TVcharacter deaths were always a dramatic affair, but some managed to return to their respective shows in various ways. Several ofthe best TV shows of all timekilled off their characters, only to bring them back at a later date.While some of these characters were brought back to life, others appeared in other forms.
Manytragic TV show deaths had to happen, but others were unnecessary. A lot of these character revivals were the result of backlash from audiences, but some were part of the narrative’s plans. Whether it was because of a retcon, actor decision, or story choice, these TV characters amazingly returned to their shows despite being dead.
10Shane Walsh
Shane Walsh died inThe Walking Deadseason 2when Rick brutally stabbed him, a retort to Shane’s own plans to kill him over the arguments about who was best to lead the survivors. This was a wild moment, and even though Shane was a villain and Rick was simply trying to save his own life, it was still jaw-dropping.
What If Shane Had Killed Rick In The Walking Dead Season 2?
The Walking Dead would’ve been a very different story if original villain Shane had completed his season 2 plan and managed to take down Rick Grimes.
Murdering Shane altered Rick’s psyche going forward, and he was one of the former sheriff’smajor kills inThe Walking Dead. However, the lingering memories of Shane and Lori and the presence of their love child made things more complex.Shane returned in the form of a hallucination on two notable occasions.
The Walking Dead
Cast
The Walking Dead is a television series that premiered on July 25, 2025. It follows Sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes, who awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. He embarks on a journey to locate his family, encountering various survivors amidst the chaos.
Rick struggled to keep a hold of reality after Lori died giving birth to Judith, and so during the attack on Woodbury, he was convinced Shane was among the rival community’s soldiers. However, it wasn’t Shane, as Rick learned after killing the soldier.Shane’s “ghost” also popped up twice in season 9, once to encourage Rick to keep fighting, and again as a corpse. Although Shane wasn’t brought back to life, Rick’s memory of him felt very real.
9Bobby Ewing
Dallas (1978-1991)
Patrick Duffy’s departure fromDallaswas a groundbreaking television moment, and audiences were shocked when Bobby Ewing was mowed down by a car in the middle of the street.After he had his final painful moments in the hospital, Bobby passed away, which left everyone heartbroken, especially Pam. However, the end ofDallasseason 9 revealed that all of these events were actually Pam’s dream.
Dallas
One of the most popular soap opera series of all time, Dallas aired in 1978 as a part of CBS' line up and follows the wealthy oil baron family, the Ewings, as those from within and close to them plot and scheme their way to the top of the social ladder. The series ran for fourteen seasons before it concluded in 1991.
Bobby’s funeral and theDallascharacters' grief over his death were notable storylines in the show, so it was astounding whenaudiences unexpectedly saw him climb out of the shower in the last episode of season 9, “Blast From the Past.”Dallas’ ratings dropped significantly during season 9 because of the loss of Bobby, and this played a big part in his return, although Duffy also stated that he wanted to come back, too.
8Dan Conner
Roseanne (1988-2018)
Roseanneseason 9 was complicated. The Conner family was relatable to audiences because of their working-class origins and financial struggles, but their lottery win wasn’t the only shake-up that confused many. As the titular character finished work on her book, it was revealed thatDan had died from a heart attack at the end of season 8, and the character seen in season 9 was simply a figment of her imagination.
Roseanne
Roseanne was a late 80s Sitcom created by Matt Williams and starring Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert. The show followed a character created by Roseanne Barr herself as she attempted to navigate her family life in a fictional town in Illinois.
Viewers were relieved that Dan’s affair wasn’t real, but they were surprised thatRoseanne created this narrative because of her grief.Thankfully,theRoseannerevival retconned Dan’s death. WhenRoseannereturned to the screens over a decade later, Dan’s sudden reappearance was remarkable. It was strange to see Dan make a meta joke to Roseanne about killing him, let alone his presence in general, but it was more fitting that he lived through toThe Conners’ final season.
7Rory Williams
Doctor Who (2005-)
Every time Rory Williams died and returned toDoctor Who, itwas unexpected. Even though the character developed a reputation for returning from the grave, when each instance occurred, it seemed less likely it would happen again. Yet, Mr. Pond persisted.Rory had a number of notable deaths in the show, but his first proper demise was the most astonishing.
Even though the character developed a reputation for returning from the grave, when each instance occurred, it seemed less likely it would happen again.
After a Silurian shot him in “Cold Blood,” an aptly named episode, the crack in time wiped Rory from history. The universe and Amy, most importantly, forgot Rory, except the Doctor.Doctor Who’s timey-wimey lore allowed forRory to come back as a Roman Centurion, revived by the Autons to lure the Doctor to the Pandorica.
Doctor Who
An alien from the planet Gallifrey travels through time and space to explore, solve problems and fight injustice while also making friends with human beings. His spaceship, called TARDIS, resembles a police box, but it is much more than it appears to be.
He was only away for a few episodes, but Rory’s sudden appearance in “The Pandorica Opens” was extremely exciting.Amy eventually remembered the love of her life, and the second Big Bang brought Rory back on a permanent basis, which set him up to die again and again before the Ponds took the slow path together in 1930s Manhattan.
6Brian Griffin
Family Guy (1999-)
In one moment, Brian Griffin was happily playing hockey with Stewie in the street, and in the next,Family Guy’s iconic talking dog was dead.Brian being hit by a car was brutal, and it was quite a profound moment for the animated show. Both the characters and audiences grieved for Brian, andFamily Guyintroduced Vinnie as a replacement.
While Vinnie was a solid addition, he simply wasn’t Brian, and his arrival felt a bit forced, especially as Brian’s body was barely cold.“Brian Dies” was one ofFamily Guy’s most hated episodes, but thanks to Stewie’s use of time travel,he returned just two episodes later in “Christmas Guy.”
Family Guy
Family Guy is an animated series following the eccentric Griffin family. Led by bumbling patriarch Peter and long-suffering Lois, the family includes the sadistic baby Stewie, unpopular teenager Meg, dim-witted Chris, and Brian, their talking dog. The show explores their outlandish adventures in the fictional town of Quahog.
Stewie had destroyed his time machine, but he later came across a time-traveling version of himself, borrowed his return pad, and reversed the events of the previous few months. This then retconned Vinny’s time with the Griffins, and while the change in history made Stewie forget everything, Brian remembered. Brian’s revival inFamily Guywas aTV show twist that divided its fandom, but one that was ultimately for the best.
5Laverne Roberts
Scrubs (2001-2010)
Laverne’s passing was one of thedeaths inScrubsthat left fans truly heartbroken, and it impacted the overall atmosphere of Sacred Heart for long after. The nurse was a fabulous character in the show, butafter being in a non-responsive coma for quite a while, her life support was turned off.Laverne was killed off inScrubsseason 6, although her familiar face did reappear multiple times after this.
Scrubscreator Bill Lawrence thought season 6 was the last installment of the show, but when it returned for season 7, so did actress Aloma Wright. Nurse Shirley Richards was introduced in the episode “My Hard Labor.” While Wright played another character, it was a recurring gag that she was identical to Laverne.
Scrubs
Scrubs is a Sitcom and Medical Comedy/Drama created by Bill Lawrence that follows a group of medical students throughout their daily lives at the Sacred Heart Teaching Hospital. The series stars Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, and Donald Faison, as they work their way up from Medical Interns while juggling all sorts of hospital shenanigans.
Nobody else noticed the resemblance except for J.D., who gave her the nickname “Lavernagain.” Technically, it wasn’t the same character, butit was implied that Shirley and Laverne were essentially the same person, at least for the sake of the joke. They shared a similar personality and attitude, although one difference was that Shirley developed a strong friendship with the Janitor.
4Colin Robinson
What We Do In The Shadows (2019-2024)
Colin Robinson’s death inWhat We Do in the Shadowsrocked audiences. It was an interesting move for the show to kill off one of its main characters, especially as Colin and Laszlo’s friendship was blossoming so beautifully. WhenColin died at the end of season 3, it was unclear whether viewers would ever see the energy vampire again.
What We Do In The Shadows' Mark Proksch On Final Season, Saying Goodbye To Colin Robinson & Teaming With Laszlo
What We Do in the Shadows star Mark Proksch discusses the final season, saying goodbye to Colin Robinson, and teaming with Matt Berry’s Laszlo.
However, it was quickly revealed that Colin was only dead for a short time, anda baby resembling him had emerged from his corpse.What We Do in the Shadowsseason 4 hilariously showed Laszlo trying to raise the child Colin Robinson, although the show was initially vague about whether the youth was him or some sort of clone.
What We Do in the Shadows
What We Do in the Shadows, released in 2019, is a mockumentary series exploring the nightly lives of a group of centuries-old vampires residing in Staten Island. The comedic show delves into their interactions with each other and the modern world, providing a humorous take on the vampire genre.
However, it was later confirmed that the boy was Colin, much to Laszlo’s disappointment. The show explained thatenergy vampires were reborn every 100 years,and after Colin obtained access to his diaries, he regained all of his former memories. Sadly, he didn’t remember his childhood and being raised by Laszlo.
3Jon Snow
Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
Game of Throneskilled off one of its most prominent characters, Jon Snow, in a fascinating yet unexpected cliffhanger. In “Mother’s Mercy,” Jon was lured to his death under the pretense that Benjen had returned, only for his brothers of the Night’s Watch to stab him over him bringing the Wildlings south of the Wall.
However,he was then resurrected by Melisandre in “Home,”which set up one ofGame of Thrones’ biggest mysteries- why was he brought back? Many consideredJon Snow’s death inGame of Thronesa dumb decision, especially as the show never really provided an answer.
Game Of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
Several implications to this were littered throughoutGame of Thrones, but the reason for his revival was never confirmed. Some theories suggested thatMelisandre sacrificing Shireen was what led to Jon’s resurrection,although it was more than likely that he was brought back because his parentage mystery wasn’t solved, either.
2Nathan Young
Misfits (2009-2013)
Robert Sheehan’s Nathan Young wasMisfits’ ultimate rebel. He was brilliantly funny and outspoken, but these qualities were what led to his death. After he attempted to release his friends from Rachel’s powers of manipulation, which turned everyone into extremely conservative prudes,Nathan fell from the roof of the community centerand onto a spike, which killed him.
Nathan was arguably the best character inMisfits, so it was great that his death wasn’t permanent and that he gained a power like the rest of his cohort.
While he believed that he didn’t develop a power from the storm inMisfits’ first episode,Nathan discovered he was immortalwhen he woke up in his coffin. The mysterious figure Superhoodie, who was later revealed as a future version of Simon, sent Kelly a note informing her that Nathan was alive.
Misfits
Misfits is a British comedy-drama sci-fi series that blends science fiction with dark comedy. It is centered around five young offenders who gain supernatural abilities after a bizarre electrical storm. Set during their community service, the show explores how each character deals with their newfound powers, shining a light on the darker sides of having special abilities.
When she arrived at Nathan’s grave, she was able to hear him, which led to the group digging him back up. Nathan wasarguably the best character inMisfits, so it was great that his death wasn’t permanent and that he gained a power like the rest of his cohort. The others were gutted over his demise, especially Kelly, although he annoyed them again so quickly that they doubted whether his immortality was good or not.
1Buffy Summers
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)
Buffy Summers died three times inBuffy the Vampire Slayer, although some were more permanent than others. Two of those occasions saw her revived rather quickly. “Prophesy Girl” saw Xander and Angel rush to Buffy’s side after the Master bit her, whereas in “Villains,” the Slayer survived flatlining in the hospital when Dark Willow arrived.
8 Tragic TV Show Deaths That Had To Happen
No matter how much a character is loved, sometimes for the plot to progress correctly, they have to be killed off and leave the show for good.
However,Buffy sacrificing herself in “The Gift” was the most notable of her deaths.After she realized that Dawn was created from her blood, Buffy threw herself between the dimensions, as she knew that her death would close the gates and save the world. Joss Whedon intended for this to be Buffy’s end, but when the show was renewed for further seasons, he had to bring her back.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a television series created by Joss Whedon, focusing on Buffy Summers, portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar, a young woman chosen to battle against vampires, demons, and other supernatural forces while navigating the complexities of teenage life.
Thanks to a resurrection spell cast by Willow, Tara, Anya, and Xander, Buffy woke upin her coffin.Buffy’s season 6 resurrection fulfilled her season 1 nightmare, however, and she was forced to break out of her own grave and crawl up to the surface. It made sense that Buffy had to be revived, but even the character didn’t believe she had survived, as she later stated that her friends had “ripped [her] out” of heaven.
