Here we are in late May and TV season's winding down - a month later than usual "thanks" to the writers' strike. These past two weeks have contained the season finales for several of my personal favorite shows - CSI, CSI: Miami, and House M.D.. Later this week will bring the season finale for Lost as well. With three of these shows done for the summer I'm noticing a disturbing trend this season more than any other - and that's the season finale death.

SPOILERS FOR SEASON FINALES FOLLOW

On Thursday May 15th the CSI finale aired. After the episode reached a happy conclusion with Warrick Brown (Gary Dourdan) having his name and reputation cleared, with a mere 5 minutes left in the episode, as Warrick sits in his car after a meal with his friends and coworkers, the undersherrif knocks on his car window. After complimenting him on being an excellent CSI... he shoots him several times in the head and chest.

On Monday May 19th the House M.D. season finale aired, the second-part of a two-part finale with Dr. House (Hugh Laurie) and Dr. Amber Volakis a.k.a Cut-Throat Bitch (Anne Dudek) recovering from a nasty bus-crash. We discover that Amber is in intensive care in another hospital slowly dying. By the end of the episode we discover that House is NOT sleeping with Amber but instead asked her to drive him home from a bar and his stubbornness led to him luring her onto a city bus (that later was struck by a car). We also discover that Amber isn't dying from complications of the crash but from poisoning due to diet pills. In the final moments House has a revelatory "dream" in which he takes responsibility for being, well, a prick. As Amber dies in the arms of her boyfriend Dr. Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard).

Also on Monday May 19th the season finale of CSI: Miami aired. After having long-time character Dr. Alexx Woods (Khandi Alexander) written off the show (NOT dying!) her replacement is killed in the first three minutes of her first episode. Death happens on CSI so having an unknown character killed isn't MUCH of a surprise, but at the end of the episode we learn that everyone's "favorite" campy character Lt. Horatio Caine (David Caruso) is shot by an unknown assailant ( which we're led to believe is Ryan Wolfe, Jonathan Togo).

So in total, so far, we have THREE count 'em THREE deaths of established characters in three finales. What's the deal with the "cliffhanger death" that these shows are employing recently? Is it a cheap ratings grab? Are they writing the least-liked characters off the shows?

Not at all.

The REAL culprit is: CONTRACT BREAKDOWNS. In the case of Gary Dourdan on CSI, at the time of this season's filming he could not reach an agreement with the producers for a continued contract.

In the case of Anne Dudek on House, it progresses the story. Her death adds conflict between Wilson and House, as well as allows House to do some self-exploring.

With David Caruso on CSI: Miami... well, killing off the "star" and fan-favorite isn't the wisest of moves. The show HAS been confirmed to be returning for another season so perhaps Horatio isn't quite dead. Are the producers using this as a tool incase Caruso can't reach a contract agreement.

For those that have forgotten, the Heroes season finale back in December also ended with a character getting shot. Nathan Petrelli (Adrain Pasdar) was shot several times by an unknown assailant at a press conference just before "coming out" to the world about people with powers.

Personally I'm getting tired of this "story telling tool". A character's death is supposed to have meaning and repercussions, but lately it's been cheapened by television for the sake of ratings or explaining an character leaving the show.

What do you think of the "season finale death" that's so frequent lately? Is it overused and lost its meaning? Let me know below.