Not every character can make it past the finale. For every “Final Girl” that defeated the serial killer and lived to tell the tale, there is always a treasure trove of victims that make up the body count.
From quick-and-easy kills to drawn-out bloodbaths, their deaths are the scenes that pull us in.
Sometimes, it’s our beloved favorites and other times, it’s the people we can’t wait to get picked off next. Please give us the bloodiest, most shocking, and most satisfying kill scenes to tide us over for spooky season. Or any binge-watching session; it’s a must!
Below, we picked out some memorable and jaw-dropping murder scenes in TV horror that satisfied us. These unsuspecting victims were either the love-to-hate villains, the ones who rubbed us the wrong way, or they simply had a death scene that will forever be seared into our brains.
Check out the list below. And reader, beware, you’re in for spoilers below, so watch the episodes if you don’t want to be spoiled!
Prospero – The Fall of the House of Usher
Netflix’s captivating mini-series from the mind of Mike Flanagan has become a delicious hit for spooky season. This horror series delivers chills, thrills, and memorable kills.
But the most satisfying and iconic death? Prospero’s melting on The Fall of the House of Usher Season 1 Episode 2.
A sex-filled rave and orgy within an abandoned factory is the perfect setting for carnage and horror. All the ingredients are there for something terrible to happen, and with a hedonistic trust fund boy as the target, the opportunity is served on a plate.
When the chemicals started flowing from the ceiling and burned every party-goer into goo, our jaws were on the ground. Prospero made his party a huge hit; no one will ever forget his death.
Mayor Wilkins – Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer has plenty of Big Bads and Monsters of the Week that could’ve made this list. It’s always satisfying whenever Buffy Summer and the Scoobies succeed in saving the world.
If we had to pick one, it would be Mayor Wilkins’ explosion on Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 3 Episode 22.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 3’s season finale is one of the best episodes in the series. The entire graduating class of Sunnydale High teaming up to fight a gigantic snake demon (e.g., Mayor Wilkins ascended into becoming the demon) was an empowering moment and culmination for the high school storyline.
For Buffy to take down a “pure demon,” it would need something big and flashy. Enter the explosion!
Father Bryce – Chucky
Just like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Chucky brings death in every episode. There are plenty of options that could’ve made this list.
In particular, Devon Sawa plays a new character every season who dies a horrible death in one way or another. His turn as Father Bryce during Chucky Season 2 was the most gloriously bloody and fun.
Father Bryce treated our favorite trio of teens horribly, especially Devon. So, when the spirit of Chucky possessed his body and exploded him in a bloody mess, no tears were shed. His death got all the cheers.
Bev Keane – Midnight Mass
Another of Mike Flanagan’s mini-series on Netflix, Midnight Mass, was an exciting tale of religious ideals and vampires.
Bev Keane was the hyper-religious teacher who tried to enforce her beliefs and will on the citizens of the quiet coastal town. She was one of the first who unquestioningly believed in the vampire’s power; her actions caused hundreds of deaths and infected countless church-goers with vampirism.
Bev had two iconic deaths: (1) her getting shot after trying to hide from the vampire bloodbath and (2) burning to death on the beach when she couldn’t avoid the sunrise.
You can’t help but love to hate Bev. Each death was satisfying because her karma came back to haunt her. And even in her final moments, the true Bev came out, and she couldn’t escape her hypocrisy.
Joseph Crackstone – Wednesday
Wednesday Addams faced a lot of evils at Nevermore Academy. Cliques, bright colors, and a killer on the loose were just some horrors awaiting her.
Joseph Crackstone was the resurrected puritanical killer who wanted to rid the world of anyone supernatural. And with Nevermore Academy being a haven for every paranormal creature, everyone was a target.
Having Wednesday and her newfound friends (or more likely allies) team up to fight Crackstone served up a fiery battle that left us wanting a new season ASAP. His zombie abilities were no match for what an Addams can do!
Russell Edgington – True Blood
We love a revenge plot, and Eric Northman’s journey to avenge his family’s death was seasons in the making.
Enter Russell Edgington, the Vampire King of Mississippi, who has amassed centuries of death and dismay worldwide. Unfortunately for him, some of his untimely victims were Eric’s family.
After Russell drains Faerie blood and plans to consume an entire Faerie troupe, Eric gets the upper hand and stakes him from behind.
Sure, it might look like just another vampire-staking on the surface for True Blood, but Russell was a Big Bad. Someone needed to take him down, and thankfully, it was Eric getting the satisfying justice that was long overdue.
Thomas Anderson – Interview with the Vampire
Thomas’s death during Interview with the Vampire Season 1 Episode 7 might not be as flashy as the rest on this list, but it served a great purpose for Louis’ and Lestat’s journeys.
What better way to leave New Orleans than to have one big bloody show? Anyone and everyone who wronged them was eliminated in a terrifying after-party of chaos and carnage.
Thomas and his business buddies made underhanded moves to sabotage Louis and Lestat’s thriving business. He thrived in the joy of “getting one over” on his unsuspecting friends, but his ego and pride were no match for a feeding frenzy.
Fiona Goode – American Horror Story: Coven
American Horror Story has over a decade of kills that have quenched our horror thirst. Many options could fill an entire list by itself!
One of the series’s most satisfying and karmic deaths is that of the Supreme herself, Fiona Goode.
Jessica Lange dominated in this spotlight role. Much of American Horror Story Season 3 focused on her journey, quips, and fight to avoid death. Plus, we can’t forget all the deaths she caused along the way.
So, for Fiona to meet her maker once the new Supreme was discovered AND for her to be trapped in the afterlife in her worst form of hell, it was the most delicious plate of just desserts. We want Fiona back, but we could order seconds of this treat.
Dr. Joyce Reardon – Stephen King’s Rose Red
Stephen King’s Rose Red is an underrated gem in the world of TV mini-series. Seriously, watch it! You will be pulled into this ghostly adventure of psychics and scientists.
At the helm of the group is Dr. Joyce Reardon, an ambitious professor trying to prove the existence of the paranormal. However, Reardon’s ambition soon leads the group into a fight for their lives.
What makes her death so satisfying is that, in the end, her goal was what did her in. Her insistence to prove her thesis was a success found her trapped in a room of spirits ready to murder her. The irony was in full force.
Keith Murfis and The Witch Hunters – Mayfair Witches
Keith was a love-to-hate villain. He had no redeeming qualities; his death was welcomed in every sense of the word.
His obsession with witchcraft and exterminating witches led him to join the religious group that kidnapped Tessa Mayfair. Sure, the group tortured and harmed people long before Keith joined, but he was just as guilty as the rest.
He helped in the torture and eventual death of Tessa.
When Rowen Mayfair took back her power and called on Lasher to enact justice, Keith and the kidnappers were dealt one satisfying death after another. Keith’s obsessions went up in flames, just like him.
Ingrid Marie Hoffel – Scream Queens
Scream Queens was a treasure during its two-season run. The Chanels and crew need to come back for another series of slayings and sass. (Seriously! Could you bring it back!?)
Between the Red Devil Killer and the Green Meanie, Scream Queen’s serial killers slashed through a high body count of victims. But one of the most satisfying deaths was the death of a killer herself.
Ingrid Marie Hoffel took on the mantle of the Green Meanie to get revenge for her sister’s death. However, when Ingrid’s terror ended after she fell into the toxic swamp, no one batted an eye over her painful death.
Ingrid’s slow descent into the toxic swamp was drawn out and excruciating as she screamed for help. We couldn’t have written a killer’s defeat better than that.
Beth – Scream: Resurrection
Whenever Ghostface is revealed during a Scream film or TV show, you can always expect a few things: a shocking reveal, a long exposition of why they murdered everyone, and a big battle to fight off the killer.
Horror movie-loving rebel Beth was the Big Bad of Scream Season 3. She might not be the favorite of the Ghostface killers, but her death ranks high as a bloody good time.
Pushed off a roof into the gym with a projector pointed at her? A final attack within the gym? Sign us up!
Jason Carver – Stranger Things
Jason’s death is a blink and you’ll miss it moment. In the chaos of the Upside Down breaking into Hawkins, Indiana, Jason was split in half by the energy of the dimensional tear.
The rip literally ripped him apart!
And you might be wondering why Jason, out of all the deaths on Stranger Things? Well, his villain role during Stranger Things Season 4 was so infuriating.
His grief over the death of Chrissy ignited a vigilante group to terrorize the teen. Jason was so full of it; his death was long overdue.
Michael – Into The Dark: Uncanny Annie
Into The Dark is a holiday-themed anthology series where each “episode” is a movie inspired by or set during a holiday. Each tale features a new cast and new vibe, so you never experience the same tone in a row.
In the case of Into The Dark Season 2 Episode 1, it’s an evil spirit inhabiting a board game that is trying to kill a group of university students.
One of Uncanny Annie’s victims is Michael. At first, Michael seems like the lovable, caring boyfriend, but he’s a lying, two-timing, selfish jerk who puts everyone’s lives in danger.
When Uncanny Annie turns her sights on Michael and traps him in the darkness, you can hear a faint cheer over his demise. (Not really, there wasn’t a cheer. That cheer came from me, and rightfully so based on what Michael did.)
Seth Marlow – Channel Zero: No-End House
Continuing in horror anthologies, Seth Marlow from Channel Zero Season 2 is another satisfying villain death. (Anyone noticing a trend?)
At first, Seth came across as the brooding hottie who cared deeply about Final Girl Margot. But if horror movies have taught us anything, it’s never to trust the love interest.
Seth was the mastermind who lured and trapped unsuspecting victims in the No-End House. So, for him to eventually become another victim in the house in a similar way he trapped other people, it was the perfect karmic victory.
Kol Mikaelson – The Vampire Diaries
In the world of The Vampire Diaries, death is meaningless. People tend to die and find a way back continually; sometimes, it’s through magic or wearing a magical ring that brings them back to life.
However, when there were actually stakes for someone dying, it made a huge impact. For example, Kol Mikaelson’s death within the Gilbert home.
Permanently killing an original vampire is a huge task that requires a particular wooden stake. When Kol got staked with said weapon, it served up a glorious death filled with flames and victory for our heroes.
Monique Devereaux – The Originals
This satisfying death set in The Vampire Diaries’ spinoff during The Originals Season 1 is an underrated favorite. Monique’s role as a Harvest Witch transformed her into a minor antagonist that caused some major problems.
Unjustly murdering her sister Sophie? Her terrible attitude to Davina? Her trying to sacrifice Klaus and Hayley’s baby?
All good reasons that added up to her needing to be vanquished by the original vampires. But it was the cursed throwing star delivering the many cuts that put the cherry on this delicious death.
The Guilty Party – Slasher
Instead of one target, it’s an entire group needing a cold serving of karma. In this case, a group of former camp counselors is trying to cover up a murder they committed years earlier.
After killing their fellow camp counselor Talvinder, the group returns to their former campgrounds to hide the body before it’s discovered.
Slasher Season 2 is an entertaining story of hidden secrets and a killer enacting revenge against those who thought they got away with murder. As you learn the truth of what happened to Talvinder, the deaths of the former friends feel so satisfying and enjoyable.
Lennon – I Know What You Did Last Summer
Lennon’s death during I Know What You Did Last Summer Season 1 Episode 1 is a satisfying slow-burn throughout the one-season tale.
Sure, evil twin Lennon meets her end in a car accident during the series premiere, but the events of her death unfold throughout each chapter. As we learn more about Lennon during that fateful night, we turn against her.
Lennon was a manipulative and cruel person who enjoyed tormenting her loved ones, especially her twin, Allison. When we discover why and how Lennon ended up on the highway alone at night, her time as the villain comes to fruition.
Now, over to you, TV Fanatics!
What was your favorite TV horror show death? Is there any we missed on the list?
Which death scene is a must to watch for Halloween?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Justin Carreiro is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.
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