2021 in Review: The 40 Most Heartbreaking TV Character Deaths

Team TVLine
·1 min read

The TV year isn’t over just yet, but our tear ducts have had enough.

Even with a couple weeks left in our 2021 viewing, television has broken our hearts many times already this year, by way of some truly gut-wrenching character deaths.

More from TVLine

In the list below (alphabetized by show), we’re revisiting 40 demises that shattered us this year, which kicked off with a tragic Lupin murder early in the year and culminated with the recent loss of a Walking Dead: World Beyond favorite.

And though other characters have met unfortunate ends on the small screen in 2021, we’ve whittled down our choices to the most heartbreaking deaths of the bunch, with only one tragedy per show represented. (Exceptions were made when multiple characters perished at the same time, as happened with an ill-fated For All Mankind couple.)

Needless to say, we’re slapping a big ol’ SPOILER ALERT on the list below. If you’re not caught up on the following series (listed alphabetically), you might want to bookmark this page for later: 9-1-1: Lone Star, The Baby-Sitters Club, Batwoman, Black Lightning, The Blacklist, Charmed, DC’s Stargirl, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Fear the Walking Dead, For All Mankind, Foundation, Grey’s Anatomy, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Haves and the Have Nots, It’s a Sin, Loki, Lucifer, Lupin, Mare of Easttown, Mayans MC, Money Heist, NCIS, On My Block, Pose, The Resident, The Rookie, SEAL Team, Snowfall, Squid Game, Station 19, S.W.A.T., Sweet Tooth, THEM, Titans, The Underground Railroad, Walker, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, What We Do in the Shadows, The White Lotus and/or Who Killed Sara?

But if you’re ready to get a little weepy, scroll through our list of the year’s saddest character deaths, then hit the comments with any others that left you in tears.

Best of TVLine

Get more from TVLine.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Magnificent Seven Stocks To Buy And Watch: Nvidia Stock Dives Below Key Level

    Magnificent Seven stocks, including AI leader Nvidia, are among the best stocks to buy and watch in today's stock market.

  • Katz group blames real estate, pandemic for years-long delay of Ice District's urban village

    An urban village at Ice District in central Edmonton — 2,500 residential units and a public park — is now expected to take at least three years longer to build than previously planned. Construction was slated to start this year as part of Phase 2 of the OEG (formerly Oilers Entertainment Group) master plan to develop the land around Rogers Place. Tim Shipton, executive vice-president of OEG, appealed to city council at a public hearing April 2, outlining the obstacles the development was facing.

  • Person who was on fire outside Trump's hush money trial is rushed away on a stretcher

    NEW YORK (AP) — A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher. The fire was extinguished Friday shortly after a jury and alternates had been seated in Trump’s criminal case. A person could be seen lying on the ground on fire. People then rushed over to douse the person with a fire extinguisher and try to bat the flames away. Emergency responders then rushed the person away on a stretche

  • 20 Countries with the Highest Cancer Survival Rates in the World

    In this article, we will be taking a look at the 20 countries with the highest cancer survival rates in the world. If you do not want to learn about the cancer treatment in the US, head straight to the 5 Countries with the Highest Cancer Survival Rates in the World. Navigating the Terrain: The […]

  • 'Good tummy camouflage': This flattering frock is a steal at $34 — save over 40%

    More than 5,000 shoppers rave about this comfy midi dress — and it has pockets!

  • RFK Jr running mate injects needed cash in independent's campaign

    The role Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, will play in his White House bid is coming into focus, as the wealthy lawyer injects millions of dollars into their independent campaign and amplifies their stances on social media. Shanahan, a political neophyte tapped in March to be the independent candidate Kennedy's vice presidential pick, gave $2 million one day after her candidacy was announced, campaign filings showed this week. That money allowed the campaign to stay out of the red during an expensive push to be listed on state election ballots alongside Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican candidate Donald Trump.

  • Stablecoin Tether gets boost as dollar alternative in emerging markets, CEO says

    Stablecoin Tether's recent growth is being driven by its use as an alternative to the U.S. dollar in emerging markets, rather than by demand for cryptocurrency trading, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino told Reuters on Friday. Tether issues a stablecoin, also called Tether or USDT, which is designed to maintain a constant value of $1 and is widely used in crypto-to-crypto trading. It has grown rapidly in recent years, hitting more than $100 billion worth of Tether tokens in circulation in March.

  • ‘Endless tech’ at schools has been a failure, says Sophie Winkleman

    Schools have “gone crazy” filling classrooms with screens and results will go down as a result, the actress Sophie Winkleman has warned.

  • Runaway Horse Leads Connecticut Cop on Low-Speed Chase

    A police officer in Glastonbury, Connecticut, expressed his befuddlement on Wednesday morning, April 17, as he followed a runaway horse with the lights on his patrol vehicle flashing.Footage released by the Glastonbury Police Department shows the horse trotting along Hebron Avenue with an officer following behind in a police vehicle.The officer trailing the horse remarked: “What the hell am I supposed to do with this?”The horse was safely returned home and is in “stable” condition, as the department quipped on Facebook. One commenter jokingly asked if the horse was held on “bale.” Credit: Glastonbury Police Department via Storyful

  • Not Sure What To Do With Your Old Coins or Bills? Let These 3 Experts Help You

    Not all old coins or dollar bills are unique, but some could be worth thousands of dollars. And if you do have old currency lying around, it doesn't hurt to check and see what it's worth. Check Out:...

  • Vitesse Arnhem relegated from Eredivisie after 18-point deduction

    The Dutch football association has deducted 18 points from Vitesse Arnhem, officially confirming the club’s relegation

  • Are Taylor Swift's Tracks 'thanK you aIMee' and 'Cassandra' About Kim Kardashian?

    Swift released the two new tracks on 'The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology' on April 19

  • Britain could pledge new air-defence package for Ukraine in weeks

    Britain is preparing a new air-defence package for Ukraine to be delivered within weeks after Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded for more protection from the West.

  • Diplomacy and drones: how Israel’s attack on Iran unfolded

    Country’s leaders took it time to weigh its response to Iran’s strike under gaze of allies urging restraint

  • The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing

    TORONTO — The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores. In an affidavit filed in a Toronto court this week, the head of the retailer's Canadian operations says he has seen enough interest in the business from unspecified parties to believe the company should pursue a sale. Jordan Searle says it's unclear whether parent company The Body Shop In

  • Welcome to 'peak boomer' era: A wave of retirees is about to blow through their savings and cling to Social Security to stay afloat

    While more older boomers tend to have a pension, a looming wave of younger retirees are about to strain the economy and Social Security.

  • Pandas coming to CA zoo for first time in decades — and city calls it a ‘major boost’

    Pandas last were at the zoo temporarily in 1984 and 1985.

  • Organisers of Jewish pilgrimage in Tunisia cancel annual celebrations over Gaza

    An annual Jewish pilgrimage to Tunisia's Djerba‮ ‬synagogue and celebration has been cancelled due to the war in Gaza, the head of the organising committee, Perez Trabelsi, told Reuters on Friday. Trabelsi added that the committee has reduced the annual pilgrimage to limited rituals only inside the temple, and expects a very small number to arrive from France due to the tense situation in the Middle East. The southern island of Djerba – a holiday destination – is home to Africa’s oldest synagogue and the annual pilgrimage,‮ ‬attract thousands of Jews annually who come from Israel and several European countries.

  • Denver weather: Up to 4 inches of snow possible, heavier totals in mountains

    Colorado is not done with winter as Denver’s potential snowfall totals could range between 1 to 4 inches across the metro by Saturday as hazardous travel conditions are possible in the mountains.

  • Financial Experts: 7 Things You’ll Regret Doing With a $10K Raise

    When you get a significant raise, it can be tempting to splurge on something big -- like a vacation, new computer or another big-ticket item. But while rewarding yourself for your hard work doesn't...