2026 has been a killer year for some of TV’s top shows—and we’re not talking ratings.

From gritty dramas like Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria to the family friendly Disney Channel spinoff Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, plenty of fan-favorite characters found themselves six feet under—fictionally, of course—after being killed off in the writer’s room.

Then again, nothing keeps viewers on their toes like a shocking death no one saw coming.

Case in point, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place left viewers with their jaws on the floor after it was revealed during the August series finale that Alex Russo’s (Selena Gomez) teen love Mason Greyback (Gregg Sulkin) had died in a past era.

Mason’s ghostly return closed the chapter on their love story and divided fans in the process.

Similarly, Euphoria ended with a bang—or should we say a bite?—as Jacob Elordi‘s Nate was buried alive and died after being bitten by a rattlesnake in a final season twist.