Warning: This list contains major spoilers for several TV shows.
Summary
- Shocks can elevate shows, like when Stan’s brother was revealed in
Gravity Falls
. - Some twists can backfire, as with Dan being Gossip Girl in
Gossip Girl
or the mother having passed away in
How I Met Your Mother
. - Kaz Brekker’s introduction in
Shadow and Bone
conveys his cunning character.
Having a shocking character reveal involving a persona the audience isn’t (or is) expecting, or the full extent of their plans are explained, can be very satisfying and elevate a show. Shows like Gossip Girl and Gravity Falls are built around the eventual reveal of an anonymous character. How and when this character or their plans are revealed may determine the success of the entire show.
However, there are several shows associated with a big character reveal that have been criticized for their plot twists or other reasons. Writers are challenged with balancing shock value and accepting that something will not be shocking but will make for a better story. However, even when everyone is aware of a character’s arrival, delivery can count for a lot and their first scene will still be riveting. For instance, if the show is based on iconic source material, everyone will be expecting a key character to appear and will be thrilled when it does happen.
10 The Author Is Stan’s Brother
Gravity Falls (2012-2016)
Gravity Falls
When Dipper and Mabel Pines are dropped off to spend the summer with their uncle in Gravity Falls, they discover that all is not as it seems in this small town. When Dipper discovers a strange journal in the forest, the twins team up to solve the town’s mysteries.
- Cast
- Jason Ritter , Kristen Schaal
- Release Date
- June 15, 2012
- Seasons
- 2
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu , Disney+
While the author of the mysterious Gravity Falls journals being revealed to be “Grunkle” Stan’s long-lost twin brother Ford was not exactly shocking, the showrunners played it well. Fans had predicted this twist long before, leading to a misdirecting image being leaked as a red herring and a meta-joke about the whole situation in a later episode. However, the episode “Not What He Seems” is masterfully written, gradually and tensely raising the stakes as Dipper and Mabel discover Stan’s base and the portal. The lead-up to and dramatic reveal of the author is still satisfying, even if viewers knew it was coming.
10 “Shocking” TV Show Plot Twists That Fans Guessed Early
Some plot twists from popular TV shows were very obvious because they were based on overused tropes or characters who served no other purpose.
9 Grant Ward Is A HYDRA Agent
Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013-2020)
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
After the events of The Avengers and with his friends and allies believing him to be dead, Agent Coulson puts together a small, secretive S.H.I.E.L.D. team to handle the cases that haven’t been classified yet. In a world now filled with the strange and unknown, not to mention, superheroes, Coulson, along with Agents Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen), Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker), Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge), and hacker Skye (Chloe Bennet) aim to prove that the non-powered heroes can work together to make a difference.
- Cast
- Ming-Na Wen , Brett Dalton , Chloe Bennet , Clark Gregg , Elizabeth Henstridge , Iain De Caestecker , Henry Simmons
- Release Date
- September 24, 2013
- Seasons
- 7
The MCU did an excellent job of depicting the HYDRA uprising in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. alongside the release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This includes the devastating reveal that Agent Ward, a member of Coulson’s core team, works for HYDRA. When given the chance to kill the villain John Garrett, Ward shoots two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents instead. However, this twist is essentially robbed of any rewatch value when viewers learn that actor Brett Dalton had no idea that his character was a HYDRA agent until 15 episodes into the show (via marvel.com). Therefore, there are no real hints to look out for.
8 Kaz Brekker First Appears (And Always Knows What Is Going On)
Shadow And Bone (2021-2023)
Shadow and Bone
Based on Leigh Bardugo’s bestselling Grishaverse novels, Netflix’s Shadow and Bone follows the story of Alina Starkov, an orphan and soldier who has released a power that could potentially set her country free. Instead, Alina joins an elite army of soldiers known as the Grisha as the Shadow Fold, an area of mysterious darkness that grows each year, threatening to envelop her world. Alina quickly learns that nothing is as it seems, and it will take more than the power of magic to make it through.
- Cast
- Daisy Head , Kit Young , Julian Kostov , Ben Barnes , Jessie Mei Li , Simon Sears , Gabrielle Brooks , Amita Suman , Kevin Eldon , Danielle Galligan , Jasmine Blackborrow , Freddy Carter , zoe wanamaker , Sujaya Dasgupta , Luke Pasqualino , Archie Renaux , Calahan Skogman
- Release Date
- April 23, 2021
- Seasons
- 2
Kaz Brekker’s first appearance needed to establish him as a cunning conman. Freddy Walker and the Shadow and Bone writers accomplish this with Kaz interrupting Jesper’s game at the Crow Club with deadly precision. Kaz also constantly surprises everyone when it is repeatedly revealed he knew exactly what was going to happen all along, while it appears that the plan is going to pieces. Book fans should know to always trust Kaz’s instincts, but with the show’s new plotlines, they are surprised all over again when Kaz knows exactly what is going on and has planned for it.
7 Neal Is Rumpletstiltskin’s Son
Once Upon A Time (2011-2018)
Once Upon A Time
Once Upon a Time is an adventure fantasy-drama series created for ABC that features fairy tale characters and their Disney incarnations in a modern setting. When Emma Swan and her son Henry accidentally drive into the town of Storybrooke, they soon discover the inhabitants are those from fairy tales, and they have no knowledge of the modern world inhabited by Emma and Henry. Robbed of their pasts and given new identities by the Evil Queen known as Regina, the hope of the town’s residents lie solely in the hands of Emma, who has stronger connections to the town than she knows.
- Cast
- Ginnifer Goodwin , josh dallas , Lana Parrilla , Robert Carlyle , Jennifer Morrison , Jared Gilmore
- Release Date
- October 3, 2011
- Seasons
- 7
It would later become a running joke that everyone on Once Upon a Time is related, due to the number of long-lost family member plot twists the show includes. However, the first time it was actually surprising. Seasons 1 and 2 tease the eventual reunion between Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold and his now-grown son Baelfire.
Meanwhile, Emma’s relationship with Henry’s father Neal is quietly revealed in a flashback in season 2. This builds up to a shocking reveal: When Emma and Henry accompany Gold to New York to find his son, they find Neal, because Neal is Gold’s son. This reveal drastically alters the dynamics among Once Upon a Time’s main characters.
6 Henry Gale Is Dead
Lost (2004-2010)
Lost
Lost is a mystery drama series created for TV that follows a group of survivors of a plane crash and tells its story between the past, present, and future via flashbacks. When Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashes and lands on a mysterious island in the pacific ocean, the castaways discover their new temporary home may have a mind of its own, as strange supernatural events keep them locked to the island. From an unknown black smoke creature to dangerous islanders, the passengers must work together to survive the island’s seemingly deadly intentions.
- Cast
- Evangeline Lilly , Naveen Andrews , Henry Ian Cusick , Daniel Dae Kim , Harold Perrineau , Dominic Monaghan , Emilie de Ravin , Jorge Garcia , Josh Holloway , Michael Emerson , Terry O’Quinn , Matthew Fox , Ken Leung , Elizabeth Mitchell , Yunjin Kim
- Release Date
- September 22, 2004
- Seasons
- 6
“Henry Gale’s” story is so wildly specific that the reveal of the smiley face balloon should have been enough to close the case and accept his identity as real. It was possibly enough for the audience and the other characters — but not for Sayid. After cutting away from the site, Sayid reveals that he still didn’t believe the story and dug up the alleged grave of Henry’s wife, and found a man’s body with the I.D. of Henry Gale. It is a horror-like plot twist that makes Sayid look cool for trusting his instincts, no matter how illogical.
Lost: The Show’s Biggest Twists, Ranked
Few shows had more mysteries than Lost, and the answers were never what fans expected. We’ve ranked the biggest twists they threw at us.
5 Michael Is A Demon (And The Good Place Is The Bad Place)
The Good Place (2016-2020)
The Good Place
Eleanor Shellstrop finds in The Good Place, both the name of the fantasy comedy series from creator Michael Schur and a fictionalized heaven where those who have done good in life will end up. However, Eleanor discovers that the life she was believed to have led was a lie, as it seems The Good Place got the wrong “Eleanor Shellstrop.” When it’s revealed that three others are there under the same false pretenses, they concoct a plan to truly become “Good” to earn their place there – while hiding the truth.
- Cast
- Kristen Bell , William Jackson Harper , Jameela Jamil , D’Arcy Carden , Manny Jacinto , Ted Danson
- Release Date
- September 19, 2016
- Seasons
- 4
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu
The twist that The Good Place is actually The Bad Place is still considered one of the most shocking plot twists of a TV show, at least in recent TV history. This twist has major implications for Michael’s character, who is presented as a benevolent figure overseeing the neighborhood throughout season 1. The quick recap of the season from his perspective reveals that he is a maniacal schemer, but also that he will be in trouble if his new version of the Bad Place doesn’t work out. All in all, this revelation completely changed the circumstances of the show.
4 Dan Is Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (2007-2012)
Dan being Gossip Girl doesn’t make any sense and is considered one of the worst parts of the show. However, because it didn’t make any sense, no one guessed it and it was still shocking. The writers also arguably did the right thing by waiting until the very end to reveal Gossip Girl’s identity. Therefore, the show was able to benefit from the mystery for as long as possible and put off ruining it with the truth. However, it goes to show that shocking does not always mean quality storytelling.
3 Sylvie First Appears
Loki (2021-2023)
Loki
Having escaped from a different timeline, Loki stars in his own titular series, where he learns about the life of his predecessor and discovers the truth of time and space. In the show, Loki reluctantly becomes a part of the Time Variance Authority (TVA), an interdimensional governing body that keeps time in order. On the chopping block, Loki is given a chance to save himself by helping the TVA hunt down someone more dangerous than himself – another Loki.
- Release Date
- June 11, 2021
- Seasons
- 2
- Streaming Service(s)
- Disney+
Whether the viewer guessed it or not, the first appearance of “female Loki” is impactful. The show sets up the anonymous variant as an unparalleled threat, and Sylvie does not disappoint. Her classic “pull back the hood” reveal is dramatic and well-suited to the character and the show. Sylvie’s straightforward reveal and subsequent schemes contribute to her characterization of being Machiavellian and relentlessly determined to have her revenge on the TVA. Sylvie keeps Loki, the TVA, and the audience all on their toes with her constant curveballs and refusal to give up.
2 The Mother Finally Appears
How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is a sitcom created initially for CBS by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas. Five friends living in New York City navigate their twenties and thirties as they try to find love, success, and purpose. The show is framed through one friend’s eyes, Ted Mosby, as he retells the story of how he met his wife to his children.
- Release Date
- September 19, 2005
- Seasons
- 9
After 8 seasons of teasing the anonymous woman who will become the mother of Ted’s children, the audience sees her face for the first time in the season 8 finale. This leads up to the plot twist that provoked outrage in the controversial How I Met Your Mother series finale. While most will agree that this ending was a mistake, the shock of seeing the mother for the first time is amazing. It is a hopeful and romantic moment that promises an epic love story that will begin soon.
15 Most Shocking TV Show Moments Of 2023
There have been plenty of great TV moments to reflect on as 2023 comes to an end, but these 15 are undoubtedly the year’s most shocking.
1 Moriarty Finally Appears (And Has Master Plan In Motion)
Sherlock (2010-2017)
Sherlock
In this incarnation of Sherlock from creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman assume the roles of Sherlock and Watson as they establish their partnership and begin solving strange mysteries throughout the U.K. and beyond. Set in a more 2010’s modern setting, Sherlock’s eccentric and complex nature is accentuated as he solves seemingly supernatural crimes with unparalleled intellect while struggling to connect with others on a human level. Meanwhile, Watson blogs the stories summarizing their cases while building a strained but caring friendship with his new partner.
- Release Date
- August 8, 2010
- Seasons
- 4
- Streaming Service(s)
- Disney+ , Netflix
Anyone who knows anything about Sherlock Holmes knows that the great detective’s ultimate nemesis is the criminal mastermind James Moriarty. Luckily, Andrew Scott makes Moriarty’s first on-screen appearance thrilling. His first official episode is filled with many twists as Sherlock navigates and solves the deadly puzzle Moriarty has laid out. In this case, everyone knew that Moriarty would appear eventually. However, despite Sherlock being criticized in later seasons, the writing surrounding Moriarty’s first appearance is nerve-racking, making it one of TV’s most shocking character reveals.
Source: marvel.com
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
