10 Great TV Characters Who Die Before Their Shows Even Start

It is not too uncommon for beloved television characters to shockingly die before their shows reach their conclusions. After all, even the most well-liked people on TV can be killed off for any number of reasons, ranging all the way from matters related to their individual story arc to the actor no longer wishing to be part of the show. In rare cases, though, popular characters actually die before their shows even begin. Even though they are dead these characters still manage to have a massive impact on their series.

Whether they appear as memories, as ghosts, or as something in between, these fascinating characters continue to influence the other people and events that occur within the series from beyond the grave. This is typically a carefully-planned decision by the writers, with the deaths of the characters often playing a vital role in setting the entire plot of the series in motion. Regardless of how they died, these characters have a persistent, lasting influence on their TV shows, and have managed to become popular even in the wake of their tragic ends.

10 Michael “Mikey” Berzatto

The Bear / Played By Jon Bernthal

The massively acclaimed FX series, The Bear, would not even exist without the off-screen death of Michael “Mikey” Berzatto before the series even began. The popular comedy-drama show follows the story of a prestigious chef, Carmy, who must return to his humble Chicago home to take over his family’s struggling restaurant following the sudden death of his brother, Mikey.

Throughout the series, it is clear that Mikey’s death had a massive impact on Carmy, although his ambition often prevents him from fully processing it. Mikey makes appearances in several episodes of The Bear via flashbacks to moments shared between him and various members of the Berzatto family.

In the show’s second season, Jon Bernthal even won a Primetime Emmy Award for his portrayal of Mikey. His undeniable charisma, love for his family, and emotional complexity make Mikey a compelling character, even with his limited screen time. Even when he is not shown, his impact on the series is always felt by other characters and the audience alike.

9 Bill and Frank

The Last of Us / Played By Nick Offerman & Murray Bartlett

Although HBO’s acclaimed drama series, The Last of Us, is based on a video game, part of the story that resonated the most with viewers was a part that drastically differed from the game. The third episode of the series, “Long, Long Time,” features Bill, an isolated survivalist living in the post-apocalyptic version of America.

The episode received immense critical acclaim, with Nick Offerman winning an Emmy for his portrayal of Bill, and Murray Bartlett also being nominated for playing Frank.

After years alone, Bill meets a fellow survivor named Frank, sparking a tender, emotional love story between the two new characters. After many years together, Frank falls ill, and Bill, not wanting to live without him, willingly chooses to die by Frank’s side. The episode received immense critical acclaim, with Nick Offerman winning an Emmy for his portrayal of Bill, and Murray Bartlett also being nominated for playing Frank.

Unfortunately, the tragic (albeit beautiful) end to their story meant that the pair would appear only in this episode. Their impact continues to be felt for the remainder of the series, however, as Bill left all of his remaining supplies (including his truck) for Joel to take while he journeys across the country with Ellie. Bill and Frank’s story provides a touching reminder that love can thrive even in the most dire of circumstances.

8 Vision

WandaVision / Played By Paul Bettany

The Disney+ original series, WandaVision kept fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on the edge of their seats for the show’s entire run in early 2021. As the name suggests, the mystery-driven miniseries features Wanda Maximoff and Vision, two popular characters from various MCU films. Of course, fans were bound to remember one key detail: Vision died in Avengers: Infinity War, which occurred years before the start of WandaVision.

Knowing that the creators of the show wouldn’t have just forgotten about this, viewers tuned in each week to solve the mystery of how Vision could be alive and well. Played by Paul Bettany, Vision greatly contributed to the overall quality of WandaVision. For one, the mere presence of the character effectively added to the gripping mystery element of the show, with fans dying to discover the explanation of how he could be alive again.

Additionally, the effortless charm, humor, and wisdom of the character made him a popular addition to the MCU in multiple films, and his role in WandaVision was no different. The notion that he died before the series began simply made WandaVision all the more exciting.

7 Daniel Jackson

Reservation Dogs / Played By Dalton Cramer

Even with only a handful of brief appearances throughout the show’s three-season run, Daniel Jackson is the driving force behind the entire story of Reservation Dogs. This FX comedy-drama series explores the complex lives of four Indigenous friends living as part of the Muscogee Nation in Oklahoma. Prior to the beginning of the series, their other friend, Daniel, tragically passed away.

Reservation Dogs
has a Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 99%.

Much of the show follows the friends’ efforts to gather enough money to leave the reservation and travel to California, as a tribute to Daniel’s dream. While Reservation Dogs certainly has comedic elements, the backstory surrounding Daniel adds a consistent emotional undertone, giving the series an impressive level of depth.

Practically everything the main characters do throughout the show is driven by their love of Daniel, and their determination to pay their respects to his dream in the most fitting way they can. The series serves as a powerful reminder that people can continue to have a lasting impact on the world well after their deaths, and that no life is insignificant.

6 Jack Pearson

This Is Us / Played By Milo Ventimiglia

The NBC drama series, This Is Us, highlights the stories of the various members of the Pearson family across multiple generations and time periods. Tragically, not every member of the family is alive in each time period. Jack Pearson, the father of main characters Kevin, Kate, and Randall, was killed in a fire many years before the present-day storylines.

Nevertheless, Jack remains a prominent character throughout the series, starring in many episodes set primarily in the past. Although he is a prominent character for most of the show’s six-season run, This Is Us makes it clear almost immediately that Jack is no longer alive.

However, even though Kevin, Kate, and Randall have all grown up and begun their own lives, their memories of Jack still have a massive impact on their personalities and actions. Various flashbacks reveal the many ways in which Jack helped them all grow into the people the audience sees them as today, and how the loss of him has shaken up their lives.

5 Boo

Fleabag / Played By Jenny Rainsford

Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s acclaimed series, Fleabag, features many complex, interesting characters, but one of the most lovable ones actually died before the show even began. Boo, the best friend of the protagonist known only as “Fleabag,” was killed an undisclosed amount of time before the events of the show. She continues to have a lasting impact on Fleabag’s life, though, frequently appearing on the show via her memories.

Boo’s wholesome personality and unwavering friendship make her a pure, lovable character, amidst a sea of more morally dubious ones. The wholesome nature of Boo’s character makes her death in Fleabag all the more tragic, and further adds to the complexity of the show’s protagonist.

Boo was accidentally killed by a truck while trying to minorly injure herself as a means of gaining the attention/sympathy of her boyfriend, who had just cheated on her. This tragic event, compounded with the shocking realization that Fleabag was the person with whom the boyfriend cheated, gives Fleabag the heavy emotional core that propels the show forward.

4 Eleanor Shellstrop (and Friends)

The Good Place / Played By Kristen Bell

The popular NBC comedy series, The Good Place, is unlike most TV comedies in many ways. Perhaps the most prominent distinction, though, is the fact that practically all the characters are dead. The Good Place follows a group of deceased humans as they occupy an unusual heaven-like realm. Played by Kristen Bell, the protagonist of the series is Eleanor Shellstrop, a woman who strives to start acting more ethically in order to avoid being sent to a worse area of the afterlife.

The Good Place‘s unique premise is boosted by its lovable cast of characters. Over the course of the series, Eleanor and her newfound allies in the afterlife form deep bonds, fostering endearing friendships while offering an entertaining depiction of life after death. While many series may feature a character who has already passed away, The Good Place puts a clever spin on the idea by presenting a show that is entirely about the people who have died.

3 The Flying Dutchman

SpongeBob SquarePants / Played By Brian Doyle-Murray

Sometimes, even animated TV shows are willing to include characters who died before the events of the show began. This is the case for the Flying Dutchman from SpongeBob SquarePants, one of the most iconic children’s TV programs of all time. Appearing in numerous episodes, the Flying Dutchman is a large, green, pirate-like ghost that haunts the residents of Bikini Bottom.

Though not quite a series regular, the Flying Dutchman is still a fan-favorite character, providing the audience with nonstop laughs whenever he appears. Of course, being a kids’ show, SpongeBob never dives too deep into explaining how The Flying Dutchman came to be a ghost, but one can infer that his pirate shenanigans eventually got him into some major trouble one day.

Fortunately, with a large cast of colorful characters, the Flying Dutchman never feels out of place, despite being the only ghost on the show. His ghostly presence never fails to delight viewers, thanks to the hilarious vocal talents of Brian Doyle-Murray.

2 Thorfinn

Ghosts / Played By Devan Chandler Long

Though it can be hard to choose a favorite character from the spooky CBS sitcom, Ghosts, Thorfinn the Viking is certainly a prime candidate for any viewer. The series follows a New York couple who inherits a house, only for them to discover that it is infested with the ghosts of the people who have died on the property across numerous centuries.

The oldest of these ghosts is Thorfinn, a Viking explorer who lost his life after being struck by lightning, leaving him to haunt the property for centuries with the ability to control electricity with his ghostly body. Being a Viking who now exists in modern day America, it would have been easy for the writers of Ghosts to just turn Thorfinn into a one-dimensional caricature.

Instead, they made the wise decision to add an engaging sense of complexity to the character, giving him a unique personality and a surprisingly emotional backstory. Thanks to the infectious energy and humor of Devan Chandler Long, Thorfinn is an all-around entertaining character who manages to stand out among a centuries-spanning cast of unique individuals.

1 Ben Hargreeves

The Umbrella Academy / Played By Justin H. Min

The popular Netflix series, The Umbrella Academy explores the endlessly crazy lives of a group of individuals with superpowers who were all adopted into the same family, but have since grown up and lead their own lives. One member of the family, however, did not get the chance to grow up (at least not in the conventional sense).

Over the course of the series, Ben takes on multiple versions of himself, across different ages and even different dimensions.

Ben was tragically killed during a mission organized by his adoptive father when he was just a child. Ben does remain an active part of the show, though, as his adoptive brother, Klaus, has the ability to interact with the dead. Ben’s role in The Umbrella Academy grows increasingly prevalent as the series progresses, with Klaus learning more and more about the true extent of his powers.

Through Ben, the audience is given a look at the grim side of the superhero lifestyle, being shown the perspective of someone who was killed because of his powers when he was very young. Over the course of the series, Ben takes on multiple versions of himself, across different ages and even different dimensions. With a dark backstory and a fascinating relationship with the other characters, Ben is always a compelling character to watch.