TV Shows That Killed Off Main Characters Way Earlier Than Expected

After logging in enough time with your favorite shows, how do the writers repay you when they kill off their main characters early? They just love to twist the knife, usually killing off one of the beloved characters and leaving us with the Skylar Whites of the TV world. Our favorite is when the show "Valerie" killed off Valerie. Love that. Have a look at TV shows that killed off some of their main characters early, but be forewarned -- Massive spoilers ahead!

Jimmy Darmody on "Boardwalk Empire"

The HBO crime drama dropped one of its lead characters, played by Michael Pitt, in the early seasons to many people's surprise. While the Prohibition-placed series only went on for five seasons, fans still didn't see the early death coming for young Darmody in the season two finale when he was gunned down in the rain. Luckily, they still had Steve Buscemi left to run the show.

Zoe Barnes on "House of Cards"

The young, blossoming reporter with a bit of sass and a big secret of Frank Underwood's was expected to be one of the series' leading characters, that was, until Underwood pushed her into an oncoming train in early season two. Don't worry though, as we're sure her death will be what brings the president down.

Shane Walsh on "The Walking Dead"

The battle between Rick and Shane, the two leading men of "The Walking Dead" the first two seasons, was a heavy conflict of the show. Their push and pull as to how the group should be led, along with their shared love interest for Rick's wife - Lori also died fairly early - made for great arguments and the occasional scuffle as survivors tried to pick sides. Eventually they had to come to blows and a leader would be chosen. Apparently there can be only one Highlander. See what we have in store for the fates of the "The Walking Dead" characters.

Charlie Pace on "Lost"

Fan were "lost" when J.J. Abrams killed off one of the most lovable characters, sweet Charlie. The washed-up rocker who had cried wolf a few too many times with the group was one of the few to board the ship that would get everyone off the island. Instead he drowned while learning some hard truths. Turns out, it was "not Penny's boat."

Nicholas Brody on "Homeland"

Everyone expected Brody to die early on, but when he didn't we thought he might actually have a shot at surviving with Carrie. Any man who can be accused to consorting with terrorists, even be considered one himself, and live through that, despite his family (including his hot wife, played by Morena Baccarin) hating him, could make it out alive. Turns out he couldn't, and season four found Brody in a noose too tight to get himself out of, even for Carrie.

Eddard Stark on "Game Of Thrones"

Despite having a show mostly about death and sex and thrones, fans were overwhelmed by the beheading of Ned Stark early in the HBO series, the first season, in fact. The show also lost main characters like Joffrey, who ordered up Ned's death, by way of poisoning, along with Renly Baratheon in the early seasons, demonstrating that its writers have no fear in cutting out characters at any point along the path of the TV adaptation. But don't be surprised to see some flashbacks involving these characters in the duration of the show.

Marissa Cooper on "The O.C."

No one understood how the Fox teen drama could kill off their leading hot girl, but since the show covered so much territory during high school - bankruptcy, deaths, cage fighting - it found itself ending after only four seasons. The character of Marissa Cooper, played by Mischa Barton, was always destined for early demise, and it was lead character, Ryan Atwood, who kept saving her from certain death until he couldn't anymore. Though it makes sense in retrospect, it also makes sense that the show couldn't survive more than one shortened season without their hottest draw.

Rita Morgan on "Dexter"

In the peak of the Showtime killer, just before this terrific show went terrible started to flop, the show guest starred John Lithgow who played a marvelous psychopath and ultimately taught the leading man, Dexter Morgan, about the greatest loss of all. The death was a catalyst for launching our lovable serial killer into a murderous rampage, but in hindsight we can see that Rita's final - also gruesome - scene was also the death of the show. The series would go on for four more awful seasons before the biggest series finale letdown of all time.

Charlie Harper on "Two and a Half Men"

This story needs no introduction, as Charlie Sheen's wig out some years back lead to his own character's demise. Sheen became the talk of the town, that was, if the town could get a word in between all his rambling incoherence. Sheen was written off the show with the old 'pushed in front of an oncoming subway' scene. So that's where "House of Cards" picked that up!

Derek Shepherd on "Grey's Anatomy"

The fatal car crash of Dr. Derek caused a major fallout for fans of the ABC drama in the spring of its eleventh season, as most of us are huge fans of Patrick Dempsey. In addition to the removal of Dr. Shepherd, the show also killed off Lexie Grey a few years earlier, also to many fans' shock. Now in its twelfth season, the Ellen Pompeo-led show has begun something of a reboot, which a lot of folks are not on board with. You should never have hurt Patrick Dempsey. Never!