10 Character Resurrections In TV Shows, Ranked By Creativity

TV show character deaths can be an unpredictable and emotional affair, but they can often be brought back in creative ways. Resurrection in television can mean many different things. For instance, a character can literally be raised from the dead. At times, there’s time travel involved. Other situations involve a different version of the same character returning to the show. Regardless of the method used, the plot device can wear quite thin if it’s not reinvented occasionally.

Due to the nature of bringing a character back to life, it’s often something that happens in science-fiction TV shows. For instance, some of the best TV shows about space can provide various opportunities to restore departed characters. However, that’s not always the case. In addition, even if a resurrection happens in a sci-fi story, there isn’t necessarily a clear explanation of how or why the character returns. Sometimes, it’s best to leave a plot development up to the viewer’s imagination.

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10 Qui-Gon Jinn In Obi-Wan Kenobi

Liam Neeson’s character displays his innate Force talents

Death is rarely what it seems to be in Star Wars, especially for the Jedi. Many Force-sensitive Star Wars characters have made a comeback after the death of their physical form, and Qui-Gon Jinn belongs to that group. In the finale of 2022’s Obi-Wan Kenobi​​​​​​, Liam Neeson reprises his role in a live-action Star Wars property for the first time since 1999. After dying in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace at the hands of Darth Maul, Qui-Gon’s Force abilities allow him to become one with the cosmic energy that all Jedi can manipulate.

Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s Force Ghost cameo is only brief, but it’s an exciting comeback for one of the more intriguing characters from the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Although Obi-Wan’s Force Ghost is the first to appear on-screen in 1980’s Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Qui-Gon is the first character to canonically return as a Force Ghost, and seeing it adds a nice level of parity to the sub-plot. In addition, seeing that Qui-Gon is Obi-Wan’s former master, the scene in Obi-WanKenobi solidifies the story of where Obi-Wan learned the skill.

9 Brian Griffin In Family Guy

Stewie’s sci-fi technology saved his best friend’s life

Family Guy killed off Brian in season 12, episode 6, “Life of Brian” with him being replaced by a new dog. Vinny, the newest addition to the Griffin family, tries his best to fill the hole left behind by Brian, but Stewie’s grief won’t allow him to accept the new canine as his own. However, the fix for Brian’s death is relatively simple in the context of Family Guy. There are many Brian and Stewie time travel episodes, and all it takes is Stewie revisiting this trope to prevent Brian from being fatally struck by a speeding car.

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Brian’s death was a coy move by the show’s writers, as Vinny remained part of the show until two episodes later, giving the impression that the change to the Family Guy cast was a permanent one. Via Rolling Stone, Family Guy creator and voice of Brian Griffin stated that the death of the famous animated dog was an attempt to keep the show fresh after running for so long. MacFarlane said, “We thought it would create a little bit of a stir, but the rage wasn’t something we counted on.”

8 Jean-Luc Picard In Star Trek: Picard

The death of Patrick Stewart’s character didn’t last long

Picard’s demise has been on the cards since the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation, when he learns of a brain condition that will eventually become fatal. During the events of the Star Trek: Picard season 1 finale, this is just what happens. Fighting through the pain and discomfort, the decorated Starfleet officer saves the day again but pays the ultimate price in the process. Luckily, technology in the Star Trek universe seems to have reached the point where death can be treated merely as a blip. As a result, Picard’s consciousness is transferred into an artificial body that mimics its biological template in every way.

7 Jim Clancy In Ghost Whisperer

Jim was partially recast due to his death

Ghost Whisperer season 4 saw the death of Jim Clancy. However, the entire nature of the show allowed the character to return almost immediately – but not without changes. Crossing into the body of another recently deceased person, Jim lost all memory of his life with Melinda. Initially, Jim was even played by a different actor due to his soul jumping to a new body, once belonging to a young man named Sam. After enough time passed, Jim reclaimed his memories, and although most of the show’s characters still saw Sam when they looked at him, he reverted to looking like Jim through the eyes of Melinda and the audience.

6 Billy Hargrove In Stranger Things

Not all comebacks are what they seem

While many TV resurrections are shown in a positive light, Stranger Things took a new approach. Although Billy Hargrove helped save the day with an act of self-sacrifice in the Stranger Things season 3 finale, he was largely an unpleasant and abusive character. In Stranger Things season 4, Vecna uses Max’s complicated feelings about her late brother to his advantage by taking on Billy’s form. Although this isn’t a true return of Dacre Montgomery’s character, the actor’s cameo does hold an exaggerated resemblance to Billy’s toxic ways.

5 Captain Jack Harkness In Doctor Who

The Doctor isn’t the only one who can cheat death

The process of regeneration is one of the more prominent forms of sidestepping a character’s demise in Doctor Who, but there are other ways. In the Doctor Who season 1 finale, Captain Jack Harkness dies heroically aboard Satellite Five as he attempts to hold the Daleks at bay. If it weren’t for Rose Tyler staring into the heart of the TARDIS, the captain would have remained dead.

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However, Rose’s brief acquisition of extraordinary powers allows her to bring Jack back from the dead. Not knowing the extent of her abilities, Rose inadvertently brings Jack back forever, removing his ability to die altogether. A resurrection is rarely so literal on television, but this is one of the more creative spins on a classic plot twist. Although Jack is shown to die on-screen again, he only remains dead for a short while before gasping dramatically back to life.

4 Hari Seldon In Foundation

The founder of psychohistory orchestrated his own comeback

Hari Seldon is a very important figure in Foundation, and so when he’s killed in just the second episode, it feels like a surprising writing choice. However, it makes much more sense when it’s revealed that Hari’s death is all part of his larger plan. Hari didn’t leave the galaxy without guidance, as he stored a version of his consciousness within the mysterious Vault, and also within the Prime Radiant. One of his digital selves is also eventually reconstituted back into organic form, a process that not even Dr. Seldon understands. So, while one resurrection may make for compelling writing, doubling up on the feat adds even more story opportunities.

3 Owen Harper In Torchwood

Owen’s return to the land of the living comes with some drawbacks

After being shot dead during a mission, Owen is brought back to life in Torchwood season 2, episode 7, “Dead Man Walking.” Owen’s Torchwood colleagues achieve the miracle by using the mysterious Resurrection Gauntlet. The device in question often only works for a few minutes at a time, with the Torchwood team hoping to just say their goodbyes. In a shocking twist, the Gauntlet brings Owen back permanently – but there’s a catch. Although Owen comes back to life, he retains many of the hallmarks of the deceased.

As well as not being able to heal from broken bones and other injuries, Owen has no pulse or breath when he returns. His new condition makes him very vulnerable given his line of work, and raises concerns about his safety going forward. Owen’s Torchwood boss, Captain Jack Harkness, is also immortal, but in a much more “traditional” way. Jack can never truly die, whereas Owen can never truly live, creating a brilliant juxtaposition between the two characters.

2 Ensign Harry Kim In Star Trek: Voyager

Harry was forced to abandon his original crew

The Star Trek franchise doesn’t often bring back the deceased, as the risk of death is part of Starfleet service. When it does happen, there’s often a fascinating sci-fi twist to the occurrence. In Star Trek: Voyager season 2, episode 21, “Deadlock,” the USS Voyager finds itself being duplicated, with the crew of one ship suffering a much worse fate than the other. Early on in the episode, one of the versions of Harry Kim meets his end while trying to make repairs.

When the two Voyagers become aware of one another, they try and fail to reintegrate their ships. The process is interrupted by attacking forces, and the Harry-less crew has to sacrifice itself so their counterparts can escape. Before this happens, the doomed Captain Janeway orders Harry to the other Voyager to complete their crew once more. The episode ends with Harry in an existential dilemma regarding whether his new home will ever actually feel like his.

1 Detective Josephus Miller In The Expanse

Miller’s return to The Expanse was very creative

The true version of Detective Miller dies in The Expanse season 2, episode 5, “Home.” Although Miller dies, the nature of his death means it isn’t the end of his story. The Protomolecule is one of the most sci-fi elements in The Expanse, and almost everything about the substance is enigmatic. Miller’s death takes place near large quantities of the Protomolecule, meaning the blue material absorbs his memories and allows it to use Miller’s physical form as it communicates with Captain James Holden. Holden’s Protomolecole visions of Miller in the The Expanse are often quite cryptic,

Going by “The Investigator,” the reimagined version of Miller has his own goals that don’t necessarily line up with Holden’s, but the overlap that does exist allows them to work together. Although the Investigator isn’t actually Miller, the existence of his mannerisms and personality within the Protomolecule construct is about as close to resurrection as the show can do without using the trope too predictably. The Expanse‘s creative way of bringing back Miller is as unpredictable as it is cerebral, with the next step in the plot always being a surprise.