In television, ‘disaster’ doesn’t always mean ‘disaster’.
Some of the finest episodes of TV’s biggest shows have centred around a terrible catastrophe: devastating for the characters on screen, but absolutely compulsive viewing for the audience.
Here’s the best examples of when a telly tragedy delivered absolutely killer drama.
1. ER – Helicopter crash
It stands as the longest-running medical drama in the US, and it remained on air for so long due to its ability to keep viewers shocked right up until the very end.
But arguably the most memorable episode of all came when the universally-hated chief of surgery Dr Romano finally got his comeuppance thanks to a helicopter crashing into the hospital.
After failing to take off correctly, the helicopter stalled and began destroying everything in its path and hurtling toward the ground – right where Dr Romano was standing.
It’s a seriously gruesome death (which aired a season after Romano lost his arm in an accident with… a helicopter), but we’re willing to bet at least half of the viewers at home were secretly applauding.
2. Desperate Housewives – Tornado
Before Desperate Housewives jumped the shark, becoming a total mess by the end of its run, it stood as one of the best shows on television.
The women of Wisteria Lane were faced with gunmen, abduction and murder, but they’d faced nothing quite like the Tornado that struck the ‘quiet’ street during season four.
Three characters were left dead, and the lives of at least five others were left in question as Mother Nature tore its way through Fairview.
3. Lost – Plane Crash
The crash that kick-started a thousand theories.
Once arguably the most talked-about show on television, the opening scene that saw the show’s beloved original characters plummeting to their deaths – or did they? – paved way for one of the best pilot episodes of all time.
4. Grey’s Anatomy – Mass shooting
The season six finale of Grey’s saw the unluckiest doctors in history become the target of a mass shooter. It’s one of the most draw-droppingly brilliant two-hours of television in history, and was broadcast to universal acclaim.
Eleven people were killed in total, with a further seven left battling for their lives. Whether you watch the show or not, the 86-minute long finale is a masterclass in tension-building. Shonda Rhimes really did that. It’s like a standalone movie, and we can’t recommend it enough.
5. Homeland – Memorial attack
Carrie really can never catch a break, can she?
In one of the show’s most chilling scenes, over 200 FBI agents were murdered when a car bomb detonated during the season two finale.
After a season filled with Carrie’s futile attempts to save everyone, it was a stark reminder that sometimes the bad guy winsm no matter what.
6. Grey’s Anatomy – Bomb
Yes, we’ve already had one entry on the list from Grey’s, but considering it’s the show that redefined the TV disaster episode, it felt deserving of another spot.
In the episode that kickstarted the trend, a panicked paramedic (played by Christina Ricci) arrives in the ER with her hand stuck inside a patient. Awkward, right? Yup, but more so because of the fact she’s holding onto a literal bomb that will explode if she lets go.
It’s a master class in character acting from beginning to end, and, take it form us, the final scene will leave you breathless.
7. The Leftovers – Sudden Departure
It may be the most understated disaster on the list, but it’s actually the biggest of them all. A regular day on earth turned out to be anything but when 2% of the world’s population simply vanished into thin air.
Sure, if your annoying co-worker disappeared, this could be seen as a plus. But not when you get home only to find out your child is also no longer there.
It was a brilliantly chilling opening scene and paved the way for three series of unanswered questions. Think Lost, but without the polar bear.
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