How is it determined which characters will or won't die on a drama?

How is it determined which characters will or won't die on a drama?

Pamela Douglas (Screenwriter) gives expert video advice on: What is the 'show bible'?; How do I become a TV drama producer? and more...

There's no rule whether a character dies on a TV drama, except to the extent that an actor quits or dies. Tony Soprano's mother died precipitously because the actress died, and they had to figure out a way around that. I don't know whether some of the actors leaving Grey's Anatomy now are going to have death episodes or not. But there is no rule for that. This is all part of finding the way through story telling.