2. Jen suffers the effects of a heart illness (Dawson’s Creek, Episode 6.24:…Must Come to an End)
1. Marissa and Ryan get into a car accident (The O.C., Episode 3.25: The Graduates)
You’ll notice some of my picks overlapped with my Top 10 Saddest Moments list because, well, let’s face it–death is about the saddest thing someone can experience.
But what I really tried to focus on here was the jaw-dropping aspect, which is why the overlapping scenes aren’t in the same order as my previous list. For instance, I think Jen’s death was more devastating (read: sad) than Marissa’s, but Marissa’s was more jaw-dropping (read: shocking).
Make sense? Feel free to disagree!
TeenDramaWhore 
I definitely agree that Marissa’s death was the most shocking death on a teen drama. Other than knowing from the previews that *someone* was going to die, it seemed completely out of nowhere. I can still remember loudly screaming “NOOOOOO!” and slowly crawling towards the TV as a was frantically trying to come to terms with the situation. This was one of those moments I’m so glad no one else ever witnessed. Then when I heard the music, the gentle voice of Imogen Heap to “Hallelujah” I knew it was over, the tears poured out of me and I sat there in shock. Complete shock.
See, I knew about the death before I watched but I was still beyond shocked to see it actually happen. I think that proves just how jaw-dropping it really was, both because of who it was and how it happened. And to use “Hallelujah” again, combined with the images from past seasons, and to have Ryan be the only one there–whew, I get chills just writing about it!
I didn’t watch the O.C while it aired, I saw it via repeats on SoapNet, and actually I haven’t even finished the series. I got off track once season three started, but I remember hearing that Marissa did end up dying somewhere along the line, and I can’t even imagine if I had finished the series. I’m pretty sure I would have been as devastated/shocked as both of you. I grew quite attached to Marissa when I was watching the episodes, so to think of actually seeing it live when it happened, I would have probably sobbed for weeks!
I can’t imagine any other time crying so much over a tv show except Marissa’s death, the only time I came close was on Greys Anatomy, and I doubt I will ever cry as much as Marissa’s death.
I knew it was coming as in New Zealand it aired months after The US, but all I did was sit on the floor in front of my tv crying for a good half hour. It was so shocking and although I knew she was dead I tried to tell myself she was just unconscious, I just could not believe she was dead. So so sad!
I didnt find marissa’s death that sad. i felt really sad for ryan…but i didn’t like marissa. i was definitely more of a summer fan. i cried more when ryan left at the end of season 1.
g90210th: It’s interesting that you stopped watching at the beginning of season 3, since it’s at the end of that season that Marissa dies. Many people stopped watching after that.
Laura: See, what you described is exactly why I placed at #1. Because even if you knew it was coming, it still left you speechless.
lexy: Remember, this list isn’t really about what makes you sad. (See “Saddest Moments” for that.) Rather, this was about shock. Do you at least think her death was shocking?
Definately most shocking death, literally left me speechless, plus with the combination of the music and the flashbacks, I don’t think anyone will be able to forget the first time they saw it
The moment Marissa died, the moment the show died. That’s the saddest part.
I cried buckets of tears. The music was incredible too!
yeah i know. but i knew about it ahead of time so it wasnt the fact that it happened that was shocking. it was shocking because it was so out of the blue in the context of the show.
Taking what both Kendal and Lexy said, I think we can all agree it was very much a different show after that. You can’t get rid of a main character and have it not be.