If tv isn't making you’re feeling one thing, what's the purpose? And this yr, there have been a handful of exhibits that delivered on one explicit feeling: Shock.

From the traditional twist — a personality's dying — to surprising reveals and even a little bit of incest, listed below are the moments that shocked us a lot we're nonetheless speaking about them. (Spoilers, clearly!)

01 of 23

Dana will get punched, The Pitt

Everybody's new favourite medical drama, The Pitt ensnared a loyal fanbase with its explosively tense premiere. However the ingenious procedural from ER vets John Wells and Noah Wyle would attain its peak with episode 9, "3:00 P.M." The 15-episode season is structured to chronicle a single 15-hour shift in a fictional Pittsburgh trauma heart, and by afternoon, all hell has damaged unfastened. The earlier episode's grotesque case casts a pall over the whole hospital, however Katherine LaNasa's snarky and ebullient cost nurse Dana Evans alone manages to interrupt like a solar ray by means of the fearsome clouds — which makes the episode's violent finish all of the extra stunning. Out on break, puffing on a cigarette, Dana is sucker-punched by a affected person disgruntled over his wait time. "3:00 P.M." confirmed that nobody at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Heart was secure, not even off the clock. —Ryan Coleman

02 of 23

All the 1923 finale

After Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) spent a whole season preventing to get again to her husband, Spencer (Brandon Sklenar), Taylor Sheridan wrapped the second and remaining season of 1923 by lastly permitting the couple to reunite… solely to kill her off in the exact same episode! To make issues even worse, she voluntarily selected to show down probably life-saving medical therapy for her hypothermia shortly after giving beginning to their untimely son, John. And but, one way or the other, that was solely one of many many actually unbelievable moments within the outrageous finale — there was additionally a shootout on the ranch, Whitfield (Timothy Dalton) was killed, and Spencer and Alex had been finally reunited in Nineteen Twenties heaven. There’s a purpose why all of us, Schlaepfer and Sklenar included, had been “nonetheless processing” the finale lengthy after it ended. —Emlyn Travis

03 of 23

Physician Who's shock regeneration

Ncuti Gatwa's ebullient presence on Doctor Who breathed new life right into a present that premiered greater than six a long time in the past, which made his sudden departure from taking part in the titular Time Lord all of the extra shocking. His exit from the sequence was not formally introduced previous to his remaining episode, marking a stark distinction from most different modern recastings of the character, and his comparatively transient tenure — two 8-episode seasons and a pair of specials — finally makes him the shortest-serving Physician in 20 years. Extra shocking nonetheless: Within the remaining second of the season finale, Gatwa regenerated into Billie Piper, who beforehand starred on the sequence as Rose Tyler, thus marking the primary time that an actor has pivoted from taking part in a companion to (seemingly) taking part in the lead function of the sequence. —Wesley Stenzel

04 of 23

They're all lifeless, We Have been Liars

Okay sure, let's begin by acknowledging that this was a e-book earlier than it was a present, so followers of E. Lockhart's 2014 novel knew what was coming. However for the remainder of the viewers, the ending was something however predictable. After spending a whole season attempting to determine what occurred to trigger Cadence's (Emily Alyn Lynd) mind harm, followers by no means guessed that the reply was: Jonny (Joseph Zada), Mirren (Esther McGregor), and Gat (Shubham Maheshwari) all died whereas burning down the Sinclair mansion — principally as a result of they forgot a fuel line was a factor. And we thought it was dangerous sufficient when it was the canines! —Samantha Highfill

05 of 23

Ted's brother is a ghost, Fits LA&

Within the lengthy lead-up to the debut of Fits spinoff Fits LA, nobody ever talked about that Stephen Amell’s fundamental character Ted Black had a brother. So you possibly can think about how complicated it was to satisfy Eddie Black (Carson A. Egan) onscreen within the sequence premiere, Ted’s shiny, charming brother who had Down syndrome. Eddie introduced out a softer, loving facet from Ted’s in any other case sharp, chilly exterior, however why had nobody talked in regards to the character? All of it turned clear within the remaining moments of the premiere with the twist that Eddie died lengthy earlier than the sequence started, and that Ted was really speaking to a hallucination. Yeah, you learn that proper. This stunning “reveal” was so baffling and inappropriate for a present that was imagined to be a grounded authorized drama set in the identical world as Fits. Who really thought this was a good suggestion? To that individual, all now we have to say is: Objection! —Sydney Bucksbaum

06 of 23

Joel dies, The Final of Us

It was like studying in regards to the Purple Marriage ceremony in George R. R. Martin’s books years earlier than it could be tailored on TV’s Recreation of Thrones. Avid gamers had been all ready to see the response of a normal mainstream viewers to The Last of Us killing off Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal). We simply didn’t know the way it could occur. Say what you need about the remainder of season 2 (clearly, nothing’s stopping anybody in that regard), however the workforce behind the repeat Emmy nom magnet reshaped the first story occasions to convey brisker surprises for even probably the most jaded of video-game fans. What minimize the deepest? Watching the web’s chosen zaddy grow to be the face to satisfy the top of Kaitlyn Dever’s golf membership swing. —Nick Romano

07 of 23

Mark chooses Helly, Severance

In Severance’s season 2 finale, Outie Mark (Adam Scott) and Outie Gemma (Dichen Lachman) lastly reunite on Lumon’s Testing Flooring. You’ll be able to see the reduction on each of their faces as they acknowledge one another after a few painstaking years of looking out, and, for Gemma, torture. Their kiss is likely one of the most satisfying on-screen reunion kisses in latest reminiscence… and the completely satisfied second lasts for all of about 10 seconds. The pair should depend on their innies to get them safely out of the constructing, and after pushing Gemma out of the door, Mark S. pauses earlier than wanting again at Helly R. (Britt Decrease). And he does it. He chooses Helly as a substitute of his outie’s spouse. Sirens are going off, his shirt is soaked with blood, and he doesn’t care. He chooses the unknown, a world the place he and the love of his life are nonetheless alive. —Tiffany Kelly

08 of 23

Theo abdicates, The Buccaneers

We all know they’re skilled actors, nevertheless it’s nonetheless loopy that Kristine Froseth (Nan) and Man Remmers (Theo) are relationship in actual life as a result of their characters on The Buccaneers had been by no means gonna make it, not when Nan appears eternally heartsick with ideas of Man (Matthew Broome). Nonetheless, given Nan’s dedication to guard her household and Man’s variety coronary heart, a wedding of comfort appeared extra seemingly on the desk than Theo utterly abdicating his dukedom to pursue Lizzy (Aubri Ibrag), leaving Nan pregnant and alone. He simply needed to decide this time to take everybody’s recommendation and put his personal wants first. Gawd! —N.R.

09 of 23

John Mulaney fights teenagers, Everyone's Dwell With John Mulaney

He really did it. John Mulaney really made good on his promise to battle three 14-year outdated boys on stay TV and the end result was… actually fairly humiliating for him. And isn't that what leisure is all about? From the very starting, Mulaney and co made it fairly rattling clear that Everyone's Dwell wouldn’t be your common late-night present. After which got here the penultimate episode, the place Mulaney issued an insane problem to the teenager boys of America. Overlook about 100 males vs one gorilla — what about three teenage boys vs one middle-aged comic? The entire saga was ridiculous, from Mulaney asking teenagers to jot down in and submit themselves for the battle to the precise occasion, which noticed Adam Sandler cheering from the sidelines as two youngsters held Mulaney down and a 3rd knocked him off his ft. Ultimately, Mulaney spent days coaching for the battle, teasing it, and even researching the legality of Californian child-fighting legal guidelines — just for the epic showdown to seek out him haggard, out of breath, and desperately tapping out inside 47 seconds. —Shania Russell

10 of 23

That steamy stairwell scene, The Summer season I Turned Fairly

Being on Group Conrad was not for the faint of coronary heart. However The Summer I Turned Pretty lastly rewarded its most stalwart portion of its fandom within the sequence finale when Stomach (Lola Tung) reunited with Conrad (Christopher Briney) after years of miscommunication, craving, and, you realize, her pesky engagement to his youthful brother, Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). It might have taken the whole sequence for the 2 star-crossed likes to get so far, nevertheless it was undoubtedly well worth the wait — as a result of Stomach and Conrad actually couldn’t wait till they had been in her Parisian residence to get their freak on. Their intense hookup began within the taxi and continued within the stairwell, and the usually reserved Conrad shocked Stomach — and viewers — by getting handsy along with her proper on the railing. Even Group Jeremiah followers can’t deny that this was one of the best intercourse scene of the whole sequence. Persistence undoubtedly paid off for Group Conrad. —S.B.

The 10 best TV shows of 2025 (and 5 worst) The 10 show cancellations that hurt the most in 2025 11 of 23

Nathan Fielder flies a 737, The Rehearsal

On a Nathan Fielder present, it’s typically arduous to inform what’s actual and what’s a stunt. However within the season 2 finale of the comic’s HBO sequence The Rehearsal, Fielder actually flew a Boeing 737 with practically 150 actors on board over the Mojave Desert. (A miracle over the Mojave, if you’ll.) Earlier than the momentous flight, Fielder sat down with every actor and requested them in the event that they had been snug being a passenger within the title of creating nice TV. “This appears fantastic,” one actor advised him casually. Fortunately, it was fantastic! He landed the airplane and obtained a spherical of applause from his passengers. No matter Fielder’s subsequent mission is about, it’ll be arduous to high this second. —T.Okay.

12 of 23

Froggy dies, Daredevil: Born Once more

One other main tv dying we’re nonetheless not over virtually a full calendar yr later: Elden Henson’s Foggy Nelsen. It took rather a lot for Disney to convey again the unique stars of Netflix’s Daredevil period for successor drama Daredevil: Born Again, which meant sticking it out by means of an enormous inventive overhaul that occurred after the beginning of filming. In any case that, we couldn’t even take pleasure in seeing the unique authorized trio again collectively once more on display earlier than one-third of them was killed off. Some followers understood the transfer; others didn’t. At the least Henson’s Foggy will return in some capability in season 2. (Drive ghost?) —N.R.

13 of 23

Late-night cancellations (and suspensions)

For the primary time in at the least a decade, late-night speak exhibits discovered themselves on the forefront of the nationwide dialog — twice over! In July, CBS introduced that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would conclude in Might 2026. The community insisted that the cancellation was "purely a monetary determination towards a difficult backdrop in late evening," however these skeptical of the transfer famous its proximity to Stephen Colbert's criticism of CBS' dad or mum firm Paramount settling a lawsuit with President Trump, in addition to the studio's then-pending merger with Skydance that was rapidly permitted by the federal government after Colbert received the ax. Then, in September, ABC abruptly suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live after FCC Chair Brendan Carr pressured affiliate teams to preempt the present over Jimmy Kimmel's feedback about Republicans' response to Charlie Kirk's assassination. After large outcry (and widespread cancellations of Disney+ and Hulu), Kimmel returned to the air six days later with a tearful monologue advocating without cost speech. —W.S.

14 of 23

A crappy conclusion, And Simply Like That

Poop-gate. The bathroom flush heard 'around the world. The finale floaters. The grand conclusion of Sex and the City's great, befuddling, completely idiosyncratic spinoff sequence And Just Like That bowed… similar to that. With a clogged rest room belching up a bunch of poop throughout Miranda's residence. A becoming finish for some of the WTF small display IP ploys in years, or an ignoble one for what may have been a touching coda to some of the beloved exhibits of all time? AJLT author Elisa Zuritsky defended the excretal ending to EW "a factor that occurs in most individuals's lives sooner or later," however as a factor that occurs on TV? Completely, unpredictably stunning. —R.C.

15 of 23

Hal is vice chairman, The Diplomat

From its very first episode, The Diplomat has been about Ambassador Wyler — Kate (Keri Russell), that’s — being groomed to take over the function of vice chairman. And simply moments after she lastly got here round to accepting that destiny — principally as a result of former VP Grace Penn (Allison Janney) is now president — every part modified. Within the aftermath of President Rayburn's (Michael McKean) stunning dying, Grace decides to call her new vice chairman, and it’s actually Ambassador Wyler … nevertheless it's not Kate. Slightly, it's the person who precipitated the president's coronary heart assault within the first place, none apart from Kate's husband, Hal (Rufus Sewell). His face says all of it. —S.H.

16 of 23

Bobby dies, 9-1-1

After years of narrowly surviving exploding cruise ships, rebar to the pinnacle, sniper fireplace, a lightning strike, and a literal beenado, 9-1-1 shocked everybody — together with its personal solid — in its eighth season by killing off the 118’s beloved captain, Bobby Nash (Peter Krause). And the primary responder drama did so, naturally, in probably the most heartbreaking approach potential: by having Bobby quietly contract a mutated model of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and, with out telling anybody, give the one antidote to Chimney (Kenneth Choi). His teary-eyed remaining moments with spouse Athena (Angela Bassett) and metaphorical son Buck (Oliver Stark) had been nothing wanting devastating, and his sacrifice continues to impression his family members effectively into season 9. Merely put: We'll by no means be capable of hearken to Hozier's "Work Tune" the identical approach ever once more. —E.T.

17 of 23

David Genat wins $5.8 million, Deal or No Deal Island

It’s not simply the sum of money received throughout DONDI’s season 2 finale that was so stunning, it’s what former Australian Survivor champ David Genat risked alongside the best way to win that $5.8 million. Utilizing the final word go-for-broke technique, David turned down seven totally different provides of assured cash (together with ones for $1,520,000, $1,980,000, $2,900,000, and $3,870,018), despite the fact that it meant there was a really robust likelihood he may go away with a mere $75 as a substitute. The end result was some of the pulse-pounding finales in actuality TV historical past. As Genat advised EW after successful, "I used to be going to experience that factor so far as I may with the quantity of danger I used to be taking. And, man, to come back out and truly win on the opposite facet, it's fairly good.” Fairly good? That was the one understated factor this licensed maniac mentioned or did all evening lengthy. —Dalton Ross

18 of 23

Cohesion, The White Lotus

Transfer over, Recreation of Thrones — there’s a unique HBO drama giving new which means to the time period “cohesion.” After The White Lotus flirted with the concept of incest in season 2, the Thailand-set season 3 leaned all the best way in to that stunning plot twist when Lochlan Ratliff (Sam Nivola) set his sights on his older brother Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger). What started as lingering seems of their shared suite quickly advanced right into a debaucherous threesome with the brothers and Chloe (Charlotte Le Bon), who didn’t let Saxon deny the reality within the harsh, sober gentle of the following day. Lochlan tried accountable the encounter on his people-pleasing tendencies (emphasis on pleasing), nevertheless it clearly modified each of them — and their relationship as brothers — eternally. After this, what’s going to creator Mike White do subsequent?! —S.B.

19 of 23

Claire's mother and father are additionally time vacationers, Outlander: Blood of My Blood

We knew the Outlander prequel would inform the story of each Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie’s (Sam Heughan) mother and father, however under no circumstances may now we have imagined that Claire’s mother and father wouldn’t solely find yourself in the identical timeline as Jamie’s, however that the 2 {couples} would know one another. And effectively. In Outlander, we discovered that Claire’s mother and father died in a automotive crash when she was very younger, nevertheless it’s really that automotive crash that led Henry (Jeremy Irvine) and Julia Beauchamp (Hermione Corfield) by means of the stones and into 18th century Scotland. The pair get separated, after all, with Julia ending up a serving maid in the home of Jamie’s dad, Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy). In the meantime, Henry results in the service of the Grants, who’re at odds with the MacKenzies, partially because of Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater), Jamie’s mom. Are you following? It’s all very juicy, made all the higher by that stunning time-travel shock. —Ashley Boucher

20 of 23

Premiere massacre, It: Welcome to Derry

Any Stephen King aficionado may’ve anticipated some fatalities on the prequel sequence to the latest It motion pictures, however not essentially the primary episode — and undoubtedly not many of the new Loser’s Membership. Technically, we are able to’t even seek advice from them as the principle solid as a result of, though the creators behind the HBO rankings driver arrange little Phil (Jack Molloy Legault), Teddy (Mikkal Karim-Fidler)(Matilda Legault), and Susie to be principals alongside Lilly (Clara Stack) and Ronnie (Amanda Christine), all three had been promptly killed off (through flying demon child) earlier than the credit rolled. By the point the true fundamental solid arrived in episode 2, the foundations had very clearly been set: Nobody, not even the leads, are secure. —N.R.

21 of 23

Syril dies, Andor

Clearly, dying underneath any circumstances is unhappy. However what made the dying of Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) so completely devastating was the best way his total world got here crashing down earlier than he was then struck down by blaster shot from a Ghorman resistance chief. First, the sad-sack Imperial Bureau of Requirements agent was utterly betrayed by the love of his life in Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), who had brazenly lied to him in regards to the Empire’s actual curiosity within the planet. After which, when he lastly discovered the person he had been obsessive about capturing in Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor, the titular character had no concept who he even was. Maybe Soller mentioned it greatest when he talked to EW about his character’s remaining disappointment and tragic finish. “It’s simply brutal. For the years that Syril has obsessed and obsessed and poured his ambition and aggression into this sort of totem of Cassian‚ for him to be met with that brutality on the finish was like… I fell for the man, man.” —D.R.

22 of 23

Scientists merely … stroll up, Yellowjackets

There are such a lot of stunning moments on Yellowjackets. We're speaking dying, cannibalism, betrayal, and many others. And but, probably the most stunning got here in simply how easy one season 3 second performed out. After seasons of questioning how the kids are discovered (and due to this fact saved) within the woods, a few scientists — and their information — simply … encounter their camp at some point? After two seasons of absolute chaos within the wilderness, we had been satisfied they had been so removed from civilization that their solely hope was a airplane of some type. However no, they simply wanted to seek out the appropriate folks (who had been on the lookout for a really particular type of frog). —S.H.

23 of 23

Godolkin is Cipher, Gen V

What's nice in regards to the Godolkin twist is that we knew one thing huge was coming. I imply, Gen V handed us a thriller on a silver platter: a menacing new antagonist, the mysterious burn sufferer he retains (and tortures) in his dwelling, and loads of questions on what he's even after. It wasn't too tough to begin connecting the dots — after all Thomas Godolkin (Ethan Slater) didn't actually die in that lab. However who may've guessed what a mistake it could be to try to rescue him? What's meant to be a victory for our God U good friend group is definitely a horrifying revelation. Seems Cipher doesn't have the facility to regulate others and it was simply good 'ol Thomas Godolkin working within the shadows all alongside! And the smug, menacing man that Hamish Linklater was portraying? Just a few poor meat puppet named Doug, with no powers in any respect. That is the place the season actually kicks into excessive gear, placing our heroes up towards somebody whose energy turns all of their strengths into weaknesses. And did I point out that we get to spend time with Doug? —S.R.

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