty (Sherlock)

Among the most intelligent villains in all of Western culture is Moriarty. He is Sherlock Holmes' main nemesis in countless stories, movies, and TV shows. Maybe the best and smartest version of Moriarty comes from the BBC show Sherlock with Andrew Scott absolutely nailing the role of the brilliant, eccentric criminal. 

Lex Luthor (Superman: The Movie)

Another classic bad guy in entertainment history is Lex Luthor. He's played foil to Superman for over 80 years and every time we see him, whether on TV, in the comics, or on the big screen like in Superman: The Movie, where he's played by Gene Hackman, we know Superman is going to be in for a wild ride. You can't beat Superman with brawn, so you better outwit him. 

Tom Ripley - The Talented Mr. Ripley

There are a lot of great movies about con artists out there, and one of the smartest con men on screen has to be Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley. He's terrifyingly cold and calculating and Matt Damon's performance enhances just how scary and smart Ripley is. 

John Doe - Se7en

It's hard to imagine a criminal mind as devious, patient, and scary as John Doe (Kevin Spacey) in Se7en. He takes two detectives on a wild ride, knowing exactly when and how the whole thing will end, weeks before it does. People joke about politicians playing "3-D chess" but John Doe isn't even playing chess, he's on a much higher level. 

Owen Davian - Mission: Impossible III

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has faced a lot of really smart villains over the life of the Mission: Impossible series, but none are smarter - or scarier - than Philip Seymour Hoffman's Owen Davian in Mission: Impossible III. No one expects anyone to get the jump on Hunt, but from the intense opening moments of Mission: Impossible III, it's clear that Davian is a different animal. 

Cersei Lannister - Game Of Thrones

In the game of thrones, you either win or you die. For most Game of Thrones, Cersei Lannister wins. She is one or two or even three steps ahead of all her rivals and continues to hold on to power almost - almost - until the very end. Her death was nearly satisfying enough for most fans, as it didn't really do justice to how good she was at the game. 

Blofeld - No Time To Die

There are a lot of James Bond villains that could qualify for this list, but we have to go with the one who has most often shown to be ready to take on 007. Ernst Stavro Blofeld is so iconic, he was the main inspiration for Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers series - and a character who does not qualify here. Blofeld, especially the version played by Christoph Waltz in No Time To Die definitely does deserve to be here. 

Kilgrave - Jessica Jones

David Tennant is mostly known for playing a hero, Dr. Who, on the classic BBC show. It turns out he's just as, and maybe even better, as a villain. Kilgrave, Jessica Jones' antagonist in the first season of the former Netflix show, is absolutely terrifying. His powers to manipulate are exceeded only by his wicked intelligence. A combination that is truly the stuff on nightmares. 

Ben Linus - Lost

Lost had a few villains over the years, and sometimes it was simply The Island. The most iconic of the villains though, has to be Ben Linus, played by Michael Emerson. He's so smart that Sawyer's nickname for him is "Yoda." That's high praise. 

Magneto - X-Men

When you going to be a villain who goes up against Professor X often in the X-Men universe, you better be up to the task, mentally. Magneto, played by Michael Fassbender, among others, is just the kind of villain who is ready for Charles Xavier. He meets him beat for beat as they try to outwit each other. 

The Trinity Killer - Dexter

On Dexter, our anti-hero Dexter goes up against some truly diabolical killers, but none come close to matching his wits like Arthur Mitchell aka The Trinity Killer. There is an argument to be made that Mitchell may be the most brilliant villain in TV history but luckily we're not here to pick a winner. 

Nina Myers - 24

The only way Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) on 24 was ever going to lose was by a betrayal. Nina Myers (Sarah Clarke) shocked everyone when she made her move and revealed her treachery. It almost works too. She calculated out the whole thing and almost get it right, but Jack was just too good. 

Amy Dunne - Gone Girl

Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike) in Gone Girl is unique on this list. One on hand, it's easy to understand why she's so vengeful against her adulterous husband (Ben Affleck). That doesn't mean she should get away with what she did to him, but she does, and its because she's stone-cold brilliant in the planning and execution of her diabolical plan. 

Gus Fring - Breaking Bad

There aren't many people smarter than Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Breaking Bad. One of the only rivals who comes close is Gus Fring, played by Giancarlo Esposito. He matches wits - and even outwits - Walter time and time again on the show and almost wins. Almost. 

The Master - Doctor Who

Every great hero needs a nemesis and for Dr. Who it's most often The Master. No one knows The Doctor quite like The Master, as they've been battling each other for, well, almost forever, really. They were childhood friends, but lifelong enemies.  

Ozymandias - Watchmen

Ozymandias has been the central villain of The Watchmen in the book, the movie, and on the TV show. Some fans don't think the screen version of the villain lives up to his character in the graphic novel. He's still incredibly smart, able to keep up with and sometimes ahead of Dr. Manhattan in almost every way and that's no easy feat, to say the least. 

Keyser Söze - The Usual Suspects

Verbal Kint aka Keyser Söze has to be on this list. He pulls a trick that only the devil could have pulled before by convincing everyone he didn't exist. Throughout the movie, the cops and the audience are sucked into his tall tale and when the truth was revealed in the end, it instantly became one of the best moments in Hollywood history. Poof! 

Khan - Star Trek

Of all the villains in Star Trek history, few have a place in Trekkie hearts like Khan, played by the great Ricardo Montalbán. Not only is his episode on the original show, called "Space Seed," considered among the best, but he returned for the second Star Trek movie and saved the entire franchise after a controversial, and often derided first movie. 

HAL 9000 - 2001: A Space Odyssey

Not every brilliant villain is a person, either. In fact, one of the smartest of all time is Stanley Kubrick's early take on artificial intelligence, Hal 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Hal outwits some of the smartest astronauts in the universe and toys with them as it does, leading to a wild ending. It's an idea that was pure science fiction in 1969 when the movie came out. It seems less so fantastical today. Yikes. 

Wilson Fisk - Daredevil

The Netflix Marvel shows, like Daredevil were, at best, uneven. One of the real high points in that universe has to be Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk. He's an imposing figure, physically and mentally, as smart as he is physically strong, making him one of the most formidable opponents a superhero would ever want to face. 

Hans Gruber - Die Hard

Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) in Die Hard comes up with an unbelievable plan to rob a lot of money. He even plans it right down to counting on the FBI cutting the building's power at the right time. However, this entry comes with a caveat. Hans' brother Simon, played by Jeremy Irons in Die Hard With A Vengence actually may be more diabolical. It's a tough call. 

Neil McCauley - Heat

One of the greatest cat-and-mouse games to ever play out on the big screen is between Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) and Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino). McCauley's planning of the heist is meticulous and he leaves nothing to chance. It's something only years on the job and a superior mind could come up with. 

Auric Goldfinger - Goldfinger

Ernest Blofeld may be James Bond's most common antagonist, but Auric Goldfinger  (Gert Frobe) might be the smartest of them all. Even Bond admits that Goldfingers plan to make all the gold in Fort Knox worthless is a stroke of genius. The plan is almost perfect, but it's tough to outwit 007. 

Cyrus The Virus - Con Air

Leave it to John Malkovich to play a villain so well in a movie as over-the-top and ridiculous as Con Air that we have to include him on this list. Cyrus The Virus is truly one of the great villains in action movie history and it's all due to Malkovich's amazing performance of the brilliant but psychopathic bad guy. 

The Joker - The Dark Knight

Batman is considered among the smartest of superheroes. That's what makes The Joker, especially Heath Ledger's legendary version of the Clown Prince of Crime, so critical to a list like this. Over the years, in every medium, The Joker and Batman have gone toe-to-toe in desperate bids to outwit each other. 

Aaron Stampler/Roy - Primal Fear

Edward Norton's first role came as Aaron Stampler aka "Roy" in Primal Fear alongside Richard Gere. His manipulation of the trial to convince everyone that he is nuts shows just how stone-cold brilliant he is. It's scary how smart he is. Literally. 

Clyde Shelton - Law Abiding Citizen

Hell hath no fury like a man coming after his family's murderer. Clyde Shelton is more of an anti-hero than a villain, but his planning and patience fit right on this list. His desire to make sure those who killed his family get the retribution they deserve is intense, and his level of planning is simply next level. 

Francis Underwood - House Of Cards

Because of Kevin Spacey's legal problems, we never saw the true conclusion to Frank Underwood's story on House of Cards, but before he died, we did see him stop at nothing in his quest for absolute power. He met and vanquished all his enemies in his rise to the top and who knows where he would've gone from there. 

Loki - Marvel Cinematic Universe

Let's be honest, most of the villains in the MCU aren't really that smart or really that great. In the history of the behemoth franchise, villains have often left audiences longing for more. One notable exception has always been Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston. He's always great, and always up to the task when taking on all the smartest guys in the Avengers over multiple movies and his own TV show. 

Marlo Stanfield - The Wire

On HBO's The Wire, it's rare that anyone wins in the end. Good guys, bad guys, and everyone in between usually don't win. The lone exception is Marlo Stanfield. His rise to power on the streets of Baltimore is a combination of his street savvy and his fearlessness. It's that savvy that keeps him on top, right up until the end. 

Voldemort - Harry Potter

You knew we couldn't have this list without he who shall not be named. Lord Voldemort is the only villain in the Harry Potter series who has the abilities and smarts to conquer Harry and his allies. Sure, he fails in the end, but it's close, and matching wits with all of Hogwarts is still incredibly impressive. 

Jigsaw - Saw

In a lot of horror and slasher films, the main villain is less appreciated for their brains as they are for their unrelenting desire to kill. Jigsaw in the Saw series is so much more than that. He is brilliant. Terrifyingly brilliant. His ability to come up his insane games and manipulate people is just the scariest thing in the history of horror. 

If you enjoy reading or watching the source material before its adaptation comes out, chances are you’ve been disappointed a few times over when a movie or series based on a book comes out. However, in the case of these TV shows, their creators actually found ways to go beyond what was originally told and build out stories that have become larger than their original intentions. Have you seen all these and what did you think about how they compare? 

Bridgerton 

If you’ve read the Bridgerton books in order before or between seasons of the massive Netflix series, chances are you’ve had some thoughts about the differences between them. While each of Julia Quinn’s novels pretty much stands alone and doesn’t have to be read in order to enjoy each romance, the series was adapted to have all the stakes, side plots and cliffhangers a hit TV show should have. The series even inspired the spinoff, Queen Charlotte, which involved Bridgerton characters but was not based on one of Quinn’s works.

Game of Thrones

George R.R. Martin’s fantasy novels were adapted in a big way. While the first few seasons follow the source material rather closely, the last few seasons were in development as Martin was completing the rest of the series, and a ton of plotlines were completely invented by the showrunners and staff writers. Perhaps that’s why the finale is so divisive among fans. 

The Office 

After Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s The Office became a hit in the U.K. across its two seasons, Greg Daniels and NBC adapted an American version of the workplace mockumentary sitcom. While it was certainly inspired by the source material, the series starring Steve Carell earned a whole life of its own across over 200 episodes, and remains one of the most-streamed shows even a decade after its finale. 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

It’s often forgotten that genre favorite Buffy The Vampire Slayer is actually based on a 1992 movie of the same name. The series’ creator originally wrote it as a movie that wasn’t nearly as popular as the TV adaptation of the idea he cooked up a few years later. With seven seasons to the WB show’s name, it’s safe to say that it went way beyond its source material. And wow, are we happy Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy Summers was on our televisions for so long! 

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power 

J.R.R. Tolkien gifted the fantasy genre with four classic novels set in Middle-earth, The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Following Peter Jackson's adapting of all of them beautifully (and set to make another one), Amazon Studios decided to go beyond the source material with its super expensive series, The Rings Of Power. The series primarily builds upon Tolkien’s appendices on Middle-earth as it depicts the world’s Second Age. 

Big Little Lies

Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel Big Little Lies brought together stars like Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley and Zoë Kravitz to tell the story of five women living in Monterey, California who become part of a murder investigation. It was initially supposed to be a miniseries, but following its success, a second season built on the story from Season 1. 

Riverdale

CW’s Riverdale was inspired by the pages of Archie Comics, an ongoing comic book series that started back in 1941. The series developed by the comic publisher’s CCO Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is a much darker take on the universe as it begins as a murder mystery in the town of Riverdale. The series not only went beyond its source material across its seven seasons, but the comic book had a gritty reboot in recent years as well. 

Watchmen  

The Watchmen comic book series has long been thought of as one of the best the medium has ever put to paper. The HBO miniseries of the same name lived up to the series by being an all-time great adaptation, but it certainly took quite a few creative liberties and built upon the ‘80s comic book to reflect the time it was made, by changing and fleshing out its characters more and boldly discussing racism and extremism with its storyline. 

Fargo

In 1996, the Coen Brothers made a classic with the black comedy, Fargo. Across five seasons Noah Hawley has built on the filmmakers’ vision with an anthology series that takes place in a new location, era and with a new cast of characters each time. While the Fargo series has deep roots in its movie, it has become so much bigger and fuel for so much more storytelling. 

Killing Eve

BBC’s Killing Eve is based on Luke Jennings’ Villanelle, which was a series of novellas about a Russian orphan who is trained as a hitwoman and the MI5 agent who starts to catch her trail. While the series is a lot more character-driven than the much more procedural novels, the series goes beyond the source material in this context by only teasing the romance Eve and Villanelle have in the books. Fans are still mad at the finale years later! 

Good Omens 

The first season of Good Omens adapted Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s 1990 novel, however when it came to the second season, which came out four years after the initial series, moved away from simply telling the main events of the novel. The entire season was co-written by Neil Gaiman and allowed the world-renowned author to delve further into Michael Sheen’s Aziraphale and David Tennant’s Crowley stories. 

The Leftovers

HBO’s The Leftovers adapted the novel it's based on in its first season. Following its success, two more seasons were made for the supernatural fiction series about a global event that leaves 2 percent of the world’s population missing. Interestingly enough, the last two seasons were even more acclaimed than its debut season featuring the prime source material.  

The Witcher

Rather than Netflix adapting Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher fantasy novels, the differences are so major between the TV series and the source material that it feels a lot more like an inspiration for the series starring Henry Cavill than anything else. The popular series, also known for being a video game franchise, also inspired the 2022 spinoff The Witcher: Blood Origin.  

House of Cards

Netflix’s hit drama, House of Cards, was adapted from a BBC series and novel before it. However, in the case of the source material, the show was about politics in the United Kingdom. The series starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright, however, took the material and adapted it to be set about U.S. politics, particularly regarding Frank Underwood’s ruthless race to become president. 

The Man In The High Castle

Philip K. Dick's 1962 novel The Man In The High Castle was adapted into an Amazon series across four seasons. Dick’s daughter, who was heavily involved in the series, told SYFY WIRE that she encouraged the writers to use the source material as an “inspiration and a spiritual guide” rather than a literal interpretation. That’s very much true for the science fiction storyline that imagines an alternate ending for World War II. 

The Handmaid’s Tale

Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, is the source material for the Hulu hit starring Elisabeth Moss. While the first season leaves things where things wrap up in the book, the Emmy-winning series has continued to follow Offred’s life in the dystopian world past those events through four more seasons and is set to end with the sixth and final season. By building upon the story further, Offred and its other characters have had longer storylines that tell more than 300 pages could. 

Ted Lasso

Before AppleTV+ had a hit on their hands with Ted Lasso, its source material came from a very peculiar source. Jason Sudeikis’ beloved fictional coach came from the SNL alum being part of a slew of promotional coverage for NBC Sports’s coverage of England's Premier League. The streaming series very much went past where it started from given the storylines told across three seasons of the heartwarming comedy. 

The Haunting Of Hill House

Mike Flanagan beautifully adapted Shirley Jackson’s 1959 gothic horror novel, but at face value the two The Haunting Of Hill House titles are very different from one another. The source material mainly focuses on Eleanor (who Victoria Pedretti plays in the series) and her descent into madness whilst the show takes a deeper look into her entire family’s deep-seated trauma. 

Justified

FX’s Justified is based on the Elmore Leonard short story Fire In the Hole, allowing creators of the Western series to build out the world of the work across six seasons. Through Timothy Olyphant’s Raylan Givens, Justified allowed for Leonard’s ideas the author thought often “got the characters better” than he put to paper, per THR. 

The Magicians

Syfy’s series, The Magicians, is based on Lev Grossman’s trilogy of fantasy novels. While the source material certainly guides the storyline, it's told completely out of order and involves post-grad students rather than high schoolers. The series went on for five seasons. 

Bates Motel

One of the best horror movies of all time is Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (also a novel), which became the inspiration for A&E’s Bates Motel. The five-season series told a contemporary story regarding the origin story of Norman Bates and his complicated relationship with his mother through the performances of Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga. 

13 Reasons Why 

Years prior to Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why being the subject of numerous controversies throughout its run, it began as a 2007 novel by Jay Asher about a high school freshman who shares the reasons why she died by suicide. The series went beyond the source material by making the story a lot longer and building out many more characters. For example, a major plotline of the show is Hannah’s parents decide to sue the school, which is not part of the novel at all.

What We Do In The Shadows

In 2014, Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi offered a unique and rather hilarious take on vampires with What We Do In The Shadows. Years later, the duo decided to adapt their mockumentary further by making it into a TV show that went on for five seasons, ending in 2023. 

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off 

Over a decade after Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World adapted Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series, O’Malley decided to team up with Wright and Netflix to build upon the story in the format of an anime and reunite the original actors from the movie in the voice roles. The series follows Ramona Flowers trying to find a missing Scott Pilgrim. 

Ratched

Among Ryan Murphy’s many TV shows, he made a series out of Nurse Mildred Ratched, a character originally from Ken Kesey's novel One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and portrayed by Louise Fletcher in the 1975 movie adaptation. The series starring Sarah Paulson as the titular character depicts Ratched prior to the events of the original story. It was canceled after one season. 

The 100

The CW series, The 100, is based on the YA science fiction novel series by Kass Morgan. However, across the show’s seven seasons, it went beyond the source material by telling a much different story that took a more mature approach and focused a lot more on the survival element of the series. 

The Fall Of The House Of Usher

Mike Flanagan took inspiration from a myriad of Edgar Allan Poe short stories to bring together one storyline for his excellent Netflix horror show, The Fall of the House of Usher. The show pays tribute to the iconic author by telling a new story revolving around the Usher family, the CEO of a corrupt pharmaceutical company, as each member of the family starts to die one by one. 

The Night Manager

John le Carré’s 1993 espionage novel, The Night Manager was turned into a BBC miniseries starring Tom Hiddleston in 2016. As the author wrote in The Guardian at the time of its release, he spoke about the many changes from the source material, which at first took him aback but then had him saying he wishes he would have “written Mrs. Burr into my novel instead of her ponderous husband.” 

Under The Dome

Stephen King’s Under The Dome novel was turned into a CBS sci-fi series of the same name by Brian K. Vaughan, but was often talked about for being quite different from the source material. Back in 2013, King wrote on his website that he found the adaptation to be “very good” and was a “necessity” that he “approved of” “wholeheartedly.” 

Lessons In Chemistry 

Bonnie Garmus’ best-selling novel, Lessons In Chemistry was turned into a series starring Brie Larson to much success. While it’s a stunning adaptation fans of the book can appreciate, that’s particularly because the showrunner, Lee Eisenberg decided to not make it a straight adaptation and add some things the book didn’t have. One particularly great addition was the character development of Harriet Sloane, who is a black civil rights activist in the series rather than a 55-year-old white woman. 

The Haunting Of Bly Manor

Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting Of Bly Manor is an amalgamation of numerous great horror stories by Henry James, centrally through his novella Turn Of The Screw, but also through some other of his short stories like The Romance of Certain Old Clothes, The Beast in the Jungle and The Jolly Corner. Flanagan used the works as inspiration to tell a larger, new storyline about a young au pair who begins to witness hauntings as she takes care of two young children. 

The Midnight Club 

Christopher Pike famously wrote a ton of mystery-thrillers for young adults from the 80s and so on. For Mike Flanagan’s The Midnight Club, the filmmaker drew from over 20 of them to make the 10-episode Netflix series about a group of eight terminally ill young adults who form a storytelling club. 

So many series go beyond their source material, the question is whether they go too far. Most of these picks are well-loved TV shows that were made better by their additions!

Have you ever stopped to think about how your favorite characters in screen media do not realize they exist in a movie or TV show? Well, that covers most characters, while a chosen few actually are aware of their fictional parameters, and even address it to their viewers in a fun trope referred to as “breaking the fourth wall.” The following are some of the most iconic, or even underrated, characters from cinema and television that often like to get meta. 

Ferris Bueller (Ferris Bueller's Day Off)

Matthew Broderick's mischievous title character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off has one central goal: to take it easy. He demonstrates his secrets to master-level trouble-making directly to the audience — whom he also urges to head home in an iconic post-credits sequence — in John Hughes' celebrated high school movie classic from 1986.

Malcolm (Malcolm In The Middle)

Despite being the last-billed main actor, the Malcolm in the Middle cast was led by Frankie Muniz in the title role. The unusually intelligent youngster would profess his own life's dissatisfactions through the TV screen on a regular basis.

Rob Gordon (High Fidelity)

Director Stephen Frears' adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel, High Fidelity, stars John Cusack as Chicago record store owner Rob Gordon. The only thing that infatuates him more than music is the women who broke his heart,  the stories of which he recalls directly to the audience.

Deadpool (The Deadpool Movies)

In Marvel Comics, Wade "Deadpool" Wilson is driven so mad by his appearance post-mutation that, in addition to hearing voices, he becomes aware of the fact that he is a comic book character. While the voices do not make a sound in star and producer Ryan Reynolds' cinematic adaptations, the Merc with a Mouth is still perfectly self-aware of his fictional existence and goes so far as pointing out flaws in the writing and poking fun at the actor who plays him when turning his head to the camera.

Fleabag (Fleabag)

The title character of multi-Emmy-winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge's hit British comedy series, Fleabag, could be described as a free spirit, if not for her bouts of anger and confusion when struggling to navigate adulthood. The audience has unrestricted access to her most cynical inner thoughts, which she frequently shares when speaking directly to her viewers.

Jordan Belfort (The Wolf Of Wall Street)

One of the few examples of a fourth wall-breaking character based on a real person is Leonardo DiCaprio's Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street. Not only does he narrate director Martin Scorsese's adaptation of the former stockbroker's memoir (also one of the best Margot Robbie movies), he opens the film describing the dangerously wild nature of his daily routine directly to the audience.

Bugs Bunny (Looney Tunes)

Breaking the fourth wall is pretty much a tradition in Looney Tunes shorts, but the art is absolutely perfected by the characters' de facto leader, Bugs Bunny. With his sly remarks and literal winks to the camera, he lets the audience feel like they are in on the joke with him, creating a welcoming atmosphere that makes the rascally rabbit truly one-of-a-kind. 

Zack Morris (Saved By The Bell)

Talking to the camera was not the only meta characteristic possessed by Mark-Paul Gosselaar's scheming character on the hit coming-of-age sitcom, Saved by the Bell. Zack Morris also had the ability to manipulate time, as demonstrated when he paused the surrounding action for his own soliloquy whenever he felt like it.

Jared Vennett (The Big Short)

There are actually several characters from Adam McKay's Oscar-winning adaptation of Michael Lewis' non-fiction book, The Big Short, who break the fourth wall. However, it is Ryan Gosling as Deutsche Bank salesman Jared Vennett who spends most of the film directly addressing the audience, sometimes introducing celebrities like Margot Robbie to explain financial jargon to the viewers. 

Stanley “The Mask” Ipkiss (The Mask)

Nigh-omniscience (the state of knowing all, including the audience observing you) is something that often comes with being a cartoon character, which is essentially what Stanley Ipkiss becomes when he puts on a mystical vizard. In one of the funniest scenes in 1994’s The Mask, Jim Carrey’s green, grinning anti-hero fakes his death with a speech that literally earns him an award, prompting the appearance of an applauding audience that even the criminals who tried to kill him react to.

Dora Márquez (Dora The Explorer)

Even with Boots, Backpack, Manny, and her other adventurous comrades by her side, Dora the Explorer still needs help navigating her adventures from the youngsters watching her on Nick Jr. She even politely gives her viewers time to answer when asking them about their favorite part of the journey at the end of each episode.

Wayne Campbell And Garth Algar (Wayne's World)

Breaking the fourth wall helps one of Mike Myers’ greatest creations make a seamless transition from TV to the big screen in one of the best Saturday Night Live movies, Wayne’s World. Even when they are not filming their cable access TV show, Wayne Campbell (Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey) keep their running commentary on pop culture, their own lives going, and the state of their own movie by speaking to the metaphysical camera in front of them.

Claire Underwood (House Of Cards)

It was not until Season 4 of House of Cards that Claire Underwood (Robin Wright) revealed that, like her ruthless politician husband, Frank (Kevin Spacey), she was aware of the Netflix subscribers observing their every move. After she is widowed, Claire becomes the central character and the audience’s sole metaphysical companion.

Garfield (Garfield And Friends)

Just like in the comic strip he originated from, Garfield addresses the audience in his many screen adaptations, such as the popular animated series, Garfield and Friends. The hungry, lazy cat appears to have a telepathic link with the viewers since his mouth never actually moves when he delivers commentary.

Garry Shandling (It's Garry Shandling's Show)

The whole conceit of It's Garry Shandling's Show is that the late comedian (who also co-created the series) is aware he is the star of his own sitcom and his interactions with the studio audience play a role in the plot of each episode. Running for four seasons in the late 1980s and earning four Primetime Emmy nominations, the comedy was a hilariously unique and uproariously meta experiment for its time.

Clarissa Darling (Clarissa Explains It All)

Before she played the eponymous role of ABC’s Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Melissa Joan Hart played the eponymous role of Nickelodeon's Clarissa Explains It All. Just as the title of the '90s sitcom suggests, the outspoken teen comments on her relationships with her friends and family and common aspects of teenage life in general, sometimes even through clever fantasy segments.

Peter Griffin (Family Guy)

While Family Guy is often branded as a rip-off of The Simpsons, Fox’s adult animated comedy from creator Matt Groening does not dabble in meta absurdity nearly as much or ever as overtly as Fox’s adult animated comedy from Seth MacFarlane. Actually, just about every Family Guy character is aware they are on a cartoon series, but Peter Griffin (voiced by MacFarlane) acknowledges the audience most often… maybe even too often?

The Colonel (Monty Python's Flying Circus)

Sometimes, if an episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus would get too silly (which was every episode, if we are being honest), a military colonel played by Graham Chapman show up. He would then bring the sketches to a halt and urge the cast and crew to move on to something that better matches his own personal humorous preferences.

Will Smith (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air indulged in poking fun at itself numerous times during its six-season run on NBC in the ‘90s, such as references to the major cast shake-up of Daphne Maxwell Reid replacing Janet Hubert as Vivian Banks. However, the central character Will Smith (played by the Oscar winner of the same name) was the one who did most of the talking to the camera and, in one episode, even went beyond breaking the fourth wall and broke the ceiling, acknowledging the set lighting above them.

Austin Powers (The Austin Powers Movies)

Breaking the fourth wall is actually a staple of many of Mike Myers’ characters, including groovy secret agent Austin Powers, who likes to thank the audience for laughing at his puns and double-entendres and even commenting on the mechanics of his spy movie spoof trilogy. For instance, in the third installment, 2002’s Austin Powers in Goldmember, he actually relies on the subtitles to converse with a Japanese businessman, only to misunderstand him when some of the white text blends into something of the same color in the background.

Billy Ray Valentine (Trading Places)

For a while in the 1980s, you could expect someone to break the fourth wall in an Eddie Murphy movie, including the comedian himself, and one of the funniest examples comes from Trading Places. When the Dukes Brothers are explaining commodities to Billy Ray Valentine (Murphy), Randolph (Ralph Bellamy) uses the BLT as an example of where he might find bacon, prompting him to hilariously express his annoyance with a silent, perfectly timed glance at the camera.

Rick Sanchez (Rick And Morty)

On one of the all-time best animated series, Rick and Morty, Rick Sanchez is one of the few characters who address the fact that the bizarre and absurd adventures he and his grandson, Morty, endure, are all part of a television show. We suppose that sort of heightened awareness comes from being the smartest person in the universe.

The Grinch (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

In Ron Howard’s live-action adaptation of How the Grinch Stole Christmas — one of the best Dr. Seuss movies — the titular, holiday-hating curmudgeon (Jim Carrey) proves that he has more than just his dog, Max, to keep him company whenever he speaks to the camera. He even interacts with the narrator (voiced by Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins), asking him to speak with “a little more stealth” as he breaks into Cindy Lou Who’s home.

Augustus Hill (Oz)

Harold Perrineau’s character on Oz, Augustus Hill, is unlike any other inmate at the eponymous Oswald State Correctional Facility, serving as the series’ narrator. He opens and closes each episode of the gritty HBO drama by addressing the audience with a monologue discussing the philosophies of the prison lifestyle.

Lemony Snicket (A Series Of Unfortunate Events)

As Lemony Snicket, Patrick Warburton speaks through the screen when recalling the treacherous adventures of the Baudelaire Orphans on Netflix’s series adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Just like in the original YA book series, the author is more than just the series' narrator, as he also exists within the world of the show.

Jennifer Walters (She-Hulk: Attorney At Law)

Deadpool is not the only fourth-wall-breaking hero in the Marvel Universe, but the first character to go meta in the MCU was Bruce Banner’s cousin, Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), who explains to the audience how she became “She-Hulk” in the first episode of her self-titled Disney+ miniseries. The final episode sees her actually leap out of her own show and into the streaming platform’s menu and enter Marvel Studios: Assembled so she can have a talk with “Kevin” about crafting a better ending.

Robin Of Loxley (Robin Hood: Men In Tights)

In one of Mel Brooks’ best movies, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, the famed archer (Cary Elwes) acknowledges a couple of times, even in just a quick glance. However, every character in the medieval spoof is aware they are in a movie, as shown in the moment Robin and others actually pull out the script to ensure he gets another shot in the archery contest at the end.

George (George Of The Jungle)

The fourth wall is kept open for just about the entirety of Disney's cartoonish live-action adaptation of the animated series, George of the Jungle. Brendan Fraser's absent-minded, Tarzan-esque hero makes frequent nods to the camera and sometimes interacts with the narrator, and is not the only character to do so either.

Eloise (Eloise At The Plaza)

The eponymous star of Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight's popular illustrated children's books made her screen debut in ABC's 2003 made-for-TV movie, Eloise at the Plaza. Played by Sofia Vassilieva, the precocious child provides details about her residency in a New York City penthouse, her relationship with her nanny (Julie Andrews), and gives other spur-of-the-moment commentaries to the audience.

Basil Exposition (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me)

In 1999's Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, as the titular groovy sleuth (Mike Myers) is about to travel back to 1969, he is compelled to ask a few very complicated questions about the science behind this trip. Basil Exposition (Michael York) recommends not worrying about such things and just enjoying the ride before suggesting the same to the people watching.

Robin "Rob" Brooks (High Fidelity)

Hulu's 2020 series adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel, High Fidelity, reimagines record store owner Rob Gordon as a woman, played by Zoë Kravitz. However, like the original protagonist, Rob Brooks is also a neurotic music obsessive who shares her deepest insecurities, particularly in the realm of romance, to the audience.

Zack Greenburg (The Zack Files)

Without explanation, Zack Greenburg (Robert Clark) has attracted the attention of aliens, suddenly developed psychic abilities, receives a phone call from his own conscience, and more strange phenomena. If things could not get weirder for the teen, he sometimes directly acknowledges the viewers of his own early 2000s Canadian show based on Dan Greenburg's book series, The Zack Files.

Have you ever taken inspiration from these fourth-wall-breaking characters and professed your own witty commentary out loud to an imaginary camera, or is that just us?

Twists and turns and shocking moments are why we love great TV. There is nothing like a moment on your favorite show that sends a cold shiver up your spine and has you thinking about it for days, weeks, or even months after it happens. The moments that get everyone talking and sometimes change pop culture completely. This is our list of just some of our favorite times television shows left us speechless. 

Warning! Major Spoilers Below!

Omar's Last Moments - The Wire

Omar Little from The Wire is one of the greatest characters in TV history. For most of the show, Omar is the ultimate survivor in a dangerous game of life and death on the streets. Then suddenly, in the third-to-last episode of the series, he is gunned down in a convenience store by Kenard, a mere child. It's shocking and tragic for viewers who had come to love the troubled character. 

Matthew Crawley's Crash - Downton Abbey

The Season 3 finale of Downton Abbey pulls the rug out from under its fans in a hurry. It seems like the season will end on a happy note, with Lady Mary coming through a tough delivery of her first child and issues with the estate settled. That's when it happens, Matthew Crawley, out for a drive, comes head-on with a truck and is killed. It's sudden and shocking. 

Not Penny's Boat - Lost

Lost provided weekly twists and turns that the loyal fans of the show obsessed over for days. One moment that caused months of discussion came in the Season 3 finale when Charlie, on the verge of drowning, used his last moments to convey that the boat they thought belonged to Desmond's fiancee, was not, in fact, Penny's boat. 

Mrs. Landingham's Car Crash - The West Wing

The final episode of Season 3 of The West Wing, called "Two Cathedrals" is often cited as one of the show's best episodes. It's also one of its most tragic for something that actually happens off-screen, Mrs. Landingham's death in a car crash. Dolores Landingham was beloved by her fellow characters and fans of the show, and her death, as she drove her new car back to work, is probably the saddest moment in West Wing history. 

Ned Stark's Loses His Head - Game Of Thrones

We could populate this entire list with just shocking Game of Thrones moments and the first really "holy cow" moments came in the penultimate episode of Season 1 when the hero thus far of the story, Ned Stark, met his swift end on the order of King Joffrey. It was one of the most meaningful deaths of the series and showed viewers that no character was ever safe. 

Negan And His Baseball Bat - The Walking Dead

In the final episode of Season 6, The Walking Dead introduced its most terrifying villain of the whole series, Negan. To show just how terrible he was, the show provides possibly the most shocking moment of the series, when Negan takes his baseball bat to Abraham and Glenn's heads in one of the goriest moments in TV history. Audiences lost two of their favorite characters and gained a villain to despise. 

Helly's Outie - Severance

Throughout all of Season 1 of Severance, viewers are left pondering what exactly the purpose of the workers is. We also see the newest team member, Helly, fight and claw to get out, a rebel against the system. In the finale, we learn who Helly's "outie" is, and it's shocking, as she's the daughter of the company founder, but her "innie" is ready to take down the system. 

The Red Wedding - Game Of Thrones

The Red Wedding has been hailed as one of the most shocking moments in all of TV history. Coming in the penultimate episode of Season 3, Walder Frey's betrayal of the Starks led to the terrible deaths of Robb Stark, his wife Talisa, and his mother Catelyn. It truly shook the entertainment world.  

Dr. McDreamy's Car Crash - Grey's Anatomy

Dr. Derek Shepherd's death at the end of Season 11 of Grey's Anatomy was a brutal, stunning moment that broke millions of fans' hearts. While on the surface it seemed like a heartless way to end a show favorite's run on the show, for showrunner Shonda Rhimes, it made more sense than discarding all that was wonderful about Shepherd's relationship with Meredith. 

Walter Watching Jane - Breaking Bad

One of the most brutal scenes in the brutal show that was Breaking Bad was Walter coldly watching Jesse's girlfriend take her last breath without lifting a finger to help. He needed her out of the picture, but it was a glimpse into how far gone Walter was at that point. 

Who Shot Mr. Burns? - The Simpsons

Season Six of The Simpsons ended with one of the all-time great cliffhangers after most of Springfield was angry with Mr. Burns for one reason or another and he winds up shot. Was it Homer? Mr. Smithers? Tito Puente? No, it was none of those, when it was revealed in the Season 7 premiere that it was... Maggie? Eh, best not to think about it too much. 

"We Have To Go Back" - Lost

It was five words that sent shivers up the backs of fans in the Season 3 finale of Lost. For almost three seasons, fans were used to the flashback element of the show, and in that finale, it seemed like a regular Jack flashback. That is until Kate appears and Jack implores her to go "back" to the island with him, revealing that we'd all been watching a flashforward. 

Nina's The Mole - 24

Fox's 24 took the world by storm in its first season with its white-knuckle action and near-constant cliffhangers. One reliable part of the team was Nina Myers, Jack Bauer's righthand woman at CTU. That is until it's revealed that she'd been a mole all along and was working with the enemy, which Jack learned when he found that Nina had killed his wife. 

Tony And Ralph - The Sopranos

For much of its run, The Sopranos relied on twists and shock-endings less than other shows of the time. That doesn't mean the show didn't have them. One prominent example was when Tony Soprano suddenly attacked Ralph Cifaretto, offing him a brutal fit of rage over a number of Ralph's past deeds. 

Rosiland Shays' Elevator Fall - LA Law

Going way back to the 1980s, when shocking twists were few and far between, one of the most surprising moments on TV was the death of Rosiland Shays' on LA Law. Shays was a polarizing character, but she walked into an empty elevator shaft in Season 5 and fell to her death, it shocked everyone. 

Zoe In The Subway - House Of Cards

Zoe Barnes was a key character in the first two seasons of House Of Cards. The reporter was both an antagonist and a friend of Frank Underwood. In what seemed like a relatively benign moment as Zoe waited for a subway, she was suddenly pushed by Frank in front of an oncoming train.

Poussey Gets Suffocated - Orange Is The New Black

On Orange Is The New Black, Poussey was a fan favorite. She was thoughtful and caring, so when she was killed by a guard during a protest, it shocked and saddened everyone watching. One of the hardest moments in the show. 

The Purple Wedding - Game Of Thrones

King Joffrey Baratheon was one of the greatest villains on Game of Thrones and in TV history. By the time Season 4 rolled around, fans had had enough of the evil brat. That's why his death in Episode 2 of Season 4 was both shocking and satisfying. 

Dylan's Father's Car - Beverly Hills, 90210

Most of the twists and turns on Beverly Hills, 90210 were about teenage love triangles or midterms. Very rarely did the show ever tackle more serious issues, but when it did it usually involved Dylan. Like when Dylan's father was blown up in his car as Dylan watched. Intense. 

Bernard The Host - Westworld

Westworld was never shy about shocking fans, and although the signs were there, and fan theories abounded over Bernard's real place in the robot theme park when it was revealed he himself was a host, it still came as a huge surprise to many. Not as shocking as some on this list, but one heck of a twist. 

The Sopranos Blink To Black - The Sopranos

It's one of the most hotly debated moments in television history. The final scene of The Sopranos. While Journey plays on the jukebox, the tension builds if for no other reason than audiences knew something had to happen as the show wrapped up. Then it happens – or doesn't happen – when the scene suddenly goes black, the music stops, and the credits roll. Did Tony die? It doesn't matter, the discussion is what matters. 

The Plane Crash - MASH

In a lot of ways, MASH changed television, and one thing they were pioneers of was having a beloved character suddenly die. Such was the case in the finale episode of Season 3 when Colonel Blake gets discharged from the army and is headed home, only to suddenly die in a plane crash off camera. Famously, the cast was not told of this detail until the scene was shot and in many ways, their reactions were the same as the audience's, shock and sadness. 

John Locke's Wheelchair - Lost

Lost really set up early that it would be full of big reveals and one of the biggest in the first season was discovering John Locke was in a wheelchair in his flashbacks. It comes in the fourth episode of the series after Locke has been well-established as one of the most capable survivors on The Island and it was mind-blowing. Just what was going on, on this island?

Laura Palmer's Father - Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks wrote the book on spooky murder mysteries and set a new standard for appointment TV back in the 1990s. For most of the short series, the one question everyone needed to know, of course, was who killed Laura Palmer? We finally got our answer in Season 2 when we found out it was Leland Palmer, Laura's father. Had there been an internet in 1991, the revelation would've broken it.

Stringer Bell's Last Stand - The Wire

Stringer Bell is one of the most consequential characters in the early seasons of The Wire and while his growing tension with his partner Avon Barksdale showed no signs of abating, you got the feeling that Stringer was going to win the battle for control of the organization. That all suddenly and violently came to an end when Omar and Brother Mouzone team up to take Stringer out. 

Not The Good Place - The Good Place

Sitcoms aren't often noted for their dramatic plot twists, which is what makes the one at the end of Season 1 of The Good Place so great. Eleanor and her friends never felt like they belonged in the Good Place and in the finale, they learn it's because they are actually in the Bad Place.  

Bobby Ewing Reappearing - Dallas

Of course, Dallas is most famous for its "Who shot JR?" cliffhanger, the resolution of which led to one of the highest-rated TV episodes of all time. That wasn't the only big surprise to come from the show though. JR's brother, Bobby, died at the end of Season 8 and much of Season 9 is about his widow Pam dealing with it. Then, in the final scene of the season, Bobby suddenly reappears in the shower as if nothing had happened. It turns out, the whole season was a dream by Pam. Yeah, no one was really happy with that revelation. 

Brody Comes Back From The Edge - Homeland

For the entire phenomenal first season of Homeland, viewers are torn on whether to trust Brody is a good guy or believe Carrie that he's a bad guy. When it's revealed which side he stands on, one of the tensest scenes ever occurs when Brody almost goes through with his plot, but at the last second, decides not to. 

Janice And Richie - The Sopranos

Janice Soprano and Richie Aprile are an odd couple from the beginning and while it's not surprising that Janice would finally snap, it was still shocking when she did and shot Richie after a serious fight. 

Trinity Gets The Last Word - Dexter

Dexter on Dexter spends more time chasing the Trinity Killer than any other of his victims. When he finally catches the serial killer, it's supposed to be a win. Sadly for Dexter and Rita, Trinity has already killed Rita and it's a shocking reversal of emotions. 

For The Watch - Game Of Thrones

Even by Game of Thrones standards, the Night's Watch turning on Jon Snow and ambushing him was incredibly shocking. In the finale of Season 5, viewers were left to ponder if Jon Snow was actually dead. It was a long year of waiting for that answer for fans. 

Lawrence Shocks Everyone - House

It's rare for procedurals like House to have any really shocking moments, but towards the end of Season 5, provides one. Due to actor Kal Penn leaving the show to go work for the Obama administration of all things, his character Lawrence Kutner dies by his own hand off screen and leaves his co-workers, and fans of the show, devastated. 

There are, of course, many other examples, especially now, in the Golden Age of Television, but few can match the completely shocking moments on this list. 

When you think of the main ensemble of your favorite TV series, how closely does the picture in your mind resemble what the cast looked like when it debuted? It is certainly not unusual for a hit TV show to say goodbye to one of its biggest stars or bring in someone new who makes a huge impact. The following are some of the most famous — or even infamous — examples of casting changes that shook things up.

The Brady Bunch

The term “Cousin Oliver Syndrome” references when a sitcom’s youngest and cutest cast member grows up, prompting the writers to invent a new young, cute character to take their place. Its coinage comes from Robbie Rist’s clumsy character from The Brady Bunch, who was added late into Season 5 in 1974, only to last six episodes.

Roseanne

Alicia Goransan starred in Roseanne as Becky Conner for the first five seasons before leaving and later came back for the eighth season and the revival series. In the sixth, seventh, and ninth seasons, the role was given to future Scrubs and Rick and Morty star Sarah Chalke, who also appeared on The Conners in a separate recurring role. This back-and-forth dual casting was humorously addressed on a clip show episode.

Diff'rent Strokes

In Season 6 of Diff’rent Strokes, Arnold (Gary Coleman) and Willis Jackson (Todd Bridges) gained a new younger brother named Sam McKinney, played by Danny Cooksey. Originally brought on as a recurring character, Cooksey joined the main cast and, until the series’ end, his role grew larger as Willis’ appearances became more scarce.

Parks And Recreation

Near the end of the series’ second season, NBC’s Parks and Recreation cast grew with the addition of Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger and Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt. The mockumentary style political satire also experienced a major growth in popularity following their entrance and we find it hard to believe that is a mere coincidence.

Family Matters

An urban legend once suggested that the youngest Winslow child, Judy, walked upstairs one moment in the fourth season of Family Matters, never to come back down again. While that is not actually true (she last appeared in Season 4’s 19th episode, “Mama’s Wedding”), Jaimee Foxworth was written off the sitcom, due to increased attention on Jaleel White’s Steve Urkel and decreased budgeting, never to return to mainstream acting again.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

It’s hard to believe that Frank Reynolds was not a part of “the Gang” since It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia debuted on FX in 2005. In truth, Academy Award nominee Danny DeVito was brought in during the second season, propelling the long-running dark comedy to greater heights of popularity

The Office

NBC’s The Office cast saw many changes throughout its nine-season run, such as bringing in Ed Helms as Andy Bernard and Ellie Kemper as Erin Hannon. The most significant shake-up was when Steve Carell left his star-making role as Michael Scott in Season 7 and was briefly replaced by Emmy winner James Spader as Robert California.

The Sopranos

One of the best character actors of all time, Joe Pantoliano, joined HBO’s The Sopranos cast for two seasons as Ralph Cifaretto. His performance as the capo for the Soprano crime family resulted in one of his most acclaimed roles, earning him a Best Supporting Actor Emmy Award.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

In Daphne Maxwell Reid’s first episode on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (the Season 4 premiere), it is cheekily acknowledged that she had replaced Janet Hubert as Vivienne Banks — following on-set tension with star Will Smith — when Jazz (DJ Jazzy Jeff) says there is “something different about” her. Both actors — who each had different takes on the role — were brought together for the sitcom’s reunion special on Max. 

Family Guy

If not for the publicity surrounding it, Family Guy fans might not have been able to notice that Mike Henry stepped down as the voice of Cleveland Brown in 2020 because of how perfectly Arif Zahir matches the character’s distinct voice. It is much more noticeable, however, to watch the adult animated series’ first two seasons and hear Lacey Chabert voicing Meg instead of Mila Kunis, who has played the Griffin’s oldest child ever since.

Batman

Adam West’s Batman faced off against two iconic iterations of Catwoman on his 1960s-era TV show, played by Julie Newmar for the first two seasons and Earth Kitt in the third and final run. That’s not even counting Lee Meriwether’s portrayal in the feature-length spin-off.

House

The medical diagnostics team led by Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) originally consisted of Dr. Eric Foreman (Omar Epps), Dr. Robert Chase (Jesse Spencer), and Dr. Allison Cameron (Jennifer Morrison). By the medical drama’s fourth season, he needed a whole new crew, recruiting Dr. Chris Taub (Peter Jacobson), Dr. Lawrence Kutner (Kal Penn), and Dr. Remy "Thirteen" Hadley (Olivia Wilde). The House cast would only continue to change from there — most notably with Penn leaving by the end of Season 5 and stars Amber Tamblyn, Charlene Yi, and Odette Annable coming in near the end.

Melrose Place

Heather Locklear is famous for shaking things up on a few different series by joining the main ensemble and one of the most notable examples is Melrose Place. She was cast on the Beverly Hills 90210 spin-off late into its first season in a recurring role as Amanda Woodward, who would become one the primetime soap’s most iconic characters when she was made a series regular the following year.

Valerie

Following her success on Rhoda, Valerie Harper starred on a family sitcom from the 1980s in the title role of Valerie, until she was fired after two seasons. Her character was killed off and replaced with Sandy Duncan as a stepmother, leading to the show’s retitling as Valerie’s Family: The Hogans and, later, The Hogan Family.

Cheers

Every single one of the main Cheers characters is memorable, even those who joined the ensemble later. Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane started off as a recurring character in Season 3, Woody Harrelson’s Woody Boyd was hired in Coach’s place after he and the actor who played him (Nicholas Colasanto) passed away, and, following Shelley Long’s exit, Kirstie Alley was cast as Rebecca Howe.

Grey's Anatomy

When a series lasts as long as Grey’s Anatomy, cast changes are to be expected. Some of the most notable include the exits of Isaiah Washington (following an alleged on-set controversy involving co-star T.R. Knight), Emmy winner Katherine Heigl after six seasons, and Patrick Dempsey, by way of killing off Derek Shepherd.

That '70s Show

Following a special appearance in That ‘70s Show Season 5, Lisa Robin Kelly was officially replaced by Christina Moore as Laurie Forman for the first half of the following season. Season 7 would be the last for Topher Grace as central character Eric Forman and the series’ biggest breakthrough star, Ashton Kutcher, officially left early in Season 8.

Law & Order

Only a handful of the original Law & Order cast — which included Chris Noth and Michael Moriarity— lasted more than four or five seasons before mainstays like S. Epatha Merkerson and Sam Waterston entered the mix. Fun fact: one of the crime procedural’s most beloved stars, Jerry Orbach, first appeared in a Season 2 guest spot in an entirely different role before he joined the main cast as Lennie Brisco the following year.

The Big Bang Theory

For years, Kaley Cuoco was the only female main actor in CBS’ The Big Bang Theory cast. That was until 2009 when Melissa Rauch joined the cast as Bernadette Rostenkowski, who went on to marry Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg), and Mayim Bialik joined the following year as Amy Farrah Fowler, who became Sheldon Cooper’s (Jim Parsons) wife.

Night Court

With the notable exceptions of Harry Anderson, John Larroquette, and Richard Moll, the original Night Court cast in its later years bore little resemblance to the Season One ensemble, which also included Karen Austin and Paula Kelly. The late Selma Diamond was the first of three actors to play the second bailiff (including Florence Halop and Marsha Warfield) and Charles Robinson and Markie Post were cast in Season 2 and stayed to the end.

Three's Company

John Ritter’s Jack and Joyce DeWitt’s Janet famously had a rotation of three blonde roommates on Three’s Company — starting with Suzanne Somers as Chrissy before Jenilee Harrison stepped in temporarily as Chrissy’s cousin Cindy and, lastly, Priscilla Barnes was brought in as Terri Alden. Additionally, Norman Fell and Audra Lindley left in Season 3 to star in a spin-off called The Ropers and were replaced with Don Knotts as the trio’s landlord, Mr. Furley.

Charlie's Angels

The only original Charlie’s Angels cast members to last all five seasons were Jaclyn Smith as Kelly Garrett, David Doyle as John Bosley, and John Forsyth as the voice of Charlie. Farrah Fawcett was only a series regular for the premiere season (replaced by Cheryl Ladd) and, following Kate Jackson’s exit after Season 3, Shelley Hack and, later, Tanya Roberts filled in for the remaining seasons.

Game Of Thrones

The Game of Thrones cast would lose main characters regularly but also featured a few well-known actor replacements. Most notably, Michiel Huisman succeeded Ed Skrein as Daario Naharis. Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane was played by three different actors: Conan Stevens in Season 1, Ian Whyte the following season, and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson for the remaining seasons.

ER

Like any other long-running medical drama, creator Michael Crichton’s ER saw cast members coming and going regularly throughout its 15 seasons. For instance, George Clooney was a regular for the first five years, Ming-Na Wen was on from Season 6 to Season 11, and the final year featured two-time Oscar nominee Angela Bassett in the main cast.

Bewitched

The first of the two Darrins on Bewitched was Dick York, who was replaced after five seasons when a back injury had long-term, debilitating effects on the Emmy nominee. Filling in as the husband of the witchy Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) for the final three seasons was Dick Sargent, who was actually the original choice for the role, but was committed to another series at the time. 

Two And A Half Men

Following a public meltdown, Charlie Sheen was let go from Two and a Half Men, in which his character, Charlie Harper, was killed off and replaced with Ashton Kutcher in a new role. Furthermore, Angus T. Jones’ disparaging comments about the CBS sitcom’s racy subject matter led to his exit after Season 10, which resulted in multiple attempts to fill the “Half Man” role with the likes of Amber Tamblyn and Edan Alexander.

Monk

Tony Shalhoub’s eponymous, OCD-ridden police consultant from the USA dramedy Monk had three assistants working for him — the first being Bitty Schram as Sharona Fleming. After Niecy Nash came on as temporary fill-in, Varla Davis, Traylor Howard was cast as Natalie Teeger, who was employed by Adrian Monk for the remainder of the series.

The West Wing

There were several notable changes to the West Wing cast throughout its run, such as Moira Kelly’s Mandy Hampton departing after the first year without explanation and Rob Lowe being replaced with Joshua Malina after four seasons. Creator Aaron Sorkin’s Emmy-winning political drama also largely shifted its focus in the final two seasons toward Jimmy Smits and Alan Alan as candidates to succeed Josiah Bartlett (Martin Sheen) as the United States President. 

The Cosby Show

From her marriage to Martin (Joseph C. Phillips), Lisa Bonet’s Denise Kendall (née Huxtable) gains a stepdaughter named Olivia, who essentially serves as The Cosby Show’s resident “Cousin Oliver” following the growth of Rudy actor Keshia Knight Pulliam. However, Raven-Symoné makes her debut role something truly special with her performance as the adorably precocious girl.

Married... With Children

Following his guest appearance on Married… with Children as Peg’s alternate reality husband, Ted McGinley replaced David Garrison’s Steve Rhoades as Jefferson D’Arcy — the second husband of the Bundy’s next-door neighbor, Marcy. This is just one of many times the actor was cast on a series late into its run, such as when he joined Happy Days — leading radio personality Jon Hein to dub him the “patron saint of shark-jumping.”

The Waltons

The oldest child of the Waltons (and the central focus of the Depression-era drama), John-Boy, was originally played by Richard Thomas. When the Emmy winner left the show after seven years, he was replaced by Robert Wightman for the final two seasons.

House Of Cards 

Assault allegations against led Netflix to remove Kevin Spacey from his role in the House of Cards cast as ruthless politician Frank Underwood. Robin Wright, who starred as Frank’s wife, Claire, was then promoted to the series lead for the sixth and final season.

Some casting changes ultimately kill a TV show, while others manage to endure through it swimmingly and some even get better as a result.

It's often said that the United States and the United Kingdom are two countries divided by a common language. They are also two countries that share a lot of entertainment crossover. When Hollywood tries to adapt hit British shows, both of those things are true. Sometimes the best British shows adapt perfectly, sometimes, they totally bomb in the U.S. Here is a list of times Hollywood tried to adapt British shows, and what the results were. 

The Office

The British version of The Office made Ricky Gervais a worldwide star. When it was adapted by NBC for the U.S. market fans were skeptical. The U.S. version quickly forged its own identity, after lifting quite a few jokes in the early episodes. Michael Scott (Steve Carell) is a doofus, like Gervais' David Brent, but he's not as mean, and the show has a softer heart than the British version. 

American Idol

Pop Idol was a runaway hit in the U.K., so it was only a matter of time before it was brought over to the U.S. In fact, the same team that made it a success in Britain, creator Simon Fuller and judge Simon Cowell, came with it, and brought American Idol to Hollywood. The rest, of course, is history. 

Shameless

The British Shameless debuted in 2004 to wild acclaim and ran for 139 episodes over 11 seasons. About seven years later to the day, the American version premiered on Showtime. It was a huge success, running for a total of 134 episodes, also over 11 seasons. 

Cuckoo

BBC Three had an immediate hit on its hands with Cuckoo. Season 1 revolves around Andy Samberg as an American hippie who is a fish out of water after marrying into a typical British family. Samberg left the show due to other commitments after the first season, but the show continued to be a success for four more seasons. That success was impossible to ignore, and in 2015 NBC ordered a pilot, with Michael Chiklis and Cheryl Hines starring, though the show wasn't picked up. 

Top Gear

Around 2010, one could make the argument that BBC's Top Gear was the most popular TV show in the world. It was shown in dozens of countries each week and was wildly popular in its home country. That led to international versions all over the globe, including the first American version, which ran for six seasons, starting in 2010. A reboot, Top Gear America, aired for three more seasons starting in 2017. 

Dancing With The Stars

Dancing With The Stars wrapped up its incredible 32nd season in December of 2023. It's hard to believe the wildly successful show has been on since 2005. DWTS was born from the also-massively successful Strictly Come Dancing in the U.K., which first aired about a year earlier, in 2004, on BBC One. 

Skins

During its seven-season run on E4 in the United Kingdom, Skins proved to be both controversial and very popular. That popularity led to an American version produced and aired by MTV in 2011. The controversy followed Skins, but the popularity did not and the show was canceled after just one season. 

Veep

HBO's Veep ran for seven amazing seasons, winning countless awards, and again proving HBO is the most consistently great network for original content. The Julia Louis-Dreyfus vehicle was based on a British show, The Thick of It, which, like Veep, was created by Armando Iannucci, and was similarly lauded over its four-season run. 

Dear John

NBC had a magical run of successful sitcoms in the 1980s and '90s. One of those, Dear John, starring Judd Hirsch, was taken from a popular British sitcom of the same name (not to be confused with the Taylor Swift song, also of the same name). Both shows revolved around a recently separated man trying to find his way by joining a divorce support group. 

Undercover Boss

Undercover Boss has been one of the most popular shows on American television for years now. Like so many other reality shows, it has its origins in the U.K. It started small there, with just two episodes in the first series in 2009, but it, like the U.S. version, has also been wildly popular in the years since. 

Antiques Roadshow

Is there anything more quintessentially British than Antiques Roadshow? First airing on BBC One in 1979, it has since aired hundreds and hundreds of episodes. It took a while for the Americans to get on board, but in 1997, PBS launched its version and it too has now aired hundreds of episodes. The format remains very popular on both sides of the pond. 

Cracker

The British detective show Cracker, starring the late, great Robbie Coltrane, has an enduring legacy in the U.K. The same cannot be said for the American version, starring the late Robert Pastorelli, which aired for less than one season in 1997 and 1998. 

Us & Them

Us & Them was a very short-lived sitcom starring Jason Ritter as Gavin and Alexis Bledel as Stacey. Originally intended to air on Fox in 2013, it didn't see the light of day until seven episodes streamed on Crackle in 2018. In the U.K., the show it was based on, Gavin & Stacey, helped make James Corden a star. 

House Of Cards

For American viewers, it might be hard to believe a show as American as House Of Cards would come out of a British series, but it did. The Netflix drama was inspired by a mini-series of the same name, itself based on a book, that first aired in the U.K. in 1990, and followed a similar plot line and production style. 

Too Close For Comfort

Keep It in the Family was a popular sitcom in the early 1980s on ITV in the U.K. The concept of a patriarch living in a house with his daughters in an attached apartment proved a success in the U.S. as well when it was adapted as Too Close For Comfort starring Ted Knight. 

Ghosts

When the 2023 Writers Strike halted the production of CBS's hit Ghosts, the network filled the airtime with the British show it was based on, also called Ghosts. Both shows have proven to be wildly popular with critics and viewers alike, on both sides of the Atlantic. 

Mad Dogs

The psychological thriller Mad Dogs launched on Sky1 in the United Kingdom in 2011 and had a successful five series run. The U.S. version starring Ben Chaplin, Billy Zane, and Michael Imperioli, however, was less successful. Despite solid reviews and what seemed like a decent audience on Amazon Prime, Mad Dogs wasn't picked up for a second season by the streamer

Trading Spaces

It's hard to understand why someone would choose to go on Trading Spaces. It sounds like a nightmare to have someone else decorate your house. Yet, the concept has been a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. First with the British show Changing Rooms, then later with Trading Spaces.

Life On Mars

The best word to describe the BBC series Life On Mars is "cool." The show, about a police officer who goes back in time to the '70s, oozed cool. 1970s Manchester, England was a wild place and the show depicts it brilliantly. The U.S. version, which aired in 2008 and 2009, was less cool. Despite some great sets and great performances from all the stars, it just didn't have the same cool factor and didn't work as well. 

MasterChef

Gordon Ramsey may be English, but he's a star in both countries. One of his biggest hits in the U.S. is MasterChef, a show that first aired in the U.K. in 1990, though he's never been a judge on his home country's version. Still, the format has worked in both the U.S. and the U.K. for years now. 

Payne

One of the most beloved shows in British television history is Faulty Towers starring John Cleese. The show, though just 12 episodes in total, has remained a favorite for decades. There have been multiple attempts to recreate the show in the United States over the years, including Payne, starring John Larroquette. The show lasted just nine episodes on CBS in 1999 before being canceled for low ratings. 

The Great American Baking Show

There is no question that The Great British Bake Off is wildly successful in both the U.K. and the U.S. The American version, The Great American Baking Show has been less of a success, but still somewhat popular. It just doesn't have the same charm as the original. 

Kitchen Nightmares

Who doesn't love watching Gordon Ramsey take apart entitled restaurant owners in Kitchen Nightmares? The show, which was revived in 2023 as Fox went all in on Ramsey after a nearly decade-long hiatus, was born from Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, which was a hit in the U.K. The shows are similar in format, Ramsey visits a failing business and helps revive it, but the tone of the shows are very different. Gordon is much more bombastic in the U.S. version. 

Free Agents

Free Agents is a weird one. It was a moderately successful show on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, but not enough, one would think, to warrant a go in the United States. Yet, in 2011, NBC did have a go, and the results were unremarkable, as the show was canceled after just four episodes aired. 

The Minister Of Divine

The Vicar of Dibley is one of the most popular British sitcoms of all time. It's even been a hit on PBS in the United States. It is also uniquely British and the idea that it could be adapted in the U.S. is, frankly, silly. Yet, that's exactly what Fox tried to do in 2007 with The Minister of Divine starring Kirstie Alley. It was, predictably, a bomb, airing just the pilot episode and nothing else. 

Not Necessarily The News

HBO has been putting out great original content from its beginning and one of the earliest examples was Not Necessarily the News, which aired throughout the '80s. It was basically a comedic fake news show, and was based on hit British show, Not the Nine O'Clock News.

Queer As Folk

The cultural impact of Showtime's Queer as Folk was monumental. The show pioneered showing same-sex relationships on U.S. television. The British version of the same name did similar in the U.K. It starred a young Charlie Hunnam and Aidan Gillen in the U.K., and the drama translated perfectly to U.S. audiences. 

Hell's Kitchen

Hell's Kitchen was created by Gordon Ramsey in 2004 for ITV in the United Kingdom. The bombastic TV star left the show to other chefs after the first season when he brought the concept to U.S. televisions in 2005. The show has gone on to massive ratings ever since. 

Sanford And Son

Yep, that's right, even a show as American as Sanford and Son has British roots. the Redd Foxx-led '70s sitcom that lived on for years in syndication was inspired by the British show Steptoe and Son from the BBC in the mid-1960s. 

All In The Family

No show defines 1970s America like All in the Family. It highlights everything right and wrong about America, but it isn't uniquely American. Creator Norman Lear, who died in 2023 at age 101, based the show on Till Death Us Do Part, which was a popular BBC sitcom in the '60s. 

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire

Even game shows have been imported from the British Isles to North America. The most notable is Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Launched in 1998 in the U.K., it wasn't long before a U.S. version was created, debuting with massive ratings in the summer of 1999. More than 3,000 episodes of the American version have aired since then. 

Gracepoint

The murder-mystery show Broadchurch was very successful during its run on ITV in Great Britain. Even though it was shown on BBC America, it was never very popular in the U.S. Still, that didn't stop Fox from ordering a limited series called Gracepoint in 2014. It even brought in one of the stars of Broadchurch, former Dr. Who star David Tennant. It was a moderate success. 

The Prisoner

The 1960s ITV sci-fi show The Prisoner is one of those shows that even if you don't know it, something you love was probably inspired by it. Long considered one of the most influential shows in television history, it was finally rebooted for an American audience in 2009 in a joint production between AMC and ITV, starring Jim Caviezel as Number 6. It was cool, but not nearly as impactful as the original. 

Sometimes the ideas work and sometimes they don't, but you can be sure that ideas and content will continue to flow back and forth between the United Kingdom and the United States. We can't wait to see what happens in the future. 

Kevin Spacey has a long history of dropping Christmastime videos as his character Frank Underwood from House Of Cards, but this year, his newest is attracting a lot more attention as it’s an interview with Tucker Carlson. The seven-plus minute clip of the two talking has already attracted millions of views and has elicited a wide range of reactions, as the conversation seems to waffle back and forth between obviously fictional statements and real life commentary delivered in character.

The surprise video was uploaded to Tucker Carlson’s Twitter account, as well as YouTube, on Christmas Eve and went viral almost immediately. On the surface, it’s a vehicle for Spacey’s Frank Underwood to tease a possible presidential run, but not so subtly deeper than that, it’s a chance for the two men to bond over “both getting canned” and to point the finger at Fox and Netflix. They also take aim at society for being driven by fear and being too sensitive nowadays. You can watch the clip below…

It’s hard to find two more divisive figures in modern popular culture than Kevin Spacey and Tucker Carlson. The former won two Academy Awards, a Tony Award and numerous additional honors during a lauded career that spanned the 80s, 90s and 00s, but after allegations of sexual assault, he was fired from his hit show House Of Cards in 2017. Several other accusers came forward with their own stories, and he was subsequently removed entirely from his then-upcoming film All The Money In The World. He’s since been found not guilty in multiple trials, but some of his accusers also died before their day in court. He remains mostly excommunicated from Hollywood and the larger acting community, though he also has some high profile defenders, including Tucker Carlson.

Carlson himself was also fired, though under different circumstances. The exact details around what happened at Fox are still unclear, but like Spacey, he was the star of one of his network’s most popular shows. Then suddenly, he was abruptly terminated. Rumors have swirled it involved everything from Tucker's text messages to a speech that had too many references to prayer to ongoing fallout from the Dominion lawsuit. Regardless, he was suddenly gone, and now releases his show on X/ Twitter.

The interview between Spacey and Carlson is littered with comments from both men that take aim at so-called traditional media and at their former networks. It doesn’t take much reading between the lines to see both are still extremely angry about what happened to them. Exactly where they go from here, however, is anyone’s guess. Spacey has dabbled a little bit in acting lately, but unless something major changes, he seems unlikely to have a major comeback in a big budget movie. Carlson reportedly got some offers from smaller networks after he was booted from Fox, but he chose to go his own route through Twitter. It seems unlikely a major network will approach him anytime soon with an offer. 

Over the last several decades, the critical view of television has changed from being a lesser, more mass produced art form, not on the level of movies, to being the place for some of the most creative and progressive content being produced. Much of that collective reappraisal is due to HBO. In the late '90s and early 2000s, the premium cable company poured money into original productions like The Sopranos, Sex And The City, The Wire, Six Feet Under and more. 

As the awards, critical praise, positive fan feedback and subscriptions poured in, more TV networks started taking chances on difficult and complicated subject matter and shelling out to attract major stars. HBO still remains arguably the most famous and successful prestige TV network, but over the last few decades, tons of other networks have taken their chances with riskier and complicated shows. Many of those chances have paid off too.

Here’s a look at some really famous and really successful prestige TV shows that didn’t air on HBO but likely took some level of inspiration from the path the network blazed.

House Of Cards (Netflix)

Few shows in the history of television have upended the entire industry more than House Of Cards. The political drama was the first major original production from Netflix, and the reviews were overwhelmingly positive. Emmy nominations in all the major categories helped create a ton of word of mouth, and within a few years, Netflix’s long-term strategy shifted from a focus on acquiring content to a focus on producing content. 

Downton Abbey (ITV/ PBS)

Every awards voter knows period piece family dramas set among the aristocracy can be major contenders for awards, but Downton Abbey proved just how popular they can be with a broad audience too. The sprawling historical drama found huge popularity in both Britain and The United States, ultimately producing six seasons and multiple movies, and yes, of course, it won plenty of awards too.

The Americans (FX)

One of my personal favorite shows on this entire list, The Americans was a bit of a slow build. Its first season got very solid ratings and a few nominations, but within a few seasons, the spy drama about a Russian family pretending to be Americans was attracting huge Metacritic scores and picking up Emmy nominations in all the major categories for both the show itself and its brilliant lead actors Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys. 

Breaking Bad (AMC)

Widely considered to be one of the greatest shows of all-time, Breaking Bad may not have been on premium cable, but its subject matter was every bit as uncomfortable and morally complicated as anything found elsewhere. By the end of its incredible five-season run, the show had won two Emmys for Outstanding Drama, as well as acting Emmys for three of its primary actors and nominations for two more. 

The Good Wife (CBS)

Prestige TV shows typically have shorter seasons. Maintaining the highest quality over ten episodes is a lot easier than doing it over the twenty-plus network TV typically requires, but The Good Wife was able to maintain high quality thanks to really tight scripts that perfectly blended courtroom case-of-the-week style procedural elements with real character development. Great acting performances also helped, as its actors were collectively nominated an astounding thirty times at The Emmys over just six seasons.

Justified (FX)

Prestige TV shows are most often classified by the number of awards they won, but sometimes it’s about elevating a genre and having an original vision. That’s the case with Justified. It had eight Emmy nominations (and two wins for Margo Martindale and Jeremy Davies), but it’s here mostly because of how much life and originality it brought to the crime genre. It slowly evolved past being a procedural and into a carefully plotted linear story featuring a holler of fascinating backwoods personalities.

Orange Is The New Black (Netflix)

Whether awards voters were asked to call it a comedy or a drama, Orange Is The New Black found a very large and very passionate fanbase with its unique blend of prison shenanigans and societal commentary. It also helped prove Netflix was going to be a long-term threat for prestige television awards long after House Of Cards was gone.

The Great (Hulu)

The Great is maybe the most outlandish show I have ever watched and this comes from someone that’s watched Twin Peaks multiple times. There was no line this show wouldn’t cross, but with a filthy wit, it was able to ride the line between stupid and clever and rewrite the history of Catherine The Great And Peter III’s relationship in a really fascinating way. Reviews were great, and by the end, the lead actors were getting recognized for huge awards.

Lost (ABC)

I’m not sure there will be a single entry on this list that’s more divisive than Lost. The show, which Wikipedia calls a science fiction adventure drama, lost the patience of a percentage of its audience by the end, but it’s impossible to deny just how hooked millions were there for awhile. And with good reason. It got fifty-four Emmy nominations during its run and many are still discovering its joys on streaming.

30 Rock (NBC)

The bar is a lot higher for a comedy to be considered Prestige television, but there are few comedies in the history of television more praised and widely respected than 30 Rock. The hysterical take on the backstage politics behind making a TV show won Outstanding Comedy at the Emmys three times and in later seasons, attracted some of the biggest stars in the world for multi-episode guest spots.

Mad Men (AMC)

Apart from the fact that it’s utterly fantastic, Mad Men is one of the most important TV shows of the last few decades because it conclusively proved literally any network had the ability to create one of the buzziest, most acclaimed series on television, including AMC which launched Mad Men as its first original program. It also turned Jon Hamm into a huge star, and shined a light on many members of its talented supporting cast.

Dexter (Showtime)

Yeah, I know Dexter was inconsistent during its run, but man, was that Dark Passenger fun to ride around with when it was good. Showtime’s drama about a serial killer who tried to live by a moral code netted its primary actor, Michael C Hall, five well-earned Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead and netted terrific vet John Lithgow a guest star Emmy win for his terrifying work in Season 4. 

Homeland (Showtime)

Homeland didn’t have quite the universal acclaim in its later seasons, but there aren’t many shows in TV history that could match the universal acclaim of its early seasons. Its terrific first season won Outstanding Drama at The Emmys, as well as statues for its two lead actors Claire Danes and Damian Lewis. Altogether, it’s probably the most talked about and acclaimed series in Showtime history, and that’s huge praise given what else has been on that network.

The West Wing (NBC)

The West Wing is perhaps a little more inside the box and network TV-ish than a lot of other entries on this list, but to me, that’s part of its appeal. It’s well put together enough to consistently provide payoff moments, but it’s good enough at what it’s doing that the formula rarely gets in the way. Voters agreed, as it nominated the show for an astounding ninety-eight Emmys.

Ted Lasso (Apple+)

At its absolute best, Ted Lasso, the show but also, the person, has a way of making you feel so unreservedly happy. Before you realize it, you’re rooting for these characters more passionately and with more love in your heart than you ever knew was possible for a TV show. Critics, fans and awards voters all agreed too, as for awhile there, Ted Lasso became the most talked about thing on streaming.

Weeds (Showtime)

Given it ran for eight seasons, Weeds is far from the most nominated show on this list. Some of its actors did well at The Emmys, but what’s really important long-term about the drug dealing dramedy is how it turned what could have been a goofy, throwaway premise of suburban mom turned drug dealer into sharply written material that explored many different emotions and tones. It was never content to remain the same, which is the opposite of what many comedies want.

Grey's Anatomy (ABC)

This choice for sure is picking up some eyerolls, but people forget how freakin’ good Grey’s Anatomy was during its first handful of seasons. It earned multiple Outstanding Drama nominations, and many of its actors, most prominently Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson, were nominated for their performances. Its third season premiere was also watched live by more than twenty-five million people, which was a huge number at the time, especially for a critical darling.

24 (FOX)

24’s unconventional format of having episodes correspond to specific hours was a masterstroke, given the high pressure intensity of its subject matter. It was also able to really push the line with network television but more in the way of aggression and physical violence. It felt dangerous at the time, and decades later, that ever-present ferocity still comes through. It was consistently rewarded by critics and awards voters too in a way you almost never see for something this action-packed.

Modern Family (ABC)

Modern Family works so well because it’s really good at many different types of comedy. It has an overarching tone, sure, but because it brings together multiple generations, as well as many varied characters, it mines a lot of different subject matter for humor. That allows the show to feel fresh and keep from getting repetitive for longer than most comedies. Its wild range is probably best exemplified by the show somehow getting a combined six nominations in the Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress Emmy categories in the same year.

Better Call Saul (AMC)

There aren’t many spinoff shows in the history of television that pick right up where the original left off in terms of quality. Better Call Saul is a rare exception, which is positively insane given the original quality it needed to aspire to was maybe the greatest show ever in Breaking Bad. Fortunately, Bob Odenkirk is an absolute delight to watch, and Better Call Saul was able to give many of Breaking Bad’s greatest side characters more chances to shine.

Schitt's Creek (CBC)

If you want to know how beloved Schitt’s Creek was when it went off the air, especially among awards voters, look no further than the acting nominations it got during its last run at The Emmys. It somehow netted nine nominations just in the on-screen performance categories. It was a great final moment for a show that was often able to feel like both the best parts of a sitcom and the best parts of a linear dramedy at the same time.

Mr. Robot (USA)

Over the course of four critically acclaimed seasons, Mr. Robot built up a passionate fanbase who loved the dynamic between Rami Malek and Christian Slater, as well as the score and pace of the series. Starting mostly with its second season, it was also honored quite a bit by various award shows, including The Emmys, which gave Malek the Best Lead Actor award, along with nominating the show itself, guest actor BD Wong and more. 

Rescue Me (FX)

A show on FX about firefighters starring stand-up comedian Dennis Leary probably wouldn’t strike most people as a future Emmy winner and critical darling, but Rescue Me was never afraid of tackling more complicated material. That willingness to explore tougher subject matter attracted audiences, as well as high profile guest stars including Michael J Fox who picked up an Emmy for his contributions. 

This Is Us (NBC)

This is Us was so popular during its first few seasons that NBC gave it the post Super Bowl slot. The show took full advantage and aired a Super Bowl-themed episode that many consider to be one of the best of This Is Us’ entire run. It’s a perfect example of how the show, at its best, weaves together the type of complicated subject matter Emmy voters go for, while remaining broad enough to satisfy a massive audience. The actors in particularly were consistently hit with nominations, especially Sterling K Brown who was recognized by The Emmys five times.

The Crown (Netflix)

Typically when a show connects with a large audience, critics and awards voters, those behind the scenes do everything they can to keep the magic going with the original cast. Not The Crown. Rather than focus on a narrow window, the show hurtled forward, picking up new leads and new characters every few seasons, while somehow still maintaining enough quality to connect with Emmy voters and please its legion of fans.

The L Word (Showtime)

The L Word was never as enticing to awards voters as it should have been, though Ossie Davis did notably win an Emmy for Guest Actor, but its popularity and effect on prestige TV’s willingness to tackle LGBT+ subject matter cannot be overstated. Over the course of six seasons, the show tackled a wide variety of subjects and built a rich, complicated world of interconnected characters for its fanbase to root for and sometimes get mad at. 

Fargo (FX)

Taking spiritual inspiration from The Coen Brothers’ movie of the same name, no one was quite sure what to expect when Fargo premiered back in 2014, but the result was a fantastic crime narrative that was entirely different, yet oddly similar to the pace of the original film. Critics were overwhelmingly hot and loads of major nominations followed, especially for the actors. Subsequent seasons went in very different directions, but the basic spirit and popularity with awards voters remained. 

The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)

House Of Cards may have been the first streaming show to get significant critical acclaim and awards nominations, but The Handmaid’s Tale is actually the first one to win Best Drama at The Emmys. The unnerving and often disturbing adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel is a tough watch but can be so rewarding, as millions of viewers found out. Its first few seasons in particular were showered with praise and numerous nominations for both the show itself and its brilliant cast.

Arrested Development (FOX/ Netflix)

Has a comedy ever used a narrator better than Arrested Development? The well-written and often deeply weird comedy never attracted the biggest audience, but it was a huge hit with its fanbase and critics, who adored the complicated relationships between its characters and their ridiculous recurring jokes and plots. By the end of its short run, it won Best Comedy and Best Writing at The Emmys and saw four of its cast members nominated in acting categories.

Ozark (Netflix)

It took a little time for enough awards voters to give Ozark a chance, as the first season mainly only saw wide praise for Jason Bateman’s work, but once voters gave it a chance, the nominations started flying in. The show’s last three seasons were all nominated for Best Drama at The Emmys and Julia Garner won multiple times in the supporting category for her incredible work. New fans also keep discovering the show and taking to social media, where the hype train continues, despite not being on the air anymore.

Killing Eve (BBC Three/ BBC America)

There’s no shortage of fans and critics with opinions about Killing Eve's divisive final season, but the first two, in particular, remain beloved by pretty much everyone. Not surprisingly, perennial awards contender Sandra Oh got four Emmy noms for her work on the show, but voters also flipped for Jodie Comer, who got nominated three times and took home a win. Not bad for a spy thriller that wasn’t initially seen by some as a prestige project.

Pose (FX)

The loudest support for Pose came from those who couldn’t get enough of Billy Porter’s fantastic lead performance. He was repeatedly nominated and picked up an Emmy win during the show’s run, but there was also a lot of acclaim for individual seasons themselves too, as Ryan Murphy’s exploration of New York City’s LGBT+ subculture gave an opportunity for so many talented supporting actors to have their moment. 

All-time great shows like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and The Simpsons have introduced viewers to some of the greatest TV characters that have entertained us over the years. But there have been times where those beloved heroes (and some villains) were unexpectedly killed off, leaving those at home shocked and worried about how storylines would carry on.

Well, here are 30+ examples of TV shows that killed off a fan-favorite characters and how things shook out for the series following the big moment (or moments).

The Walking Dead (Multiple Characters)

One of the most popular shows of the past decade, The Walking Dead, has introduced its fair share of beloved characters, who eventually met their demises. Whether it’s Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun), Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) or any number of others, the drama series always found a way to move forward, even if some of us never got over those heartbreaking deaths.

The Wire (Omar Little)

Omar Little, played by the late Michael K. Williams, was one of the most unforgettable, and beloved, characters on The Wire. He also had a shocking yet very on-brand death. The Robin Hood of Baltimore was killed not by one of his rivals or a police officer near the end of the show’s final season, but by a young boy in a convenience store. His place in the “Charm City” ecosystem was picked up by Michael Lee (Tristan Wilds) in the series finale.

Game Of Thrones (Multiple Characters)

There were all kinds of gruesome Game of Thrones deaths over the years, but some hit fans a lot harder than others. But with the beheading of Ned Stark, the Red Wedding and even the ambush of John Snow, the popular fantasy series always kept the momentum going within its stories. Well, until the show lost its way in later seasons.

Dexter (Rita Morgan)

Is there a TV death more shocking than that of Rita Morgan (Julie Benz) in the Dexter Season 4 finale? Just when Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) thought he defeated the Trinity Killer (John Lithgow), he came home to find that his wife was murdered in their bathtub. Some would argue that this moment was the peak of the series and that it was never really the same afterwards.

Downton Abbey (Matthew Crawley)

The untimely death of Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens) on Downton Abbey had a major impact throughout the rest of the series (and its two movie sequels). A character who was most effected by arguably Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery). Years after that turn of events, Steven has still been apologizing to fans who never really got over his character’s passing.

Lost (Charlie Pace)

There are probably a ton of Lost fans who will agree that Charlie Pace's (Dominic Monaghan) drowning during the third season was the show’s most traumatizing death. The beloved character was a major staple of the mystery thriller’s early days and was sorely missed by Henry Ian Cusick and more after that fateful moment. The show moved on, but Charlie’s absence could still be felt through the very end.

Sons of Anarchy (Multiple Characters)

Sons of Anarchy featured a lot of major character deaths over the years. However, few, if any, come close to sacrifice of Opie Winston (Ryan Hurst), who was in prison during the show’s fourth season when it happened. Several more seasons followed, but his longtime best friend Jax Teller (Charlie Dunnam) never really got over it -- and neither did we.

This Is Us (Jack Pearson)

After teasing it for some time, This Is Us finally showed the death of Jack Pearson (Milo Ventimiglia) in 2018 amid the second season. Though he survived the fire many thought would claim his life, the Pearson family patriarch passed away from heart failure shortly after. However, due to the show’s use of flashbacks, fans were still able to see the character until the series finale in 2022.

South Park (Chef)

After nearly a decade as Carman, Kyle, Stan, and Kenny’s most trusted adult on South Park, Chef was killed off in over-the-top fashion in 2006. The decision to take out the fan-favorite character came after Isaac Hayes, or someone from his camp, quit the show for its attacks on Scientology. Though various versions of Chef have appeared in specials and video games since then, the OG's presence within the franchise moving forward was essentially non-existent.

Grey's Anatomy (Dr. Derek Shepherd)

Grey’s Anatomy is a medical drama that pretty much deals with death on a weekly basis, but the passing of Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) in the show’s 11th season was tragic, to say the least. The impact of McDreamy’s fatal accident was felt for years, and Shepherd eventually returned when wife Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) having visions of him years later.

Two and a Half Men (Charlie Harper)

After nearly a decade on the incredibly popular sitcom Two and a Half Men, Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) was killed off after the actor who portrayed him was fired in 2011. Ashton Kutcher was brought in for the show’s ninth season, and that positive turnaround can be attributed to a CBS exec. Charlie (the character played by a double) would reappear briefly in the show’s final season before being killed off again.

ER (Mark Greene)

The early seasons of the hit ‘90s medical drama ER were headlined by Anthony Edwards and George Clooney as Mark Greene and Doug Ross, respectively. Though Ross resigned from Cook County General Hospital and started anew in Seattle, Greene wasn’t as fortunate, as he died of brain cancer. Edwards later reprised the role in flashbacks during the show’s final season.

Breaking Bad (Hank Schrader)

Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) spent the vast majority of Breaking Bad being a thorn in the side of his brother-in-law, Walter White (Brian Cranston). The DEA agent eventually died near the end of Season 5 as a result of the criminal mastermind's actions up to that point. But he would get the last laugh from the beyond the grave, as Hank’s murder helped expose Walt’s actions to the world.

8 Simple Rules (Paul Hennessy)

Paul Hennessy was the main character on the ABC sitcom 8 Simple Rules, but the father of three had to be written off after John Ritter, the actor who played him, died suddenly in September 2003. The death of the family patriarch would be a major topic throughout the show’s final two seasons before it was canceled in 2005.

Six Feet Under (Nate Fisher)

The critically acclaimed HBO drama series Six Feet Under dealt with death more so than pretty much any show on the network, mostly due to it being set in a funeral home. However, imagine fans' shock when the show’s main character, Nate Fisher (Peter Krause), died in the fifth and final season. Following the wild death/fantasy sequence, the final episodes were spent following the Fisher family as they dealt with Nate’s passing.

House of Cards (Zoe Barnes)

The House of Cards cast had change-ups throughout the Netflix series’ run, but one of the most shocking was that of Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) in the Season 2 opener at the hands of Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey). She would later return as a hallucination, along with Peter Russo (Corey Stall), another one of Underwood’s victims.

The O.C. (Marissa Cooper)

The O.C., a hit from the early 2000s, had all kinds of drama going on throughout its run. Yet one of the most harrowing moments was the death of Marissa Cooper, Micha Barton’s popular character, in the third season. The teen drama would continue for one more year before coming to an end in early 2007.

Homeland (Nicholas Brody)

Homeland's Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) was a character who kept fans guessing when it came to his morals, but he was still one of the most popular characters on the spy series. He died relatively early in the show’s eight-season run, as he was executed in the Season 3 finale. Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) would carry the loss with her for the remainder of the series, in more ways than one.

The Conners/Roseanne (Roseanne Conner)

Not long after Roseanne was brought back in 2018, the show’s star, Roseanne Barr, made inflammatory comments, leading ABC to quickly cancel the show. When the sequel/spinoff series, The Conners, came out later that year, the family matriarch was dead and buried (with Barr herself spoiling the character's fate). The sitcom, which features John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Lecy Goranson, and other stars, is still on the air.

Charmed (Prue Halliwell)

After being a fixture of the Charmed cast during its first three seasons, Shannen Doherty stepped away from the hit series, resulting in the death of her character, Prue Halliwell. Prue was eventually replaced by her long-lost younger half-sister, Paige Matthews (Rose McGowan), who would remain on the show until its completion.

Stranger Things (Bob Newby)

There have been several major Stranger Things character deaths over the years, but one that still stings after all this time is Bob Newby (Sean Astin), who died in the show’s second season. Though our time with Bob was brief, his charm and sacrifice, sticks with characters on the show and the millions who eagerly await new episodes. (Eddie Munson’s Season 4 swan song is another great option.)

And Just Like That (Mr. Big)

And Just Like That…, the sequel series to HBO’s landmark dramedy Sex and the City, started off with quite a bang. Its premiere featured the death of Mr. Big (Chris Noth), a shocking twist few saw coming. The death of Carrie Bradshaw’s (Sarah Jessica Parker) husband was integral to shaping the show’s first season, and the impact could still be felt in the sophomore chapter.

M*A*S*H (Henry Blake)

Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) was a major part of the first three seasons of M*A*S*H and one of the most popular characters in the large ensemble cast. But the character would only make it partway through the show’s 11-season run, as he died in a plane crash after being discharged. Colonel Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan) would then come in and take up the spot as the commanding officer.

Veronica Mars (Logan Echolls)

One of the major aspects of Veronica Mars was the complicated relationship between Veronica and Logan Echols throughout the show’s run. However, that subplot came to an abrupt end when Logan, played by Jason Dohring, was killed off in an explosion. Kristen Bell’s character would mourn the loss but would eventually push on and take her crime-solving skills nationwide.

The Simpsons (Maude Flanders)

Maude Flanders, the wife of Ned Flanders and neighbor of Homer Simpson on The Simpsons, had one of the most random and strangest cartoon deaths. As crazy as it sounds, she was knocked off the grandstand by a t-shirt cannon at a racing event. The death would affect Ned in some morbidly funny ways and was later referenced in the 2022 “Treehouse of Horror” special. 

Misfits (Alisha Daniels)

Alisha Daniels (Antonia Thomas) was important to the early phase of Misfits, but her story came to an abrupt, and tragic, end when her throat was slashed amid the show’s third season. Her sudden passing would have a tremendous impact on boyfriend Simon Bellamy (Iwawn Rheon), who would go on to become the masked vigilante Superhoodie.

House M.D. (Lawrence Kutner)

Lawrence Kutner was only part of House for a short while, but he quickly became a popular character, thanks in part to Kal Penn’s multi-faceted performance. However, the character ended up committing suicide in Season 5, and his death would leave Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) feeling out of sorts.

Parenthood (Zeek Braverman)

January 2015 saw the airing of Parenthood's bittersweet series finale, which ended its six-season run. The episode most notably featured the death of family patriarch Zeek Braverman (Craig T. Nelson). The passing of the beloved character was a major part of the final episode, as his family (and fans watching at home) said their goodbyes.

All in the Family/Archie Bunker's Place (Edith Bunker)

After sitting beside her cantankerous husband for nine seasons and 200+ episodes on All in the Family, Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) passed away between the first and second seasons of the continuation series, Archie Bunker’s Place. After a short mourning period, Archie (Carroll O’Connor) moved on and continued to run his bar and date again.

Ally McBeal (Billy Thomas)

Billy Thomas (Gil Bellows) was a major part of Ally McBeal, and his dating history and up-and-down relationship with Calista Flockhart’s titular character was one of the major storylines throughout the legal dramedy series. His death in the show’s third season would leave a mark on Ally, who carried his memories with her.

Luther (Justin Ripley)

DS Justin Ripley (Warren Brown) played a major part in the early goings of the BBC crime drama Luther, after being introduced as DCI John Luther’s (Idris Elba) young partner. His tragic death in the show’s third season would become another emotional wound that the lead character would carry with him for the rest of the series.

Barry (Janice Moss)

Janice Moss (Paula Newsome) was only around for the first chapter of Barry, but her death in Season 1 finale of the HBO crime dramedy greatly impacted Bill Hader’s eponymous character as well as Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler). One of Barry’s many victims, this one always seemed to stick with the guilt-riddled assassin.

The Goldbergs (Albert 'Pops' Solomon)

Following George Segal’s death in March 2021, The Goldbergs's creative team decided to kill off his beloved character, Albert “Pops” Solomon. It was established that the family patriarch passed away in his sleep, and the character (and his portrayer) received a perfect goodbye in the Season 9 premiere.

These are just 30+ deaths of fan-favorite characters that have impacted viewers in some way over the years, as the list had to be cut off somewhere. Each of these beloved characters may be gone, but they’ll certainly never be forgotten.

I'm a massive fan of television. It started when I was young and watched hours of Disney Channel shows, but of course, it has now expanded into the world of adult television through several different genres – drama, comedy, horror, you name it, and I've probably watched it. I had to do something while at home when the pandemic had us confined to our homes. 

But in my time watching show after show, various options started out fantastic. They had excellent plots, brilliant storytelling, and great acting, then slowly dwindled. From terrible, horrible TV show endings or shows that dipped in quality over time, here are 30+ great shows that lost their way by the end. 

The Walking Dead

Do you want to hear a fun fact about myself? I watched The Walking Dead until the bitter end, and the emotional Walking Dead finale made me cry a ton. But man, it definitely could have been better. 

The Walking Dead started hot when it first aired and had a pretty steady and brilliantly told storyline until about Season 6, and then when Andrew Lincoln ended up leaving, it all started to tumble down the weeds. 

While we have a good amount of fan favorites coming back for The Walking Dead universe shows, it never quite picked itself up after that when the show was one the series to be watching. 

Lost 

Lost is known now for its awful finale, but truthfully, the entirety of the series had a downfall slump. The main reason is that it was literally consumed by all the mysteries that needed to be solved by the end of the series, and somehow, the show 'lost' itself that way. And, of course, we don't even need to talk about the horrible ending. I hadn't even watched the show then; it was all I heard about for weeks. 

Riverdale 

I remember writing long ago that I had plenty of issues with Riverdale, but I never expected it to turn into the off-brand MCU because that's exactly what happened somehow and they all had powers. And then, in the last season, the main group went back in time somehow. What the heck? What happened? 

This hit CW show started so good with the murder mystery, and then it just tumbled completely.

Game Of Thrones

So I'll be honest here and say that I have rewatched Game of Thrones, and plenty of it still holds up, but you can tell it starts to dip in quality at the very beginning of Season 7 – maybe even Season 6, though I did love "Battle of the Bastards."

Even so, the Game of Thrones ending is pretty much considered one of the worst of the 2010s, and as a hardcore Daenerys supporter, I fully stand by that. They did my girl – and almost all of these characters – dirty. 

The Office

The Office is another clear-cut example of when a main character leaves, the show starts to fall apart. The hit sitcom did try to pick itself up after Steve Carell left in Season 7, but it never reached the heights of where it once was. I was glad we saw him for the finale, but it never felt the same.

Heroes

The first season of any show is crucial, and Heroes had one of the best, featuring the story of ordinary people who discover they have superhuman abilities. This was the superhero show before all the MCU shows started to take over. 

But then Season 2 came along, and this show went downhill fast. It was just horrendously bad, and I, for one, struggled to get through the rest of the seasons after that. 

Westworld

Westworld had everything going for it: a fantastic idea, an excellent Westworld cast, and, the best yet, the funding of HBO to truly take this world into the new age. 

But then both Season 2 and Season 3 happened, and the plot got so convoluted I could barely keep up with it, and all the characters I once loved, I  ended up hating. And then the fourth season came and it’s just so different from what we were given. Unsurprisingly, it was canceled after the fourth season when backlash started to grow more and reviews went down.

That '70s Show 

I don't know what it is about Season 7 and some sitcoms, but that was the case for That '70s Show, when Topher Grace, who played Eric Foreman, left the show. And, of course, it never recovered. I don't care if he did appear in That '90s Show; it just doesn't feel the same. 

How I Met Your Mother

I don't need to get into this. How I Met Your Mother was great, from the fantastic cast to the comedy to Barney and his jokes, but the intensely divisive ending ruined everything. It just did. I can't return to the series and only recommend finishing it to some.

Weeds 

Weeds is a black comedy that ran for several seasons on Showtime and tells the story of a widowed mother who starts selling marijuana to support her family. And while the first few seasons were great, the rest were very different. It felt like another show in its later seasons, and by the end (102 episodes), the plot didn't feel remotely similar to how it was in the first season. 

Glee

There is so much to like about Glee. The Glee cast is incredibly talented, and the best Glee covers still top my playlists, but the story took a nosedive after Season 3. Both Season 1 and Season 2 were great, and Season 3 was alright but still enjoyable, but Season 4-6 was just an utter catastrophe of a story that was only saved by some of the brilliant voices on that show. Other than that, it can stay locked away at McKinley High. 

Supernatural

Supernatural was an excellent fantasy series about two brothers hunting down demons, ghosts, and monsters. And I did enjoy this series until the end, but it certainly was not the same show from the beginning. Many plot points needed to be clarified, and there was plenty of fan service, so as much as I like my spooky boys, it didn't need to be like this. 

The Big Bang Theory 

So I'll fully say that The Big Bang Theory is a great show, but this is another case where it feels that the last few seasons were there just for the money. There was no impressive story to be told, and the characters experienced little growth. It was just a dive into obscurity.

Pretty Little Liars

Pretty Little Liars was just an unnecessary drag. Again, a murder mystery is always good, but when the puzzle doesn't make sense towards the end, it makes the show that much harder to follow. And not only that, but the main characters weren't still in high school by the end. They were in college and out in the working world – this should have been just a high school story. 

Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl should have just ended after a few seasons, but it went on because it was the biggest show ever at the time. The series was fun until the later seasons, where the reveal of who Gossip Girl is was utterly disappointing and nonsensical. Not only that, but the finale – and final season overall – felt rushed. 

Two And A Half Men

Fun fact – I just binge-watched all of Two and a Half Men not long ago and I enjoyed it – until about Season 10. 

Charlie Sheen did bring a certain vibe to the show that Ashton Kutcher couldn't, but he did keep the show going for about two seasons before it started to fall apart more than it already had. 

Euphoria 

Okay, so Euphoria technically is still ongoing. However, I'm still determining if we'll even get Season 3 ever since the tragic passing of Angus Cloud. I'd be fine if it ends with two seasons. 

The first season of Euphoria was great television, but the second was so out there and had so many plot points that didn't make sense. The acting was the only thing that saved it because that's always great. But other than that? There's little to love about Season 2. Some things were improved, but others weren't. 

Gilmore Girls

We all like to turn on Gilmore Girls when the fall comes around, but have we forgotten that the ending is terrible? And that Rory's character is utterly destroyed by the end of it? Yeah, I thought so – and the revival didn't do an excellent job of making it any better. 

Killing Eve

The first two seasons of Killing Eve were brilliant, and I loved watching this cat-and-mouse game. But then the next two seasons' plots fell apart entirely, and it led to characters that really shouldn't have been featured getting the spotlight, followed by an ending that fans are not super happy with. 

13 Reasons Why

I liked 13 Reasons Why during its first season because it told a bold message about the effects of bullying and words. But this show should have remained just a miniseries because the seasons that followed were unnecessary and ultimately dissolve the point of the first season when they somehow try to redeem Bryce (the assaulter). 

Scrubs 

Scrubs ran for nine seasons and took the world by storm with its medical comedy mixed with drama. Plus, viewers got to know Dave Franco for the first time. But the later seasons feel like messy attempts to try and make funny jokes that do not land and a story that is not there at all. 

Suits 

I know Suits was wildly popular on Netflix in August 2023, but the series is just ok to me compared to many other great legal dramas. Don't get me wrong, the first few seasons are great television, but as the show goes on and the cases become stranger and more unique, it's different from the show it originally was. 

Bones

Twelve seasons happened for Bones, and the show was alright, but everything was dragged out so long that by the time there was a payoff, there were barely any more fans to care as much. And not only that, but the story would become more convoluted as time passed. I won't spoil anything, but it's a hard watch for later seasons. 

Community 

Okay, hear me out; I love this show and the Community cast, but let's be honest: Seasons 4, 5 and 6 were not the best. Both Season 4 and 5 were bad, and while Season 6 was getting a little better, it was nowhere near as good as the first three seasons of this show. I'm hoping that the Community movie will bring that level of comedy back.

Money Heist 

The thing about Money Heist is that it was so much fun at first. Was it over the top? Yes, totally, but that's what made it fun to watch. But then, as the series went on, it just got ridiculous with its story, and nothing made sense.

Once Upon A Time

Admittedly, I was a big Once Upon a Time fan because I loved Disney movies, but by the time this show ended, it felt like a Disney cash grab using the most famous names from their list of princesses and characters to make a buck. Elsa somehow even made it into this show. The story didn't mean anything anymore.  

True Blood

I put this on here because I know how badly my mother and father hated the ending of True Blood, and I decided to watch it. Not only did the series' narrative completely fall apart by the finale, but the characters were making choices and decisions that didn't align with what the story had set up for years before. Nothing made sense. 

Dexter

I enjoyed watching Dexter for the first time, and I actually say Dexter is worth re-watching, but I can see why most people don't watch it after Season 5 nowadays. The story certainly takes a dip in quality, and the ending is only for some and is controversial for a reason. I do think Dexter: New Blood made up for it a bit. 

Shameless

Shameless was my favorite TV show, but after Emmy Rossum left, it was always different. The Gallagher family dynamic fell apart, and nothing ever flowed as well. Rossum wasn't even there for the finale, making it feel even more incomplete. 

The Vampire Diaries

Do I even need to get into this? The Vampire Diaries died when Nina Dobrev left, and the story fell apart. I don't care what spinoffs there are; you can't make me watch them. 

Modern Family

Don't even get me started on Haley in this show or any of the choices these characters make at the end of Modern Family that make me want to rip my hair out. I will go on for hours. This show was so good until it wasn't, and it drove me mad. 

House Of Cards

House of Cards was a brilliant drama on Netflix, but of course, the central star, Kevin Spacey, faced several allegations of sexual misconduct, so it had to shift course – and from there, it just fell apart. It should have been canceled once Kevin Spacey. 

All of these shows are worthy of a single watch, but maybe not a rewatch. There is plenty of great drama here, but I can also live without it. Either way, I'll go check out Breaking Bad for the umpteenth time – that'll never let me down. 

Having a long-running TV show is a tricky thing. Namely because quality can ebb and flow depending on the season, for even the most acclaimed projects. Most shows have at least one clunker of a year, whether it be in the beginning of the series, the final season, or somewhere in between. And I've picked the worst season from 32 major television shows. Let's break it all down.

To be clear: this isn't to say that these seasons are unwatchable or made me dislike the show at a whole. Well... mostly. But these are the installments of major shows that simply didn't stand up to the rest of its run. Here are those shows, including major titles like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and more. 

Lost - Season 6

Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams' Lost was quintessential water cooler programming at the height of its run on ABC. But there were a few seasons that failed to really resonate with fans, including Season 6. The final season's big mystery was surrounding its flash sideways, which was finally revealed in Lost's controversial series finale. And it's for the way that it attempted to stick the landing that makes Season 6 the worst.

Dexter Season 8

There are a number of final seasons on this list, as it's fairly common for long-running shows to decline in quality as the years go on. Dexter was definitely in that category, with Season 8 offering a less than satisfying antagonist for Michael C. Hall's title character to face off against. Dexter's finale is also widely panned, so much so that a new season New Blood was produced to give the killer protagonist a better sendoff. And yes I'm still mad about Deb's fate.

Gilmore Girls - Season 6

Gilmore Girls has a wildly popular fandom, who re-watched the original series annually. But there are some parts of the show that remain controversial, perhaps the biggest of which is Season 6. In it there's a huge block of episodes where Rory and Lorelai are not speaking. And it's really not the same show without the titular Gilmore Girls snacking and dropping pop culture references. While Season 7 feels off because it was done without Amy Sherman-Palladino, the feud between protagonists puts Season 6 at the bottom of the list for me. As someone who watched the show live, those months of weekly episodes was especially painful. 

Grey's Anatomy Season 17

For a show to run as long as Grey's Anatomy has, there's going to be some ups and down in terms of quality. There are a number of season that don't work for the fandom, but for me the worst has got to be Season 17 aka the Covid season. Grey's incorporated the pandemic in real time into its main narrative for the season, with actors wearing masks and face shields in scenes to make the set a safe space. The results were awkward, and Meredith spent most of the season in a Covid related coma. While Grey's brought back McDreamy, George, Lexi, and Sloan during Meredith's beach scenes, I still would have preferred to see her involved in the show's main plot. 

Weeds Season 6

Showtime's dramedy Weeds began with an intriguing premise: a widower in the suburbs starts selling marijuana in her affluent neighborhood to provide for the family. But as the show went on the stakes kept getting higher and higher for Mary-Louise Parker's protagonist Nancy. Season 6 saw the Botwin family on the run, hiding from the Esteban. While it was fun to see the Weeds cast in new situations, it ultimately ends up being a season without too much substance. And the gag of their road trip from hell got old after a while. 

The Office - Season 1

While there are plenty of shows with disappointing final seasons, there are also some that struggled to find their footing with early episodes. The US version of The Office is in that category, and it was unclear if Season 2 was even going to happen. Following the first season's performance, The Office made Steve Carell's Michael Scott more likable, with his issues coming from a deep need for approval. And once we understood how Michael ticked, his bonkers managerial choices became endearing rather than enraging. And now its one of the most popular network comedies of all time. 

Game of Thrones - Season 8

Anyone who watched HBO's megahit fantasy series Game of Thrones probably could have guessed which season I was going to include on this list. The eighth and final season stood out among the rest for its strange pacing, and for delivering long-awaited moments like the CleganeBowl. Unfortunately, the final few episodes took some bold jumps that fans didn't appreciate include Dany breaking bad. The series finale of Game of Thrones is still controversial to this day, although fans have returned to Westeros via the new prequel House of the Dragon. 

Roseanne - Season 9

Roseanne was a super successful comedy series in the '90s, running for a whopping nine seasons originally. Part of its appeal was because the Conners family was working class, and was therefore more relatable to typical TV audiences than other picture perfect sitcoms. Then Season 9 happened, with Roseanne and Dan winning the literal lottery. The whole season felt out of place as a result, including the wild Roseanne finale which basically undid everything we saw throughout its tenure on the small screen. Luckily that finale would end up being retconned when the show returned to the small screen and was given a spinoff with The Conners. 

The Walking Dead - Season 9

AMC's The Walking Dead was wildly popular throughout its first few seasons, but some fans ended up eventually losing interest and falling off. What's more, some quit the show after Negan brutally killed off Glenn. But for me the worst chapter in its run on AMC was Season 9. We all knew it was going to be Andrew Lincoln's last few episodes on the show, which seemed to really slow down its momentum. Eventually The Walking Dead would get better by becoming more of an ensemble project without Rick, but this transitional period was a low point for me. 

American Horror Story: Apocalypse

Ryan Murphy's anthology series American Horror Story is usually quite popular every October, but some of the seasons are stronger than others. There was a lot of hype surrounding Apocalypse ahead of its premiere, as it would serve as a crossover and feature the return of beloved characters from both Coven and Murder House. Unfortunately, the final result failed to live up to that premise, and instead felt like a bit of a jumbled mess. Considering how long fans like me waited to see the witches return to the screen, it was a letdown that final result left so much to be desired. 

Friends - Season 9

Friends is another insanely popular network comedy, one that was a complete sensation during its whopping ten seasons on the air. But some seasons were better than others, especially regarding its main plot line. Season 9 suffered because the show was originally going to end there, before negotiations were made to do the tenth and final season. And as such, the main storyline felt muddled and somewhat anticlimactic as a whole. Luckily the Friends finale would end up providing a great ending when it finally aired. 

Breaking Bad - Season 1

Breaking Bad is one of the most acclaimed TV shows to be on the air in years. It consistently performed well at the Emmys, and fans have applauded the final season as a whole, especially the Breaking Bad finale. But the show was also a bit of a slow burn at first. I personally had to try multiple times to get through the first season of Breaking Bad, before things started really heating up with the introduction of Giancarlo Esposito's Gus Fring. So Season 1 is at the bottom of my ranking for the story of Heisenberg. 

The Simpsons - Season 1

The Simpsons is a groundbreaking animated television show that has the honor of being the longest running American show on television. There's been plenty of discussion over the years about the quality of the series, which has gone through ups and downs during its decades on the air. And for me Season 1 was another example of a show that struggled to find its footing. Obviously the beloved series ended up hitting its stride, but I feel the OG episodes don't necessarily stand the test of time. 

Riverdale - Season 3

The CW had a hit on its hand with Riverdale, which served as a gritty adaptation of Archie Comics. The show's unique visual language made it fun to watch, and I'd typically binge watch a full season once it dropped on Netflix. But Season 3 saw the show take a wild turn. Rather than simply being a murder mystery, Riverdale began dealing with the supernatural for the first time. And there were some serious growing pains. Although we never could have known that Riverdale's finale would include a wild quad twist. 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Season 1

This one might be a controversial pick for fans of the show. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my favorite TV show of all time, and it's one that I often come back to throughout any given year. And while some fans don't like Season 6's dark tone, the show's first season is the weakest for me. During Season 1 Buffy functions much more like a procedural, rather than moving forward and overarching narrative. I personally think the show is best when Buffy's ensemble cast is all assembled, which doesn't happen until later seasons. Plus Season 1 just looks super dated.

Heroes - Season 2

Heroes was a huge hit when it debuted on NBC, with the show offering an original live-action superhero story. Unfortunately, the momentum of that show came to a screeching halt with the Writer's Strike of 2007-2008. Season 2 ends up rushed as a result, and failed to meet the expectations of the series. What's more, Heroes' sophomore season introduces a number of character we'd never see again. One can only imagine which shows will be similarly affected by the recent WGA strike.

Seinfeld - Season 8

Seinfeld is another comedy on this list that is pretty universally acclaimed. But that doesn't mean the iconic '90s sitcom didn't have a few low points throughout its run on TV. Season 8 was the first chapter Seinfeld without creator Larry David, and the difference was pretty obvious. Case in point: the show no longer opened up on Jerry performing a stand up set. 

True Blood - Season 7

True Blood arrived at the height of the early aughts vampire craze, and provided a R-rated take on the blood suckers. The show was violent and campy, and soon became a sensation. But like so many other popular shows, the Anna Paquin-led series failed to stick the landing with its final season on the air. True Blood's finale was generally panned, and the final season felt a bit messy as a whole. I mean, they killed Tara at the beginning of Season 7... offscreen. The disrespect!

Happy Days - Season 5

Happy Days had an impressively long run on the air, and made household names out of talents like Henry Winkler and Ron Howard. The show had a long impact on pop culture as a whole, especially its somewhat infamous fifth season. Season 5 featured Fonzie famously "jumping the shark", which has now become a term for when shows go too far and lose the audience.

New Girl - Season 5

New Girl had a long run on Fox, and has continued to have a life via streaming. But Season 5 failed to bring it the same way the rest of the show did. Namely because Zooey Deschanel was on maternity break, and the show was without its titular character. While Megan Fox's replacement character Regan was a great foil for Nick, the show just wasn't the same without Jess. 

House Of Cards - Season 6

When the streaming wars began, Netflix had some major wins with Orange is the New Black and House of Cards. The latter became a prestige drama, with a killer cast that helped people subscribe to Netflix for the first time. But the allegations against Kevin Spacey saw him removed from the show, and it never really recovered. House of Cards Season 6 killed Francis Underwood off camera, while Claire became the sole protagonist. While Robin Wright killed it, the final season just felt off, and the series finale failed to satisfy fans who stuck it out. 

Glee - Season 4

Glee became a sensation after its first season on Fox, and had a few years of being wildly popular. But its quality started to wane after its first few seasons on the air, and some folks fell off entirely. Season 4 was when things started to change for me, as it took a number of the biggest characters out of William McKinley High School. Kurt and Rachel became roommates in New York City, and it no longer felt like the same musical series that captured the attention of so many. 

Parks And Recreation - Season 1

Just like The Office before it, Parks and Recreation struggled a bit in its first season on the air. The mockumentary comedy was charming, but the cast of Parks & Rec weren't all taking center stage just yet. And Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope was originally criticized for being too close to Steve Carell's Michael Scott. But the show eventually found its footing, and remains popular and utterly meme-able. 

Shameless - Season 11

Like Grey's Anatomy, Shameless produced a season that was set at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. While incorporating mask use helped Season 11 be produced on time, it was a pretty distracting plot point. Overall, the final season failed to live up to what the Gallaghers were capable of. And the series finale felt more like a regular episode, leaving a number of unfinished plot points for the audience to ponder. 

Angel - Season 4

The popularity of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was so high that after three a seasons a spinoff was produced starring David Boreanaz's Angel. These two shows embraced serialized storytelling long before the MCU would make it commonplace. But Season 4 of Angel is my least favorite, despite some exciting Buffy crossovers. Cordelia Chase ends up possessed for a good chunk of episodes, which was a story that got old. And the writing around Angel's son Connor was downright abysmal, as he remains one of the most hated TV characters of all time. 

Community - Season 4

Community is the little show that could, with longtime fans watching as Six Seasons and a Movie came together against the odds. But that doesn't mean that all of its seasons were created equal. Case in point: Community Season 4 aka the Gas Leak Season. It was the first season without creator Dan Harmon, and had a number of gimmicks that failed to really resonate. 

The Handmaid's Tale - Season 5

The Handmaid's Tale is available with a Hulu subscription, and is a gripping and grueling adaptation of Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name. But the most reason installment to air, Season 5, didn't hit quite as hard as its predecessors. I think this is mostly because so many of the stories weren't actually set in Gilead, but in Canada. Add in the loss of Alexis Bledel's Emily, and the fifth season was my least favorite so far. 

That '70s Show - Season 8

That '70s Show made household names out of its cast of actors. But this level of adoration is why Season 8 ends up being the weakest link during its tenure on the air. The final season continued on without Topher Grace's Eric, and the absence of the show's protagonist was very noticeable. Especially when a new character was brought into the group in an attempt to replace him. Ashton Kutcher also left the show, which is why Season 8 is definitely at the bottom of the list.

Arrow - Season 6

The CW's DC superhero show Arrow is one that famously had ups and downs in relation to quality. Still, many fans consider Season 6 to be the worst entry of the bunch. In it we saw Team Arrow frustratingly get split up, and fans took umbrage with the show's plot and pacing. Luckily there were two more season of Arrow to help and satiate disappointed audiences. 

Felicity - Season 4

Felicity has a unique place in the grand history of network TV. After all, we'd never seen a haircut absolutely shake the entertainment industry as when Keri Russell cut off her signature locks back in Season 2. While the show started off as a teen drama, Season 4 ventured into new territory by introducing witchcraft and time travel into the equation. And while J.J. Abrams would prove his sci-fi skills in Star Trek and Star Wars, perhaps Season 4 of Felicity wasn't the right time.

How I Met Your Mother - Season 9

How I Met Your Mother had a seriously impressive run on CBS, with a whopping 9 seasons. The premise of the show meant that all the years of stories from the show's narrator would eventually reveal... how he met the kids' mother. That eventually happened with the entrance of Cristin Milioti. But fans took umbrage with the final season's handling of that plot line, as well as Robin and Barney's divorce. 

The West Wing - Season 5

The West Wing is TV history, and helped make Aaron Sorkin into a household name. But the show's fifth season on the air was a bit of a disappointment, namely because it was the first one without Sorkin at the helm. Overall the story felt a bit of a jumbled mess when compared to the previous installments, which were rather universally acclaimed.

As beloved as these series are, even the greatest of TV shows can have a weak season. 

By now, many of you have watched the new Showtime miniseries (limited series if we're acting all fancy) The Comey Rule and probably want to seek out other great politically-minded dramas (and comedies) now that you've done so. But with more streaming services than political ads on television leading up to a general election, trying to decide what to watch, and where to watch it, isn't always the easiest task.

And while we could follow through with the principles of our democracy and take votes on the best political movies and TV shows out there, it might be a whole easier to just name around 11 or so titles that one person thinks is best for the general audience. Call this an executive decision (or at least, a writer's decision) on the best streaming options for some of the most riveting political dramas (and comedies) out there.

The West Wing (Netflix)

Aaron Sorkin's long-running political drama The West Wing followed the lives of the politicians and staffers who worked (and sometimes slept) in the White House. Through good time and bad, the members of the Bartlet Administration proved time and time again that they were up to to task and could weather any storm.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: Like in The Comey Rule, the NBC drama series provided great detail about the inner-workings of government offices, including the White House. Despite similarities in the setting and types of characters featured, however, The West Wing does have a lighter and oftentimes calmer tone than the Showtime series.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Recount (HBO Max)

Anyone who remembers the 2000 presidential election between Al Gore and eventual winner George W. Bush knows that it was nothing short of chaos. The 2008 HBO original film Recount serves as a dramatization of one of the most contentious, and confusing, periods in the early 21st Century.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: If you like the chaos of The Comey Rule or just the insanity of presidential elections in general, then Jay Roach's Emmy Award-winning TV movie is the way to go. From the time the polls close on Election Night 2000 to the Supreme Court decision that gave George W. Bush the election, this tense 116-minute drama has it all.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

All The President's Men (HBO Max)

The Watergate scandal was one of the biggest political controversies in the 20th Century, and perhaps even in the history of the United States, and the 1976 drama All The President's Men follows Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) as they risk their careers and safety to uncover the truth behind the Nixon Administration's actions.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: If you liked the conspiratorial nature of The Comey Rule or the investigations that took up much of the two-part miniseries, then Alan J. Pakula's political thriller is right up your alley. With shady government officials, truth seekers, and one of the worst examples of a coverup the nation has ever seen, this Academy Award-winning picture has it all.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

House Of Cards (Netflix)

The Netflix fourth-wall-breaking political drama House of Cards follows Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) as he rises from Democratic Majority Whip to the President of the United States before his eventual fall from grace at which point it picks up with his wife Claire (Robin Wright). But even with the change in command, the drama and political games continue.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: It is hard to say which show has the more intentionally unlikable leader of the free world, but that's what makes House of Cards and The Comey Rule so much fun to watch. Fans of the latter's drama, backstabbing, and unsavory characters will surely feel at home with this Netflix series. And plus, both feature Michael Kelly in major roles, and there's no such thing as too much Michael Kelly.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Game Change (HBO Max)

The 2008 Presidential Campaign was unlike anything anyone had seen. There was the first African American on the top of a major party's ticket but also the first female Vice Presidential nominee on the other side in Sarah Palin. The decision by Republican candidate John McCain's campaign to pick the one-time governor of Alaska is retold if spectacular fashion with Julianne Moore leading the charge.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: Fans of the political circus surrounding the events of The Comey Rule will enjoy the over-the-top and sensationalistic nature of the HBO original movie Game Change. On top of that, it has some of the best living actors given spectacular portrayals of some of the biggest names in American politics.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Veep (HBO Max)

Before we get into the second half and more dramatic section of this piece, let's take a look at HBO's smash comedy Veep, which followed the life and career of Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) as she goes from the Vice President to the Commander in Chief over the course of the show's seven seasons.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: At first you might think that a comedy lampooning politicians and staffers of the White House would have nothing in common with a prestige television version of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but both contain quite a bit of humor. In the case of Veep, however, the comedy is intentional.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Frost/Nixon (Netflix)

A few years after Richard Nixon resigned from the office of the President of the United States, he granted an in-depth interview with British TV personality David Frost, and those conversations, as well as all the planning that went into them, is given the full treatment in the 2008 drama Frost/Nixon.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: If you were a fan of the contentious relationship between Donald Trump (Brendan Gleeson) and James Comey (Jeff Daniels) in The Comey Rule then you'll love the back-and-forth conversations between Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) and David Frost (Michael Sheen) in Ron Howard's superb political and media drama.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Newsroom (HBO Max)

Aaron Sorkin's HBO cable news drama The Newsroom follows the embattled news anchor Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) as he undergoes a midlife crisis and changes his worldview overnight. With stories based on real events that are then tied into the fictional drama of the show's large ensemble cast, the show dives into the lives of those who cover the news and how their jobs affect their professional and personal lives.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: Just like The Comey Rule, The Newsroom finds convincing ways of retelling some of the most important moments of the 21st Century. And while it can be a little too Aaron Sorkiny at times, the HBO drama doesn't hold back in its depictions of the real-world people who appear in the nightly news broadcasts.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

The American President (Starz)

Aaron Sorkin's political work isn't found solely on TV as his 1995 political drama, which happened to be directed by Rob Reiner, The American President shows. Centering on President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) when he falls for lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening) just as he's running for reelection, the movie explores how someone's love life can become political capital for their opponent.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: If you enjoyed the battle between personal and professional lives seen in Jeff Daniels' portrayal of James Comey in The Comey Rule, then this slick political drama about love and politics might be a nice palate cleanser.

Stream it on Starz here.

JFK (HBO Max)

Oliver Stone's three-hour political thriller JFK has less to do with President John F. Kennedy than it does with his assassination and the investigation carried out by Jim Garrision (Kevin Costner) as he tries to get to the bottom of a supposed conspiracy. With great performances by Costner, Kevin Bacon, Joe Pesci, Tommy Lee Jones, and Gary Oldman as Lee Harvey Oswald, there's a lot to enjoy here.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: Make no mistake about it, JFK is a full-on conspiracy theory in the form of a movie, and that's what makes it a good option for someone who loved the more conspiratorial side of The Comey Rule. Just don't hold your breath on any answers to the major questions it poses.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Dave (HBO Max)

And then there's Dave, the 1993 political comedy about a presidential impersonator who becomes the actual president for a short period of time. Starring Kevin Kline as the titular character (as well as the real, less than nice president), there's just so much about this movie to love.

Why It's A Good Option If You Like The Comey Rule: If The Comey Rule has you wanting to sit back and relax while still taking in some pretty major political scandals, then this 1993 classic is the movie for you. Seriously, it's probably the greatest movie about the President of the United States.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Those are just 11 great political movies and TV shows to watch after finishing The Comey Rule. Did your favorite make the list? Make sure to sound off in the comments below and let us know.

It seems like forever ago when Frank and Claire Underwood and the rest of the impressive House of Cards cast were making news for being a part of one of the most controversial and well-made original shows on Netflix. Over the course of the David Fincher-produced show's six-season run, the political drama was home to some of the biggest and brightest stars of the time as well as those who became famous for their portrayals of the Washington, D.C. elite.

But, nearly two years after the final episode of an abbreviated sixth season debuted on the streaming platform, some of you may be wondering what the show's stars are up to now, and where you can catch up with their careers since leaving the seven-time Emmy Award-winning series. Luckily, you're in the right place, because I have put together an extensive list of the most memorable actors and actresses from House of Cards and what they're doing right now.

Robin Wright (Claire Underwood)

Robin Wright's portrayal of Claire Underwood in House of Cards will probably go down as one of the most significant and decorated performances on a television program. From lobbyist to the President of the United States, Claire was a driving force which was brought to life by Wright's mastery of the medium. Since the show's shocking finale in 2018, the Golden Globe winner has continued to stay busy with her work in the DC Extended Universe, including the upcoming Wonder Woman 1984 and the 2021 release of Zack Snyder's Justice League. Wright is also slated to make her directorial debut with Land, a drama in which she also stars, about a grieving attorney who goes off the grid to escape society.

Michael Kelly (Doug Stamper)

Michael Kelly appeared as Frank Underwood's Chief of Staff and trusted confidant Doug Stamper throughout the entire duration of House of Cards, and was a player in one of the most traumatic and somber moments in the show's run. Since leaving the show with Season 6 finale, Kelly has remained busy with a supporting role on the Amazon original series Jack Ryan, where he plays CIA station chief in Venezuela, Mike November (hopefully he returns for Season 3), as well as being the spokesperson for the most recent Supercuts marketing campaign starting in 2019. The veteran television actor will return to the format for the upcoming political miniseries A Higher Loyalty, which will see Kelly portraying former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe.

Mahershala Ali (Remy Danton)

For parts of the show's first four seasons, Mahershala Ali portrayed Remy Denton, Frank Underwood's former Press Secretary who later bounced around between being a lobbyist and Underwood's temporary Chief of Staff in the absence of Doug Stamper. Since leaving House of Cards, Ali has won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor, for his performances in Moonlight and Green Book, the latter of which also earned him a Golden Globe. Ali will take a step into the big screen Marvel Cinematic Universe in the near future, in the announced reboot of Blade, in which he will play the titular vampire hunter.

Rachel Brosnahan (Rachel Posner)

Rachel Brosnahan is one of the biggest and most talented names in television right now thanks to her portrayal of Miriam "Midge" Maisel on the Amazon original series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but the actress got her first bit of fame after her run as Rachel Posner during the first three seasons of House of Cards. Since leaving the Netflix series, Brosnahan has earned two Golden Globes, an Emmy, and a number of other awards for Mrs. Maisel. We're still waiting to hear more about the Season 4 of the hit comedy series, but in the meantime, expect to see Brosnahan in the historical feature The Courier and the upcoming drama I'm Your Woman.

Kate Mara (Zoe Barnes)

Kate Mara's Zoe Barnes was a major player in the first season of House of Cards when the Washington Herald reporter became the lover/mouthpiece of Frank Underwood. Well, that is until her shocking death at the hands of her former lover in the Season 2 premiere. Since leaving the series, Mara has gone on to star in the panned Fantastic Four, the FX series Pose, and a number of other smaller projects. Mara is set to return to FX for the upcoming drama miniseries A Teacher, in which she will portray a young teacher who gets caught up in an affair with one of her students.

Corey Stoll (Peter Russo)

Corey Stoll's Peter Russo, a Democratic congressman recovering from severe addiction issues, was one of Frank Underwood's first victims in Season 1 of House of Cards, but he wouldn't be his last. Since his departure from the Netflix series, Stoll has gone on to have a rather successful career in film and television, with appearances in Ant-Man, First Man, and The Strain to name a few. The talented actor will next appear in Steven Spielberg's adaption of West Side Story as well The Many Saints of Newark, the highly-anticipated prequel to the HBO series The Sopranos, which is scheduled to hit theaters in March 2021.

Boris McGiver (Tom Hammerschmidt)

For all but the third season of House of Cards, Boris McGiver played Tom Hammerschmidt, the no nonsense editor-in-chief of the Washington Herald newspaper who proved to be a constant thorn in the side of Frank Underwood. After the show wrapped up in 2018, McGiver joined the cast of the CBS supernatural drama series Evil, as well as the ABC legal drama For Life, where he plays the prosecutor who was responsible for putting the show's main character, Aaron Wallace, in prison in the first place.

Jayne Atkinson (Catherine Durant)

Jayne Atkinson's portrayal of former Louisiana Senator and Secretary of State Catherine Durant was one the most memorable performances on House of Cards, especially in the show's final seasons for the vicious games she and President Claire Underwood played against one another. Since her departure from the series, Atkinson has continued to pop up in various television programs like The Walking Dead, Castle Rock, and Bluff City Law, which was cancelled by NBC after the original 10 episodes that were ordered were filmed.

Nathan Darrow (Edward Meechum)

For the first four seasons of House of Cards Nathan Darrow played United States Capitol Police officer and Frank Underwood's personal security guard Edward Meechum until his character's tragic ending. Besides his tragic death and strange threeway scene with the Underwoods, Meechum was a bright spot of the show in its early days, and provided some great moments. Near the end of his run on the Netflix series, Darrow joined the cast of Gotham where he portrayed Victor Fries, aka Mr. Freeze. Darrow is currently featured on the CBS crime show FBI.

Sakina Jaffrey (Linda Vasquez)

Sakina Jaffrey was mostly on House of Cards in the show's first two seasons, where she portrayed former United States President Garrett Walker's Chief of Staff, Linda Vasquez, one of the many enemies of Frank Underwood in his rise to power. Since leaving the show, Jaffrey has continued to have a successful career in film and television, with roles in major projects like American Gods, Homeland, Lost in Space, and the Apple TV+ series Defending Jacob, where she stars alongside Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, J.K. Simmons, and other members of a large ensemble cast.

Sebastian Arcelus (Lucas Goodwin)

Sebastian Arcelus' portrayal of reporter Lucas Goodwin will probably go down as one of the most traumatizing and unforgettable descents into madness featured on the show. In trying to find dirt and take down Frank Underwood, Goodwin's life (professional and personal) continues to get worse and worse until its tragic ending. Following his departure from House of Cards, Arcelus found moderate success on television shows like Madame Secretary, The Leftovers, and most recently, small roles on FBI and Bull. One of the most notable facts about Arcelus is that, due to him being a descendant of Sophia of Hanover, he is in the line of succession to the British throne, though he is pretty far down the list.

Kevin Spacey (Frank Underwood)

And finally, there's the man who started it all — Kevin Spacey. Until being written off after a number of personal controversies all but put a stop to Spacey's career, Frank Underwood was written off the show ahead of the final season in 2017. Since being dropped from the show in which he was the star (and narrator) for five seasons, the former Hollywood legend has only made two appearances in some of the strangest YouTube videos you can find on the internet with "Let Me Be Frank" on December 24, 2018, and then again a year later with "KTWKK."

Well, that's what the cast of House of Cards has been up to lately, or at least most of the cast. Some have gone on to find a great deal of success in film and television, others found themselves on the line of succession, and others are finding strange ways to fill their time. If there is someone you think I left off, make sure to let me know in the comments below.

Following the accusations against Harvey Weinstein in 2017, the entertainment world was has an ongoing conversation about sexual misconduct in the workplace. The floodgates opened as the #MeToo movement gained power, and more powerful men in the industry were taken to task for inappropriate behavior in the workplace. One of the other big names to be affected was Kevin Spacey, who was fired from Netflix's House of Cards after multiple accusations came his way-- including some from the show's set. Last Christmas, Spacey went viral for a wild video he produced as his HoC character Francis Underwood. Now another one has arrived just in time for the holidays.

A calendar year ago, Kevin Spacey put out a video called "Let Me Be Frank", which found the actor putting on his House of Cards accent and addressing his unceremonious departure from Netflix's dark political drama. It was a totally weird experience, and now it looks like Spacey had made it a new family tradition. Check it out below.

Well, that was something. Let's break down everything we're being shown in this new video.

Titled "KTWK" the above video comes from Kevin Spacey's personal social media accounts. The clip opens on a holiday fireplace, with the yule log burning. Eventually the shot widens, and Spacey is shown tending to the fire. He breaks the fourth wall like Francis was known to do on House of Cards, telling viewers he wasn't going to let the holiday season go by without sending us another message.

As he goes on, Kevin Spacey remarks that he's thankful for the improvement in his health. It's unclear if he's referencing himself personally, or Francis Underwood's unceremonious death ahead of House of Cards' final season. The production team of the acclaimed series had a difficult task ahead of them for Season 6. Francis was killed off in mysterious circumstances, although it was later revealed that Doug poisoned him to save Claire. That didn't really pan out well for poor Doug, either.

So what is the message that Francis/Kevin wanted to share this Holiday season? Apparently it's all about kindness and good in the world. While this is a message that seems appropriate for Christmas, there's something insidious about the way Spacey delivers his lines. He tells the audience to kill their enemies with kindness, with an emphasis on the word kill. And if that's not unsettling enough, the clip ends with some ominous music.

Related: Kevin Spacey's Weird Frank Underwood Video Has Been Watched By A Ton Of People

This is the second video of this nature released by Kevin Spacey, and they're both equally wild. Spacey's work as Francis Underwood was universally acclaimed before the accusations of sexual misconduct resulted in his departure. So seeing him slip back into character for these clips is a very unique viewing experience. And it looks like we should expect another viral video in 365 days.

Last year's video "Let Me Be Frank" was in direct response to his firing from House of Cards, taking aim at how his character was killed off in the show's final season. The video maintained that he was still alive, and quickly went viral. We'll just have to see how much "KTWK" does.

You can watch House of Cards in full on Netflix. In the meantime, check out our midseason premiere list to plan your next binge watch.

Obviously, Stranger Things made a big splash on Netflix when it debuted Season 3 on July 4, but that doesn't mean the supernatural series is the public's favorite show from the streamer. Oh, no. A recent poll of Netflix subscribers shows that Orange Is the New Black is actually tops when it comes to what people prefer to watch when they settle in for a Netflix-based streaming session. The Demogorgon will not be happy about this.

We don't have to be too sad for Stranger Things, though. Aside from the fact that the series broke several records for Netflix when Season 3 came around a few days ago, it did come in at the number two spot on the survey of people's favorite Netflix shows, so we can, hopefully, at least keep the Mind Flayer at bay with that happy news. Here's how the top 20 favorites list turned out:

According to Variety, the poll, which was conducted by HarrisX and commissioned by MoffettNathanson, surveyed 11,135 of Netflix's U.S. subscribers in May and June of this year. As you can see, the poll also revealed that 15 of the top 20 shows mentioned as subscriber favorites were Netflix Originals, which has to be good for the streaming service to hear.

While Netflix still relies on licensed content to keep people binging, a lot of news has been made recently about the number of popular shows which will be leaving the service in the coming months and years for new, competing, streamers. Popular, long-running shows like The Office and Friends will be departing before too long (not to mention so many Disney-owned properties), and there have been worries that people would leave Netflix once that content was no longer available.

Fortunately for Netflix, this poll shows that plenty of Netflix shows are among subscribers' favorites, meaning that while they may be beginning to think that the service is too expensive, at least they won't leave them behind because everything they love to watch is gone. On top of that, many other licensed favorites, like Supernatural (which landed at number 12 on the top 20 list) and Grey's Anatomy, are still available and likely to be around for a while.

Well, the folks (and monsters) at Stranger Things might be a bit miffed right now to have lost the top spot to Orange Is the New Black, but they can at least take solace in the fact that the poll was completed before Season 3 premiered. Both shows can be streamed on Netflix right now, and OITNB will be back for Season 7 (its last) on July 26.

Some of the juiciest drama happens behind-the-scenes of TV shows. Offhand, you can probably think of any number of actors/actresses from Downton Abbey to Game of Thrones and beyond with shocking exits. Sometimes the actors leave under let's say cloudy conditions, and other times it's the showrunners who create controversy with the writing of the exit. It's kind of amazing to think that we've had so many such departures just in the past five years. This list only scratches the surface -- starting with the exit that should be coming up next...

George Eads, MacGyver

George Eads is leaving MacGyver, with the show setting up an exit for his character Jack Dalton in the Friday, February 1 episode. Eads reportedly had an on-set altercation of some kind back in October and subsequently stormed off the Atlanta set. When he returned, he asked to be released from his contract, reportedly due to a desire to spend time with his daughter in Los Angeles. Eads also left a different CBS show under similar circumstances. He left CSI after 15 seasons, one season after an on-set problem with one of the writers. It seemed like he might quit, but he took a leave of absence and came back for another season before being written off.

Clayne Crawford, Lethal Weapon

Clayne Crawford's departure from Lethal Weapon was ugly from every angle. He was cut from the show before Season 3 due to alleged misconduct. The show decided to kill off Martin Riggs and give Damon Wayans' Roger Murtaugh a new partner. Some of Crawford's bad behavior was caught on camera, including clashes with Wayans, who didn't come across so good himself. In one instance, Crawford had a meltdown over filming scenes at an L.A. area pool. After that, he agreed to undergo counseling. Ultimately, his character was killed off and -- after a time jump -- Seann William Scott stepped in as the new co-lead Season 3. In late 2018, Wayans said he planned to leave the show after Season 3, but that may not be the case anymore. Then again, Fox has yet to renew the show for a Season 4, so it may be a moot point.

Thomas Gibson, Criminal Minds

Thomas Gibson's character Aaron Hotchner was written off Criminal Minds after the actor had an on-set altercation during production on Season 12. Gibson was directing an episode and had a heated incident with the episode's writer, allegedly kicking at him. He was fired. Hotch, a main character of the show, was written to have taken a consulting job off screen. Later, that was said to be a ruse, and he went into witness protection to get away from Mr. Scratch. Hotch could've returned to the BAU later, but fans were told that he decided to retire and be a full-time parent to Jack. It's not clear if Hotch will return for the Criminal Minds finale. That wasn't the first time something like that had happened; in 2010, Gibson allegedly pushed an assistant director, and had to take anger management counseling.

Danny Masterson, The Ranch

Danny Masterson was fired from Netflix's The Ranch during filming for Season 3, after five women came forward with rape allegations. His character, Rooster, appeared to leave town at the end of Part 5. But that wasn't the end of his story. When Part 6 premiered, Beau Bennett (Sam Elliott) got a call that Rooster's motorcycle was found at the bottom of a cliff. Apparently he went into a curve too fast, his brakes locked up, and he went over the guardrail. Rooster's body wasn't found, but he was presumed dead, and the family held a memorial for him. So they killed Rooster off, but also left the door open for the character. Danny Masterson asked fans to keep supporting The Ranch, even with Rooster "MIA."

Roseanne Barr, Roseanne

Roseanne had a hugely popular revival Season 10 when it returned in 2018. But Roseanne Barr has never been shy with her opinions, and she took a tweet a step too far for ABC. Since it was Roseanne's show, with her name on it, when ABC wanted to fire Barr after a racist tweet, the network decided to cancel the entire show. ABC boss Channing Dungey called Roseanne's tweet about Valerie Jarrett "abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values." The rest of the Roseanne cast, who were basically collateral damage in the drama, returned for a spinoff called The Conners.

Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Kevin Spacey's personal house of cards came crashing down after Star Trek: Discovery and Rent star Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of trying to have sex with him when Rapp was just 14 years old. After that, several members of the House of Cards also came forward with stories about Spacey's alleged misconduct. Netflix decide to cut ties with Spacey, and cut him out of the final Season 6 entirely. Robin Wright's President Claire Underwood was instead the lead of the shortened final season. The show killed off Frank Underwood, and also buried the character somewhere he would never want to be. Spacey later revived his character for a bizarre holiday video called "Let Me Be Frank."

Erinn Hayes, Kevin Can Wait

This casting drama started when it was announced that Kevin James' former King of Queens co-star Leah Remini would be joining Kevin Can Wait full-time in Season 2. That news was followed by reports that Erinn Hayes was fired after Season 1. The show decided to kill off her character, Donna, wife of Kevin's lead character. That allowed Season 2 to focus on Kevin's relationship with Remini's Vanessa Cellucci. The change didn't sit well with fans, and Hayes didn't seem to be happy with it either. CBS decided to cancel the whole show after Season 2 anyway.

Connie Britton, Nashville

It was a huge shock to Nashville fans when Rayna James died due to injuries from a car crash. It seemed like Rayna was going to be fine ... until she wasn't. Fans were devastated. What was Nashville without Rayna James? Connie Britton said leaving was her decision. She felt it was time to exit Nashville after it found a new home at CMT for Season 5. But the show continued for another season on CMT, and Britton even brought back Rayna back in the finale for two scenes -- a flashback and the big musical number at the end.

Sophia Bush, Chicago P.D.

Sophia Bush left Chicago P.D. after playing Det. Erin Lindsay for four seasons. She was tight-lipped about her reasons at first, and only opened up more over time, talking about her unhappiness on the set. Bush said (via TVLine) that she experienced "a consistent onslaught barrage of abusive behavior." She said producers initially dismissed her complaints, and they even seemed irritated that she was asking them to investigate negative conditions on set. She gave them notice that if things didn't change by the end of Season 4, she'd quit. She threatened to sue the network and write an op-ed on why she was unhappy, but NBC ultimately allowed her an early exit from her seven-season contract.

T.J. Miller, Silicon Valley

T.J. Miller's Erlich Bachman was one of the main characters of HBO's Silicon Valley. When Miller announced he'd be leaving the show after Season 4 wrapped, plenty of reasons flew around as to why. Initially, Miller said he wanted to do more things like The Emoji Movie and have time to develop animated features. After that, more stories started coming out about his allegedly unprofessional behavior on set. He also reportedly didn't get along with star Thomas Middleditch. The more that came out, the more toxic and mutual the departure sounded.

Stana Katic, Castle

Stana Katic played co-lead Kate Beckett on Castle, so it was baffling to fans to hear she'd be leaving after Season 8 -- and not by her own choice. Nathan Fillion's contract was renewed, and he and some of the other stars were ready to return for Season 9. But how could Castle continue without Beckett? Rumors flew as to what happened, from recycled talk of tension between Katic and Fillion to discussion of various contracts. There was huge fan outcry, and ABC ultimately decided just to end the show with Season 8. Two different endings were filmed -- one with a cliffhanger if Season 9 had happened, and the happy ending that fans got to see. But the behind-the-scenes drama toward the end of the show's run was still fresh to fans, and soured the happy ending a bit.

Josh Charles, The Good Wife

So much of The Good Wife was the love story between Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) and Will Gardner (Josh Charles). So it was a massive shock to see Will gunned down inside a courtroom in Season 5, Episode 15. Will was dead. Josh Charles had wanted to leave the show, and the creators wrote an open letter to fans to try and justify the end of Will's story. Charles' exit wasn't even the only dramatic one for the legal show. You may have heard about the rumored tension between Margulies and Archie Panjabi, who played Kalinda Sharma. When Panjabi left in Season 6, the show filmed a final scene for best friends Alicia and Kalinda. But there was speculation that the stars filmed their respective sides of the scene separately.

Patrick Dempsey, Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy is now in Season 15 but fans are still pissed about Derek's death. There was already behind-the-scenes drama suggesting Patrick Dempsey would be leaving the show, but the way they wrote out his character in Season 11 was just brutal. Derek had stopped to help some people in a car accident, and ended up hit himself. He was rushed to a hospital, but not Grey Sloan, and his doctor made a mistake that ended up in Derek's death. Shonda Rhimes defended the decision to kill off Derek, saying it was better than having him just disappear on Meredith Grey. At least this preserved their love story. Some fans said they would stop watching after Derek's death. Even some current viewers still don't want Mer to be with anyone else.

Columbus Short, Scandal

Columbus Short brought his own scandal to Scandal. He played Harrison Wright on the first three seasons, but confirmed he wouldn't return for Season 4. Harrison was ultimately killed in the Season 3 finale. Short opened up later about the personal drama that led to his departure, saying, "I'll be candid. I was struggling with drugs. 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." He was jailed after getting into a fight in a restaurant, and his wife filed for divorce following a misdemeanor spousal battery charge. Short said Scandal creator Shonda Rhimes and the cast knew about his drug and alcohol problems and tried to protect him and hold him down. "And that was one of the real reasons – they just wanted me to get my stuff together."

Chandler Riggs, The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead loves a shocking exit, but if there was any character that seemed safe, it was Carl Grimes. Chandler Riggs apparently though he'd be safe for a while too, so it was shocking for him as well as fans when Carl was killed off halfway through Season 8. Riggs said it was "devastating" for him and his family, especially since he had just bought a house in the Atlanta area where Walking Dead films. Riggs' father also spoke out on social media, slamming showrunner Scott M. Gimple for firing Chandler two weeks before the actor's 18th birthday, despite telling him they wanted him on the show for the next three years. The very next season, the show's main star, Andrew Lincoln, also exited the show -- although this time it was by choice, and AMC didn't kill off Rick Grimes, the network is giving him his own set of films.

Those are just a few of the controversial departures from the past few years. There are more -- and many more if we went back even further in time. At this point, we've just started the second month of 2019, but it will surely add more names to the list. That's the way of the TV biz. For now, keep up on everything airing with our handy midseason 2019 schedule.

Grab your tissues and prepare for a blast from the bloody TV past of 2018! This past year had its highs and lows on the small screen, and no shortage of characters bit the dust on their various shows. Some deaths happened because characters had run their course, while others went down for reasons having to do with the actor rather than the story. Some were devastating and shocking, and some were deaths that fans saw coming for a long time.

Now, as the 2019 television season gets into gear, the time is right to look back at the biggest and most impactful TV deaths of 2018! WARNING: MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR A BUNCH OF SHOWS LIE AHEAD.

Martin Riggs, Lethal Weapon

In the case of Martin Riggs on Lethal Weapon, the big death happened because the show needed a way to write out actor Clayne Crawford without really leaving the door open for the character return. After allegations of misconduct from Crawford on the set of Lethal Weapon (with some seriously NSFW audio seemingly backing up those allegations), the decision was made to fire Crawford and attempt to continue to show without one half of the legendary Riggs/Murtaugh dynamic.

The Season 3 premiere revealed that Riggs had died in the Season 2 cliffhanger, and Murtaugh got a fun new partner in the form of Seann William Scott's Cole.

Alvin Olinsky, Chicago P.D.

Chicago P.D. shocked and alarmed viewers in the penultimate episode of Season 5 when the wrongfully-imprisoned Olinsky was jumped by another inmate and stabbed repeatedly. The Season 5 finale revealed that Olinsky had died from his injuries, which prompted Voight -- who was pretty much responsible for Olinsky being in the clink in the first place -- to cross a lot of lines to try and avenge his friend.

As executive producer Rick Eid said, Olinsky didn't have to die, and that made the twist all the more tragic. Only time will tell if and how Olinsky's death will continue to haunt Voight moving forward.

Jack Pearson, This Is Us

If there was one TV tragedy of 2018 that everybody saw coming, that tragedy has to be the death of Jack Pearson on This Is Us. Viewers have known from the very first episode of the series that Jack had died long before the present day action, and the only question was of what happened that he passed away. Well, after lots of hints and teases, Season 2 finally revealed what happened: a faulty Crock-Pot sparked a fire in the Pearson household.

Jack didn't actually die in the fire, and the whole family (and their dog) made it out alive. It wasn't until Jack was at the hospital that the effects of the smoke got to him, and he died of heart failure.

Gabriel, Supernatural

Supernatural is known for its habit of killing off characters and then bringing them back, whether to life or as ghosts or as doppelgangers from another world. Gabriel, also known as Loki and the Trickster, was one character that seemed to die only to pop back up alive years later in Season 13. Unfortunately, he didn't last long. Good old Gabe decided that he was done living a listless existence and joined the Winchester boys in a move that would ultimately result in his death.

Gabriel traveled to Apocalypse World with the Winchesters on their quest to rescue Jack and Mary, but the group was stopped by Michael before they could escape to their own world. Although the mischievous archangel decided to face off against Michael, he was killed in the process, and his angel wings were burned into the ground of Apocalypse World. R.I.P. Gabriel!

Roseanne Conner, Roseanne/The Conners

2018 was a wild year for the Conner family. They returned to primetime with a Roseanne revival back in March, receiving massive ratings and a quick renewal from ABC, with all signs pointing toward a long future back on the airwaves. That is, until leading lady Roseanne Barr fired off a controversial tweet that resulted in the mega-hit comedy getting the axe. ABC found a way to bring the rest of the family back, however, with The Conners spinoff, and that spinoff killed off Roseanne.

Roseanne Conner technically died between the end of Roseanne and the beginning of The Conners, and Roseanne Barr spoiled how the character was being killed off before the spinoff even premiered. Barr revealed that her character died due to an opioid overdose. Her addiction to painkillers was set up on Roseanne, and The Conners went ahead and used it as the way to get rid of the character for good.

Carl Grimes, The Walking Dead

If there was one TV death from the 2017-2018 TV season that few people saw coming, that death is almost certainly Carl Grimes on The Walking Dead. The character was pivotal to the show for the majority of the series, and many saw him as the future of the zombie apocalypse. Throw in the fact that his comics counterpart is still alive and actor Chandler Riggs' efforts to prevent the twist from being spoiled, and who could have seen Carl's death via zombie bite coming?

Carl received his bite in the Season 8 midseason finale in 2017, and it was clear to fans that he was going to die when the show returned. Unlike characters like Hershel, Carl was bitten on the torso, which couldn't exactly be amputated to stop the zombie virus from spreading. Carl Grimes died in the 2018 midseason premiere, shooting himself in the head to prevent himself from turning.

Teddy, Westworld

When Westworld kicked off in Season 1, Teddy was more of a cowboy-in-shining-armor for Dolores than one of the many characters with a horrifyingly dark side, and that made his demise in Season 2 all the more tragic. While he was part of Dolores' Host revolution against the humans, she realized that his personality wouldn't allow him to be ruthless enough to survive, so she hijacked his programming and changed him. Ah, true love.

Despite Dolores' intention that the changes would allow Teddy to survive, he wound up unable to live with the knowledge that she had changed him and he had become a monster. Still, he could not hurt his beloved Dolores, so he pulled out a revolver and shot himself in the head in front of her, devastating Dolores and undoubtedly shocking many viewers.

Alison, The Affair

The Affair killed off one of its four main characters before the end of Season 4, and there was as much mystery about what went down on the show as what went down behind the scenes. Season 4 revealed that Alison was dead without actually showing her death, with the explanation being that she committed suicide by drowning herself near her home. The show suggested that there may be much more to her death than suicide, but only time will tell. As for behind-the-scenes...

Well, actress Ruth Wilson -- who wanted Alison's journey to end very differently -- has said that she's not allowed to talk about why she wanted to leave The Affair, although she did state that it had nothing to do with pay parity. We may never know the real reason.

Fitz, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ended its fifth season on a tragic note with the death of poor Fitz and the looming demise of Phil Coulson. Fitz had spent a big chunk of the season on a desperate mission to travel to the future to reunite with and help the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, including his lady love Simmons. It became clear that his dark Doctor half was still present, and he did the unthinkable to Daisy.

Fitz did have some high notes in Season 5, as he finally married Simmons in a very sweet ceremony attended by their grandson, although neither he nor they knew it at the time. Sadly, they were not to enjoy a happily ever after, as Fitz was pinned beneath debris after a shock wave destroyed a building in the finale, and Mack and May were unable to save him. Simmons is a widow shortly after she became a wife. At least there is a plan in place to retrieve a still-living version of Fitz in Season 6!

Frank Underwood, House Of Cards

The end seemed nigh for House of Cards after star Kevin Spacey was accused of sexual misconduct, but Netflix kept the show going for one more season with Robin Wright stepping up as the lead actor. With Claire Underwood as President of the United States, that left the question of Frank. Well, Netflix didn't even wait for the new (and final) season to premiere before revealing that he had died. The question remained of how.

Well, the series finale revealed that it was none other than Doug Stamper who killed Frank, via an overdose of Frank's liver medication. The tables turned on Stamper when Claire stabbed him with a letter opener, killing him... in the Oval Office, in true House of Cards style. Kevin Spacey's recent bizarre video in the style of Frank Underwood probably isn't going to result in a resurrection for Frank or the series.

Hidoko, NCIS: Los Angeles

When NCIS: Los Angeles introduced new characters Shay Mosley and Harley Hidoko back in Season 9, it seemed like fans were in for two characters who would be around for the long run. The Season 9 finale, however, ended with the possibility that Hidoko had died in Mexico on the mission to rescue Mosley's son, although the pile of burnt bones wasn't confirmed as hers until the Season 10 premiere. Yes, Hidoko died after only one season as part of the team.

While none of the NCIS shows are strangers to killing off characters, Hidoko really felt like one with a lot of story left to tell. There were big questions about her past that seemed primed for exploration in Season 10 or beyond, and it was difficult to accept over hiatus that the show would really kill her off off-screen without ceremony. Alas, Hidoko really did die.

Beatrice Horseman, BoJack Horseman

2018 saw the demise of none other than Beatrice Horseman on BoJack Horseman. BoJack's mother was a conflicting character whose scenes ranged from darkly hilarious to depressingly dark, and her slow demise due to dementia was difficult to watch, especially as BoJack insisted that she was faking her dementia. Her death didn't come as a shock and not a whole lot of characters mourned her, but it did lead to the standout episode of Season 5, called "Free Churro."

Like "Fish Out of Water," "Free Churro" broke BoJack's usual format as BoJack delivered a eulogy for his mother. The episode switched between flashbacks and BoJack's actual eulogy, which was angry, heartbroken, confused, and desperate as he wondered what her final clear words to him meant.

Nell Crain, The Haunting Of Hill House

The Haunting of Hill House on Netflix was a series that managed to intertwine heart with all the horror so that audiences would be invested in the Crain family, and the show was never more successful in packing an emotional punch than with the fifth episode of the series, called "The Bent-Neck Lady." That episode saw the troubled Nell Crain return to Hill House, where she was confronted by visions of her family, including a sober version of her addict of a twin brother and her deceased husband.

If that didn't already have the waterworks going and viewers reaching for the tissues, Nell's interactions with the ghost of her mom were heartbreaking, as Nell thought they were simply reuniting when her mom was really orchestrating Nell's "suicide." Nell died after her mother pushed her off a staircase, hanged to death by a noose that she'd thought was a necklace.

Quentin Lance, Arrow

The final battle against Ricardo Diaz in Arrow Season 6 was not without consequences for Team Arrow, and one result was more dire than Oliver winding up in prison. Quentin Lance was shot in an effort to save Earth-2 Laurel Lance from Diaz, and although he was successful in preventing her death, his gunshot wound proved fatal. Despite the good guys believing he would survive, something went wrong during surgery, and he passed away in the hospital shortly before Sara arrived from Legends of Tomorrow for a goodbye.

Quentin's death likely didn't come as a shock to Arrow fans who kept up with news of the show, as it had already been announced that actor Paul Blackthorne was leaving the series. It was possible that Arrow would find a way to write him out without killing him, but many fans knew to prepare themselves for his potential death.

Madison, Fear The Walking Dead

Fear the Walking Dead Season 4 was a bloodbath for the Clark family, first with the reveal of Nick's death and then the ultimate reveal that Madison had died, explaining why she was entirely absent from the present timeline. Of the original Clark clan, only Alicia is left standing. Although Madison died prior to the present timeline in Fear, her death wasn't revealed until the midseason finale, when viewers learned that she had sacrificed herself to save her children.

Alas, Nick didn't survive in the long run, but Madison's decision to distract a zombie horde with a flare and then sacrifice herself to give Alicia and Co. time to escape did at least keep one of her kids alive. The death wasn't altogether surprising after her notable absence from the presence, although it was a shock for actress Kim Dickens.

Klaus And Elijah, The Originals

Well, let it not be said that The Vampire Diaries/The Originals showrunner Julie Plec is afraid to end series on controversial notes! The series finale of The Originals in summer 2018 saw Klaus find some degree of redemption, and thus Elijah's goal to redeem his brother was achieved. This did not lead to either bro getting a happily-ever-after with their loved-ones, however.

Klaus was going to die, and Elijah decided that he was going to follow Klaus once more. The brothers staked each other in the final moments of the finale, dying together. For some fans, it was a fitting end for Klaus and Elijah, but some weren't so happy that there was no reveal of where they ended up in the afterlife. Klaroline shippers weren't too pleased either! At least Legacies delivered some Originals closure for Klaus.

More TV deaths are undoubtedly on the way in 2019. For your viewing options now and in the not-too-distant future, be sure to check out our midseason TV premiere guide.

Kevin Spacey released a video this holiday season where he addressed viewers in the same style as his House of Cards character before he was axed from that series in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations. The video was even titled "Let Me Be Frank," in what could only be a nod to Frank Underwood as Spacey addressed the allegations against him. Now that the video has been online for a few days, the stats are in, and it turns out that a ton of people have watched so far.

"Let Me Be Frank" went up on Kevin Spacey's official accounts on various platforms on December 24, and the video gained a lot of traction very quickly, which is somewhat surprising since many people may have been celebrating the holidays rather than glued to their devices and scrolling social media. Let's start with YouTube, which has accumulated the most views so far.

At the time of writing on December 27, "Let Me Be Frank" has been viewed more than 7.7 million times on YouTube. Even if some of those views are repeats from viewers who came back to watch more than once, that's still a huge number for a video that only went up a few days ago. More than 42,000 comments have been shared, and the video has received a whopping 175,000 thumbs-up clicks, with only 52,000 thumbs-down clicks.

Facebook comes in second behind YouTube when it comes to views for "Let Me Be Frank." In the days since Kevin Spacey shared the video on that particular social media platform on Monday, it has accumulated 1.5 million views. On top of that, it has been shared more than 18,000 times and been commented upon more than 11,000 times. If that's not enough, the video drew 62,000+ reactions, which include thumbs-up, like, and more.

Coming in third in viewership is Kevin Spacey's video post on his Instagram account. As of now, "Let Me Be Frank" on that platform has been viewed by upward of 313,000 times and attracted more than 7,600 comments. While these numbers pale in comparison to those drawn by YouTube and Facebook, they still prove that plenty of people were watching on a variety of social media platforms.

A fourth platform indicating a lot of people checked out Kevin Spacey's video is Twitter. Although Twitter doesn't share viewership statistics the same way YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram do, and although Spacey's tweet is technically only a link to the video on YouTube, it garnered enough reactions to indicate that Twitter was how plenty of folks found the video. Since the video was posted on Spacey's Twitter account on the afternoon of December 24, it has accumulated nearly 17,000 retweets, nearly 50,000 likes, and around 17,000 comments.

In case you haven't caught the bizarre video yet, take a look!

In "Let Me Be Frank," Kevin Spacey in his Frank Underwood-esque persona chastises the audience for rushing to judgment and even comments on the fact that Frank's body was never shown on House of Cards despite his reported death. Given that House of Cards is done and the video was posted the same day that news broke that Spacey will be charged with indecent assault in Massachusetts, I think it's safe to say we won't be seeing Spacey back as Frank Underwood in any official capacity.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV news. All signs point toward Frank Underwood living on only in early seasons of House of Cards before Kevin Spacey was fired and replaced as lead by Robin Wright. For some upcoming viewing options on the streaming giant, swing by our 2019 Netflix premiere schedule.

A little more than a year after disappearing from the public eye following allegations of sexual misconduct, Kevin Spacey made a surprise return yesterday in the form of a Facebook video. In it, the fifty-nine-year-old actor reprises his role as Frank Underwood, direct addressing the camera, chastising the audience for rushing to judgment and even hinting at a return to House Of Cards that will almost assuredly never happen . You can watch the brazen video, entitled Let Me Be Frank, below...

The above video comes in the midst of news that Spacey will be charged in Massachusetts with indecent assault for an incident in which he allegedly stuck his hand down an 18-year-old's pants and grabbed his genitals. He's due to be arraigned at Nantucket District Court on January 7th. According to Fox News, he's expected to be charged with a felony.

Some of the specifics about the night still have not come to light, but the basic allegation stems from an incident that allegedly happened in July of 2016. Kevin Spacey was reportedly inside a bar in Nantucket when he met an eighteen-year-old busboy. The teen reportedly told the actor he was of legal drinking age. Spacey bought some rounds and later, allegedly stuck his hand down the busboy's pants without permission. A third person then reportedly approached the man and told him to flee, which he did.

It's still unclear exactly what Spacey's motivation for making the video may have been. Its timing and some of the video's content, particularly the sections about not rushing to judgment, would seem to indicate he was trying to get ahead of this story and implore the public to give him the benefit of the doubt until more information comes to light. Some of the other parts, however, seem to be implying fans must miss him on House Of Cards and maybe there's a chance he could end up back on the show someday. Like this quote...

Of course, Spacey's recent problems extend beyond this one case. Back in 2017, he was accused by actor Anthony Rapp of making a pass at him when he was underage. Following the allegation, several people who worked with the actor at The Old Vic theater also came forward with sexual misconduct stories, and he was later written out of Netflix's House Of Cards. His role in the Oscar-nominated film All The Money In The World was also recast, with much of the cast returning to reshoot key scenes with his replacement. Another movie he'd finished prior to the allegations was eventually released, though it performed terribly at the box office.

We'll keep you updated on Spacey's legal situation as it works its way through the court system.

Warning: This story contains major spoilers for the sixth and final season of House of Cards.

Netflix only gave visitors to Dallas' Love Field airport about four days to watch the final season of House of Cards before spoiling a major plot point with a giant statue. On November 6 -- Election Night -- the airport debuted a statue of Robin Wright's fictional character, President Claire Hale Underwood. That's not the spoiler, we already knew she was POTUS. But you can see the spoiler bumping out in photos, including this one shared by newly famous politician Dan Crenshaw:

Yep, President Claire Underwood is preggers. That twist came late in the eight-episode Season 6. Claire got pregnant with the late President Frank Underwood's (Kevin Spacey) baby thanks to IVF, using Frank's frozen sperm from a trip to the doctor back in Season 2.

Not everyone had a chance to watch the final season before stumbling on the statue. Funny that Congressman-elect Dan Crenshaw was one of the people to see it and spread the news. The former Navy SEAL recently achieved national fame thanks (but no thanks) to mockery from Pete Davidson on Saturday Night Live.

Apparently Dan Crenshaw is also a House of Cards fan. He'd know that First Lady-turned-President Claire Underwood is a Dallas native. The engraving under her new statue reads, "Claire Hale Underwood of Highland Park, Texas, the 47th President of the United States of America."

The statue is not the only piece of House of Cards fiction to crossover into real life. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix worked with ad agency Wieden and Kennedy on a campaign to bring Claire Underwood's legacy to life for the final season. They set up an infomercial selling a President Claire Underwood Commemorative Plate, with ads running on late night TV and during daytime game shows.

On House of Cards, Claire Underwood succeeded her husband Frank Underwood, who was the 46th president. Netflix created a real gravesite in Frank's hometown of Gaffney, S.C., to mark where the character was buried. That tombstone is said to be staying permanently. The town's mayor told local news station WSPA that the show has brought a lot of people to Gaffney. The local paper even ran an obituary for Frank, whose death was mentioned (but not shown) in the final season.

Unlike Frank's grave, Claire's statue is not permanent. The Dallas Morning News had said the statue would be on display until today (November 14) but THR states it will stand for another week.

House of Cards buried Frank Underwood to write star Kevin Spacey out of the series after allegations of sexual misconduct. The cast and crew wanted to finish out the series -- with Robin Wright pushing to retain the jobs of the many people who work on the show. So they killed Frank and didn't include Spacey in the final season.

Claire Hale Underwood's pregnancy wasn't the only shocker of the final season, which is available for streaming now on Netflix. Check out our fall TV premiere guide for more shows to watch.

Warning: This story contains major spoilers for the sixth and final season of House of Cards.

House of Cards delivered a doozy when it revealed Doug Stamper was the person behind Frank's demise. Yes, Frank was killed by his biggest fan and closest confidante, who ended up getting killed off himself before it was all said and done. Actor Michael Kelly revealed his reactions to those killer twists, saying this when asked if he was warned about Doug taking Frank out early on:

Fans knew that Frank Underwood was a goner before Season 6 premiered. That confirmation came via a promotional clip for the political drama's final season. The revelation that Stamper killed Frank was something that fans were harder pressed to have imagined, though. The close relationship that existed between Doug and Frank throughout the series' run made the revelation all the more jaw-dropping.

The truth was eventually exposed in the final season, as House of Cards ultimately revealed that Doug gave his one-time mentor an overdose of the latter's liver medication. Thus, no more Frank Underwood.

Since one good shock deserves another, the murderer ended up becoming a murder victim himself when the shifty Claire fatally stabbed Doug in the Oval Office, using a letter opener. That scene was the final one filmed for House of Cards, and was directed by Michael Kelly's screen partner and the series' star and rescuer, Robin Wright. Kelly shared what it was like filming the climatic conclusion, saying this to EW:

It is safe to say that Michael Kelly underwent quite the emotional rollercoaster. He goes from shooting an emotionally draining death scene for an extended period of time to then saying goodbye to the cast and crew he has come to care about deeply. Speaking of that crew, House of Cards aficionados know too well about the show's near-premature end. In his interview, Kelly joins his fellow co-stars in crediting Robin Wright with saving the series.

Some fans may be wondering what on earth Doug was thinking when he went to see Claire. More specifically, was he was prepared to die? Michael Kelly provided insight into Doug Stamper's mindset, saying:

As it turns out, Doug's play turns out to be his last. Instead of getting his pardon, he got killed. Earlier in the interview, Michael Kelly said that he believes Doug finally found peace in his final moments. Citing Doug's inability to kill Claire caused by him still seeing "a part of Frank there."

So, what was Doug thinking amidst his ultimately lethal confrontation with Claire? Michael Kelly shared that Frank's one-time right-hand man feels as though that's the way it has to be. In the end, Doug made it to the final episode of the series, but since he did not survive his final scene, you can probably count out that Doug Stamper spinoff. Unless they made it a prequel...

House of Cards entire six-season run is available to stream on Netflix. The political drama's final season is among a lot of new content arriving on the streaming giant this fall.

House of Cards is getting ready to make its sixth and final bow on Netflix. The fate of the political drama was at one point in substantial question. Did the series' leading lady hesitate about continuing? Robin Wright revealed the answer, saying:

Robin Wright's response to ET falls in line with what the actress had formerly expressed regarding the show continuing. Wright's House of Cards co-star, Patricia Clarkson, had previously revealed that Wright was behind the push to let the series conclude. In a previous interview, Wright had tallied the job loss brought about by House of Cards being cancelled following Season 5 at 2,500. Instead of abruptly losing their jobs, Robin Wright's fight assured they would have ample time to prepare.

After Robin Wright successfully helped pave the way for the Netflix drama to conclude properly, it had to. House of Cards' wrap was as emotional as one might have expected. Opening up about the final day on set, Robin Wright took fans behind the scenes, saying:

Dancing in the "Oval Office." Few shows can say they closed out their run like that. The political drama will draw to a close with Robin Wright's Claire having taken the helm of the series. Now the unmitigated lead of the show, Wright will close out its final chapter. As for Claire's husband, Francis Underwood, he is deceased as of Season 6.

His fate was revealed in a clip preceding the season's release. How Frank met his deadly fate is a mystery that Season 6 will take its time resolving. Given the way Season 5 ended, you have to imagine Claire may have had a hand in his death. Only Season 6 can resolve that theory for certain. Or it can leave everyone guessing.

The potential question of "who" is not the only mystery surrounding Frank's demise. There is also the question of how he left the world. Viewers of the show do not have much longer to go before they can watch for the answer. The premiere is now just over a week away.

While Robin Wright will lead House of Cards through its final installment, she will not be alone. Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear will enter the fray as siblings in the influential Shepherd family. So, expect of lots of drama to unfold as there is a complex relationship between the Shepherds and the Underwoods.

Along with fighting for the show to complete its run, Robin Wright has also fought to preserve the series' legacy. Now fans of the drama will find out how it all ends, and whether Claire will end up on top.

House of Cards' sixth and final season premieres November 2 on Netflix. The political drama will be joined by other upcoming content that will be arriving on the streaming giant this fall.

Claire Underwood is taking over in House of Cards Season 6, and Netflix just gave us a good look at the second Underwood President's time in office. This latest trailer features eyebrow-arching drama, backroom deals, and a confidence-oozing Claire taking command of it all. We also get another mention of Frank's absence, and judging from the crowd's reaction in this new footage, he doesn't appear to be sorely missed.

The reign of at least one middle-aged white man in D.C. does appear to be over, as Claire mentions not long into the trailer that the Netflix Original's initial main character Frank Underwood is indeed dead and gone. The information isn't new, considering another video revealed that fact a few weeks back, but the tears that Claire cries not long after are quite new.

The prior video appeared to show Claire had zero love lost over her conniving husband's passing, seeing as how he threatened to kill her if he didn't receive a pardon in her televised address last season. It's possible Claire has mixed emotions about Frank's death. But then we see a scene shortly after where it's clear Claire is not above shedding a few crocodile tears and using his death to her advantage whenever possible. So maybe we'll get a better idea during the actual season whether her grief is genuine or completely fictional.

The new trailer also gave us a glimpse at Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear, who will play the sibling political duo Annette and Bill Shepherd. Bill mentioned to Claire that the Shepherds had a deal in place with Frank before she came into the picture, and she doesn't seem all that willing to make good on said deal. That might be a bad call on her part, considering the duo are one of those uber-rich families that have the money and resources that can make her Presidency very difficult. Although one disagreement here doesn't necessarily mean the parties can't reach an understanding at some point down the line.

Claire won't have to worry about just having one or two enemies in House of Cards Season 6, as it seems many in Washington are less than thrilled to have another Underwood in office. There's plenty of talk from characters about getting Claire out of the picture, and it's obvious her nerves are more than a little rattled by it all, judging by her limo flinching. Is someone in the political field trying to get Claire killed? It wouldn't be all that surprising for the show, especially if she's making as many waves as she appears to be in the trailer, although whoever potentially tried to take out a hit on the President clearly has no idea who they are dealing with.

House of Cards Season 6 arrives on Netflix on Friday, November 2, at 12:01 a.m. PT. It's just one of the many shows arriving this fall, so be sure to keep track of other things arriving over the next couple of months by visiting our fall premiere guide.

Netflix's House of Cards will forever be a historic show. It broke ground as a streaming drama, with an all-star cast lead by the likes of Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. It's a method that countless shows and streaming services have followed, although House of Cards also has a dark cloud around its legacy. Spacey was fired from his role as star/producer following a bevy of sexual misconduct allegations, some of which reportedly occurred on the show's set. The series will conclude with its sixth and final season, and a new teaser revealed the show would be killing Francis Underwood off. But how?

Unfortunately, its seems we're not going to be getting that answer anytime soon. In addition to waiting until the season premieres in its entirety on November 2nd, House of Cards evidently won't be give Netflix subscribers the answers right away. Instead, the truth will slowly come out-- at least according to a new report by TV Line.

This newest rumor is certainly intriguing, and sounds like a brilliant way for House of Cards to exist in the shadow of Kevin Spacey's departure-- especially as it also ended Francis Underwood's story prematurely. By making his death a continually developing storyline, it keeps his presence in the show's final season. Furthermore, it allows House of Cards to get ahead of the narrative, and shape the unexpected departure into a purposeful story choice.

House of Cards will also break new ground by focusing on Robin Wright's Claire Underwood, allowing her to be the main narrator in the show's fourth wall breaking moments. This was slowly set up throughout Season 5, with Claire occasionally engaging with the audience. And the season ended with her looking directly into the camera, and proclaiming it was her turn. The seeds have been planted for Wright to emerge as an even larger presence in the show, and now she'll carry House of Cards and the country itself on President Claire Underwood's shoulders.

The future of House of Cards was put into jeopardy when allegations against Kevin Spacey began to flood in. After actor Anthony Rapp alleged the actor assaulted him at the age of 14, more men began to share their experiences-- including crew members from House of Cards. Still very early into filming Season 6, production was shut down indefinitely. Robin Wright reportedly went to bat for the cast and crew, and helped convince Netflix and the producers to finish the show's story. And that's exactly what they did.

All will be revealed when Netflix releases House of Cards' final season in its entirety on November 2nd. In the meantime, check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch. Plus our Amazon premiere list and superhero premiere list to ensure you don't miss a single episode of your favorite show.

House of Cards is returning for its final season, and it is not going to leave its fans wondering about the fate of Francis Underwood any longer. That is because a new teaser released by Netflix divulges it. Ahead of the Season 6 premiere, the show has revealed one of its potentially major plot points. And it is destined to have ripple effects throughout the upcoming season. Find out Frank's fate for yourself in the video below:

There you have it. Francis Underwood is dead. When House of Cards left off in Season 5, Frank's wife Claire had taken over as President of the United States following his resignation. Speaking into the camera, he had said that he would kill her if she did not pardon him in her televised address, which she did not. He kept calling to confront her, but she never answered. Instead, she turned to the camera to say it was her turn.

While brief, the Season 6 video reveals a lot about what transpired next. Seeming to start in the middle of a thought or during a speech, Claire stands in front of his grave and reveals that Frank has been buried in his backyard. She also indicates that not many people turned out for the service. As for when Francis died, 2017 is the date marked on his gravestone. How he died is a larger mystery, although one that may not be that complicated to solve.

Given that Claire never pardoned her husband during her televised address and he had threatened to kill her if she did not, it could have been a kill-or-be-killed scenario and she had him assassinated. Since House of Cards is already putting its cards on the table by revealing that Frank will be dead in Season 6, it may not be a huge plotline. The threat of someone finding out that the current POTUS killed the previous POTUS, who also happened to be her husband, would make waves though.

It is surprising that House of Cards has gone ahead and showed its cards regarding Frank's fate, albeit not the full context surrounding it. Fans have a couple of months to wait before finding out whether the storyline surrounding his death plays heavily into the new season. As for the new teaser, given its brevity and that it seems to be cut into, it is theoretically possible that this video could be a scene that will be given larger context when Season 6 is released. Emphasis on theoretically.

The sixth and final season of House of Cards will premiere in its entirety Friday, November 2 on Netflix. For more on the show, check out its official site. For other new television content set to premiere on Netflix this year, check out our 2018 Netflix premiere rundown. To find out when and where new television shows will arrive this autumn, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's fall premieres.

House of Cards' sixth and final season is a few months away from arriving on Netflix. And as many know, that was not always guaranteed. Stepping into the front seat of the series after five seasons as the co-lead, its star/director is opening up about the fight to save the series. Taking readers behind the scenes in a new interview, Robin Wright describes the fight she waged to get the series a final season following the Kevin Spacey scandal. Wright said:

Robin Wright shared the intense sequence of events in an interview with Net-A-Porter. The actress recently broke her silence regarding her former co-star in an interview with Today. In it, she described her relationship with Kevin Spacey as only taking place on the set of the series. She added that she did not "know the man."

With the series holding on by a veritable thread, Robin Wright sprang into action. A tidbit that is not a huge revelation. Patricia Clarkson previously revealed that it was Wright who led the charge to save House of Cards, when its end seemed all but certain. Clarkson also discussed Wright's advocating for those whose livelihoods depended on the drama lasting for another season. In her own words, Wright iterated where she was coming from, while defending the show's legacy. Robin Wright said:

In the wake of all that happened, Robin Wright went on to describe the atmosphere on set as one filled with "shock and fear." Recounting the anxiety from people scared of losing their job. And as an executive producer on the series, Wright shared that she felt responsible for them. In the end, Netflix agreed to a sixth season that would bring the political drama to a close, and will bow later this year. The final season will revolve around freshly-minted President Claire Underwood.

Robin Wright will be joined by new cast members Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear. The duo will portray brother and sister, Bill and Annette Shepherd, on the drama. Members of an elite family, they have the ability to hold significant sway on America's political future. It is a story that's ability to be told can be primarily attributed to Robin Wright leading the fight for House of Cards to have its proper ending. That end is not too far around the corner.

The sixth and final season of House of Cards will bow in its entirety Friday, November 2 on Netflix. For other new television content set to premiere on Netflix this year, check out our 2018 Netflix premiere rundown. To find out when new television shows will arrive this fall, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's fall premieres.

Half a year after Netflix brought Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear into the mix for House of Cards' final season, the service has unveiled what roles the actors will play. Kinnear will play Bill Shepherd, and Lane will play his sister Annette. The two represent a family that plays a powerful role in molding the American political landscape. Apparently, Claire will attempt to get on the two's good side, as she's seen holding up Annette's hand in victory in the picture below:

Annette Shepherd and her brother Bill have inherited Shepherd Unlimited, and as mentioned, they are the type of mega-rich family who can use their wealth to influence American politics. The two are said to have a "vision for America," as well as a complicated relationship with the Underwood family. The details of that relationship are unknown, but it sounds as though Claire will have to play nice with the Shepherd family throughout House of Cards Season 6 or face a very powerful opponent at a time where her family is under a microscope.

If the Shepherds have known the Underwoods for a long time than lord only knows what convoluted schemes the two families have cooked up in the past. The two might have surfaced now that Frank is gone to try and get the upper hand or take advantage of who they assume is weaker, Claire. House of Cards has proven that's far from the case. It looks like the Shepherds may learn that soon enough as Claire appears to be giving Bill Shepherd a lecture while holding up a ring between the two of them:

Of course, perhaps it's too soon to label the Shepherds as enemies, as Frank and Claire would've never gotten this far without a few friends in high places. Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear's characters could be one of those allies Claire calls on now that things are rough, and she's willing to pay a price in exchange for their patronage or other help. Netflix's labeling of the Shepherds as "The family that preys together" appears to indicate there's a price to play whether they're friend or foe and that they aren't in Claire's life currently just out of the goodness of their own hearts.

What the Shepherds want is unknown, although their vision of America's future could involve Annette's son Duncan Shepherd. Duncan, who is played by American Horror Story: Apocalypse star Cody Fern, is described as "ambitious" and "devoted," and is said to be among a new generation of future power players in D.C. politics. Fern's Duncan is seen in another newly released photo for House of Cards, where he appears to be in a tense conversation with Greg Kinnear's Bill:

House of Cards returns to Netflix for its final season Friday, November 2 at 12:01 a.m. PT. Head on over to our Netflix premiere guide to see what else is coming out on streaming, or visit our summer and fall premiere guides for a look at what's happening on network and cable television.

Back in October 2017, Hollywood was thrown for a loop when House of Cards star Kevin Spacey faced multiple accusations of improper sexual behavior, with at least one case involving a minor. Spacey was quickly ousted from all of his ongoing projects, including House of Cards, and his former co-star Robin Wright is finally speaking up about it after having kept mum for months while Season 6 went through its production phase. Saying she wasn't aware of his inappropriate behavior elsewhere, Wright described her relationship with Spacey as such:

Robin Wright's answer to Today could be considered somewhat surprising. On the one hand, she and Spacey portrayed one of the most powerful couples on TV for the past five years, so one might expect them to be very close away from the show. But on the other hand, the Underwoods are far more duplicitous and scheme-ready than most husband-and-wife combos on TV, so perhaps Frank and Claire's motivations and machinations got in the way of Wright and Spacey becoming better friends.

However it went, Robin Wright stands by the fact that Kevin Spacey was always "respectful" and "professional" in their relationship, and that he was "great" with her. To that end, Wright felt like that's the only aspect of the situation that she felt she really had a right to talk about.

But even though House of Cards Season 6 will put Claire Underwood front and center in the Oval Office, while also giving the actress a chance to direct the series finale, Robin Wright isn't necessarily 100% convinced that booting Spacey was the right decision for Netflix to have made. In her words:

While Kevin Spacey's career may never take off again, Robin Wright is going strong, and you can find her back in the hot seat when House of Cards Season 6 debuts on Netflix this fall with new cast members. Check out Claire's July 4 message, and stayed tuned for a more precise release date. Until then, head to our 2018 Netflix schedule and our summer premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows are on the way.

House of Cards is set to premiere its final season sometime in 2018, which is quite an achievement considering the series seemed dead in the water last year. The scandal with Kevin Spacey certainly had spirits low, with some thinking cancellation was all but certain. But actress Patricia Clarkson recently revealed Robin Wright was always ready to press on. Apparently, Wright was a big part in helping the series return for its final episodes, and rallied those around her at a time where things weren't looking so good:

Robin Wright doesn't just play a powerful leader on House of Cards, she's apparently a force to be reckoned with in real life as well. Patricia Clarkson said it was Wright who rallied show writers Frank Pugliese and Melissa Gibson, who only had a short amount of time to throw out the planned season and rework the drama in a way that didn't involve Kevin Spacey. It was a monumental task for any show writer to take on, but Clarkson told The Talk everyone was able to pull through thanks to Wright's rallying and insistence in saving the crew's jobs.

Patricia Clarkson implied the effort put into reworking House of Cards was worth it, as she described the upcoming eight-episode season as "stunning." Of course, there was also the added bonus of most of the show's crew, who didn't have a guaranteed check when the show's status was in limbo, staying on board to help make the finale happen. Once again, it took Robin Wright not only taking on the fight to keep everyone's jobs, but also the responsibility of being the new head of the series in a season without Kevin Spacey. And while some may have originally doubted Wright's ability to lead the show, they may have been silenced by her chilling Season 5 scenes, or her recent Independence Day message.

As mentioned, House of Cards is expected to arrive on Netflix sometime in 2018. Streamers looking for a list of shows headed to Netflix in the near future should definitely visit our Netflix premiere guide and plan their next binging session. Anyone just concerned with all the great things coming to television over the next couple of months will find just what they need with our summer premiere guide. For more on Robin Wright, check out what the actress had to say about her role in Wonder Woman and the message it sent to viewers.

House of Cards released a first look tease at Season 6, its final season, back in March, but news on the upcoming episodes has been relatively silent beyond that. That changed on the Fourth of July, as Netflix thought the patriotic holiday was the perfect opportunity to share a short and stern message from the show's new President Claire Underwood:

As Frank did before her, Claire Underwood broke the fourth wall and stared right into our souls for this teaser, while simultaneously reminding viewers who's in charge in Season 6. The Commandress in Chief addressed Netflix viewers from a throne similar to the one found in the Lincoln Memorial, which is typically what House of Cards viewers would've seen in past promotional materials with Kevin Spacey's now-ousted Frank Underwood. Robin Wright's outfit and hairstyle are exactly the same as they were in the first teaser footage released for the upcoming season, so it would appear that's going to be her signature look as she starts her run in office. No mohawks or messy bobs for Claire.

There's certainly some symbolism in Claire's Independence Day greeting, as the character has plenty to celebrate on our country's signature holiday. Claire isn't just "free" in the sense that Americans are free, but rather free from the destructive influence and bidding of Frank Underwood for the first time in many, many years. The statement, as followed by the hashtag referencing her big line at the end of Season 5, shows that Claire is more than excited to be rid of her duplicitous hubby, and to finally get a real grasp on the power she's been gunning for all throughout House of Cards.

Lots of fans are certainly happier to see Claire in power instead of Frank, but it's not like she's the ideal candidate to lead the show's fictional America. As a First Lady, and in the years leading up to it, she has exhibited her fair share of shady behavior, and Season 5 really solidified that Claire is just as cold-blooded as the rest of the show's villains and hero-villains. That said, Claire certainly looks more confident and indestructible in her new position than Frank ever did, so don't be surprised if she's able to weather any controversy that comes through her Oval Office.

House of Cards Season 6 is still on track for a release sometime this fall on Netflix. For a look at other things heading to the streaming platform in the near future, visit our Netflix premiere guide. For more on House of Cards Season 6, check out the show's somewhat troubled production along the way, and how much pressure there was on the show's crew to save the series.Those looking to see what other major premieres and returns are coming to television in general over the next couple of months can find a lot of details with our summer premiere guide.

Though Netflix currently has more ongoing original series than most TV networks, the company will likely always be most associated with its initial pride and joy, House of Cards. The political drama went through its own behind-the-scenes drama in 2017, when Netflix parted ways with former star Kevin Spacey over the sexual harassment allegations. But things are back on track for Season 6, which is set to be the final round of immoral White House machinations for anyone named Underwood. The episodes are still coming together, but Netflix has revealed our first look at the Spacey-free season, which will debut this fall.

The way the teaser starts off, one might think Bill Clinton's presidential portrait was going to be promoted to a series regular in Season 6, but it was merely a hallway shot. (One doesn't have to do much reading between the lines to find subtext for that, either.) It's a busy day at the White House, with all kinds of well-dressed people milling about, but there's only one room we want to get in, and only one person we need to see. All Robin Wright's new POTUS Claire Underwood gets to say is "We're just getting started," but it's more than enough to get us jazzed up, while also raising our blood pressure back to worrisome levels.

It's not the most complicated promo, that much is clear. But it really doesn't need to be, since there's pretty much one main purpose for the teaser: to make fans overtly aware that when House of Cards goes down for the count, Robin Wright's Claire Underwood will be the one standing atop the wreckage, one corner of her mouth turned up in a wry smile. Just watching her spin around in the chair is nearly cheer-worthy.

House of Cards suspended production for Season 6 after harassment accusations first started raining down on Kevin Spacey, and though it looked like things might not pick back up again, production resumed with a refreshed storyline and a renewed focus on the cool and calculating Claire. And then the show scooped up a couple of stellar co-stars in Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear, on top of all the returning stars, giving fans even more to look forward to when the shortened Season 6 arrives.

Sadly without the late actor Reg E. Cathey reprising his role as Freddy Hayes, House of Cards will deliver Season 6 to subscribers at some point this fall, so stay tuned for more updates. In the meantime, head to our 2018 Netflix premiere schedule and our midseason premiere schedule to see all the new and returning shows that are on the way.

Netflix is home to some great original series, and while many of the people in those shows experience grand adventures and are privy to things that viewers can only wish they had, very few of those characters have traditionally balanced romantic relationships that anyone would readily seek out in the real world. As nice as it is to see two people in love, it's always more fun when normalcy is thrown by the wayside in order to embrace chaos and drama.

In honor of Valentine's Day 2018, here are nine very "special" Netflix relationships that consistently inspired viewers to say "WTF" quietly to themselves and aloud to their TVs. For the most part, these romances aren't the envy of anyone, and we'll start things off with Netflix's very first match made in hell.

Frank & Claire - House Of Cards

It's only fitting this list would start with Netflix's first original WTF couple, as Frank & Claire Underwood really set the tone for a peak dysfunctional marriage on House of Cards. Affairs, domestic violence, murder, secrets; these two have shared it all. The Season 5 finale arguably brought the biggest betrayal of all, as Claire refused to offer Frank the Presidential pardon he wanted, which is about as cold-blooded as an American marriage can get. It goes without saying the relationship of these two is one of the more wtf-worthy entries on this list, though we won't be getting any more of it in the future.

Jake & Pam - Big Mouth

A teenage boy's love between him and his pillow is sacred, right? At least, it was in Big Mouth, and Jay banging his pillow was definitely one of the show's more WTF moments. Things only got weirder when Pam (his pillow) got pregnant. Though Jay tried to make an honest cushion out of his 40-year-old pillow by agreeing to raise their son Scorpion, despite the tiny pillow looking like his brother, it wasn't enough. Pam left Jake, knowing she couldn't have a real future with a 13-year-old boy. It was for the best, honestly, because we don't really know if we could handle much more elaborate pillow sex in Big Mouth Season 2.

James & Alyssa - The End of the F*ing World

There's a lot of WTF-ness throughout The End of the F*ing World, and most of it revolves around the burgeoning "relationship" between James and Alyssa. It's kind of hard to call it a real relationship (at first anyway), considering James only started dating Alyssa because he saw her as an easy target for him to murder in cold blood. Without getting too heavy into spoilers, the two do form an actual bond of sorts as the series progressed, but while their dynamic did change some, the level of WTF surrounding them managed to stay pretty consistent.

Sheila & Joel - Santa Clarita Diet

If viewers had to choose the love-life of any characters on this list, they'd probably pick the genuinely heartfelt love between Sheila and Joel Hammond on Santa Clarita Diet. Sure, Sheila is a zombie and Joel has joined her in a murdering rampage in an effort to keep normalcy and a constant food supply in their family, but who among us wouldn't also want someone willing to go to such extreme measures all in the name of love? Season 1 ended with Joel in an asylum and Sheila chained up in the family's basement, but something tells us their "undying" love will reunite them once more in Season 2.

BoJack & Sarah Lynn - BoJack Horseman

Honestly, this entry could have just been "Any Romantic Relationship Anyone In The Horseman Family Has Ever Had," as BoJack Horseman Season 4 gave us some horrifying peeks into the titular equine's past. But when it comes to WTF-ery, BoJack's mentorship-turned-friendship-turned-fuckbuddyship with his former Horsin' Around co-star Sarah Lynn wins by a nose. Everything about it is slick with (hilarious) discomfort, from their father-daughter vibe to their substance abuse problems to their inabilities to properly function around other people. Even if it hadn't gotten sexual multiple times, despite each time being the last time, they still might have drunkenly flopped their way onto this list. Rest in relationship-free peace, Sarah Lynn.

Sam & Paige - Atypical

Nothing about love for Sam is normal in Atypical, especially when it comes to his relationship with Paige. While most girls shy away from Sam, Paige dives deeply into their coupling in a well-meaning way, even if it's sometimes pestering to Sam. Their relationship has had its ups and downs, with plenty of WTF moments worth mentioning, but far and away, the wildest moment the two shared happened at the school's winter dance. Sam proudly announced to his family that he got a handjob from Paige in an igloo, which was possibly the show's best moment, and it was definitely one of the many reasons folks should watch this unique tale of love.

Kelly & Yorkie - Black Mirror

There isn't initially a ton about the "San Junipero" couple Yorkie and Kelly that appears all that WTF-worthy. Then in fine form, Black Mirror threw in the twist that the two meet in a manufactured world inhabited by the consciousnesses of the dead and the soon-to-die, which increased the WTF factor exponentially! In the end, Black Mirror created a unique and award-winning story that, to date, is one of the show's most acclaimed and truly heartwarming episodes. And on top of the WTF factor and the central couple, "San Junipero" is required viewing for the 80s-tastic soundtrack, which will leave you convinced that heaven is indeed a place on Earth.

Gus & Mickey - Love

Judd Apatow has a gift for crafting realistic fictional relationships, and he and his Love co-creators picked about the worst kind of relationship possible for Paul Rust's Gus and Gillian Jacobs' Mickey. They are the roller-coaster personification of that couple with high-decibel drama always keeping them in an on-and-off again status, when for all intents and purposes, they should never work as a couple. Regardless of all this, Gus and Mickey (like many real-world couples) continue to push their way further into each other's dysfunctional lives, finally becoming exclusive at Season 2's end. But if Season 3 is anything like the first two, this toxic relationship can't possibly last that long, right?

The Sense 8 Characters - Sense 8

Sense 8 explores the lives of eight unique individuals around the world who are mentally and emotionally linked through shared senses. So it obviously had to show us what happens when they all have sex like that, right? Right. Season 1 featured an orgy between a handful of the sensates was a complete mind fuck to watch (literally), with each character's mental link causing a collaborative mega-orgasm. There's definitely a sense of WTF in that scene and others like it, but the show's deeper message of love and acceptance has resonated with an audience large and passionate enough to get the series renewed after cancellation. So this show's WTF factor is one meant for embracing, not confused ogling.

All these couples' respective WTF romances can be streamed right now on Netflix. For a look at shows coming in the near future, visit both our 2018 Netflix schedule and our midseason premiere guide.

Every year, Netflix celebrates its massive subscriber base getting even more massive, which means many millions of people have experienced their first online binge-watch in recent years. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the shows that first-time bingers are targeting are among television's most popular, and tons of people are flocking to the same core group of hit series. More surprisingly, though, is that Netflix originals account for fewer than half of the entries.

Known for keeping viewership info under deep cover, the streaming giant recently released a new study noting the top ten shows that new binge-watchers (from the past five years or so) have jumped into first after joining Netflix. 90% of subscribers have experienced such a first binge in the first year -- most take just three days, too -- so even without hard stats, these numbers are extremely interesting. Let's kick things off with some hospital drama.

10. Grey's Anatomy

As one of network TV's most dependable dramas, Grey's Anatomy has remained appointment viewing for a big percentage of the primetime audience, and Netflix is definitely part of the reason for that extended popularity. For anyone who missed out on Grey's Anatomy's early seasons the first time around and never funded DVD purchases, Netflix has been the perfect way for Meredith, Bailey, Christina and the rest to reach new fans at any given time of the year. And with the flagship series prompting more spinoffs on top of its own future seasons, Grey's will likely remain as big a hit for Netflix as it is for ABC.

9. Family Guy

Now in its 16th season, Family Guy is in the upper echelon when it comes to long-lasting TV comedies, which means Netflix subscribers have had access to hundreds of cutaway-filled episodes for all the binge-watching fun that one could possibly stand, both in the Fox comedy's pre- and post-cancellation runs. And because it's is the perfect kind of non-serialized and joke-filled show to throw on at any point of the day while doing literally anything -- at least for anyone who doesn't mind offensive jokes or Conway Twitty performances -- Family Guy is always ripe to be the source of someone's first Netflix marathon.

8. American Horror Story

Nobody does TV horror quite like Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, whose American Horror Story anthology series has turned in a bonanza of strange and depraved moments. And those are just the kind of bonkers moments that Netflix subscribers eat up seasons like Roanoke's Polk family eats up...other things. Binge-watching American Horror Story can arguably be an even more enjoyable way to take in the supernatural thrills and chills, since cliffhangers can be solved quicker, while each season's less important episodes won't feel like such a time-suck. Plus, one can experience Bloody Face, the Minotaur and Papa Legba all in the same weekend, if one is so dedicated.

7. Fuller House

After locking down a sizable library of originally conceived series, Netflix dove into the "TV resurrection" game, which started with Arrested Development and certainly peaked with Fuller House, a continuation of the classic TGIF mainstay Full House that features 100% of the heartwarming schmaltz and 90% of the original cast members. Since its initial premiere, Netflix has touted Fuller House as a huge winner, and with more generations of TV viewers still getting into the flagship series for the first time (possibly also through streaming methods), the follow-up comedy will likely always have a built-in audience ready to return to the Tanner family home for its current seasons and beyond.

6. Sons of Anarchy

TV doesn't get more loud, macho or ruthlessly vicious than Sons of Anarchy, and so it's a good thing that audiences are obsessed with such adjectives. Kurt Sutter's biker drama was one of FX's biggest hits, and Netflix subscribers have maintained the show's popularity by using their subscriptions as a stepping stone into binge-watching all of the low-down and dirty wheelings and dealings that the SAMCRO crew had going in Charming, California. Seven seasons may seem like a lot, but time blows by extremely quickly when Gemma and Jax Teller are responsible for causing some chaos, and we're betting a lot of these folks made Sons of Anarchy their second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh binges as well. Especially after the spinoff hits FX.

5. House of Cards

Netflix's first original series came out the gate swinging with its corrupt politics and shifting power structures, so House of Cards is obviously one of the main shows that new Netflix users want to throw themselves into after signing up. Never lacking for shocking twists and morally imbalanced decision-making, House of Cards has faced a fair share of behind-the-scenes issues in recent months, thanks to sexual misconduct allegations against former star Kevin Spacey, but that possibly won't stop customers from tuning in with a similar frequency, since people are always fascinated by scandals like this. It will be interesting to see where House of Cards ranks on this list in a couple of years, though, after Season 6 has concluded.

4. Stranger Things

When it comes to creating waves of fan buzz, arguably no Netflix show has captured more attention than the supernatural thriller Stranger Things, and its Season 1 was a definite high point in the recent surge of horror television. So it's easy to understand why Netflix's genre-loving new users would immediately take advantage of the company's spookier fare, especially when it's known that the hugely popular show will probably last as long as the creative team wants it to. (Likely only four or five seasons, but still.) Plus, Stranger Things' first-season episode count is a bit lighter than that of most TV premiere seasons, which presents another advantage for binge-watchers.

3. The Walking Dead

Entering the TV-sphere right as zombies hit a later stage of their pop culture takeover, The Walking Dead became an immediate smash in live-action, and though its grip on audiences has loosened up in the past couple of years, it remains one of TV's few remaining juggernauts. And if so many millions of people are watching weekly on AMC (which they'll be doing for a while), you know that means the crowd streaming The Walking Dead on Netflix is comparably gigantic. At this point, there are enough cord-cutters out there that announcements for recent Walking Dead seasons hitting Netflix are almost as noteworthy as the show's premiere dates on AMC proper. Having a six-episode first season probably also helps out for first-time bingers.

2. Breaking Bad

Experiencing Breaking Bad, one of television's most critically acclaimed and beloved dramas of all time, is basically an initiation to be able to talk about quality TV in public without being viewed as a heathen. Breaking Bad wasn't an immediate hit for AMC, either, having to build its reputation through word of mouth and awards cred. But Netflix has made binge-watching Heisenberg's evolution an effortless task, at least physically, and the complex and nuanced show has earned the distinction of being the second most-binged series by new Netflix users. In fact, Netflix' study revealed that 36% of people have gone on to rewatch their first binge, and we can't help but think that Breaking Bad would play heavily in that stat.

1. Orange is the New Black

Though Regina Spektor wasn't talking about binge-watching in Orange is the New Black's theme song "You've Got Time," she certainly succeeded in nailing a double meaning there. With its blend of all-too-human drama and often ribald comedy, Jenji Kohan's female-ensemble prison drama Orange is the New Black consistently earns the time and effort of more new Netflix users than any of the streaming giant's other originals. And if anyone has the balls to ask why that might be, I'm sure Taystee, Red and Black Cindy would offer up one convincing answer or another. Audiences hate to get invested in a show that doesn't have a clear future, but with five past seasons and more to come, Orange is the New Black will be wowing new Netflix streamers for years and years.

Netflix currently boasts one of the biggest streaming TV libraries out there, especially when it comes to originals, so check out everything that's coming soon with our 2018 Netflix premiere schedule. After that, hit up our midseason premiere schedule to see what the rest of primetime has to offer.

Actor Reg E. Cathey has passed away at the age of 59. Cathey, who was best known for his roles on House of Cards and The Wire, passed away in his New York home after battling with lung cancer. The news of Cathey's passing was shared by The Wire creator David Simon, who eulogized the actor on Twitter:

Cathey played the political operative Norman Wilson on The Wire, and first made his appearance in the series back in Season 4. Though he wasn't there from the start of the show, Cathey must have made an impact on those he worked with to have David Simon speak so highly of him. HBO also memorialized the actor on Twitter, and stated the network was celebrating the "victorious life," he lived.

Netflix, who also played host to one of Reg E. Cathey's more memorable performances, released a statement calling Cathey "the kindest man," and wished his family well following his passing, according to The BBC. Cathey played BBQ Shack owner turned White House worker Freddy Hayes on Netflix's flagship original series House of Cards. Cathey gained award show recognition for the role in 2015 with an Emmy for outstanding guest actor in a drama. It would be the only award win for Cathey in an acting career that spanned over 30 years. The actor made many friends in those 3 decades, and a few of those friends took to social media to say some kind words:

Samuel L. Jackson was not the only actor to eulogize Reg E. Cathey on the platform, as Jackson was joined by folks like Bobby Cannavale, Chris Rock, Mike Colter, and Kirk Acevedo. All had nothing but nice things to say about Cathey, as quite a few mentioned his brilliance as an actor as well as his warmness on set. Others spoke of his talent as a theatre actor, calling attention to his role in the Broadway production of The Green Bird in 2000. Cathey studied theater at the University of Michigan and the Yale School of Drama, but his love of the stage has been noted to start as far back as high school.

Reg. E Cathey was born in Huntsville, Alabama, but spent a bulk of his childhood in West Germany, as his father was an Army Colonel officer. Cathey returned to Alabama in his teens, and would eventually break into television acting in 1984 in the television movie A Doctor's Story. That first role would lead to many other guest television roles on shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation, ER, and Law & Order. Cathey also had a solid career in film and appeared as Freeze in The Mask, Dr. Santiago in Se7en, and Deetee in Tank Girl as well as many other projects.

CinemaBlend sends our thoughts and condolences to the family of Reg E. Cathey in the time following his passing.

Production on House of Cards' final season has finally resumed. The show hit a major snag last year with the loss of its star Kevin Spacey, but now it sounds like things are back on track. Not only that, but it also seems that the House of Cards cast has officially grown by two, as Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear have both joined the Netflix-based political series.

At this point, no information has been revealed about who Diane Lane is specifically playing in her upcoming tenure on House of Cards. Having said that, knowing the actress' resume -- which includes DCEU films like Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, as well as movies like The Perfect Storm and Hollywoodland, there's a lot to get excited about. She's also no stranger to the small screen world, as she will also appear in Matthew Weiner's The Romanoffs later this year.

In addition to Diane Lane, Greg Kinnear has also joined House of Cards for a similarly undisclosed role. Like Lane, Kinnear has a long history on the big and small screen, with roles in projects like As Good As It Gets, Little Miss Sunshine, and the recent Philip K. Dick TV adaptation, Electric Dreams.

Looking beyond these two newcomers to the House of Cards world, Netflix has also announced that most of the show's previous cast will return as well. Among these stars are Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Patricia Clarkson, Jayne Atkinson and Constance Zimmer.

Obviously, we cannot talk about the new additions to the House of Cards cast without also talking about Kevin Spacey. As many of you already know, Netflix severed ties with the Baby Driver actor last year following allegations of sexual misconduct leveled against him by Star Trek Discovery's Anthony Rapp. As a result of this development, Spacey (and, by extension, Frank Underwood) has been removed from House of Cards, and the show will continue without him by refocusing its story on other characters, chiefly Robin Wright's Claire Underwood, and introducing these new actors and their characters to replenish the ranks of the series. This will allow Netflix to finish up its run with an eight-episode season.

Now that we know about Diane Lane and Greg Kinnear's new roles on House of Cards, we will bring you more information related to the Netflix series' final season as more details become available to us. Until then, hop over to CinemaBlend's 2018 midseason premiere guide and make sure to listen to the most recent episode of The Cord Cutter Podcast to hear everything that we have to say about the latest developments in the streaming world.

The last few months have seen a number of dramatic upheavals take place all over Hollywood. Following a series of allegations of sexual misconduct made against Baby Driver star Kevin Spacey, we have seen some massive changes take within companies that had previously associated with the Spacey brand. One such organization is streaming giant Netflix, which has reportedly taken a hit of almost $40 million in its attempts to distance itself from Kevin Spacey and the allegations against him.

This announcement came during Netflix's reveal of its fourth-quarter earnings of 2017, in which the company revealed that it took a $39 million write-down. This was reportedly a result of a decision "not to move forward with" an unrevealed piece of content. Given the steep price tag of the loss, it seems reasonable to assume that this dropped piece of material is none other than Netflix's Gore Vidal biopic that the streaming service recently opted not to pursue -- especially considering the scale of the project and the price Kevin Spacey likely would've required.

The overall assumption seems to be that Kevin Spacey played a role in the write-down, but there are other contributing factors here as well. As noted by Variety's report of Netflix's $39 million, Kevin Spacey might not represent the full source of the loss. In addition to cutting ties with the actor, the streaming service also backed out if a planned stand-up comedy special with Louis C.K., following allegations of sexual misconduct against him. Similarly, recent rape allegations made against That '70s Show alum Danny Masterson has led to the suspension of production on The Ranch Season 3.

One thing worth clarifying about this situation is that House of Cards, unlike the Gore Vidal biopic, will still definitely happen at Netflix. Despite the decision to drop Kevin Spacey's Frank Underwood from the series, the show is still going to round out its run with a final season -- presumably focusing on the exploits of Claire Underwood. Of course, if Netflix ever decides that it needs to recast Gore Vidal or Frank Underwood, we suppose that it could always take a cue from All the Money in the World and just bring in Christopher Plummer.

CinemaBlend will keep you up-to-date with more information pertaining to this situation as new details are made available to us. For now, you can check out our midseason premiere guide to get a better sense of what shows are debuting over the course of the next few months, and you can also listen to our most recent episode of The Cord Cutter Podcast to hear our thoughts on the wide world of streaming content.

As Netflix's first big game-changing drama, House of Cards seemed destined for an unstoppable run of drama-soaked seasons. That is, until star Kevin Spacey was slammed with multiple allegations of sexual harassment and assault, causing Netflix to completely sever ties with the actor during production on Season 6. It's been a trying past few weeks for producers trying to figure out how to handle things, but Netflix's Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos says the kinks are being worked out, and production on the Frank Underwood-less Season 6 is set to start back up again next year, with a big change to the episode count.

Though there was some temporary worry that Netflix might decide to completely shelve Season 6 in the midst of Kevin Spacey's scandal, Ted Sarandos eased those kinds of pessimistic thoughts during UBS's Global Media and Communications Conference in New York (via Deadline). He confirmed the final season will indeed bring jobs back to the thousands of Baltimore residents who depend on that gig for work, though perhaps unfortunately, we won't get the usual 13-episode season that Netflix usually allots its biggest dramas. Instead, House of Cards will bow out with an eight-episode season devoted to Claire Underwood, and though it wasn't specifically reported why five episodes were cut from the original order, we're betting it has something to do with the delays that have already cut into over a month of the season's production shoot.

As well, the writers presumably had to scrap much of what was written and filmed prior to the Spacey allegations, so lessening the episode count would allow the creative team to limit the amount of new storytelling they were responsible for. All involved are also keenly aware that how the show deals with Frank Underwood will likely be the lens through which Season 6 is critiqued, so that decision is about as important as any other decision in the show's history. In a perfect world, we'd definitely want to see a full 13-episode season centered solely on Robin Wright's Claire, but it's already going to be awkwardly strange when Season 6 comes out, given all the controversy, so giving audiences less to think about might be the best route here.

House of Cards first went on production hiatus in October, after actor Anthony Rapp first went public with his allegations against Kevin Spacey. It then didn't take long for Netflix to make its final season announcement, as well as put as much distance as possible between it and Kevin Spacey. House of Cards' initial planned return date was then pushed back, to allow more decisions to be made for the show's future. Rather than jumping back into the thick of it right before the holidays, though, it appears the producers have decided waiting until the new year was the best bet. Now that a confirmed plan is in place, maybe the writers will have an easier time trying to fix things.

At this point, House of Cards Season 6 is planned for a 2018 release date, though we're not sure when it'll actually debut. To see other new and returning shows heading to the small screen soon, head to our fall TV premiere schedule and our 2018 midseason premiere schedule.

Netflix's flagship drama series, House of Cards, was rocked after allegations of sexual assault regarding star Kevin Spacey emerged. Spacey has been fired from the show, which is currently on hiatus as the producers and writers try to figure out how best to move forward without Frank Underwood for House of Cards' sixth and final season. An official decision regarding the show's future direction was meant to have been made by Thanksgiving and now House of Cards' production company has released a statement to the cast and crew declaring the hiatus will last another two weeks.

Media Rights Capital senior vice president Pauline Micelli sent a letter to the cast and crew informing them that House of Cards will remain on hiatus for at least another couple of weeks, presumably so the creative team can continue to properly figure out the best ways to write Kevin Spacey's Frank Underwood out of the drama. The letter, which made its way to the press (via The Hollywood Reporter), informed personnel that they will be continue to be paid through the extension, which will will go from November 27 through December 8, while the writing staff and a "small contingency of office/accounting staff" will remain in the production offices on a continuous basis.

The letter ends with a rallying cry of sorts, with Pauline Micelli praising everyone for remaining patient and positive during this trying time, and that this experience was a learning experience to the end that the "production is bigger than just one person," and that the company could not be more proud to work with one of the "most loyal and talented production cast and crews in this business." Moreover, while MRC execs hope that every member of the crew will be available to reconvene when production eventually resumes, they understand that some may need to find new work in the hiatus, which would prevent them from joining Season 6.

While it is not outright stated, it seems that the goal will be to resume production following the hiatus' December 8 end date. House of Cards was originally supposed to wrap production on Season 6 in May of 2018, but it's unknown if that is still a feasible goal, or if that date will be also be pushed back further in the controversy's aftermath. The production and writing staff certainly have a tough job ahead of them, since eight months of script work had been completed before Kevin Spacey was dismissed from House of Cards. It's unknown whether or not a top-to-bottom rewrite was needed, or if only a minimal amount of work was needed to shift the narrative to solely center on Robin Wright's Claire Underwood, but it's an unenviable position to be in.

Kevin Spacey's Hollywood ousting is only one of many stories that have gone public following an increasingly long string of sexual assault and harassment allegagtions. In the TV world, several productions beyond House of Cards have had to grind to a halt or completely reshuffle themselves. The Arrow-verse's Andrew Kreisberg, Transparent's Jeffrey Tambor, and comedian Louis C.K. are just a few of the high-profile celebs whose alleged misconduct -- not just alleged in C.K.'s case -- is changing the entertainment landscape.

Stories continue to develop on a frequent basis, but if you'd like to enjoy some TV that's not dealing with hiatuses or abrupt endings, you can visit our fall TV premiere schedule and our midseason premiere schedule, while our cancellation guide will show you the shows that aren't coming back.

Netflix's hallmark drama House of Cards is currently dealing with a situation that's dark and disturbing enough to have happened to one of the show's morally unkempt characters. Former star Kevin Spacey is currently embroiled with multiple sexual harassment/assault accusations that have basically ended his career for the time being, but Netflix might not have such an easy or cheap time booting Spacey off of the show in an official capacity, thanks to his contract reportedly not having a morality clause that would automatically prompt a suspension or termination.

Had Kevin Spacey's contract been embedded with a morality clause, that would allow for the actor to lose his job based on his personal actions outside of the show's now-halted production. Which, in this case, would include the incident where Spacey allegedly got sexual with a then-14-year-old Anthony Rapp during a party. According to The Blast, the only way that Spacey can legally get fired at this point would be if he was unavailable to film, or if he would be incapacitated in some way. And considering Spacey hasn't legally been detained by the police or anything -- he's voluntarily seeking treatment in Arizona -- he's technically able to take part in the potential sixth season, though it's not likely to happen that way.

Because there's nothing directly affecting any Frank Underwood performances, so to speak, then Netflix would legally be in the wrong for firing and/or suspending Kevin Spacey. Currently, he's being suspended according to production company MRC's sexual harassment policy while the company does an in-house investigation, but if that investigation doesn't bear damning fruit, there may not be much ground for Netflix to stand on. Which means execs would end up owing the actor a ton of money for breaking contract, and though Netflix does have oodles of money at its disposal, the company would probably rather use that money creating original content than paying Spacey off. (Plus, because Spacey isn't an employee directly with MRC, its harassment policy might not even apply to the actor, suspension-wise.)

There actually was an incident during the first season of House of Cards that involved alleged harassment from Kevin Spacey, but that situation was handled and supposedly resolved by MRC, and so it's not expected to be useful for Netflix's side of the argument. The production team reportedly sent letters to cast and crew members asking about similar incidents that occurred, and it's mentioned that Spacey's team suspects this was a move done to try and save the producers some face after being so impulsive with the initial decisions for how to handle Spacey's allegations. We're curious to see where the rest of the investigation goes.

So for now, it's very unclear what's going to actually happen with House of Cards for Season 6 and beyond, with the proposed spinoff still potentially in the running. For now, you can awkwardly stream the first five seasons on Netflix, which also has lots of other great non-Spacey programming already there, with more on the way. Hit up our 2017 Netflix schedule to see what's coming, along with our fall TV premiere schedule.

With Netflix severing ties with Kevin Spacey and refusing to feature House Of Cards should the show's final season include the actor, the show is in a bit of a pickle. With Spacey removed, the show's script for Season 6 needs to be reworked and the series needs a new direction in which to wrap up. Meanwhile, the cast and crew have been informed that an official decision regarding the show's future should be made by Thanksgiving, which means we should know exactly what is going to happen soon.

The date, which is being reported by CNN, gives the House Of Cards decision-makers less than two weeks to figure out how to save Season 6. Removing Kevin Spacey ultimately removed eight months of script work for the show, and the writers will now have to come up with a way to continue the series without Spacey in tow. Even if the show finds a way to make it happen, the final decision on whether or not to go with the new plan rests on the shoulders of Netflix and its producer Media Rights Capital.

In the meantime, House Of Cards currently has over 2,000 members of the cast and crew waiting to hear the final verdict. They serve as another factor in this scenario, as the show's delays could cause several people with the show to exit before the series can wrap due to contractual obligations with other projects. House Of Cards was originally supposed to wrap production on Season 6 in May of 2018, and it's presently unknown at this time whether or not that end date will be changed following the hiatus.

As far as whether or not the House Of Cards showrunners are currently scrapping the entire Season 6 plans for a full rewrite or weighing other options is unknown at this time. Neither of the co-showrunners, Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese, have issued any public statements regarding the future of the series. With 11 days to go until Thanksgiving, chances are high one of them will make a public statement sooner or later.

In the meantime, the allegations against Kevin Spacey continue to send ripples through Hollywood, and more big names are going under the microscope for alleged sexual misconduct in the past or present. In the television world specifically, George Takei and co-creator of The Flash Andrew Kreisberg are the latest to have complaints lodged against them. Read more on that, or, for those just looking to enjoy great television, be sure to visit our fall premiere guide for dates regarding the latest and greatest in television programming. For a look at a list of shows that weren't able to escape cancellation in 2017, our cancellation guide is the place to be.

Spoilers ahead for House of Cards Season 5.

Following allegations against Harvey Weinstein's misconduct and assault on women, there have been a ton of new revelations of powerful men in the Hollywood acting similarly. A major bomb dropped earlier this week when Star Trek: Discovery and RENT star Anthony Rapp accused Kevin Spacey of sexually harassing him when he was just 14 years old. Since then, members of the House of Cards crew have also come forward about Spacey's inappropriate behavior, prompting the streaming service to postpone production on Season 6 indefinitely. And now Netflix has completely separated itself from the acclaimed actor/producer, dropping him from House of Cards and cancelling his upcoming biopic Gore. But what's next for the acclaimed series?

Netflix recently addressed the future of HoC (via THR), saying:

It looks like House of Cards might not be dead just yet. Because although production isn't currently shooting the series, they're exploring ways that the show can continue without the presence of Kevin Spacey's Francis Underwood.

As awkward as the show will be void of Frank, it does seem like the groundwork has already been laid to make Robin Wright's Claire Underwood the main protagonist of the series. Throughout Season 5, House of Cards teased time and time again that Claire will begin breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience- Frank's signature move in the first four seasons. And after a knowing look or two, she finally took charge in the final moments of the season finale. She looked directly into the camera and said "my turn" before the screen cut to black.

Perhaps the best way to write Francis out of the show would to let the Feds get him for his many wrongdoings over the first five seasons. Last season's finale also strongly implied that President Claire would not be pardoning him for his crimes, out of fear of the public's opinion. If she were to let her husband meet the full extent of the law, then he could easily fade out of the show. Claire said it was her turn, so maybe the final season of House of Cards will let Robin Wright truly lead the series. She's also a recurring director on the show, so she certainly deserves the focus and acclaim.

Let's just hope that Netflix does manage to complete the story of House of Cards and rally another season of movie conclusion. The show changed the map of TV when Netflix premiered the first season back in 2013, and it would be a tragedy for the show not to get a proper ending.

House of Cards is streaming its first five season on Netflix. Be sure to check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch.

It's been a very messy past couple of days for Netflix and their flagship original series House of Cards. In light of the shocking accusations lodged against Kevin Spacey by actor Anthony Rapp, the streaming service previously announced that the upcoming Season 6 of House Of Cards would be the show's final season. Less than 24 hours later, it is being reported that production on Season 6 has been suspended indefinitely, and chances of the series properly finishing out its run appear unlikely at the moment.

The news comes from Deadline, who writes that the cast and crew of House Of Cards were informed of the decision this morning. Netflix released a joint statement with Media Rights Capital (who produces the series) and stated that the two companies are taking the time to review the "current situation" and address any and all concerns the cast and crew may have. Executives from both organizations traveled to the Baltimore set of the series yesterday to speak with cast and crew, and it is believed that Kevin Spacey was not present or scheduled to be there.

As of this writing, the final season of House Of Cards was believed to be 13 episodes long, with a premiere eyed for mid-2018. Now that production has been halted on the series indefinitely, this would probably affect the show's release window, and that's assuming it will resume production following the investigation. Without knowing how far along the sixth season was in filming, or how long this halt in production could last, it's possible the series could see no change in schedule should the situation get resolved rather quickly. (Considering the circumstances, though, that is on the far end of the possibility spectrum.)

If production is forever suspended and the series is cancelled before House Of Cards reaches its planned conclusion, one has to wonder what will become of the rumored spinoff Netflix and MRC are reportedly talking about. Since a new House of Cards offshoot would likely follow whatever happened in Season 6, it's unclear if the streaming service will pass on the still-unofficial project, or if little would change beyond the story's starting point.

Kevin Spacey, who is the root of all of this drama, has been silent on social media following his public apology to Anthony Rapp, so we shouldn't expect any reactions from him. However, Lord Michael Dobbs, who created the original U.K. version of the series, was very disappointed in the production's possibly permanent stoppage. Here's what he told Deadline.

The future of House Of Cards is uncertain as this whole situation continues to develop. Currently, all 5 seasons of House Of Cards are available to stream on Netflix. As for Kevin Spacey, one has to wonder if other franchises he's involved in will react the same way as Netflix has in investigating the situation surrounding him before continuing to work with him. For more programming being made available this fall season, check out our fall premiere guide.

One of the latest big bombshells to hit Hollywood involved Oscar winner Kevin Spacey being accused of sexual assault by Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp, and reactions to the news have been as swift and harsh as one would expect. Unsurprisingly, Netflix officially decided to pull the plug on House of Cards beyond the upcoming Season 6. But it appears the streaming giant isn't entirely done with all of the show's characters and political machinations, as Netflix is reportedly gearing up development for a House of Cards spinoff. And there's more than one idea at play.

Though neither Netflix nor production company Media Rights Capital are going on the record yet with talks of a House of Cards spinoff, Variety reports that both companies are in the early stages of developing a follow-up that steers clear of Frank Underwood's long and winding tale in Washington D.C. Multiple pitches are in contention at this point, but it sounds as though only one full spinoff series is being planned, as opposed to spreading the political love. And fans should be pumped that everyone's favorite White House Chief of Staff (among other duties) is first in line for one of those projects.

That's right, the Emmy-nominated Michael Kelly is at the center of one potential House of Cards spinoff. No details have been given about what that project's storyline would specifically be about, which makes sense, considering fans have no idea where his character Doug Stamper will be after Season 6. With Claire now the head woman on campus in Washington D.C., it's not even clear where Doug will be when Season 6 stars up. But he's an obvious choice for a character worthy of getting expanded beyond House of Cards' proper ending.

Again, things are still in the earliest stages of coming together, but the Doug Stamper project already has a writer onboard to craft a storyline pitch. Eric Roth, screenwriter of Forrest Gump and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, has been tapped to write something up for it. (Incidentally, The Doug Stamper Project sounds ready-made for a battle of the bands flyer.) Roth served as an executive producer on House of Cards for its first four seasons, as well as an EP for the first season of the Epix political thriller Berlin Station, and is now performing the same duties for the upcoming TNT serial killer drama The Alienist. He's definitely got the know-how to make a Doug Stamper spinoff work.

Aside from that partially formed idea, there are apparently two other spinoff pitches being considered, but without any particular writers signed on for either of them. What's known, though, is that they would also obviously still take place within the same debauchery-filled political landscape as House of Cards itself. Just in case anyone thought that a spinoff would shift the location to Biloxi, Mississippi or something.

While those close to the show say that Season 6 was already being set up to be House of Cards' final season, the timing of the quasi-cancellation can't be coincidental. The formal announcement was made less than day after Kevin Spacey was accused of sexually assaulting Anthony Rapp at a party back around 1985, when the latter actor was just 14 years old. Spacey apologized for the alleged incident on social media, using that moment to declare that he's gay, and the response has been put through the wringer by just about everyone out there. It's to the point where, if House of Cards was a movie, it would have been scrapped by now, so it'll be interesting to see how (or if) Season 6 actually happens as planned.

For now, all five current seasons of House of Cards are available to stream on Netflix in their entirety. To see what other shows are yet to pop up this year, both streaming and non-streaming, head to our fall TV premiere schedule.

House of Cards is arguably the project that put Netflix on the map when it comes to original series, as it brought a star-studded cast together for a thrilling political drama that could be binge-watched to subscribers' hearts' delight. Netflix might not be the giant of original programming that it is today if not for the wild success of House of Cards when it debuted back in 2013 with Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright in the lead roles. Now, word has come down that House of Cards will come to an end.

The good news for fans is that House of Cards hasn't already aired its last episode, as sometimes happens with series' cancellations. The show won't come to an end until after the upcoming sixth season, which THR reports is currently in production. The show has gone through a lot of changes over the years, and it should be interesting to see how things come to an end. That said, it may not come as a huge surprise to fans that House of Cards will end after Season 6.

There have been some major behind-the scenes changes in recent years, as showrunner and creator Beau Willimon departed House of Cards after the fourth season. He was replaced by Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese, and while there weren't too many drastic changes to the series, it may have been a sign that the stories of the saga were winding down. Melissa James Gibson and Frank Pugliese are both expected to return to their roles as showrunners for the sixth and final season.

There's also the fact that the news of the cancellation comes shortly after Rent and Star Trek: Discovery actor Anthony Rapp came forward with allegations that Kevin Spacey had made sexual advances toward him when he was just a 14-year-old boy back in 1986. Spacey was 26 at the time. Kevin Spacey responded by stating that he does not remember any such "encounter" and then coming out and saying that he chooses "now to live as a gay man." It's not clear at this point what will or will not come out of Rapp's allegation.

All five current seasons are available streaming on Netflix now if you want to check them out and/or rewatch ahead of Season 6. No official premiere date has been set for Season 6 at this point, although it is expected to debut at some point in 2018. There are still plenty more Netflix originals ongoing and in production, and the recent release of Stranger Things has subscribers everywhere excited. For more information of what's to come to Netflix in the coming weeks, be sure to check out our 2017 Netflix guide. If you're looking for what to watch on broadcast and cable television, our fall TV schedule can help you out.

Warning: possible spoilers ahead for Baby Driver. Read ahead at your own risk!

Baby Driver is one of the most meticulously-planned and thought out movies that we have seen in quite a while, but that doesn't change the fact that the cast and crew still had to improvise here and there during production. In fact, when Edgar Wright wanted to redo part of the elevator sequence towards the beginning of the film, he went to the set of House of Cards to work with Kevin Spacey once the Oscar-winner had finished for the day. The duo opened up about this at a recent Cars, Arts, & Beats: A Night Out with Baby Driver event in Los Angeles and said:

Apparently, in the original version of the Baby Driver script, Doc's lines to Baby in the elevator scene were actually uttered towards the end of the film -- after he has been run over by Buddy. Edgar Wright wanted to get those character moments into the film earlier, so he took it upon himself to go to Baltimore and shoot the lines near the House of Cards set. Then, once the footage was in the can, Spacey was added to the elevator scene with the other actors around him.

Of course, the notion that Doc was supposed to have more lines after being hit by Buddy's car only raises our suspicions that he could return someday. Elsewhere during the same conversation, Kevin Spacey expressed interest in returning for a possible Baby Driver sequel, lending further credence to the idea that Wright may have intended for Doc to survive the film -- albeit with some pretty substantial injuries.

If this is true, then it sounds like a similar technique used earlier this year by James Gunn on the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Specifically, at the very end of Guardians when Peter Quill gives a eulogy for a dearly-departed ally -- which we won't spoil here if you haven't seen it. In that scene, Gunn and Chris Pratt had shot a sequence with everyone on the set, but they eventually came up with an idea for the funeral that they liked even more, and as such, they went back and inserted Pratt into the scene using green screen. Whether it's a Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster or a smaller indie like Baby Driver, movie magic really is magical, isn't it?

Baby Driver is currently available on Digital HD, and the DVD and Blu-ray editions of the film will hit shelves next week on October 10. If you're looking for more information on all of the movies set to debut over the next year, have a look at CinemaBlend's 2017 movie premiere guide, as well as our 2018 movie premiere guide.