to get annoyed at how, when a series ends they kill off most of the main characters.

[violetsarentblue]

Why is it, when a series comes to an end, the producer feels the need to kill off most of the main characters? They seem to think the viewers want the character killed because it ties things up nicely

But to me it seems like a lazy way of doing things and it's put me off watching any more box sets action ones at least
What's the point of getting invested in characters when you know they're only going to get knocked off in the season finale?

It happens a lot. Why?

Firefly?

Buffy?

Prison Break. I cried my fricking eyes out. Horrible, disappointing and very depressing ending. Which they clearly have regretted as they're now having to do some fancy (and likely unbelievable) plot work to make another series possible.

YANBU.

Yeah. I remember when they killed off Jessica Fletcher at the end of Murder, She Wrote. And Denny Crane and Alan Shore at the end of Boston Legal. And that bloodbath with Windy Miller in Camberwick Green was appalling.

Oh, hang on, they didn't happen, did they?

Hmmm, not so sure it really does happen "a lot", OP.

Prison Break, Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad (although I think Walt might still be alive)

I thought prison break ended really well actually. Ultimate freed om :(

You're obviously not a Game of Thrones fan then? No waiting to the end there

True. If they kill John Snow they will have a riot on their hands!

SoA. All the main characters were offed one by one, some earlier, some later. But it was obvious they all had it coming. Still very upsetting.

But in series which run for years and years, i guess some actors get pissed off and want to move onto something else. So their characters die.

Wish you'd put spoilers in OP, I haven't finished Breaking Bad

In fact maybe you should amend the title to add 'possible spoilers'

I nearly fell out of bed at Jessica Fletcher, thank god that never happened.

I was traumatised as they all started dropping like flies towards the end of The Sopranos

Yeah. I remember when they killed off Jessica Fletcher at the end of Murder, She Wrote.

Hahaha, Seth, my first reaction to this was WTAF, I don't remember that! THEY KILLED JESSICA?

I love Murder She Wrote, but haven't seen all the episodes. Then I only twigged when I saw your second paragraph.

I am such a fuckwit sometimes. And clearly I need to watch more Murder She Wrote.

I think it's a very old trope and harks back to Shakesperian tragedies so it doesn't annoy me all that much. Hamlet, anyone?

What annoys me more is pretending to kill off a main character at the end of a series, only for it then to become clear that they aren't dead at all. Well, there's a fucking shock.

So overused now and tedious. The ending of Hannibal series 2 made the beginning of series 3 deeply irritating to watch. At least it redeemed itself by the end.

The worst one was Bill and Ben. Some bastard came along and cut their strings. They just fell down dead. Scarred for life.

Jesus, Seth!

STOP WITH THE SPOILERS!

Differentname,

I haven't clicked on the 'I think the new James Bond film is shite' thread because I haven't seen it yet.
So therefore I am avoiding that thread because I'm an adult

I don't need to be be nannyied and have Spoiler Warnings spoon fed me - in case I accidentally click on a thread.
I use my common sense.

Bugrit,

Should be , but have some gin as well if you want.

I'm sorry. It's a dark, wet, windy, horrid Saturday. It's just bringing all this unpleasantness back.

At least no one has tried out something really outlandish, like killing a character off and then bringing them back two seasons later and discovering those two seasons were all a dream...

The worst one was Bill and Ben. Some bastard came along and cut their strings. They just fell down dead. Scarred for life

Bill and Ben died, they DIED?

You bastard! You've ruined my life by revealing the ending

Violets - that was nothing. It was what happened to Looby Loo that was really awful. I never thought they could get Teddy to stoop so low

agreed.

they killed off tara and buffy (twice) and anya in BTVS and of course spike.

Jens death in Dawson creek was awful :(

I hated that the killed off lexi and mark in greys anatomy. dereks death was done so badly too.

the ending of house was a bit weird. not a death but a fake one but you had to laugh at the ending when foreman found the badge.

has no one mentions marks death in er yet. or Eric pratts....

not so much ending if series but certainly ending of seasons...

They killed Jessica Fletcher? Bastards.

I believe that Babe went for bacon.

Actually, being serious for a moment (!) cleverly used and unexpected deaths can be really effective and good for a series dramatically if they are well done. I remember seeing the original Upstairs, Downstairs for the first time and being really shocked when a major character was bumped off - brilliantly, unexpectedly - at the start of the third series. That had just never happened before and was a real jolt.

Equally, making you think someone has died and then revealing the truth a few episodes later also works really well. When they sacked Noele Gordon in Crossroads, they did a Bonfire Night episode where the motel burned down and it was assumed she died. A couple of episodes later the truth came out.

I think the problem is nowadays it's all done too often and doesn't really then drive proper character development. It's just "to get rid of a character or the actor is leaving"