The Reveals and Fictional Characters We Sadly Misplaced in 2024

Like yearly, 2024 was stuffed with highs and lows. A number of the worst (effectively, nerdiest) lows got here from the fictional losses we endured: a TV present coming to an finish, or a lifeless character or three. Be part of us in trying again on those that gained’t be becoming a member of us in 2025 and past—and put together for some spoilers forward, however you already knew that.

Scavengers Reign

Scavengers Reign is a present that I’ll endlessly be mad about not getting another season. Not solely is it probably the most refreshing animated stories I’ve skilled this yr, it’s additionally one that really lived as much as its alien premise. There was a variety of copium on my and lots of followers’ behalf assuming the present would obtain a second chance at life on Netflix. However I feel all of us forgot that streamer has a knack for being the place the place season two hopes go to die. *Shakes fist within the sky at David Zaslav* – Isaiah Colbert

Outer Vary

Prime Video’s sci-fi Western a few rancher (Josh Brolin) hiding a time-travel portal in one in every of his pastures was nearly too bizarre when it premiered in 2022—however its mish-mash of genres nonetheless managed to fascinate, utilizing a cosmic thriller to look at rival households sharing an intertwined disaster. That Outer Vary bought a second season in any respect was a TV miracle, and we’re grateful we bought to spend somewhat extra time exploring its oddities. – Cheryl Eddy

Star Trek: Decrease Decks

Sony’s Spider-Man Universe

On one hand, Sony’s very weird approach to its Spider-Man-free Marvel motion pictures led to some charmingly bizarre work like Venom and Madame Net (debatable). Then again, it was actually clear Sony didn’t know what it was doing aside from filling launch slots. After watching Venom 3 or Kraven, it gained’t be any thriller as to why audiences bought sick of that runaround. Ah effectively, no less than there’s Spider-Verse 3, ultimately.  – Justin Carter

The Acolyte

Say what you need about The Acolyte, and many, many Star Wars fans have. However we thought it was a dynamite present that each acted as a great entry point to Star Wars, whereas additionally enriching the lore for longtime followers. So to see the present get canceled after its first season, with so many desirable tales left untold, was one of many greatest bummers of the yr. – Germain Lussier

Evil

Evil premiered in 2019 on CBS, then after one season shifted to Paramount+. Streaming made extra sense for the collection’ adventurous tone—it may very well be terrifying and humorous multi functional scene, not to mention one episode, to not point out provocative, heartfelt, well timed, and deeply insightful. Not unhealthy for a present a few staff of investigators employed by the Catholic Church to look into possessions and different bizarre phenomena, whereas additionally uncovering corruption and giving us characters we genuinely liked (or liked to hate) alongside the way in which. We want it had gotten 666 more seasons. – Cheryl Eddy

The Umbrella Academy

Umbrella Academy’s shortened fourth season wasn’t essentially the most triumphant strategy to finish the Netflix present primarily based (very loosely) on the Darkish Horse Comics collection, however we’ll all the time have the primary three seasons—filled with all of the apocalyptic drama its pack of misfit superhero siblings might deliver to the desk, to not point out quirky comedy, intelligent plot twists, killer battle scenes, and even a number of dance numbers. – Cheryl Eddy

Chucky

Whereas there’ll be no extra seasons of Don Mancini’s Syfy/USA TV collection—a delightful expansion of the Baby’s Play world, equal elements gory and campy, because the killer doll units his sights variously on world domination and revenge—worry not. Chucky’s been round since 1988, and he will slay again, hopefully in a brand new characteristic movie. Nonetheless, we’ll miss the present’s chaotic but heartfelt spirit, which made equal time for queer teenagers in love, Jennifer Tilly’s multi-layered however all the time deranged tackle Tiffany Valentine, and a few very artistic Chucky kills. – Cheryl Eddy

DC/CW Universe

A part of why superheroes have been so fashionable on display screen up to now 20 years must be owed to the CW. From Smallville all the way in which again within the day to Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and the lately ended Superman & Lois, the community kept DC’s heroes round within the public eye by means of present after present of fluctuating high quality. They weren’t all good, and a few of them ran a bit too lengthy, however they made many strides and stored the style alive, and that ain’t nothing. – Justin Carter

What We Do within the Shadows

Aerith Gainsborough (Remaining Fantasy VII Rebirth)

The demise of Aerith is likely one of the most well-known of all in video video games, and Rebirth, the middle-chapter of Sq. Enix’s formidable re-imagining of Remaining Fantasy VII‘s legendary legacy, could be very keenly conscious of the expectation gamers have round that second for all of its huge runtime. Not content material with merely recreating that fateful climax, Rebirth carries on in Remake‘s footsteps of being a narrative about what it means to remake Remaining Fantasy VII by continually enjoying with this meta-awareness round Aerith, because it facilities her increasingly more within the sport’s twinned tales of echoing the unique sport whereas additionally making ready to subvert it. So when existence splits on the steps of the Metropolis of the Ancients in Rebirth‘s ultimate hours—one timeline the place Aerith dies at Sephiroth’s arms, one other the place she lives on and helps push him again, concurrently co-existing within the thoughts of Cloud—Rebirth has its cake and eats it too, giving us the hope of a rebirth that gamers have longed for for nearly 30 years whereas additionally nonetheless getting to sit down within the tragedy of her passing once more. We’ll be ready a number of extra years simply to see what actually occurs, however there’s nonetheless a way of loss on this limbo Rebirth leaves us and Aerith alike in. – James Whitbrook

Victor Aguilar (The Penguin)

Vic was Oswald’s final redeeming tether earlier than the longer term crime lord offered his soul so nothing might stand in his means. Part of me hopes Vic isn’t lifeless, simply left very near-death for Batman to search out and take beneath his (evening) wing. He was the guts of the marginalized folks of Gotham—squashed earlier than our eyes, hoping he’ll be the hope for his or her revenge too. – Sabina Graves

Claudia de Lioncourt (Interview With the Vampire)

Delainey Hayles needs to be nominated for awards for her tour-de-force efficiency as Claudia de Lioncourt. The company and tenacity with which she was written in Interview with the Vampire’s TV adaptation needs to be studied, as a result of it gave the ebook’s doll-like baby characters multitudes. Growing older her up a bit gave us a woman trapped endlessly on the verge of womanhood. As a fan, I knew she was destined to die, however Hayles’ efficiency made me want that if artistic liberty was allowed, then perhaps, simply perhaps, she wouldn’t burn. My coronary heart broke within the scene the place Armand offered her out utterly. She was the perfect of Louis and the more serious of Lestat all rolled into one, however that mixture gave her an influence that that shone proper till her final second. I need her to have haunted each face in that theater that allow her die. – Sabina Graves

Varric Tethras (Dragon Age: The Veilguard)

The Veilguard takes Varric out of the motion fairly early, however you’re set as much as spend a lot of the sport with him recuperating in your house base as a trusted advisor for Rook to show to every time they falter of their perception they’re worthy of saving the world. That may be unhappy sufficient, that one of many franchise’s greatest characters is left to sit down on the sidelines, however Veilguard‘s ultimate act twist—that Varric was really lifeless, and what Rook was seeing for a lot of the sport was a magical, manipulative deception by Solas—hits you want a ton of bricks, even in the event you began getting the sensation one thing was off sooner than that second of revelation. RIP to Thedas’ most interesting storyteller-slash-crossbow-wielding devilish rogue. – James Whitbrook

Gambit (X-Males ’97)

Arthur Fleck (Joker: Folie à Deux)

Like most of us, I didn’t love Joker 2. I didn’t actually even love Joker. However I did love the large swing for the fences Joaquin Phoenix took with the DC character, incomes him an Oscar the primary time round. So to see the character form of hand over on his battle, after which be killed, was actually disappointing. You wished extra for this character. You wished to see him actually impression some change. Heck, perhaps you even wished to see him on display screen with Batman. Alas, now none of that can occur. – Germain Lussier

Delia Deetz (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice)

Considered one of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s greatest strengths was the Deetz girls being centered within the movie. Catherine O’Hara, the lady she is, slipped so comfortably again into her eccentric useless kooky stepmother character with out lacking a beat. Barbara could have been extra of a mom within the first movie, however Delia turned the perfect good friend Lydia wanted when Astrid turned a rebellious teen. Delia and Astrid’s staff as much as name out the boys in Lydia’s life and even sync up for a brand new poltergeist get together track second made me need extra of them in future motion pictures. Alas, expensive Delia bought bought by some asps. Within the Netherworld, she rejoins along with her headless husband, however they don’t board the soul prepare, so right here’s hoping if a Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will get greenlit, we’ll see her working the place. – Sabina Graves

Kwon (Cobra Kai)

One of many points with latest seasons of Cobra Kai is there hasn’t been an excellent younger villain. That modified lately with Kwon, performed by Brandon H. Lee. The evil Cobra Kai captain was not simply extremely intimidating, he seemed extremely cool doing it. The form of unhealthy man you like to hate. You most likely would’ve watched a complete “Kwon” present—however alas, as a result of he was so beloved, the character needed to die on the finish of the second collection of episodes. His demise, whereas brutal and unhappy, actually raised the stakes going into the ultimate episodes. – Germain Lussier

Agatha’s Coven (Agatha All Alongside)

We form of knew coming into Marvel’s witchy seasons that not all of Agatha’s ragtag new coven would make it down, down the Witches’ Street alive, however the present did such an excellent job of connecting us to those characters it nonetheless stung to lose them (sure, even Sharon Davis, dragged alongside for the experience). Each Alice and Lilia’s deaths had been bittersweet for various causes—Alice’s coming from an act of kindness and so quickly after the emotional catharsis of her personal standout episode of the season, and Lilia’s on the climax of what stays the most effective episodes of TV Marvel’s ever made. However all that goodness simply made the knife twist somewhat deeper in our hearts. – James Whitbrook

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