Drama (and comedy) shows would be nothing with their shocking twists, turns and major reveals. Often the big programmes save those moments for the season finale, so that you'll come back next year to see how things play out. But sometimes they like to keep audiences on their toes by throwing a bombshell in mid-season.
Here are some of our favourite moments that turned what could have be an average episode into a must-see.
1. Game of Thrones – "Hold the door!"
Game of Thrones scatters its twists throughout its short seasons, often putting its biggest moments into the penultimate episode of the series (the Red Wedding, for example). But season six was different, with its most massive moment coming at the midpoint, in 'The Door'.
Yep, in episode five of season six, not only do we see The Three Eyed Raven get killed and direwolf Summer sacrifice himself to protect Bran, but Hodor dies holding the door AND we find out Hodor got his name because Bran's time-travelling jaunts can actually affect the past.
All huge stuff, and there were still five episodes left to go!
2. 24 – terrorist attack
In episode 12 of season 5 of 24 'Day 5: 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m' terrorists release gas into the CTU, compromising Jack and killing Agent Edgar Stiles.
24's full of stuff like this, but this is the clearest mid-point gamechanger that affects everything after it – CTU always felt like a sanctuary (albeit one that's full of potential double-agents).
It never would again.
3. Angel – Angelus returns
During the season four midpoint, 'Awakening,' Angel became Angelus again (properly) for the first time since season two of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, in a jaw-dropping episode.
Season four was arguably Angel's darkest season, so it made sense to bring back Angel's evil side to mix things up at the midpoint.
He didn't stick around for the entirety of the remaining episodes, but he made a big impact for a five-part run, significantly contributing to the overall nasty tone of the series.
4. Band of Brothers – the Ardennes
Even though we knew Band of Brothers was a true story, we'd settled into the comfort of knowing that *our* guys were going to make it through the war. Because that was the story, right?
Then 'The Breaking Point' saw Easy Company encounter intense shelling in the Ardennes forest as they were cut off from their allies and surrounded by a redoubled German offensive.
Hoobler accidentally shoots himself dead. Toye and Guarnere lose legs to the German bombardment. Muck is killed. Compton has a breakdown. Dike is shot.
And the biggest twist? It all really happened.
5. The Walking Dead – barnstormer
Let's face it, season two of The Walking Dead was pretty boring. We were just about ready to give up on it when they broke out the incredible mid-season finale 'Pretty Much Dead Already'.
Not only did it resolve a mystery we assumed would drive the entire season (where's Sophia?), it did it by turning her into a zombie and shooting her in the head. Oh, and it also put the gang at odds with Herschel AND revealed that Shane's a massive douchebag to the crew.
It wasn't enough to save the season as a whole, but it was a stand-out moment that made us itching to find out what would happen next.
