Sam Levinson's Euphoria is a bona fide sensation, joining the ranks of HBO shows that got the world talking back in Season 1. The long-awaited third season is airing now on the network (and with an HBO Max subscription), and it's been a doozy so far. There is one last episode coming down the line, and I'm worried that one of the main characters is going to get killed off. Namely, Zendaya's protagonist Rue.

Euphoria Season 3 picked up years after the characters graduated from high school, and the stakes couldn't get much higher. This is especially true for Rue, who is in the middle of an organized crime battle... while also secretly working for the DEA. And I'm getting nervous that the show's lead character is going to end up like Adriana in The Sopranos. Hear me out.

I Really Hope Rue Doesn't Get The Adriana Sopranos Treatment

It's been hinted that Season 3 might be Euphoria's final chapter, including by Emmy-winning Zendaya herself. And as such, Rue's situation feels especially precarious ahead of the season finale. She's got two different crime lords who seemingly want her dead, and that's without her even being outed as an informant for the DEA. And if both Laurie and Alamo find out the truth, smart money says she'll be in even more danger.

I had Sopranos flashbacks as soon as Rue ended up being questioned by the DEA, and not-so-subtly strong-armed into giving them information about Laurie and Alamo's drug deals. Adriana was my favorite character on David Chase's acclaimed HBO series, and the fact that Euphoria is on the same network made the connection even stronger. And with one episode left, I'm seriously worried that Euphoria's lead character is about to meet her maker.

While they have very different stories and backgrounds, I can't help but see the similarities between Rue and Adriana. Both were unwillingly roped into being informants, putting them in even more danger than they already were. Rue was forced into her life as a drug mule because of the money she owed Laurie, while Adriana was systematically targeted by the FBI due to Christopher's involvement in the mob. We all know what happened to Drea de Matteo's character in The Sopranos, and I'm really hoping that Rue is spared in Euphoria's Season 3 finale.

Unfortunately, it's not looking great for Zendaya's signature character. The penultimate episode of Season 3 saw Faye betraying her, which will seemingly put her in even more danger with Laurie's crew. Then there's Alamo, who was informed of her DEA connection thanks to Maddie's desperation to save Cassie. Both criminal bosses seemingly want her dead, and things are going to go from bad to worse if her identity as a mole comes out.

All will be revealed when Euphoria's finale airs this Sunday as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Fingers crossed Rue survives all the drama. Folks who want to re-watch Adriana's time on The Sopranos can stream it over on HBO Max.

The superhero genre continues to be wildly popular, and there's a new shared universe in town courtesy of DC co-CEO James Gunn. In addition to the highly anticipated upcoming DC movies, there are also some shows that will expand the first slate of projects, titled Gods and Monsters. Chief among them is Lanterns, but fans have been bummed that we haven't seen any of the cosmic powers in the footage so far. Although the EP has invoked the name of two HBO legacy shows when explaining his approach.

What we know about Lanterns has been limited, but fans were shocked when the first trailer didn't actually show Hal Jordan and John Stewart using their powers. Writer/producer Chris Mundy was asked by ComicBook about crafting a non-conventional superhero show, where he said:

Those are some of HBO's biggest titles, so the pressure is now on for Lanterns to deliver the same quality as both Game of Thrones and The Sopranos. Those shows both became cultural sensations, and I'm intrigued to see how the forthcoming DC show might end up resembling them, rather than a traditional comic book project.

There was backlash to Lantern's first trailer when its protagonists failed to suit up, use their power rings, or create any of the Corps.' signature constructs. This was especially true since the Green Lanterns have had such a storied history in the media. Ryan Reynolds' infamous movie is the only time we've seen Green Lanterns on the big screen in live-action. Later in the same interview, Mundy spoke more about his approach to the series, offering:

This sounds like a delicate balance, and it should be fascinating to see how Lanterns ultimately walks that line. Comic book fans are super passionate, and aren't shy about making their voices known. So smart money says Chris Mundy will know one way or another how folks feel.

While the Lanterns footage has been divisive so far, we'll have to see if the story ends up being as epic as Game of Thrones. That show was a global sensation, and found a way to make an emotionally-driven story out of an established IP. Hopefully the forthcoming DC series can reach those heights.

All will be revealed when Lanterns premieres August 16th as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Hopefully we get more footage soon, including some of the heroes using their abilities.

One of the biggest detriments to the entire 2026 TV schedule, if not all of existence, is that we can’t properly look forward to Severance Season 3 showing up anywhere on it. Thankfully, however, the new episodes are closer than ever to coming together, with the latest production window set to kick off very soon, and star Adam Scott is as jazzed as anyone to bring the (assumedly) penultimate season to life. Perhaps even more so, since he already knows how it all ends.

Scott’s acting achievements were celebrated over the weekend, as he was on-hand to receive the Canal+ Icon award at Canneseries, where he spoke to Variety about initially vying for the dual-performance role of Mark Scout, and why it has been a testament to everything he’s wanted to do across his career. He also spoke excitedly about the upcoming season, since he’s already feasted on those scripts. Here's what he said when asked about his knowledge of Severance's future.

Speaking about Season 3 specifically, Adam Scott couldn't exactly dip into spoilers, but it really doesn't take much to send me up the hallway walls with anticipation.

Obviously the first two seasons were amazing due to all of the surprises and bazonkers reveals that popped up, from all things goat-related to Gemma's tragic experiences as a Lumon experiment. So simply hearing that Season 3 will have surprises is kind of a no-brainer. But like...the absolute best kind of no-brainer.

This is exactly like hearing Dylan's "The egg bar is coveted as f--k," because of course the assumption is that a corporate-crafted egg bar is going to be choice, but calling it "coveted as f--k" goes beyond...okay, maybe those two things aren't exactly the same. But I'm too giddy to worry about making that much sense at the moment. Not quite "Irving standing on Bert's doorstep" giddy, but close.

Adam Scott also shared his thoughts on Severance's fandom sharing quite a lot of the same Venn diagram space as fans of David Lynch and Mark Frost's Twin Peaks. At least in thematic terms of mysterious locations, mysterious deaths (or not-deaths), and oddball characters in hyper-normalized settings. As Scott put it:

Of course, Twin Peaks was infamously forced by network execs into revealing the answer to its core "Who Killed Laura Palmer?" mystery in the middle of its second season. It never recovered, critically or ratings-wise, and was thereafter canceled, to be followed by the film Fire Walk with Me and the revival series Twin Peaks: The Return.

Severance, which totally needs to add a Log Lady to the Severed Floor, has thankfully avoided any kind of similar fate thus far, and has continued to pile on intriguing mysteries even as other are answered. Even things that don't qualify as mysteries, such as whose side Ms. Cobel will be on in Season 3, are worthy of the same amount of speculation, which is a sign of a great show, at least in my (kind) eyes.

The big question I'm taking from Scott's comments, however, is how much fans should read into the actor bringing up The Sopranos' ending while addressing the Apple TV series. As he put it:

Honestly, if a third season was never in the cards, then I think Severance Season 2's finale succeeds in inspiring a somewhat similar angst-ridden need to know exactly what happened in the next few seconds as The Sopranos' much-debated ending did. Which doesn't guarantee that Dan Erickson and the creative team don't have a similar idea up their collective sleeves, but I'm hoping Scott's comparison just means fans are going to talk about Severance's ending a lot after it's over.

Even just saying "after it's over" makes me want to have a meltdown, like finding out I'm a first-draft invite to Ricken's next dinner party. Never that. Please, God, never that.

Severance Season 3 is set to start filming in mid-2026, and will hopefully be streaming via Apple TV subscription before Disney or Netflix has bought a majority share in Lumon.

For me, the signs of a truly great story are that it opens up conversations about itself and that its meaning changes as time goes by. By that measure, the now-legendary ending of The Sopranos may stand alone at the top of finale mountain. We’re almost two decades removed from that final cut to black, and many of us are still thinking about it. In fact, I’m thinking about so much, it’s starting to really freak me out.

Stories That Get Better With Age And Experience

I’ve often said that the reason Catcher In The Rye is one of my favorite books is that every time I read it, and I’ve read it four times, it means something different to me. When I was in high school, I empathized with Holden. When I was an adult, I hated him. It works both ways. Now, after experiencing a major health scare that could have killed me, it got me looking at Tony’s death in The Sopranos in a totally different way.

We can argue what that famous ending really meant -- you can watch again with an HBO Max subscription. Did it mean Tony was dead? Did the guy in the Members Only jacket whack him? Did the show just end because David Chase didn’t know how? I’ve always thought that a hard cut to black meant Tony was whacked, and he died in that moment. And then there was nothing. Now, I find myself thinking, is that really all there is? When you die, do things just cut to black and it’s over? And what does that mean? It’s all very stressful at times. The fact that the story of Tony Soprano has changed for me proves how good a story Chase was telling, and how he really stuck the landing.

Then There Is Nothing

I’ve never spent a lot of time thinking about death. It’s not that I've avoided it or denied that one day I’ll die; it’s that I’ve never dwelt on it. I’m not particularly religious, and I’m not really fascinated with the idea of an afterlife of any kind. Well, I should say, I wasn’t fascinated with the idea. Now, I find those thoughts creeping into my head more often, and it’s because, for the first time, I truly understand my own mortality, and not in a philosophical way, but in a very real, very tangible way. Aging and health scares will do that to you.

Does death mean it’s just a cut to black? I guess that means we don’t have any real consciousness of it, which is both comforting and terrifying. It means I definitely fear death, but not because of the unknown of death and what happens, but because it’s almost like not getting to see the end of a movie. When you die, you face the cliffhanger of all cliffhangers: What happens to the rest of the world for the rest of time? It seems silly, and I know that analogy is a little trite, but it sticks with me. What will become of my family? What will become of my friends and their families? We’ll never know if things just…end. And that’s what freaks me out more than anything.

So thank you, David Chase and James Gandolfini for giving me maybe more than I want to chew on. It truly was a brilliant end to a brilliant show, even if some don't like it as much as me.

Spoilers are a big deal in the entertainment industry. It’s a comical cliche for actors to talk about snipers being ready to take them out should they reveal anything about big projects they are working on, but the truth is that studios and productions really do take serious measures to prevent certain information from getting to the public. Nowadays, the behavior is most closely associated with superhero blockbusters, but the practice goes back many decades, and it’s a history that The Sopranos is very much a part of.

In a recent interview with The Independent, Steve Schirripa and Michael Imperioli (co-hosts of the podcast Talking Sopranos) took a big picture look back on their time making the beloved, critically acclaimed HBO series, and the conversation included discussion of maintaining big secrets. Unfortunately, there was someone involved with the show that wasn’t quite as trustworthy as others, as the actor best known for playing Bobby Baccalieri confirmed that there was a person on set who was spilling early information about the series to the public for personal profit. In his words,

He didn’t name names, but it’s noted that nobody was ever actually caught. It’s kind of fitting that there would be some shady dealings behind the scenes, though, no? Perhaps there will be a deathbed confession someday.

As for the security measures that were employed on set, Schirripa said that there were a couple of different tactics taken. In the case of one major scene – specifically the infamous death of Drea de Matteo’s Adriana La Cerva in Season 5 – there were multiple versions that were shot. The dissemination of scripts was also ultimately affected, as actors were only given their own scenes by the time that The Sopranos was coming to an end.

It’s pretty wild that all of this happened nearly a quarter-century ago, and yet the spoiler issues that plagued premium cable’s game-changing series in the ‘00s are still being dealt with by Marvel movies today. The world has changed a great deal in the last couple of decades, but the hunger of fans for secret information remains insatiable, and Hollywood has still not figured out a foolproof way to protect surprises that are only intended to be experienced on screen.

The Sopranos is most definitely a show that had plenty of shocks (particularly involving notable characters getting whacked), and they still remain impactful 19 years after the series aired its controversial finale. Should you care to dive in and experience the mobster magic for yourself again, the full six-season run is available to stream with a HBO Max subscription.

The Sopranos is a HBO show that got the world talking, and helped establish the network as a hub for challenging, quality content. It's been discovered by new audiences who have a HBO Max subscription, further immortalizing the iconic performance by late actor James Gandolfini. It turns out that his agent had a humorous response after creator David Chase had a unique concern about casting him as Tony Soprano.

James Gandolfini died back in 2013, but his generations of fans are still re-watching The Sopranos and learning more about his legacy. During an excerpt from the biography Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend, (via Vulture) Chase recalled his big concern about giving the Get Shorty actor the lead role. In his words:

For anyone who has seen The Sopranos, this concern seems almost comical. Gandolfini crafted a realistic mob boss with Tony Soprano, one who wasn't against violently threatening his enemies and loved ones alike. In fact, Gandolfini would even use rocks to help him feel pain and irritation as Tony. Pretty smart, right?

One of the best things about Tony Soprano is the way he balanced vulnerability with his terrifying, violent exterior. Chase needed to find an actor who could pull these both off, something Gandolfini did with ease. In the same excerpt from the biography, his manager Nancy Sanders revealed how she responded to the Sopranos creator, offering:

Some points were made there. I mean what did David Chase originally want from his Tony Soprano? Rather than a chameleon actor who could portray the mob boss, would he prefer someone that he'd actually be uncomfortable around? Thank goodness he came around and gave the role to Gandolfini.

Prior to his death, the late actor himself spoke about his own doubts about landing the role of Tony. In a conversation with Melfi actress Lorraine Bracco for Interview Magazine, James Gandolfini explained why he didn't think he'd get the role, saying:

In the end, we all know what would go down. Gandolfini landed the gig, and would forever be remembered for that role. While he'd go on to work on a number of other project after The Sopranos' six seasons on HBO, he's still Tony in many of our hearts.

David Chase's beloved series has recently gotten a new life with some other projects on HBO. The prequel The Many Saints of Newark featured amazing impressions of the original case, while the documentary Wise Guy offered a peek behind the creation and filming of the iconic show.

The Sopranos franchise is streaming in its entirety over on HBO Max. Now excuse my while I go give it another re-watch, and see Gandolfini in all his Tony Soprano glory.

Fall TV is finally making its way to the 2025 premiere schedule, and while there are plenty of network shows kicking off soon, one of the biggest debuts this week is easily the Season 3 opener of Sylvester Stallone’s action-steeped crime drama Tulsa King. With its first two seasons, the mob-centric series cemented itself as one of the best shows streaming on Paramount+, and I was very excited to talk to the cast about the new threats soon rising up in Oklahoma.

When I spoke with Annabella Sciorra alongside Jay Will and Martin Starr, I was curious about the actress’ experiences both on this show and during her memorable run on The Sopranos as Angie Bonpensiero. Relatively few actors can say they’ve shared the screen in gangster dramas with both Stallone and the late, great James Gandolfini.

When I asked Sciorra to compare working with two of Hollywood’s major heavies, she was understandably hesitant to speak too openly about her former on-screen beau, saying:

Oh, um, wow. I mean, gosh, they're both very particular. Jim was very...he liked to get himself in a state, you know, when he was doing something,. Oh, gosh, it's so hard to talk about Jim, I have to tell you that, so I'm not going to talk about him too much. But very different, very different.

Gandolfini, who died in June 2013 of cardiac arrest at 51, remains idolized by millions of fans, not just for his undeniably powerful role as Tony Soprano, but for a career full of interesting and often intimidating characters. As Sciorra noted, he was known to work himself up while filming to bring Tony to the razor's edge of emotions, and it's not like there were tons of scenes where Tony and Angie just hung out peacefully on the beach without any other cares in the world. That not how The Sopranos worked.

Annabella Sciorra continued, pointing out that where James Gandolfini was an intense performer, Sylvester Stallone is apparently the exact opposite, and that he knows how to mince words in a way that's most impactful. As she put it:

In the case of Tulsa King, one might imagine the actor's rituals involving throwing two-bit goons through bar windows. But it's probably more peaceful than that.

Sciorra also spoke to how immaculately prepared Stallone is when he's on the set, and not just when it comes to what his character Dwight Manfredi is doing at any given monent. The Rocky vet knows it all, and Jay Will had something to say about it.

• ANNABELLA SCIORRA: I will say this: he knows his lines spot-on, and he knows everybody else's lines in the scene.
• JAY WILL: It’s annoying.
• ANNABELLA SCIORRA: Super professional, spry, lot of energy. He's fantastic to work with.

Martin Starr also talked about how well-versed Stallone is, not only with everyone's scene dialogue, but also with each of the characters' evolving storylines from season to season. It sounds like he has the long-game in mind, and I can only imagine that Paramount+ will be happy to keep this show (Jelly-)rolling, so long as viewers keep tuning in.

Tulsa King Season 3 premiere, titled “Blood and Bourbon,” will be available to stream via Paramount+ subscription starting on Sunday, September 21, with new episodes arriving weekly thereafter. Fans aren’t going to want to miss seeing Sylvester Stallone facing off against Terminator 2 and Peacemaker star Robert Patrick.

The Sopranos cast is mourning the loss of one of its most memorable supporting players. Jerry Adler, the veteran actor who brought to life the role of Herman “Hesh” Rabkin, has died at the age of 96. His death was confirmed over the weekend, and tributes from his co-stars have poured in, honoring not just the character he played but the man himself.

On Instagram, Michael Imperioli (Christopher Moltisanti) remembered the TV veteran as both a colleague and a friend. In the post, which you can see below, Imperioli remembered the man as both a “fantastic actor” and “the kindest of human beings.”

Herman “Hesh” Rabkin, the role Adler made memorable, was one of The Sopranos’ most intriguing supporting characters. A loan shark, trusted advisor, and longtime friend of both Tony Soprano and his father before him, Hesh was never a made man due to his Jewish heritage but still occupied a rare place in Tony’s inner circle. Often serving as a sounding board, he offered both wisdom and headaches, most memorably in the show’s final season when he lent Tony money — a gesture that nearly turned fatal.

Dr. Jennifer Melfi actress Lorraine Bracco echoed the sorrow felt by her fellow castmates, sharing Imperioli’s tribute on her Instagram story alongside a broken heart emoji — a simple but poignant acknowledgment of her grief.

Other stars from the acclaimed HBO series quickly added their voices. Stevie Van Zandt, who played Tony Soprano's consigliere Silvio Dante, took to X (formerly Twitter), writing:

Meanwhile, Joe Pantoliano (Ralph Cifaretto) shared a heartfelt Instagram Story tribute alongside a New York Times obituary. The caption read:

Born in Brooklyn on Feb. 4, 1929, Adler spent decades behind the curtain before stepping in front of it. Over the course of his stage career, he stage-managed, directed, or produced more than 50 Broadway shows, including the original production of My Fair Lady. He relocated to California in the 1980s to be closer to his children, where a late-career transformation took him from stage manager to screen actor. The theater director turned actor spent nearly a decade working on soap operas before landing his breakout role in Joe Pesci’s 1992 film The Public Eye. Cast at 62 as a gruff newspaper columnist, he earned critical praise and helped cement his career as a screen actor.

Adler’s career stretched far beyond The Sopranos. He made his mark on some of the best television series of all time, like The Good Wife and Rescue Me, and his long résumé included work as both an actor and a theater director. But for many, it was his recurring role on the era-defining mob drama (available to stream with an HBO Max subscription)that cemented him in pop culture memory.

His Sopranos colleagues’ tributes highlight the qualities fans already suspected about him: kindness, wit, and professionalism. Imperioli’s words, in particular, emphasized how much the former New York stage fixture's presence on set elevated those around him, describing him as “a true class act.”

The Brooklyn native had a gift for stealing scenes with a mix of warmth and humor, making him beloved both on screen and off. From the bright lights of Broadway to HBO’s most iconic crime family, Jerry Adler brought humanity and depth to every role he touched. One of the best ways to honor his legacy is to revisit his unforgettable turn in The Sopranos—and considering it's only more popular since hitting streaming, there’s no better time than now to dive back into the landmark drama.

As noted earlier, The Sopranos is now streaming in full on HBO Max. Review the 2025 TV premiere schedule to plan your next binge-watch session.

The streaming wars are in full effect, with various services offering new content. Those with a Netflix subscription were recently treated to the release of Stephen Chbosky's Nonnas, which is one of the most joyous movies of the year. And if you're a fan of The Sopranos and haven't watched this new comedy you're acting like a total stunad. Hear me out.

I'm a huge Sopranos fan, having streamed one of the top HBO shows that got the world talking with my HBO Max subscription. I didn't know much about Nonnas, and was shocked when not one but two stars of The Sopranos were part of the cast. Add in all the Italian food and phrases used throughout its 114-minute runtime, and it feels like a spiritual cousin to David Chase's Emmy-winning masterpiece.

Two Sopranos legends are in Nonnas' cast.

Nonnas focuses on Vince Vaughn's Joey Scaravella, as he attempts to open an Italian restaurant filled with real grandmas in the kitchen. Early on we meet his best friend Bruno and his wife, Stella, played by Joe Manganiello and Drea de Matteo respectively. The latter famously played The Sopranos' Adriana La Cerva, one of the most beloved and tragic figures of the entire series. Stella is warm and full of love, and watching her feels like the happy ending that Adriana never got.

Another Sopranos legend who is in the cast is Oscar and Emmy-nominated actress Lorraine Bracco. That's right, Dr. Melfi herself is in this ensemble comedy, playing the best friend of Joey's late mother. While Bracco was "heartbroken" about Melfi and Tony's ending on the show, she gets to once again show off her charisma and heart playing Roberta in Nonnas.

Nonnas felt like a happy version of The Sopranos multiverse.

Bracco is arguably the biggest scene stealer in the cast, with her off-the-cuff improvisations filling in any dead air throughout Nonnas' group scenes. While she's synonymous with The Sopranos, she's a consistently moving performer who has proven her talents in projects like Goodfellas, The Basketball Diaries, and Riding in Cars with Boys. And having her back on my screen and cooking delicious Italian food in Nonnas felt like a total treat.

For me it felt like Nonnas was in The Sopranos multiverse, one far kinder and less violent to the one we saw on the beloved HBO series. David Chase's show is brutal at times, particularly towards its female characters. Melfi's sexual assault is one of the hardest scenes to get through, and Adriana's fate bothered me for weeks after I saw it play out. So despite its difference in medium and genre, Nonnas really did make me happy as a Sopranos fan.

Nonnas is streaming now on Netflix as part of the 2025 movie release list and The Sopranos is available on HBO Max.

The Sopranos is known for being one of the most talked about HBO shows of all time. The mobster HBO series was a trailblazer for prestige television and kept audiences at the edge of their seats for six seasons. The show has a reputation for being intense and often quite dark and violent, however some forget how funny the show truly could be at times. Michael Imperioli, who played Christopher on the show, recently revealed which Sopranos scene kept making the cast laugh so much that it took 12 takes to complete.

People interviewed Imperioli and his former co-star Steve Schirrpa after the duo made a Sanpellegrino ad together that evoked their Sopranos characters. The duo opened up about the family dynamic of the Sopranos cast, as well as some of their favorite memories from shooting the show. Imperioli wanted fans to remember how hilarious the humor was in the show, and reminisced about filming a scene with the cast following Livia Soprano's funeral. He explained the cast just couldn’t get it together, especially after a particular music cue. He said:

For context, in the Sopranos Livia passes away and a majority of the key characters attend her funeral. After at the repass, Janice puts pressure on everyone to share a memory of the departed, despite her being one of TV’s meanest mothers. Imperioli’s Christopher character awkwardly says something about two people not being the same, and just continues on, basically not saying anything remotely about Livia. The group finds the whole speech strange and things become tense, offering a clunky lead-in for the Carousel song "If I Loved You.”

It is understandable why the cast would erupt in laughter after every take. The entire scene is cringeworthy, as this is definitely not the sort of family to make earnest emotional speeches. They of course resort to what they do best, arguing. Christopher’s attempt is honestly atrocious and bizarre, resulting in a hilarious moment. The song makes it even better, as it is such a juxtaposition from the tone in the room.

Also, anytime you get a group of people all together to perform a comically awkward scene, people naturally feed off of each other. I think anyone would have a hard time getting through the whole thing without laughing at the absurdity. Imperioli said of the moment:

It can be the heaviest scenes that can make you laugh the hardest. The laughter cuts the tension in the room and then people start laughing because it’s such an inappropriate time to laugh. I love that this cast had the kind of camaraderie that made this scene such a joy to shoot. Imperioli talked about it so fondly, as he seems to see the Sopranos cast as another family in his own life. These kinds of behind-the-scenes stories are the best, especially when it emphasises the strong cast bonds, giving fans a strong sense of nostalgia.

You can revisit this scene, as well as the rest of the Sopranos now with an HBO Max subscription. For more information on other series available on the platform, make sure to consult our feature on the best shows streaming on HBO Max right now.

What makes TV crime dramas so alluring? It could be the simple thrill of the action or the satisfaction of seeing evil brought to justice, but, for me, it's the twists and revelations that shake up the story. Let’s revisit some of the most mindblowing moments from some of the best crime TV shows, and make sure to keep our SPOILER WARNING in mind.

Omar's Murder (The Wire)

Creator David Simon's The Wire delivered a shocking death that illustrates how even the most imposing and legendary individuals can expire in an unremarkable fashion. Fans of the acclaimed HBO drama anticipated that Baltimore thief Omar Little (Michael K. Williams) might go down in a showdown against Marlo Stanfield (Jamie Hector), but, instead, was fatally shot by Kenard (Thuliso Dingwall ), a kid who worked for the gangster.

Adrian Solves Trudy’s Murder (Monk)

In the series finale of Monk, Emmy winner Tony Shalhoub's obsessive-compulsive detective, Adrian Monk, finally gets to the bottom of the case that has haunted him for years: the murder of his wife, Trudy (Melora Hardin). The car bomb that killed her was planted by renowned Judge Ethan Rickover (Craig T. Nelson) in order to prevent her from coming clean about their affair from years earlier, which resulted in a pregnancy.

Walt Poisons Brock (Breaking Bad)

One of the best episodes of Breaking Bad sees Walter White (Bryan Cranston) resorting to abhorrent measures in order to take down his most fearsome adversary, Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito). Jesse's (Aaron Paul) new girlfriend's son, Brock, winds up in the hospital, leading him to suspect the boy was poisoned by Walt, who insists that the poisoning was a manipulation tactic by Gus. Indeed, it was a tactic, but orchestrated by Walt, who is revealed to have poisoned Brock so he could pin it on Gus and get Jesse to help him kill the ruthless criminal.

Junior Shoots Tony (The Sopranos)

In the Season 6 premiere of The Sopranos, Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) shows up at the home of his uncle, Junior (Dominic Chianese), who is suffering from dementia and immediately mistakes his nephew for a dead mobster who robbed him years earlier named Gennaro Malanga. Junior reacts by pulling out a pistol and shooting Tony, who passes out before he can call 911, but luckily, he is rushed to the hospital, where he is put in a coma.

Moriarty Takes His Own Life (Sherlock)

Early on in BBC's modernized reimagining of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's revered mystery stories, Sherlock, fans were introduced to Holmes' (Benedict Cumberbatch) arch nemesis, Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott). However, in only the second season finale, their quarrel of wits came to an end when the master criminal ended his life right in front of the detective.

Love Is A Killer Too (You)

In Netflix's hit crime TV show, You, serial stalker and killer Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) believes he has found someone who can help tame his dark side in Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti). However, he comes to discover that his seemingly sweet and innocent new lover has homicidal tendencies of her own.

Bones' Parents Have A Criminal History (Bones)

Emily Deschanel's eponymous forensic anthropologist from Bones, Temperance "Bones" Brennan, was abandoned by her parents when she was a teenager. Years later, she would find her mother's remains and, through subsequent investigation, discover that she and Brennan's father were career criminals.

Kristin Shepard Shot J.R. (Dallas)

One of the most iconic cliffhangers in TV history had America wondering who shot J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) in the Season 3 finale of Dallas. The mystery prompted an astonishing phenomenon that lasted the entire summer of 1980 before the primetime soap opera returned for its fourth season premiere, in which it was revealed that Kristin Shepard (Mary Crosby) attempted to kill the notorious oil baron.

Vic Kills Terry (The Shield)

Creator Shawn Ryan's intense, FX original police drama The Shield wasted no time in preparing audiences for what sort of startling twists and turns it had in store. The very first episode ends with the corrupt Det. Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) murdering federal informant Terry Crowley (Reed Diamond) in cold blood.

The Trinity Killer Murders Rita (Dexter)

Most fans of Dexter would agree that the most wicked adversary Michael C. Hall's homicidal vigilante ever faced is Arthur Mitchell (John Lithgow), a.k.a. The Trinity Killer, especially for his final kill. Dexter manages to take out the sadistic murderer, but not soon enough to prevent him from killing his wife, Rita (Julie Benz), whom he finds in a blood-filled bathtub with his infant son, Harrison, sitting on the floor nearby.

Dana Lewis Is A Murderer (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)

Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden appeared on multiple episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Dana Lewis, an FBI agent who strikes up a strong bond with Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay). However, their friendship would come to an end when Lewis is arrested for murdering a woman her ex-boyfriend cheated on her with.

The Yellow King’s Identity (True Detective)

The first season of HBO's hit, anthological mystery drama, True Detective, follows Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) and Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) as they investigate the murders of a killer known only as The Yellow King. Ultimately, the criminal is revealed to be Errol Childress (Glenn Fleshler), who is the nephew of one of the case's prime suspects, Reverend Tuttle.

Opie Sacrifices Himself (Sons Of Anarchy)

One of the most heartbreaking moments from Sons of Anarchy comes when the imprisoned Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam), Chibs Telford (Tommy Flanagan), Tig Trager (Kim Coates), and Opie Winston (Ryan Hurst) are forced to decide which of them will face four other inmates in a brawl to the death so that Jax and Chibs can be released as part of an agreement with Damon Pope (Harold Perrineau). Opie volunteers himself and, after uttering his final words, "I got this," bids his brothers farewell before suffering a brutal end.

Cooper Is Replaced With An Evil Clone (Twin Peaks)

While all David Lynch movies are known for raising many perplexing questions, the original CBS run of the filmmaker's hit TV series, Twin Peaks, especially left audiences with a lot to ponder in the Season 2 finale, which reveals that Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle McLachlan) has not returned from The Black Lodge, but has been replaced with a demented doppelgänger. More than two decades later, fans were finally treated to a continuation of the story with Showtime's 2017 revival.

The Reaper Is George Foyet (Criminal Minds)

One of the most notorious criminals that the Criminal Minds cast ever took on was an elusive killer known as "The Reaper," whose only surviving victim was a man named George Foyet (C. Thomas Howell). However, the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit comes to discover that Foyet is The Reaper after all.

Beaver Assaulted Veronica (Veronica Mars)

The season 2 finale of Veronica Mars solves the long-gestating mystery behind the young, titular amateur investigator's (Kristen Bell) traumatic assault. The perpetrator is revealed to be Cassidy "Beaver" Casablancas (Kyle Gallner), who is himself a victim of assault, which has led him to become a violent person, causing even more destruction than what Veronica had suffered.

Elliott Has Been In Prison The Entire Time (Mr. Robot)

Creator Sam Esmail's USA drama Mr. Robot is the kind of series that always keeps you guessing, thanks to central character Elliott Alderson (Rami Malek) being an unreliable narrator. In fact, the seventh episode of its second season reveals that the hacker's entire life up to that point has been a delusion, and he has really been serving a jail sentence during this time.

President Logan Is Corrupt (24)

Corruption in the White House is a horrifying concept, which Fox's 24 boldly touched on with one of its most shocking twists. At the end of the 16th episode of Season 5, President Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin) is seen having a phone conversation with Christopher Henderson (Peter Weller) that reveals he was behind the deaths of David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) and Michelle Dessler (Reiko Aylesworth).

Helen Is Killed (Ozark)

Few Netflix original TV shows have been as subversive as Ozark, which concluded its third season in an intense way. While it seemed that Marty Byrd (Jason Bateman) was doomed to suffer a grisly fate at the hands of Omar Navarro (Felix Solis), the cartel leader instead orders Nelson (Nelson Bonilla) to take out his lawyer, Helen Pierce (Janet McTeer), who attempted to frame Marty as an FBI informant.

Hank Realizes Heisenberg's True Identity (Breaking Bad)

The first half of Breaking Bad's fifth and final season came to a jaw-dropping end when DEA agent Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) arrived at a startling, long-awaited conclusion. He is sitting on Walt's toilet when he grabs a copy of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass, signed to "W.W." by Gale Boetticher (David Costabile). This clues him in to the fact that the drug manufacturer he has been trying to find for more than a year has been his brother-in-law the whole time.

Ryan Killed Erin (Mare Of Easttown)

Near the end of the Emmy-winning HBO miniseries Mare of Easttown, it appears that Erin McMenamin (Cailee Spaeny) was murdered by her older cousin and lover, John Ross (Joe Tippett), but the truth is much darker. John's 13-year-old son, Ryan (Cameron Mann), learned of the affair and set out to intimidate her into backing out of the romance, but it ended up resulting in a fatal end for the young woman.

Cody Hoyt Dies (Big Sky)

It was heavily implied in the marketing for creator David E. Kelley's ABC drama Big Sky that Ryan Phillippe would be the star of the mystery thriller. Thus, seeing his character, a private investigator named Cody Hoyt, fatally shot by crooked Highway Patrol officer Rick Legarski (John Carroll Lynch) at the end of the pilot episode certainly caught viewers off guard.

Amma Killed Ann And Natalie (Sharp Objects)

In HBO's limited series adaptation of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects, Camille Preaker (Amy Adams) comes to suspect that her abusive mother, Adora (Patricia Clarkson), was responsible for the murders of Ann Nash (Kaegan Baron) and Natalie Keene (Jessica Treksa). However, in the final scene, it is revealed that Camille's younger half-sister, Amma (Eliza Scanlen), killed the young women and even used their teeth as cobblestones for her dollhouse's patio.

Hilde Is Imogene's Mother (Death And Other Details)

For years, the hero of Hulu's clever whodunnit Death and Other Details, Imogene Scott (Violett Beane), has been haunted by the murder of her mother, Kira, which the renowned Rufus Cotesworth (Mandy Patinkin) was never able to solve. However, while investigating a mysterious death on a private cruise, Imogene discovers that Kira actually faked her death all those years ago and has been hiding in plain sight on the ship, disguised as Interpol agent Hilde Eriksen (Linda Emond).

Boyd Crowder Escapes Prison (Justified: City Primeval)

Walton Goggins denied multiple times that he was involved with Justified: City Primeval, the 2023 miniseries revival of the hit FX crime thriller starring Timothy Olyphant as old-school U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens. However, he turned out to be full of it, as a post-credit scene shows his character, Boyd Crowder, escaping prison.

Chloe Is A Godly Blessing (Lucifer)

The pairing of the Devil incarnate, Lucifer Morningstar (Tom Ellis), with Det. Chloe Decker (Lauren German), as investigative partners, as well as lovers, would prove to be a match made in Heaven... literally. It is revealed in Season 2 of Lucifer that Chloe was created by God with the purpose of being the police consultant's perfect mate.

Sydney Wakes Up Two Years In The Future (Alias)

The second season of ABC's hit espionage drama Alias ends with a real gut-punch of a twist. Sidney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) wakes up in Hong Kong with no memory of how she wound up there and eventually discovers that she has been missing for the past two years. This leads her on a journey to piece together what happened to her during all that time.

Kima Greggs Is Shot (The Wire)

Kima Greggs (Sonja Sohn) was initially conceived as a smaller role on The Wire before creator David Simon was convinced by HBO executive Carolyn Strauss to keep her around longer. In other words, the shocking moment from the end of the first season's 10th episode, in which she is shot during a bust gone wrong, almost sealed the character's fate.

Peter Is From Another Dimension (Fringe)

In the second season of Fringe, Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) survives a deadly shockwave that leads him to realize that he was born in an alternate universe and was forcibly brought into this dimension by his father, Walter (John Noble). The twist completely recontextualizes the character's place in the show and brings to light the impact that his cross-dimensional transfer has on the world.

Paige Stays In America (The Americans)

In the series finale of The Americans, Paige Jennings (Holly Taylor) is seen exiting a train headed for the Soviet Union. This means that she has chosen to stay in the States, her true home, and that her undercover Soviet spy parents, Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell), will never see her again.

Georgia Trotman Is Thrown Out A Five-Story Window (Line Of Duty)

It seemed as if Detective Constable Georgia Trotman (Jessica Raine) was destined to be an important part of the second season (or, series, as they say in the U.K.) of the BBC's Line of Duty. However, the character's first episode also proved to be her last, in which corrupt DC Jeremy Cole (Henry Pettigrew) sends her plummeting to her death outside a hospital window.

Nina Myers Killed Teri Bauer (24)

By the end of the first season of 24, one of Jack Bauer's (Kiefer Sutherland) most trusted allies is not only revealed to be a mole, but the one who murdered his wife, Teri (Leslie Hope).

Some might argue that a scene from a film or TV series that turns out to have existed all in a character’s head is a cop out. Maybe that’s true in some respects, but when done right and without misleading intentions, dream sequences can be used as a great opportunity to let artists run wild with their imaginations, resulting in some of a title’s most memorable moments. Here are some of the most wonderfully surreal scenes from the big and small screen that may have had you questioning if you had entered dreamland.

Dawn Haunts Renton (Trainspotting)

Director Danny Boyle's 1996 adaptation of Irvine Welsh's novel Trainspotting follows a group of Scottish addicts trying to get clean, none of whom has a harder time with it than Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor). One signature scene sees him locked in his childhood bedroom by his parents and forced to wean off his habit cold turkey, during which he suffers an intense fever dream featuring hallucinations of his parents on a game show, his various friends, and the spirit of a deceased infant he once knew climbing on his ceiling.

Bruce Wayne's Alternate Life (Batman: The Animated Series)

One of the best episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, let alone one of the strangest, is "Perchance to Dream." As part of a scheme by Mad Hatter, Bruce Wayne finds himself living in a fantasy in which his parents were never murdered, he is engaged to Selina Kyle, and someone other than him is protecting the streets of Gotham as Batman.

Sarah's Apocalyptic Nightmare (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

One thing that makes the classic sci-fi movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day one of the all-time greatest sequels is the way it depicts Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and her growth as a character following the traumatic events of the first film, especially through one wild fantasy sequence. In the dream, she witnesses her happier past self and other bystanders at a park where they suffer a nuclear blast that ends up burning off her skin, leaving her remaining skeleton clinging to a chain-link fence.

All Of Season 9 (Dallas)

Dallas delivered one of the craziest retcons in TV history when it was revealed that the death of Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy) and the entire ninth season of the hit primetime soap opera all happened in the head of his wife, Pamela (Victoria Principal). The retcon was prompted after Duffy, who had previously left the show, agreed to return for Season 10, which opens with Pamela waking up to find Bobby in the shower.

Happy's Happy Place (Happy Gilmore)

The classic golf movie, 1996's Happy Gilmore, stars Adam Sandler in the title role of a guy with a talent for tee time, but the rage of a hockey player, which his trainer, Chubbs (Carl Weathers), tries to help him control by envisioning his own "happy place." He imagines his girlfriend, Virginia (Julie Bowen), carrying drink pitchers, his grandmother (Frances Bay) finding the money she needs from a slot machine, and a little cowboy riding an old-fashioned bicycle, for some reason. However, a later attempt to escape into this fantasy world is interrupted by the invasion of his nemesis, Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald).

The Solomons Suffer From Bizarre Dreams (3rd Rock From The Sun)

The two-part Season 2 finale of 3rd Rock from the Sun tried something unique by airing in 3D, but saving that format for some incredibly insane sequences. The surreal, avant garde scenes are dreams that Dick (John Lithgow) and the rest of his extra-terrestrial comrades are experiencing, but for the first time since taking human form, which leads them to assume they are ill.

Old Blue Saves The Day (A Christmas Story)

The classic holiday movie, 1983's A Christmas Story, follows young Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) and his devotion to making sure he finds an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle under the tree. He seems to believe that it will make his life better, based on a daydream in which he, dressed as a hero named Old Blue, uses the BB shooter to rescue his family from criminals.

The Opening Scene (8 1/2)

Federico Fellini's signature 1963 film opens with a bizarre dream in which the main character gets trapped in his smoke-filled car in full-stop, literal bumper-to-bumper traffic. After he finally escapes, it cuts to him flying through the clouds until he is pulled down by his ankle by a person on a beach, and descends into the water just as he awakens.

Gutterballs (The Big Lebowski)

There are two great dream sequences from Joel and Ethan Coen's hilarious, classic '90s movie, 1998's The Big Lebowski, the first of which sees The Dude (Jeff Bridges) flying over L.A. trying to reach his stolen rug after receiving a crack on the jaw. However, the more memorable scene sees him, after being sedated by Jackie Treehorn, imagining he is the star of a Busby Berkeley-inspired adult film about bowling.

The Entire Series (Newhart)

One of the most iconic, oft-parodied, and simply best TV series finales is that of Newhart, in which the actor and comedian wakes up in bed as Bob Hartley, his role from his first hit sitcom, The Bob Newhart Show. His co-star from said 1970s hit, Suzanne Pleshette, wakes up next to him as Hartley's wife, Emily, and he explains to her that his entire life as Vermont innkeeper Dick Loudon was a dream.

Rosemary Drifts On A Mattress (Rosemary's Baby)

Some of the best horror movies include a dream sequence that sneaks up on you with its more nightmarish qualities, such as in 1968's Rosemary's Baby. The first half of Rosemary's (Mia Farrow) dream is somewhat peaceful, showing her lying on a mattress floating on a bed of water, but in the second half of the dream, she is attacked by a demon. To make matters worse, that occurrence might not be part of the dream at all.

Buffy's Slaying Is A Delusion? (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

Sarah Michelle Gellar's title hero from Buffy the Vampire Slayer has likely wished that her life could be free of encounters with bloodsuckers, demons, and all kinds of things that go bump in the night, but she probably never wanted to experience it the way she does in Season 6's "Normal Again." Buffy becomes exposed to a demonic, hallucinogenic venom that causes her to become trapped in a fantasy in which she is a mental patient, and her life of fighting paranormal activity has been all in her head.

Nazi Werewolves (An American Werewolf In London)

Writer and director John Landis' An American Werewolf in London boasts one of the most incredible moments of body horror in cinematic history, but one could argue a crazier moment in the classic werewolf movie happens earlier. While recovering from his animal attack, David (David Naughton) dreams he is back in the States with his family when a group of gun-toting, lycanthropic SS soldiers invade.

Tony Becomes A Salesman (The Sopranos)

Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) experienced multiple, eye-opening dream sequences throughout HBO's run of The Sopranos, including one that took place during most of an entire episode. In Season 6's "Join the Club," a comatose Tony dreams of an alternate life away from the DiMeo Family in which he is an ordinary salesman named Kevin Finnerty.

The Clown Hospital (Pee-wee's Big Adventure)

A movie scene that scared many '80s kids occurs in Pee-wee's Big Adventure when the titular man-child (played by Paul Reubens) has a nightmare about his missing bike. The prized, two-wheel vehicle is picked up in scraps by a group of horrifying harlequins who use unconventional and concerning methods to put it back together again.

Adam's Repeated Death Row Sentence (The Twilight Zone)

All of the best episodes of The Twilight Zone feel like a dream (or a nightmare), but Season 2's "Shadow Play" actually takes place entirely in one. Dennis Weaver stars as a convicted criminal trying to convince the other characters that his condemnation is merely part of a recurring nightmare.

Sue Visits Carrie's Grave (Carrie)

Director Brian de Palma's 1976 adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie ends with one of the most iconic and influential jump scares, which actually inspired the ending of 1980's Friday the 13th. A grieving Sue Snell (Amy Irving) dreams that she is visiting the resting place of her titular telekinetic classmate (Sissy Spacek) where her bloodied arm emerges from the ground and grasps onto her. Sue does not wake up from the nightmare, but is unable to stop screaming in her sleep.

Cooper's First Visit To The Red Room (Twin Peaks)

Most of David Lynch's movies and TV projects feel like long dream sequences, but when depicting Special Agent Dale Cooper's (Kyle MacLachlan) nightmare about the Red Room in an early episode of Twin Peaks, the master of surrealism really goes for it, resulting in a dream sequence more authentic than most. The inexplicably aged-up Coop meets a dancing little person who tells him, in backwards speak, "That gum you like is going to come back in style." He then meets a blonde woman resembling Laura Palmer (played by Sheryl Lee) and asks if she is the murdered teen, to which she responds, also in backwards speak, "I feel like I know her, but sometimes my arms bend back."

Lloyd And Mary's Romance (Dumb And Dumber)

In the 1994 Jim Carrey movie favorite, Dumb and Dumber, while traveling to Aspen, Lloyd Christmas (Carrey) fantasizes that his crush, Mary Swanson (Lauren Holly), will fall for him immediately after he returns her missing briefcase. The daydream continues to show highlights of their imaginary relationship, from a party where Lloyd entertains guests with uproarious tricks (like lighting his flatus on fire), to a romantic dinner where he engages in a cinematic-style kung fu fight.

Elliott '90s Sitcom Fantasy (Mr. Robot)

A top-rated Season 2 of Mr. Robot called "eps2.4_m4ster-s1ave.aes" is depicted predominantly in the style of '90s sitcom and even features a cameo by ALF. However, it is later revealed that this laugh-track-filled fantasy is Elliott's (Rami Malek) dream, and that he has been asleep in a hospital after being violently beaten by Ray Heyworth's (Craig Robinson) goons.

Beauty School Dropout (Grease)

In the 1978 movie musical Grease, Frenchie (Didi Conn) is encouraged to put her cosmetology career on hold and go back to high school by an unexpected person, Frankie Avalon, with a dreamy number called "Beauty School Dropout.'

Kevin Becomes An Assassin (The Leftovers)

In Season 2 of The Leftovers, Kevin (Justin Theroux) is told by Virgil (Steven Williams) that the only way to cure his persistent visions of cult leader Patti Levin (Ann Dowd) is to take his own life. This sends him into a bewildering reality in which he is a contract killer assigned to kill Patti, who is a presidential candidate.

Ronnie Births A Maggot (The Fly)

At one point in the tragic romantic thriller that is David Cronenberg's 1986 remake of The Fly, Ronnie (Geena Davis) discovers she is pregnant with the child of Dr. Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum), who has been transforming into a half-man, half-insect at this time. Her fear of what could be growing inside of her is personified in a nightmare in which, instead of a human baby, she gives birth to a giant larva.

Jeff Lives A G.I. Joe Fantasy (Community)

The best episodes of Community experiment with different genres, such as the time the series put the cast in the world of the '80s-era beloved animated series, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. The action-packed, cartoon setting of "G.I. Jeff" is revealed to be a fantasy Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) has created to cope with turning 40.

Henry Loses His Head (Eraserhead)

In Eraserhead, Henry (Jack Nantz) has a nightmare in which his head falls off his neck, where a new head resembling his mutant child pops out to replace it. Of course, this dream sequence is no more bizarre than anything else that happens in David Lynch's perplexing 1977 debut feature.

Rob Suspects There Is An Alien Invasion (The Dick Van Dyke Show)

In a classic episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show called “It May Look Like a Walnut,” Rob Petrie (Van Dyke) watches an alien invasion movie involving extraterrestrial walnuts and otherworldly visitors without thumbs. The next day, his life begins to resemble the film's plot, until he wakes up that night to discover it was all a dream.

Wayne Meets Jim Morrison (Wayne's World 2)

The plot of the hit 1993 SNL movie Wayne's World 2, in which Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) and Garth Algar (Dana Carvey) put on their own concert, is set in motion when Wayne dreams he is in a desert where he meets the spirit of The Doors frontman, Jim Morrison (Michael Nickles).

Frasier Is Visited By Sigmund Freud (Frasier)

In the Season 4 Frasier episode "The Impossible Dream," the eponymous therapist and radio host (played by Kelsey Grammer) has a suggestive dream about his effeminate colleague, Gil Chesterson (Edward Hibbert). He eventually determines the dream is no more than a task his subconscious gave himself to satisfy his currently unchallenging career, but the episode ends with an even more confusing nighttime encounter with his idol, Sigmund Freud, who joins him in his bed and implies a request for intimacy.

Ray Gets Cooked (The 'Burbs)

In 1989's The 'Burbs, family man Ray (Tom Hanks) initially refuses to believe that his neighbors could actually be the murderous cult that other locals suspect they are. However, he does reach a breaking point when he dreams that they tear through his house with a chainsaw and sacrifice him on a giant barbecue pit.

Cliff's Muppet-Filled Nightmare (The Cosby Show)

One of the weirdest episodes of The Cosby Show involves Cliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby) dreaming that the Muppets have taken over his life.

Alex Gives Birth To His Doppelganger (Junior)

Arnold Schwarzenegger playing a man who becomes pregnant is a pretty intriguing concept on its own. However, things get especially bizarre in 1994's Junior when the actor's character dreams that he has given birth to the spitting image of himself.

D.J.'s SAT Disaster (Full House)

In a Season 6 episode of Full House, D.J. Tanner's (Candace Cameron Bure) stress over the upcoming SATs culminates in a nightmare in which Wheel of Fortune's Vanna White appears to inform her that she has failed the test and will go to Clown University.

They say that “Mother knows best,” but I can think of a few movies and TV shows that challenge that belief. The following are some of the rudest, most cruel, and just plain evil fictional moms whom I am eternally thankful I never had to grow up with.

Margaret White (Carrie)

Sissy Spacek's title character from Brian DePalma's 1976 adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie possesses telekinetic abilities that make her a danger to others, but she is not the villain of the story. That would be her mother, Margaret (Piper Laurie in an Oscar-nominated performance), who is an abusive, extreme religious fanatic with deluded reasoning for cruelly punishing her daughter, whom she even considers to be a punishment for her own past sins.

Lucille Bluth (Arrested Development)

There are very few members of the Bluth Family from Arrested Development who do not boast hilariously despicable personalities. The worst of them all might just be the matriarch, Lucille (Jessica Walter), whose self-serving, elitist ego drives her to manipulate and arrogantly berate all of her "loved" ones, with her own children facing much of the brunt.

Momma Lift (Throw Momma From The Train)

In the 1987 dark comedy movie, Throw Momma from the Train, Owen Lift (Danny DeVito, who also directs) agrees to kill the ex-wife of his writing professor, Larry Donner (Billy Crystal), in exchange for murdering his mother. Honestly, it is hard not to empathize with Owen when Anne Ramsey first appears in her Oscar-nominated role as the loud, nasty, belligerent, and physically abusive Momma Lift.

Livia Soprano (The Sopranos)

Every Sopranos character has their standout qualities, but Livia Soprano (Nancy Marchand) has absolutely none. Her gangster son Tony (James Gandolfini) enters therapy to get over issues stemming from his terrible childhood living under her roof. However, she committed her worst sin against him when he was grown up, attempting to orchestrate his murder.

Lady Tremaine (Cinderella)

You could look at any iteration of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella, and the title character's wicked stepmother could be considered an all-timer in this category, based on her unjustifiably horrid treatment of the innocent young woman. However, Eleanor Audley's portrayal in the Disney animated classic from 1950 is perhaps the most bloodcurdlingly cruel and chillingly intimidating.

Selina Meyer (Veep)

In Armando Iannucci's hilarious political satire, Veep, Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) uses and abuses as many people as possible to rise in the ranks of the United States Government. Receiving the worst treatment, however, is her own daughter, Catherine (Sarah Sutherland), whom she constantly belittles and shamelessly uses as a tool in her campaigns.

Mary Jones (Precious)

One of the most stunning examples of a comedian giving a stellar dramatic performance is Mo'Nique's Oscar-winning role in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire as the title character's mom, Mary Jones. Not only does she physically and verbally abuse her teenage daughter (played by Gabourey Sidibe), but she also stands by when her husband takes advantage of her, only to blame her for the situation and accuse her of "stealing her man."

Cersei Lannister (Game Of Thrones)

In the world of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels, there are many noble royals who breed despicable children, and just as many noble royals bred from despicable parents. However, Cersei Lannister (played by Lena Headey in HBO's Game of Thrones cast) is an example of a sadistic woman who also bred sadistic children, all of whom would end up meeting a bitter end as a result of her manipulative ways.

Joan Crawford (Mommie Dearest)

Arguably, the mother of all mean movie mothers is not a product of complete fiction, but allegedly based on fact. Faye Dunaway gives a frighteningly over-the-top performance as Academy Award winner Joan Crawford in a 1981 adaptation of Mommie Dearest, a memoir by the screen legend's own adoptive daughter, Christina.

Cookie Lyon (Empire)

The dog-eat-dog nature of the music industry has rarely been captured better than in Lee Daniels and Danny Strong's hit series, Empire, especially as seen through the eyes of Loretha "Cookie" Lyon. Portrayed by Taraji P. Henson in a Golden Globe-winning performance, the record executive and former convict is not opposed to pitting her own children against each other to benefit her own influence over the family's company, Empire Entertainment.

Pamela Voorhees (Friday The 13th)

If you really think about it, Pamela Voorhees (portrayed by Betsy Palmer in the 1980 horror movie classic, Friday the 13th) is not, in essence, a bad mother. It was her loving commitment to her son that drove her to murder the camp counselors she believes were responsible for his fatal drowning. In fact, proof that the sympathetic horror villain was a good mom lies in the mysteriously resurrected Jason and his bid to continue killing debaucherous teens in her honor.

Marie Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)

On the beloved TV sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond, Frank Barone (Peter Boyle) is the more outwardly spiteful parent to Ray (Ray Romano) and Robert (Brad Garrett). At least he does not treat his sons like children, even as grown-ups, like his wife, Marie, does. Doris Roberts' multi-Emmy-winning role might be an even worse mother-in-law, with the way she puts down Ray's wife, Debra (Patricia Heaton), at seemingly every chance.

Lavona Golden (I, Tonya)

I believe the key to Allison Janney's Oscar win for portraying Tonya Harding's mother, Lavona Golden, in I, Tonya is how persuasively she argues that she is responsible for pushing the Olympic figure skater (played by Margot Robbie) to greatness. However, she takes absolutely no responsibility for instilling qualities of poor sportsmanship, incessant verbal and physical abuse, and her shamelessly manipulative ways.

Evelyn Harper (Two And A Half Men)

Holland Taylor is dynamite in her ferocious, four-time Emmy-nominated performance as the cold and vindictive Evelyn Harper on Two and a Half Men. It is no wonder that her sons, the commitment-phobic Charlie (Charlie Sheen) and hopelessly dissatisfied Alan (Jon Cryer), turned out to be, when you imagine what living with her must have been like.

Petunia Dursley (The Harry Potter Movies)

What makes Petunia Dursley (Fiona Shaw) easily one of the most despicable Harry Potter characters is her terrible role as a parent, but in more than one way. She treats her son, Dudley (Harry Melling), far too well, spoiling him beyond repair. Yet, her treatment of her eponymous orphaned nephew (played by Daniel Radcliffe) is abhorrent, from locking him in a cupboard under the stairs as punishment to making him into her home's indentured servant.

Colleen Donaghy (30 Rock)

Elaine Stritch earned five Emmy nominations for appearing on 30 Rock as the domineering and mercilessly critical mother of Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), Colleen. Jack once accidentally hit her with his car and, as a result of her unfavorable behavior, proceeded to wait eight minutes before deciding to call 9-1-1.

Ruth DeWitt Bukater (Titanic)

Frances Fisher's role in the Titanic cast, Ruth DeWitt Bukater, is an essential example of an overbearing, elitist, and manipulative movie mother. Perhaps her worst offense is forcing Rose (Kate Winslet) to marry her loathsome fiancé, Cal (Billy Zane), purely for the social status it will earn their family.

Brianna Barksdale (The Wire)

On The Wire, the only thing standing in the way of D'Angelo Barksdale's (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) switch to the right side of the law is his mother. Brianna (Michael Hyatt) is constantly manipulating her son into giving up so much for the benefit of their family's unlawful business, including serving a long prison sentence on behalf of his uncle, Avon (Wood Harris).

Eleanor Shaw Iselin (The Manchurian Candidate)

Discovering that you have been brainwashed into becoming a political assassin is terrifying. Discovering that your own mother is involved in the conspiracy, like what Eleanor Shaw Iselin (Angela Lansbury) does to her son, Raymond (Laurence Harvey), in the 1962's The Manchurian Candidate, is simply devastating.

Endora (Bewitched)

Some of the funniest moments on Bewitched would come courtesy of Agnes Moorehead as Endora, a literal witch who never once held back from expressing her resentment toward her mortal son-in-law, Darrin Stephens (original Dick York and later Dick Sargent). Of course, Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) is as much a victim of her mother's domineerance, and one can only imagine what sorts of wicked things she must have put up with while growing up with her.

Mrs. Robinson (The Graduate)

Watching The Graduate from the perspective of Elaine Robinson (Katharine Ross) makes the 1967 dramedy an even more maddening trip. It is bad enough that her mother (played by Anne Bancroft) attempts to ruin her relationship with Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), but to discover that he is her lover, too, sounds like a nightmare.

Irina Derevko (Alias)

To get a more authentic look at what the life of a spy must be like, I would not recommend checking out the James Bond movies, but the hit ABC series, Alias, which follows the adventures of double agent Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner). She was prepped for the traumatic hardships of espionage at an early age when her mother, Irina Derevko (Lena Olin), faked her death, but even that could not prepare her for when Irina betrayed her daughter in favor of the KGB.

Beverly Sutphin (Serial Mom)

The central character of writer and director John Waters' uproarious dark comedy, 1994's Serial Mom, is Beverly Sutphin (Kathleen Turner), a suburban housewife who would never harm her own children. However, she has absolutely no qualms about brutally harming other people for the sake of her children, which does not make things any better, of course.

Maya Lewis (Scandal)

Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) had dedicated her life and career to making crises disappear on Scandal. On the other hand, her mother, Maya Lewis (Khandi Alexander), has, ironically, dedicated her life to making them happen. However, Olivia did not know that for almost two decades, and, in fact, she was under the impression that her mother was dead that whole time.

Mrs. Windle Vale (Now, Voyager)

Bette Davis stars in director Irving Rapper's 1942 drama, Now, Voyager, as Charlotte Vale, who longs for independence from her overbearing mother (played by Gladys Cooper), who constantly belittles her with comments about her being an embarrassment to their family. Apparently, Mrs. Vale could not stand the idea of her daughter protesting her dominance because the day she does just happens to be the day she succumbs to a sudden heart attack.

Ida Welker (Malcolm In The Middle)

While Lois (Jane Kaczmarek) could be seen as a mean mom, in retrospect, she put up with a lot while raising her five boys (six if you count Bryan Cranston's Hal) on Malcolm in the Middle. While I have nothing but respect for her, I have nothing but disdain for her mother, Ida (Academy Award winner Cloris Leachman), who is a cold, conniving, and downright horrid woman right to her core.

Zinnia Wormwood (Matilda)

Based on the novel by Roald Dahl, 1996's Matilda stars Mara Wilson in the title role of a young girl gifted with telekinetic powers but cursed with despicable adult peers, including her uncaring parents. Not only is her mother, Zinnia Wormwood (Rhea Perlman), a vain, airheaded narcissist, but her father (played by Danny DeVito, who also directs) is just as bad.

Dr. Beverly Hofstadter (The Big Bang Theory)

Almost every member of CBS' The Big Bang Theory cast has a mother with a strong personality, to say the least, but Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) has that claimed unmatched. Psychologist Beverly Hofstadter (Christine Baranski) never bothered to show Leonard any affection, considering she only had children for experimental and research purposes anyway.

Alice Ward (The Fighter)

Melissa Leo gives an Academy Award-winning performance in 2010's fact-based, acclaimed boxing movie, The Fighter, as Alice Ward. The portrayal paints her as a woman who is more concerned with what is best for the athletic careers of her sons, Micky (Mark Wahlberg) and Dicky (Christian Bale), than what is best for their well-beings.

Constance Langdon (American Horror Story)

As one of the most frequent recurring American Horror Story actors, Jessica Lange has played an amusing variety of characters on the seasonal horror anthology TV show. However, her scariest role may be the first, Constance Langdon, whose horrid parenting skills and refusal to take responsibility for them have resulted in chaos in her household and for others affected by her children's actions.

Lilly Dillon (The Grifters)

One might assume that Lilly Dillon (Anjelica Huston) would be happy that her son, Roy (John Cusack), has found love with Myra (Annette Bening), who is in the same line of work as she is: con artistry. However, Lilly is the type of mother who does not believe any woman is good enough for her son, which is why she plots to murder Myra in 1990's The Grifters.

Norma Bates (Bates Motel)

We never actually meet Norma Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's seminal 1960 thriller, Psycho, but we can imagine, from the way her son, Norman (Anthony Perkins), takes on her likeness when murdering people, that she was not an easy person to get along with. The A&E original series, Bates Motel, offers an inside look at the complicated relationship between Norma (Vera Farmiga) and young Norman (Freddie Highmore), which is littered with lies, manipulation, and murder.

As if we needed more evidence that The Sopranos is more popular than ever, it's managed to work its way into the conversation surrounding the Papal Conclave. The Catholic church has selected a new pope to guide the religion in a new era, and one candidate who was reportedly up for selection looked like a character from the HBO show. I'll admit I can see it, and had the Cardinals elected a guy who looked like Uncle Junior, is that the worst thing in the world?

@BettingSitesCom noted that Pietro Parolin, an Italian prelate for the Catholic Church, was a frontrunner to be the next pope. Almost immediately, some on the internet jumped on the idea that he bears a resemblance to Junior Soprano, Tony's uncle, played by actor Dominic Chianese. Take a look at the photo below and the one at the top of the story, and see for yourself:

It's possible this may be a case where it's two old white guys with big glasses, but I can see the resemblance. I would love to see what Chianese would have to say about the likeness, as the 94-year-old actor is still with us. If he's anything like I am when people say I resemble other people, he's going to say he looks like completely different person.

A good number of people did see the likeness, however, as a viral tweet referencing it generated thousands of likes. The comments attached to it were pretty entertaining, either pointing to the likeness, or using quotes from The Sopranos character to tie it into the Papal Conclave:

• Uncle Junior will be a new pope?? - @boberwithknife
• "The fxck? Why am I on there?" - @uncle_june
• LMAOOOOO - @sens5i
• Never had the making of a varsity pontiff. - @Jgh831101
• "Our friends say to me, Pietro, why don't you take a larger hand in things?" -@Habanerolover10

It is funny to make any connection between Junior Soprano and the papacy, as The Sopranos character's entire arc was about power. Though Uncle Junior was the head of the DiMeo crime family, it was more or less known within the organization that his nephew Tony was the acting boss, and Junior was seen more as a figurehead. The character resented that and wanted full control, so it's easy to see a position of power, like the pope, being appealing to him.

Pietro Parolin did not get selected as the new pope, but there is the loosest of connections between The Sopranos and the newest head of the Catholic church. For the first time ever, the religion has chosen an American to lead the way, with Robert Prevost being selected. Prevost isn't from New Jersey, but he is from Chicago.

Now I'm over here wondering if the new pope has seen The Sopranos, and what thoughts he may have on that controversial ending people still debate about to this day. However, I'm certain that's probably something that won't be covered in his first Papal address, even if the HBO series had the world talking for a time.

The Sopranos is available to stream on Max. I wouldn't call it a series known for its religious tone in the slightest, but it's a good watch for those who still have yet to check it out.

There may be impressive dramas debuting or returning on the 2025 TV schedule, but it’s going to be hard to land something as mythic as The Sopranos was back in the day. The late James Gandolfini led an ensemble cast that really brought to life the criminal underworld of New Jersey, warts and all, with Tony Soprano being a kind of tragic figure. And thanks to some recently revealed stories from co-stars like Lorraine Bracco, we now know how the acclaimed actor loosened up when he wasn’t in front of the cameras.

A story in author Jason Bailey’s new memoir, Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend (via People) came directly from Bracco. She recalled her scene partner on the seminal TV series (which is streamable with a Max subscription) in a very mischievous light. In the first part of her story, the Goodfellas star talked about filming those memorable therapy sessions between Tony and Dr. Melfi, with some shenanigans in play:

While stories of James Gandolfini’s intense methods of developing his performance happen are legend, the tales of how he could also let loose and kick back have started to grow as well. In the years since his passing, and with cast members like Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Michael Imperioli sharing stories about how making the HBO drama really went, many have started to learn of and appreciate Galdonfini's lighter side.

You can tell that much is true when reading Lorraine Bracco’s memories of running through this particularly dramatic staple of creator David Chase’s mafia opus. As her account in Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend continued, Bracco revealed perhaps the most extreme method that the In The Loop actor used to try and break her concentration:

Say what you will about The Sopranos’ Dr. Melfi and Tony subplot ending, but these accounts of Lorraine Bracco and James Gandolfini on set are details I’m sure fans can agree are rather heartwarming. Though his resume was varied, and includes other roles that people don’t talk about nearly enough, Mr. Gandolfini is one of those great actors mostly remembered for one role.

Such fond remembrances like Bracco's help to humanize an actor people are accustomed to seeing on screen. So, for all fans who are left missing James Gandolfini a little more today, it’s recommended that they read Jason Bailey’s Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend, as it’s currently available at all fine booksellers. Meanwhile, stream The Sopranos’ entire run on Max, and take in every session between Dr. Melfi and Tony.

When it comes to specific channels on television, there is but one that has produced television shows that have genuinely taken the world by storm and got people talking for years on end. And that, my friends, is HBO. The premium channel – known as “Home Box Office” – has created some of the biggest shows of the last thirty years or so. And here are some that truly got the world talking.

Game of Thrones

You knew Game of Thrones would be on here somehow. The series, based on the novel series “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R.R. Martin, was the biggest show for years on HBO, with several huge Game of Thrones shocking moments and a Game of Thrones cast that exploded onto the scene and became household names. It’s one of the best shows of the last decade.

Westworld

Running for three seasons, Westworld was a sci-fi western based on the novel of the same name. It was a huge show when it first came out. The Westworld cast was large and impressive, and the story took so many twists and turns that it was almost hard to keep up with it.

The White Lotus

Did you ever think a series about guests at a five-star hotel resort would become the phenomenon that it’s become? Because I sure didn’t. The White Lotus, which began as a limited series, has run for three seasons so far and has captured the hearts and attention of viewers worldwide, with views growing steadily with each new season.

Insecure

Created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, Insecure is the kind of comedy-drama that everyone needs to see. With five seasons total, the series followed two young Black women who are navigating their twenties and just trying to survive everyday life. It’s hilarious, won several awards, and was popular for all the right reasons.

True Detective

With a new cast each season and a new mystery to solve, True Detective kept coming back with even better stories and excellent acting. From the lands of California to the snow landscape of Alaska, this series finds new ways to surprise its audience each time, making viewers return for more whenever a new season is confirmed.

The Last of Us

Based on the video game franchise of the same name, The Last of Us ended up becoming one of the biggest shows on the channel, as well as on Max, the streaming platform for HBO. The series follows the life of Joel, a smuggler in the apocalypse, and Ellie, a girl who is immune to the virus. They journey across the United States, where her immunity might be the cure to this whole thing. The series is beloved by most, and is one of the best video game adaptations out there.

Deadwood

Considered one of the best Western shows, Deadwood is the series to watch if you want a good, classic crime drama with some of the best acting. Featuring an all-star cast with so much to love, the show was so popular that it spawned a movie after it ended, which also premiered on HBO.

Euphoria

While there have been years between seasons of this show, there’s no denying that Euphoria is one of those series where, when it premieres, the world stops to watch. Starring an impressive Euphoria cast led by Zendaya, the dark teen drama altered pop culture when it premiered and has remained iconic years later.

Big Little Lies

Based on the novel of the same name, Big Little Lies is a mystery and dark comedy in which you never truly know who to trust. With two seasons and cast members who are mega-stars like Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and more at the helm, this series got people talking and more.

House Of The Dragon

While the Game of Thrones universe has continued to expand, the first series that came out after the main show concluded was House of the Dragon, based on the novel Fire and Blood. With more dragons than ever before, a civil war that has fans on the edge of their seats, and acting that takes your breath away, this series was primed to become one of the biggest shows out there the moment it premiered.

Six Feet Under

For five seasons, one of the biggest shows on HBO was Six Feet Under, a series that followed the lives of a family who ran a funeral parlor. I know, at first, that kind of premise sounds like it wouldn’t mean much entertainment, but this was a very well-received series and one that fans absolutely loved.

The Wire

Whenever anyone thinks of an HBO show, one of the first that comes to mind is always this one. The Wire was a crime drama set in Baltimore and told a different storyline each season about a new institution of the city, from drugs to the lack of education in the city. It’s extremely well-told.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

There are some comedies out there that become huge, and then there’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, a show that ran for twelve seasons, 120 episodes, and continued to remain critically praised for years. Fans could not get enough of Larry David in the lead role and the hilarity of the story that his fictional self would get into in this iconic HBO series.

Mildred Pierce

A miniseries on HBO, Mildred Pierce, is based on a book by the same name and stars Kate Winslet. Through five episodes, we watch a divorcee of the Great Depression trying to find herself again and establish a business within the restaurant industry while also dealing with her problems. The miniseries was a massive hit for HBO and earned several Emmy nominations – and a couple of wins.

Big Love

Running for five seasons, Big Love was a drama that took the world by storm. It followed the story of a Mormon man and his three wives who lived in modern-day Utah. The series was another huge hit for the channel and earned several major awards during its run.

The Sopranos

I mean, obviously, I have to include The Sopranos. I feel like The Sopranos is as synonymous with HBO as Game of Thrones is. The series made the channel huge and won many awards. The Sopranos cast is filled to the brim with incredible talent, and even now, years later, it has a long-lasting legacy.

Girls

Created by Lena Dunham, Girls was a comedy-drama that aired over six seasons and followed the lives of four women living in modern-day New York City. It had some hilarious storylines but wasn’t afraid to dive deeper into modern themes and darker subjects, which made the show such a hit.

Chernobyl

When I think of some of the best miniseries on HBO, Chernobyl is one that comes up every time. The series tells the true story of the Chernobyl disaster and was critically praised for its acting, accuracy, and fantastic cinematography. Once you watch Chernobyl, you’ll never return to who you were before.

Veep

I could go on and on for hours about Veep and how amazing it was. Starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the Veep cast was hilarious. It told the story of a U.S. vice president and how she tried to deal with the modern-day politics of America while also working with an idiotic president next to her. It’s hysterical in every way, shape and form.

Watchmen

Based on the same comic series, Watchmen is an HBO miniseries that truly redefines the superhero drama of television. It tells bold and dark tales of a world of crime and justice. It also has an incredible cast that only cemented its legacy on HBO. I always wished there was a Season 2, but I’m content with it running for the one miniseries we got.

Barry

For four seasons, Barry was the best dark comedy on the channel – and later, it really turned into more of a drama than anything else. The series, starring Bill Hader as the lead of the spectacular Barry cast, tells the story of a hitman who finds some purpose in acting in L.A. and begins to question his life. The show takes twists and turns you would never expect.

Mare Of Easttown

This miniseries, Starring Kate Winslet, was a huge hit for HBO. With seven episodes, it tells the story of a detective who investigates a murder in a small town outside of Philadelphia while also dealing with her own personal life. The series won several Emmy Awards and was talked about for weeks.

The Leftovers

The Leftovers ran for three seasons, but it cemented itself on HBO’s roster the moment it did, and people still talk about it today. The series follows the lives of people on Earth who were left behind when 2% of the entire population of the world vanished. Now, it’s up to the leftovers to survive.

The Righteous Gemstones

The Righteous Gemstones is one of those series that has a cast that is too good to be true. The show stars Danny McBride, Adam DeVine, John Goodman, Walton Goggins, and so many other major stars – and what makes it better is that it’s so funny. With four seasons, the series follows a family of televangelists and their personal lives, and it’s just as hysterical as you can imagine it would be.

Band Of Brothers

The miniseries Band of Brothers was based on the novel of the same name and is a war drama that was praised for its impressive Band of Brothers cast, as well as how realistic the series was. The show was so popular that it spawned two spinoff shows years later – The Pacific and Masters of the Air.

Succession

Oh, you knew this show would be on here somehow. Succession was a huge HBO show that followed the story of a family fighting for control over their father’s media conglomerate when his health was put into question. The series was praised for its acting, from the incredible Succession cast, as well as its storyline that anyone could get into.

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

While it’s not a scripted series like many of the others on this list, this talk show has become a massive hit for HBO and has won several Emmys throughout the years. Starring John Oliver, the talk show covers what has happened in the world in a funny way, mostly regarding politics, and always features clips that end up becoming huge on social media.

Silicon Valley

Running for six seasons, Silicon Valley is a comedy series that is exactly what you expect it to be—a series about tech bros in the iconic Silicon Valley of California and the struggles of working there. The series earned plenty of award nominations during its run, including Emmys, and was a major hit.

Oz

If you’re looking for a prison drama, then Oz is one that you have to check out, and it became a huge deal for HBO. The series follows the lives of prisoners and guards and everyone else involved in a maximum security prison, with enough drama to last a lifetime that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

I May Destroy You

This single-series show took the world by storm. I May Destroy You is a black comedy about a young writer who is trying to rebuild who she is and her life after suffering a horrible sexual assault. The show was nominated for many awards and was a significant success for the channel.

Sharp Objects

Starring Amy Adams and based on the novel of the same name, Sharp Objects is about a reporter who is covering the murder of two girls and has to return to her hometown. Her hometown is filled with memories of her past that haunt her to this day. The miniseries was an award-winner and earned several acting nominations.

Mr. Show With Bob And David

While it’s one of the oldest shows on this list, Mr. Show with Bob and David was what kickstarted the careers of Bob Odenkirk and David Cross. The series was a sketch comedy that ran for four seasons with hilarious bits and moments that really cemented the two lead stars in the world of comedy.

There are so many other great HBO shows that people loved, but these are just a few of the ones that I enjoy watching every time I get the chance. If you haven’t checked them out, you need to now!

The Sopranos ended over 15 years ago, but it feels much more recent when looking at the internet. Memes about the series and its complicated main character, Tony Soprano, continue to dominate, and its cast continues to find work well after the show. Actor Steve Schirripa contends that the show is more popular now than during its run, and has some compelling reasons to back it up.

CinemaBlend spoke to Schirripa about his recent partnership with Sanpelligrino CIAO!, the latest line of sparkling waters from the Italian seltzer water company. I mentioned the continued popularity of The Sopranos as a factor in why the company reached out to him and Michael Imperioli to do its ad campaign, and asked if he found a younger audience is gravitating to the HBO show:

People watched The Sopranos with a Max subscription during the pandemic lockdowns, perhaps in anticipation of the prequel film The Many Saints of Newark. Whatever the case may be, Steve Schirripa has noted that many younger fans follow the show, which he's experienced through his Talking Sopranos podcast.

On top of a younger audience finding the show, however, Steve Schirripa says the series is reaching more audiences than it did when running on HBO back in the day. More countries than ever have access to the show in a way that wasn't possible in the pre-streaming era:

People continue to love and admire The Sopranos characters and debate the controversial ending that seemingly left Tony's fate up in the air. As Steve Schirripa put it, there's a smartness to it that makes it easy to watch, and I think it's hard to dispute that its many Emmy awards were unjustified.

Granted, it's a show that's very much of the era, and it should be noted that mobsters are not the most upstanding of role models. There's a lot of stuff on this show that, to put it bluntly, would not fly on modern television, especially with comments about race or otherwise. In any case, its stark and unflinching portrait of a certain era of time has helped maintain its legitimacy and helped it cultivate an intense fandom.

Fast forward to now, and Steve Schirripa is working with Sanpelligrino CIAO! after being a big part of one of the peak era TV shows. The company's latest line of flavored sparkling seltzer waters is now in stores with lime, blood orange, cherry, and peach flavors for sale. Schirripa told CinemaBlend he's a big fan of the peach flavor, while I lean more toward the lime. In any case, it's a solid drink to enjoy and some gabagool if you like that sort of thing.

As mentioned, The Sopranos is available to stream on Max. For those who still haven't seen it yet, get on it immediately, and check out some of the other great shows on the streaming platform as well.

Michael Imperioli and Steve Schirripa have done a lot of acting since their time on The Sopranos. However, given the quality and continued acclaim of the HBO series, it's no surprise the world still remembers them most because of their much-loved characters from the mob drama. There are some downsides to that, however, as Sanpelligrino CIAO! hilariously points out in its new ad campaign featuring the two actors.

In a humorous series of commercials, Imperioli and Schirripa receive a shipping container full of Sanpelligrino CIAO!, the latest product release from the Italian-based sparkling water company. Unfortunately, they're having trouble handing the product off to others, mainly because the general public still sees them as mafioso types despite Sopranos being a TV series. Schirripa spoke to CinemaBlend about the commercial shoot and what it was like re-teaming up with his former co-star:

Schirripa may have an exciting role lined up in Dexter: Ressurection, but he was down to take a trip to Florida and shoot commercials with his longtime buddy. As mentioned above, Schirripa and Michael Imperioli co-hosted the Talking Sopranos podcast together and are very much involved in each other's lives decades after the mob series' polarizing ending.

It was a fun time, according to the actor, who had one big confession to make about filming the ad campaign. Steve Schirripa endorses Sanpelligrino CIAO!, to the point that he may have had a little too much of the beverage while filming the commercials:

Eating on the sets of movies and TV shows can be a mixed bag. Sometimes you have to bite into a gross heart and you throw up, and other times the food is so good you make yourself sick trying to scarf it all down scene after scene. I remember reading once that the kids from Harry Potter were getting sick because they kept eating the food in the Great Hall over multiple takes, and I feel like I would've had the same problem.

Fortunately, I don't think the natural fruit-flavored sparkling water gave Schirripa any issues, as he's a big fan of peach. For those curious, the new SanPelligrino CIAO! is offered in the following flavors:

• Lime
• Cherry
• Blood Orange
• Peach

The new product line is currently rolling out to stores and, as someone who has also tried them, I can say it's a great drink to have on hand while streaming The Sopranos with a Max subscription. I'm sure it'll also be great for that upcoming Blue Bloods spinoff if mob dramas aren't your bag. Whatever you watch, you'll see Steve Schirripa on commercials soon enough, in which he'll be repping this new product.

CinemaBlend continues to check on what stars of The Sopranos are up to, while, of course, also keeping up with the 2025 TV schedule. We're also very excited about Steve Schirripa joining Dexter: Resurrection, which is slowly building a remarkable cast for the serial killer's latest tale.

"We're all going to be cool like Fonzie" are the words that Jules Winfield (Samuel L. Jackson) says in Pulp Fiction. It's not random, of course, that he chose Henry Winkler's character from Happy Days to define cool. The Fonz remains one of, if not the coolest characters in television history, but he's hardly alone on the small screen for his coolness. This list includes many of those cool characters you could always see yourself being friends with.

Rico Tubbs - Miami Vice

Often on cop shows, you'll get one buttoned-up straight cop and one "cool" cop. On Miami Vice, that wasn't the case. Both detectives oozed '80s cool, but in very different ways. James "Sonny" Crockett (Don Johnson) was aloof most of the time, but cared when it mattered. Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs cared all the time, but played it off as pure cool.

Charlie Harper - Two And A Half Men

Charlie Sheen has been some wild ups and downs in his personal and professional life, but his character on Two and a Half Men has always been the definition of laid-back cool. Maybe too much, compared to the other characters around him. He does bring a great balance, though.

Bunk Moreland - The Wire

The Bunk, Bunk Moreland (Wendell Pierce), on The Wire, is well-dressed and as smooth as his silk ties. He's one of the best "murder police" in the Baltimore PD, and he never misses a trick. It's easy to understand why he's on this list.

Thomas Magnum - Magnum P.I.

There are a lot of cool TV detectives, but the top of the list has to be Thomas Magnum from Magnum P.I. He drives a Ferarri, he wears short shorts, and he's got some of the best facial hair in the game. The ladies want him, and the gentlemen want to be him. He's got all the game, and he gets to live on a giant estate in Hawaii. That's winning.

Carol Peletier - The Walking Dead

In the beginning of The Walking Dead, Carol Peletier didn't seem like much of a survivor. She suffered at the hands of an abusive husband and seemed well out of her depth when the zombie apocalypse started. She used everything she learned, though, and by the end, she wasn't just one of the baddest survivors on the show; she was also one of the coolest.

Barney Stinson - How I Met Your Mother

This one might be a little controversial because despite having a ton of amazing quotes and having a classic aloof nature, Barney Stintson is pretty swarmy. Of course, everyone has a friend like that, and almost everyone lets those friends get away with their bad behavior because they are so cool.

Sydney Bristow - Alias

Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) on Alias is the epitome of cool under pressure. She always knew what to do and was as capable as any spy in Hollywood history. She deserves a spot high on any list about cool characters.

Mrs. Maisel - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Any woman in the 1950s who chooses to strike out on her own and take a chance like Midge Maisel should be cool in anyone's book. When she's as funny as Mrs. Maisel, it's an open-and-shut case. She's the coolest.

Chandler Bing - Friends

Chandler on Friends, played by the late Matthew Perry, isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it's hard to deny his coolness. Of all the friends, he's easily the coolest. There is an aloofness to him that lends itself to cool, and compared to Joey and Ross? It's not even a race, really, Chandler wins every time.

Michael Knight - Knight Rider

Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff) had a great perm, he wore an awesome Members-Only-looking leather coat, and he drove a Trans Am that talked to him. By any standard, that is cool. By the standards of the '80s? It was the top of the mountain. Everyone loves David Hasselhoff.

Fonzie - Happy Days

Here we are, at the coolest of the cool. Arthur Fonzarelli, or "The Fonz" or "Fonzie," if you like. He could do things like fix jukeboxes just by hitting them. He rode a motorcycle and wore a leather jacket. And he had that great hair! Plus, he's everyone's favorite person, including all the parents and authority figures. It just doesn't get cooler.

Al Swearengen - Deadwood

He's mean, he's nasty, and he makes an enemy out of everyone. Yet, for some undefinable reason, Al Swearengen (Ian McShane) is definitely cool. Maybe its his verboseness, or maybe it's his confidence, it's hard to pinpoint exactly. Even though he's a violent criminal, he's still really cool.

Daria - Daria

For an entire generation of disaffected teenagers in the 1990s, Daria on Daria summed up everything they were feeling. Unimpressed with the world, beaten down by modern life, and more interested in being sullen than anything else, Daria was everything a cool kid was in the '90s.

Daryl Dixon - The Walking Dead

Of all the characters on The Walking Dead, none were cooler than the cross-bow-wielding, motorcycle-riding, complete stud, Daryl Dixon. He was soft-spoken, but when he did speak, everyone listened. He didn't have to say much to be cool, he just had to be himself. He was always ready for a fight and always backed his friends. He's just the best.

Don Draper - Mad Men

The mid-20th Century produced a lot of "cool." Don Draper, who led the charge in culture, defines that cool. There are a million moments in Mad Men where Draper (Jon Hamm) proves just how cool he is. He may have been living a lie, but man it was a cool life!

Cosmo Kramer - Seinfeld

To paraphrase Jerry on Seinfeld, Kramer does nothing, falls backward into money, mooches food off your neighbors, and hooks up without dating. While actor Michael Richards has had a checkered career since starring on one of the best sitcoms of all time, his character on the show was always cool. He was the one we all wanted to be.

Fleabag - Fleabag

Fleabag (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) is so cool, she doesn't even need a name. That's really saying something. She's smart, funny, cynical, and yeah, sometimes angry or mean, but most of the time, it's her biting wit that puts her on this list. There are a lot of people who strive to have that kind of wit, but very few ever do. Cool.

Sam Malone - Cheers

Anyone who owns a bar like Cheers is going to have to be on this list. He's loyal to his friends and regulars, he's an ex-pro athlete, and he never has problems dating beautiful women. He's also one of the funniest characters from one of the funniest sitcoms ever. We all want to be Sam, in some ways.

Face - The A-Team

Templeton "Face" Peck is the coolest character on The A-Team and usually the coolest under pressure, too. He's most likely to be the one that to go undercover because of it. He's also got some of the best lines on the show. Everyone on the team is cool in their own way, but Face takes the cake when it comes to real "coolness."

Mary Richards - The Mary Tyler Moore Show

She's gonna make it after all! Mary Richards oozes everything cool in all seven seasons of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She showed girls and women everywhere that they, too, could make it in the corporate world and in the news business, all while looking sheik and being insanely cool.

Spock - Star Trek

Of all the characters in the original Star Trek, Spock has to be the coolest, right? Bones seems like the most fun, and Kirk would be hilarious to hang out with, but Spock has them all beat. He's cool, calm, and collected at all times, and he has just even of a human side to make him real. He has all the facts, too, which is good for all those arguments in a bar, right?

Tyrion Lannister - Game Of Thrones

The list of "cool" Lannisters on Game of Thrones is a short list. It's a list of one, really, and that one is, of course, Tyrion. From the way he dances to his trial, or the way he stays as loyal as he can to people until the end, he's the one family member you can trust. Obviously he's also a lot of fun.

Columbo - Columbo

What can we say about Peter Falk's amazing character, Columbo, in the show of the same name? He plays the bumbling detective who actually knows exactly what is going on at all times. He doesn't put on airs, and he doesn't care what people think of him at first blush. In fact, his nonchalant nature is exactly what makes him so effective - and cool.

Sonny Crockett - Miami Vice

One half of the coolest '80s TV detectives, Sonny Crockett oozes cool. He drives exotic cars, looks great in a white suit and pastel shirts, and he is, in the end, Don Johnson. Don Johnson is as cool as his character, and it all comes across on the screen. With all the wild guest stars in Miami Vice history, he had to hold his own, and he more than did.

Lucy Ricardo - I Love Lucy

Lucy Ricardo was a television pioneer in every way. She not only had one of the first legitimately huge hits on the medium, she did it as a women. That only is enough to make her cool enough for this list. The fact that her character on I Love Lucy was a little goofy and a little batty only adds to the cool factor.

Buffy Summers - Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Talk about a character who became a role model for teenagers everywhere! The way Buffy Summers from Buffy The Vampire Slayer always handled herself made her formidable, but cool as heck while she was.

Lester Freamon - The Wire

"Cool Lester Smooth" is just one of Lester Freamon's nicknames on The Wire. He does have a certain tweed impertinence, but he's got all the answers. The show is too realistic to have a real Holmsian character, but Lester, played brilliantly by Clarke Peters, is as close as the show comes, and everyone knows that's cool. Plus, he looks out for his friends and has endless patience. Oodles of coolness.

Silvio Dante - The Sopranos

Every kingpin needs a trustworthy #2, and for Tony Soprano, that's his consiglieri, Silvio Dante. He is as loyal as it comes, and he does a mean Al Pacino impression. It helps that the character is played by a bona fide rock star, "Little" Steven Van Zandt from the E Street Band. Silvio was "peak cool" from the peak era of prestige TV.

Arya Stark - Game Of Thrones

Unlike the Lannisters in Game of Thrones, there are a lot of cool Starks. How can you pick just one among Ned, Robb, and all the rest? Well, really, it's easy. Arya is the coolest. In fact, she's pretty much the coolest character in the whole series, both on screen and in the books.

Sawyer - Lost

Okay we'll admit, Sawyer on Lost is often a jerk. But man, he's so cool sometimes. If you like bad boys, he's the ultimate bad boy and as we all know, bad boys are cool. It's just the way it goes. It's a fact. Plus, that hair... that hair is awesome.

Lisa Simpson - The Simpsons

This is a hill not a lot of Simpsons fans will die on, but those of us who will, will go down fighting. Lisa Simpson is the best. She's the best family member and the heart of the show's morality. If Lisa disapproves, you should do that thing. She's also really fun when she wants to be, even if some people disagree. Nerds are cool!

Wednesday Addams - Wednesday

Just like bad boys are always cool, bad girls are too. Wednesday Addams is as bad a girl can get, in the very best way. That means she's the coolest. The level of aloofness is frankly incredible and means she has to be on this list.

In any television show out there, some episodes genuinely take the cake for their dark themes – or rather, just being dark overall. Some shows are darker than others, but there's always an episode that genuinely makes people sit there for a moment and contemplate what they just watched – those are the kinds of dark episodes we are going to get into today.

Oh, and also, spoiler alert!

'The Rains Of Castamere' (Game of Thrones)

I mean, of course, I have to put "The Rains of Castamere" here. It's one of the most shocking Game of Thrones moments ever, when we watch basically a third of the Stark family get taken out by traitors. And yes, I will still never forgive the Boltons or the Lannisters for what they did.

'The Day Will Come When You Won't Be' (The Walking Dead)

It would be a sin for me not to put "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" here. It features Glenn's demise, one of the most heartbreaking The Walking Dead deaths, and really shows the entire group that we have come to love for six seasons straight get absolutely blasted with the arrival of Negan and his Saviors. It's still a dark episode, one I skip on any The Walking Dead rewatch.

'Ozymandias' (Breaking Bad)

There are some fantastic Breaking Bad episodes, but oftentimes, most of them are pretty dark, and "Ozymandias" is one of those. Considered one of the best television episodes ever by many critics, this episode really capped off the damage that Walt had done to his life when he watched Hank, his brother-in-law and DEA agent, get shot dead.

'To You, In 2000 Years - The Fall Of Shiganshina: Part 1' (Attack On Titan)

There are plenty of great dark anime out there that I could steal episodes from to put on this list, but I have to say the winner must be "To You, in 2000 Years—The Fall of Shiganshina: Part 1." I mean, you really can't get darker than having your mom get eaten in the first episode of your series—right in front of you as you're being dragged away. No wonder Eren was so messed up.

'Pretty Much Dead Already' (The Walking Dead)

For a time, The Walking Dead was the show out there that everyone talked about each week, and one of the darkest episodes of that time was "Pretty Much Dead Already." It was the first midseason finale for the show and featured a stumbling Sophie coming out of the Greene farm when everyone had been looking for her for several episodes already. Breaks your heart every time.

'The Hellfire Club' (Stranger Things)

I don't really consider a lot of Stranger Things dark, but I will say that as the series has progressed, these episodes have gotten a lot scarier, and the first that comes to mind is "The Hellfire Club." The episode starts off well enough—including the introduction of Stranger Things Season 4 All-Star Eddie. But then Vecna makes his first appearance at the end of the episode, and it is a horrorfest that instantly turns the entire thing darker than ever.

'Phoenix' (Breaking Bad)

Walter White has done some pretty horrible things as a human being, and one of his darkest moments, for sure, in Breaking Bad, was in "Phoenix." We already knew that Walter didn't like Jane, but standing there, watching her overdose right next to Jesse, was another level of darkness that I didn't think he was capable of.

'Heaven's Half Hour' (Daredevil: Born Again)

There are many moments in the original Daredevil series that I could point to, but I have to give it to a recent entry, Daredevil: Born Again, and the premiere episode. We literally open up with Matt and his friends just getting a drink, and BOOM, Foggy is shot, and Matt literally hears him die by the sound of his heartbeat. Darkness to the brim.

'The Dance Of Dragons' (Game Of Thrones)

While "The Dance of Dragons" isn't a super dark episode in itself, it's a moment in it that makes it super dark. One of the most heartbreaking Game of Thrones deaths happens here when Stannis burns his daughter alive because of Melisandre's ridiculous nonsense about a king's blood sacrifice. And then we watch her die. It's messed up in the worst ways.

'Living Doll' (The Twilight Zone)

I think The Twilight Zone is one of those shows where the episodes might not seem so dark now in comparison to what we have experienced on TV, but there are still some good ones there, and one is "Living Doll." The episode is all about a husband who is annoyed by a talking doll his stepdaughter has, but the doll begins to talk back to him, saying how much she hates him and how she wants to hurt him—it gets really dark, real quick.

'The Bent-Neck Lady' (The Haunting Of Hill House)

Honestly, every Mike Flanagan TV show has some incredibly dark episodes, but "The Bent-Neck Lady" is by far the darkest. It shows Nell finally realizes that the visions and ghosts that have been haunting her all her life are actually her. The reveal is incredibly sad and dark and one I often think about.

'72 Hours' (The Golden Girls)

I'm sure that at first glance, you would never expect me to put something like The Golden Girls on this list, but "72 Hours" is a very dark episode. Rose's doctor reaches out to her and says that her blood transfusion may have included HIV-positive blood, and now she has to wait for three days for results. It's a very harrowing episode for a show that is, at its core, a sitcom.

'Honor' (The Walking Dead)

There are plenty of moments in The Walking Dead that I could put on here, but one of the darkest episodes was "Honor." I'm sure most don't even know it because it happened in Season 8, but it was the episode where Carl, Rick's son, ended up getting bitten while trying to save a doctor for their community. It's literally one of the darkest episodes of the entire series, especially watching Rick and Michonne wait for the gunshot that signals Carl's death.

'Bullets Over Bel-Air' (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was an iconic sitcom for many reasons, but it also wasn't afraid to go dark in some of its episodes. One of which was "Bullets Over Bel-Air," in which Will is shot by a robber and then Carlton goes out and buys a gun to try and be safe. It's an entire episode focused on gun violence.

'ABQ' (Breaking Bad)

There are plenty of Breaking Bad episodes out there that are genuinely dark, but one I always think of is ABQ, which is the finale of season 2 of the show. While most of the episode isn't necessarily super dark, the ending moment is where Walt watches as two planes crash above his home, sending debris to the ground, because the air trafficker's daughter just died – you know, the daughter that Walt watched overdose and didn't do anything about it.

'Bad News' (How I Met Your Mother)

At first, we all think that the "Bad News" in this episode is going to involve a fertility test with Lily, but the bad news is suddenly broken to Marshall that his father has suddenly passed from a heart attack. It's so out there that it creates a devastating episode in this sitcom.

'Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken' (Game Of Thrones)

The episode 'Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken' isn't necessarily dark itself, but rather the ending scene. After Sansa is forced to marry Ramsay Bolton, he forcefully assaults her on their wedding night. Meanwhile, Theon (Reek at this point) is just standing over there forced to watch. My god.

'To The Lost' (Boardwalk Empire)

Boardwalk Empire wasn't afraid to venture into dark territory, and one of its darkest episodes was "To The Lost," mainly because of the death that happens when Nucky shoots Jimmy, a protege of his, because he failed to start a feud. The moment is shocking, considering that throughout the series, these two have basically been side by side, and now, all of a sudden, it was over.

'Coda' (The Walking Dead)

I will never forgive The Walking Dead for what they did to Beth in "Coda." One of the darkest episodes of the series, it shows the group reuniting with Beth only for her to get shot in the head when she stands up for herself. She didn't even get to reunite with her sister again. Talk about awful.

'Long Term Parking' (The Sopranos)

The Sopranos cast is filled to the brim with epic talent, which only means there will be epic episodes that tend to lean a little darker. When Silvio finds out that Adriana's slipping info to the FBI, she's taken out. It was dark and scary and showed just what happened when you crossed the Soprano family.

'Connor's Wedding' (Succession)

With how talented the Succession cast is, I wouldn't be surprised if they made half of their episodes darker, but the darkest I could point to was "Connor's Wedding." At first, it feels like just a normal episode, but all of a sudden, Logan Roy drops dead, and we, as well as the kids, are left to deal with the fallout of what occurred as the episode progresses.

'Two Storms' (The Haunting Of Hill House)

First of all, this episode is an absolute unit of cinematography. It's shot beautifully. But aside from me geeking out about how amazing it looks, "Two Storms" is dark because it's so creepy, and we keep seeing Nell's casket repeatedly getting moved or messed around with.

'Hardhome' (Game Of Thrones)

The first half of "Hardhome" is pretty tame, honestly. It's all about watching Jon and the Wildlings try to come to a compromise to, you know, survive. But then the White Walkers come and literally destroy it all, and the number of deaths that occur makes it one of the most brutal episodes for me to watch ever.

'Please Remain Calm' (Chernobyl)

I. Can't. Stand. This. Episode.

At all.

As someone who recently rewatched Chernobyl, I find this to be the darkest episode of the miniseries. Watching those three brave souls go into the factory to drain the radioactive water and try and stop this madness was terrifying, but seeing their lights go out at the end? Good god. The entire episode is shot beautifully, but man, is it dark in many instances.

'Endure And Survive' (The Last Of Us)

As someone who is one of the biggest fans of The Last of Us franchise, this episode took it out of me, both mentally and physically. I already knew that Henry and Sam (from The Last of Us cast) would die from playing the game but man, they made this episode twenty times darker with the ending and it still makes me jump and look away each time I've watched it.

'Papa's Got A Brand New Excuse' (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has some serious moments that often lead to darker episodes, and one of those was definitely "Papa's Got A Brand-New Excuse." Will's father shows up out of nowhere, but, of course, by the end, he gives an excuse not to spend actual time with Will. We get an entire monologue from Will about how he doesn't need his father before he breaks down. It's so sad.

'Alone Again, Natura-Diddly' (The Simpsons)

There are some side characters on The Simpsons that you might have forgotten about, but one was taken out in the darkest possible way. In "Alone Again, Natura-Diddly," Ned Flander's wife, Maude, is struck in the head by a t-shirt and then knocked to her death. Yes, this happens in real-time on The Simpsons. This is an actual episode from Season 11.

'Too Far Gone' (The Walking Dead)

You want to talk about dark episodes of The Walking Dead? "Too Far Gone" is up there. The episode is the midseason finale for Season 4 and shows the all-out war that happens at the prison. But before then, we also watch The Governor completely snap and kill Hershel, who was hands down the group's moral compass for a long time.

'Teddy Perkins' (Atlanta)

This episode is just creepy, man. It's creepy in all the right ways. Aside from the social commentary that every episode of Atlanta seems to have, seeing Donald Glover dressed up in full prosthetics and makeup and creeping out Lakeith Stanfield is an episode I will never quite get over.

'Playtest' (Black Mirror)

There are plenty of dark episodes on Black Mirror, but one that I always think of is "Playtest," specifically for its ending. There are so many twists and turns that it's hard to keep up with it, and then the main subject, Cooper, is just killed because everything was all in his head and nothing was real—it's just too much and too dark so quickly.

'Chikhai Bardo' (Severance)

Severance is an excellent Apple TV+ show, and usually, I don't think I'd put an episode here, but "Chikhai Bardo" is a dark episode because we find out what really happened to Gemma and how she's essentially a slave for Lumon, forced to carry out multiple Severance scenarios for whatever grand design they are planning. It's messed up in so many ways.

'The Female Of The Species' (The Boys)

As someone who loves Kimiko in The Boys, the first episode, where we really see her and get to know her, is one of the darkest of the series. We see just how violent and terrifying she really is. She is not for those who have a weak stomach, but man, I love it.

What are some dark episodes that you would think of? I need to go watch some of the best rom-coms as a palette cleanser now. Goodness gracious.

There are a lot of great bartenders in film and TV history. Guys like Same Malone in Cheers and Moe in The Simpsons. The kind of guys that quick with a joke and ready to hear you lament about your job. Pouring stiff drinks and beers while their patrons celebrate and mourn, congratulate and commiserate, and everything else that happens at your local water hole. This list celebrates all those great bartenders in movies and TV shows.

Sam Malone - Cheers

Of course Sam Malone has to be on this list. The owner (at least some of the time) and operator of Cheers bar in Boston's Back Bay. Played by Ted Danson for all eleven seasons of the smash hit Cheers, Sam is always ready to poor Norm, Cliff, and the rest of the gang great drinks and cold beers.

Isaac Washington - The Love Boat

For many people, the most important person on a cruise ship is the bartender. These days modern cruise ships have dozens of bartenders, but back in the day, the Pacific Princess, better known and The Love Boat only needed one, Isaac Washington (Ted Lange). At least, Isaac we pretty much the only bartender anyone ever ordered a drink from, and he always served it with a smile.

Marion Ravenwood - Raiders Of The Lost Ark

Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) tried to run away from her problems (and her former lover) by heading to Nepal and opening a rundown shack of a bar that at least had a warm fire and some stiff drinks to help her customers get through the long, cold nights - at least until that ex-boyfriend showed up looking for her father in Raiders Of The Lost Ark.

Lloyd - The Shining

There aren't a lot of people for Jack (Jack Nicholson) to talk to at the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. Unfortunately, Jack either invents Lloyd or supernatural forces create him, but either way, audiences quickly learn he's not the friendly bartender we've all come to expect in hotel bars. He does know how to mix up a whole bunch of martinis in a hurry though.

Guinan - Star Trek: The Next Generation

Even the crew of the USS Enterprise need a place to unwind and have a few drinks after a long day below decks. On Star Trek: The Next Generation, that means heading to the Ten-Forward lounge and sipping on the concoctions created by Guinan, played by the legendary Whoopi Goldberg.

Al Swearengen - Deadwood

Al Swearengen is the foul-mouthed, mean, criminally-minded propriator of the Gem Saloon on Deadwood. Played brilliantly by the great Ian McShane, Swearengen is so much more than a drink-slinger, as he is the most powerful person in town and the most likely to get violent, or have his crew get violent, in a town full of mayhem.

Horace - The Family Guy

For 11 seasons (and decades in show-time), Horace was the owner and bartender at The Drunken Clam, Peter and company's preferred watering hole in The Family Guy. It's hard to say how long Horace was serving up drinks, as he's there in almost every flashback to the bar going back...well... again, who knows. Sadly we lost Horace in Season 11 when he died and the guys have to go all out to save "The Clam."

Razor Charlie - From Dusk Till Dawn

Audiences don't get a ton of Razor Charlie in From Dusk Till Dawn, played by the menacing (and awesome) Danny Trejo. While he tries to run the bar with iron fist at the beginning of the movie, it comes up against a crew that he shouldn't have messed with.

Brian Flanagan - Cocktail

Brian Flanagan (Tom Cruise) is a terrible bartender at the beginning of Cocktail, one of those '80s movies that just has not stood the test of time. He soon meets Doug (Bryan Brown), a veteran bartender who literally knows every trick in the book and soon Brian and Doug are a superstar team of bottle-flipping bartenders who are much performers as they are servers. At least the movie has a great soundtrack.

Coach - Cheers

One of the bartenders we miss the most is "Coach" Ernie Pantusso. he was Sam's original partner behind the bar on Cheers, who was, let's just say, a few bottles short of a case. Sadly, when actor Nicholas Colasanto died after Season 3, Coach followed him to that great bar in the sky and we've been mourning the loss ever since.

Butchie - The Wire

If we're honest, as awesome as Butchie in The Wire is, we're not sure it's the kind of bar we'd want to hang out. Butchie, played by S. Robert Morgan, is more of a banker to the criminals of Baltimore than he is strictly a bartender and while he's always loyal, he keeps some awfully shady company.

Moe Szyslak - The Simpsons

What would Homer Simpson do with his free time if it wasn't for Moe's Tavern? That goes for Lenny, Carl, and especially Barney too. Moe is the surliest bartender on TV, but that's part of his charm. He's gruff, ugly, and quick to lose his temper, especially to those annoying kids who keep prank-calling him, but he's also always sincere and genuine.

Rick Blaine - Casablanca

While not strictly a bartender, more of an owner and keeper of secrets, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) surely knows how to mix a mean martini after all those years running Rick's in Casablanca. He's probably served drinks all over the world and for that, he deserves to be on this list.

Spider - GoodFellas

Spider in GoodFellas, bless his heart, is clearly trying his best. The hapless drink server, played by future Sopranos star Michael Imperioli, just can't keep Tommy (Joe Pesci) happy. At first, his punishment is getting shot in the foot by the psychopath, but it gets worse from there. You're not alright, Spider.

Wuher - Star Wars

Every small town in the world - nay, the universe -has a gruff, somewhat racist bartender like Wuher in the first Star Wars movie. Sure, it probably takes an iron fist to run a bar in wretched hive of scum and villainy like Mos Eisley, but he's not the friendliest bartender on this list, for sure.

Woody Boyd - Cheers

After Cheers lost Coach, it wasn't long before they hired Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) to replace him. Sure Woody was a lot younger than Coach, but he was just as... innocent and, well, dumb, as Coach. Luckily he was just as charming and the bar (and the show) didn't miss a beat with the new addition.

Doug Coughlin - Cocktail

Doug Coughlin (Bryan Brown) from Cocktail is easily the flashiest bartender on this list. He can flip a bottle and charm a customer like nobody's business. He's also good for business as the show he puts on draws people from all over the Tri-State area.

All Of The Bartenders In Coyote Ugly

Lil (Maria Bello) may own the bar in Coyote Ugly, but she's just one of the amazing bartenders who serves up drinks, and takes no guff, to the wild, drunken patrons every night of the week. It's impossible to have a favorite so it's only fair to include all of them on this list of great movie bartenders.

Gary - The Big Lebowski

Audiences never actually see Gary in The Big Lebowski, but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to be on this list. You can just tell by the way he interacts with The Dude (Jeff Bridges) and the rest of the guys at the bowling alley that he's a good guy and mixes a great White Russian.

Short Bartender - Desperado

Listed in the credits as "Short Bartender) and played by Cheech Marin, the barkeep in Desperado is clearly unimpressed by Buscemi (Steve Buscemi) from the moments he walks in the door. He even gives off as many hints as he can to warn Buscemi about acting correct in the tough saloon. That isn't enough, but you can't blame him for what happens next.

Georgie - The Sopranos

Georgie Santorelli on The Sopranos, played by Frank Santorelli, is pretty much a total idiot. While he seems to be decent at his job, serving up drinks to Tony and crew at the Bada Bing, he's pretty much a moron in every other way, but he's great comic relief on the show.

The Gang In Always Sunny In Philadelphia

This list is called "great bartenders" but let's be honest, the gang on Always Sunny In Philadelphia are all pretty terrible at everything, including bartending most of the time. There isn't much to say nice here, so let's move on.

Carl - How I Met Your Mother

Carl on How I Met Your Mother is hard to read. At times, the bartender at the show's popular pub MacLaren's, played by Joe Nieves, is sometimes the nicest guy in the room, but other times he's brutal and unforgiving. When you think about it, that's probably how all great bartenders need to be.

Mark Donnelly - Paradise

Mark Donnelly (Michael Hogan) on Paradise isn't a main character, like most of the bartenders on this list, but it doesn't take much to understand that he's an empathetic guy who not only serves a stiff drink, but he's ready and willing to let you talk about your problems. He's also pretty helpful in a pinch, as he proves when he tries to help Xavier (Sterling K. Brown) keep his children safe.

iZac - Futurama

One of the signature things about Futurama is putting a futuristic spin on cultural references and it doesn't get any better than a robot bartender with a sweet mustache name "iZac" as a callback to Isaac on The Love Boat. He's not always the most empathetic bartender, but he gets the job done.

The Octopus - Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

The only thing better than a two-armed bartender is an eight-armed one like the Octopus in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Anyone who has ever bartended knows that there would be nothing better than having a few extra appendages when the crowd fills up and the bar gets crazy at peak hours. This guy will make any server jealous with his skills.

Jim - Three's Company

Jim the bartender at the Regal Beagle on Three's Company, played by Paul Ainsley, is the most notable of all the bartenders and servers at the legendary TV watering hole. He doesn't have much to do as a character, but serving up drinks quickly and efficiently is enough for us.

Nick Miller - New Girl

Nick Miller in New Girl, played by Jake Johnson, is one of just a few bartenders on this list who also happens to be one of the main characters on a show. Nick is perfectly suited to be a bartender too, as his quick wit and empathetic nature make him a natural.

Margo - Gone Girl

Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) in Gone Girl is, if we're honest, a pretty terrible person. He may not be as psycho as his wife, but he's not a good guy. His sister, on the other hand, Margo (Carrie Coon) is actually a pretty good person who is loyal - maybe too loyal - to her brother and helps out however she can at his bar.

Arthur - Passengers

Arthur in the sci-fi romance Passengers is a character clearly inspired by Lloyd in The Shining, with the twist that instead of a figment of a character's imagination or worse, he's an android. He is the only person on the ship Jim (Chris Pratt) can call on to talk about his depression, but he can't keep a secret, which is something all bartenders should be able to do.

Frankie - Road House

Frankie (Jessica Williams) in Road House, the bonkers 2024 remake of the 1980s classic, really wants to save her bar in any way she can. She's a good owner, loyal to her staff, and fearless. She isn't just a bartender, of course, but she certainly knows how to pour a whiskey and open a cold beer, right?

Nick - It's A Wonderful Life

Nick the bartender in It's A Wonderful Life, played by Sheldon Leonard isn't the kind of guy who suffers fools and he's really got little time for dealing with any of his patrons' nonsense. That's exactly what some people need in a great bartender. Just keep 'em coming.

With all due respect to some classic central TV show protagonists, there are times when it is a good idea to shift gears a bit and show things from another character’s perspective. This has actually become a relatively common practice as many modern small-screen favorites have given a scene-stealing supporting character (or even a never-before-seen character) the chance to almost completely steal the show for an episode. The following are some of the most revered examples.

“Lower Decks” - Star Trek: The Next Generation

According to TV Tropes, episodes that put supporting characters in the spotlight are referred to as “lower decks episodes.” The term is borrowed from the title of a classic episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation from Season 7 which focuses on a group of younger characters who are working their way up in the ranks at Starfleet.

“Five-O” - Better Call Saul

Sometimes a character becomes such a memorable scene-stealer that they earn their own equally great spin-off series, such as when Breaking Bad's Jimmy "Saul Goodman" McGill (Bob Odenkirk) became the star of the prequel, Better Call Saul. In just its first season, the AMC hit proved that Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) could have led his own series, too, in "Five-O," which peers into his origins as a former Philadelphia police officer.

“Dear Sigmund” - M.A.S.H.

One character from M.A.S.H. whom you could always rely on to give sage advice is Maj. Sidney Freedman (Allan Arbus), who got to the be star in a Season 5 episode called "Dear Sigmund." The Alan Alda-directed episode sees the recurring character penning a letter to legendary psychiatrist Sigmund Freud while visiting the 4077.

“Life Of Brian” - My So-Called Life

A great '90s show that ended far too soon was My So-Called Life, which starred Claire Danes in the Golden Globe-winning main role of struggling teen Angela Chase. One of the few episodes not narrated by Angela is the revered "Life of Brian," which primarily focuses on the personal struggles of her friend, Brian Krakow (Devon Gummersall).

“Musings Of A Cigarette Smoking Man” - The X Files

The first episode of The X Files in which David Duchovny's Fox Mulder does not appear at all and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is only seen briefly in archival footage from the pilot episode is "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man." The Season 4 episode sheds light on the past of the mysterious recurring role (William B. Davis), portraying him almost as a Forrest Gump-like figure for historical assassinations, such as JFK.

“The Zeppo” - Buffy The Vampire Slayer

In the Season 3 Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode, "The Zeppo," the titular teen warrior (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is faced with a problem that is merely the B-plot. The main storyline focuses on Xander (Nicholas Brendon), who likens himself to Zeppo Marx, feeling like the gang's most expendable member, until he must singlehandedly take on a group of reanimated corpses conspiring to blow up his high school.

“His Story” - Scrubs

There are several episodes of Scrubs that pass narrative duties from J.D. (Zach Braff) onto another character. The first of the bunch was Season 2's "His Story," which follows Dr. Perry Cox (John C. McGinley) as he speaks with his therapist about issues he is experiencing in his personal life.

"How Your Mother Met Me" - How I Met Your Mother

After finally meeting Tracy "The Mother" McConnell (Cristin Milioti) in the Season 8 finale, watching her mingle with the rest of the gang, and catching glimpses of her relationship with Ted (Josh Radnor) throughout Season 9, we finally got to know her personally in How I Met Your Mother's 200th episode. Chronicling the series' entire timeline up to that point all from her perspective (during which she experiences heartbreaking tragedy, tough life decisions, and The Naked Man), "How Your Mother Met Me" is easily considered one of the best HIMYM episodes.

"Chapter 5: Return Of The Mandalorian" - The Book Of Boba Fett

After Tamuera Morrison took on the iconic role of Boba Fett on The Mandalorian Season 2, he became the star of his own seven-part spin-off, The Book of Boba Fett. However, the fifth chapter sees the limited series essentially become The Mandalorian Season 2.5 as it focuses entirely on Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin, who ends up becoming the star of the show from that point on.

"Long, Long Time" - The Last Of Us

The most widely celebrated episode of HBO's series adaptation of the popular video game series, The Last of Us, spends the least amount of time with our central protagonists, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey). The Emmy-winning "Long, Long Time" is also the first and last episode to feature the characters of Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), tracing their loving relationship over several years after the cordyceps outbreak.

"Teddy Perkins" - Atlanta

Arguably, the best episode of Atlanta has very little to do with creator Donald Glover's Earn or Alfred (Brian Tyree Henry) but does heavily feature Glover in a whole different kind of role. The main focus of Season 2's "Teddy Perkins" is Lakeith Stanfield's Darius, who is seeking to buy a piano from the episode's reclusive, eccentric title character (played by a nearly unrecognizable Glover under heavy makeup, who is discovered to be hiding a disturbing secret.

"Almost Got 'Im" - Batman: The Animated Series

Many DC fans agree that the best episode of Batman: The Animated Series is one that shifts the perspective from Kevin Conroy's Dark Knight to the five most notorious members of his rogues gallery. In "Almost Got 'Im," Poison Ivy, The Penguin, The Joker, Two-Face, and Killer Croc gather for a Poker game, during which they trade stories about the times they came closest to defeating the Caped Crusader.

"Wilson" - House

Considering how the titular diagnostician from House (played by Hugh Laurie) is inspired by Sherlock Holmes (whose stories are narrated by John Watson), it is funny that the medical drama is not told from the perspective of the "Watson" in his life. That would change in Season 6 with the airing of "Wilson," which follows Robert Sean Leonard's Dr. James Wilson racing to save the life of his friend, Tucker (Joshua Malina).

"The Ricklantis Mixup" - Rick And Morty

Technically, this classic Rick and Morty episode shows more of the titular duo than any other but because it is really told from the point of view of their many alternate selves, it deserves a spot. The misleadingly titled "The Ricklantis Mixup" is essentially a mini-anthology movie that takes place during a day at the Citadel of Ricks from various perspectives.

"Exposé" - Lost

Out of the many survivors of the plane crash, only a chosen few were recognized as main members of the Lost cast but one episode revealed the backstories of two lesser-seen survivors. "Exposé" begins with Nikki (Kiele Sanchez) and Paulo (Rodrigo Santoro) found dead before flashing back to the couple's lives before the island and their experiences on it.

"A Jury In Jail" - American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson

The eighth episode of American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson still depicts a great deal of the legendary trial from the perspective of the accused former athlete (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.) and the opposing legal teams. However, the focus does shift more heavily to the jury and their alternates as sequestration begins to have a challenging effect on them.

"Beard After Hours" - Ted Lasso

In Season 2 of one of the best Apple TV+ original TV shows, Ted Lasso, "Man City" sees Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) go off on his own after AFC Richmond suffers a tough loss. The following episode, "Beard After Hours," sees what the character went through after he walked away, which involves an epic, night-long journey of debauchery, self-discovery, and near-death experiences.

"Pine Barrens" - The Sopranos

Tony (James Gandolfini) and his souring affair with Gloria is the B-plot of the Season 3 Sopranos episode, "Pine Barrens." The central focus is Christopher (Michael Imperioli) and Paulie (Tony Sirico), who come close to freezing to death after getting lost in the woods after being tasked with running collections for the flu-ridden Silvio.

"Blink" - Doctor Who

One of the most acclaimed (and frightening) modern episodes of Doctor Who, "Blink," barely features David Tennant's eponymous time lord or his companion, Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman), due to them becoming stuck in the year 1969. Thus, it is up to a woman from the present day named Sally Sparrow (Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan) to prevent statue-esque creatures called Weeping Angels from taking control of the TARDIS.

"What Wood You Wear?" - Dave

While FX's Dave is a fictionalized look at the rise of Dave "'Lil Dicky" Burd (who also co-creates and stars as himself), the humorous hip-hop artist was sure not to hog the spotlight for the first season's entirety. In the seventh episode, "What Wood You Wear?," Dave's buddy Elz (Travis "Taco" Bennett) takes center stage as it follows him DJing at a silent disco and sparking a romantic connection with Emma (Christine Ko).

"Live Bait" - The Walking Dead

Season 3 of The Walking Dead ended with The Governor (David Morrissey) wiping out most of his crew and taking off with the last of his loyal henchpeople. The sixth episode of the fourth season, "Live Bait," fills us in on what he had been up to since then, showing evidence of redemption since Woodbury's destruction as he bonds with a small family but also evidence of a further descent into madness, which leads to his attack on the prison.

"A Quick One, While He's Away" - BoJack Horseman

In addition to any of the main characters from Netflix's animated acclaimed TV sitcom, BoJack Horseman, Will Arnett's eponymous washed-up celebrity does not show up, nor is he mentioned by name in Season 6's "A Quick One, While He's Away." However, the episode does focus on characters who have been heavily, and mostly negatively, affected by his actions, based on their implied references to him.

"Teacup" - Man Seeking Woman

Creator Simon Rich's absurd romantic fantasy satire, Man Seeking Woman, is told largely from a male perspective (specifically that of Jay Baruchel's Josh Greenberg) but flips the script with Season 1's "Teacup," which makes Josh's sister, Liz (future Severance cast member, Britt Lower), the star. Liz experiences common pains of modern dating in a ridiculously exaggerated manner, from becoming jealous of a group of married girls who are much younger (elementary school age, to be exact) to literally Frankensteining the perfect man for her, only to learn he is gay.

"Zuko Alone" - Avatar: The Last Airbender

One of the most interesting ways that a TV show can shake things up is by making its main antagonist the star of an episode, such as "Zuko Alone" from Nickelodeon's original Avatar: The Last Airbender series. The seventh chapter of "Book Two: Earth" sees the Firebender (voiced by Dante Basco) reminiscing about his childhood after he is exiled from his village.

"New York, I Love You" - Master Of None

In a Season 2 episode of Netflix's Master of None called "New York, I Love You," Dev (co-creator Aziz Ansari) and his friends only appear in the bookend scenes. Instead, the focus shifts primarily toward the intersecting lives of a group of never-before-seen working-class New Yorkers, including a doorman, a deaf cashier, and a taxi driver.

“Ballad Of The Lonesome Loser" - High Fidelity

Much like the classic music movie Nick Hornby's novel inspired in 2000, Hulu's series adaptation of High Fidelity follows the romantic challenges of record store owner Rob Gordon (Zoë Kravitz)... except for Episode 8. In "Ballad of the Lonesome Loser," Rob's gay friend and coworker Simon (David H. Holmes) gets the chance to break the fourth wall and discuss his romantic struggles.

“The Algae's Always Greener" - SpongeBob Squarepants

Plankton (voiced by Mr. Lawrence) has been the primary focus in a few episodes of SpongeBob Squarepants, the funniest and most amusing of which would have to be "The Algae's Always Greener." Fed up with always failing in his attempts to steal the Krabby Patty Secret Formula, the pint-sized Chum Bucket owner uses a special device that allows him to experience life from the perspective of his longtime rival, Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown).

"A View From The Gallery" - Babylon 5

Years after Star Trek: The Next Generation helped coin the "lower decks episode" term, Babylon 5 – a sci-fi series that earns many comparisons to the Star Trek franchise – released its own. "A View from the Gallery" is told largely from the perspective of the eponymous space station's custodial crew.

"Tarrare" - Atlanta

The Season 3 finale of Atlanta, "Tarrare," provided an eye-opening explanation for Vanessa's (Zazie Beetz) unusual behavior, showing that she has adopted a bizarre alternate personality, and a French accent while living in Paris. Donald Glover's Earn is the only other main character to appear in the episode but does not show up until the even weirder post-credit sequence.

"5 To 9" - House

After dedicating an entire episode to Robert Sean Leonard's Wilson, House gave Lisa Edelstein's Dr. Lisa Cuddy the same treatment. Season 6's "5 to 9" follows a day in the life of Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital's Dean of Medicine and Chief Hospital Administrator.

"Symphony Of Illumination" - How I Met Your Mother

In the Season 7 episode, "Symphony of Illumination," How I Met Your Mother cast member Cobie Smulders' Robin Scherbatsky takes over as the narrator to tell her future son and daughter about her and Barney's (Neil Patrick Harris) pregnancy scare. However, she later discovers that she is actually unable to have children and the kids she was talking to only existed in her imagination.

“Relevance” - Person Of Interest

Season 2 of CBS' Person of Interest introduced a new character named Sameen Shaw (Sarah Shahi) in an episode that made her the star of most of the action.

From Downton Abbey to the Red Keep to 742 Evergreen Terrace, there are so many cool houses I'd love to explore from television shows. Some have even gotten quite famous for their use on these shows. Obviously I understand these are mostly sets on a soundstage with an exterior of a completely different house, but let's take a moment to use our imagination and talk about how fun and cool these houses I've always wanted to explore would be.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

Of course with have to include Uncle Phil and Aunt Bev's house on The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. Most of the show pretty much takes place in two rooms, the kitchen and the living room, with other scenes in various bedrooms and occasionally other spots. There must be so much more to see!

The Addams Family

Who doesn't want to explore a house like that of the Addams family? It's creepy and kooky, mysterious and spooky! It's got a dismembered hand running around, a cousin covered in hair, and an uncle who can light up a light bulb in his mouth! This is the kind of house I want to learn a whole lot more about!

Friends

Much has been made about the apartments on Friends and how unrealistic they are. Sure, that may be true, but that doesn't mean they aren't cool, especially where Monica and Rachel live. As someone who lived in a shoebox in the East Village for years, this is the kind of place I'd love to explore and dream about how I could have been living... in a fever dream.

Full House

The Painted Ladies in San Francisco are some of the most iconic houses in the entire United States Of America. For that reason alone it's worth it to explore the Tanner home on Full House. I might not have a chance to explore one otherwise (not that would in this fictional scenario anyway!)

Succession

Let's be honest, I can't stand the Roy family and it makes it hard for me to love the show Succession, because I need someone to root for and there is no one on this show worthy of that. Except maybe the houses and locations, those all look amazing. So that's decides it, I'm rooting for fictional houses.

Game Of Thrones

I've included the Red Keep here from Game of Thrones, but really it's a stand-in for basically every castle, keep, and ancestral home on the show. They all look really cool and I love old European castles, so an architectural tour of Westeros is right in my wheelhouse. Winterfell, Dragonstone, the Eyrie, Sunspear... they are all amazing. Even the ruins of Harrenhal would be awesome to hang out in for a bit.

Gossip Girl

I lived a very different life in my shoebox in the East Village when I lived in New York than the families in Gossip Girl lived. Frankly, every location looks incredible in its own way and I want to see them all and the well-dressed people who live in them.

Frasier

Frasier Crane doesn't live in the most extravagant condo in TV history, but it still seems like a really cool place. Seattle is a beautiful city and the view they had would make a quick tour very worthwhile. Plus, who doesn't want to have a good sit in Martin's chair?

Diff'rent Strokes

The 1980s was filled with over-the-top residences, and the Drummonds apartment in Diff'rent Strokes is close to the top of the list. We really only got to see a little bit of the two-story New York apartment, as almost every scene was in the living room, kitchen, or Willis and Arnold's bedroom. I want to see more! There must be a cozy study in there somewhere with a fireplace filled with many old books and rich mahogany!

Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey is one of the few fictional houses on this list that one can actually spend some time in. The house, which is known as Highclere Castle in real life, is open for tours to the public, and not only can you explore the grounds, but many of the rooms from the show as well. I've not done it yet, but I'd love to do the tour at some point.

Silver Spoons

As a kid of the '80s, the Stratton's mansion on Silver Spoons is close to the top of my list of houses I wished I lived in. There was a train running through the living room, multiple arcade games, and a racing car bed! It's everything I ever wanted and more. Plus, we never got to see much other than a couple of rooms, there has to be so much to explore!

Dynasty

The 1980s were a time when incredibly rich families stirred up melodrama among themselves on shows like Dynasty. Set in Denver, the show's family, the Carringtons, lived in an amazing home. The exteriors of the home were actually a palatial home in Pasadena called Arden Villa.

Modern Family

Jay and Gloria Prichett's house on Modern Family fits the name of the show well. It's...well... modern and it's the kind of house I like to stalk on Zillow. It's not the most over-the-top, or biggest (nor the smallest, for sure), but it seems like a really awesome, realistic house that would be perfect for a week-long AirBnB rental.

Mork & Mindy

This is one of those homes on TV that actually seems like a place I could actually afford and live in. It's a simple house in Boulder, CO, where the show is set and while the prices all over Colorado for real estate are kind of insane, it's still a very cool looking, sensible house. Mork (Robin Williams) is the only thing that isn't sensible about it.

The Munsters

There are few houses in TV history as iconic as the Munster's mansion from The Munsters. Though I'm not a big fan of horror movies, even I can appreciate all the Easter eggs and tributes to old monster movies that must be hidden all over the house. It's the kind of place that is a museum of the weird as much as it is a home.

The Brady Bunch

I love Mid-Century Modern architecture, especially houses. There is no better example of a cool Mid-Century Modern house in TV history than the house designed by Mike Brady on The Brady Bunch. It's also one of the rare shows where we basically see every room in the house in almost every episode. The one part we never see is where Alice lives, so that's something new to explore.

The Golden Girls

I'm a total sucker for those weird Florida gated communities like the one in The Golden Girls and for that reason, I'd love to check the house shared by the four retired roommates in the classic NBC sitcom. It's not the most extravagant, nor the most interesting, but it's still the kind of realistic house I love.

The Sopranos

This is a little bit of an outlier because really, the house in The Sopranos is everything I kinda hate in a house. It's pretty much a standard suburban McMansion, so that means my exploration would really be to make fun of it. I get that it's not a great idea to criticize Carmela's decorating or Tony's house in general, but it's a risk I'd be willing to take.

Mad Men

Don Draper's apartment in Mad Men looks amazing. It's not the biggest home on this list, but it's so perfectly set in its time, it would be amazing to spend a few hours in listening to some jazz and smoking cigarettes.

Dallas

Southfork Ranch is a real place. It's a popular spot in Dallas to hold weddings and other events. That means that exploring the house, which is home to the Ewing clan in Dallas is possible, but I'd want to go back in time and see it as it was when the Ewings lived there (on the show anyway). There would be so much to see across all of the property.

The Simpsons

There are few addresses as famous as 742 Evergreen Terrace. It's not the grandest house on this list, obviously, but still, it's just so iconic. I can just see myself having a Duff on the back patio while Homer relaxes in his hammock, or lying on the floor with Lisa and Bart watching the latest episode of Itchy & Scratchy. Maybe even helping Marge in the kitchen cooking pork chops for dinner.

Dexter

Okay, I'll admit, this one is the most depraved choice on this list. Checking out Dexter's apartment from Dexter is sure to be disturbing and morbid, so it's the kind of place where it's good to keep in mind this is all fictional! Demented and sad, but fictional!

Seinfeld

Jerry's apartment on Seinfeld is probably the smallest home on this list. It's really just the kitchen and living room open-plan space (that doesn't actually make sense) and Jerry's bedroom, but there is always some cool stuff in the background, like Superman memorabilia and cereal boxes. Those are worth exploring, right? Maybe not, but Kramer may have the hot tub open in his apartment.

Charmed

Like a few others on this lit, visiting nd exploring the house on Charmed is less about the house - though it does look stunning - and more about learning about what is really going with these three witches. It has to be fascinating to see how they live when they aren't fighting demons and the like.

The Nanny

I'll admit I'm pretty fascinated by huge New York City apartments. It's just so different from how most people live in the city. The opulence and ease of living in multi-story dwellings in the city must be amazing, and the home on The Nanny certainly fits the bill like others on this list.

Desperate Housewives

This entry isn't about one house, it's about all the house and the neighborhood that makes up Wisteria Lane on Desperate Housewives. There isn't anything particularly special about any one house, but wow what a subdivision to live in! My suburban street was nothing like this... or maybe it was and I was just ignorant of it. Probably not.

The Crown

There are a lot of palaces and castles in Netflix's The Crown and all of them are real places, though none of the show was actually filmed in them, of course. Of all the castles and palaces that Queen Elizabeth is seen in on the show, the coolest and most interesting has to be Balmoral, her castle in Scotland where she ultimately died in real life. That's the castle and grounds I want to explore.

Billions

Even by TV show standards, Bobby Axelrod (Damien Lewis) on Showtime's Billions has a ridiculous beach house in the Hamptons. I mean, it looks like a country club clubhouse or a hotel, it's insane. It feels like you could spend a month there and never hang out in the same room twice.

Ozark

I've been to the Lake of the Ozarks a bunch of times in my life and while it's a super fun place, you don't really think of it as having interesting houses. On the show Ozark, the Byrdes definitely live in one that you wouldn't ever expect to see there, and it's based on a real place there. It's exactly the kind of house I love. It's also one of the few places that is actually based on a real thing at Lake of the Ozarks, as the show was primarily shot in Georgia.

Beverly Hills, 90210

As someone who grew up watching Beverly Hills, 90210 every week, this is definitely a very personal choice. I just always thought the house was really nice looking and I'd love to spend some time hanging out with the Walshes.

Arrested Development

Yes, it's only a model house, and yes, it's basically cheap construction of plywood and chewing gum, but still, the house in Arrested Development would be a wild place to hang out for a while. You could look for George in the attic, or count the number of blue handprints on the wall... there's just so much. I wouldn't mess around with the cornballer though.

Falcon Crest

One of the wildest wealthy fictional families on TV in the '80s was the Channing/Gioberti clan on Falcon Crest. It's a show that no one talks about anymore, but the house, set in a fictionalized version of Napa Valley is amazing and really, we should be talking about it as the star of the show, though Jane Wyman is pretty fantastic on the show too.

It’s still hard to believe that Blue Bloods has ended, and even despite the hope that a spinoff could be on its way, some of the cast is moving on. Whether they are taking on new roles or just taking a break, the actors can’t hold onto the CBS procedural forever since it's not a guarantee that they'll get to return to these characters. For example, Steve Schirripa, who recurred as Detective Anthony Abetemarco beginning in Season 6, is making his way to Hallmark, and considering his filmography includes work on shows like The Sopranos too, the actor has some serious range.

Schirripa will be starring in the upcoming Hallmark movie Sisterhood Inc., which is set to premiere on February 22. The role will mark his first since Blue Bloods and his first Hallmark project. A lot has definitely changed for him since playing Bobby Baccalieri on The Sopranos from 2000 to 2007, seeing as Hallmark is the complete opposite of The Sopranos. However, Schirripa welcomed the change of pace, telling Us Weekly:

It’s not uncommon for an actor or a musician to try something completely new after they’ve been doing, more or less, the same thing for years. Fellow Hallmark star Nikki DeLoach has opened up about pivoting to the Christmas channel after doing shows such as Awkward, North Shore, and Days of Our Lives. So, while this shift is jarring, it's not unusual.

I do have to say, though, you have to have an impressive range to go from The Sopranos to Hallmark, and if anyone can do it, it’s Schirripa. Now, he wants to do more Hallmark projects in the future, explaining:

Whether or not Steve Schirripa will actually become a Hallmark mainstay is unknown. However, it sounds like he'd love to stick around the channel and make more wholesome movies if he can.

It must also be nice to not have to be in such a dark environment even if he did have fun filming The Sopranos and Blue Bloods. While being on dark and action-packed shows has its perks, there's weight to them too. So, I imagine it's nice to switch gears and explore different genres from time to time.

As for his new film, Sisterhood Inc. stars Rachael Leigh Cook, Daniella Monet, and Leonidas Gulaptis, and it follows a corporate executive who starts a board of directors “to improve her younger sister’s chaotic life and finds romance with a psych professor who uncovers her tough demeanor.” This sounds like a fun movie and it will be interesting to see Schirripa in it, seeing as it's totally different from the shows we know him best from.

Even though it’s still sad that Blue Bloods is done, it’s nice that there is still a lot to look forward to from the cast, including Schirripa. Hopefully, this could be the start of his Hallmark career, and to see his movie for yourself, you can catch Sisterhood Inc. on Sunday, February 22 at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel. Not to mention, The Sopranos is one of the best shows streaming on Max too if fans ever want to see just how big a jump Schirripa is actually making.

The so-called "Golden Age" or "Peak TV era" of television is broadly (and roughly) defined as the running from the debut of The Sopranos to the finale of Better Call Saul. This isn't a perfect description, as there are still some really amazing shows that continue part, like, say, Severance, just to name one. But, for this article, we're going to stick to those parameters. Without further ado, here is our list of some of the truly great shows from the Peak Era of television.

Game Of Thrones

We certainly couldn't make this list without the grand dragon on them all, HBO's Game of Thrones. Though the ending made a lot of people mad and you can argue that the show declined greatly in its last couple of seasons, it doesn't diminish the greatest of the show's early years. With some of the most shocking moments in TV history, the show was must-watch TV for all eight seasons.

Atlanta

Creator and star of Atlanta Donald Glover proved yet again that he is a once-in-a-lifetime talent. Over six years and four seasons the show and its star were showered with acclaim and industry awards, including multiple Golden Globes and Emmys. Not only did Glover win an Emmy for acting on the FX series, but he became the first African-American to win Best Director at the Emmys in the show's first season.

The West Wing

There aren't a lot of network TV shows on this list, but one that simply has to be is The West Wing. For seven seasons in the early 2000s, the NBC hit was one of the best shows in network history. Featuring a long list of stars that included Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, and many other cast members, The West Wing gave us all a look into all that government can be if we want it to be.

Lost

Pardon the pun, but it's fair to say that ABC's Lost lost its way towards the end. A confluence of events, including a writer's strike, left fans more than a little annoyed with the show's final couple of seasons, but those first few years were simply incredible. The show, which debuted in 2004, was one of the first shows that was ever described as "bingable" and with good reasons, the cliffhangers were amazing.

Mad Men

In a lot of ways, AMC's Mad Men kind of came out of nowhere. Set in the 1960s, it was unlike anything on TV at the time and the longer it went on, the better it got, which is rare for any show. It made a star out of Jon Hamm and fascinated viewers each week both with its wonderful storytelling and its look back at one of the most turbulent and interesting decades in American history.

The Office

In an era when sitcoms were evolving and struggling to keep up with their dramatic counterparts, The Office was one of the biggest shows of all time (that's what she said). Steve Carell's performance as the worst boss in the world became one of the most quotable and memed shows ever. It's true the NBC show did suffer some when Carell left after Season 7, the legacy of the show was well-established by then.

Downton Abbey

If you had bet on a period piece set on an opulent estate during Edwardian England would be a massive hit, most of the time, you'd lose. If you placed that bet on Downton Abbey, however, you'd have won big. There are no action sequences, stunts, or special effects. It's simply a wonderfully told story with fantastic characters played by excellent actors.

Better Call Saul

As a spinoff to another Peak TV era show, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul found its own place in television history. It's a very different show from the show that birthed it, as it's a little more surreal and, frankly, funny. In some people's eyes, the AMC's show's finale in 2022 marks the end of an era.

The Wire

Famously, The Wire was never a monster hit for HBO. Certainly not on the level of The Sopranos, which ran during roughly the same few years. Still, it has maintained a spot at the top or near the top of almost any list of "Best TV Shows in History." The Wire plays out like a 60-hour movie or a great book. The character development is unrivaled and the storytelling is heartbreaking, uplifting, and frustrating (in a good way). There is no doubt that the show will be remembered as one of the best for a long, long time.

Breaking Bad

What can we write about Breaking Bad that hasn't already been written. Widely considered the best (or close to the best) TV show of all time, the Bryan Cranston-led show was wildly popular with both fans and critics alike. It is one of the darkest shows in history, but that never diminished the love for it.

Narcos

Netflix landed itself a massive hit with Narcos in 2015. Wagner Moura, who played the kingpin Pablo Escobar stole the show with his uncanny and incredible performance as the notorious drug lord and Pedro Pascal found a new level of fame as one of the DEA agents trying to bring Escobar down. The show's third season, which shifted away from the Escobar story after the character's death wasn't quite on the level of the first two, but the show was popular enough to launch a spinoff, Narcos: Mexico, which ran for three seasons as well.

The Sopranos

The Sopranos' debut on HBO in January of 1999 marks the unofficial beginning of the Golden Age of Television - or at least the modern Golden Age. The production value, storytelling, and acting on the show were unlike anything anyone had ever seen. the characters were fully formed almost from the moment they first hit the screen and the story that unfolded, about a mafia boss played by the late, great James Gandolfini trying to keep both his crime family and his actual family together was simply unparalleled. Right down to the end and the show's much-talked-about finale.

Grey's Anatomy

As one of the longest-running prime-time shows in history, Grey's Anatomy has run for almost the entire era of "peak TV." Since its debut in 2005 and over more than 20 seasons and 400 episodes, the show has just kept chugging along with a devoted fanbase who stayed with it over the decades and though the endless cast changes can be frustrating, the show is remarkable.

24

One of the very first "bingable" shows would have to be 24. The Kiefer Sutherland-led action show from Fox kept viewers on the edge of their seats for nine seasons, one TV movie (24: Redemption), and a couple of spin-offs. It all made 24 one of the most bankable franchises of the era.

Six Feet Under

The early 2000s were an incredible era for HBO. Along with The Sopranos and The Wire, the network had another one of the best shows of the era with Six Feet Under. The show told the story of the Fisher family and their trials and turbulations running the family business, a funeral home. Mix in some supernatural elements and HBO had a unique hit on their hands.

Modern Family

Network sitcoms that enter the general cultural zeitgeist are few and far between these days. Certainly not like they were in their heyday of the 1970s and '80s. There are still a few that break through though, like Modern Family. For a time, it seemed as those everyone in the country was watching the ups and downs of the most dysfunctional and wonder families in TV history. For 11 seasons, the ABC hit dominated the ratings and is still a hit on streaming years after airing its finale in 2020.

Orange Is the New Black

Orange Is the New Black wasn't the first "prestige TV" show from Netflix, but it's safe to say it solidified Netflix's spot among the biggest players in the industry. For seven seasons over six years, the prison comedy-drama told the semi-autobiographical story of Piper Kerman, whose book of the same name was the basis for the show. Kerman spent a year in prison and many of the stories in the show reflected or told the experiences she had while in jail.

Deadwood

Many of the best Westerns on film came out many decades ago. On TV, there were big hits in the '50s and '60s like Gunsmoke and Bonanza, but the best Western television show of the 21st Century, Deadwood has almost nothing in common with any of those. The show was dark, crass, and unlike anything else on TV. The verbose language and insane moments made must-see TV at the time. Sadly it was never quite as popular as it should have been and that made for some herky-jerky starts-and-stops between seasons, but the show never dipped in quality.

Friday Night Lights

"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose," from a speech by Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) in Friday Night Lights has become part of the television canon, just as the show has. Based on the movie starring Billy Bob Thornton about the spectacle that is high school football in Texas, the show has outshined its source material in almost every way.

Veep

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is unique. She not only starred in the biggest sitcom of the 1990s, Seinfeld, but she's followed it up with two more hot shows. First in the '00s she won awards for The New Adventures of Old Christine and then in the 2010s had maybe her best performance as the hapless, power-hungry Vice President on HBO's Veep for which she won an incredible seven Emmys in a row.

House Of Cards

In 2013 Netflix loudly announced it was ready to be a player in the Peak Age of TV with House Of Cards, starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. Based on a British show of the same name, the show highlighted the darkest corners of politics and despite the show losing some steam when Kevin Spacey got caught in the middle of a serious legal battle forcing him off the show and effectively ending his career, it still deserves recognition for all six seasons it ran for.

The Walking Dead

Over 11 seasons and 177 episodes, it's fair to say that not every moment on The Walking Dead was peak TV. That doesn't tell the whole story though, because when The Walking Dead was great, it was really great. The AMC zombie show was a ratings monster and cultivated one of the most dedicated fanbases ever, which led to multiple spinoffs that will seemingly run forever.

Boardwalk Empire

When Boardwalk Empire premiered on HBO in 2009, it came with a lot of hype as the mind behind it, Terrence Winter, had been of the key creative minds behind The Sopranos. While Boardwalk Empire never quite reached the lofty heights of The Sopranos, it was still one of the best shows on TV in its time.

Sons Of Anarchy

Like a few other shows on this list, FX's Sons Of Anarchy isn't a perfect show. There were some ill-advised plot decisions, like moving the gang to Ireland for a while, but like those other shows, when SOA was good, it was really, really good. The characters became our own dysfunctional family who we laughed, cried, and died with over the show's seven seasons. A spinoff, Mayans M.C., wasn't as good, but it also found a fanbase and lasted for five seasons.

The Americans

Of all the shows on this list, the one that maybe flew under the radar more than most has to be The Americans. The FX show was just... cool. It was a spy thriller that brought the Cold War back to U.S. television. Set in the '80s and starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys, the show ran for six great seasons and never really fell off as so many other shows do.

30 Rock

How do you follow up an incredible run as a star and head writer on SNL? Well, if you're as talented and funny as Tina Fey, you create one of the most beloved sitcoms of the 21st Century with 30 Rock. If nothing else, the show left us with the important bit of advice that you should never go with a hippie to a second location.

Justified

FX's Justified updated the Western for the 21st Century. Based on a book for Elmore Leonard and starring Timothy Olyphant as a 21st-century lawman with with his heart in the 19th Century, Justified was as noir as you'd expect from a story by Leonard and the acting is, across the board, fantastic.

True Detective

One of the darkest shows during the Peak Era of TV had to be True Detective, especially the first season. The unconventional storytelling was brought to life brilliantly by stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson and while the show was still great for a couple of more seasons, it really was that first season that stood out and above the others.

Succession

On HBO's Succession, the entire Roy family are all awful people. It's a show entirely made of characters we love to hate. We hated them so much, we couldn't wait to tune in each week to see what awful things they would do and it made the show unique and magical in that way.

Homeland

Showtime's Homeland started with a bang in its first season, or rather, almost ended its first season with a bang that never happened. The spy thriller starring Claire Danes and Damian Lewis was the ultimate nail-biter as no one really knew how the season would end. While the end of that first season was probably the pinnacle of the show, it ended up airing for seven more excellent seasons.

Battlestar Galactica

Interestingly, though there are some exceptions, Sci-Fi wasn't a huge part of the era. One of those exceptions was Battlestar Galactica, a reboot of the old series from the 1970s. The new version was a mystery wrapped in a space adventure and featured some of the craziest twists of any show from the time.

Barry

It's always cool to see an actor known primarily for their comedic talents take on a more serious role and Bill Hader in Barry is a perfect example. Sure, there is some dark comedy in the show of course, but, especially as the show went on, the character played by Hader was as complex as any character we've seen on TV and Hader is amazing.

Back in 2018, Roseanne Barr was fired from the revival of her self-titled series following racist posts on social media. The Conners would go on to success without her, and we haven’t heard a great deal from her since then, at least as far as her professional career is concerned. It appears that’s because she’s been working on her comeback. It turns out Barr has been working on a new show and she’s about ready to start shopping it.

In what has to be said is one of the strangest elevator pitches for a show in recent memory, Barr tells Variety that the show, a creation of herself and former Roseanne producer Allan Stephan, will focus on her character, a farmer who is “saving the United States from drug gangs and China.” She also compares the show to The Sopranos and also Coen Brothers movies. Barr explained…

Needless to say, this description is fairly wild in itself. Roseanne Barr has certainly made no secret of her conservative politics of late, and it seems that part of the idea behind the new show is to lean into all of that by focusing on a character inspired by the woman herself.

There are certainly elements of Roseanne’s previous success in this concept, as it will follow working-class characters. She calls the show both “silly” and "cartoony,” indicating comedy will be a significant part of it. However, the comparison to The Sopranos and the fact she will apparently be fighting drug gangs also indicates there’s a lot more going on and there might be more dramatic elements to the show.

The series, which doesn’t appear to have a title right now, is now being shopped around to prospective distributors. Based on the facts that, as Roseanne says, the show will have a lot of swearing, and that the first season is only planned to be four to six episodes, we can safely say this won’t end up on a traditional network, but any cable channel or streaming platform is certainly a potential home.

Roseanne is the latest to have a career rocked by scandal to attempt a comeback. Armie Hammer is starring in his first movie in years. Sometimes stars are welcomed back after significant time away, other times, they are not.

Barr seems to already be prepared for the possibility that there may not be any takers for the new show. However, she insists that even if that happens, she’ll still make the show, as she’s convinced the idea is something people want to see. She continued...

Whether or not it's a show an audience wants to see, first Roseanne has to find business people in Hollywood who want to see it.

The Sopranos remains a hot topic a decade and a half after its ending, perhaps thanks to a new generation falling in love with the series after binging with their Max subscription. We also keep getting more behind-the-scenes details about the mob drama, both from the documentary released in 2024 and actors who were on the show giving interviews. Such was the case recently when we learned James Gandolfini's painful trick for faking an abdominal injury.

Actor Chris Diamantopoulos spoke to People about the episode he shared with Gandolfini, "The Fleshy Part Of The Thigh." The actor talked about his late co-star's neat trick he had for simulating that he had pain in his abdomen, though I still think it was a bit extreme form of method acting:

James Gandolfini won many awards for HBO with his portrayal of Tony Soprano, and now we know just how deep his commitment to the character went. I guess the actor wanted to make his character's injury look as legitimate as possible and found a sharp stone to help send it over the top.

Chris Diamantopoulos was only on The Sopranos for one episode but he has some pretty cool memories from the experience he shared. This included a story that actor Tony Sirico accidentally beat him with an actual lead pipe, mistaking it for the rubber one he was supposed to be holding when the camera wasn't on him. It seems like a lot of actors were in pain during this episode, which I never would've known without the actor revealing it.

Little tidbits like these continue to tempt me to binge The Sopranos all over again, which I first considered after a co-worker wrote about their experience checking it out years later. My only hesitation would be watching that divisive finale all over again, as it took me quite a while to get over that the first time I saw it.

Diamantopoulos later returned to HBO for a more sizable role, joining the cast of Silicon Valley, where he played the eccentric investor Russ Hanneman. He's currently on the maple syrup crime drama The Sticky, which is available to stream with a Prime Video subscription. It's a great series to watch, especially for those who crave the type of drama shows like The Sopranos delivered during their run.

As previously mentioned, anyone wanting to watch The Sopranos can do so, provided they have Max and a hunger to binge one of television's greatest shows. CinemaBlend will continue to report on what's happening in the world of entertainment and, of course, any updates about the beloved HBO series worth sharing with its fans.

Sometimes, you get to a point where you need a new show to binge – and thankfully, there are plenty of great dramas out there that are readily available. Whether it’s some of the best shows to binge on Netflix or some of the best HBO shows out there, there are so many dramas that you can dive right into. Here are some of the best that I would recommend.

Yellowstone (2018 – 2024)

Running for five seasons, Yellowstone is one of those neo-Western dramas that just exploded when it first came out. The series follows the lives of those who live on a large cattle ranch – the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch – as well as the Broken Rock Indian reservation and the land developers who want to take it all away. I can literally think of no other drama to dive headfirst into other than this one.

Narcos (2015 – 2017)

Narcos, a Netflix series with three seasons, follows the story of Pablo Escobar, a real-life drug lord, and how he became the legend we all know him as. Season 3 follows the aftermath of his defeat. As someone who loves a good crime drama, I think this show is one of the best to sink your teeth into.

Game Of Thrones (2011 – 2019)

There is no better cast out there than the Game of Thrones cast, and you will think the same thing once you watch this series. The legendary HBO show is based on the A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R.R. Martin. It follows the story of several influential individuals who all look for one thing – to rule Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms, as well as the lives that are taken in the process. With eight seasons, it’s an easy binge.

Outlander (2014 – Present)

Based on the novels of the same name, Outlander takes romance and history and makes it into the steamiest drama that you’re going to love. The series follows the story of a World War II military nurse who is sent back in time to the 1700s and falls in love with a Highland warrior. Yes, this is a legit series, and it takes so many twists and turns that you’ll love every second of it.

The Wire (2002 – 2008)

The Wire is considered one of the best HBO shows of all time, and for good reason. The crime drama is set in Baltimore, Maryland, and each season discusses a new part of the city and how it’s related to the legal system there, from education to drugs. While it’s shocking that the series never won Best Drama at the Emmys, it’s still an incredible show, one that deserves so much praise.

Stranger Things (2016 – Present)

While plenty see Stranger Things as sci-fi (for good reasons), it is, at its core, a fun drama that features some really cool mysteries. The series begins in the 1980s with Will Byers going missing and his mother and friends trying to find him in a town full of secrets. The series itself is one of Netflix’s biggest hits, so it’s certainly worth the time to watch.

The Bear (2022 – Present)

I legitimately don’t care what people say. This show is way more drama than comedy, and I stand by that. The Bear follows the story of a young chef who travels back to Chicago in order to save his brother’s restaurant after he passes and tries to turn it into a fine-dining restaurant. The series has an incredible The Bear cast and is constantly nominated for so many awards. It’s so good.

Ozark (2017 – 2022)

Over four seasons, Ozark follows a married couple as they move to the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri to launder money for the Mexican drug cartel. However, as they arrive, they run into trouble that turns their lives upside down. The series was a huge hit on Netflix and earned plenty of praise during its run.

Silo (2023 – Present)

One of the best Apple TV+ shows will have you on the edge of your seat. Silo, which is based on the trilogy of novels Wool, Shift, and Dust, follows the story of a community that somehow lives in a vast underground silo that has 144 levels and the conflicts that arrive in this dystopian world.

Lost (2004 – 2010)

When we think of dramas, Lost certainly tops the list. The series, which aired for six seasons, follows the lives of plane passengers who survive a crash on a distant island. However, they start to realize that this place is not a typical island and that there are deadly forces at work. While the Lost finale is highly discussed as one of the worst out there, the rest of the series is great to watch.

House Of The Dragon (2022 – Present)

If you love Game of Thrones, chances are you’ll enjoy House of the Dragon as well. The series, based on the novel Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin, focuses on the story of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen and how she fights for the throne in the legendary Dance of Dragons when her half-brother takes it. It’s undoubtedly one of the best fantasy shows right now.

Peaky Blinders (2013 – 2022)

Starring Cillian Murphy as the iconic Tommy Shelby, Peaky Blinders is a period crime drama that follows the lives of the Peaky Blinders crime gang and their rise to power in Birmingham after World War I.

Bridgerton (2020 – Present)

If you’re looking for a romantic drama to dive into, then Bridgerton is the one for you. With three seasons (so far), the series follows the lives of the Bridgerton children back in the 1800s in England, with each season focusing on a new romance filled with scandalous drama and steamy moments.

Squid Game (2021 – Present)

Squid Game is hands down the biggest Netflix show of all time, and for good reason. This drama, hailing from South Korea, tells the story of a group of competitors who all play children’s games in order to win a large amount of money – but the competition takes a deadly twist when people are literally eliminated from life when they lose the games.

The Walking Dead (2011 – 2022)

The Walking Dead was, at one point, one of the biggest shows on television, and as someone who has watched all eleven seasons of The Walking Dead, I still think it’s a great series to dive into. Based on the comics of the same name, the show mainly follows Rick Grimes, a former cop, who leads his group of survivors as zombies – known as “walkers” – take over the world.

Yellowjackets (2021 – Present)

Yellowjackets is hands down one of the best Showtime shows, and I will always recommend it to anyone who wants to dive right into it. The series follows two timelines—one in which a high school soccer team must survive in the Canadian wilderness when their plane crashes over the mountains and do whatever it takes to make it out alive, and the other decades later, where the survivors are still dealing with the consequences of their actions.

The Last Of Us (2023 – Present)

If you want to talk about the best video game adaptations out there, I can think of nothing better than The Last of Us. Based on the video game franchise of the same name, The Last of Us follows Joel Miller, a survivor of a zombie outbreak, who is tasked with getting a teenager across the United States because she might be the cure for the rest of the world.

The Queen’s Gambit (2020)

I only put one miniseries on this list, but trust me when I say The Queen’s Gambit is the best miniseries to dive into. The series, based on the novel of the same name, follows the story of a young woman named Beth Harmon in the 1950s and 60s as she rises to fame as a chess player but also deals with substance abuse. The series was a huge hit and was a career-changing role for star Anya Taylor-Joy.

Barry (2018 – 2023)

I could go on about Barry for years. The series follows the life of a former U.S. Marine who takes on a new job as a hitman, but when he goes to California for a job, he finds himself drawn to the life of an actor and questioning his role in his life. The Barry cast is so talented, and all four seasons are so intense you’ll want to binge it for hours.

Alice In Borderland (2020 – Present)

Japan has always had some amazing dramas to dive into, and one that I love is Alice in Borderland. The series, based on the manga of the same name, follows the lives of two young people who work together to survive dangerous games in Tokyo. If they don’t succeed, they are killed by lasers shot from the sky. Yes, this is an intense drama, but it’s worth every second watching.

Breaking Bad (2008 – 2013)

I have to put Breaking Bad on this list. The famous AMC series follows the life of a high school science teacher who turns to a life of crime in order to provide for his family after his sudden cancer diagnosis. Considered one of the best dramas of all time, Breaking Bad is worth every second watching – and of course, the Breaking Bad cast is incredible as well.

Better Call Saul (2015 – 2022)

If you’ve seen Breaking Bad, then Better Call Saul is the subsequent drama that you should dive into. The series, which is a spinoff of Breaking Bad, follows the beginning years of the iconic lawyer, Saul Goodman, who originally began as Jimmy McGill. But throughout six seasons, we see him fall into a life of crime.

This Is Us (2016 – 2022)

This Is Us is one of those dramas that only comes once in a lifetime because, I swear, there is something that we can all connect to with this show. The series mainly revolves around the lives of three siblings and their connections to each other from across the United States, as well as seeing flashbacks of their past to growing up with their parents. It doesn’t sound like it would be dramatic, but trust me when I say you’ll find something to cry about with this show in the first episode.

The Sopranos (1999 – 2007)

The Sopranos is another great drama that I think everyone thinks of when they hear the word “crime.” The series, which comes from HBO, tells the story of Tony Soprano, a mobster from New Jersey, and how he deals with his personal and professional life with the mob and the problems he runs into.

Black Mirror (2011 – Present)

There are some excellent anthology shows out there, but Black Mirror is the type of drama that will have you on the edge of your seat. The series has different episodes each season, and all of them display some strange dystopian concepts in a not-so-far future that will truly shock and entertain you, from strange afterlives to how we view social media.

All Of Us Are Dead (2022 – Present)

South Korea has some of the best horror shows out there, and one that I will always recommend is All Of Us Are Dead. The series follows a group of high school students who must survive when a zombie outbreak begins within their walls and how they try to communicate to the outside world that they need help.

You (2018 – Present)

Oh, hello there, you. Yes, you, reading this, because surely, you’ll end up being the next thing Joe Goldberg is obsessed with. You is a drama that follows Joe, a seemingly normal man who falls in love way too quickly – and when he loves, he loves hard and will take out whoever threatens that relationship or your life.

Black Doves (2024 – Present)

Starring Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw, Black Doves is the latest spy thriller that will have you on the edge of your seats. The series follows a young woman whose identity is revealed, putting her life in danger. Her employers send an old friend to keep her safe, sending them on a whirlwind espionage adventure.

The Haunting Of Hill House (2018)

There are plenty of Mike Flanagan TV shows to check out on Netflix, but I always recommend The Haunting of Hill House before any of the others. The series alternates between two timelines: one of a family moving into a seemingly normal house with a dark past, and the next day, the family comes back together to face the darkness they had once encountered in their new home.

The Crown (2016 – 2023)

The Crown, which detailed the life of Queen Elizabeth II, had six seasons that followed her rise to become the monarch we all knew her as and how her reign changed as the decades progressed. The series earned several awards and nominations over its six-season run.

Dexter (2006 – 2013)

While plenty of people talk about the Dexter finale, the series itself is still a great drama to drive into. Following the titular character, Dexter is a blood splatter analyst by day and a serial killer by night, who uses his job to find horrible people and take them out as a way to suit his dark urges. But when one other killer starts to challenge him, he decides to take matters into his own hands and end them.

Succession (2018 – 2023)

HBO has been a huge producer of dramas for years, and Succession is hands down one of the best in the last decade. The series follows the Roy family, a hugely successful family that owns an entertainment conglomerate. Their lives are thrown upside down thanks to a health scare from their patriarch. Now, the question of who will own the company after he passes causes drama.

These are just some of the best dramas out there to check out – all of which are great ways to spend a weekend. I think it’s time for another binge. Who’s up for a marathon?

Throughout the history of television, there are examples of characters from shows just disappearing. In one episode they are there, and in the next, they are gone without so much as an acknowledgment from the remaining characters. Or sometimes a half-baked reason that doesn't come until years later. It's like they never existed at all. This is our list meant to remember those characters we have lost to the curse of being written out with no explanation.

Chuck Cunningham - Happy Days

Maybe the most famous example of this is Chuck Cunningham (Gavan O'Herlihy), Richie and Joanie's older brother on Happy Days. His disappearance has become so famous it's become known as the "Chuck Cunningham Syndrome." Though he was never a main star, he was still around in the first season until one day he wasn't and he was never even mentioned again. Harsh.

Santiago Herrera - Friday Night Lights

Linebacker Santiago Herrera on Friday Night Lights was a pretty major character in the second season of the show. Despite seemingly being a leader on the team with Coach Taylor working with him a lot, Santiago vanished from the team after Season 2 and was never even mentioned again.

Monica Dawson - Heroes

On Heroes, Monica Dawson had a unique power that allowed her to imitate anyone around her's power. That would be one of the most useful powers anyone on the show had (save for Sylar). Dawson, played by Dana Davis, is a main character in Season 2 and then is dropped from the show and is never ever mentioned again, without a real explanation.

Mutt Schitt - Schitt's Creek

Mutt Schitt, played by Tim Rozon is the very good-looking son of Mayor Roland Schitt (Chris Elliot). He plays a big supporting role in the first two seasons of Schitt's Creek, especially as one of Alexis' potential love interests. He was seen less and less as the show went on until only being spotted once in Season 3 and one final time in Season 4 before never being sighted or mentioned again

Celia Hodes - Weeds

For a while, Celia Hodes (Elizabeth Perkins) was a semi-regular reoccurring character on Weeds. She seemed to idolize Nancy and hate her at the same time. Despite being an antagonist for the first four seasons, by Season 5 she's only mentioned occasionally in passing until after Season 6 when the character completely falls off the radar and is never heard from again.

Leah Murphy - Grey's Anatomy

Dr. Leah Murphy, played by Tessa Ferrer, had a fairly brief, but action-packed couple of seasons on Grey's Anatomy during Seasons 9 and 10. She was fired at one point, but earned her job back the character seemed like she might make it for the long, but it wasn't to be and after one brief appearance in Season 13, she completely disappeared from the show.

Tiger - The Brady Bunch

When The Brady Bunch first hit the airwaves, it was just the six kids that made up the blended family, there was also the boys' pet dog Tiger. Tiger often made a mess of things, including Mike and Carol's wedding, but he was beloved. Until he wasn't. Tragically, the dog who played Tiger was hit by a car and killed, and rather than replace him, the producers just wrote the poor mutt right out of the show, though his doghouse remained in the backyard for years later.

Mr. Turner - Boy Meets World

For a while there, it seemed like Mr. Turner (Anthony Tyler Quinn) might be a very important teacher on Boy Meets World as he mentored Shawn and even took him in for a time. He was a regular character for three seasons before he dropped off the face of the earth after Season 4. He was mentioned briefly in the series finale, but fans never really got any closure from his sudden departure from the cast.

Judy - Family Matters

One of the most notorious examples of a character simply vanishing was the youngest Winslow child on Family Matters, Judy, played by Jaimee Foxworth. After Season 4, she was completely gone from the show as though she'd never existed. For shame Carl! Ignoring one of your daughters!

John Bennett - Orange Is The New Black

John Bennett was a key character during the first three seasons of Orange Is The New Black, and even had an affair with one of the inmates (Daya) and got her pregnant. Despite this, by the end of Season 3, he had quit his job and was never really even mentioned again. Fan theories abound, but ultimately it was the real world interfering as actor Matt McGorry simply quit the show.

Mandy Hampton - The West Wing

Right up there with Chuck Cunningham in notoriety is Mandy Hampton (Moira Kelly) in The West Wing. A full cast member and one of the stars in the show's first season, she completely disappeared and was never even mentioned again from the beginning of Season 2 on. Like the "Chuck Cunningham Syndrome," her disappearance has become shorthand for this kind of thing happening with fans calling it "Going to Mandyville."

Ser Ilyn Payne - Game Of Thrones

Ser Ilyn Payne, played by the late Wilko Johnson, was one of the scariest characters in Game of Thrones. He was King Joffery's executioner and despite playing a larger role in the books, he disappeared from the show after Season 2. Johnson had a major cancer scare and though he didn't end up dying from it, he was given only a few months to live at the time. He wasn't recast out of respect for Johnson. He is mentioned later once by Tywin Lannister in Season 6, but he's never seen again on screen, nor is his absence ever explained.

Tina Pinciotti - That '70s Show

Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon) was referred to as an only child for most of The '70s Show. This, however, is an example of confusing retconning for many hardcore fans. In Season 1 of the show, Donna had a sister, Tina Pinciotti (Amanda Fuller) and she is even seen on screen, not just mentioned. After one more throwaway joke in Season 2, Tina is never even mentioned again and Donna refers to herself as an only child. Did something sinister happen? We'll never know.

Mike - My Three Sons

As the name of the show would imply, on My Three Sons, there were, at least in the beginning, three sons. Mike, Robbie, and Chip were Steve Douglas' sons on the show for the first years. Mike, the oldest, played by Tim Considine, who left the show after Season 5, went to college and is barely ever mentioned again and he's never seen again. He doesn't even show up for weddings. He's just...gone.

Seven - Married... With Children

In Season 7 of Married... With Children, Peg's 12-year-old nephew Seven is introduced. It's a clear attempt at the "Cousin Oliver" effect when a young, precocious kid is randomly introduced to make the show "cuter." For Seven, however, it doesn't last long, as after 12 appearances, the show simply forgets about him, despite a few inside jokes (like appearing on the side of a milk carton).

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

In the pilot episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Detective Daniels is introduced as part of the team in the squad house. He seems like he'll be at least a semi-occurring character, but instead, he's never seen or heard from again.

Ben Geller - Friends

Even fans of Friends can admit that Ross (David Schwimmer) is pretty awful most of the time. Nothing is worse, however, than how he seemingly abandoned his first son, Ben. Ben wasn't a regular on the show, but he did appear multiple times. At least until his daughter, Emma, is born with Rachel. Ben, who was played by Cole Sprouse for a couple of seasons, is never even mentioned again and never meets his half-sister. Harsh, Ross.

Gwen Grandy - The Mindy Project

Gwen Grandy (Anna Camp) is one of Mindy's best friends on The Mindy Project. They talk all the time and Gwen even named Mindy as her newborn's godmother. Then Season 2 happened and Gwen was just gone from Mindy's life without even an explanation. Poof, the best friend is gone forever.

Robin Sylvester - Glee

Did you know Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) on Glee had a child? You might vaguely remember that she was pregnant at one point and in Season 3 fans even meet the child. Then the baby is hardly ever mentioned again and never seen on screen. We know that Sue was selfish and mean, but wow.

Tori Scott - Saved By The Bell

Tori Scott, played by actress Leanna Creel in the final season of Saved By The Bell was a very brief, but very serious girlfriend of Zach Morris. Sadly for Tori, after Jessie and Kelly returned to school after leaving for a time, the character was unceremoniously dropped and never mentioned again. It's not even clear if Zach broke up with her or if she fell off a cliff. She was just gone.

Amy Jessup - Fringe

Before she was cast in Suits, Meghan Markle had an all-too-brief role in Fringe. Markle's character Amy Jessup was introduced in Season 2 of the show and seemed to be a new, full member of the team. However, after two episodes, she was gone and no one ever found out why. She's never mentioned again,

Jenny Kelly - Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Sometimes there is off-screen drama that causes a sudden disappearance and that may be the case here with the character Jenny Kelly (Michelle Beaudoin) in Sabrina The Teenage Witch. Jenny was Sabrina's best friend and a major character in Season 2, but she didn't even get the dignity of a proper send-off when she suddenly disappeared from the show, never to even be mentioned again.

Mark Brendanawicz - Parks And Recreation

Mark Brendanawicz, played by Paul Schneider, was a key character in the early days of Parks And Recreation until he was written out completely when the actor left the show and the producers re-tooled and brought in new characters. Brendanawicz was never mentioned again.

Mo-Mo - Nurse Jackie

Mo-Mo (Haaz Sleiman) in the first season of Nurse Jackie provides a lot of much-needed fun and comic relief with his snarky asides to Jackie (Edie Falco). Sadly, it seems the show's producers didn't think the character was really necessary so he was written out after Season 1 without much explanation, despite being such buddies with Jackie. He deserved much better.

Molly Parker - The Facts Of Life

The character of Molly Parker, played by the great Molly Ringwald in the first seasons of The Facts Of Life and a couple of episodes of Diff'rent Strokes, met an unfortunate end when Ringwald was fired from the show in favor of other, older actors. Her leaving wasn't given any kind of explanation until years later when it's briefly mentioned that she left to become an actress. It seems like everything worked out just fine for Molly Ringwald.

Dr. Grace Miller - Scrubs

Dr. Grace Miller on Scrubs, played by Bellamy Young, was introduced with a lot of hype and promotion. She was essentially playing the female version of Dr. Cox and fans immediately hated the character. The backlash was so bad that she was dumped after just a handful of appearances as though she never existed. It's too bad because Young was great in the role.

President John Keeler - 24

24 went through presidents like people with a cold go through Kleenex. One president who lasted a couple of seasons was President John Keeler (Geoff Pierson), but after he was shot down in Air Force One and left incapacitated, his VP, Charles Logan, took over. It's completely unclear if Keeler died or was simply too injured to return as the character is basically never mentioned again.

Nebula Lawrence - Boy Meets World

Boy Meets World had a little bit of a habit of introducing seemingly important characters only to have them fall by the wayside without explaining why. Nebula "Nebby" Lawrence (Krystee Clark) is the perfect example. She was introduced in an episode of Season 1 and as her name implies, she is the sister of Topanga. That was her first and only appearance on the show and for the rest of the show's run Topanga is an only child. Nebby is never heard from again.

Caitlin - Heroes

Caitlin (Katie Carr) on Heroes gets at least a little explanation as to why she disappeared. She is introduced as a love interest for Peter in Season 2 and together they travel to the future, where she gets stuck and seemingly remains there forever, as she's never mentioned again, nor is her ultimate fate.

Frank Cubitoso - The Sopranos

Frank Cubitoso (Frank Pellegrino) was introduced as the head of the New Jersey office of the FBI in the first season of The Sopranos. He plays a recurring and pivotal role in trying to take down Tony and his crew for a while until he pretty much disappears after the murder of Adriana.

Nina Cassady - Law & Order

Characters coming and going from Law & Order was pretty standard fare for the long-running procedural. Most of the time though, they at least get some kind of send-off or at least an explanation. That was not the case for Detective Nina Cassady, played by Milena Govich, who lasted just one season before she was gone without so much as a hint as to what happened to her.

Behrooz Araz - 24

The Araz family were the main villains in Season 4 of 24 and while the fate of Navi and Dina Araz is clear (both are killed), the fate of their son Behrooz is left hanging. He is traded in a prisoner swap for Jack Bauer and the men who take him find the hidden trackers CTU hid on him. But after that, he just disappears and is never heard from again.

Some of the best TV characters are the ones that drive us crazy. Whether it's because they are villains, or simply just because they are obnoxious, we can't wait to see what they do next. Here is our list of all the characters we just love to hate.

Brenda Walsh - Beverly Hills, 90210

Brandon and Brenda Walsh may have been twins on Beverly Hills, 90210, but really, they couldn't have been any more different. Brandon was seemingly loved by everyone, including the audience, while Brenda was the ultimate teenage villain. It probably didn't help that the late Shannen Doherty was also controversial behind the scenes of the show, eventually leaving after Season 4.

Sheldon Cooper - The Big Bang Theory

Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) on The Big Bang Theory was an incredibly funny character. He was also an incredibly annoying and obnoxious character that fans of the show just loved to hate. He was laughed at and with through the show and was so popular (and despised), that the character got his own spinoff, Young Sheldon.

Cersei Lannister - Game Of Thrones

Without a doubt, Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) in Game of Thrones is one of the greatest TV villains of all time. She was universally hated by fans, which is the biggest compliment you can give Headey as the one portraying her. She was so hated that even her death by getting crushed by thousands of pounds of rocks wasn't satisfying enough to fans of the show.

J.R. Ewing - Dallas

"Who shot J.R.?" is arguably the best TV cliffhanger of all time. It wasn't just that fans wanted to know who shot him, but if he survived the shooting. Plenty of people would have been satisfied had the villain on Dallas not made it. Of course, he did make it, and he was only more hated for it - in the best way.

Rebecca - Cheers

Kirstie Alley, who played Rebecca on Cheers walked into a pretty difficult assignment when she joined the show in Season 6. She was essentially replacing another character fans loved to hate, Diane, played by Shelly Long. Still, both the actress and the character slipped right into the sometimes villain, sometimes friend role and fans loved to hate her for it.

Dennis Reynolds - It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

The gang in It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia are all pretty terrible people. It's why we watch them, to see just how awful they can be. There is little redeeming about any of them, but the worst has to be Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton). There's no way anyone would ever be friends with a person like that, and that's why we love him... and hate him.

Dr. Robert Romano - ER

Dr. Robert "Rocket" Romano was one of the great TV villains of the 1990s in ER. He was brash, obnoxious, demanding, and mean. Audiences really hated him on a level that few TV villains are. It was a visceral hatred. That made his ridiculous death all the more satisfying, even though it was pretty over-the-top and somewhat silly.

Gemma Morrow - Sons Of Anarchy

Katey Sagal's portrayal of Gemma Morrow in Sons Of Anarchy was one of the highlights of the whole show. She was wonderful throughout the whole thing. And her character was simply a terrible, self-centered, shockingly sociopathic person. She was great.

Sue Sylvester - Glee

Even shows like Glee can have the most epic villains that audiences can't get enough of. Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) fits the bill better than most on this list, too. She's brilliantly funny and shockingly mean all at the same time.

Dwight Schrute - The Office

Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) is the kind of work frenemy we all are grateful we don't have to deal with. He is obnoxious and overbearing and just simply annoying. Worse, he can be destructive. Of course, that only makes us love him more as a character. We may root for Jim, but secretly, we want to see what Dwight says next.

The Governor - The Walking Dead

Over its 11 seasons, there were a lot of great villains on The Walking Dead and while Negan may be the most notorious, he was pretty much just hated in every way (at least until the end). The Governor (David Morrissey) in Seasons 3 and 4 was the first villain we all truly loved to hate.

Livia Soprano - The Sopranos

Livia Soprano, played by the late Nancy Marchand on The Sopranos, was the worst mother imaginable. The way she dealt with her kids, and the rest of the world, was simply despicable. Had it not been for Marchand's untimely death after Season 3, who knows just how much more she would have been hated by fans of the show. One thing is for sure though, we all loved the late Marchand for her work as Livia.

Gus Fring - Breaking Bad

There aren't a lot of heroes in Breaking Bad. At best Walter White is an anti-hero. Gus Fring, however, is a truly great villain. Giancarlo Esposito's portrayal of Walter's rival is unparalleled in TV history. Fans simply could not get enough of the villain and he'll long be remembered as one of the best parts of one of the most rewatchable shows of all time.

The Entire Roy Family - Succession

When it comes to the HBO hit Succession, it's impossible to pick the worst member of the Roy family. They are all so terrible, and seemingly in competition with each other as to who can worse, that we just have to nominate them all for this list. They are all just awful.

Homelander - The Boys

Of all the shows on streaming, there may not be a bigger concentration of terrible people than the characters on The Boys. There are only one or two redeemable characters on the whole show, and the worst are all completely awful. At the top of the list of characters we love to hate though, is Homelander. How could it not be?

Francis Underwood - House Of Cards

Even setting aside the camera controversies of Kevin Spacey, Frank Underwood on House Of Cards was a shockingly terrible person. His quest for power was unrivaled in television history and his willingness to do anything, including commit murders, made him so easy to hate. Yet we couldn't stop watching, could we?

Joffrey Baratheon - Game Of Thrones

Joffrey Baratheon on Game Of Thrones was such a hated character that a rumor once started that it actually affected actor Jack Gleeson's career negatively (it didn't). That not only says something about the character and how much we loved to hate him, but it also says something great about Gleeson who played the evil tyrant so well, that some people can't separate the actor from the character.

Louie De Palma - Taxi

Danny DeVito may be most famous today for playing another terrible person, Frank on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, but he got his big break in television playing the awful Louie De Palma on the classic '70s sitcom Taxi. Louie was the worst kind of tyrant boss.

Steve Urkel - Family Matters

Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White, is hated for a very different reason than many on this list. He's just the most annoying TV character ever created. Fans who loved Family Matters also loved how obnoxious he was. People who weren't fans of the show just found him unbearable. A tribute to White's portrayal of the annoying neighbor.

Mr. Burns - The Simpsons

If there is one character on The Simpsons who does his best to be purely evil, it's C. Montgomery Burns. This is a guy who even tried to block out the sun from shining on Springfield. Of course, on any list of the best Simpsons characters, he'd be near the top, too.

Sawyer - Lost

Make no mistake that by the end of Lost, Sawyer (Josh Holloway) would become a hero. It takes him a long time to get there and in the early seasons, he's a pretty terrible person. That doesn't stop us from laughing at the creative nicknames he comes with or some of the snarky lines he has.

Eric Cartman - South Park

Eric Cartman is the worst kid in South Park. He's also the funniest character on the show (except for maybe Randy). Just about everything Cartman does is awful. He's one of the most self-serving and selfish people on TV, ever, yet, we can't stop coming back for more. We can't wait to see what obnoxious thing he will do next.

Ross Geller - Friends

Even the most die-hard Friends fan will admit that Ross Geller is a pretty awful person. Actor David Schwimmer was so good as Ross that it's hard to separate him from the character and that's too bad because Schwimmer seems like a great guy, while Ross is usually very much the opposite. It makes the "great" love story between him and Rachael (Jennifer Aniston) all the more confusing for fans.

Screetch - Saved By The Bell

The late Dustin Diamond played one of the most annoying nerds ever on Saved By The Bell. Screetch did basically nothing right and why anyone ever stayed friends with him is a complete mystery. Still, he was one of the reasons - if not the main reason - we laughed so hard at the show.

Sylar - Heroes

NBC's Heroes started off so strong before it sadly faded almost as quickly as it came out of the gate. However, throughout the show's short run, the one consistently great character was the one we all hated the most, the villain Sylar (Zachary Quinto).

Frank Burns - MASH

Everyone loved Hawkeye, Trapper John, and BJ Honeycutt on MASH. Everyone equally hated Major Frank Burns (Larry Linville) who did everything he could to ruin everyone else's fun. It made it a critical character in the early seasons of the show, and his replacement after Linville left the show, Charles Winchester (David Ogden Stiers) was equally loved and hated.

Glenn Quagmire - The Family Guy

Quagmire on The Family Guy is just a horrible, horrible person. He's obnoxious and gross. Why the rest of the gang stays friends with just a terrible person is a mystery, though it might be because his awfulness makes him completely hilarious. That must be the reason, actually. It's a character we simply love for being so gross.

Gob Bluth - Arrested Development

Gob Bluth, played by Will Arnett, is the funniest character on Arrested Development. The screwup son and magician is also just awful in every way. He's selfish, rude, and honestly, not very smart. He's also occasionally racist. But again - he's the funniest character on the show and it's not because fans are laughing with him, they are laughing at him. Will Arnett deserves all the praise for that too, because it's not easy to be both.

Scrappy Doo - Scooby Doo, Where Are You?

Scrappy Doo is just the worst. We don't love to hate him because he's a great character, like so many others on this list. No, we love to hate because everything about the character, from his introduction to everything he does just sucks. We love to be angry at him, for real.

Janice Soprano - The Sopranos

There are a lot of characters with awful motivations in The Sopranos and among the worst of those is Tony's sister Janice Soprano. Aida Turturro plays the unlikable character so well that there is really very little redeeming about her. There are moments when we feel sorry for her, sure. She goes through some terrible stuff, but none of it makes her actually likable. In fact, anytime we start to like her, she does something to remind us how much we hate her.

Ben Linus - Lost

Ben Linus, played by the great Michael Emerson, on Lost, is a bit of an enigma. There are times when we almost start to like him, or at least feel empathy towards him, but inevitably he ruins that pretty quickly and fans are reminded that he's not a likable person, like, at all.

Georgina Sparks - Gossip Girl

Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg) is the classic high-society mean girl in Gossip Girl. She is so unlikable for her manipulative ways and awful attitude that fans can't wait for her to do something that they can be mad about. The perfect kind of villain.

This list is all about the most spectacular ways that some of favorite characters - the ones we love and the ones we love to hate - have been killed off on screen. Movies and TV have both produced some pretty incredible moments like this. So whether it's the hero or the villain, here are some of the most insane deaths ever seen in movies and on TV.

Marion Crane - Psycho

Almost more than any director in film history, Alfred Hitchcock wrote his own rules. One of the most interesting things he ever did was to kill off who was seemingly the main character in Psycho, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) in the first act of the movie. Of course, her murder in the shower has become one of the most iconic scenes in film history.

Radio Raheem - Do The Right Thing

The tension in Do The Right Thing slowly simmers just under the surface until it boils over when Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito) and Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn) burst into Sal's Pizzeria and demand changes. After Sal smashes Raheem's boombox, the cops arrive and in the struggle, Raheem is choked out by the police, leading to the destruction of Sal's. It's amazing that the movie is more than 35 years old and we're still talking about the same issues.

Robb Stark - Game Of Thrones

Is there any death on this list more dramatic and shocking than Robb Stark's on Game of Thrones? The Red Wedding is a legendary TV moment, among the best ever broadcasted. It shocked anyone who had not read the books and remains one of the most spectacular deaths, along with his wife, his unborn baby, and his mother, ever filmed.

John Coffey - The Green Mile

It's one of the most heartbreaking moments in film history when John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) meets his inevitable end in The Green Mile. Still, he goes out spectacularly with sparks flying and tears flowing.

Charlie Pace - Lost

ABC's Lost had some pretty memorable deaths, but none more so than Charlie Pace's last moments as he warned about the incoming boat and sacrificed himself in one of the most heartbreaking moments in TV history.

Hans Gruber - Die Hard

It's hard to believe that Hans Gruber in Die Hard was Alan Rickman's first movie role. His death, as he falls from Nakatomi Tower, looking up at the camera as he goes, is iconic. It's become one of the most meme'd scenes in movie history and is easily one of the most spectacular deaths in film history.

Gus Fring - Breaking Bad

For years, Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) was one of the most despised characters on TV. His death was worthy of such an amazing villain as he is not only blown up but survives long enough to walk out of the room where it happened and button his jacket before collapsing to the floor.

Thelma And Louise - Thelma And Louise

When Thelma And Louise was first released, the ending completely shocked people. No one expected the movie's heroes to go out like they did, by driving their car off the cliff. Still, it was on their own terms and they did it together, making it all that much more spectacular.

Adriana La Cerva - The Sopranos

There were quite a few deaths over the seasons in The Sopranos, but the episode when Adriana La Cerva (Drea de Matteo) is rubbed out is maybe the most incredible. The tension in the episode is impressive even by The Sopranos standards as no one wanted to see Adriana go, even though everyone knew why it was happening.

The Wicked Witch of the West - The Wizard Of Oz

"I'm melting" is one of the most iconic lines in Hollywood history as the Wicked Witch of the West is dying in The Wizard of Oz. There really isn't much more that needs to be said about this spectacular death.

Maximus Decimus Meridius - Gladiator

For years, Maximus (Russell Crowe) in Gladiator obsessed over avenging his family's death and taking down Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Despite Commodus playing dirty in their final showdown, Maximus finally prevails, killing Commodus before he collapses and dies.

Tony Stark - Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame is the 22nd movie in MCU history and so it was only appropriate that Tony Stark - the character that started it all - would be the one to finally take Thanos out by snapping his fingers with the Infinity Gauntlet on. It led to his spectacular death, of course, but it was worth it.

Col. Kurtz - Apocalypse Now

After building for two hours, the climactic death of Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando) at the end of Apocalypse Now is one of the most dramatic and violent moments in film history. The scene, juxtaposed with the sacrifice of a cow, is terrifying and amazing.

Glenn - The Walking Dead

The death of Glenn (and Abraham) was one of the most controversial moments of The Walking Dead. That was partly due to the extreme violence that turned a lot of people off, but it was mostly because Glenn was such a beloved character. Still, it was a death that was totally unforgettable.

Kong - Dr. Strangelove

Peter Sellers may be the most celebrated member of the Dr. Strangelove cast (and for good reason), but Kong, played by Slim Pickens steals the show at the end with his death by riding a nuke down as it drops towards it's target.

Kenny McCormick - South Park

We couldn't make this list without including poor Kenny McCormick, the hapless member of the South Park crew. Kenny has been killed over 100 times over the show's incredible run and in some of the most ridiculous and fantastic ways, like getting crushed by a tree, getting hit by a volcanic boulder, and dozens of other ways.

Rosalind Shays - LA Law

Rosiland Shays' death by falling down an elevator on LA Law was one of the most shocking moments in television history. It came completely out of nowhere in a time in television when a death like that wasn't common at all. It actually changed TV storytelling.

Mark Greene - ER

Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) was one of the most beloved characters on ER and his death, while a different kind of spectacular than most of the others on this list. It wasn't a shocking moment, as it was a tragic slow death by cancer. It was still among the most heartbreaking moments ever.

Zoe Barnes - House Of Cards

For the first season of House Of Cards, Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) was one of the most important characters. The journalist was both investigating and getting a little too involved with Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey). Her surprising death shocked audiences as Frank threw her in front of a subway train. It came completely out of nowhere, and yet made total sense in the context of the show.

Roy Batty - Blade Runner

The death of Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) at the end of Blade Runner has become one of the most legendary deaths of all time. It is not at all what anyone in the audience expected when the main villain of the movie turns into a hero at the very end, saving Deckard (Harrison Ford) before smiling as he dies. Time to die.

Alec Trevelyan - GoldenEye

You knew there was no way this list was going to be complete without including at least one death by a Sean Bean character, right? There have been so many spectacular deaths over the actor's incredible career, but for our money, you can't beat the death of his character Alec Trevelyan in the James Bond movie GoldenEye when Bond drops him to his death and he is crushed to make sure it's final.

Lane Pryce - Mad Men

Mad Men was unlike any other show on TV at the time and Lane Pryce's death by suicide is the perfect example of why. The character, played by Jared Harris was a fan favorite and while story-wise his death made perfect sense, it was still shocking.

William Wallace - Braveheart

Braveheart might be one of the most historically inaccurate films ever made, but William Wallace's death at the end is still pretty spectacular ( and not all that different from what really happened to the Scottish hero). We can't go into all the violent details here, but if you know, you know.

Nick Chevotarevich - The Deer Hunter

One of the most tragic characters in '70s cinema has to be Nick Chevotarevich, played by Christopher Walken. Even after the Vietnam War draws to a close and his best friend makes it back home after escaping a POW camp, Nick gets stuck in Saigon, playing dangerous games of Russian Roulette for months. When Mike (Robert De Niro) finds him, Nick is completely checked out, and that makes his horrible death all the more sad.

Quint - Jaws

Quint (Robert Shaw) is the grizzled fisherman who promises to catch "the fish" in Jaws, but in the end, it's the fish that catches him. As has often been pointed out, one of the most effective things about the classic movie is that the shark is rarely seen, so when Quint is eaten it's one of the scariest and most exciting moments of the movie.

Cyrus 'The Virus' Grissom - Con Air

Cyrus "The Virus" Grissom (John Malkovich) in Con Air is one of the most over-the-top movie villains of the '90s, so of course he had to get killed in an over-the-top spectacular way. First, he is knocked out and handcuffed to a firetruck that crashes into a bridge, tossing Cyrus into some powerlines, and electrocuting him, but that's not all. He then falls into the path of a pile driver doing road work, which comes down on his head.

Private Pyle - Full Metal Jacket

Private Pyle (Vincent D'Onofrio) is, at the beginning of Full Metal Jacket a hopeless Marine recruit who can't do anything right. As the first act of the movie plays out, he gets more competent but also starts to lose his marbles. It all culminates in an incredibly tense scene when he shoots and kills his drill sergeant before turning the gun on himself.

Marissa Cooper - The O.C.

Say what you want about about The O.C., but the creative decision to kill off one of the main characters and star of the show, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) in Season 3 was a bold one. The way she died, in the arms of Ryan (Ben McKenzie) after a car wreck is just as dramatic as the decision to have the character die.

Jack Torrance - The Shining

That final image of a frozen Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) in The Shining is one of the most enduring snapshots of a movie filled with incredible visual moments. A spectacular villain like Jack deserves a death as memorable as it is.

Sgt. Elias - Platoon

Platoon, as is said in the movie, is a battle for the soul of Chris (Charlie Sheen) between Elias (Willem Dafoe) and Barnes (Tom Berenger). Barnes wins the battle between himself and Elias when he shoots Elias towards the end, but Elias wins Chris' soul with his spectacular death as the helicopters lift away and Elias is left with arms outstretched as the Vietnamese soldiers gun him down for good.

Gennaro - Jurassic Park

We just had to include this one. Donald Gennaro isn't the main character of Jurassic Park, in fact, he's not even one of the main supporting characters. But him getting eaten by the T-Rex while hiding on the toilet is one of the silliest, and most insane deaths, of any movie, ever.

John Doe - Se7en

The ending of Se7en is one of the most talked about and debated, moments in film history. John Doe (Kevin Spacey) completely manipulates David Mills (Brad Pitt) into doing exactly what wants, completely the complete over-the-top murder spree ever seen on the big screen.

One of the things that made The Sopranos one of the best shows in television history was its complex characters. Most of them were, if we're honest, terrible people, but every one of them had something that made fans love or at least appreciate them. Here is the best thing about the best characters on The Sopranos.

Tony Soprano

There is a lot of hate about the lead character of Tony Soprano, but there is a lot to love too. As a character, he is one of the most interesting and deeply studied of all time. James Gandolfini's performance as Tony is mindboggling good as well. Sure, he's a psychopath, but he does seem to love his family, even when he's cheating on his wife. He's also incredibly loyal to his friends.

Carmela Soprano

Carmela Soprano, played by Edie Falco, has a lot to deal with and in the end, that's what is the best thing about her character. She is far too patient with her husband's transgressions, but she sticks it out and clearly loves Tony. The same could be said about her kids, who test her at every turn but she remains unfazed in the face of the worst things in life

Uncle Junior

Corrado "Junior" Soprano is one of the hardest characters to find something nice to say anything about and in the end, that might just be the best thing about his character. He's a jerk but that makes him a perfect antagonist for Tony throughout the show's run.

Artie Bucco

Artie Bucco (John Ventimiglia) is such a great character and one of the most likable as an actual human being. The restaurant owner deals with a lot of bad luck throughout the show, but he stays just as hard-working as ever, no matter what is thrown at him. As a lifelong friend of Tony's, he's skirted the edges of organized crime but has done his best not to get involved (though sometimes he can't help himself).

Christopher

Poor Christopher (Michael Imperioli). He is always messing things up. He's passionate about everything, from his ridiculous attempt to make movies to his loyalty to Tony, but he's a screwup. As a screwup, he has a trait that many of us can relate to in some ways. He wants to be a better person, but he just can't figure out a way to get away from the lifestyle he's chosen, both the crime in his professional life and the drugs in his personal life.

Dr. Melfi

Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco) seems to be a very good therapist. The fact that she continues to keep Tony on as a patient shows (at least until the finale) how dedicated she is to her profession and that is admirable, if not advisable. She is a wonderful character unlike any other seen in a typical mob story.

Ralph Cifaretto

Okay, there isn't anything nice to say about Ralph Cifaretto (Joe Pantoliano) as a person. Nothing. He's a despicable human, but he's a fantastic character on the show as such we can surely find something that is best about the character, right? He is completely ruthless, which makes him a danger to everyone around him, especially Tony, and that alone makes him one of the best characters on the show.

Meadow Soprano

As the daughter of the most powerful guy in the New Jersey mob, Meadow Soprano (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) has a lot to deal with. She still manages to get into an Ivy League school but never really shies away from who she is, other than for a little while in college. She is loyal to her family in the end deals with all of the horrible tragedies, but keeps moving forward.

Vito Spatafore

Vito Spatafore (Joseph R. Gannascoli) is one of Tony's best-earning capos and is one of the most consistent characters on the show, with one major, incredibly realistic twist, he's gay. That twist makes him so much more interesting than being just another guy in Tony's crew.

Furio

It's easy to pinpoint the best thing about Furio. He's a ruthless killer who is so cold and calculating, that it makes him invaluable to Tony and the rest of the Family. The Italian native knows just where he stands and he never bites off more than he can chew in any way. He's a late-comer to the show, but once he's in the cast, he always makes his menacing presence felt. He's also a pretty nice guy when you put all that aside.

John "Johnny Sack" Sacrimoni

Maybe the best character outside of the New Jersey crew and their family members is actor Vincent Curatola's character John Sacrimoni, best known as "Johnny Sack." He is a character with a ton of depth. As the head of the New York family who is sometimes at war with Tony and sometimes an ally, he is a brutal murderer, but also a loving husband to his wife. That kind of complexity is what makes the show so great.

Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri

Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri (Tony Sirico) is one of the funniest characters in The Sopranos. He is as loyal as they come to Tony and while he is clearly a psycho, his comic relief is one of the greatest things about the show. He's not the kind of guy you'd ever want to be friends with, but he sure does make us laugh a lot.

Adriana La Cerva

Drea de Matteo's performance as Adriana La Cerva is so realistic and heartbreaking as the girlfriend of a mess of a person in Christopher. She loves him and can't leave him, stuck in a position many people have found themselves in. Her tragic end only endears her to viewers even more. It's one of the hardest scenes in the whole show.

Livia Soprano

The best thing about Livia Soprano (Nancy Marchand) as a character is just how awful she is. It's hard to believe someone could be so terrible to her children and, frankly, everyone around her. She's just a wretched person and fans love the character for it. Not everyone has to be nice to be a great character, as Livia proves over and over.

Silvio Dante

Without a doubt, Silvio Dante is one of, if not the most popular characters on the show. Steven Van Zandt's performance as the no-nonsense consigliere to Tony Soprano is just so...cool. Yeah, yeah, he's a terrible person at his core, and he's certainly violent, but that's why we love mob movies and TV shows, right? He's consistent in all of his terrible traits, and his loyalty is unmatched.

Richie Aprile

Like a lot of characters on The Sopranos what makes Richie Aprile great is how scary and violent he is. He's one of the most violent characters on the show, but it all seems completely realistic. Terrifyingly so, even. Actor David Proval's performance as the insane Aprile is superb because we love to hate the character.

Little Carmine Lupertazzi

When the head of the Lupertazzi Family, Carmine, Sr., dies in Season 5 of the show it leads to the epic power struggle between his son, Little Carmine, and Johnny Sack. Little Carmine (Ray Abruzzo) isn't the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, but you have to respect his resourcefulness in gathering allies in the fight. He's a lot like a like of sons of powerful men, he thinks is smarter than he really is.

A.J. Soprano

A.J. Soprano (Robert Iler) is hilarious. He's maybe the most realistic teenager ever shown on TV. He's grumpy, and dismissive, just an actual teenage boy. He's lashes out, and gets in trouble a lot, probably a lot like his father did when he was AJ's age.

Bobby Baccalieri

Hear us out here - the best part of Bobby Baccalieri, played by Blue Bloods cast member Steve Schirripa, is his love of toy trains. It's the perfect encapsulation of why we love the character so much. He's by far the quirkiest character on The Sopranos, but somehow that makes him even more realistic. You would never think a mob tough like Bobby would wear a little conductor hat and play with his model trains, but why wouldn't they? Everyone needs a healthy hobby, even gangsters.

Phil Leotardo

Gangster movie veteran actor FRank Vincent joined The Sopranos in the fifth season and immediately made an impact with his character Phil Leotardo. Maybe it's Vincet's reputation, or maybe it was the character (or probably both) that made Leotardo so menacing, but it works. It's his beef with Tony Blundetto (Steve Buscemi) that ignites a war between the Jersey family and the New York family.

Janice Soprano

Tony's sister Janice Soprano (Aida Turturro) is a piece of work. She's one of the more frustrating characters on the show in that she is completely unpredictable and that is exactly what makes the character so great. She's maddening to Tony and to viewers alike with her quirky sometimes hippie, sometimes family-oriented behavior. You just never know what you are going to get with Janice.

Tony Blundetto

Steve Buscemi is always a great addition to any cast and The Sopranos is no exception. His character, Tony Blundetto, gets out of prison and returns home to join his cousin Tony Soprano's crew. It provides a fantastic wrinkle to the dynamics of the crew, leading to temporary realignment, but one that doesn't last long, nor does Tony Blundetto, really.

Jackie Aprile, Jr.

Like Little Carmine, Jackie, Jr. just doesn't have what it takes to take over for his father. Though much younger than Carmine, it was clear he was always going to be a screwup. He's a fantastic character, though, as his death adds a completely new dimension to Meadow, who he was dating at the time.

Agent Harris

Agent Dwight Harris, played by Matt Servitto is perfect as an FBI agent who is charged with bringing down organized crime in New Jersey. He works hard at his job, but he's realistic in his chances of nabbing Tony. He has a good rapporte with Tony, which makes him less of the enemy and more of a nuisance.

Patsy Parisi

Patsy Parisi (Dan Grimaldi) looks like a mild-mannered, almost bookish guy. But looks can be deceiving, because even though he is in charge of a lot of the family's accounting, he has a darker side. His loyalty is always in question, as his twin brother was murdered under mysterious circumstances (to Patsy at least) and he never seems to trust Tony.

Herman "Hesh" Rabkin

Herman "Hesh" Rabkin isn't in the Family, as he's not Italian, but he is a longtime, trusted associate of the family who has earned a lot of money for the family and for himself over the years. He's not afraid to get dirty, but he's a master at keeping things civil.

Giovanni "Johnny Boy" Soprano

Tony's father, Johnny Boy Soprano, is the ultimate mob enforcer and earner. With the help of his brother, Uncle Junior, the two rise to near the top of the DiMeo crime family, dying before Tony takes over. The role, played by Joseph Siravo in The Sopranos) and Jon Bernthal in the prequel movie The Many Saints of Newark, is more fully expanded in the latter, as he's only seen in a few flashbacks in the original show.

Rosaline Aprile

Jackie Aprile's widow (and mother to Jackie, Jr) is one of Carmela's best friends and in many ways the ultimate "Jersey girl." She deals with the death of her husband well, though it clearly shatters her. Still, she is tough as nails and not afraid to mix it up to make sure she gets what she deserves.

Eugene Pontecorvo

Eugene Pontecorvo is a tragic character, and one of the more realistic ones as time goes on. He's an enforcer at first, eventually rising to capo, but his struggle to deal with his personal and professional lives eventually leads him to start informing on the family. This, and other stresses in his life eventually leads to him dying by suicide in a very sad moment.

Charmaine Bucco

Artie's wife, Charmaine Bucco, is one of the best minor characters on the show. Her patience with Artie is always right at the boiling point, and it's easy to understand why. She wants so much for Artie and works her tail off to help him, but Artie just can't get things right no matter how much she tries to help. She is also quick to fly off the handle, and even though she's been friends with Tony and Carm for as long as Artie has, she smartly never trusts them.

Carlo Gervasi

In the controversial finale of The Sopranos, it's revealed that Carlo Gervasi has been working with the Feds after cutting a deal to keep his son out of prison. The show ends before Tony has a chance to do anything about the famous "cut to black" and some have suggested Carlo may have played a part in the...uh... well... whatever it was that happened to Tony.

Salvatore Bonpensiero

Early on in the show, one of the most popular cast members on The Sopranos is Salvatore Bonpensiero. His nickname, which is NSFW may have played a part in that popularity, but he was also one of Tony's top guys. That is until he becomes the first traitor on the show when he ends up working for the Feds. Something that eventually gets him killed by the rest of the family.

Even the best shows have their fan-favorite seasons. The seasons that most fans are perfect, or at least close to perfect. It's hard to judge based on reviews and even on Rotten Tomato rankings which one fans think is the creme de la creme of their favorite show, so we looked at Ranker, Rotten Tomatoes, IMDB, and other spots to nail down just which season of these classic shows fans love the most.

The Office - Season 2

Season 2 holds the top spot for The Office. That makes a lot of sense as it's really when the classic sitcom came out from under the shadow of the British show on which it was based and found its own footing. Michael Scott (Steve Carrell) separated himself from David Brent (Ricky Gervais) and the rest is history.

The Sopranos - Season 3

The Sopranos is one of the few shows that most fans agree doesn't really have any bad seasons. Some are better than others, sure, but, especially out of the first four, how do you separate them? Season 3 is as good a choice as any as Junior gets out of prison and begins his power grab against Tony, Tony's mother is at her worst, and it ends with one of the most devastating murders in the show's run.

Atlanta - Season 1

It's no surprise here that the first season of Atlanta sits on top. The show's four-season run is great, but it never quite matched the incredible impact or lofty heights of that first magical season. It won a slew of awards in the first year, something it also never matched again.

Seinfeld - Season 5

"The Puffy Shirt," "The Marine Biologist," "The Dinner Party," and "The Hamptons" are just a few of the stone-cold classic episodes of Seinfeld in Season 5. This is a show where almost any season could be the favorite as there are classic episodes in all of them, even the first. But Season 5 seems to be the one fans love the most.

Cheers - Season 4

As much as hardcore fans of Cheers love Coach (Nicholas Colasanto), it's not surprising to see the first season with Woody (Woody Harrelson) rank at the top. Season 4 is when the show really came into its own and became the ratings monster it would remain for the rest of its run on NBC in the '80s.

The Wire - Season 4

This is one choice that some fans will definitely disagree with. Not because Season 4 of The Wire is bad, because, oh boy, it certainly is great, but because Season 3 is at least as good if not better in the eyes of many fans, with a bunch of the best episodes. Still, the season following the kids in school comes out on top here, as viewers are introduced to a whole new generation of corner boys and future crew members.

The West Wing - Season 2

It's hard to pick just one season out of the first four for The West Wing. What probably puts this one over the edge is the season finale, "Two Cathedrals," which is one of the best episodes of any television show, ever. The whole season is incredibly good, but the ending is magical.

Gilmore Girls - Season 3

Season 3 of Gilmore Girls hits the top spot for the WB favorite likely pushed to the top for moments like the big reveal of Jess' father towards the end of the season and other milestones throughout the season.

The Simpsons - Season 4

This one is sure to spur some debate. The general consensus of fans of The Simpsons is that basically Seasons 2 through 8 or 9 are basically perfect. Still, it's easy to see why Season 4 won out here, with classic episodes like "Marge vs. the Monorail," "Homer the Heretic," "Duffless," "Mr. Plow," "Last Exit to Springfield," and "Whacking Day," which has a number of the best quotes from The Simpsons.

This Is Us - Season 1

It's hard to argue that the first season of This Is Us isn't the best. The first episode ends with an incredible twist and throughout the rest of the season, audiences get, well, emotionally connected, to the characters in a way that few other shows have ever matched. The tears of later seasons would have never happened without that incredible foundation.

Saturday Night Live - Season 15

How do fans choose one season of a show that has been on the air as long as Saturday Night Live? Surely every generation has its own favorite, but Season 15 is as good a choice as any with a powerhouse cast that includes the great Phil Hartman, Dana Carvey, Jan Hooks, and Mike Myers in his first season as a full cast member.

Breaking Bad - Season 5

Yet another show on this list that has multiple amazing seasons that could be in contention here. There have been very few shows that have ended as well as Breaking Bad so it tracks that its final season would come out on top here. Even the Guinness Book of World Records named it the "most acclaimed" series of all time after it ended.

Friends - Season 5

No doubt that hardcore fans of Friends will have something to say here, but most will agree that if Season 5 isn't the best, it's one of the best. The season starts with the aftermath of Ross saying "Rachel," and ends with their drunken wedding in Vegas, all while Monica and Chandler's relationship grows into more than just hooking up.

Game Of Thrones - Season 4

This one was pretty surprising as well, as most might expect Season 3, with The Red Wedding to rank at the top, but maybe the death of Joffrey at The Purple Wedding and the rise of Daenerys as a conquerer is too much to resist. Not to mention the fight between Oberyn and The Mountain. And Tyrion killing Tywin... Okay, yeah it makes sense.

Abbott Elementary - Season 1

Abbott Elementary burst onto the scene as the freshest and best network sitcom in years. It won every award it could after that first season and while it's remained consistently great, it's never matched those early heights when it was all so new and so funny.

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Season 5

Sometimes it feels like It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia has been on since the dawn of time, and it kind of has. There have been many great seasons, dozens of great episodes, and even more legendary scenes and lines. For fans, it reached its zenith in Season 5, but it's not like they've turned away from it in later seasons.

24 - Season 5

The most impressive thing about 24 is how it continued to raise the stakes season after season. Just when it seemed like it couldn't get any better, Season 5 came out and blew everyone away. It cleaned up at the Emmys and it's easy to see why as it was Jack's most exciting adventure, and at times the most devastating, of his brutal career at CTU.

Slow Horses - Season 3

Slow Horses is one of the outliers on this list because the seasons are so short, only six episodes in each, but they pack a ton into those six. Every season of the show has been acclaimed, with most having scores of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, Season 3 ranks best for fans, with Season 2 right behind it.

Sherlock - Season 2

The first two seasons of Sherlock are two of the best seasons of TV ever, even if they are only three episodes each. Season 2 ended with one of the all-time great cliffhangers - or cliff-fallers as it may be. In the third and final episode, "The Reichenbach Fall," Sherlock takes a dive off a building to outwit Moriarty, and viewers are left wondering about his fate.

Lost - Season 1

Lost is one of the most dissected, discussed, and disagreed over shows in TV history. One thing that almost no one argues over though, is how great the show's first season was. From the moment Jack's eyes open in the first episode to Jack and Locke looking down at the blown-open hatch in the last scene, it's a white-knuckle ride that takes viewers on one of the greatest adventures ever.

Grey's Anatomy - Season 6

Well, of all the seasons of Grey's Anatomy, and there are many, it's easy to understand why Season 6, which ends with a cliffhanger when multiple characters were shot in a mass shooting at the hospital. It was the peak of the show.

Mad Men - Season 4

Season 4 of Mad Men is really the downward descent into booze and bills for Don Draper as he continues to struggle with who he really is. It marked a shift in the decade in which it takes place as the wholesome early sixties start to get darker, just like Don's life. Of course fans are going to love this season most.

Blue Bloods - Season 1

Despite its controversial canceling, Blue Bloods has a ton of hardcore fans. Those fans still love Season 1 the most, which is understandable as it really sets the tone for the show and for the dynamics of the Reagan family and includes all the original members, some of whom left the show years before it ended.

Black Mirror - Season 3

Yet another show on the list that is sure to have people arguing over which season really is best. The consensus seems to be that Season 3, Black Mirror's first on Netflix is the best, though that may just be because of exposure. To be sure though, it's a great season with some powerful episodes that resonate, as well as some of the more controversial ones among fans.

Downton Abbey - Season 1

Downton Abbey is not a show anyone would have expected to gain such a large and loyal following, given that it's a period drama set in Edwardian England. But fans it has and passionate they are, especially for the show's excellent first season when we meet the upstairs and the downstairs parts of the Crawley family.

House - Season 1

Medical Procedurals often go on and on, but House is a show that only works with its main character so when Hugh Laurie was ready to go, so was the show. There is no question it felt like it was just running through the motions at the end, but in the beginning, there was no other show like it and that's what makes its first Season the fan favorite.

Dexter - Season 4

Season 4 of Dexter was unquestionably the peak of the show. The race to find the Trinity Killer was in full swing and by the end of the devastating season, viewers learned that maybe there was a killer out there more resourceful, more evil, and more cunning than Dexter as it ends with one of the most tragic seasons in TV history.

Luther - Season 1

Idris Elba got everyone's attention as Stringer Bell on The Wire but he proved he was more than a one-hit wonder with Season 1 of Luther. He could play a cop with loose morals as well as he could a criminal and we loved him for it.

True Detective - Season 1

Until the fourth season of True Detective, called True Detective: Night Country, there was no question that Season 1 would be at the top of fan favorites. Even now, with the show back on its feet after a couple of misses, Season 1 still wins, at least for now.

Law & Order - Season 5

Of all the Law & Order seasons, it makes total sense that Season 5 would top the list of favorite seasons. it's when the show cast really coalesced into the characters fans really love. Most notably, Sam Waterston joined as Jack McCoy and Chris Noth took his final bow on the show.

Curb Your Enthusiasm - Season 6

Is there really a "best" season of Curb Your Enthusiasm? There are great, cringy moments in every season but Season 6 comes out on top for fans for one important reason: it introduced Leon (JB Smoove) and the rest of his family to the show and the show began to reach new heights it never would have without them.

Westworld - Season 1

This one really isn't a huge surprise, as many fans really didn't like Seasons 2 or 3 of Westworld, but Seasons 1 and 4 are so good we had to include them. Season 1, especially, is brilliant.

As acclaimed as HBO’s The Sopranos is, there are people who’ve taken issue with some of the storytelling decisions that creator David Chase and co. made. Aside from the polarizing series finale, some have chastised how Tony Soprano’s relationship with his longtime therapist, Jennifer Melfi, wrapped up. Melfi actress Lorraine Bracco is part of that list of less-than-satisfied people. Bracco recently reaffirmed her disdain for the conclusion of the storyline and revealed what she thinks happened to Dr. Melfi and Tony after the finale.

Lorraine Bracco made her final appearance as Melfi on The Sopranos during its penultimate episode, “The Blue Comet.” The installment sees the steadfast psychiatrist grappling with whether sociopathic patient Tony Soprano is using their “talk therapy” as a means to advance his personal dealings. After examining the findings from a study on the matter, Melfi cuts ties with Tony once and for all during their next session. The New Jersey-based mob boss is subsequently left hurt by the surprising turn of events.

It’s definitely apparent that the late James Gandolfini’s fan-favorite character wasn’t the only person who was in their feelings about that narrative decision. Lorraine Bracco previously voiced frustrations about where the show took her character. She echoed that sentiment while speaking with Jessica Shaw of Sirius XM, which was shared on YouTube. Not only did she admit to being “heartbroken” but the Goodfellas icon also recalled the question she ultimately had for David Chase:

Admittedly, that’s a reasonable query that the Rizzoli & Isles alum posed to the prolific TV writer and producer, and that’s coming from someone who didn’t mind how the Tony/Melfi relationship ended. Still, someone could theoretically argue that Melfi’s choice just reflects the unexpected and blunt nature of life at times. While sharing her gripes this time around, though, the 70-year-old actress also revealed that she’s optimistic that Soprano and his doctor did cross paths again after the events of the show’s final episode:

That, of course, would all depend on whether Tony actually survived the events of The Sopranos’ ending. It’s been long debated if after the screen cut to black, the mafioso ultimately met his demise while dining with his family at Halston’s. David Chase has offered varied thoughts on that front but has yet to give a concrete answer either way. Still, there’s a sweetness in the fact that Blue Bloods alum feels so passionately about her character’s arc and has optimistic thoughts about what may have happened to her.

You can check out Lorraine Bracco and the rest of The Sopranos cast by streaming all six seasons using a Max subscription. Fans can also access the prequel film, The Many Saints of Newark, and the newly released documentary, Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos, with that same membership.

Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos is now available to watch on HBO or stream with a Max subscription, and fans should definitely check it out. Alex Gibney’s two-part documentary sheds light on the conception of one of TV’s greatest shows and humanizes the man who created it. As a fan, I greatly enjoyed this doc, especially the sweet behind-the-scenes details. However, while it tackles plenty of topics related to the mob drama, there’s one that’s ignored entirely that I wish would’ve been highlighted.

What Topic Wasn’t Covered In Wise Guy?

During his extensive interview with Alex Gibney, David Chase opened up about plenty of facets of his beloved HBO show. From his original plan to make the Sopranos a movie instead of a show to the early casting plans for Tony, a lot of ground was covered. The late James Gandolfini’s approach to the lead role was also examined in great detail. What wasn’t discussed, as far as viewers know, is the 2021 prequel movie, The Many Saints of Newark.

Alan Taylor's movie takes place in the 1960s and ‘70s and focuses on Dickie Moltisanti – the father of Michael Imperioli’s Christopher. At the center of the story is a massive gang war that Dickie must navigate in the aftermath of the Newark Riots. A key subplot of the film also involves the mobster’s relationship with his teenage “nephew,” Tony Soprano. Alessandro Nivola plays Dickie, and the cast also includes Leslie Odom Jr., Jon Bernthal, Michela De Rossi, Corey Stoll, Vera Farmiga, Ray Liotta and Michael Gandolfini, who plays young Tony.

All in all, The Many Saints of Newark was well reviewed, with CinemaBlend’s own Saints review praising it as a compelling return to Jersey. I also enjoyed the movie myself, which is only part of the reason why I’m wondering why it wasn’t mentioned in the recently released documentary.

Why This Particular Piece Of Sopranos Lore Should’ve Been Included In The Documentary?

The obvious reason why The Many Saints of Newark seemed like a fit for Wise Guy is that it’s a part of the Sopranos franchise. Yes, Alex Gibney’s two-part series was meant to highlight the show and its creator, but the movie is also a part of David Chase’s body of work. He did, after all, pen the script alongside Lawrence Konner and even had plans to direct before veteran series director Alan Taylor was brought on board.

It also feels somewhat awkward for Saints not to be mentioned, especially given the fact that when discussing his show’s final season, David Chase mentioned that he felt he had no unfinished business. So it would’ve been wonderful to receive some insight from him in regard to why he decided to return to his fictional universe via a prequel. On top of that, I’d have been intrigued to hear his thoughts on whether he was happy with the finished film, why he decided to cut a Sopranos OG’s cameo and more.

Finally, the film’s mention could have added to the discussion within the doc about the James Gandolfini-led show’s polarizing ending. Our own Sean O’Connell believes the series’ mysterious finale may have been resolved, thanks to the film. I’d like to think Sean isn’t the only person who thinks that way and, theoretically, that theory could’ve been discussed.

Don’t get me wrong, as Wise Guy is definitely worth any fan’s time, and The Many Saints of Newark’s omission is a small detail in the grand scheme of it all. Though, as someone who’s (sometimes annoyingly) a completist, I can’t help but think that the film would’ve added yet another great topic of discussion for this doc. In any case, you can stream the movie as well as the hit show that preceded it on Max now.

Even after 25 years, The Sopranos remains popular and is one of the best shows streaming on Max. Premiering in 1999, it arrived at a time when HBO wasn’t exactly the powerhouse it is today, but it helped transform the network into a hub for prestige TV. A huge part of the show's lasting impact is due to the late James Gandolfini's iconic performance as Tony Soprano. However, HBO’s new documentary on the show reveals that another member of the ensemble came close to playing Tony -- Silvio Dante actor Steven Van Zandt.

Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos recently dropped on Max, one of the best streaming services out there, and it's packed with fascinating behind-the-scenes details from the iconic mob series. The doc dives into the casting journey that eventually led to James Gandolfini landing the role of Tony Soprano, but the process wasn’t as straightforward as you might think for such an era-defining character.

David Chase, struggling to find the right actor for Tony, happened to watch the 1997 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony. During the event, the musician gave a speech for The Rascals' induction. Something about Van Zandt’s demeanor and his Jersey-inspired look caught Chase’s eye. The musician had a commanding presence that matched what Jersey raised writer envisioned for the complex role of Tony Soprano.

Intrigued, the Rockford Files producer invited “Little Steven” to audition for the role of Tony. The doc includes never-before-seen footage from that audition and, by all accounts, Van Zandt did a pretty great job. Chase himself admitted:

But there was a catch. HBO wasn’t sold on casting an unproven actor in such a critical role. As much as Mr. Chase was fascinated by the idea of Steven Van Zandt as Tony, the network was understandably wary. They needed a seasoned actor to carry the weight of a heavy show like The Sopranos, and the Rocker, despite his magnetic screen test, simply didn't have the track record.

David Chase wasn’t ready to let Steven Van Zandt go entirely. Instead, he did something remarkable: he wrote a part specifically for the musician. What began as a minor role -- a nightclub owner in the periphery of Tony’s world -- evolved into something much bigger. That role, of course, became Silvio Dante, Tony’s trusted consigliere and one of the most beloved characters in the series. Ironically, Van Zandt would get a chance to play his own Tony-esque role when he took on the lead role in the mob series Lilyhammer, which you can view with a Netflix subscription.

James Gandolfini’s portrayal of Tony has become something of a legend, but this tantalizing “what if” scenario of his eventual co-star in the same role is fun to consider. As the creator of the series reflects in the doc, casting Gandolfini was one of the best decisions he ever made. As David Chase put it:

For fans of The Sopranos, Wise Guy offers fresh insights into the show's creation and leaves us all wondering how different the series might have been given just a few different ingredients. With a Max subscription, you can check out the documentary for yourself, and scan the 2024 TV schedule for more docs.

Moms are strong by nature but TV's toughest moms rule their roost with high standards, great expectations and strong discipline. From sitcom staples like Roseanne Conner and Clair Huxtable to dramatic dames like Cersei Lannister and Cookie Lyon, these iron-fisted mamas don't get the credit they deserve when it comes to their strict and stern parenting styles. Here are 32 of our favorites. 

Roseanne Conner (Roseanne)

The fierce working-class "domestic goddess" at the center of the ABC sitcom Roseanne was always crazy-quick with a wisecrack and was never one to hold back an opinion. But though known for her loud, sarcastic and domineering nature, Roseanne Conner (Roseanne Barr) was always loving and protective towards her four kids, daughters Becky (Lecy Goranson and Sarah Chalke) and Darlene (Sara Gilbert), and sons D.J. (Michael Fishman) and Jerry (Cole and Morgan Roberts).

Clair Huxtable (The Cosby Show)

Despite having to juggle raising five children, maintaining a household and continuing a successful law career, The Cosby Show's Clair Huxtable (Phylicia Rashad) was always a vision of class and composure. While her husband Cliff was the more fun-loving and boisterous parent, Clair was the disciplinarian of the Huxtable residence and was assertive in teaching her kids about responsibility and respect. 

Peggy Bundy (Married... With Children)

With her refusal to cook, clean or cater to her boorish husband Al (Ed O'Neil), Peggy Bundy (Katey Sagal) from the beloved blue-collar comedy Married... with Children was TV's ultimate anti-housewife. Where other small-screen moms used their iron fist to ensure order and discipline, Peg unapologetically prioritized her own couch-sitting, Oprah-watching "Me Time" over traditional parenting and domestic work. But that doesn't mean she didn't regularly make time to voice her opinions about her lackluster hubby and kids Kelly (Christina Applegate) and Bud (David Faustino).

Wilma Flintstone (The Flintstones) 

When you're married to a literal caveman, it's no surprise that Wilma Flintstone had to be level-headed and strong-willed for the sake of her family. Throughout the classic cartoon series The Flintstones, the Stone Age mama was tender and caring to her hubby Fred and daughter Pebbles but was known to utilize a firm hand — and a frying pan — when things got a little too rambunctious in her household. 

Claire Dunphy (Modern Family)

Often regulated to being the strict mom opposite goofy dad Phil (Ty Burrell), Claire (Julie Bowen) is the hardworking and often anxiety-ridden head of the Dunphy household. In trying to wrangle her husband and three children — Haley (Sarah Hyland), Alex (Ariel Winter) and Luke (Nolan Gould) — The Modern Family matriarch can regularly be neurotic and controlling but every ounce of that effort clearly comes from a place of love. 

Jessica Huang (Fresh Off The Boat)

Just as her husband Louis (Randall Park) described her, Jessica Huang (Constance Wu) from the ABC sitcom Fresh Off the Boat is "aggressive yet elegant." No-nonsense, traditional and very competitive, she pushes both her spouse and their sons Eddie (Hudson Yang), Emery (Forrest Wheeler) and Evan (Ian Chen) to succeed in their careers and academics, respectively. For example, she's plenty pleased with Evan's future plans of becoming "doctor/president," but less so when Eddie reveals that he wants to go to culinary school instead of college.

Cersei Lannister (Game Of Thrones)

Like many things in her life, Cersei Lannister's (Lena Headey) relationship with her children throughout Game of Thrones was often fueled by her own pride and need for power. However, that doesn't mean that Cersei wouldn't kill for her kids — and she did. When it came to the safety of Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), Myrcella (Nell Tiger Free) and Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman), she parented with a leonine fierceness, to the danger of her enemies. 

Florida Evans (Good Times)

First introduced as a feisty maid in Maude, strong-willed Chicago mother Florida Evans (Esther Rolle) is the heart and soul of the original Good Times. Despite considerable financial issues and a never-ending list of chores and responsibilities, Florida always kept her household in line, offering up stern but loving discipline and instilling valuable morals in her three children J.J. (Jimmy Walker) Thelma (Bern Nadette Stanis), and Michael Evans (Ralph Carter). 

Lois Wilkerson (Malcolm In The Middle)

As the mother of five highly mischievous and unruly young boys, we really can't blame Malcolm in the Middle's Lois Wilkerson (Jane Kaczmarek) for being a touch stubborn, overbearing and hotheaded. Lois genuinely cares about her children, but her idea of discipline is jokingly dubbed "sadistic" by the boys: "Your punishment isn't over until that bathroom floor is so clean you'll be eating off it. Which is what you'll be doing for the next three weeks," she memorably punished son Reese in Season 6. 

Norma Bates (Bates Motel)

Now, we're certainly not suggesting that Norma Bates (Vera Farmiga) had a healthy parenting style throughout the A&E horror drama Bates Motel, but she certainly was a devoted, if domineering, mother to Norman (Freddie Highmore). Norma can be clingy and critical of her son — and has especially harsh opinions about the girls Norman hangs out with — but she always does everything in her power to protect him. 

Emily Gilmore (Gilmore Girls)

It seems like the only people Emily Gilmore (Kelly Bishop) is more judgmental of than her own daughter Lorelai (Lauren Graham) — no picnic in the mom department, herself — are her maids, who she seemingly hired and fired every other episode of Gilmore Girls. The wealthy matriarch of the eponymous family is known for her high standards, snooty attitude and controlling nature: a textbook example is forcing Lorelai and granddaughter Rory (Alexis Bledel) to attend Friday night dinner at her home every week, no exceptions. 

Debra Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)

A classic example of a TV mom having to play the "bad cop" to a "fun dad" type is Debra Barone (Patricia Heaton) from Everybody Loves Raymond. While husband Ray (Ray Romano) often gets up to nearly as many hijinks as their kids Ally (Madylin Sweeten), Geoffrey and Michael (Sullivan and Sawyer Sweeten), Debra is all business. She's responsible, hardworking and not afraid to speak her mind — except, it seems, when it comes to her meddling mother-in-law Marie (Doris Roberts). 

Harriette Winslow (Family Matters)

The matriarch of the Winslow family (largely played by Jo Marie Payton but replaced with Judyann Elder in Family Matters' final season) knows order and discipline: she left the police force when she became pregnant with her eldest, Eddie (Darius McCrary). Raising three kids, Harriette is regularly the voice of reason in the Winslow household but is a sharp-tongued disciplinarian when she needs to be. 

Colleen Donaghy (30 Rock)

Portrayed by the legendarily brash Elaine Stritch, the mother of Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) always dishes out tough love when it comes to her son. With just one of her many characteristically biting quips (“Don’t talk to me like that Jack. I breastfed you for nine years!”) Colleen is able to instantly turn her slick, successful businessman of a son into a fearful little boy. 

Beverly Goldberg (The Goldbergs)

The Goldbergs' Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) puts the "mother" in "smother" — hugs are mandatory and she can often be found meddling in various areas of her kids' worlds, from school to sports to social life. But the snuggies-loving matriarch can be strict, tough and opinionated, not only when it comes to her children Erica (Hayley Orrantia), Barry (Troy Gentile) and Adam (Sean Giambrone) but also herself: "I have failed as a mother!" is the character's main catchphrase. 

Galina ‘Red’ Reznikov (Orange Is The New Black)

Yes, even prisoners need a mother figure and Litchfield Penitentiary has Red (Kate Mulgrew). Compassionate but very cunning — this is a woman who was in cahoots with the Russian Mafia, after all — she rules her block of the prison with a watchful eye, explicitly prohibiting her girls from partaking in drugs whilst running a well-oiled smuggling ring to get them the contraband goods they need. 

Vivian Banks (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)

Firstly, we're specifically talking about Aunt Viv as portrayed by Janet Hubert for the first half of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. (Daphne Maxwell Reid took over the role in season four after Hubert was dismissed from the show.) As no-nonsense as she was nurturing, Hubert's take on the character was more fiery than her successor, a strong, confident university professor who wasn't afraid to lay down a hard lesson to her three children, her students or her troublemaking nephew (Will Smith). 

Marge Simpson (The Simpsons)

Marge is the blue-haired, bee-hived moralistic center of the Simpsons family. With a fam that includes an oafish husband like Homer, a notorious prankster like Bart and an eternal infant like Maggie, The Simpsons matriarch has to run a tight ship to maintain order in her antics-filled household. She doesn't approve of the kids' violent video games or cartoons, has followed Bart's whereabouts through his cell phone and is always pushing her family to go to mass. As Homer says of his wife: "If it were up to [Marge], all we would ever do is work and go to church."

Violet Crawley (Downton Abbey)

Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham (played by Dame Maggie Smith), is not exactly known for being a cuddly grandmother sort. Instead, the stately Downton Abbey matriarch is defined by her dry wit, direct nature and deep investment in maintaining the family's traditions, honor and legacy. 

Barbara Howard (Abbott Elementary)

Barbara Howard (Emmy winner Sheryl Lee Ralph) didn't just raise kids of her own at home — she's raised whole classrooms full of impressionable youngins as a kindergarten teacher at Willard R. Abbott Elementary School for the past two decades. Super old-school (no, she will not be learning that new teaching technology, thank you very much) and strictly religion, she's the kind of teacher who quiets rowdy classrooms the second she steps foot into them. 

Tami Taylor (Friday Night Lights)

As both a mother to teen daughter Julie (Aimee Teegarden) and little Gracie Belle (Madilyn Landry) and a counselor at Dillon High School to countless students, Connie Britton's tough yet compassionate Tami Taylor regularly guided the youth with equal parts firmness and fairness. Through five seasons of Friday Night Lights, she was a sounding board and a calm authority, but always with a little bit of Southern sweetness sprinkled on top. 

Jill Taylor (Home Improvement)

The lion-hearted leading lady of the Taylor family, Jill (Patricia Richardson) raises her three sons Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and Mark (Taran Noah Smith) with a stern hand and Type-A attitude while also remaining lovingly perceptive and good-naturedly allowing for silly moments. However, you know that when she addresses her husband Tim (Tim Allen) or her sons by their full name, somebody is definitely in trouble. 

Cookie Lyon (Empire)

Talk about one tough cookie: Empire's queen bee Cookie Lyon (Taraji P. Henson) tells it like it is, demands respect and doesn't tolerate nonsense in any aspect of her life, including when it comes to her children Andre (Trai Byers), Jamal (Jussie Smollett) and Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray). She can be extremely headstrong and brash, but she definitely has a caring and compassionate side and she always puts her family first. 

Sophia Petrillo (The Golden Girls)

Sarcasm and sass certainly seem to be genetic in the Petrillo household: both mom Sophia (Estelle Getty) and daughter Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur) possess each personality trait in spades. As Dorothy's actual parent and the surrogate mother of her roommates Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan) and Rose Nyland (Betty White), Sophia doles out wisecracks and criticisms often — about Dorothy’s lack of love life, Blanche’s promiscuity and Rose’s stupidity — but beneath all of her hilarious put-downs beats a lot of love. 

Nalini Vishwakumar (Never Have I Ever)

Never Have I Ever's Nalini (Poorna Jagannathan) can be hard on her teen daughter Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) but her overly strict and at times overbearing nature stems from not only her traditional Indian upbringing but also her sheer love and concern for her child. (As fans no doubt remember, Nalini lost her husband to a heart attack before the start of the series, a trauma which sparked temporary paralysis in her daughter.) Sometimes it's hard for her to show tenderness, but her heart is always in the right place. 

Olivia Walton (The Waltons)

Yes, Olivia Walton (Michael Learned) is an exceedingly sweet and compassionate lady, but there's one area of her life in which she does not play around: her parenting. She prompts all seven of her children (John-Boy, Jason, Mary-Ellen, Ben, Erin Walton, Jim-Bob and Elizabeth) to have good manners and posture, requires them to read the Bible and never miss Sunday service, and will resort to scolding her children if they misbehave. 

Carmela Soprano (The Sopranos) 

Steely and steadfast, Carmela Soprano (Edie Falco) is like any good Italian-American mom: she's armed with a deep sense of obligation to her family, works hard to create a (somewhat) stable environment for daughter Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) and son A.J. (Robert Iler), and can make a mean lasagna. With her husband Tony (James Gandolfini) busy with Mafia business, Carmela does the lion's share of the parenting and when it comes to chastising her children, she's proven to be just as formidable as her spouse.

Thelma Harper (Mama’s Family)

Known simply as Mama, Thelma Harper (Vicki Lawrence) from the NBC sitcom Mama's Family headed her household with a sharp wit, an acid tongue and a quick temper. Bluntly outspoken and hilariously grumpy, the series version of the character was actually reportedly softer-edged than the original iteration conceived for The Carol Burnett Show. And despite Mama's frequent bickering and bad attitude, all of her cooking, cleaning and curmudgeonly care is clearly out of love.  

Gemma Teller Morrow (Sons Of Anarchy) 

A more hard-edged mama than her other famous TV mom character Peg Bundy, Katey Sagal's Gemma Teller Morrow is unapologetic about how protective she is of not only her son Jax (Charlie Hunnam) and grandchildren but also her surrogate family, the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club. Equipped with equal parts savagery and vulnerability, she's adapted to her gritty environment and can be tough, competitive and manipulative in the lengths she'll go to to defend those she loves.

Penelope Alvarez (One Day At A Time)

Don't let her quirky, fun-loving demeanor fool you — as One Day at a Time's main madre Penelope Alvarez (Justina Machado) is quick to remind you, she's a "total badass." As a single Cuban-American mother, a nurse practitioner and a former Staff Sergeant in the United States Army, "Lupe" has a strong work ethic and sense of discipline, which she makes sure to instill in her children Elena (Isabella Gomez) and Alex (Marcel Ruiz).

Evelyn Harper (Two And A Half Men)

Son Alan Harper (Jon Cryer) doesn't jokingly call her "the queen of darkness" for nothing. Yes, the wealthy and five-time-widowed Evelyn (played by Holland Taylor) can be quite cold, callous and critical when it comes to her sons Alan and Charlie (Charlie Sheen) and grandson Jake (Angus T. Jones). She majorly disapproves of Alan's failed marriages as well as Charlie's personal hobbies — granted, the latter is drinking, gambling and womanizing, so she might be onto something. 

Lynette Scavo (Desperate Housewives)

Having to deal with four demanding children (Porter, Preston, Parker and Penny) as a stay-at-home mom while her husband Tom (Doug Savant) is at the office every day, Lynette (Felicity Huffman) is understandably stressed much of the time, which tends to manifest itself as a neurotic and controlling nature. She also often tends to go over the top when it comes to disciplining her children — for example, she once ditched her kiddos on the side of the road to teach them about following orders. 

We've been experiencing a TV renaissance for years now, to the delight of superfans like myself who love watching my weekly stories. But even before the small screen became a place for A-listers, there were a number of iconic moments that stuck with fans. And this will be all about the single most memorable moment of 32 iconic TV shows.

Obviously not every beloved TV title can be on this list, so apologies in advance if your favorite isn't included. The small screen is simply an embarrassment of riches in this regard, especially once you factor in streaming shows that have arrived in recent years. In no particular order, here are the biggest moments from 32 beloved shows. But be warned: a major SPOILER ALERT is needed, as some of these episodes feature big plot twists and/or character deaths. You've been warned!

The Red Wedding, Game of Thrones

During its run on HBO, Game of Thrones was jam-packed with wild, violent, and truly memorable sequences. And while fans are still debating the final season, perhaps the most iconic scene occurred during the Season 3 episode "The Rains of Castamere". This is the infamous Red Wedding, where Walder Frey betrays the Starks, resulting in the brutal deaths of Robb, Catelyn, and Talisa (as well as her unborn baby).

Nomi's Wedding, Sense8

When Netflix was rolling out expensive and ambitious new content early into its run, The Wachowskis helmed the sci-fi series Sense8. The show followed eight strangers who were connected psychically and was canceled after two seasons, but fan campaigns resulted in a Sense8 finale movie being produced. After beating the bad guys, the show ends with Nomi and Amanita's wedding on the Eiffel Tower, followed by one last, wild, party.

Fonzie Jumps The Shark, Happy Days

The beloved sitcom series Happy Days is known for bringing the phrase "jumping the shark" into the pop culture lexicon. This originates from a Season 5 episode of the classic series, where Henry Winler's Fonzie jumps over a live shark while on waterskis. Say what you want about this plot point, but it's remained the most lasting and iconic plot line from the show's tenure on the air.

"Pick Me, Choose Me, Love Me", Grey's Anatomy

During its long tenure on the air, Grey's Anatomy had a number of iconic love stories. But the biggest has always been Meredith and Derek. Fans waited a long time for them to be together, and one of the show's most iconic moments is when she pleads for McDreamy to "pick me" instead of his wife Addison.

Rory's Graduation Speech, Gilmore Girls

When Gilmore Girls began its run on TV, it followed as Alexis Bledel's Rory struggled to adjust to life at her new fancy school, Chilton. Eventually, she becomes a leader in the school and delivers a graduation speech in Season 3. Not only did it make characters like Lorelai and Sookie cry, but it's one of the most iconic scenes of the entire show, where she pays tribute to all that her mother has given her.

Negan Kills Glenn And Abraham, The Walking Dead

For fans who watched The Walking Dead at the height of its popularity, there's life before Negan and after Negan. Jeffrey Dean Morgan's villain made a horrifying splash when he entered the scene, brutally killing fan favorites Abraham and Glenn with his bat Lucille. Some folks thought that killing was too much for the brutal apocalyptic drama.

The Plane Crash, Lost

Lost's pilot episode started a new must-see television show, with the sci-fi series instantly becoming water cooler talk. While some folks stopped watching as it ran, the first (wildly expensive) episode remains the most iconic, thanks to the thrilling plane crash sequences.

Tyra Banks Screams At Tiffany, America's Next Top Model

There are a handful of reality TV show moments on this list because of their impact on pop culture. America's Next Top Model might not be considered one of the best reality shows of all time, but it left its mark. Particularly the episode where host Tyra Banks screamed at one of the contestants after her elimination.

The Gift, Buffy The Vampire Slayer 

The first five seasons of Buffy The Vampire Slayer aired on the WB, before it eventually changed networks to UPN for the final two entries. Season 5 went out with a serious bang, with Buffy dying after sacrificing herself to save Dawn and the world. After wondering for half the season, we finally understood that death was her gift.

The Movements, The OA

The OA was an ambitious series that ran on Netflix for two seasons and was canceled far too soon. In the Season 1 finale, the group of teenagers (plus Phyllis Smith's BBA) decide to use the reality-traveling movements to distract a school shooter, saving the day in the process. It's a moment we waited all season for, and is an emotional and epic sequence.

The Lake House Fight, Girls

HBO's Award-winning comedy series Girls was a huge hit when it was on the air, and has been getting a lot of positive attention in the years since it wrapped. One of the best episodes of all time is Season 3's "The Lake House", where the four titular girls drink, dance and have an epic argument that shows just how messed up their friendships truly are.

Dexter Finds Rita's Dead Body, Dexter

Dexter was hugely popular during its original run on Showtime, and many consider Season 4 to be its strongest chapter. While Michael C. Hall's character eventually manages to murder the Trinity killer, he doesn't realize that the villain has already murdered his wife Rita. This represented a huge switch for the series and showed the consequences of Dexter's dark passenger.

The Final Scene, The Sopranos

The Sopranos' ending is one that has lived in infamy since it aired back in 2007. With an all-out mob war looming, fans expected Tony and the rest of the crew to go out with a bang. Instead, the finale famously cut to black during the final sequence, with audiences thinking their cable broke when it originally aired.

I Am The One Who Knocks, Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad was a delightful slow burn, with audiences following as Bryan Cranston's Walter White goes from chemistry teacher to bonafide drug lord. Things got more and more dangerous for Walt and his family throughout the show's run, to the dismay of his wife Skyler. When she finally confronts him in Season 4, he gives a truly iconic speech where he claims that he isn't waiting for someone dangerous to knock on the door because "I am the one who knocks."

The Final Sequence, Six Feet Under

Six Feet Under goes in the long list of quality shows to come from HBO. But it stands out as having arguably the best series finale of all time, where the audience is shown how the characters live and (more importantly) die. Set to the tune of Sia's "Breathe Me", try to get through that final sequence without crying.

The Departure, The Leftovers

The Leftovers was a thrilling drama with a super fascinating concept: on October 14th, 2% of the world's population suddenly vanished. While the show follows the fallout of that event, the pilot episode opened on The Departure, with a mother desperately searching for her baby after he disappeared.

Jessie's Song, Saved By The Bell

During its run in the late '80s and early '90s, Saved By The Bell was a favorite show among young people. While it was largely a comedy, certain episodes got more serious. Case in point: the episode "Jessie's Song", where Elizabeth Berkley's character becomes addicted to caffeine pills.

Fiona confronts Monica, Shameless

The US version of Shameless had a super long run on Showtime, ending after a whopping 11 seasons on the air. But it was best during its early years, and perhaps the most iconic moment came back in Season 1. When Monica returns to the Gallagher family and tries to take Liam away with her, Emmy Rossum's Fiona reaches her breaking point and confronts her over years of neglect.

Ross Says The Wrong Name, Friends

Throughout all of Friends' decade-long run on the air, the biggest question was whether or not Rachel and Ross would end up together. They had plenty of starts and stops (they were on a break!) but perhaps the most dramatic part of this saga came during Ross' wedding to Emily. In the middle of his vows, he accidentally refers to Emily as Rachel, ending his marriage before it even began.

The Hallway Fight, Daredevil 

While Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock is taking center stage in the MCU with Daredevil: Born Again, his tenure as the hero began with the Netflix Daredevil show. The series was gritty and featured dizzying fight choreography, with the most iconic being the long hallway fight, which was a thrilling one.

The Family Portrait, Modern Family

The Emmy-winning comedy Modern Family had a long life on the air, with the audience watching as the child actors grew up before their eyes. Season 1 was especially great, and the first finale "Family Portrait" is the show at its best. After stressing to try and pose for the perfect picture, the mixed family ends up throwing mud on each other and letting it all go in a heartwarming story.

Don Draper's Happy Ending, Mad Men

While it had a wildly successful run on AMC, arguably the most iconic moment from Mad Men came from its series finale. Fans have long debated the meaning behind the final shot, where Don Draper is seen happy and meditating, seemingly leaving the advertising world behind him. Although Jon Hamm's interpretation of the ending offers another, less hopeful perspective.

Pam And Jim's First Kiss, The Office

The Office had plenty of long love stories, with fans rooting for the staff of Dunder Mifflin. Jim and Pam's is the biggest example of this, and fans had to wait years for them to finally get together. In Season 2 the pair finally share their first kiss, although they didn't end up together just yet.

Teresa's Table Flip, The Real Housewives of New Jersey

The Real Housewives franchise is a huge behemoth at this point, but in the beginning, there were just a handful of cities. Chief among them was The Real Housewives of New Jersey, which entered the pop culture zeitgeist forever when OG Teresa Giudice flipped a table during a heated argument with Danielle Staub in the Season 1 finale.

Sue Hawk's Speech, Survivor

The first season of Survivor changed the TV world forever, and the show is still running to this day. Perhaps the most memorable moment from that prolific first chapter was Sue Hawk's scathing speech about snakes and rats, where he let out her rage about runner-up Kelly Wiglesworth.

Poussey's Death, Orange Is The New Black

Orange is the New Black was one of the first original Netflix shows, and it remained wildly popular until it ended. Fans know that the show was forever changed when Poussey was tragically killed in Season 4, inspiring a prison-wide riot that would take up all of Season 5.

Nina Kills Teri, 24

24 became a wild sensation when it started airing on Fox, with an entire season of action taking place in just one day. The Season 1 finale offered one more gut punch for audiences, when Jack finds the body of his wife Teri, realizing that she was killed by his former friend and colleague Nina.

Diane And Sam Breakup For Good, Cheers

Diane and Sam were the will they/won't they couple in the comedy Cheers, and fans all had their own opinions about them. In the series finale, we finally get some closure, and the pair realizes they shouldn't be together after all.

Nancy Burn Her House Down, Weeds

When Weeds started airing on Showtime, it was about a single mother who resorts to selling drugs to her suburban neighborhood. In Season 3 she burns down her house to avoid being caught, and the show was never the same after.

Kurt Dances To 'Single Ladies', Glee

Season 1 of Glee hit the world by storm, thanks to its colorful cast of characters and non-stop stream of hit songs. The first season was a huge deal, and there are perhaps no more iconic episodes when Kurt dances to Beyonce's "Single Ladies", and has to try and keep his identity from his father.

'Let's Go To The Mall', How I Met Your Mother

During the How I Met Your Mother episode "Slap Bet" the group of friends (and the audience) are introduced to Robin's teen pop culture persona Robin Sparkles. The song "Let's Go To The Mall" is a hilarious spoof on '80s stars like Tiffany, and is arguably the most iconic moment of the comedy series' run on TV.

Eleanor Realizes The Truth, The Good Place

The Good Place ran for four seasons on NBC, offering a hilarious and complex story. Season 1 was arguably its best, and the most memorable moment came when Kristen Bell's Eleanor realizes that they've been in the Bad Place all along.

If not absorbing storylines and appealing characters, what is it that keeps us coming back to tune into our favorite TV shows week after week, season after season? It could be the way some episodes end with a shocking final moment right before fading to black, leaving us in eager anticipation to see the mystery revealed or, at least, what comes next. Let’s take a look back at some of television’s most iconic cliffhangers that had the world buzzing.

The Finale (The Sopranos)

One of the most controversial series finales of all time is the final episode of The Sopranos, “Made in America,” which ends with the titular family meeting at a diner where Tony (James Gandolfini) looks up to see who has entered the restaurant right as it cuts to black. This non-ending, so to speak, launched countless fan theories regarding what happens next — such as, did the patron who entered the restaurant kill Tony? — but creator David Chase has never conceded to provide a concrete explanation.

Hank Discovers Walt Is Heisenberg (Breaking Bad)

The jaw-dropping ending to one of the best episodes of Breaking Bad, Season 5’s “Gliding Over All,” sees Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) using Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Skyler’s (Anna Gunn) restroom, where he comes across a copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass given to Walt by Heisenberg’s one-time partner, Gale Boetticher (David Costabile). The look on the DEA agent’s face, when he realizes the elusive criminal he had been chasing for so long is his own brother-in-law, is priceless, but it would be another year before viewers could see the hunt really begin.

The Mother Of Dragons (Game Of Thrones)

One of the most memorable moments from Game of Thrones occurs in the first season finale, “Fire and Blood,” in which Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) emerges from the embers of a burning pyre, accompanied by three infant fire-breathers. This ends the first season of the prestige drama on a captivating note and marks the beginning of the fan-favorite character’s reign as the Mother of Dragons.

Ross Says Rachel's Name At His Wedding (Friends)

The Friends cast endures a few amusing plot twists in the Season 4 finale — such as the start of Monica and Chandler’s romance — but the biggest surprise occurred at the very end during Ross’ (David Schwimmer) nuptials to Emily (Helen Baxendale). When the officiant asks him to repeat, “Take thee, Emily…” he instead says the name of ex-girlfriend, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), who had initially appeared at the venue last minute wanting to ruin the wedding. This, of course, marks the beginning of the end of his second marriage.

Dale Cooper’s Doppelganger (Twin Peaks)

No cliffhanger from creators David Lynch and Mark Frost’s Twin Peaks perplexed and unsettled audiences like the Season 2 finale, when it is revealed that Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle McLachlan) is still lost in The Black Lodge and has been replaced with an evil look-alike. Just as Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) foretells the real Cooper in the episode, it would be another 25 before fans got to see the story continue in Showtime’s Twin Peaks revival in 2017.

"Resistance Is Futile" (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

One of the most iconic moments in the Star Trek franchise comes from the Season 3 finale of The Next Generation when the U.S.S. Enterprise-D crew discovers Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) has been transformed into a Borg named Locutus. Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) then orders an attack on the enemy's ship before the scene cuts to a caption reading, "To be continued..."

Who Did Negan Kill? (The Walking Dead)

The Season 6 finale of The Walking Dead introduced the most fearsome villain from Robert Kirkman's comic, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who establishes his dominance by choosing one series regular to kill by use of "Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe." Before it fades to black, we see the murder occur from the perspective of the victim, who is revealed to be Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) in the Season 7 premiere, in which Glenn (Steven Yeun) is also fatally bludgeoned by Negan's barbed baseball bat, Lucille.

"We Have To Go Back!" (Lost)

Many believe Season 3's "Through the Looking Glass" is the best episode of Lost, primarily for the way it ends the season. It is revealed that the supposed flashbacks of Jack Shepard (Matthew Fox) off the island were really flash-forwards when he tells Kate (Evangeline Lilly) that they must return to the place they had seemingly escaped at some point.

Dexter Discovers Rita's Body (Dexter)

Many fans agree the best season of Dexter is its fourth, especially for the upsetting way it ends when Michael C. Hall's titular, homicidal anti-hero discovers he did not get rid of his worst enemy, The Trinity Killer (John Lithgow), soon enough. He returns home to find his wife, Rita (Julie Benz), dead in their bathtub and their infant son, Harrison, sitting in a puddle of her blood.

Who Shot J.R.? (Dallas)

When it comes to TV cliffhangers, there is absolutely nothing more iconic than the Season 3 finale of Dallas (one of the top-rated TV shows of its time), which ends with Larry Hagman's double-crossing oil baron, J.R. Ewing, getting shot by an unknown assailant. For the entire summer of 1980, audiences all over the country obsessed over who shot J.R. before it was revealed to be Kristin Shepard (Mary Crosby) in the Season 4 premiere.

The Upside Down Spills Into Hawkins (Stranger Things)

Every season of Stranger Things has ended with a hint at the Hawkins Crew's next adventure, but none has been more epic than Season 4's final moment. The gang realizes that their war against Vecna is far from over as the cold, dusty world of the Upside Down begins to mend with their dimension.

Addison Is Introduced (Grey's Anatomy)

In its first year, one of the most appealing elements of Grey's Anatomy was Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek's (Patrick Dempsey) blossoming romance, which was derailed by an amusing reveal in the season finale. Meredith discovers that she is McDreamy's mistress when she meets his wife, Addison (Kate Walsh).

Buffy Sacrifices Herself (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

The title of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Season 5 finale (and 100th episode overall), "The Gift," refers to the titular hero (Sarah Michelle Gellar) giving her life to save Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) and the world by jumping into a portal and stopping a release of demons. The final shot of her tombstone left fans heartbroken until the Season 6 announcement convinced them that they had not seen the last of the Slayer after all.

"Who's Been Hit?" (The West Wing)

The first season of Aaron Sorkin's hit political drama ended with a shocking assassination attempt, leaving viewers in the dark over who from the West Wing cast may have succumbed to the violence. The Season 2 premiere revealed that President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) and Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) were shot but, thankfully, both survived.

Rachel's Pregnancy Is Revealed (Friends)

The most shocking Friends cliffhangers seem to happen in season-ending wedding episodes, like in "The One with Monica and Chandler's Wedding," during which Pheobe (Lisa Kudrow) assumes the bride (Courteney Cox) is pregnant after finding a pregnancy test in her apartment. However, after Monica assures Chandler (Matthew Perry) that she is not with the child, a final close-up of a visibly concerned Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) hints she is the expectant mother.

Marissa Shoots Trey (The O.C.)

The second season of The O.C. ends with Marissa (Mischa Barton) shooting Trey (Logan Marshall-Green) to prevent him from killing his brother, Ryan (Ben McKenzie), after he confronts him about trying to take advantage of Marissa. The buzzed-about cliffhanger served as the inspiration for a hilarious SNL Digital Short that especially took aim at the scenes use of Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek."

Jim And Pam’s First Kiss (The Office)

One of the most epic moments in Jim and Pam's relationship timeline on The Office takes place in the Season 2 ender "Casino Night." We would have to wait until Season 3 to learn the aftermath of Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fisher) sharing a kiss after he reveals his true feelings for her.

Blowing Open The Hatch (Lost)

The mysteries surrounding the island from Lost only got more intriguing by the end of its first season when Locke (Terry O'Quinn), Jack, Kate, and Hurley (Jorge Garcia) finally got the hatch open with a bundle of dynamite. However, Hurley tried to stop the explosion after noticing his unlucky lottery numbers etched on the side of the hatch, suggesting that only more trouble might be brewing underneath.

Sherlock Jumps From A Building (Sherlock)

In the second season finale of the modern reimagining of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous character, Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes' (Benedict Cumberbatch) rivalry with Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott) comes to a head when the foe takes his own life and the detective seemingly does the same by jumping from the roof where their showdown took place. Of course, as the final shot of the episode confirms, the reports of Sherlock's death are greatly exaggerated, but how he survived the fall is not revealed for another year and and half.

Who Shot Mr. Burns? (The Simpsons)

The Simpsons (one of the all-time greatest animated TV shows) would take aim at Dallas' most iconic cliffhanger when the sixth season finale ended with Mr. Burns (Harry Shearer) getting shot by an unknown assailant. After a summer break, the following episode revealed that Homer and Marge's infant daughter, Maggie, was the culprit, and may have done it intentionally.

The Abrupt Finale (Pushing Daisies)

A cliffhanger that never received a proper resolution was at the Season 2 finale of Pushing Daisies, which sees Ned (Lee Pace) and Chuck (Anna Friel) show up at her aunt's doorstep to reveal she is alive. After ABC canceled the fantasy dramedy after two seasons, showrunner Bryan Fuller was forced to add a brief epilogue to provide some closure to the characters' arc, but it still left fans unsatisfied.

Rory Reveals She Is Pregnant (Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life)

In 2016, Netflix revived Gilmore Girls for a four-episode limited series event called Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, which follows the further experiences of Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and her daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel), over the course of four eventful seasons. The final line of the final episode comes from Rory, confessing to her mother that she is having a baby.

The Death Of Jon Snow (Game Of Thrones)

Out of all the many deaths on Game of Thrones, one of the most shocking and devastating comes at the end of the Season 5 finale when Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) is assassinated by his own men. However, Fans would be delighted to see him resurrected the following season.

Jesse Shoots Gale (Breaking Bad)

One of the most mind-blowing Breaking Bad moments occurs at the end of Season 3 when a doomed Walt (Bryan Cranston) tricks Mike (Jonathan Banks) into letting him call Jesse (Aaron Paul), alerting him to kill Walt's intended replacement, Gale. While the act would save Walt's life, this was the first time the young man had ever killed someone and it would haunt him for a long time.

Helly Tells The Truth (Severance)

The Apple TV+ original TV show Severance takes place at a tech company that surgically separates its employees' personal memories from their memories at the office. In the Season 1 finale, Helly (Britt Lower), after discovering she is the daughter of Lumon's CEO, decides to reveal the miserable truth behind this process at a business gala at the same time Mark (Adam Scott) discovers that his supposed dead wife is the company's wellness counselor, Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman). Just then, they reverted back to their "innie" form before the episode cuts to black.

Kima Greggs Gets Shot (The Wire)

In the final moment from the 10th episode of The Wire's first season, a bust gone wrong results in Kima Greggs (Sonja Sohn) getting shot. That would have been the end of the character who was meant to have a smaller role had HBO executive Carolyn Strauss not convinced creator David Simon to keep her around longer.

Zoey Gets Kidnapped (The West Wing)

In the penultimate episode of The West Wing's fourth season, it is discovered that First Daughter Zoey Bartlet (Elisabeth Moss) went missing at her graduation party. The season ended with Zoey still missing and President Bartlett stepping aside temporarily. The event echoes a premonition from the first season in which President Bartlet tells his daughter that no crisis would be worse than her kidnapping.

Mulder Vanishes From The Boxcar (The X-Files)

In the Season 2 finale of The X-Files, "Anasazi," Mulder (David Duchovny) finds a box car buried under a quarry full of alien bodies with smallpox vaccine scars, which he discovers right as the roof hatch is closed. When the Smoking Man arrives, he discovers Mulder is somehow gone and then orders for the boxcar to be destroyed, leaving fans wondering if and how the FBI agent managed to get away safely.

Logan's True Intentions Are Revealed (24)

As a series told in real-time, just about every episode of 24 ended with some sort of a cliffhanger, and one of the best comes at the end of the 16th episode of Season 5. A phone call with Christopher Henderson (Peter Weller) reveals that President Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin) was the true orchestrator between the deaths of David Palmer and Michelle Dessler.

Who Shot Agent Cooper? (Twin Peaks)

At the very end of the first season of Twin Peaks, Special Agent Dale Cooper returns to his room at the Great Northern Hotel and, after answering a knock at the door, is shot by an unknown shooter. Thankfully, he survives and it is later revealed that the assailant was Josie Packard (Joan Chen).

Junior Shoots Tony (The Sopranos)

The Season 6 premiere of The Sopranos ends with Tony (James Gandolfini) being shot by his own uncle, Junior (Dominic Chianese), who mistook him for a long-dead mobster who robbed him years earlier. Tony struggles to call 911 but, as soon as he gets ahold of them, he passes out before the screen fades to black.

Miguel’s School Fight Injury (Cobra Kai)

In the Season 2 finale for Cobra Kai, a fight breaks out between several rival high school students from the rival dojos but ends when Miguel (Xolo Maridueña) is kicked by Robby (Tanner Buchanan) over a balcony and lands on a stairway guardrail. It would be revealed later that the injury left him paralyzed but, luckily, only for a few episodes of Season 3.

When it comes to TV shows, character deaths are relatively common, as plenty of shows have axed main or supporting players throughout their runs. Feelings over such casualties can vary, with some eliciting waves of tears and others causing people to celebrate. What we’re going to discuss here are the fictional fatalities that fall into that first category. So break out the tissues as we discuss the notable demises that still break our hearts.

Joyce Summers (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

To say that Buffy the Vampire Slayer features its fair share of brutal and otherworldly deaths would be an understatement. Yet it’s the natural passing of Buffy’s mom, Joyce Summers, that arguably still hurts fans the most today. The matriarch dies in Season 5 due to a brain aneurysm, and her body is ultimately found by her daughter. Joyce’s death shakes Buffy and her friends to their cores, but it also prompts them to grow up and take a greater step towards adulthood.

Nate Fisher (Six Feet Under)

Mortality is a major theme of Six Feet Under and, while every main character’s demise is chronicled by the end of the show, one that really sticks out is the passing of lead character Nate Fisher. Diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation, Nate dies of a brain hemorrhage in a hospital with his brother, David, by his side. While Nate’s death prompts his family to cope with their grief and ultimately move forward with their lives amid the series’ final episodes, it’s a gut-wrenching development nonetheless.

Glenn Rhee (The Walking Dead)

The Walking Dead’s heartbreaking deaths are all painful in some way or another, but few can hold a candle to the moment Glenn Rhee is killed off. In Season 7, the thoughtful young man dies at the hands of the Saviors’ leader, Negan, who beats him to death with his barbed wire baseball bat, Lucille. Glenn’s death itself is sad, but it’s even more unfortunate considering that he leaves behind his wife, Maggie, and their unborn child.

Prue Halliwell (Charmed)

Drama between Charmed cast members Alyssa Milano and Shannen Doherty is said to be a contributing factor to the death of the latter actress’ character, Prue Halliwell. At the end of Season 3, Prue is murdered by a demon named Shax. In addition to marking the end of the character, this event also serves as a turning point for the remaining Halliwell sisters.

Hank Schrader (Breaking Bad)

Special Agent Hank Schrader is one of the best Breaking Bad characters and arguably has one of the most distressing deaths in the franchise’s history. Following a shootout, Hank is killed by neo-Nazi leader Jack Welker in the acclaimed episode “Ozymandias.” Schraeder’s drug-dealing brother-in-law, Walter White, witnesses the event and is left distraught. The loss of Hank is tremendous, and the only point of comfort is that Walt later avenges him by killing Jack.

Bill McNeal (NewsRadio)

The passing of comedian Phil Hartman in 1998 is what prompted the producers of the hit NBC sitcom NewsRadio to kill off his character, Bill McNeal, ahead of the fifth and final season. It’s explained in the premiere that Bill died (off-screen) from a heart attack, and his co-workers mourn him heavily. The episode is an emotional tribute to the character and the work of the great Hartman.

Dr. Mark Greene (ER)

One of the key storylines from ER Season 8 involves Dr. Mark Greene dealing with a serious brain cancer diagnosis. His health sadly declines as the season goes on and, in the penultimate episode, Greene dies. The situation is truly bittersweet as, before he passes on Greene, he’s able to spend time with his wife, Elizabeth, and daughters, Rachel and Ella.

Ned Stark (Game Of Thrones)

Game of Thrones killed off Eddard “Ned” Stark in truly Shakespearean fashion. Joffrey Baratheon goads Stark into admitting to “treason” in order to save his children’s lives and his own. Stark eventually makes that declaration during a public hearing, though Joffrey orders him to be killed anyway, in what’s truly a devastating turn of events.

Caitlin Todd (NCIS)

Caitlin Todd’s death at the tail end of NCIS Season 2 might be one of the most tragic moments in the history of TV. The character is murdered via a sniper attack by Mossad double-agent Ari Haswari, who later reveals that he only did it to hurt Todd’s colleague, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Caitlin’s demise is only made worse by the fact that her final words are “Wow, I thought I'd die before I ever heard a complim…”

Mark Sloan (Grey's Anatomy)

Mark Sloan’s death can be attributed to injuries sustained during a plane crash in Grey’s Anatomy’s eighth season finale. Mark is taken off life support in the Season 9 premiere after being in a coma. And that tragic event only adds to the sadness that his co-workers feel after Sloan’s lover, Lexie Grey, succumbed to injuries from the crash in the Season 8 finale.

Adriana La Cerva (The Sopranos)

It’s honestly hard to feel sympathy for a lot of the characters on The Sopranos, but Adriana La Cerva deserves some. La Cerva, who’s aware of fiancée Christopher Moltisanti’s mob dealings, eventually becomes a mole for the feds after being busted for drug possession. After she tells Chris about this and tries to convince him to disappear with her, he tells his uncle, Tony Soprano, who has Adriana killed.

Jonathan Kent (Smallville)

DC Comics fans surely know that there are many continuities in which Clark Kent’s adopted father, Jonathan Kent, dies. However, that doesn’t make seeing him die from a heart attack – while surrounded by Clark and Martha Kent – in the 100th episode of Smallville any easier.

Mrs. Dolores Landingham (The West Wing)

A character as endearing as The West Wing’s Mrs. Dolores Landingham doesn’t deserve to die at all. With that, many would surely agree that she didn’t deserve to be killed by a drunk driver near the end of Season 2. Landingham’s death still marks one of the most shocking moments in TV history.

Charlie Pace (Lost)

Of the various deaths that occurred on Lost, Charlie Pace’s passing still arguably hurts more than others. The fan-favorite character was killed off during the events of the third season’s finale. It’s in that installment that Charlie is doomed to drown after Mikhail Bakunin blows a hole in the underwater Looking Glass Station, though he dies a hero due to the fact that he saves some of his comrades.

Chet Hunter (Boy Meets World)

The father of Shawn and Jack Hunter, Chet died suddenly during Boy Meets World’s sixth season after suffering from two heart attacks. While the patriarch passes on before being able to formally reconcile with Shawn, the two do so when the younger Hunter later encounters his father’s ghost.

Mr. Hooper (Sesame Street)

Many members of Generation X surely remember one of the most emotional moments in Sesame Street’s illustrious history – the death of Will Lee’s Mr. Hooper, which occurred after Lee himself passed on in 1982. The episode that tackles Hooper’s passing is a truly emotional episode that sees the members of the community paying tribute to the late store proprietor. The installment also remains a groundbreaking piece of work for its exploration of death and grief in a children’s show.

Wallace (The Wire)

16-year-old Wallace possesses one of the most heartbreaking storylines ever presented by The Wire. During the first season, the young drug dealer finds himself in a tough spot after he chooses to cooperate with authorities and provide information on the local drug trade. Ahead of a trial, Wallace is found and killed by former associates, and the sight of the teen begging for his life before the trigger is pulled is still affecting.

Mike Ehrmantraut (Breaking Bad)

The wise and stoic Mike Ehrmantraut is murdered by Walter White, following an argument, amid the final season of Breaking Bad. After being shot by Walt, Mike sits by a riverbank, where he finally passes on. Ehrmantraut’s demise is made sadder due to the fact that Walt and his associate, Todd, later dissolve his body using acid.

Tara Maclay (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

It’s during the sixth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that Tara Maclay is sadly killed by a stray bullet to the heart. Tara’s passing ultimately plunges her girlfriend, Willow Rosenberg, into grief and pushes her towards her darker magical impulses. Willow’s rage is intense – but arguably not as explosive as the fan responses to Tara’s passing were at the time.

Henry Blake (MASH)

As humorous as MASH is, it also features some legitimately heartbreaking moments, and the death of Henry Blake at the end of Season 3 is certainly one of them. Blake is set to be discharged from military service and sent home. But, shockingly, it’s revealed at the end of “Abyssinia, Henry” that Blake’s plane has been shot down over the Sea of Japan and there are no survivors. At the time, this was a shock to viewers and to the actors involved in the scene, as it was a last-minute addition.

James Evans (Good Times)

Those who avidly watched sitcoms during the ‘70s can probably remember the night Good Times killed off family patriarch James Evans Sr. James dies off-screen at the start of Season 4, with his family receiving word of his death from a car accident in Mississippi via a telegram. In the years since that development occurred, fans have argued that James’ death marked a serious shift in quality for the Norman Lear-produced show.

Lawrence Kutner (House)

A TV character death that still hits incredibly hard is that of Lawrence Kutner, who is killed off after two seasons of House. Kutner dies by suicide, in what is an absolutely earth-shattering turn of events. What really makes this development so heartbreaking is that the exact reasons for Kutner’s decision to shoot himself are never made clear.

Edith Bunker (Archie Bunker’s Place)

Edith Bunker, one of the most iconic characters in TV history, dies in her sleep from a stroke in between the first and second seasons of All in the Family spinoff Archie Bunker’s Place. The mere notion of such a lovable character like Edith dying is sad enough, but watching her usually. boisterous husband, Archie, come to terms with her passing really tugs at the heartstrings.

Margaery Tyrell (Game Of Thrones)

Like so many Game of Thrones characters before her, Margaery Tyrell meets a brutal end. Tyrell’s death is due to the machinations of Cersei Lannister, who arranges for the Sept by Qyburn to be burned – with Margaery and many more inside of it.

Ben Sullivan (Scrubs)

Ben Sullivan doesn’t appear in many episodes of Scrubs, but he manages to leave a serious impression through his kindness and very mellow demeanor. So it’s understandable why his eventual death from leukemia is so affecting.

Poussey Washington (Orange Is The New Black)

Orange is the New Black sadly kills off Poussey Washington by having her unintentionally die by suffocation at the hands of Baxter Bayley. Her passing has a profound impact on the other residents at Litchfield Penitentiary. And, while her absence is felt as the show progresses, she at least returns via occasional flashbacks.

Anastasia "Dee" Dualla (Battlestar Galactica)

On the list of Battlestar Galactica’s most shocking deaths is that of Anastasia “Dee” Dualla, Dee dies by suicide by shooting herself in the head – a move that’s slightly prompted by her depression over seeing how ravaged Earth (now a nuclear wasteland) is. And, if that’s not sad enough, the final motivating factor in Dee’s suicide is her reconciliation with estranged husband Lee Adoma, which happens moments before she shoots herself. Dee ultimately wants to hold on to one final moment of happiness, so she ends her life.

Fred Andrews (Riverdale)

Beloved Riverdale character Fred Andrews dies as the result of a hit-and-run incident, leaving his son, Archie, and just about everyone in their eponymous town saddened. His sendoff episode is truly beautiful, as it not only honors Fred but also his portrayer, Luke Perry, whose death necessitated Andrews’ passing.

Lincoln Campbell (Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

At the end of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Season 3, the titular team is forced to say goodbye to another one of its own – Lincoln Campbell. The young Inhuman sacrifices himself by flying the villainous Hive and a nuclear warhead into space, where they can detonate. While Lincoln’s death hits hard, he goes out like a true hero. 

Teri Bauer (24)

A number of people meet their maker over the course of 24’s nine-season run, and one of the major characters to die early on is Teri Bauer. She loses her life to corrupt CTU operative Nina Meyers, as Nina shoots (the pregnant) Teri to cover her own tracks. Even now, it’s tough to shake the image of Jack Bauer cradling his wife’s body.

J.T. Yorke (Degrassi: The Next Generation)

Degrassi: The Next Generation fans are probably still shaken by the moment that beloved character J.T. Yorke was stabbed to death by Drake Lempkey. J.T.’s passing serves as a “loss-of-innocence” moment for his friends, who continue to cherish his memory. 

Howard Hamlin (Better Call Saul)

If any TV character has ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time, it’s Better Call Saul’s Howard Hamlin. The occasionally smug – but mostly well-meaning – lawyer is savagely killed by drug dealer Lalo Salamanca at Jimmy McGill and Kim Wexler’s apartment. What’s sadly ironic is that Howard goes there to tell off Jimmy and Kim for secretly sabotaging him and is merely killed by Lalo to keep his issues with Wexler and McGill quiet.

Some TV shows stumble their way to the finish line, such as these series that went on way too long. But others end the race cruising to victory, with final seasons and series finales that satisfyingly wrap up the journey their characters were on over the years. From classic comedies like Cheers to acclaimed dramas like The Americans to sci-fi standouts like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, here are TV 32 shows that absolutely nailed their farewells. (WARNING! Obviously there are spoilers ahead!)

Succession

Succession creator Jesse Armstrong could have milked all of that Shakespearean family drama for one or two more seasons but smartly decided to end the hit HBO drama after four seasons because "this was simply how this story had to go," Armstrong told Vulture. And it ended in brutally brilliant fashion, with outsider Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen) sniveling his way to the top of Waystar Royco over Roy siblings Connor (Alan Ruck), Kendall (Jeremy Armstrong), Roman (Kieran Culkin) and Shiv (Sarah Snook). 

Breaking Bad

It was inevitable: after five seasons of greed and ruthlessness, chemistry teacher-turned-meth cooker Walter White (Bryan Cranston) had to die. But what a way to go, with an explosive, critically acclaimed final run — both halves of season five won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2013 and 2014 — that not only offered up some of the drama's greatest episodes ("Ozymandias" is one for the history books) but cemented the TV series as one of the best ever.

Newhart

Nowadays, the "it was all a dream" twist has become a cliché but when the CBS sitcom Newhart pulled that very move back in 1990, it cemented itself as one of the most memorable moments in pop culture history. In the final minutes of the comedy's series finale, lead character Dick Loudon (Bob Newhart) woke up after getting knocked out by a golf ball in Vermont — the surprise was that he was now in a Chicago bedroom as Bob Hartley, his famous The Bob Newhart Show character, with TV wife Emily (special guest Suzanne Pleshette) by his side.

Mad Men

Fitting for an iconic and complicated character like Don Draper (Jon Hamm) — and finally earning the actor that much-deserved Emmy for Best Actor — Mad Men left viewers with quite an ambiguous conclusion when it ended in 2015 after seven seasons. The existential finale saw the advertising executive searching for inner peace at a meditation retreat, or was he really just tapping into some Zen as inspiration for that famous Coca-Cola advert? We'll never know!

The Leftovers

Grounded by a standout performance by Carrie Coon as Nora Durst, the conclusion of HBO's The Leftovers was ambiguous yet sentimental, a gratifying and thematically fitting send-off for the complex drama. Following Nora in her decision to enter a radioactive machine that could reunite her with her husband and children who vanished in the "Sudden Departure," the series finale didn't so much answer all of our questions about all the ones who left — we still don't entirely understand the quantum mechanics of it all — as it did give hope to the ones left behind. 

30 Rock

The seventh and final season of 30 Rock said goodbye to Liz (Tina Fey), Jack (Alec Baldwin), Tracy (Tracy Morgan), Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) and Jenna (Jane Krakowski) in equal parts hilarious and heartfelt fashion, with all of the nostalgic callbacks, witty one-liners and delightful absurdism that fans have come to know and love from the NBC sitcom. The series finale also movingly said farewell to the real-life behind-the-scenes folks from 30 Rock by casting them as the TGS crew. 

Parks And Recreation

Co-written by lead Amy Poehler, the series finale of Parks and Recreation warmly said goodbye to both beloved characters and the city of Pawnee. The sweet two-parter took place mostly in the future, with happy endings for all: Garry (Jim O'Heir) being elected mayor (with Christie Brinkley as his wife, no less); Andy (Chris Pratt) and April (Aubrey Plaza) becoming parents; Ron (Nick Offerman) taking over as superintendent of the Pawnee National Park; and Leslie (Poehler) continuing her life of political service...potentially all the way to the White House?

Fringe

The final episode of the Fox sci-fi drama Fringe was a bittersweet one for Olivia (Anna Torv), Peter (Joshua Jackson) and Walter (John Noble). The fifth season had jumped far into the dystopian future overtaken by the Observers. Walter sacrificed himself and took Michael (Rowan Longworth) into a wormhole even farther into the future to stop the Observer invasion from ever happening in the first place. In the process, the story reset back to 2015, where Walter sadly no longer existed, but through time-travel magic, he still managed to send his son a drawing of a white tulip.

Justified

The story of Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) continued with the sequel series Justified: City Primeval, but the end of its predecessor Justified was a more than satisfactory closing chapter in and of itself, especially in wrapping up Raylan's rivalry with friend-turned-foe Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins). The Harlan County criminal was an endlessly quotable character across all six seasons of the FX drama, but his final words — “We dug coal together" — prove he saved the best line for last.

The Shield

One of the most gripping crime dramas of the 2000s, The Shield lived up to its own reputation with its bold finish, which saw Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) trying so hard to stay out of prison that he got a fate worse than incarceration: with blood on his hands, his family running from him, and him banished to a desk job. With police sirens blaring in the distance, Vic grabbed the gun from his desk drawer and left the ICE building. Where he went, we'll never know, but it surely can't be good. 

Cheers

It can be hard to leave those special places where everybody knows your name, but if you have to, at least take "One for the Road." Such is the title of Cheers' standout series finale, which poured one out for all of our beloved barflies: Woody (Woody Harrelson) was elected Boston councilman; Norm (George Wendt) finally got his coveted city job; Cliff (John Ratzenberger) was promoted at the Post Office; and Sam (Ted Danson) chose between reconciliation with the one who got away, Diane (Shelley Long), and the real love of his life, the bar itself. 

MASH

It's the most-watched finale of all time for a reason: seen by a TV audience of 121.6 million, the 1983 end of MASH beautifully brought closure to the dysfunctional members of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. With the Korean War coming to a close, the camp had to go their separate ways, but no departure tugged at our hearts quite like the one between Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and B.J. (Mike Farrell), which saw the former leave on a helicopter only to spot the latter's parting message: the word "GOODBYE" spelled out with rocks on the ground below.

The Sopranos

One of the most polarizing TV finales of all time was also one of the most powerful. That shocking The Sopranos ending was a masterclass in embracing ambiguity and racking up tension, with Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) seemingly enjoying a simple diner meal and some Journey tunes with his wife (Edie Falco) and son (Robert Iler) while keeping an eye on every patron entering the establishment. As the diner door opened and the bell rang, Tony looked up — and the screen cut to black. Was it Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), who finally found a parking spot? Or was it someone far more nefarious? Frustratingly and fantastically, we will never know. 

Six Feet Under

It seems so obvious now to end a series about a family that owns a funeral home by fast-forwarding into the future to see how each character dies, but the laying to rest of the HBO drama Six Feet Under felt clever and emotional when it aired back in 2005. An episode of television dominated by death doesn't sound all that cheerful, but getting to see the Fishers years down the line — particularly Claire (Lauren Ambrose), the last one standing at 102 — felt as right and cyclical as life itself. 

Friday Night Lights

"Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose." Such was the motto of football coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) and the showrunners of Friday Night Lights took it to heart when it came to graduating the high school-set drama series. Despite the gleam of game glory blurring his vision — the East Dillon Lions happily won that tense match-up against the Dillon Panthers — Coach Taylor clearly saw that it was only right for him to leave Texas behind by the series' end, moving to Philadelphia to support his beloved wife Tami (Connie Britton) and her new job as dean of admissions at Braemore College. Couple's goals, much?

The Wire

One of the best episodes of The Wire is its last, which managed to wrap everything up while also leaving things intriguingly open. It showed that Baltimore and all of its complexities would continue long after the credits roll. Things could change — Carcetti (Aidan Gillen) could become governor, Templeton (Tom McCarthy) could win a Pulitzer, Michael (Tristan Wilds) could become the new Omar, McNulty (Dominic West) could leave the police department — but, devastatingly, many things would always stay the same. 

The West Wing

The end of The West Wing was the end of an era — literally, as the seventh and final season chronicled the last weeks of President Jed Bartlet's (Martin Sheen) administration. The series finale was a heartfelt farewell to the former POTUS as well as all of the government employees and officials in his orbit, including C.J. (Allison Janney), Leo (John Spencer), Josh (Bradley Whitford) and Donna (Janel Moloney). But it didn't languish in nostalgia: "What are you thinking about?" Stockard Channing's Abbey asked Jed at the show's end. "Tomorrow," he replied. 

ER

The medical drama came full circle for its grand finale, which echoed its premiere episode 15 years prior by taking place over the course of 24 hours in the emergency room of Cook County General Hospital. The cases are dramatic and dizzyingly varied, from emergency cesarean sections to terminal cancer diagnoses to triage patients from an industrial explosion. As the theme music played, the camera pulled out for ER's final, effective shot: the entire exterior of the hospital, seen for the first and only time in the show's history, with all of that curative frenzy happening within. 

Battlestar Galactica

After years spent traversing the stars and avoiding being blown to smithereens by enemy Cylons, the Battlestar Galactica crew and the last remaining humans finally made it to Earth — well, the Earth of the distant past — at the end of the Sci-Fi Channel series. That primitive planet eventually evolves into modern-day civilization and the epilogue picks up 150,000 years in the future, where half-human, half-Cylon Hera has been announced as a "Mitochondrial Eve," the progenitor of modern-day humanity. Leaving us with Jimi Hendrix's warning cry "All Along the Watchtower," the finale chillingly questioned whether humans are doomed to repeat themselves. 

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

There's a lot of pressure with being the "Chosen One," as Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) no doubt learned through seven seasons of the iconic fantasy series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But after 140-plus episodes of single-handedly saving Sunnydale and suffering greatly in the process, Buffy recognizes that she doesn't have to do it all alone. In the series finale, the Hellmouth crumbles and Sunnydale is destroyed but Buffy has the Scooby Gang and a new crop of Slayers by her side, and a whole future ahead of her.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

"We kept putting off writing that last show," said executive producer Allan Burns as he accepted The Mary Tyler Moore Show's Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1977. "I think it said what we wanted it to say. It was poignant." Poignant, yes, but also plenty funny, with Mary (TV icon Mary Tyler Moore), Lou (Edward Asner), Murray (Gavin MacLeod) and Sue Ann (Betty White) ultimately getting fired from WJM-TV. From that group shuffle to the tissue box to the swan song of "It's a Long Way to Tipperary," the finale had us laughing and crying in equal turns.  

The Americans

With a high-stakes show like The Americans, it seemed only inevitable for Russian spies Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys) to be exposed and have to flee the United States for Mother Russia. Despite that eventuality, the FX drama still managed to end on a tensely unexpected and devastating note, with both their American-born children Paige staying behind. That shot of Paige (Holly Taylor) standing on the platform as Philip and Elizabeth's train pulled away will haunt us for years to come.

Parenthood

Over six seasons, Parenthood fans came to love the Braverman clan like their own family, which made it all the harder to say goodbye when the show ended in 2015. But even though the series finale was a tearjerking one, with patriarch Zeek (Craig T. Nelson) dying peacefully in his sleep, a hopeful time-jump showed that all would be well with the Bravermans, with weddings, pregnancies, graduations, vacations and puppies at Christmas all happily in their futures. 

Better Call Saul

It's hard enough to make a great spin-off of an already great show. But to end that spin-off with as much acclaim as its predecessor is a whole other thing entirely. Better Call Saul, part of the Breaking Bad universe, did just that with its sixth season, which saw Jimmy McGill-turned-Saul Goodman-turned-Gene Takavic (Bob Odenkirk) finally facing the consequences of his choices. However, as co-creator Peter Gould told AMC, Saul's end can actually be seen as hopeful: "In spite of the fact that he's in prison, which is terrible, Jimmy is Jimmy again. He's recovered his soul."

The Good Place

Though diehards of The Good Place would have wanted to spend eternity with all of its beloved characters, the NBC afterlife comedy did come to an end in 2020 after four seasons and 53 episodes. But it did so with a characteristically funny and cathartic conclusion, which saw Eleanor (Kristen Bell), Chidi (William Jackson Harper) and Jason (Manny Jacinto) ready to step through the door and move on from the Good Place, and Michael (Ted Danson) made human and allowed to live out a normal life down on Earth. 

Angel

Trying to save the world from evil forces is a nearly impossible but always worthwhile task, as the Angel series finale "Not Fade Away" powerfully showed. After a season of loss, including the deaths of both Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) and Fred (Amy Acker), it would have been very easy for Angel (David Boreanaz) and the rest of the Angel Investigations team to wallow in their grief and raise a white flag. But, even knowing that it would likely end in their own demise, Angel, Spike (James Marsters), Gunn (J August Richards) and Illyria (Acker) chose to go into battle against the supernatural baddies and fight for good.

Friends

What Friends got so right in its tenth and final season was showing how transient of a town New York City is, especially when you grow from those lively twentysomething years to your more settled thirties. "The Last One" saw Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) adopt twins and move out of that famously purple-walled West Village apartment for the suburbs. After Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and the recently reunited Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Ross (David Schwimmer) returned their keys, Chandler landed one final hilarious quote before they went — where else? — to Central Perk one last time.

The Office

Sure, there's an argument to be made that The Office should have ended after Steve Carrell's Michael Scott left Dunder Mifflin Paper Company and Scranton, PA, at the end of season seven. But though the show was shaky in the years following that character's exit, if it had ended years earlier, fans wouldn't have gotten that sentimental happy ending, with Michael pulling off the perfect surprise at the wedding of Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) and Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey) to serve as best man and drop the final "That's what she said." 

Star Trek: The Next Generation

All good things must come to an end, and that includes the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D. In the farewell to sci-fi favorite Star Trek: The Next Generation, Captain Jean-Luc Picard mentally jumps around in time: from the present, then back to the ship's first mission seven years ago and then 25 years into the future. In each era, Picard makes it so that the Enterprise stops a temporal anomaly, which destroys the ship but saves humanity. It all ends up being a test from Q (John de Lancie) but Picard passes, and in the present, he finally joins the crew's poker game.

Fleabag

After the brilliance of Fleabag's first season, it seemed impossible that Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Co. could match the sharp wit and gut-punching emotion with a season 2 of the BBC One dramedy. But PWB managed to prove every naysayer wrong with that devastatingly romantic and electrifyingly funny second — and, judging by that fourth-wall-breaking final scene, last — season, which famously saw our nameless heroine meet and fall for a "quite hot" priest, played by Andrew Scott. 

Veep

The end of Veep, one of the most consistently hilarious shows in all of television, saw Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) get everything that she always wanted: namely, the Oval Office. Yes, the seemingly perpetual Vice President became POTUS by the series finale, a ruthless political rise that saw her betray those closest to her, especially her loyal aide Gary (Tony Hale). But Selina gets a viciously hilarious comeuppance when, 24 years in the future, coverage of her funeral is interrupted by the breaking news that American icon and "Philadelphia 2 star" Tom Hanks has died. 

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The epic four-part finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender not only gave every major character their chance to shine but also cemented it as one of the best-animated shows of the 21st century. In his spectacular final face-off against Ozai, Aang stays dedicated to pacifism and decides not to kill Fire Lord Ozai, instead using energy bending to remove his firepower as punishment for his crimes. In doing so, the final installments offer up a philosophical exercise that's far more mature and sophisticated than anyone would expect from a "kiddie" show. 

The Sopranos is one of the defining TV shows of the past two decades, which is saying a lot. And David Chase's acclaimed mob drama, which turned 25 this year. still captivates audiences via its examination of mafia life in the 20th and 21st century. Family man and mobster Tony Soprano became an endearing character to audiences through his relationships with those around him and even through his highly questionable actions. As much as the show has been praised, it would seem that it's not entirely airtight in its depiction of the mafia, as Chase revealed one major inaccuracy with the series

Since the show completed its six-season run in 2007, David Chase has occasionally spoken about it, sharing behind-the-scenes details that provide insight into his team's creative choices. It was during a roundtable discussion for the show’s 25th anniversary with Empire (via Screen Rant) that Chase revealed one important way in which the show differs from actual mob life, and it involves the violence on the show:

Honestly, nine deaths out of thirteen hour-long episodes season isn’t that bad, considering how many deaths occur in mob movies that run two hours or more. An element that helped make the show so great and allowed it to stand the test of time is the sheer amount of character deaths. (And a number of fans still aren't over some of them.) The Many Saints of Newark producer does bring up an interesting point. But whether or not the carnage was true to life probably matters little, given audiences have been entertained and probably don't think about just how realistic the amount of killing is.

Of course, David Chase was definitely right in saying that not everyone made it out alive, as many major characters met gruesome demises. One of the most iconic Sopranos episodes involved the murder of beloved character Adriana La Cerva. I won't discuss additional major deaths, in case there are readers who still haven't checked out the show. But what I will say is that if you watch, don't be surprised if some of the killing remain in your mind for a while.

Near killings that weren’t part of Tony’s crew -- but were still important to episodes -- remain important as well. One such example is the case of the Russian commando that Paulie and Christopher may or may not have killed in the famous episode "Pine Barrens." Of course, there's also the ominous fate of James Gandolfini's Tony, which has been widely debated since the series finale aired all those years ago. But, overall, the unpredictability of the show is partially what makes it so compelling and, if that means that the body count had to be exaggerated by David Chase and co., then this fan is fine with that inaccuracy.  

Whether you've seen the show in its entirety or want to take a drive with Tony down the New Jersey turnpike for the first time, you can check out the Sopranos cast's work by streaming the show with a Max subscription. You can also check out the 2024 TV schedule for news on newer drama series.

The Sopranos is an acclaimed HBO series, one that was truly a cultural sensation during its original run. New audiences are able to binge watch the series with a Max subscription, which is exactly how I recently flew through the mob dramedy. As a New Jersey native, I couldn't get enough of James Gandolfini's show, especially as it was shot in the area where I live. And while I love the series, I have my own issues with The Sopranos' controversial finale. And my qualms go beyond that sudden cut to black.

It's hard for any show to nail its series finale, mostly because you're going to end up inevitably disappointing someone. Long before the Game of Thrones finale broke the internet, fans took umbrage with how Tony's fate was left up in the air. While the cut to black was indeed a frustrating aspect of my watching the finale, I had other problems with the show's ending that bothered me more.

To start, the finale itself felt like a nothing burger. While The Sopranos' penultimate episode was thrilling and saw multiple leaders in Tony's crew get whacked by the New York mob, the finale felt like a regular episode of the series. And that's a big reason why I felt it was disappointing.

Perhaps my biggest issue with how The Sopranos ended was how the story Jennifer Melfi and Tony's theraputic relationship was wrapped up. The pair worked together for years and years, in fact Tony going into therapy is basically the main concept of the series. So seeing her drop him as a client after reading one study and having an awkward dinner party felt like a rushed narrative choice. 

For her part, actress Lorraine Bracco had similar feelings about how her story wrapped up as Melfi. While appearing on the Talking Sopranos podcast back in 2021, she got honest about Melfi and Tony's breakup, saying:

Well, at least she's on my side. Melfi was one of my favorite characters on The Sopranos, and I always looked forward to her scenes with Tony during sessions. So her suddenly dropping the Mob boss after all those years definitely felt strange.

Another way that The Sopranos failed to give me proper closure is regarding the fate of Steven Van Zandt's Sil. While he was shot when Tony's crew was whacked, he didn't die right away. We last saw him in the hospital, but his final fate wasn't officially revealed in the finale. 

Then there's that infamous cut to black, which is really why The Sopranos finale is considered so disappointing. But obviously I saw this coming, so it didn't bother me as much as the aforementioned issues. And yes, I do think that Tony was whacked in that final scene. 

As previously mentioned, The Sopranos is streaming in its entirety on Max. Check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.

They say mama knows best, but television has shown us time and time again that isn't always the case. Whether it's a show as sinister as Sons of Anarchy or one as innocent as Modern Family, there's no shortage of moms who don't give the best advice. I'm sure there are plenty of dads as well, to be sure, but that's not what we're here to talk about today. 

Moms make the world go round, but they're not infallible. The following are some shining examples of mothers who aren't always giving the best advice, though I'll concede that some give worse advice far more often than others. Let's dive in!

Roseanne

The point of Roseanne was that the Conners weren't picturesque parents, but they somehow made it work anyway. Pull up any old episode with a Peacock subscription, and you'll hear Roseanne giving some ill-informed advice. Her heart is always in the right place, though, and that's what matters. 

Cersei Lannister

If Cersei Lannister hadn't told her son Joffrey that anyone outside their family was an enemy, he wouldn't have turned into the despicable monster we witnessed on Game of Thrones. Cersei's twisted mindset ultimately led to Joffrey's death, and I don't think I need to bring up her other two children that didn't survive the series, either. 

Connie Tucker

Better known as Meemaw on Young Sheldon, some might not know that Connie Tucker's daughter is Mary Cooper even if they saw them side by side. Between her underground gambling operation in the backroom of the laundromat, and the time she got her grandson Georgie arrested while bootlegging cigarettes across the border, she's not the best role model. 

Linda Belcher

Linda Belcher has her own issues she picked up during her upbringing, and she's instilled some of those values in her children. Encouraging Tina and Louise to cheat in school rather than do the work is a great example, and a hilarious lesson that makes this one of the best animated shows of all time. 

Norma Bates

I think it's possible that if your son turns out to be a mass murderer, you might've had a couple of missteps in instilling some advice. Norma Bates certainly had an unhealthy relationship with her son, and her general advice not to trust other women not only led to their deaths, it eventually led to her own. 

Lucy Ricardo

I can't even imagine the shenanigans Little Ricky got up to having Lucy Ricardo as his mother. The I Love Lucy character was always getting into hijinks, and landed herself in quite a bit of trouble with her various schemes from time to time. It's hard to imagine she didn't cook up some shenanigans with her son, and landed him in some trouble as well. 

Bonnie Plunkett

Bonnie Plunkett being an imperfect mother was more or less the point of Mom, as the recovering addict helped her daughter, Christy, work through her own recovery. She wasn't the best mother during Christy's upbringing, and she made her mistakes during the series, too. That said, she does love her daughter, and the family she helped raise. 

Lois Griffin

You don't need to see more than ten minutes of a Family Guy episode to see that Lois Griffin isn't the best parent. That said, she's definitely changed throughout the series, and become almost as unhinged as Peter in recent episodes. 

Skyler White

Skyler White gets a lot of flak, considering Walter White was the true villain of Breaking Bad, but it's hard to not fault her from taking Walt Jr. and getting out of the drug ring operation the moment she became aware of it. Other than that she was a good mother, but that one mistake is pretty hard to overlook. 

Kitty Forman

Whether it was That '70s Show or That '90s Show, Kitty Forman had a knack for instilling some bad to occasionally twisted advice to teenagers with a heavy dose of sugar. It's hard not to love her anyway, despite that, and the characters were so iconic that it's always worth keeping tabs on what Debra Jo Rupp and the rest of the That '70s Show cast is up to now. 

Cookie Lyon

I can honestly say that Cookie's decision-making and advice is no worse than any other member of the Lyon family in Empire, but they all make some terrible decisions. Between her spitefulness and scheming, she landed her sons in some sticky situations, some of which were more than a little dangerous. 

Betty Draper

Mad Men's Betty Draper might have the worst maternal instincts of any other TV mom on this list. Unfortunately, a lot of the ways she brought up their children was likely inspired by her own childhood, and gave many viewers the impression she disliked them or didn't care about them. 

Marge Simpson

I would say that, for the most part, Marge Simpson is a great mom. The Simpsons' matriarch does have her moments, however, and in those chaotic times can impart some bad advice. Perhaps the worst was telling her children to aim low in life as to not disappoint others, which seems like terrible advice for Bart, in particular. 

Joyce Byers

Joyce Byers has had a rough number of years, so it feels unfair to judge her based on the last time we saw her in Stranger Things. With that said, she was barely holding the homefront down and seemingly only had bad haircuts to hand out to the teens as they all dealt with life. 

Catelyn Stark

The Seven Kingdoms takedown of the Stark family was pretty wild, but Catelyn's campaign to avenge her husband might've led to some tactical missteps on her own end. Let's not forget the trauma we all endured watching the Red Wedding, which she had a part in.

Jessica Huang

Jessica Huang is a fantastic tv mom, but she also has a way of getting things done that may not always be the best way of doing things. She can be crafty and devious, but almost everything she ever does is out of love for her sons and family. 

Selina Meyer

Veep's Selina Meyer progressively gets more unsympathetic throughout the series, but her parenting skills may make some people dislike her from the start. Pushing her daughter into ending relationships due to political optics for her own career is just one of many ways she was a bad parent to come to with a problem. 

Wendy Byrde

When you loop your children into your operation of laundering drug money for the cartel, you're bound to give a lot of bad parenting advice along the way. Wendy doles out plenty of bad advice throughout the course of Ozark, making her one of the worst offenders on the list. 

Malory Archer

Malory Archer wasn't the best mother to her child, Sterling, and her self-centered nature and skewed view of the world due to her extreme wealth made her even worse to come to for advice. With that said, it's a bit ironic that her line "Do you want ants? That's how you get ants," is some great advice fans frequently reference. 

Claire Dunphy 

Claire Dunphy's advice to her children, at times, could come off as controlling. There are definitely points in Modern Family where her advice is molded by what she would like her children to do, rather than what is best for them. Her advice to Haley about not living in the past when Dylan came back into her life feels like a great example.  

Benny Lopez

George Lopez's mother, Benny, often created more problems for him than not on The George Lopez Show, and from what we know about his upbringing, she wasn't a great mother. Part of this was due to the fact Benny was also raised by bad parents, but fortunately, George was able to break the cycle and be able to overcome the mistakes of his upbringing despite his mother's poor advice. 

Sophia Petrillo

Sophia Petrillo doled out countless pieces of advice to her daughter and roommates on The Golden Girls, and I would say a good chunk of it was solid. Sophia is a wildcard, however, and occasionally, some of her advice was informed by her occasionally reckless lifestyle, which made it less useful to the women, but hilarious for viewers. 

Francine Smith

Francine Smith gives out tons of bad advice, but given the kookiness that can go down on American Dad, it's hard to fault her for it. Sometimes, you just gotta train your son to fight a school bully when you've had about two-hundred, or "two-fiddy," battles of your own back in the day. 

Dr. Beverly Hofstadter

The Big Bang Theory plays Leonard's relationship with his mother for laughs a lot, but the fact that she treated her child more as a test subject and imparted advice that crushed his self-confidence and shaped his anxiety definitely makes her one of the worst mothers on the list. Despite that, they do reconcile, if only because she felt like him marrying Penny was something he did right for once. 

Gemma Teller-Morrow

Gemma Teller-Morrow never had to drag her son into the life of motorcycles, guns, and crime, but every time Jax tried to leave she pulled him back. I think it's more than fair to say Gemma was driven by her own interests and would actively work against any others, which led to quite a few times where she offered bad advice. 

Evelyn Harper

Two And A Half Men's Evelyn Harper was a terrible mother, and in the small number of times she'd actually parent her sons, she had a litany of bad advice. Some would argue her upbringing is what led both Alan and Charlie to have such dysfunctional relationships with women, which I totally get. 

Livia Soprano

Livia Soprano gave out her fair share of bad advice, and even worse, tried to push it off like she was innocent in it all. Her subtly pushing Uncle Junior to put out a hit on Tony is just one of the moments that makes The Sopranos one of the best shows streaming on Max. 

Lucille Bluth

Neither Lucille or George Bluth were great parents when their kids were growing up, and that continued when they turned into adults. Whether it's her business advice to her children or the coddling of Buster, it's surprising the Arrested Development matriarch wasn't treated like a child more than the actual teens.  

Peg Bundy

Peg Bundy's parenting style was just about as outrageous as her clothing choices, but there's no denying she loved her kids. The mom from Married...with Children bucked just about every cultural norm of the traditional housewife, and wasn't the best at giving out advice. In her defense, she owned it, and never claimed to be someone she was not. 

Briana Barksdale

Not many mothers would convince their sons to not tell on drug dealers if it meant they'd spend a considerable time behind bars. Brianna Barksdale from The Wire isn't most people, however, and was able to convince her son, D'Angelo, to do just that rather than to sell the operation out to the authorities. She also managed to pull him back into the business when he'd try to pull away, so she's not winning mother of the year awards any time soon. 

Marie Barone

Raymond's mother, Marie, was number one at meddling, and would even use her advice as opportunities to conspire against her daughter-in-law, Debra. It seemed like Marie was always working an angle to get what she wanted, and she was not above doling out bad advice if it got her that much closer to the goal she ultimately had. 

Monica Gallagher

Monica Gallagher wasn't around her children often in Shameless, but did try to give advice with the best intentions. Unfortunately, someone in her position wasn't really able to always give the best advice even if she meant well, and the children often ended up trusting themselves more than their mother.  

As I mentioned before, some moms are better than others, and no mom is perfect. I'd reckon that, provided someone is at least making sure they aren't in line with the worst offenders on this list, they're doing a solid job. 

Have you ever been asked to picture your favorite character from your favorite TV show, but no picture came to mind? There is actually no shame in admitting that because we don’t even know what many of our own favorite TV characters look like. Take a look back at some of the most iconic characters on television that we never got any screen time, or were, at least, kept partially hidden.

Charlie Townsend (Charlie's Angels)

On Charlie's Angels, the Angels never physically met their boss, Charlie Townsend, who was voiced by John Forsythe in the original series and the first two cinematic spin-offs. The reason the retired detective never revealed his appearance and only communicated by via intercom was out of protection for his agents.

Vera Peterson (Cheers)

At Cheers, everyone knew Norm Peterson (George Wendt), but no one knew his wife, Vera… or, at least, what she looked like. She was often mentioned on the long-running, Emmy-winning NBC sitcom, but was rarely seen with her accountant husband, save one time when she was covered by a pie accidentally thrown in her face by Sam (Ted Danson).

Bob Sacamano (Seinfeld)

Outside of the main four Seinfeld cast members, Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards) had friends like Newman (Wayne Knight) and Mickey Abbott (Danny Woodburn). His one buddy we never met was Bob Sacamano, but the seminal sitcom dropped enough hints in conversation about his scheming behavior and terrible luck that he was just as memorable as the former two.

Stan Walker (Will & Grace)

For the first few seasons of Will & Grace, Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) was married to the wealthy Stanley, before his affair, imprisonment, and death hoax caused issues. We never actually saw what the man looked like -- save a few shots of his hands and feet and the outline of his silhouette — but we know he is a heavy-set toupee-wearer.

Danny Valladeo (The X-Files)

While investigating cases on The X-Files, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) would reach out to an FBI agent named Danny. Fans have theorized that this Danny and another unseen character on the hit sci-fi show named Danny Bernstein are the same person, but creator Chris Carter has confirmed that this particular Danny’s last name is “Valladeo.”

Robin Masters (Magnum P.I.)

Even though some Magnum P.I. fans — and Tom Selleck’s titular private investigator himself — suspected John Hillerman's Johnathan Higgins was the real Robin Masters, the elusive novelist was officially billed as the voice of Orson Welles for six episodes. The character would be expanded in the Jay Hernandez-led modern reboot, in which he employs Magnum as a consultant, but still remains unseen.

Maris Crane (Frasier)

Originally, Frasier creators David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee wanted to, essentially, prank viewers of the Cheers spin-off into thinking Maris Crane was another Vera Peterson (Norm's unseen wife) before revealing her appearance later on. However, descriptions of Niles' (David Hyde Pierce) wife became so absurd over time that she was ultimately deemed impossible to cast and remained unseen for all 11 seasons.

Ercole "Eckley" DiMeo (The Sopranos)

Before Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) took over as the head of the DiMeo Family Mafia, the syndicate’s longtime leader was Ercole DiMeo, who was otherwise known as "Eckley.”Until he was portrayed by The Sopranos creator David Chase in the 2021 prequel movie, The Many Saints of Newark, Eckley was never seen on the original HBO series, due to his incarceration.

Debbie Wolowitz (The Big Bang Theory)

Howard Wolowitz's overprotective and overly loud mother, Debbie, was voiced by the late Carol Ann Susi on The Big Bang Theory cast. It was not until Pamela Adlon portrayed a younger version of the character on Young Sheldon that she made her first official on-screen appearance.

Lars Lindstrom (The Mary Tyler Moore Show)

On The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Mary’s self-absorbed friend, Phyllis (Academy Award nominee Cloris Leachman), and her dermatologist husband, Lars, were never seen together, despite being married for 15 years at the time the sitcom began. When Phyllis got her own self-titled spin-off in 1975, which lasted two seasons, we never got the chance to finally, officially meet her spouse as he had died by then.