2014 has been a very strange and unsettling year in television. Networks have made some really bold moves by killing off main characters and in some very unexpected ways, leaving fans reeling and bracing themselves for who may be next on their favorite show’s “hit list.” Here’s our top 10 for the year, the deaths that truly stood out among the rest:

1. Beth Greene — The Walking Dead

For me, Beth Greene (Emily Kinney) being killed off in the mid-season finale wasn’t a huge shocker. Even though Beth had been with the series since season 2, she remained a peripheral character at best — well, at least until her character was pushed up to the front and center after being kidnapped on Daryl Dixon’s (Norman Reedus) watch in the season 4 episode “Alone.” And, if you have watched this show from the beginning, you’ll know that being gifted with your own high-profile storyline usually turns out to be the death knell for the character.

While Beth’s death was no surprise to me, nothing could be further from the truth for the Beth Greene fans out there. For days, and even weeks, after the episode aired, the outpouring of emotion continued, so much so that a “Bring Back Beth” campaign has been launched. Honestly, I don’t see how the movement could possibly be successful, but just from the mere fact that such a campaign was created should tell you that the Beth Greene character — as well as the actress Emily Kinney — has a lot more supporters out there than I think anyone could have imagined.

2. Charles Garnett — Z Nation

I was at Walker Stalker Con Atlanta in October when I had heard that the Syfy zombie series, Z Nation, had axed its male lead — and fan favorite — Charles Garnett (Tom Everett Scott), and truth be told, I thought it was some kind of hoax. After all, I had watched The Walking Dead for years and witnessed the show walking this tight rope, too afraid to touch certain characters and shaking in their boots that a character death would alienate the fandom.

That being said, after getting past the initial shock and surprise, I had a whole new respect for Z Nation and its team of writers. Tom Everett Scott already had a large fanbase and was some nice eye candy, but at the end of the day, his character turned out to not be that important. Instead, the true focus of the series is the one man, Murphy (Keith Allan), who holds the hope for a vaccine, and if that means Garnett dying to protect Murphy, so be it.

With Garnett being so popular, it took some gigantic brass balls to do what they did. But, it made sense from the plot’s perspective, and it gave a whole new meaning to what Executive Producer Karl Schaefer said before the series aired and that is “no one is safe.”

3. Will Gardner — The Good Wife

No list of the top TV deaths of 2014 would be complete without this one, mainly because it came completely out of left field and with virtually no warning. I’m not a loyal viewer of The Good Wife, but when I do tune in, Will Gardner (Josh Charles) is one of those characters I always expect to see, almost as much as the show’s lead, Julianna Margulies. Not to mention, the series isn’t exactly known for having major character deaths.

So, when Gardner was shot and killed by a client in a completely random episode, it literally was like the shot that was heard around the world. No one — and I mean no one — saw it coming. It definitely was one of the most shocking TV deaths in 2014 — and quite possibly in the history of television.

4. Leslie Shay — Chicago Fire

We were warned well-ahead of time that Firehouse 51 would lose one of its own in the season 3 premiere, but I think most expected it to be a minor or peripheral character. After all, who kills major characters in a freaking premiere, right? Well, apparently, Chicago Fire does, and boy, did it jolt the crap out of the fandom with this humdinger.

In the big warehouse fire that left us with the season 2 finale cliffhanger, Leslie Shay (Lauren German) is hit by a falling beam and is killed within minutes of the premiere. Shay’s death was particularly heart-wrenching not only because she had been with the series since the beginning but because of her close ties with both Dawson and Severide. Even with a 1/2 season behind us now, the impact of her death can still be felt and will remain for a long time to come I’m sure.

 5. Dr. Lance Sweets — Bones

I will admit that I have not been a regular Bones viewer for several years now, having felt the series jumped the shark a long time ago. However, when I do decide to give the show a watch, the one remaining character that I’ve always liked since the very beginning is Dr. Lance Sweets (John Francis Daley). He’s so kind, so pure, is one of the few characters on the show with a true sense of integrity and also, one of the few who hasn’t undergone major changes over the years.

So, when Daisy’s “Lancelot” was killed in the season 10 premiere, needless to say I was stunned and completely heartbroken. It was a shock because, well, it was Sweets, and also, because it happened in the season premiere just like the Leslie Shay death in Chicago Fire. Most major deaths are reserved for mid-season or the season finale, and so when they throw one like this out of the clear blue sky, you can be sure it will be remembered.

6. Dr. Frederick Chilton — Hannibal

In the Thomas Harris novels, while it was implied that Dr. Chilton ultimately was killed by Hannibal Lecter after his escape, we never actually see it. And, even still, Dr. Chilton still had many long years to taunt the psychopathic cannibal as head of Baltimore State Hospital while Dr. Lecter was institutionalized.

So, if you had told me that Bryan Fuller would make a very marked deviation from the source material by killing off Chilton (Raul Esparza) in the middle of season 2 of Hannibal, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. But, he did — well, sort of. In one of the most memorable episodes “Yakimono,” Chilton is framed by Lecter as the Chesepeake Ripper by planting Abel Gideon’s half-eaten body in his house. And, as if Chilton’s day couldn’t possibly get worse, he is shot in the neck by Miriam Lass while being interrogated at the police station.

Of course, the real twist is the fact that it was announced this past summer at San Diego Comic-Con 2014 that Dr. Chilton actually survived the attack, is very much alive and will be returning for season 3. So, technically, the character shouldn’t be listed with the most shocking television deaths of 2014. But, we didn’t know that at the time and so, decided the character was worthy of being listed anyways.

7. Jim Kent — The Strain

For those who are familiar with The Strain Trilogy, you’ll recall that the Jim Kent character didn’t last very long. What’s more, he was a wretch who sold out all of humanity due to pure greed and a little bit of money. I loathed the character in the books and couldn’t have been happier when yet another horrid character, Eldritch Palmer, threw the infected Jim Kent into an incinerator (and while still alive too!) Good riddance.

However, when it was announced that the writers for the television series were changing the Jim Kent (Sean Astin) character and after it was revealed that his character was actually sympathetic and much more likable than his novel counterpart, I had hope that he might survive. It turns out that hope was misguided because while Kent lived longer than he did in the books, he still met his demise in episode 8 but in a less horrific way.

Jim is infected after a mere scratch from one of the vamps, and after an unsuccessful attempt at removing the worm parasite from his face, he is put down by Vasily Fet. While the death itself wasn’t too surprising, the manner in which he died was a complete shock and made the episode “Creatures of the Night” one of the most memorable of the series thus far.

8. Anthony “Scarface” Marconi — Person of Interest

The Carl Elias (Enrico Colantoni) and Anthony “Scarface” Marconi (David Valcin) twosome has been with the CBS drama Person of Interest since season 1 and has almost become a staple of the series. What is even more remarkable about this duo is how they have evolved throughout the seasons. They started out at odds with Finch’s team — particularly Reese — but since season 3, they have become more like allies, with Scarface most notably being the one to take out Detective Carter’s killer, Officer Simmons (Robert John Burke).

So, when Elias’ number came up in the episode “The Devil You Know” due to his involvement with Dominic and the Brotherhood, obviously I became very concerned for Elias but ironically didn’t give Scarface much of a thought. Scarface was tough as nails, and no way anyone was going to take him out, right? Little did I know that Scarface would go out protecting his boss (and as we found out in the episode, long-time friend as well).

It was unexpected, and what was even more unexpected was the response from the fans. To everyone’s surprise, the viewers really liked Scarface, they liked seeing Elias and Scarface work together, and in many ways, fans saw Anthony as another Reese. He is being mourned, and most cannot wait to see the hell that Elias rains down on the thugs who killed his partner and best friend.

9. Lizzie & Mika Samuels — The Walking Dead

In a show like The Walking Dead, the death of characters is a commonplace thing. But, no matter what the series, the death of a child is never easy.

We had known for some time that Lizzie Samuels was one messed-up kid. She liked to torture small animals, preferred walkers over other children as playmates, and of course, tried to smother baby Judith. But, none of that could have prepared us for the startling turn of events in the episode “The Grove,” when Lizzie murders her sister, Mika, for the sole purpose of turning her into a walker.

But, the worse was yet to come with Carol (Melissa McBride) making the painfully difficult decision to kill Lizzie so that she couldn’t hurt anyone else.

10. Lt. Mark Hammond — Z Nation

In the previews before the pilot of Z Nation even aired, the character of Lt. Mark Hammond had quickly become the face of the series. The face was familiar too, being that of veteran actor Harold Perrineau who is known primarily for his work on the series Lost.

Being that it looked like Hammond was going to be the series’ Rick Grimes, the last thing most viewers expected was for the show’s lead to bite it before the end of the first episode — and to top it off, to be taken out by a zombie baby. Looking back on that moment, I can clearly see the dark humor that the show has become known for, and I can’t help but laugh now. But, back then, it was a hell of a shocker and certainly a very bold statement coming from the freshman series that was being compared to the biggest drama on television, The Walking Dead.

The show would go on and prove that it wasn’t afraid of the potential backlash from Hammond’s death when it did the exact same thing again mid-season by killing off the new male lead, Charles Garnett.

A few other prominent deaths that didn’t make our top 10 but that are worth mentioning…

• The Mother — How I Met Your Mother
• Joffrey — Game of Thrones
• James Novak — Scandal
• Beverly Katz — Hannibal
• Daniel Aerov AKA “Miksa Ashoona” — Helix

So, what was the TV character death that left you reeling in 2014? Did yours not make the list? Chime in the comments section and let us know your most memorable 2014 death!