I hate TV character deaths.  I’ve interviewed and read interviews with plenty of TV showrunners and it’s always the same.  Deaths happen because they have to mean something.  They have to have dramatic impact, they have to hurt, and they make for great TV.  

My inner response to those claims are always the same.  Bulls***!  I watch TV for escapism, not realism.  If I wanted tragic deaths, I just have to watch the 6:00 news.  However, the network programing monkeys still think there’s value in killing off characters, especially when writing teams just don’t know what to do with the characters and/or actors anymore and this little thing called budget crops up before renewal announcements every season, not to mention they need to close the season with a bang.  Time for a spectacular death!  

Here’s a list of a few characters from current shows that for me have left a painful void in their shows.  With the fall TV season right around the corner, this fangirl clings to fantasies that we’ll see them back in some capacity, from returning as series regulars to occasional flashback episodes.  I’ve grown too fond of these characters and I’m not ready to move on.  

Please note that I’m not acknowledging any spoilers here, so if you’ve heard that one or more of these characters are going to appear (and/or return) in some capacity in the upcoming season, please keep it to yourself.  I also love surprises!  The network gurus at least have that right about me.  

I hate TV character deaths.  I’ve interviewed and read interviews with plenty of TV showrunners and it’s always the same.  Deaths happen because they have to mean something.  They have to have dramatic impact, they have to hurt, and they make for great TV.  

My inner response to those claims are always the same.  Bulls***!  I watch TV for escapism, not realism.  If I wanted tragic deaths, I just have to watch the 6:00 news.  However, the network programing monkeys still think there’s value in killing off characters, especially when writing teams just don’t know what to do with the characters and/or actors anymore and this little thing called budget crops up before renewal announcements every season, not to mention they need to close the season with a bang.  Time for a spectacular death!  

Here’s a list of a few characters from current shows that for me have left a painful void in their shows.  With the fall TV season right around the corner, this fangirl clings to fantasies that we’ll see them back in some capacity, from returning as series regulars to occasional flashback episodes.  I’ve grown too fond of these characters and I’m not ready to move on.  

Please note that I’m not acknowledging any spoilers here, so if you’ve heard that one or more of these characters are going to appear (and/or return) in some capacity in the upcoming season, please keep it to yourself.  I also love surprises!  The network gurus at least have that right about me.  

 

Alaric Saltzman – The Vampire Diaries

The fact that Alaric was killed off is still inexplicable to me.  He was the perfect sidekick!  A vampire hunter who became best friends and an ally with one of the two lead vampires.  He was Tonto, Watson, Robin and Chewbacca all rolled into one!  He was someone who was useful and needed.  

Sure, he was a guardian that really didn’t do too much, um, guardianing.  He was a dude with a ring that kept bringing him back to life, no matter how many times he died.  Heck, his own best friend would just kill him when the mood suited him.  Yeah, returning from the dead so many times came with a nasty bout of homicidal insanity, but don’t we all have our demons?    

I know Damon Salvatore is a vampire, and just about everyone around him dies, with the exception of his own vampire brother.  It seems to be the mantra of this show.  But, but, he had a best friend!!!  They were absolutely awesome together!  They kicked ass together!  They openly drank in the classroom together!  Alaric didn’t have to die.  He may have some tragically failed romances, but bromances are important too.  Damon and Alaric were epic.    

Alaric also added something to the mix that took this teen drama to a new level.  A damaged responsible adult.  Er, semi responsible anyway, since he was a high school history teacher who would chaperone teen parties in which his underage students were openly consuming alcohol, something that would get any normal guy fired.  But the mere idea of a vampire hunter befriending a vampire?  Delicious!  It worked so well and shouldn’t have ended so abruptly, rather than be transferred haphazardly to Jeremy and Elena, brother vampire hunter and sister vampire. 

Yes, Alaric came back in one of those “lifting the veil” ghost stories they love to do, and he and Damon were back to business as usual.  Except the veil went back up and Alaric was gone.  We only got two episodes!  I need more.  They brought Jeremy back (and trust me I’m very happy about that) but why not Alaric??  Matt Davis’ other show failed.  He’s available!  While the premise of bringing back someone like Alaric from the dead seem ludicrous for most shows, it’s just another day at the office for The Vampire Diaries.  Come on Caroline Dries, make it happen! 

Favorite quotes:

(To Jeremy) You know that your old teacher had a jackass file? No joke. It’s, uh, typed on a label. It has all the troublemakers in it. But really, it’s just an opus to you. 

(Damon and Alaric meet in a bar)
Damon:  Behold the teacher. Don’t you have some papers to grade?
Alaric:It’s, uh, more fun with a buzz. 
Damon:  Well, most things in life are. Sober’s… depressing. 

Yeah, Elijah’s one scary dude.  But with nice hair. 

Damon: Andie wants me to pick her up. 
Alaric: Your fake, compelled girlfriend wants you to be a chivalrous boyfriend? 
Damon: Well, it’s a complicated dynamic. Hold the fort down, will you? 
Alaric:  You mean the fort full of my drunk history students? 
Damon:  Drink more. It’ll feel less weird.  

Damon: Look, if Mason Lockwood can get over the fact that I killed him, can’t you cut me a little slack, Ric?
Alaric: I shouldn’t have to get over it. I was your friend, Damon. You shouldn’t have done it in the first place.
Damon: Well! Sometimes… I do things I don’t have to do.
Alaric: You’re going to recycle that same crap ass apology you gave Mason Lockwood?
Damon: Yeah. Well… I didn’t mean it with him.

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