In retrospect, it shouldn’t be that shocking for someone in the Army to die during wartime. But audiences in 1975 were unprepared for news that the former commanding officer of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital didn’t make it home alive. Sure, it had been announced that McLean Stevenson (who played Lt. Colonel Henry Blake) was leaving the series, but the expectation was that his character would be simply discharged, given some fond farewells, and that would be that. But then suddenly, in the last scene of the third season finale, Radar (Gary Burghoff) announced that Blake’s plane had been shot down: “There were no survivors,” he said. With that, the mood of the show shifted from sitcom to dramedy.
‘Good Times’
Season 4, Episode 1 (Sept. 22, 1976)
Norman Lear’s sitcoms were known for tackling tough subjects, but they rarely turned tragic. But that changed with the character James Evans Sr., who helped create a blueprint for strong Black fathers on television. John Amos, who portrayed Evans, had been dissatisfied with the direction of the show. He wanted more authenticity, more serious story lines. He also publicly criticized what he saw as the show’s increasing tendency toward caricature. His attitude put him on Lear’s chopping block. As with “M*A*S*H,” death happened offscreen, with the dreadful news by telegram that James had died in a car crash. After this, the show struggled to continue but never recovered.
‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’
Season 5, Episode 22 (May 22, 2001)
When the apocalypse comes, remember to beep Buffy, the “chosen one” who stands against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. Naturally, this comes with a lot of death, including Buffy’s own. She had already died in Season 1 (just a little drowning), but this second time, which capped Season 5, was different. When she realized she could close a portal between human and demon dimensions, she made the fateful choice to sacrifice herself, shocking her sister (Michelle Trachtenberg), her friends and viewers. How could “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” ever hope to continue without Buffy? This episode could have served as a series finale (it was the end of the show’s WB run), but it was just the beginning of a new chapter. The show’s next season took a huge tonal shift with Buffy’s nonconsensual resurrection, the aftermath of which was one of the most realistic depictions of depression ever seen on television.
