You know a TV death is sad when years later, you can still get a lump in your throat just thinking about it.
These deaths are like that.
In some cases, it's how the character went out that caused all the pain. The injustice of seeing such a great character meet a terrible end, a heroic character going out beautifully.
In other cases, it is the reaction of everyone around the character that gets the wracking sobs going.
These are the deaths that ripped our (we, the collective, the viewers) hearts out. Which ones got to you?
1. Gary Mendez - A Million Little Things
It was difficult going into A Million Little Things Season 5, knowing Gary would probably die from cancer, but we weren't prepared for much his death hurt. The last two episodes of Season 5 were the hardest, knowing that Gary wouldn't survive and that he and Maggie were on borrowed time. We were all sobbing as Gary asked Eddie and Rome to help him end his life. Seeing Gary say goodbye to his loved ones made it real.
Gary had been the heart and soul of the series, so it hurt to lose him.
2. Will Gardner - The Good Wife
As it is with many of the deaths on this list, it's not so much crying about the death itself that happens during these episodes, but it was impossible not to cry watching Diane and Kalinda dealing with the melee at the courthouse and trying to get in touch with Alicia. Will's body on the table, knowing nothing could be done. It was all horrific and unexpected.
3. Joyce Summers - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
This death happened just like in real life. It was completely unexpected. There weren't bullets or vampires. Joyce thought she was doing fine, but succumbed to a brain tumor while at home alone on the sofa. Buffy walked into the surreal situation, and we got to see a girl who is normally surrounded by death utterly floored by the reality of someone close to her dying of natural causes. "The Body" remains my favorite episode of the series.
4. Nate Fisher - Six Feet Under
Nate had a brain problem called AVM. He had it under control, and had just had surgery even, ensuring he was well. But he died due to post-op complications. Um. NO! That doesn't happen to our favorite television characters. That's too real. But coming from a show about death, would we expect less? The funeral afterward was another sucker punch. Of course, this was before we knew the finale was coming and we'd never hear Sia again without crying softly (or heavily).
5. Mark Greene - ER
Mark Greene suffered from cancer for a long time before he died, and his daughter was really suffering as well. He decided to spend the end of his life tring to make hers better by taking her to Hawaii where he grew up. Rachel eventually calls Elizabeth to come help her with him and while his family is on the beach and life carries on and he listens to that damn sappy version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow, he dies. Seriously, reliving these on YouTube is killing me!
6. Poussey Washington - Orange Is the New Black
Long before this brutal type of killing was realized in our everyday lives, Poussey Washington lost her life while standing up for injustices in prison. It was a violent and crushing death on the surface and in how fellow inmates and viewers responded to it. The show wanted to shed light on everyday injustices in prisons and by police officers on the black community, and they succeeded. It's just too bad it didn't have the desired effects to bring about actual change.