Sitcoms are the comfort food of the television world. Audiences can deeply understand a set of characters, get a great deal of laughs, and see someamazing performancesat the same time. While most sitcoms revolve around nuclear families, plenty have come out focused on untraditional family setups, found family, or friendships. Nevertheless, they typically stick with a lighthearted tone. Now and then, however, a sitcom features a character’s death that can change the DNA of these shows forever and be a prettyheartbreaking moment.
Deaths in sitcoms are rare, but they do occasionally happen. Sometimes, they occur when an actor is fired or opts to leave the show. Other times, the actor has died in real life, and instead of choosing another person to portray the character, showrunners decide to write them out of the show. Either way, it’s fascinating to see what character deaths changed the show for the better or worse.
10Valerie/The Hogan Family - Valerie Hogan
The sitcomThe Hogan Familywent through several cast changes and titles. Originally titledValerie, the titular character was the matriarch of her family. She is a busy working mother of three boys, and though she is married, her husband David is not as present as he should be. The sitcom shows all the mishaps each family member goes through and how Valerie balances it all. As an integral member of the show and family, it was a surprise when her character was killed off after the second season.
How the Show Changed
The most glaring shift was the show’s name toValerie’s Family: The Hogan’s, before eventually settling onThe Hogan Family. Since a mother-like figure was at the center of most of the storylines, simply having the father around more wouldn’t cut it. His sister Sandy was a fresh presence in the show and could’ve been a great addition to actress Valerie Harper’s character had behind-the-scenes conflict not led to her firing. Valerie Hogan’s death altered the family’s dynamics but ultimately didn’t appear to have much of an emotional impact on the members.Currently not available to stream or rent.
9Full House - Grandpa Papouli
Full Houseis a family show that takes to heart the adage that it takes a village to raise a tribe. Set in San Francisco, Danny Tanner is now a single father raising his three daughters. However, even though his wife is gone, he’ll have the assistance of his longtime friend Joey and his brother-in-law Jesse. Jesse is a fun-loving musician, and the show eventually shows his journey to fatherhood. We learn about his family, including Grandpa Papouli.
An Important Life Lesson
Even though they may not be related by blood, the Tanners and Joey are Jesse’s chosen family, and each of them was impacted by Grandpa Papouli’s passing. Not only did it show another side to Jesse, but it also allowed the sitcom to explore how grief impacts children. It may not have been amain character death, but the death of a grandparent is often a kid’s first brush with death and navigating those needed conversations is hard. Michelle’s conversation with Jesse is a complete tear-jerker, with Jesse giving sage advice that’ll stick with her and viewers going forward: it’s okay to be sad.
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8Cheers - Coach Ernie Pantusso
Cheerscenters on a bar in Boston that many of the locals frequent. The owner of the bar is Sam Malone, a retired baseball player turned self-proclaimed ladies’ man. Among his many employees is his former coach, Ernie Pantusso, though he’s affectionately called Coach. He works as a bartender and isn’t the best at his job, but his connection to Sam and his overall good nature keeps him employed. Coach may be out of practice from formal coaching, but he kept up with looking out for Sam and trying to help lead him down the right path.
Gone, Not Forgotten
The actor Nicholas Colasanto played Coach and passed away in 1985. Instead of recasting another actor into the role, the show killed off his character without a formal explanation. Though the character of Coach wasn’t replaced, they essentially filled the archetype of the “dumb friend” with a newCheerscast member, Woody Boyd (played by Woody Harrelson). Hardcore fans probably have a favorite, but both are well-liked and funny, even if they sometimes seem a bit too similar. Coach wasn’t completely erased from the characters’ memories. Not only in the episodes soon after his death was he mentioned, but eagle-eyed fans will notice a nod to the character in the series finale.
Stream on Paramount+
7MAS*H - Henry Blake
MASHis the spin-off of a film with the same name. This war dramedy revolves around individuals who worked at the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in South Korea during theKorean War. Among the group are surgeons, nurses, clerks, chaplains, and more. Henry Blake is a surgeon and commander of the unit where the characters are employed. He didn’t fit into the stereotypical mold of a commanding officer. He didn’t reject fun nor demand respect in the harshest ways from his subordinates. He treated them like people and eventually friends, which made his death all the more impactful.
Death in Abyssinia
Not only wasMAS*Ha film before the sitcom, but it was also a book. The ending this character faces differs in all three mediums. The storyline the show went with is Blake was in a plane that was shot down, leaving zero survivors. The moment Radar, a corporal, relays the news to other team members will send goosebumps down viewers’ arms. Blake had a strong bond with many of the characters, especially Blake, so it was interesting to see how they navigated the challenges of their job and life without his presence. With an ensemble cast, a single character death is unlikely to ruin the show, but it certainly did rearrange the group dynamic here.
6The Conners - Roseanne/Dan
Character deaths and revivals inRoseanneand the spin-offThe Connersdon’t make much sense, but sometimes it’s better not to ask questions and enjoy the show.Roseannewas a popular family sitcom back in the late eighties and nineties. The Conner family comprised Roseanne, her husband Dan, and their children. It offered a refreshing take on an “all-American family,” as the Conners weren’t prim, proper, and buttoned-up. Some may label them trashy or low-brow, and they proudly wear that label.
Resurrection and Cancelation
A tense moment inRoseannewas when Dan had a heart attack, but he appeared in subsequent episodes as normal. Later, it was revealed that Dan died, and Roseanne was imagining moments of him being present for a book. However, in the 2017 reboot, Dan is back in the picture, and his death is part of her story. If that’s not confusing enough, once actress Roseanne Barr madecontroversial statements, her character was killed off in the show, and it was transformed intoThe Conners. The character changes are messy and chaotic, which fits well with what the family was known for.
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5Two and a Half Men - Charlie Harper
Charlie and Alan fromTwo and a Half Menare brothers in different places in their lives. Alan is married, though his relationship is on the rocks, and has a son named Jake. Charlie is in full-on bachelor mode, living a low-stress life in Malibu. Once Alan’s wife decides it’s time for a divorce, he moves in with his brother. Living with his brother and frequent visits from his nephew seriously cramps Charlie’s lifestyle. But maybe they can learn a thing or two about one another while under the same roof.
Charlie was a staple on the show for many seasons, but after apparent conflicts on set with actor Charlie Sheen, his character had to go. In the show, Charlie was hit by a train in Paris. Keeping with the show’s lighthearted and humorous tone, much of his death was played for laughs. The funeral scene itself used Charlie as a metaphorical punching bag, with the women of his various romantic trysts airing out their grievances. While the show did continue for some time after the character’s passing, it never quite had the same heart, as some sayAshton Kutcher killed the showonce he joined. Without the energy stemming from Charlie and Alan’s relationship, the sitcom lost some of its edge.
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48 Simple Rules - Paul Hennessy
8 Simple Rulescenters on an everyday family consisting of the parents and their three children. The mom, Cate, gets a full-time job, which requires her husband, Paul, to take on more childrearing responsibilities. Overprotective may be too tame a word to describe Paul’s stance on those seeking to date his two daughters. He has a list of eight rules; he may even say they’re simple. Among these laws include boys keeping their hands off his girls at all times and ringing the doorbell rather than honking a horn. With such a fun, outrageous character as part of the8 Simple Rulescast, it took viewers by surprise when he was killed off after the first season.
Hard to Replicate the Magic
The actor who portrayed Paul, John Ritter, passed away after a health emergency on set of the show. Upon his death, the show gave a bizarre explanation for the character’s absence: he was looking for milk at the supermarket, collapsed, and died. As was typical when such situations happened, the show tried to replace the archetype his character assumed. Cate’s father, James, attempted to fill that role. He was a veteran and also quite protective, but it didn’t have the same quirkiness or originality of Ritter’s character. The public agreed; after the third season, the show was canceled.
Stream on Disney+
3Good Times - James Evans
Good Timesis a spin-off about the Evans family. James, Florida and their three kids live in a poor neighborhood in Chicago. James doesn’t seem to have much direction, as he shifts between unemployment and working random jobs, at times more than one at a time. His children seem to have their own path set out for them, with one son into the arts, another passionate about social issues, and a highly intelligent daughter destined to attend college. Together with Florida, they try to raise a family while making it out of their lower-class social status.
No Laughing Matter
While some sitcoms went for a silly or humorous approach to a character’s death,Good Timesshowed the negative impacts the death had on the characters. Evans left the series due to differences between himself and the creative team behind good times. The moment Florida reads out the news that James was killed in a car accident, the shock and pain is palpable through the screen. His death marked a shift in all the characters, especially the son J.J., who was known for being immature. The characters had to grow up in many ways while staying true to who audiences knew them to be. While James was a fun character, the series didn’t become less entertaining to watch without him. Instead, it gave the remaining family members opportunities to step into roles they wouldn’t have been able to before.
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2Boy Meets World - Chet Hunter
Boy Meets Worldcenters on Cory Matthews and those in his life, including his best friend, Shawn Hunter. Shawn couldn’t be more of Cory’s opposite. Cory is a hopeless romantic, emotional, and was raised in a loving family. Meanwhile, Shawn prefers not to let people close (besides Cory) and grew up estranged from his half-brother and neglected by his alcoholic father, Chet. Due to his fluctuating sense ofparental responsibility, Chet wasn’t a constant presence in the show. At least not physically. It was clear that his lack of attention and care toward Shawn affected his son in how he sees the world.
His Final Goodbye
Chet came in and out of Shawn’s life, but when he pops back up in season six, it seems things may be different. That hope is short-lived, as Chet suffers two heart attacks and dies. The death has an immediate effect on Shawn within the episode but further complicates his sense of self, his relationship with his brother, and his outlook on the world. Even though Chet finally said “I’m sorry” in a way that Shawn heard, it still may have been too little too late.
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1Glee - Finn Hudson
Gleefollows a glee club at a high school in Ohio. Throughout six seasons, viewers became acquainted with various characters, from the club members to other students, teachers, and family members. Finn Hudson was one of the core members from the start. He’s the classic trope of a jock who wants to pursue more than sports but feels pressure from family and friends. Finn struggles with people-pleasing and standing firm in what he wants. His relationship with fellow glee club singer Rachel helps him come into his own.
A Heartbreaking End
Millions were shocked when news of actor Cory Monteith’s death became public. A cause of death was never revealed for Finn’s character. His last appearance was in season four, and his presence was felt until the very end. Several storylines involved Finn’s death and the ensuing grief everyone felt. Themusical performancesin his honor were arguably the most emotional moments of the entire show. If fans managed to get through those moments without shedding a tear, the finale, in which the school gym is named after Finn, will surely do it. Earlier seasons ofGleeare often viewed more favorably than later ones. Though Finn’s death isn’t the sole reason, losing a fan-favorite character and adored actor undoubtedly contributed.
