Grey’s Anatomy was among several shows that stirred emotions in 2026 by killing off major characters, leaving fans deeply affected.
In a March 2026 episode of the popular ABC series, Lucas (Niko Terho) and Simone (Alexis Floyd) cared for Katie (Samantha Marie Ware) in her home as she battled declining health. As Lucas and Katie grew closer, sharing thoughts on what might have been if she hadn’t fallen ill, she passed away while he was away obtaining supplies, missing his chance to say farewell.
Earlier that month, the Yellowstone spinoff Marshals shocked viewers by revealing that Monica (Kelsey Asbille) had died off-screen after a struggle with cancer.
Reflecting on the storyline, showrunner Spencer Hudnut told TVLine, “Kayce had such a perfect ending in Yellowstone. His dreams had finally come true. As we were trying to figure out how to tell the next chapter in Kayce’s story, it felt like he really needed to be shaken out of that. Unfortunately, tragedy tends to find Kayce, so something bad was going to happen for him one way or the other. It just sort of played out that it was going to be Monica.”
Read on for more of television’s heart-wrenching losses in 2026:
Leon Vance (‘NCIS’)
Since joining NCIS in 2008, Rocky Carroll‘s beloved character was fatally shot by a CID agent in the 500th episode. The show honored Vance with a montage capturing his moments with Gibbs (Mark Harmon), Tony (Michael Weatherly), Ziva (Cote de Pablo), Ducky (David McCallum), McGee, Abby (Pauley Perrette), Bishop (Emily Wickersham), and the current team.
Katie (‘Grey’s Anatomy’)
In Season 22, the storyline led to Katie’s (Samantha Marie Ware) death after she was diagnosed with stage II gastric cancer.
Erin (‘FBI’)
Zeeko Zaki and Missy Peregrym on ‘FBI.’ Bennett Raglin/CBS
In a March 2026 episode of CBS’s FBI, Maggie (Missy Peregrym) was faced with a personal tragedy when her first arrest, the serial slasher Ray DiStefano (Matthew Rauch), abducted her sister Erin (Adrienne Rose Bengtsson). Despite Maggie’s efforts to save her, Erin was found dead in DiStefano’s truck.
Monica (‘Marshals’)
In a March 2026 episode of the Yellowstone spinoff Marshals, it was disclosed that Monica (Kelsey Asbille), Kayce Dutton’s wife, had succumbed to cancer. This illness was caused by toxins dumped on the Broken Rock reservation.
Preston and Paul (‘The Madison’)
In the debut episode of Taylor Sheridan’s new Paramount+ series The Madison, Preston (Kurt Russell) and Paul (Matthew Fox) were killed off, setting the stage for the unfolding narrative.
9-1-1 wasn’t the only show that killed off a major character in 2025 — and many of those fictional deaths still have fans upset. The ABC drama threw Us for a loop when an April episode ended with Peter Krause‘s Bobby being secretly infected with a rare and fatal virus. As viewers coped with the […]
John (‘Bridgerton’)
Hannah Dodd as Francesca Bridgerton and Victor Alli as John Stirling. Liam Daniel/Netflix
In the Netflix adaptation of Julia Quinn’s book series, it was known that John (Victor Alli) would pass away in his sleep. This event paves the way for Francesca (Hannah Dodd) to find love with his cousin, Michaela (Masali Baduza), in the upcoming fifth season.
Eleven (‘Stranger Things’)
In the final episode of Stranger Things, which aired in December 2025, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) faced numerous life-threatening situations while fighting to defeat Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). Although Eleven succeeded in destroying Vecna, she chose to stay in the Upside Down to ensure the safety of her friends, rather than returning to Hawkins. The show’s conclusion suggested she was presumed dead, but Mike (Finn Wolfhard) speculated she might have survived and started a new life elsewhere.
